false 1360793
E. E. Cummings gets me when I'm happy, Dostoevsky gets me when I'm down. I'm not nearly as well read as a lot of my friends; most of the stories I read in high school came from the old White Wolf gaming books. The stories weren't great but the setting was breathtaking and exciting. Much better than any of the actual games I played.

If you're the kind of person who looks down on people for really liking Neil Gaiman (I know I do,) understand that I know the guy's one-note and stories about the value of stories is something like a warmfuzzy cop-out, but I also think he's damn good at what he does.]]> male The United States 07/2008 12/2009 6 30 27 true 5800833 read 2 true 2889660 currently-reading 1 true 2889659 to-read 2 false 2899671 half-read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/26146950 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166854578s/17876.jpg 1360793 Danny Salinger http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1216931287p2/1360793.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1360793-danny-salinger Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:24:20 -0700 matter, despite all this, and how this sort of idealism and preoccupation with his Self keeps him from doing much of anything while other characters (like Zverkov) achieve almost effortlessly, even though they don't really ever consider the significance of their actions.

Liza is sort of an opportunity for him to let go of his idealism and his preoccupation with his Self, step down to earth, and do something good and constructive for once, even if it's something imperfect or un-glorious. And he fucks it up, because he won't let go of these ideals and really look at the reality around him.

Hope this helps!]]> http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2.The_Worst_Books_of_All_Time http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41DcKN0STkL._SL75_.jpg 1360793 Danny Salinger http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1216931287p2/1360793.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1360793-danny-salinger Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:46:33 -0800
What makes me sad is that this list is so discredited that voting for Twilight and The Scarlet Letter (paragraphs of tiresome symbolism ultimately undone by the author just coming out and saying the damn thing in the end anyway,) won't serve to warn anyone.]]> http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2.The_Worst_Books_of_All_Time http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166495226s/12296.jpg 1360793 Danny Salinger http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1216931287p2/1360793.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1360793-danny-salinger Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:34:05 -0800 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/9790301 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173975984s/349347.jpg 1360793 Danny Salinger http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1216931287p2/1360793.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1360793-danny-salinger Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:06:33 -0800 Natalie wrote: "That actually helps me understand what he must have been going for much better, Danny. Thanks!"

Haha, and here I was thinking I'd just be silently judged for typing all that in response to a year-old book review.

Happy to've helped! (You're especially right, by the way, in that the ending felt painfully sloppy and tacked on.)]]> The World as Will and Representation, 1 of 2 (Paperback) by Arthur Schopenhauer]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/30956890 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167254259s/19506.jpg 1360793 Danny Salinger http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1216931287p2/1360793.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1360793-danny-salinger Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:58:34 -0700 Attack of the Theater People (Paperback) by Marc Acito]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/30956857 http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/516HluCi1hL._SL75_.jpg 1360793 Danny Salinger http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1216931287p2/1360793.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1360793-danny-salinger Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:58:03 -0700