Weird

[d.s.]

The format of this group is puzzling to me.

Be that as it may, I'm currently reading Kate Millett's "The Basement." It's pretty strange, being an intellectualization of what is normally fodder for mindless gossip, a sensationalized murder trial. The trial in question involved the tortue-unto-death case of a 15-year-old girl named Sylvia Likens. Ms. Millett uses the case to present her feminist theories, much as Sartre used to use his novels to present his philosophy in a more palatable form. Some of it is basic fact, some over-the-top stretching, but one always sees how she reaches her conclusions, and what more can be asked of anyone?

Before that I got Suze Rotolo's "A Freewheelin' Time: A Memoir of Greenwich Village in the Sixties," befoer it was even officially released. There are strong simularities between this book and Joyce Johnson's "Minor Characters," and it's appropriate that Ms. Johnson provides a blurb on the back cover. Loke Ms. Johnson, Suze Rotolo has lived her life in the shadow of a former famous lover, Bob Dylan in Suze Rotolo's case. (She is arm-in-arm with him on the cover of his second album.) Like Joyce Johnson, she had pre-second wave of feminist stirrings, wanting to express herself as being more than simply a rock star's girlfriend. This turns-out to be the major reason for their falling-out, not, as previous biographies have suggested, petty jealousies or family interference. As a Dylan freak, I discovered new insights into him. By-and-large he comes-off as a major asshole in his personal life, especially in David Hadju's "Positively Fourth Street," which reads as a hatchet-job, making Mr. Dylan to be an uncaring monster. "A Freewheelin' Time" reveals a softer side to the artist in his personal life, one that has largely, until now, been hidden, mainly because it's not anyone else's business. Beyond all that, however, Suze Rotolo is an interesting person in her own right. Her life before she met Bob Dylan was infinitely more interesting than his, being a red-diaper baby who grew-up in the midst of McCarthy-ism, who accepted the torch of activism that was passed-down from her parents.

Before that I slogged through Kerouac's "Visions of Cody." A highly experimental work, at it's best it could be described as the literary equivalent of a Jackson Pollock painting. (Pollock is my favorite painter, by the way.) It bridges the seemingly disparate worlds of the Beats and the Surrealists (the Beats wrote of their real-life experiences, whereas the Surrealists championed the dream-state, generally speaking), even before Burroughs did in his novels. That said, large chunks of it were profoundly boring to me, and I found it difficult to wade through. Highly recommended for the literary scholar of major fans of Jack Kerouac, but I'd discourage anyone else from reading it, especially anyone newly discovering his work.

Back to the weirdness of the format of "Good Reads," I tried posting my currently-reading book as such, but it never went through. I had to search to find this group. I suppose it'll become more user-friendly as time goes on, but...

I'm looking forwards to reading the Journals of Rachel Corrie, as well as the Scott McClellan "revelations."

Peace on Earth,
-Don

[Bret]

well, we are reading, I got an invite from Slim to read Arabian nights and was wondering if this was a digest request. I like hearing bout members reading but for group situation. well I am now and my current read is lost by gma comments and I would like to finish first but realy I would like to say that our situation in AMERICA in current times has changed~ The industry along rivers and our purpose as a nation is at hand. The very being of his works only shows the problems we now face. This situation is as mine and I would like to say That I am concerned. A group read is not confusing yet I feel we do need to get together and read what Slim proposed or comment bout it. Walt is cool hell I am not sure how Don digested