Dan’s Comments (group member since Mar 02, 2009)

Dan’s comments from the fiction files redux group.

Patty wrote: "i did think that the editors should have given a little more thought to how they printed the footnotes. if they'd put them at the end of each section or at the bottom of pages, it would have been much easier for me to read. and i could have split it in half, and made it much more portable for the subway. "

I wonder if this was the author's choice? I would imagine if they put them at the bottom of the page the book would look more like house of leaves with the giant footnotes that would take over for a time.

I was reading last night in the supine position and finally realized how big the book is by the weight of it on my chest. It was actually uncomfortable.

Making progress, some more horrible accidents and suicide. Pretty insane stuff. Also of note at the 800+ page mark the back cover has started to come undone. A little tape fixed that issue though.

Who else has read a paperback copy and did it start falling apart on you? I imagine a book this big is hard to bind effectively in paperback.

Hi Joseph,

Welcome to the group. For me personally I think that you are slightly over the line with this post. Let me explain why. The fiction files is a group of people who gather here to talk about books and book culture. Self promotion is okay as a secondary and somewhat passive goal to have in this group.

Show us through your insightful comments, show us that you have something fresh and intelligent to say. If you do this you have already done all the promoting you will need. One of us will eventually pick up a copy of your book and word will spread quickly. It is reciprocating relationships that last in these parts.

You have mentioned your "lengthy comments" that you have made in other groups both here and in the "Welcome" thread but it is highly unlikely we are going to track down your posts just to see what you think. You also do not fail to mention your book in either thread.

Lastly, you post about reading a book by John Finch in your own Author post which, unless it has something to do with your book, doesn't make a ton of sense. I think it may be better placed in the "What are you Reading" thread or in starting a John Clinch Author thread. To me it just seems that you are bolstering your own thread (I may be wrong on this I submit).

We are usually pretty tough on the self promotion bit quickly resulting in profanities, humiliation and silliness but since you seem earnest I thought a more thoughtful response appropriate.

Thanks.


PS I also am digging your posts on Clinch and the idea of appropriating characters. One of our members David Liss writes historical fiction and would probably have some pretty good insights.

You are definitely right about this Hugh. I was surprised at her being annoyed by Hal since I was always fascinated by his grammatical talk and conversations with Orin. After hearing her take on Hal I can see how he could come across as annoying.

Her perspective and significance to each character gives each if the Incandezas a 3D feel which I can't remember getting in other recent novels.

The World Digital Library was recently launched. The collection is smallish but is growing and has some terrific stuff to check out.

http://www.wdl.org/en/

As I have said my reading time has diminished recently but I got some reading done today.

I was really stuck by the switch of perspective offered when we start seeing things from Joelle's POV. Particularly her take on the Incandeza family during Thanksgiving dinner. I have spent 700+ pages of thinking of the Incandeza family from an internal perspective and now I have seen them from the outside. Pretty cool, if ya ask me.

Michael wrote: "Do you have friends/family in update New York, or are you just soloing in like that guy in Northern Exposure? "

I will be flying solo, closest family is in Philly which means you will be closer. You better keep an eye on your doorstep Michael you may have a new son if I get homesick! :)

Karen: that is pretty crazy that out of 90-ish members there is a graduate from Potsdam in this group! Crumb Library here I come!

My reading of IJ has slowed to a crawl do to being busy with a bunch of crap. I did happen to see these DFW related Obits and Recollections on McSweeney's website and thought I would share.

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/dfw/tribute...

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/dfw/memorie...

More thoughts on things later.

Ok here it is, the announcement. I'm no longer a librarian just by degree. I now have a position as a librarian for one of the SUNY colleges in upstate NY. So I am going from one of the hottest places in the US (Phoenix) to one of the coldest (Potsdam). Exciting stuff. On a librarian/literature related note:

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/arch...

Happy birthday Pops! MY social networks didn't alert me to this fact. Confounding technology and my over reliance!

Did you buy a VW again (you had a bug didn't you? I think that's what I saw in your crash pictures)?

and Yay to Lauren. What role do you have?

Both of these stories are great! I haven't had much luck with audiobooks. I seem to have a hard time focusing. My mind typically wanders off. Though it may have been because I was listening to Thucydides instead of a novel or modern work.

