Witty Women of Words

another book

2007-04-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

it's been way too long since I found my way back here, but Karon asked me to pick a book, and I see that I missed some great books and discussions.

I've got two suggestions:

the big rock candy mountain by Wallace Stegner
evidence of things unseen by Marianne wiggins

I'm going to go ahead and start reading Marianne Wiggins.

sorry about the sporadic capitalization...I spilled wine on the keyboard a couple of nights ago and it has been hung over ever since.

Let me know what you think of these suggestions!

anne Marie

Too late for a TTW post?

2007-04-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid we've completely left you hanging, Mel. Over the Christmas break, I caught up on some of the novels you've read. I finished The Danish Girl and was quite sad to have it end. I felt much like Karon and grew very attached to Lili and Greta. I went so far as to research their real-life counterparts a bit and was disappointed to find that much was published regarding Lili's surgeries, but not much regarding either of them as artists. Ah well...

So I turned my attention to The Time Traveler's Wife, got about 40 pages in and came to a grinding halt. Still mourning the loss of Lili et. al., I just wasn't ready for a new book. TTW just wasn't holding my attention though I thought the premise was really interesting, especially given my former junior high fixation with sci-fi.

Finally, I picked it up again and must have been ready because I finished it within 2 days--no easy feat at my house. It's now one of my favorites, and I've already passed it on to a friend as a "must read."

My favorite things about it: that author pulled off time-travel as a possibility outside of the fantastic circumstances that one would get in, say, one of those old Piers Anthony novels I used to read. That the love story was so unique in the way that Mel has already mentioned and yet so everyday replete with secrets and annoyances and co-dependency. That I, too, would love to see Claire's sculptures. That Henry's taste in music has spawned several really good conversations among my some of my music-aficionado friends (of which I'm not one) just by mentioning some of the bands to them.

Some books I've enjoyed

2006-12-24T01:17:00.000-08:00

Hello Fellow Witty Women,

First of all I wanted to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and that all your hope and dreams come true for 2007. I wanted to share some of the better books I have read this year.

Marie Antoinette (Antonia Fraser); I love historical novels and this one actually belongs to my sister Madelyn. It was enthralling, I couldn't put it down. Sophia Coppella used this as the basis for her recent movie about the last Queen of France. I haven't seen it yet, but if it's as good as the book I won't be disappointed. Antonia Fraser writes this very touching and sad story about a misunderstood women like a novel. She must have done an incredible amount of research and it really pays off. I've asked for two more of her books from Father Christmas; Louis the IVX and Warrior Women.

The Red Tent (Anita Diamant): Taking a small section of the first testament and expanding the story of Dinah, this is a beautiful story about women and families, as well as their day to day lives and hardships.

Losing My Virginity (Richard Branson); Not sure if you've heard of Sir Richard, he's a national institution here, an entrepreneur in a league of his own. If you haven't heard of Richard Branson, you will know the Brand that is synonymous with his name; Virgin. My Nanna gave me this book a few years ago and it's sat on my shelf since then. So this week I picked it up and started reading. Last night I was up till 2am trying to finish it and can't believe I waited so long to start. Another page turner, I had to know what happened next. From the start of Virgin in the 70's to Richard's record breaker long distance balloon crossings and the shocking dirty tricks campaign from British Airways that nearly destroyed Virgin. Thankfully they did not succeed and we are very lucky to still have this incredible and inspirational man as part of the country I call my home. I can't wait for the next installment.

Where to start?

2006-10-30T19:40:00.000-08:00

Each night for the last two weeks I've had my secret bed-time rendezvous with Greta and Lili to look forward to, but they're gone. I don't know what will happen to either. I'm not so worried about Greta - she and Hans will be a strong pair. But what about Lili? Who will guide her and protect her? Carlisle and Henrik can't replace Greta. I imagine Greta must now feel as lost as I do - lonely and longing for information about Lili, confirmation that she's okay - but we must move on.

This book was interesting for so many reasons. I was intrigued by how the author seemed to hold us at a distance from the sensations of the characters lives. Yes we knew intimate details, but we didn't feel what they were feeling or see what they were feeling. I felt as though I were removed from the situation and watching from above as it unfolded. But just as I became accustomed to this, the author would include some surprising detail, a single something that pulled me directly into the scene. Once was when Einar made his way alone to the women's clinic and while standing at the door noticed the dew on the metal address numbers hanging above.

Greta seems to me an incredibly complex character. Strong enough to be married to a man that can never love her with the passion that is part of a marriage. But perhaps that is partially why she chose him? She wants to be alone, but loved at the same time, she admitted when considering her relationship with Henrik. Henrik seems like a stronger person than either Einar or Teddy. Has Greta evolved or is she making a mistake - seeking the comfort she needs now but will outgrow. And how does this vision of herself correspond with her desire to be a perfect wife to Teddy? It's hard to believe she could be a real person.

I also enjoyed having a glimpse into the lives of artists, and even more so, two married artists. The fact that they are both artists must add a troubling complexity to their relationship. Especially if an artist wants to know that her work touches others, wants her art to sell, how can some degree of competition or comparison be avoided? I was stunned to hear Einar say something like 'if you can survive without being an artist, then don't be one.' I'm curious to hear what others have to say about that.

Something I read a while back said 'everyone should draw'. Sure, not everyone's going to be an artist, but everyone should draw because it changes the way you see the world. The day after I finished reading a Danish Girl, I painted a picture. I had really no idea what I was doing, but it was definitely therapuetic - plus I had decided ahead of time to love whatever I created, no matter how it looked.

Book News

2006-10-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I went to the City College Book Fair and was introduced two wonderful writers. The poetry of Jimmy Santiago Baca http://www.jimmysantiagobaca.com/ was breath-taking (and I'm not even inclined toward poetry.) He's had a colorful life, grew up poor, spent time in prison, and now he writes, mentors others, and works with prisoners in a most innovative way - teaching them the therapy of writing. I cannot implore you more strongly - please check out his work - you will be amazed.

