tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8121497265402071351.post8611304214414210674..comments2023-10-05T20:30:21.364-07:00Comments on Things That Don't Suck: Stuff I've Been Reading OctoberBryce Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17040954580033470664noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8121497265402071351.post-85603271489009873722010-11-02T19:40:40.493-07:002010-11-02T19:40:40.493-07:00@Matt: Yeah. Leaving aside how bad the sentence is...@Matt: Yeah. Leaving aside how bad the sentence is in and of itself, the fact that she just HAD to interrupt the narrative of her story to let us know that her heroine was wearing pretty shoes is hilarious. <br /><br />@ Neil: Katz is just such a delightful ball of Id. The flirtation between him and the pancake waitress at the start of the trail had me howling like a madman in an unfortunately public place. <br /><br />As for Bryson's complacency, different authors strike different people in different ways, (My opinion on Jim Emerson compared to others makes me wonder if I'm wearing the They Live glasses when I read his work) so I can't blame you. I will just say that I usually find Bryson far too self effacing and occasionally prickly to be really smug. <br /><br />And while complacent he may be, the subject matter he chooses doesn't really allow for a lot of radicalism. Which since he's such a sharp writer I can see as disappointing, but the fact that he's just so civilized is a lot of his appeal.Bryce Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17040954580033470664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8121497265402071351.post-49343923445446231802010-11-02T14:47:46.029-07:002010-11-02T14:47:46.029-07:00It's the interplay between Bryson (a writer I ...It's the interplay between Bryson (a writer I normally find occupying a literary middle ground between smugness and complacency) and Katz that makes 'A Walk in the Woods'. I love the argument that sends Katz huffing back to his tent and calling out, to the accompaniment of the soft <i>pffftttsss</i> of a can being opened, "You hear this, Bryson? This is me drinking the rest of the beer." Great stuff.<br /><br />Damned if that cover of the 'Halloween Tree' didn't make me watch the "Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury" video for the eleven millionth time!Neil Fulwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14686296295535235988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8121497265402071351.post-5011207254867598312010-11-02T05:41:52.981-07:002010-11-02T05:41:52.981-07:00That Claire sentence... the "fashionable"...That Claire sentence... the "fashionable" makes it. So vague, so irrelevant, so unintentionally comic. The rest of the sentence is just mediocrity and cliche, but that "fashionable" is special.<br /><br />Glad you enjoyed the Bradbury. The ending of The Halloween Tree... Also, love the cover. Try looking at it from different distances, if you haven't already.Matt Keeleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06879233228833576188noreply@blogger.com