Talkin' Thursday Lazy Mofo Blues

A few things to tide you over as I try to get a long piece on Murakami & translation together:

• Dave Barry, "our noblest social commentator"?  Hell, I wouldn't know.  (I was a Lewis Grizzard fan as a lad, but that's another story.)  Still, Barry's definition of "sense of humor" seems ripe & ready for yearbook quote monkeys everywhere: "A sense of humor is a measurement of the extent to which we realize that we are trapped in a world almost totally devoid of reason. Laughter is how we express the anxiety we feel at this knowledge."
• The death of James Joyce.
• Author Meg Wolitzer discusses the flip side of writer's block--and mounts a defense of Joyce Carol Oates, the Shirley "Cha Cha" Muldowney of novelists: "Joyce Carol Oates is often mocked for being highly -- even wildly -- productive. Harper's magazine once published an article on her by James Wolcott called 'Stop Me Before I Write Again.' I take issue with such gratuitous snideness; though I can't say which of Oates's books went fast and which didn't, to me she's almost always an interesting and vigorous writer. Why stop, why slow down, once you've fallen into a rhythm? Why not keep going and going for as long as you can? There will be good novels and less good ones along the way, whether fast or slow. Continual movement is what we aim for in other parts of our lives. We want to use our bodies and minds in every way, staying productive and virtually vibrating with ideas. I don't know what Joyce Carol Oates's secret is: ramen noodles and peanut M&Ms? Red Bull? Probably she's just one of the lucky ones for whom ideas are almost instantly and inexplicably replenished."  (Naw, Meg, RP has it on good authority that it's the sweet, rejuvenating blood of the unbaptized.  But thanks for playing.)
• Michael Dirda's latest chat touts Oulipo and the complete review.
• More coverage of American Purgatorio, which sounds pretty cool.
• Nick Hornby related: They loves they Polysyllabic Spree up in Missoula, MT.  Also, a couple of Johnny Cash books that are not Cash by Johnny Cash are reviewed at the Boston Phoenix.
• The more I know about this Yann Martel book, the less I want to go to his reading this Friday.  (A perusal today led YPTR to judge the first story ["The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios"] merely OK, clearly an early, clumsy effort--not sure about the rest.)  Still, Martel's reviewer is looking on the bright side of life: "But hark, young promisingly bad writer! These stories scored him two screen adaptations, three stage adaptations, literary prizes, a career, and confidence to write the novel that made him a millionaire cult hero. Gentlewomen and men, start your keyboards! You can beat this kid."  Suddenly, I have the strength of ten Norman Mailers.  (OK, maybe three, and a couple Ben Marcuses.)
• Elliot Perlman's Seven Types of Ambiguity compared to Faulkner.  (Hilarious Powells.com gaffe: This interview, in which Faulkner's old saw about killing your darlings is misrembered as Hemingway advising writers to "kill your babies.")
• So funny I could cry.

Comments

[Dan wickett]

RP,

American Purgatorio is more than interesting - it takes the very early lead as book of the year 2005 (I know, it's only the second one I read, but I just finished the third book, and great as it was, it's still only number two on the year so far).

Well worth any effort you make to find it. Look soon for an EWN - Haskell interview to be coming to your mailbox.

Enjoy,

[Rake]

Ay yi yi, Wickett. Add another one to RP's ever-growing pile, wouldya?

[Circus Royale]

American Purgatorio is a great book, the best ones I've read this year by far.

[Dan wickett]

See, it's not just me. Though I would recommend Dean Bakopoulos' debut novel, Please Don't Come Back From the Moon to you as well. Honest, I'm not smirking while I type that - not at all. This would be that third book I mentioned up above. It's a Booksense 76 February selection so, again, it's not just me.

By the way, some of us are waiting for that promised post about the Jay Rubin book on H.M.!

Enjoy,

[Rake]

You shouldn't have to wait much longer. I'm planning a three-part post...part one due tomorrow(?)