Another fantastic speaker was Luis Rodriquez http://www.luisjrodriguez.com/- he wrote of crossing the US border from Mexico, struggling in Watts as a child, living gang life in LA and then finally breaking free of it after losing several of his closest friends to violence. Now his son is in prison for attempted murder. He's written a book called Always Running that describes his life and explicitly captures what is was like to be part of a gang. The book has been hailed in several schools, made required reading for parolees in some cases, and banned in other communities. I am slowly making my way through it now - discovering a way of life I could never imagine.

The nobel prize in literature went to Orhan Pamuk http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orhan_Pamuk this year! This is a special treat for me since my octogenarian neighbor and I loved to discuss his works on our morning walks. If you haven't already read one of his books, I suggest you start with Snow. In his writings Pamuk explores the tensions between Muslim and American life.

Lastly, I couldn't help but read Freddy and Frederika by Mark Helprin. On my last trip to Texas I was running so late I didn't have time to grab The Danish Girl or any other book before fleeing the house, so I picked up F&F at the airport. And in spite of myself found, I found it a lovely escape. One that leaves you happier and a little wiser. It's a farce about the royal family with a delightful exploration of America and Americans. It's full of whimsy, even slapstick. I kept telling myself that it was't really funny, but I couldn't stop turning the pages. I just had to know what would happen next.

So finally, I am finishing The Danish Girl. I'm mesmerized by Lili and the bold Greta.

And now that I've read Mel's post, I'm looking forward to The Time Traveler's Wife, too.

The Time Traveller

2006-10-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

I finished reading The Time Traveller's Wife last week. I have been gobbling it up on the train in and out of central London. The World could have stopped or David Tennant may have begged me to spend time with him, but nothing was going to drag me away from the story. I loved everything about this book, it's quirky timeline, the wonderful relationship between Henry and Clare and the fact that when they met for the first time in the present time, Henry had no idea who she was, yet Clare had been waiting for him all her life. I would have loved to seen some her artwork.
You really felt like you were being pulled through time each time Henry travelled. LOVED THIS ONE. I'm reading the Red Tent now by Anita Diamant, having had my sole sucked out through a straw via an awful Danielle Steele novel I was bought as an "easy" read - NEVER AGAIN, I'd rather go back to Stephanie Laurens than that again. This train commute malarky means I am eating books. Right gotta go my soup is almost done. All the best.

Mel

Danish Girl

2006-09-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

Just wondering...does everybody hate this book? Should I show my face here again?

The Namesake-My 2 Cents

2006-07-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

I hope it's not too late to comment, but I finally finished! I was up 'til 2am this morning reading the last 100 pages or so. Although I didn't mind reading it, it was a bit slow in some parts. However, Lahari aged the characters really quickly. I also agree that it read like a short story, but I didn't feel like the important characters were underdeveloped, except for Sonia. I appreciated the final chapter, when Ashima and Gogal were able to stand in each other's shoes and realize what their cultures meant to each other. For most of the book I disliked Gogal because he separated himself from his family and seemed selfish. I respected him in the end when he came to understand his mother. I disliked Ashima for most of the book because it seemed she didn't really try to embrace the American culture and wasted most of her life longing for India instead of making the most of it. I had more respect for her after she was able to live and work independently and make American friends. I enjoyed reading about Maxine's family, as I could really relate to them: they love to eat good food and drink good wine, Lydia loves cooking, they're cultured, ect. Maxine seemed a bit shallow, just a bit aloof.

I feel satisfied that I have finished this book, although it wasn't something I couldn't wait to get back in to. It's not something I would have pulled from the shelf, had I not been a part of this group, so thanks for the recommendation!

I went to the library today and picked up The Time Traveler's Wife and French Women Don't Get Fat. Danish Girl was at another branch, so I put in a request for it. I'll probably give it a try, and if I don't like it, I can always put it down. In the mean time, I can't wait to dive into these other books. Happy Reading!

Let's start fresh on a new book

2006-07-12T14:05:00.000-07:00

Who wants to choose one?

Just checking in...

2006-07-07T12:06:00.000-07:00

Hello Witty Women! I hope all of you are enjoying your summer! Mine has been pretty lazy. However, in spite of my "free time", I have not managed to keep up with this blog and the book! I'm only on ch.3 of Namesake. So far, it's enjoyable and easy to read. I'll get caught up soon. Instead of reading when my little one naps, I have become an internet addict, obsessing over fashion websites!!! I know, I need to get a life!! I do manage to squeeze in a yoga or strength-training session so not all of my time is wasted. Then, there's tidying up the house (not #1 on my priority list), and various projects going on. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know I'm still here and still want to participate, even if I am behind. I can see that many of you are busy too as this blog hasn't been very active lately. Take care for now and I'll check in later! Happy reading!

Witty Women of Words

2006-07-03T20:03:00.000-07:00

Witty Women of WordsI liked Jen's comment that it reads as a short story, because as I was reading I felt that although there was some beautiful descriptive writing, there was a lot of filler that I had a hard time getting through. I felt mostly frustrated with the charactors. Several of them (Gogol's girlfriends) were introduced without being developed and then dropped from the story. Ashima seemed very much ruled by fear and longing. The charactor I enjoyed most was the father, Ashoke. I loved the scene where he and Gogol walked to the end of the breakwater and he told Gogol to "Remember it always" "That you and I made this journey, that we went together to a place where there was nowhere left to go" I think that was a lovely metaphor for the immigrant experience, leaving everything behind and starting completely anew without a safety net.
Erin

Has anyone read Gogol's "The Overcoat"?

2006-07-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

I read it a hundred years ago in my fiction writing class at TU. I was thinking that it might be fun to pull it out and take another look, see how many parallels there are between the novel and the story if any.

