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I really hated "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"
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Meaghan
(last edited Aug 25, 2016 12:46PM)
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Sep 28, 2007 10:08AM

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And by the way, if you want to see a better way of combining modern American angst with a world conflict plot, try (goodreads member) Michael Fitzgerald's "Radiant Days."



I don't like artsy literary fiction and was quite surprised that I enjoyed the writing style. It is definitely well executed.
However I having read a little further I am losing my patience - Ok the child's weird, got it. Now stop naval gazing and get on with the story.


However actually reading it was like hugging a cold fish. It has a clammy unpleasant feel and after awhile it begins to stink.The concepts were clever but only emotion he evoked was dislike for every main character.
And personally I think the boys parents should have been prosecuted for purposely bringing him up to be so dysfunctional. His memories show that 9/11 only exaggerated his personality quirks but was not the cause.
As to all the pictures and formatting 'fun' I just find that juvenile and skip through trying to pay as little attention as possible.

I had the pleasure of meeting Jonathan Safran Foer at a book signing. I listened to him speak and had a small conversation with him later. I expected him to be annoying witty and wannabe urbane and faux-artsy, but I was happy to find him extremely down to earth and genuinely surprised by all of his success.

His parents nurtured Oskar as an individual. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. Do you really think personality quirks are dysfunctional, eshchory? I think in many ways Oskar is a lovely, regular nine-year-old boy. His inventive way of saying banned words cracked me up. In other ways, he is an exceptional, gifted, and sensitive child. I think it’s a balance; in my eyes, he’s certainly non-conformist, but still functional.

At first I thought these quirks were an understandable result of berevement but most of them were not.
It is wonderful to have a gifted, exceptional child but irresponsible to nuture these quirks to such an extent that they are unable to live within society with other people.
I felt that the fact he was unpopular in school and had no friends his own age was due his parents encouraging these quirks without limit.
It is similar to breeding dogs for extra long fluffy ears - it maybe attractive but it's cruel to the individual.
Unfortunately, for those of us who prefer our own company, human beings must live and work in the company of others. As a responsible parent it is your duty to ensure your child is able to cope with such situations.

I do get not liking Foer, though. I was tepid, at best, about Everything Is Illuminated.


Even though it's been like 5-6 years since the topic started, I am just so happy that a lot of people don't get influenced by awards and stuff and can make their own evaluations. The book is just so incredibly stupid and unnecessary (except for a couple of places) it is indescribable. This is just disrespectful towards the victims of 9/11.