Shelly 's review
Forgetfulness
by Ward Just
I don't think I'm gonna finish this. I gave up once, read the back cover again, was attracted to it all over again, and now it's just...seems like maybe the description on the back cover really belongs to some other book. Like maybe there was a mishap at the printers. ?
David, thanks. Sorry about the DeLillo remark. I ain't afraid to say he's a bit over my head. I tried to read The Names on my own and simply couldn't get through it. Then later, in college, was forced to read it and realized via class discussion and my professor's comments it was far more interesting than I was giving it credit for.
It'd probably be the same w/ this book.
White Noise looks good.
"Okay, toward the end it's all just more of the same so I skipped a bunch. Fuck it. It's a book. It's not a pet, or a person, or a job."
Hehe, I love that. I need to use that approach more often for books that I feel that I am wasting my time with. Instead, I always diligently plug on to the end. Then throw the book and regret having wasted my time (for that weird unwritten 'rule' that says one must always finish a book).
I struggle with DeLillo too. I tried reading 'Underworld' and my brain hurt after a while. 'White Noise' does look good (better?), however, so I might try that next.
Thanks Chai! If you do pick up White Noise before I do let me know how it goes!
Shelly 's review
Forgetfulness by Ward Just
Shelly 's review
rating:
recommended for: Don DeLillo fans
The good news: I finished it.
The bad news: I really shouldn't have.
It's hard to pan a book that is reviewed and received so well. While I was reading this book, and for the most part being bored to tears, I kept thinking "re-read that part, focus more, get into it goddam it! it's supposed to be good." For a long time I was hesitant to give up on this book b/c I didn't want to feel like a failure and a quitter. So I finished. Sort of. Okay, toward the end it's all just more of the same so I skipped a bunch. Fuck it. It's a book. It's not a pet, or a person, or a job. It's a book with a fancy stamp on it. And what do they (the stampers)know anyway? The truth of the matter is the back cover promises more than the pages betwixt the covers delivers. I was misled. It wasn't, as the Atlantic Monthly suggests, "suspense of the highest order." But rather, I would suggest, nonsense of the highest order.
Dear Ward,
Why are you telling me this? Isn'...more
The bad news: I really shouldn't have.
It's hard to pan a book that is reviewed and received so well. While I was reading this book, and for the most part being bored to tears, I kept thinking "re-read that part, focus more, get into it goddam it! it's supposed to be good." For a long time I was hesitant to give up on this book b/c I didn't want to feel like a failure and a quitter. So I finished. Sort of. Okay, toward the end it's all just more of the same so I skipped a bunch. Fuck it. It's a book. It's not a pet, or a person, or a job. It's a book with a fancy stamp on it. And what do they (the stampers)know anyway? The truth of the matter is the back cover promises more than the pages betwixt the covers delivers. I was misled. It wasn't, as the Atlantic Monthly suggests, "suspense of the highest order." But rather, I would suggest, nonsense of the highest order.
Dear Ward,
Why are you telling me this? Isn'...more
I don't think I'm gonna finish this. I gave up once, read the back cover again, was attracted to it all over again, and now it's just...seems like maybe the description on the back cover really belongs to some other book. Like maybe there was a mishap at the printers. ?
message 2:
by deleted member
05/02/2008 04:17PM
Shelly, love the review, hate the dig on Delillo...
David, thanks. Sorry about the DeLillo remark. I ain't afraid to say he's a bit over my head. I tried to read The Names on my own and simply couldn't get through it. Then later, in college, was forced to read it and realized via class discussion and my professor's comments it was far more interesting than I was giving it credit for.It'd probably be the same w/ this book.
White Noise looks good.
"Okay, toward the end it's all just more of the same so I skipped a bunch. Fuck it. It's a book. It's not a pet, or a person, or a job."Hehe, I love that. I need to use that approach more often for books that I feel that I am wasting my time with. Instead, I always diligently plug on to the end. Then throw the book and regret having wasted my time (for that weird unwritten 'rule' that says one must always finish a book).
I struggle with DeLillo too. I tried reading 'Underworld' and my brain hurt after a while. 'White Noise' does look good (better?), however, so I might try that next.
Thanks Chai! If you do pick up White Noise before I do let me know how it goes!