At arm's length

2006-06-28T18:19:00.000-07:00

Being a mother to three for the last few weeks threw a bigger wrench into my world than I had thought it would, but I finally finished The Namesake. While I was in Montana and still only part of the way through our novel, I was able to meet up with AMQ. Not only was it a serious kick to visit in person with someone from the group, but I also got to feel better about snailing my way through this book when she agreed that it was a little slow reading now and again. Like Ann, I found it interesting to compare the expatriate experiences of Ashima and Ashoke to Eddie's insofar as I know them. Reading it in that way made me aware of how often I'm a Max, assimilating with complete abandon and forgetting that he may or may not want to be assimilated at any given moment.

Using the novel as though it were a case study of sorts is also why I no longer have it. Just as I was finishing it, I got into a conversation with my friend who has a young Bengali new mom as her new neighbor. My friend expressed some frustration trying to relate and how hard acknowledging that frustration had been because she is an ESL teacher by vocation and bridging cultural gaps is supposed to be her "thing." Of course it's just a novel, but I gave her my copy to see if it would contain any particular insight to the situation.

The up shot is that I'm not able to get very specific about the book but will happily generalize a bit more. My main impression was the style in which it was written. When I talked to AMQ about it, I called it "genderless," but that's not exactly it. By the time I was finished, I felt like I had read a novel written as though it were a short story. Was anyone else conscious of the lack of dialogue in the novel? I'm not used to being kept at such a distance from the story...it reminded my of Hemingway's short stories or Susan Sontag's Volcano Lover--a novel that purposely keeps its readers at a distance .

2006-05-20T19:35:00.000-07:00

I really like Gayle's idea that intimacy is life - and I totally agree. It truly is how we relate, and how deeply we relate to those in our life that define us. I was a little baffled about how the narrator could live so many years and have sex with so many women and not be touched by any of them. It sits in striking contrast to Ashima in "The Namesake" - Ashima has spent her whole life in such close proximity to her family - nuclear and extended, that when she moves to Boston with her husband you can see the culture and family that she is missing like an open wound. Especially when she comes home from the hospital and is faced with the mountain of work in her home, and has no clue how to go about navigating in this new role without the culture of family that she has always known.

I think this resonated with me personally for a couple of reasons. With my fist child, I had moved to Japan with my husband 6 weeks prior to her birth. I was new to the Japanese culture and also new to the military culture. Like Ashima, I had no clue how to go about accessing help in a foreign country and foreign culture. Trying to care for a newborn is trying enough, but with my family and friends literally on the other side of the world, and my husband in Thailand (he had to go for about 2 weeks when she was a week old), I was ready to call it quits and sell the child to gypsies.

I also loved how they built such an extended "family" amoung the fellow bengali's over the years, which suited their emotional needs at home, but really meant nothing to their children. Even when Gogol married within this family, there was such an emotional guff that the marriage really had a fantastic foundation, but nowhere to go.

Overall, I really think I identified much more with Ashima than with anyone else (and I would have really liked more about Sonia, but I guess she was peripheral to the namesake-thing). Families are so spread all over the country/world these days (our reading group is such a perfect example!), that trying to incorporate into your children a sense of where they come from is so hard.

I know this is disjointed, but I've been trying to compile it over a few weeks - I've no time to proofread! I would love to hear what yal thought about the characters and some of their choices.

Witty Women of Words

2006-05-16T12:36:00.000-07:00

Witty Women of Words: "post"
Just wondering where everyone is at with the Namesake. I'm about 4/5ths done. Things have been so quiet for the last month that I thought I'd chime in. Hope everyone is doing well. Gayle

Lack of intimacy = death?

2006-04-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

Hopefully I'm not too late to post my thoughts on "Memories/Whores." I apologize for the delay, but without going into detail, I've been very preoccupied over the past few weeks. Things are settling in and calming down so I should have more time to devote to this although I'll try not to make promises, I'll just do my best!

As I was reading this, the thing that kept crossing my mind was that the main character had a serious fear and avoidance of intimacy. Without intimacy in a relationship, what is there? The main character of the book is a obsessed with death, yet it seems that he never truly lived.

The main character's avoidance of of intimacy could be obviously seen by the fact that after 90 years, he had never had a mutual or loving relationship with a woman. He either had to pay for women or take them by force. Also, the fact that he fell in love with a 14 y/o that he never spoke to and knew nothing about except that she sewed buttons in a factory is consistent with this observation. She also had her back turned to him whenever they were together and the thing he knew most intimately about her were her feet. He stated that he preferred her asleep and there were several times that he mentions how he didn't want to know about her real/personal life. Any time he came close to finding out anything real about her, like when he visited the button factory or went to the hospital to see if it was her that was in that bike accident, he became more tormented and less attracted to her.

I agree with all of you that he was a very annoying character esp because of his sexist attitude toward women, although I developed sympathy for him when I found out towards the end of the book that he had been sexually assaulted as a young boy. He didn't mention his parents much, except when recalling the death of his mother. His mother was portrayed as overly materialistic to the point that she was buying expensive things behind her husband's back and throughout the course of the book he was continously selling those possessions in order to hold onto what he thought was true love for Delgadina. He briefly mentioned his father in conjunction with the assualt that took place while his father involved in an "interminable" meeting behind closed doors - a metaphor that perhaps signifies his father's lack of availability for him when he may have needed him most as a formidable adolescent.

The thing with the cat that struck me was that he was always referring back to the "manual" which was a humorous indication of his lack of trust in his ability to be intuitive or to feel or to care for another living being - another area where he avoided intimacy even in the raising of an animal.

Something else that struck me that Rosa Cabarcas said at the end of the book that suggests that this book about a fear of intimacy was when she says wisely: "Don't let yourself die without the wonder of fucking with love." Since the book is left somewhat open-ended and he survives past his 90th birthday, I guess we will never know if he will ever experience the joy of being truly intimate and open with someone else. His agreement with Rosa Carbacas to will everything to Delgadina indicates that he unfortunately missed that opportunity and that he will live in an illusory world until the very end.

