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Hillcrest

Lifer
Dec 3, 2021
3,671
18,683
Connecticut, USA
Re-reading The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Ed. Humphrey Carpenter with assistance of Christopher R. Tolkien;
but lately also reading the old threads on this forum ... The humor, wit, wisdom, and expertise are stunning and make for an excellent small dose read. "Oh, the humanity !" ;):LOL:
Also : Will Prince Albert get out of the can? Who was that burley stranger in the night ? Did everyone get ghosted in the Haunted Bookshop ? Was a Dracula there ? What happened to the Three Friars ? And the Three Nuns ? Did the Squadron Leader save the day ? Was he the Admiral’s Choice or just a Virginia Flake ? Stay tuned for more exciting adventures in Low Country !
 
I'm currently reading Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace.
I had a very hard time with this one. I am a speed reader, and this one has to be read slower (almost like a textbook), and it refers to other aspects of the story to understand what is going on. That, and I have a hard time when a book glamorizes drugs and such. I'm not so much of a prude that I don't understand that it is prevalent in our culture, and is a part of most of our cultural literacy, but there is just so much of it in this book. I have yet to finish it, nor do I plan to.
I recognize it as an important book. I just don't think that it is one for me. But, kuddos for reading it.
 

dunnyboy

Lifer
Jul 6, 2018
2,574
32,072
New York
I had a very hard time with this one. I am a speed reader, and this one has to be read slower (almost like a textbook), and it refers to other aspects of the story to understand what is going on. That, and I have a hard time when a book glamorizes drugs and such. I'm not so much of a prude that I don't understand that it is prevalent in our culture, and is a part of most of our cultural literacy, but there is just so much of it in this book. I have yet to finish it, nor do I plan to.
I recognize it as an important book. I just don't think that it is one for me. But, kuddos for reading it.
I have to agree with you. As I get deeper into the book I get more and more irritated. The writing is overly-detailed, almost show-offy. The details are crystal clear and evocative but enough already! I also dislike books with preposterous odd-ball characters. There are certainly great novels that pull it off but the novel has to be either hilarious or touching. All this to say, I'm struggling to continue reading Jest.
 
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I have to agree with you. As I get deeper into the book I get more and more irritated. The writing is overly-detailed, almost show-offy. The details are crystal clear and evocative but enough already! I also dislike books with preposterous odd-ball characters. There are certainly great novels that pull it off but the novel has to be either hilarious or touching. All this to say, I'm struggling to continue reading Jest.
It is more of a concept of writing than an enjoyable read, IMO. But, some here have said that they loved it. I just like a story without having to take notes as I read, ha ha.

Over the top characters, I totally agree. I had to dig the wood shards out from under my fingernails after reading Confederacy of Dunces. And, I ruined my reading desk, ha ha.
 
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