American Genius: A Comedy

by Lynne Tillman
American Genius: A Comedy  
published 2006 by Soft Skull Press
binding Paperback
isbn 1933368446   (isbn13: 9781933368443)
pages 320
description Lynne Tillman’s previous novels have won her both popular approval and critical praise from such literary heavyweights as Edmund White and Colm ...more
date added
03-03-07



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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 65)



Literary Ventures Fund
10/01/07

Read in January, 2007
recommends it for: Fans of the stunning literary works of Lynn Tillman

This is what we'd get if Jane Austen were writing in 21st century America--a book that expands the possibilities of the national novel and of the female protagonist. Tillman brings into being a microcosm of American democracy, a scholarly colony functioning like Melville's Pequod, in which competing values--rationality and irrationality, generosity and selfishness, love and lust, shame and honor--compete with one another through a hilarious narrative, cycling through skin disease, chair design...more
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Katherine
Katherine rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
08/30/07

Read in August, 2007
I'm not going to make it to the end of this book.
The best way to describe 'American Genius, A Comedy' is a-poetical. Whereas poetry tries to capture a very certain feeling in compact lyrical phrasing, this book aims at the same thing in articulate but extremely lengthy passages. The problem is I just don't care about all these feelings if they're not connected to some kind of story. I made it through about 80 dense pages and nothing has happened. NOTHING. We weren't even past talking about th...more
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Justin
Justin rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
05/19/08

This is one of the most difficult books I have ever gotten though. Granted, it was for a class, and granted I was supposed to lead discussion on it so I had to read it in a limited time and thoroughly, but still, I think the book itself provided most of the difficulty, I just brought the frustration.

At times, plodding my way through this, I would treat it like a super-intense workout. Two more pages, two more page, you can DO this. And sometimes I'd find myself overcome, as if the book i...more
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Ryan
Ryan rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
06/11/08

bookshelves: literature
One of those books where the narrator's consciousness is blended with the zeitgeist. You can take that or leave it. Some illuminating passages connecting the history of modernism, manifest destiny, tourism, and the American Dream. Oh, and skin. Bits I liked a lot, not sure there's much left after you finish but my tastes are decadent enough not to care especially.

Here's a good quote:

"The right to pursue happiness sends me and other Americans, even here where we are meant to resist o...more
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Soft
Soft added it
06/25/07

Read in October, 2006
This is what we'd get if Jane Austen were writing in 21st century America--a book that expands the possibilities of the national novel and of the female protagonist. Tillman brings into being a microcosm of American democracy, a scholarly colony functioning like Melville's Pequod, in which competing values--rationality and irrationality, generosity and selfishness, love and lust, shame and honor--compete with one another through a hilarious narrative, cycling through skin disease, chair design, ...more
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Reese
Reese rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
01/31/08

imagine...holden caufield as a brilliant, multi-faceted, middle-aged white woman. kind of. you're in her head the entire time as she ponders and deconstructs everything she encounters, and may often find yourself floored by her profound, common sense observations. on the other hand, you may often find yourself begging her to shut up...but that's just part of the Tillman experience.
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Alan
Alan rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
09/28/07

Read in September, 2007
I think she's trying to win an award for the longest sentences ever. I'd be willing to slog through more than 50 pages of this if a) the sentences weren't just long for the sake of being long or b) there was some sort of plot, maybe a character or two, or something happening. I just couldn't take it. Maybe that's the genius of it all.
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Leonard
Leonard rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
05/11/08

bookshelves: fiction
Extremely hard to get through at times, and really not as comedic as the title would have you believe, but still worth reading.
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Leslie
Leslie rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
01/09/08

Read in June, 2007
Brilliant. Favorite book of last year. Maybe the most perfect paragraphs I've ever read.
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Liz
Liz rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
01/15/08

Read in February, 2007
holy crap she's smart.
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Natalia
Natalia rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
09/12/07

bookshelves: currently-reading
Read in January, 2007
So far great.
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Amber
Amber marked it as to-read
06/11/08

bookshelves: to-read
 

Keith
Keith rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
10/22/07

Read in January, 2008
 

Rhian
Rhian rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
01/11/08

 

Pete
Pete rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
01/09/08

 

Sam
Sam rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
09/02/07

 

Robie
Robie marked it as to-read
01/31/08

bookshelves: to-read
 

emily
emily rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
05/10/07

Read in September, 2007
 

Jami
Jami is currently reading it
01/28/08

bookshelves: currently-reading
 

Rob
Rob marked it as to-read
12/16/07

bookshelves: to-read
 


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book data (includes all editions)

avg rating (all editions): 3.64 (39 ratings)
avg rating (this edition): 3.61 (38 ratings)
number of reviews: 11






other editions

American Genius, A Comedy









quote

"The right to pursue happiness sends me and other Americans, even here where we are meant to resist outside temptation, on a hunt for it. If I’m not hungry, I might seek other forms of happiness, or pleasure, which is part of my American birthright, though the most misconceived notion of them or the most difficult to realize; I can pursue several means and ways to be happy, if I am able to forget what makes me habitually sad." more quotes »