Our Second Book

2006-04-10T07:42:00.000-07:00

No need to stop discussing our first, but if you're craving something new on your nightstand then it's time to start reading our second book:

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahirir

Here's Amanzon's description:
Jhumpa Lahiri's debut story collection, Interpreter of Maladies, took the literary world by storm when it won the Pulitzer Prize in 2000. Fans who flocked to her stories will be captivated by her best-selling first novel, now in paperback for the first time. The Namesake is a finely wrought, deeply moving family drama that illuminates this acclaimed author's signature themes: the immigrant experience, the clash of cultures, the tangled ties between generations.

The Namesake takes the Ganguli family from their tradition-bound life in Calcutta through their fraught transformation into Americans. On the heels of an arranged wedding, Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli settle in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Ashoke does his best to adapt while his wife pines for home. When their son, Gogol, is born, the task of naming him betrays their hope of respecting old ways in a new world. And we watch as Gogol stumbles along the first-generation path, strewn with conflicting loyalties, comic detours, and wrenching love affairs.

With empathy and penetrating insight, Lahiri explores the expectations bestowed on us by our parents and the means by which we come to define who we are.

So Many Great Insights & Observations

2006-04-05T21:15:00.000-07:00

Wow, there have been so many great insights and observations. I hope it’s okay to comment on all at once here.

As I said before, I don’t consider this an outstanding book, and yet it contains so many poignant phrases and lends itself to such interesting interpretations. Your posts have captivated me. Some of the phrases, such as the ones Erin pointed out about aging and the ones Ann mentioned about memory, could form discussion topics in and of themselves. Clearly there is a wealth of beauty and creativity contained in this little book. Here are few things that come to mind based on your posts.

Like Erin, I considered the story flat and its characters undeveloped. But like Jen I considered that primarily due to the narrator's personality. Why would he chose to tell his tale so sparsely? Perhaps as Jen suggests, he is simply relating to us to the same degree to which he has known and loved people in the past. Superficially, with no depth. He's shown he's not capable of anything deeper. Which gets back to my original problem of him not being a sympathetic character.

Is the narrator Garcia Marquez to some extent? Definitely yes. There are just too many similarities. Beyond the obvious – both aging, arrogant Columbian writers and journalists with a kaleidoscope of loves behind them – there is the similarity of philosophy as Ann and Jen pointed out. And then there’s AMQ’s suggestion that each previous love represents one of Gabo’s writings. Interesting, in that both Gabo’s works and the narrator’s loves can be used to chronicle their individual lives. But Gabo’s writings are his hard won accomplishments and my guess is that he holds his works in much higher esteem than this narrator does his conquests. The narrator writes of his relations – the term conquests isn’t even appropriate – as if they occurred inevitably and unavoidably and not as the results of his efforts.

For those like me who read the story unabashedly literally, I think we’re missing out. Once I read Ann’s suggestion that the cat represents death, it made perfect sense. From its first mention in the story, the cat bothered me – I couldn’t discern a reason to include it. Our interesting story was disrupted by side trips into confusion and consternation over this cat, segues that seemed to serve no purpose. But the idea that the cat represents death, and the fact that it left for a while (or was postponed) and then returned at the end seems fitting.

You guys have each brought up such interesting thoughts and ideas. It never occurred to me to imagine the story from Delgadina’s point of view or to consider the parental nature of the relationship Rosa and the main character share toward Delgadina. I would like to know more about Rosa and about the paper’s editor and about many of the others that the narrator mentions so briefly including Delgadina’s parents. Too bad the narrator couldn't relate this for us; too bad he couldn't experience it for himself. (Oh no, was I just sympathetic?) So for a book that I didn’t give a very favorable review, it sure has given me many things to think about and much pleasure along the way.

memories

2006-04-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

I have finally been shamed into posting my "book report". Since I have never been in a book club before I learned that I should read with a pencil in hand in order to highlight things I wanted to remember to comment on. I do agree with most of you other WW, the language and the visual discriptions in the book were exquisite, ( as we would expect from this author) , but the story was rather weak, and the charactors were not developed at all. I also had a hard time separating the protagonist from the author...after all he said he had never been anything but a writer...and he was old...and Columbian....I found my self very irritated by the main charactor, because he was completely self absorbed. I wasnt disturbed at all by his wanting of a fourteen year old whore, but I was disturbed by his raping the housekeeper. Then as an arrogant male turning that into something that she was into.
What resonated for me in this book, more than anything (aside from the beauty of the prose) was that it was a reflection on aging. Some of the quotes that I love about this are "The truth is that the first changes are so slow they pass almost unnoticed, and you go on seeing yourself as you always were, from the inside, but others observe you from the outside." and "I was shaken by the stunning revelation that I was listening to the last concert fate would afford me before I died. I did not feel sorrow or fear but an overwhelming emotion at having lived long enough to experience it." and "I was transfixed by the agreeable idea that life was not something that passes by like Heraclitus' every changing river but a unique opportunity to turn over on the grill and keep broiling on the other side for another ninety years"...I loved that one!
Now, if I am allowed to digress I will say that the concert quote really affected me because I was recently at a gig of Peter Sprague's, a friend who is a great guitarist, I was sitting there with my favorite boys, Rod, my husband and Jack my nephew and I just became overwhelmed with emotion and started crying quietly right there in the bar...yeah, I'd had a couple beers, but jeez. Earlier that afternoon Jack told me he had (finally) picked a project to work on for his Phd in physics and it had to do with two dimentional plasma...magnetic fields, and such. I told him that I had seen the aurora borealis before with my girlfriend Robbie Lyn. So that night at the bar listening to Brazilian Jazz I was thinking of the aurora borealis, how Robbie was now dead, how I had my best boys with me, how Peter was playing this beatifull music. I was struck by the transient nature of things, and the tears just started to flow. So I appreciated that part of the book that brought that moment back to me.
So thanks for the pick, Jen. Any one who hasnt yet read One Hundred Years of Solitude...well you best get started, cause it's a big one, but it has to be one of the best novels of our time, and Garcia Marquez one of the best authors. I am looking forward to reading the other memoir book that was mentioned
Erin

There were a few things...

