Way better than Super Sad and Freedom, though the former was more terrifying in terms of future fic
― Raymond Cummings, Tuesday, 2 April 2013 04:06 (ten years ago) link
I'm not sorry I read this but yeah Alfred "vaporous" seems appropriate
― Raymond Cummings, Tuesday, 2 April 2013 04:07 (ten years ago) link
One thing that caught me is the idea of even in the semi distant future being able to lose people thoroughly, despite the surveillance culture we're all complicit in expanding further: that human nature is such that we'll probably ALWAYS lose track of people or be lost track of ourselves...
― Raymond Cummings, Thursday, 4 April 2013 02:41 (ten years ago) link
But the moment in 1993 when Bix says in the future we'll never lose anyone really quite moved me.
― the pinefox, Thursday, 4 April 2013 11:21 (ten years ago) link
Me too
― Raymond Cummings, Friday, 5 April 2013 03:59 (ten years ago) link
this book is insuff and the writing is so plain, which has the effect of making the odd occasions where she tries out some ~writing~ (every 10 paragraphs or so) as awkward as a sore thumb
abandoning 100 pages in
― cozen, Friday, 24 May 2013 22:10 (ten years ago) link
Just finished the Safari chapter and I'm not sure if I'm blown away or very frustrated. She has a great knack for exploring the dynamics between the characters she writes about - the relation she creates between Lou and Rolph is particularly memorable - but there's just so much going on and so many characters that it's pretty hard to absorb. Or maybe that's just me.
― josh az (2011nostalgia), Sunday, 25 March 2018 03:49 (six years ago) link
absolutely loved the first three chapters though. Especially Sasha's one.
― josh az (2011nostalgia), Sunday, 25 March 2018 03:55 (six years ago) link
i reread this a while ago, i acquired a beat-up copy of it from the bookshelf of someone i had a thing with who is now no longer in my life, it seemed appropriate
― the ghost of tom, choad (thomp), Wednesday, 28 March 2018 02:27 (six years ago) link
saw someone reading this on the train yesterday. reminded me that i enjoyed it and i was slightly surprised by some of the heavily adverse criticism it got in places.
― Fizzles, Wednesday, 28 March 2018 05:08 (six years ago) link
The last few chapters let the book down very badly, imo
― Chuck_Tatum, Wednesday, 28 March 2018 15:09 (six years ago) link
I probably made my feelings about this book known here years ago.
What I’ll say in its favor: the stuff about “what future generations might be like” has stayed with me, it made an impression.
― Legalize Suburban Benches (Raymond Cummings), Tuesday, 23 November 2021 22:26 (two years ago) link
Anyone read the Candy House?
― change display name (Jordan), Wednesday, 1 June 2022 15:16 (one year ago) link
Pauses in songs seems like a thread for ILM. A Faulty Chromosome has a good example. I think they were from Texas and existed when myspace existed. I think there is still a case for music from the suburbs. Does anyone have an equivalent for Croyden in the United States? Could it be compared to Brooklyn?
― youn, Wednesday, 29 June 2022 14:04 (one year ago) link
Do you mean the UK borough of Croydon?
It's somewhat comparable to Brooklyn but realistically Brooklyn might be better compared to the whole of South or South-East London.
― the pinefox, Wednesday, 29 June 2022 16:16 (one year ago) link
Yes. Are any of the subjects in the Michael Apted 7 up series from SE London? It seems like a place where there would be enthusiasm for English breakfasts with toast racks and crumb catchers/sweepers as well as football clubs.
It turns out that A Faulty Chromosome are originally from Los Angeles, the original suburb (based on some notion of cars and sprawl).
― youn, Thursday, 30 June 2022 13:01 (one year ago) link
The Candy House, so far, is a better book.
― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Saturday, 4 March 2023 20:01 (one year ago) link
I must read it!
― the pinefox, Sunday, 5 March 2023 10:29 (one year ago) link
books. lots of books.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/interactive/2023/jennifer-egan-home-library/?itid=hp-top-table-main_p001_f005
― scott seward, Friday, 29 September 2023 12:50 (six months ago) link