Read Long Ago

Time for a re-read before I watch the movie. For some reason, it was already on my iPad. I must have downloaded it for free for Europe. Two chapters in and the people are mean or shallow. My favourite part: Gatsby has yet to arrive. Still no Gatsby. Clever. There is one paragraph early on describing a party at Gatsby's that I could imagine as the whole entire movie. One paragraph = movie. Not many writers can pull that off.

Nabokov is King (or at least one of them)

A Martin selection and since Lolita is in my top five I thought I had better listen to the Cheetah.

Comic Book War Journalism

Joe Sacco basically invented this genre. His black and white drawings are so crisp and distinctive that his work is instantly recognizable. This was a Christmas present, though I have read his Safe Area Gorazde and Palestine

Canada Reads

I will read February and Indian Horse and the Age of Hope and re-read Away and Two Solitudes to see if this panel has a clue. I loved Away in the day, and thought Two Solitudes was solid during university times. So we will see.

Russians are Better Writers than Everyone Else

This was a loan from Martin. Read it, re-reading because I can't recall which ending I preferred. This just in..the original ending rings true, the other is silly (well silly for a Russian).I like this collection of novellas too...though I won't be buying it for 300 bucks, it's cool nonetheless.

A Mown Lawn

In a word--stupid. Lamest poem ever award goes to...

Nabokov--One of the Greatest Ever.

A great essay on how the art on the cover of a novel is almost never something the writer approved of, chose, or even liked. Nabokov's Lolita, one of the greatest books every written, has always been misunderstood...The covers of young girls on many editions infuriated Nabokov. Rightly so.

Symmes Hole

A great essay on a guy from the 19th century who believed that the earth was open at both ends...umm, really. Anyway, although it's not (I think), you can see where Poe and Verne found some of their inspiration.

Taking Stock and Cool Boxes of Stuff

So this is a reissue of McSweeney's issue #4. It's a box full of pamphlets that are short stories, essays, poems, and other random literature. How genius is that? A box with cool stuff in it? I will post each pamphlet in turn. Also, as it is February 4th I should have 35 short stories, five novels, five books of poetry, and one non-fiction piece read. Let's take stock shall we...Yikes, only nineteen short stories, 2 1/2 books of poetry, 6 novels, and 1/2 of Aesop and two essays...So, fewer novels, more SS, and pick up some poetry. Sadly, almost no writing.

Aesop vs. the Super Bowl

Because sometimes it's a good idea to learn from the past...instead of watching fracking super bowl commercials. "The Eagle and the Fox" and a lesson in tyranny! See, much better than a Doritos ad.