2006-04-04T21:03:00.000-07:00

... that I could really stand to hash out - better over coffee and desert, but this will work ( I just had a couple of chocolate cookies... that counts, right?) I keep meaning to post, then I think I'll wait until I can go find the book again and make more precise references... but at the rate I'm going that will never happen, so here goes...
The thing with the cat and the girl in the house during the storm really reminded me of "Aura" by Carlos Fuentes, where the girl and the old lady and this bunny are all the same person. I keep wondering if the cat is supposed to represent something. Is it the narrator? Is it death (the way it was always lurking about the house, stinking up the place...)
I was also wondering about his remark that if you can forget real events ever happened, could you remember events that never happened. I thought that maybe this was how he and the girl could fall in love, all part of his "magical realism". It would be interesting to see the story from Delgadina's point of view - I mean, I suppose that I could see how he would fall in love with her by staying awake and watching her all night, but all she did was sleep in his presence (much like me in my high school geometry teacher's class, but there was not much enlightenment obtained by either party).
Like everyone else, I love his language. It did make me want to go find a spanish version - in some parts of the prose you could just hear the musicality of how the spanish must sound through the translation ( I can't remember the exact sentence, but there was one about "minutes"...) when I get a chance I'll try and find the book again.

Ooh this is so much fun...

2006-04-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

So, I'm with y'all when you say it's not as rich in terms of character, plot and local color as the novels he's most famous for like Love in the Time of Cholera and One Hundred Years of Solitude. But I liked it for other reasons. It's still very much one of his novellas in terms of turns of phrase (I think we've all found one or two in particular that are 100 % Garcia Marquez). Though the characters are somewhat incomplete, I attribute that vagueness to the ineptitude of the narrator and his lack of practice in cultivating a "real" relationship with another person. I found the relationships intriguing for the fact that the narrator seems so blind to what they really are. For instance, at the book's end, Rosa is really more the narrator's wife and the two of them parents (albeit of a somewhat incestuous type) to Delgadina as they will the remains of their estates to her in the form of their "old person's bet" (114). They are both in love with what holes in their lives the girl fills up for them. It's all very self-centered love, even when the narrator's sure it's not, but he is a ninety year old bachelor afterall. As for Delgadina, "In the end, it's impossible not to become what others believe you are" (96).

Interesting But Not Compelling

2006-04-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed the story; I reveled in Gabo’s colorful language and descriptions, fanciful words and unique turns of phrase. But in the end I was let down by our 90 year old narrator. I did find him intriguing, and I was curious to learn the story of his life. But he never let me feel what it was like to be him; I could never sympathize with him; he never transported me to his time or land or actually let me know any of the people he described.

Was that by design? Probably, but Gabo’s works are usually so rich in description and context. Why was this one different? Moving beyond the literal interpretation of the book to AMQ’s idea of each lover representing one of the author’s works, certainly makes the book more interesting. (I know most authors say their works are not autobiographical, but how can they not be, at least in some sense, since their own personal experiences are what shape their perceptions of the world and their view of the people they conjure up to write about?)

On its own, without the abundance of the context found in Gabo’s other works, I found this book interesting but not compelling.

...the fluidity of a song ...

2006-04-02T05:07:00.000-07:00

Anne Marie gave me a push to put up my comments (I do need a kick sometimes). So here goes: I'd not heard of Gabo before and I wonder whether or not it would have helped me to know more about the author & his life prior to reading this book, only because I found it slightly disturbing that a 90 year old man would want a night of passion with an adolescent virgin. Maybe here in the UK we've been overwhelmed with images of child sex scandals and a recent case involving a British celebrity has brought the topic to the front of people's minds.

My favourite character was probably Rosa Cabarcas she had some wonderful one-liners that could be so cutting and I liked the fact she would not suffer fools. Here a couple of my favourites; "Morality, too, is a question of time, she would say with a malevolent smile, you'll see" and "I'm serious, she said, it's even helped to revive your dead horse's face a little".

It was quite sad to think that he did not experience, what he considered, to be true love until he turned 90. Preferring to pay for sexual encounters, than taking the time and effort to establish a fruitful relationship. The reasons why he chose not to do this were not apparent in the story and the why intrigued me more than the consequences of that decision. I felt that there was more depth to be told, and that you had only just scratched the surface.

However, that aside, I thought it was beautifully written, he has a very descriptive style of writing and I could just imagine myself in the top half of the house with all the blinds shut in the middle of the day trying to escape the heat. I liked his descriptions of people, his editor for example; "He was wearing a sports jacket with a live orchid in the lapel, and each article of clothing suited him as if it were part of his natural being, yet nothing was made for the climate of the street but only for the springtime of his offices", I can shut my eyes and see this person perfectly. This particular observation of Delgadina sleeping is just beautiful; "Blood circulated through her veins with the fluidity of a song that branched off into the most hidden areas of her body and returned to her heart, purified by love". Come to think of it they are almost poetic and worthy of song.

I did enjoy reading this book, and enjoyed writing my thoughts even more - thanks for listening :-)

Catching up

2006-03-29T09:46:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone - I'm finally catching up here and checked out "Whores" at the library. It was only available in large print font, but oh well, it makes the juicy parts even juicier! I read about 50 pages last night and I'm really loving it. I haven't read the other posts yet since I'm not done with it, but as soon as I am I'll read them and contribute more. Nice to be here with all of you.

Love and Memory

2006-03-25T12:54:00.000-08:00

It was hard for me to read this book and not think of the character as being some side of Gabo himself. I liked the way that as the character falls more and more in love with Delgadina his memory becomes more vivid and he is able to recollect and reflect upon his life. The description of the whores seemed metaphorical as beautiful and lovingly as he describes them. So I struggled a bit with the metaphore and it occurred to me that the whores were works of art or in this case fiction and Gabo is reflecting back upon his own melancholy stories that provided him fame, fortune and recognition, by opening up their pages to the world. If not for these, he would have remained in his own eyes at least, a mediocre journalist, as the main character describes himself.