I have a long drive coming in the next few months and am likely going to take David McCullough's 1776 for the ride. Hopefully that will work out better

Brian wrote: "i don't question murakami too much. i just prefer to share his dreams. ."

I like this, Brian. In a way agree that is how I progress through his stories and novels. Though at the same time I feel (and know) that I miss a lot by not thinking outside the dream.

Matt wrote: "and there remains the issue of filtering your product from amongst the myriad of other books available, of raising the visibility of your product so that people will know it is there and will be interested in reading it. This is going to have to be done by some agency (if not the publisher then who? the author will be just another voice in the wilderness without some backing). what is their cut? "

I think that this is a major issue in the 'information age' the wide availability of an increasing amount of products isn't necessarily a good thing. without publishing houses to throw some weight (money) into the promotion of a title it would be very, very hard to filter your product.

I think some parallels can be drawn from the self publishing world. There is a massive amount of self published books out there and a good deal of the are likely garbage. There may be a gem hidden here and there but what is missing is editing and promotion.

It is likely going to put more of a burden of finding the 'good shit' onto the consumers shoulders much as it is with searching the internet for specific information.

Please note I do not mean to say that only edited and promoted books are the only one's worth reading, or that I need to be spoon fed by companies what I should read. I rely on the people of this group to do that for me. Alright I gotta stop rambling...

Chris wrote: "Which leads me to this question: is it the plot that makes the book seem quick, or the emphasis on action, on things always happening, even in descriptions? "

I am not sure if I can divorce the emphasis on action from the plot itself. Maybe I say this as someone who reads vs. someone who writes or maybe as someone who hasn't formally studied literature (outside of the greeks and romans).


Patty: As for Carmen I really didn't think much of Carmen outside of what is presented. I think I was wrapped up in the 'world' Chandler creates. I just saw Carmen and her sister as well as girls who use their womanly charms to get what they want. This could be the of Chandler's overall take on women.

The question of protecting the general is a good one. From Marlowe's standpoint I think it is purely a client/employer sense of duty. in a lot of ways he is responsible for what his daughters were but that dynamic doesn't seem to affect Marlowe's sense of duty to his employer (the general).

You know, I remember reading his article on D but can't remember the specifics. I need to see if I can find my copy of Consider the Lobster. I think it may be the casualty of one too many moves since I don't remember seeing it in the past year or so.

I am surprised how a book this long can remain engaging. As each page turns your feelings for each of the characters grows. I am actually afraid to see what happens to Hal.

Gately's story line has trailed off after the battle with the Canucks and at page 700 you just aren't given enough information yet on Joelle.

There is so much still to take in learn and understand. I am glad there are still about 300 pages left for this to happen.

I don't mean to gush but this book is definitely a major accomplishment. I had no idea and really no expectation that it would live up to the hype.

It does require your focus a bit but not as much in my opinion as say Tolstoy or Dostoevsky. I didn't get a chance to read it much for about a week and was easily able to jump back in. I also read The Big Sleep yesterday and don't foresee any problems picking up where I left off.

You just need to stop in a good place. It's overall size does get in the way of reading anything else though.

Infinite Jest is really a gem. I didn't expect to like it as much as I am (this despite Patty's glowing praise). I have laughed quite hard on a number of occasions, been horrified by events that have taken place and have been thoroughly confused by different scenes, characters and dialogue.

I am about 650 pages in and have no idea where the next 400 pages are going to take me. I am really glad to have finally gotten around to it.

I found the receipt for the book tucked away in one of the pages. I bought it in March 2006 along with Consider the Lobster which I read right away. IJ was just sitting there intimidating me from the shelf for three years. I am glad I finally picked it up.

Alright, so i just finished the book and enjoyed it greatly. I have never read any chandler before and was struck by the language and its hard-boiled-ness. It was very easy to get into and a seemingly quick read. I think this was because of the emphasis on the plot.

Most of the books i have read recently spend a lot of time with character development and this book seems to do the opposite. I have a lot of unanswered questions and curiosity about the characters and their lives.

There will definitely be more Chandler in my future.

I just started the book this morning and I keep visualizing the events taking place in Ben's neighborhood.

Jonathan wrote: " . . . picked up the big sleep today!!! . . . will try to finish huck finn tonight!"

I picked it up today too!