Ibid: A Life -- Mark Dunn
Disastrous Reading - or, What caused my reading slump.
Quite a while back, I read and loved Mark Dunn's Ella Minnow Pea. Imagine my happiness when I discovered that the library had another book by him--Ibid: A Life. Imagine my dismay when I discovered, 76 pages in, that I just couldn't read another page.
I should have known better--any book that consists only of footnotes of another (fictitious) book is bound to be annoying. It did have some really, really funny moments--looking back through the book, I marked a lot of pages. But ultimately, even with all of the funny bits, I wanted to find Mark Dunn and shake him. Or throw the book across the room. (Neither of which I did, because a) I don't know Mark Dunn, and b) it was a library book). I settled for returning the book to the library.
It wasn't that it was badly written. I just usually can't stand books that seem to be aware of themselves. (This is also why I can't stand Denzel Washington--I always get the feeling that he is playing Denzel Washington playing someone else. Hmmmmm. I might not be explaining this very well). I don't like it when I can imagine the author sitting at his desk, looking at a finished page, and chuckling, "I am so bloody clever. This will slay my readers." (This is why I can only read Tom Robbins once in a very great while. And Kurt Vonnegut, for that matter. Although Vonnegut strikes me as extremely crotchety, and less pleased with himself, so I don't find him as annoying).
Maybe Welcome to Higby will be better.
posted by Leila at 10:58 AM
11 Comments:
I know what you're trying to put your finger on... it's like being aware of yourself as a writer or actor and how that impedes the story in some way.
It also reminds me (and I'm not sure why) of the phenominum of observation where the object knows it's being observed and alters its behavior to suit the observer.
tracy
11:34 AM
In the book I am reading, Charles falls asleep while watching an old movie, and as he's going off, he get's the distinct feeling that the MOVIE is watching HIM! :)
12:58 PM
That sounds really familiar... what book is it?
And is this Sarah?
1:31 PM
I'm sooooo glad some else articulated this feeling. I'm reading a book right now that is just annoying the hell out of me and I couldn't figure out why. It's sort of the characters (who are annoying), it's sort of the fact that it takes place in the 80's (and the author keeps dropping culture references that I barely remember, and just so everyone knows, I turned 29 last week, and I can't fathom a current 16-17 year old getting any of the references), it's sort of the fact that the author keeps referencing musicals as if he's having an in joke with on one in particular, but none of these elements seems to be enough for me to say "this book sucks". It doesn't really, it's just not very fun to read.
chrissyt
1:46 PM
Yup, that was Sarah. And the book is 'An Evening of Long Goodbyes". :)
-S
2:25 PM
Chrissy, how could you write a rant like that and not tell us what the book is?
(Secretly, I kind of want to read it now).
2:36 PM
Sorry, there were waffles getting cold and lonely. Then I had to run to a doc appointment.
"How I Paid For College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship, & Musical Theater" by Marc Acito
chrissyt
4:25 PM
I knew it! I knew it was that book! I still want to read it, though.
I wish that I had some waffles that were getting cold and lonely. Well, really, I wish that I had some tacos that were getting cold and lonely. I WANT tacos! Like, now!! (Note: the '80s 'like' that I usede just for you, Chrissy!)
4:30 PM
I totally agree that some footnotes can be good--I think his mistake was to write a book using only footnotes. It made it too gimmicky, along with the other problems.
And I like Robbins and Vonnegut, it's just that I can only read them in very small doses--Vonnegut maybe a book a year, and Robbins, maybe once every three years. Or so. I can't binge on them the way I can binge on other authors.
I really need to read Good Omens. Why I haven't I read it yet? What on earth is wrong with me??
9:26 AM
I don't know why you haven't read Good Omens yet. What IS wrong with you. Bad Librarian, no cookie.
chrissyt
10:25 AM
Chrissy, I can't believe you didn't like that book. I loved How I Paid for College. Maybe it's because Acito describes perfectly the world of my high school. Maybe it's because the relationship among the friends was so inspiring. Maybe because it's the funniest darn book I've read in years. The sort of funny where the coffee comes squirting out of your nose.
7:20 PM
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