Still, there is a problem with treating fiction as nonfiction, but didn't it seem like there was more to these melancholy whores?

In any case, it is a story, and those crazy funny lines can be savored like a glass of wine and a wedge of cheese for the pure flavor and intoxication. I liked this book very much and will read it again and again especially because it can be read so quickly.

Thanks Jen for a great pick!

XXX
AMQ

Crazy-Wonderful Lines from "Melancholy Whores"

2006-03-24T21:12:00.000-08:00

I have to be honest. At first, I didn't think this novel would be appealing, especially at $20 for such a small book (with 115 pages no doubt). However, I do have a Borders discount and once I got into it, it's really quite amusing. It was slow at first, but I do want to share my favorite lines (that Jen refered to as "crazy-wonderful". Page 15: "I never had intimate friends, and the few who came close are in New York. By which I mean they're dead, because that's where I suppose condemed souls go in order not to endure the truth of their past lives." That just cracks me up! I cannot find the other line that stood out, but I will post again if I do. Happy reading, folks!

Greetings & Salutations: A Not So Formal Introduction...

2006-03-24T20:14:00.000-08:00

Witty Women of Words
Good evening, Ladies (at least it's evening where I come from)! After two glasses of wine tonight, I will now introduce myself. Not that I need wine to write a post, but I'm just warning you in case I sound a little loopy, or have a lot of typos, hence the informality! First of all, I want to thank Jen for inviting me to this forum and I look forward to getting to know everyone. I have enjoyed reading your posts thus far.

Who am I??? Easy enough question to answer: Wife to Steve of 10 yrs this September, Mom of Sean (10) and Ethan (11 months), Art Teacher (going on 4 years), and Life-Long Learner of whatever sounds good at the time! I'm an open-minded individual who will try anything once. I do enjoy reading, but honestly, don't take the time to do it as often as I wish. To tell you the truth, with a baby, it's been difficult to find a quiet moment to stay awake long enough to process what I've read. I think that being in a group that will hold me accountable to finishing the book will motivate me to read more often. When I read the posts about what is currently on your nightstands, I felt inadequate to you all, as I had NADA on my nightstand!! Oftentimes, there will be a parenting or cooking magazine, or an attempt to read a classic such as Wuthering Heights, but usually nothing. I do have the Whore book and have read almost half of it, which is good for me considering I only average about 5-10 pages a day! I like to read before I go to bed, after I've tucked in my boys, so sometimes I begin to fall asleep after the first few pages and then have to read them again the next night!

Here is a little more about myself & my interests: I'm a herp hobbyist with about 2 dozen turtles who live inside and outside our home, several toads and some newts. Steve primarily takes care of these critters, but I enjoy keeping them. I LOVE to shop and spend money I don't have!!! I love food and love to cook. However, I am pretty health-conscious and make a habbit of preparing flavorful, yet nutritious foods for my family. My favorite food to have prepared for me is sushi and other Japenese cuisine. Of course, I do have an appreciation all kinds of other foods. I also enjoy exercising and staying fit. Lately, I've been walking or jogging with the beautiful weather we've been having, and taking my boys with me. I am determined to be bikini-ready by summer, but we'll see!! I love to travel when I get the chance, and immersing myself in foreign culture. Lately, I've been attempting to garden to loose my brown thumb! I weeded and mulched over spring break and am currently researching plants and flowers to plant that will thrive in our zone. I recently planted a climbing rose and cannot wait to see how it will do! Eventually, I would like to have a veggie garden, but we'll see. I also enjoy decorating our house, which we've lived in for 2 1/2 yrs, making collages, and photography.

I have to tell you, with my wine (which is usually a hearty red) I had the most sublime cheese. It's called Shropshire Blue or Orange Stilton. It was very rich and pungent, and extremely good if you like blue cheese and sharp cheddar, which I love! The moldier (or more blue) the cheese, the better! I also love the blue cheese stuffed olives in dirty martinis-the dirtier the better! Yes, I love sharp, rich, complex foods and drinks. Especially Mediterranean-style! In fact, I think I will go get another piece of cheese and top my glass off, then I will post my comments on the book so far. Cheers to everyone, and thanks for reading my long post! I do tend to write mini novels sometimes, but I will try to stick to the point. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Who ARE these Witty Women?

2006-03-24T18:53:00.000-08:00

Who are we? And how are we all related?
Well, I invited Jen, Ann, Mary, Kelly and AMQ. AMQ invited Mel and Erin. And Erin invited Gayle. Jen invited Caryn. And so our happy little group continues to grow. If you have other friends you’d like to invite, just let me know!

(When I showed this to my officemate she said, “Wow, a graph theory problem.” We’ll talk about that later.)

Where are we?
All over. From Texas to California to Montana to London. We can create a Frappr map to show us. Here’s what one looks like – this is actually a map for The Absent Minded Professor. You can map yourself by following a link and adding your name and a picture, if you like. When you’re viewing the map, you can click on a map pin you and learn about the member who lives there. Take a minute and try it out – it’s fun and easy. Just follow the link on the right called ‘Our Frappr Group’.

Following Jen's lead...

2006-03-22T11:24:00.000-08:00

...here's my intro/post.

I'm Ann. I know Jen, Mary and Karon from college - (respectively - roommate, suitemate and see Jen's post). I'm now a family physician in the Air Force (for a few more months) living in Florida. I have a 3 year old daughter and a one month old son (born 2 months prematurely when I was at a conference in Colorado last month... a very long story). My husband is a stay-at-home dad, and also is a reservist in the Air Force (a "Hurricane Hunter").

So, my nightstand (nomadic as it is these days) contains only Zadie Smith's "On Beauty" - I heard her talk on NPR and thought she sounded intriguing (like Mary, I can't spell either!). These days, I mostly only get to read while attached to the other inhabitant of my nightstand... the breast pump. Moo.

