Sharp! Doughty's writing style is a tight, self-confident jab. This book has all the sex and drugs and gossip you want from a minor rock star memoir, ...moreSharp! Doughty's writing style is a tight, self-confident jab. This book has all the sex and drugs and gossip you want from a minor rock star memoir, but it is not really one of those humblebrag-style "oh man I was sooooo messed up back then" narratives. (Looking at you, Keith Richards.) Doughty's times with drugs and minor rockstardom seem to have been fairly miserable, and so as the recovery arc takes shape in the last fourth of the book, it is a relief. I am glad he is better.
By the way, I liked Soul Coughing pretty well but never exactly loved them. (A new solo song by Doughty, "Na Na Nothing," was one of my favorite of 2011, though!) Doughty is a good writer and worth reading for his writing voice, not because you like or liked his songs. Also it turns out he hates all of those Soul Coughing albums.
Maybe I could have done with a little less ax-grinding against the other members of the band. It is not that I don't believe Doughty's account that they were manipulative, abusive, songwriting-credit-stealing narcissists; I'm sure they were. I'm on Doughty's side! But isn't every band some flavor of dysfunctional family? "Band members who resent the lead singer and try to bring him down" is a familiar enough dysfunction, and after awhile the anecdotes proving that this was the case pile up.
But whatever. That is not the whole book and as a whole I found the book really good on addiction, recovery, living inside one's head, and even, unexpectedly, a bit on travel.(less)
Sort of funny. Basically an 85-page wind-up to a punchline. Luckily it does not take very long to read. I pretty much liked it but will probably forge...moreSort of funny. Basically an 85-page wind-up to a punchline. Luckily it does not take very long to read. I pretty much liked it but will probably forget about it tomorrow. (less)
Should not work because the plot is so elliptical with no particular arc, but it does work because the writing is so clean and minimal and the milieu,...moreShould not work because the plot is so elliptical with no particular arc, but it does work because the writing is so clean and minimal and the milieu, post-colonial upper class immigrant New York City, is so interesting. This is a book about a half-Nigerian-half-German immigrant who wanders around New York City thinking about philosophy and sometimes talking to others. It is basically shapeless but it isn't ostentatious about it, if you know what I mean: It doesn't flaunt its formal weirdness, it's just that it's sort of weird in structure. I sort of loved this book and I'm almost not sure why. I really think it is the cleanness of the prose, the clarity of thought. Really really good.(less)
Something of a marvel for how massive and intricate it really is. Very beautiful and affecting. I am writing a story for the newspaper about the autho...moreSomething of a marvel for how massive and intricate it really is. Very beautiful and affecting. I am writing a story for the newspaper about the author, who grew up in Wausau. Looking forward to interviewing him. (less)
The trouble with writing a novel that is going to remind everybody of Pale Fire is that everybody is just going to be reminded how great Pale Fire is,...moreThe trouble with writing a novel that is going to remind everybody of Pale Fire is that everybody is just going to be reminded how great Pale Fire is, but instead they're reading this book, which is not Pale Fire.
But it is pretty good, though. The essay parts are good. And you can tell he went to a lot of trouble, which I respect.(less)
Pretty silly. I am sort of interested in the politics of the time (early 1900s) and thought it might be fun to read a novel about it. It was a little,...morePretty silly. I am sort of interested in the politics of the time (early 1900s) and thought it might be fun to read a novel about it. It was a little, small bit of fun, was all. Sort of a clumsy potboiler overall. (less)
Possibly I am a philistine but I read 20 percent of this one and I am putting it down. It has no plot! The sort of this-then-this-then-this picaresque...morePossibly I am a philistine but I read 20 percent of this one and I am putting it down. It has no plot! The sort of this-then-this-then-this picaresque is an intentional structure, I know, but that doesn't make it much more fun to read. The milieu of hardscrabble Great Depression Chicago is certainly appealing but this work isn't for me, not right now at least.(less)
The latest of the books I have read into Laura's belly, to the evident delight of the baby, who squirms and kicks throughout reading time. He is right...moreThe latest of the books I have read into Laura's belly, to the evident delight of the baby, who squirms and kicks throughout reading time. He is right about this one: It is really good. I had not read it since high school, and it is fairly magnificent. It is also about a time in America when James Gatz from North Dakota could turn himself into the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby, a possibility that has come to seem remote to us today. Although, as American Lit. students will recall, even Gatsby did not ever quite succeed in turning himself into Gatsby. Thumbs up to this book from me and the baby, and from Laura, too, although she slept through a lot of it.(less)
As a style guide, I'm not sure how much use it is. (I'm not sure it's not of use, either.) As a compendium of great sentences, it is a good time. My f...moreAs a style guide, I'm not sure how much use it is. (I'm not sure it's not of use, either.) As a compendium of great sentences, it is a good time. My favorite unit of writing is the sentence, too, so I did enjoy these.(less)
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