by James P. Othmer
Just the other day I was thinking how that segment on ads was the most helpful thing I ever learned in school & I wished I could remember the different types of advertising because the only one I remember is "bandwagon"--"everyone else is doing it, why don't you?" So this is great! You remember the other categories! Cardstacking. Testimonials. Ordinary People. Any others? I lurv you! ]]>
Charlaralotte
read and liked
Ben's
review of Adland: Searching for the Meaning of Life on a Branded Planet:
"When I was in elementary school, and in the Gifted-and-Getting-Made-Fun-of-for-It Program, the best thing we ever did was study advertising. We had to bring in all the magazines we could find at home, and then go through them and examine all the ads....more "
"When I was in elementary school, and in the Gifted-and-Getting-Made-Fun-of-for-It Program, the best thing we ever did was study advertising. We had to bring in all the magazines we could find at home, and then go through them and examine all the ads....more "
bookshelves: read-in-the-2000s
This book was wonderful, from what I remember. Brutally honest and hilarious description of wrestling with alcoholism and mental illness.
And I didn't know the bit about baseball games not being played on the radio within a certain radius. That was fascinating: Exley driving far enough out to a bar that would have the game on.
Wish I could remember what the blackout radius was. Then I could impress people with details instead of vaguely peculiar-sounding notions. ]]>
bookshelves: read-in-2009
I'm so sorry, Fred, but I could barely make it through this baby.
Loved "A Fan's Notes." Found this book full of wonderful bits, but far too overwritten and sprawling to command my attention for long periods of time.
Still, the wonderful bits are hilariously, depressingly wonderful, and I kept picking it back up just to find another brilliant, meandering side story. ]]>
bookshelves: read-in-2009
Well, I have to say that I probably did not grasp the importance of this book. It felt like it was a quite important story, a story that spoke about redemption, Judaism, the immigrant experience, the process of Americanization, the American Dream, the whole shebang.
Mostly I was really depressed by the description of the family and their constrained life that depends entirely on the survival of their grocery store. This was a bit too close to home & I think after identifying strongly with the characters, I had to disengage a bit so that depression didn't set in.
As far as the assistant himself, I think his change over time might have made more of an impression when this book was first published. I didn't quite manage to get into the psychological prejudices against Italians that would be crucial to really feeling how much his conversion at the end means. The prejudice against Jews seemed not to have changed, so I got that. Made if I were Italian I'd feel differently.
Okay, never mind. I should read some literary critique of the book and all will be explained. There were some great Yiddish words used. It's always nice to come upon new Yiddish words that I haven't heard before. Yiddish is great fun. Unless you're the person being slandered. ]]>
bookshelves: read-in-2009
Holy Schmoly! There are amazing books out there that occasionally I happen upon and life seems so much better. Reading "Lonesome Dove" was similar to discovering de Bernieres' Latin American trilogy.
Such wonderful characters, fantastic descriptions, good dialogue, expert eye for human psychology, and epic mastery of the many forces that worked to shape the American West after the Civil War. I was thrilled. Brilliant interweaving of all sorts of different characters' inner dialogue combined with terrific plotting and pacing. Gosh, can't say enough. Except what took me so long to read this? Oh yeah, I don't think I knew it was a book. Remember hearing about Robert Duvall in a TV series & blocked it out.
Hard to believe McMurtry wrote "Terms of Endearment" also. But perhaps the movie took great liberties with the text, or at least the Shirley McLaine factor threw the project for a loop.
Makes sense that he wrote "The Last Picture Show." Again, I didn't know that was a book first. Can't wait to read it. Expect it will be wonderful as contains the elements that were done so well in "Lonesome Dove": the restless folk inhabiting the windswept plains of the west, wandering, searching, using others for ill-gotten gain, the thin line that prevents some from articulating incredibly important thoughts....
Perhaps also this book was quite "accessible" to me as I've visited most of the places mentioned in "Lonesome Dove," and I found it fascinating to read about how they were 150 years ago. ]]>
bookshelves: read-in-2009
Good dramatic set-up possibilities of mainstream American town with community of illegal immigrants living across the river. Unfortunately, plotting of American characters a bit dull. Their problems not so interesting compared with problems of village without deeds, sewage, running water. Somehow mixing of inhabitants from two zones wasn't made as compelling as could have been in hands of Garcia Marquez or Bernieres. But then, not every writer has their talent for getting at heart of social consciousness and individual characters.
Rita's eating disorder got tiresome, the Heart poker game tales dull, and Gay's marital thoughts rather uninteresting. Cared much more about Rudy's motivation, Enrique's thoughts, and Humberto's life.
Perhaps a reframing and re-edit might have made things a bit livelier and ultimately more meaningful.
Best thing about the book is the title. ]]>