I've been so inundated by medical stuff for so many years, that this is a welcome forum for more right-brained interaction! Yay! Thanks so much Karon for the invite! ( And, btw, concerning your Everquest post... the IRS has decided that acquiring and selling islands in cyberspace constitutes taxable income.... yet another NPR factoid from my commute to work.)

Are yal still on the Gabrial Garcia Marquez book?

Bedside Table (AKA Night stand)

2006-03-17T03:53:00.001-08:00

Oh I love those English-American linguistic differences, but I knew exactly what you meant by night stand:-)

I have just scared myself, pulling out all the books hiding in, on & around my night stand (my piano is also an extension of the nightstand when I run out of space). So in no particular order there is last couple of issues of UK Vogue, latest Jamie Oliver's Italian cook book, if you've never caught this guy, he's a UK Celebrity Chef and a fine one at that, Kings & Queen's of Britain (I love this book, it a small reference to all the monarchs of Britain), The Lion in the North (history of Scotland), In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great - Michael Wood, Herodotus - The Histories (can you see a theme developing here?), Alexander Dumas - The Man in the Iron Mask. Mark Ridley's Mendel's Demon & a whole host of various pianoforte books (from Beethoven to the Beatles). Oh and of course our latest read too.

And to add something different into the mix, I am currently listening to Johnny Cash's American IV: The Man Comes Around. I went to see "Walk the Line" last week, what an amazing movie. I'm totally getting into Johnny Cash now, the guy is just so cool, but not quiet as cool as Ray Charles. Have a top weekend :-) I am off to a freestyle jive night this evening to blow away the cobwebs of the working week.

Eco and Me

2006-03-16T17:10:00.000-08:00

Still trying to show you my dog and me. He's my furry shadow and loves to chase deer.

XXX
AMQ

Ever Heard of EverQuest?

2006-03-16T08:05:00.000-08:00

EverQuest is a massively multi-person online role playing game or MMORPG. In this game, players create a character, earn money, buy property, magic wands, etc and generally try improve their position in the ‘world’. The game has become so popular that players sell their accomplishment (swords, potions, land,…) on eBay. Some companies in China actually hire kids to play the game and then sell the make-believe items the kids acquire. Another company, a maker of a different game, turned this model around by auctioning off key pieces of property themselves. One island went for $30,000. And the player who bought – for real cash – has already turned a profit by selling or leasing mineral rights, hunting rights, etc. People – who are way more addicted to the internet than I am – ‘live’ in this synthetic online world. Many people spend over 40 hours a week playing these games and another large group plays every chance they can get.

I’m learning about all this in a new book I’m reading called Synthetic Worlds: the Economics of Online Gaming. It came in my Amazon package with The Whores.

AMQ – we can exchange Graham Greene novels if you like! I agree, Reading Lolita in Tehran is excellent.

Here I am...

2006-03-15T19:49:00.000-08:00

Karen, thanks for the reminder. I would probobly have gone on reading all the interesting posts for weeks... On my nightstand is a compilation of Strawberry Shortcake shorts, just little teasers really, and a mechanical pencil. I just finished 'The Broker' and am reading 'Freakanomics' which everyone has to read right away, just a great book. Also, have four renovation mags and the best all time magazine 'Dwell', a must have for the modern woman. Usually an old sippy cup or two and an empty wine glass depending on what kind of day I am having. Looking forward to reading with everyone - heads up, I am a terrible speller, will make all kinds of dyslexic mistakes, but don't feel sorry for me. I am comfortable with my flaws.
Love ya.

Night Stand

2006-03-15T13:38:00.000-08:00

The last two issues of the New Yorker...interesting article about the resurgence of absinthe. Scary article about Iran and nukes...And a great short story called the Bone Game...for some reason reminded me of Thom Hughes
Erin

Public Library

2006-03-15T13:35:00.000-08:00

Hi, all I feel like I'm sneeking up on you since I havent really introduced myself yet. I did however just set foot inside the public library, after years of absence. They were wonderful. I have just recieved an email that my Portuguese Language tutorial cds are ready for pick up. I'm so excited, I wish I knew how to say "ciao"
Erin

It's only 115 pages.

2006-03-15T07:48:00.000-08:00

That's my shameless attempt to convince all those girlfriends of mine who keep telling me they don't have time for a book club to try this book at least. It's so short...how can you not? Plus, it's filled with crazy-wonderful little sentences like, "The house, like all brothels at dawn, was the closest thing to paradise." So, yes, there is a lot of 'manness' in it, but...

For those of you out there for whom this novel's brevity is not a selling point, read some more of Gabo's work. I picked up his autobiography (currently sitting on my nightstand). A momma can always hold out the hope that there will be time enough to get to it before our discussion has moved on to something else.

Chaos on the Nightstand

2006-03-14T08:40:00.000-08:00

Everything seems to accumulate there! Multiple pairs of reading glasses, Netflix disks, hand lotions, wine glasses, coffee cups...maybe I should get out more!

"In the Shadow of the Wind"...I don't want to finish it because I will miss my characters too much!
"Reading Lolita in Tehran"...I've read it twice so far and will probably have to read it again. It's so beautifully done, and complex!
" de Kooning An American Master" A bio of the painter..fascinating!
"To Timbuktu A journey down the Niger"...Haven't read it yet...but given to me by a young man who really loved it.

The latest issue of Science magazine, an old issue of In Style :-) Typical of me...a bit out of date...

One of the best books that I read last year was "The Quiet American" by Graham Greene. Completely absorbing. I definitely want to read more of his books, this was the first I had read.

One of the worst books that I read this year was Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. Stale plot, empty characters, and sophmoric. Anybody else read it?

Jen...I would love to get together next time you are in Bozeman...or perhaps we will meet this summer in Austin!

XXX
AMQ

My Nightstand (and a Plug for your Local Public Library!)

