Wednesday, May 30
WikiNovel
Tuesday, May 29
Not much
Not much to say these days. Not writing. Doing a bit of reading. Mostly enjoying summer with yard work, dog walks, bike rides, swimming pool visits and the occassional run. Couple more weeks until we're off to Scotland. Not much to say.
Tuesday, May 15
The Netflix of Books?
BookSwim aims to be the "Netflix of books." Makes sense, I guess. Still, I'll go to the local public library.
Monday, May 14
The Yiddish Policemen’s Union
From the NY Times mostly positive review of Michael Chabon's new book “The Yiddish Policemen’s Union,” his first big serious one since the best-selling, brilliant and Pulitzer Prize-winning “Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay." The new book is a mystery novel. Kristen, lover of the mystery genre, got Chabon's new novel for me over the weekend, and I haven't yet read it but will start as soon as I a) finish, b) skim to the finish, or c) give up on "I Am A Strange Loop.
I like Chabon because in many ways he's a capital L capital W Literary Writer, or started out aiming that way at least. But as this quote from reviewer Terrance Rafferty hints at, he's also been working his way through various genre styles, too, styles that most capital L capital W Literary Writer-types scoff at. In other words, he's doing what I aspire to: writing great stories, with actual plots and interesting, real characters that aim beyond their genres.
Says Rafferty: "Chabon takes pains to supply an elegant, satisfying solution for his murder puzzle; he has too much respect for the genre not to. He has in recent years become a zealous proselytizer for a more genre-inflected and plot-friendly sort of literary fiction, a rabbi of the sect of Story. I think, though, that for him plot is, like chess, no more and no less than a beautiful game, something to be played as scrupulously and passionately as you can, but warily — with an eye to the danger that the game could start playing you. When that happens, and you find yourself in that forced-to-move trap, the sensible thing is to knock the board over."
I like Chabon because in many ways he's a capital L capital W Literary Writer, or started out aiming that way at least. But as this quote from reviewer Terrance Rafferty hints at, he's also been working his way through various genre styles, too, styles that most capital L capital W Literary Writer-types scoff at. In other words, he's doing what I aspire to: writing great stories, with actual plots and interesting, real characters that aim beyond their genres.
Says Rafferty: "Chabon takes pains to supply an elegant, satisfying solution for his murder puzzle; he has too much respect for the genre not to. He has in recent years become a zealous proselytizer for a more genre-inflected and plot-friendly sort of literary fiction, a rabbi of the sect of Story. I think, though, that for him plot is, like chess, no more and no less than a beautiful game, something to be played as scrupulously and passionately as you can, but warily — with an eye to the danger that the game could start playing you. When that happens, and you find yourself in that forced-to-move trap, the sensible thing is to knock the board over."
Sunday, May 13
Out and about
Summer time: time to be outdoors. Dog runs. Bike rides. Lawn mowing. Patio and planter wall building. Dirt moving. Not much writing.
For example, today we went down to Denver and saw the Pirates of Penzance which was great. But even better was the Silver Spoon Film Festival last night over in Loveland, where they screened two of my son's films, and one of them ("Braveheart: The Musical") was named best comedy and, at the end of the night, the top award for best in show. It's a kick to see one of his movies on the silver screen, and it's even more fun to hear the large audience laugh it up.
For example, today we went down to Denver and saw the Pirates of Penzance which was great. But even better was the Silver Spoon Film Festival last night over in Loveland, where they screened two of my son's films, and one of them ("Braveheart: The Musical") was named best comedy and, at the end of the night, the top award for best in show. It's a kick to see one of his movies on the silver screen, and it's even more fun to hear the large audience laugh it up.
Wednesday, May 2
Reading list
OK, so I've recently finished bios of Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt on my grand tour of 19th and early 20th century U.S. Presidents (go figure), as well as Kurt Anderson's latest, Heyday, set in the exploding "modernism" of 1848 America.
I'm also currently re-reading Cat's Cradle to remember Kurt, and have just received on three week loan from my local public library a copy of Douglas Hofstadter's "I Am A Strange Loop" which looks very interesting (judging a book by its cover). In the hole would be a history about 1898.
I'm also currently re-reading Cat's Cradle to remember Kurt, and have just received on three week loan from my local public library a copy of Douglas Hofstadter's "I Am A Strange Loop" which looks very interesting (judging a book by its cover). In the hole would be a history about 1898.