2006-03-13T11:22:00.000-08:00

I just finished my nightstand book, The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, last night. I highly recommend it--it's a true account of the author's unexpected and devastating loss of her husband; sort of a deconstruction of grief and the grieving process. Very interesting to be expecting the birth of my baby girl literally any minute now and to be reading about loss. Also on my nightstand: Parents magazine and the latest issue of Vanity Fair. My sister gave everyone magazine subscriptions for birthdays this year, and her pick for me was Vanity Fair, which I have really enjoyed, along with my other guilty pleasure, InStyle. I love relishing a new magazine. I always flip through it, page by page, in sequential order, until I reach the end. Sometimes it takes awhile with my hectic life, but I never skip around until I've paged through the whole thing once.

Memories of My Meloncholy Whores is on my hold list at the branch of the San Antonio Public Library close to my house and should arrive in a couple of days. Y'all have GOT to join (and support) your local library. I am such a fan! In case you haven't stepped foot in a public library in years (I hadn't until recently), everything is automated now. It's amazing! I go on to the library website, tell them to reserve a copy of the books I want, and then go pick up a stack of books reserved for me when they are ready (usually a couple of days). If it is taking me a little longer to read the book, I can recheck it on line. If it's something I can't get into, I take it back and get something else. If it's something that I would never read again, I don't have a copy shoved on a shelf in my house. Sometimes you have to wait awhile for the title you want (it took a long time for Didion's book to come in for me because it is so popular), but it's easy and it's FREE. And they have audiobooks, DVDs, and CDs to boot. I was an amazon addict. Now I'm a public library junkie.

What's on YOUR Nightstand?

2006-03-12T11:11:00.000-08:00

I am still waiting for my package from Amazon to arrive. I’m making do with small teasers by Jen and reading what’s already on my bedside table.

One of these is Graham Greene’s Travels with My Aunt, the only book he has “written for the fun of it,” he says. It is the story of an aging, lonely, retired bank manager, who generally prefers dahlias to people, and who meets his aunt for the first time at his mother’s funeral. At his aunt's insistence they explore the world from Paris to Istanbul, traveling with hippies, criminals and CIA agents. I’m not sure where Aunt Augusta’s adventures will take them next or whether they will once again be able to escape the trouble they create, but I'm looking forward to finding out. It’s an excellent book; I highly recommend it.

Also on my nightstand is Henry James’ Portrait of a Lady. I pulled this off the shelf during a recent frugal spell, when I refused to buy anything new. (I think I bought this at a used bookstore in college.) I'm a sucker for the language, and I don't mind the interminable descriptions, but I am truly captivated by the characters. They are so convincingly brought to life that I can imagine having afternoon tea with them at my home, where they would no doubt look down their noses at my furniture. Their disgust at being forced to sit on a futon, or worse a bean bag, would be palpable. I find myself rooting for our heroine, wishing she’d accept this marriage proposal instead of that, but she fails to heed my advice. When I tire of life's goal consisting of successful match-making, I set this book down and move on to a third.

The Economist magazine sits there ruffled and partially read, as does Texas Monthly and Southern Living. You can take the girl out of Texas, but you can’t take Texas out of the girl! There are also a couple of books on writing, Zinsser’s and King’s. And right now there’s a new book relentlessly beckoning me, which I struggle to resist. It’s Allegra Goodman’s new novel Intuition. You might remember Allegra’s other books, insightful stories about the lives of Jewish families in America. This one, however, is altogether different. It is set in a research lab, where intriguing and sympathetic characters purportedly struggle with the ethical complexities of their work. So far, it’s received rave reviews.

With Graham Greene’s novel almost finished, and UPS claiming that my Melancholy Whores won’t be here till Friday, I just might succumb to temptation and follow my Intuition.

Karon told me to...

2006-03-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

move my introduction from a comment to an actual post, so here it is again in all it's glory.

Hello everyone. I'm Jen, art teacher, mother of two girls (2 and 5), stepmom to another (7), and wife to one sexy Dominican man. I've known Karon since our college days at Trinity when I found her 'helping' Mary with her math homework. I love my family and like my job, but intellectually I've got the stuck-in-suburbia-can-we-chat-about-something-other-than-our-kids blues and am truly looking forward to this reader's group.

Good Morning Folks

2006-03-07T23:30:00.000-08:00

Hi I'm Mel, I live over the other side of The Pond just outside of London with my sister and my cat Jake. I used to work with Karon & Anne Marie. I've always got a book with me, and I think I am reading at least 3 at anyone time. In fact I don't think there has been a time when I have not had at least two books on the go. I once read a Wilbur Smith novel cover to cover on a flight from Sydney to London :-) I'm currently reading "Watching the English" by Kate Fox, which is an anthropologist's guide to understand us English folk. Right must go order that book from Amazon.

and the title is...

2006-03-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

Hi Ladies (and Steve).

Karon left it up to me to choose the book for our first month. You need to know that I'm a recovering magical realism addict and all the pressure of such a choice caused me to fall off the wagon and choose a book by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Here's the synopsis.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Memories of My Melancholy Whores: A consistently delicious fable about an old man who wants to sleep with a virgin before he dies. Upon recruiting a 14-year-old, he can't bear to wake the exhausted girl and gradually falls in love with her. She sleeps through every one of their trysts, which only causes his love to grow.

Hope you enjoy it (or not--maybe the discussion will be better if you don't).

Amazon has cheap used copies.

Hi, I'm Kelly

2006-03-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

I'm a wife, mom (to a two-year-old daugther and due ANY DAY with our second daughter), stepmom (to twin 7-year-old boys who I have known since they were 3 1/2), and labor & employment lawyer living in San Antonio, Texas. I have always had a passion for literature and look forward to reading with all of you!

My name is Karon

2006-03-04T10:35:00.000-08:00

I'm a college professor in sunny San Diego. I love to read, but my real forte is math.

Introductions

2006-03-04T09:40:00.000-08:00

Please introduce yourself to the group.