In the New Yorker...

[serious crayons]

I'm reading a long story in the fiction issue by Jonathan Franzen called "The Republic of Bad Taste." The first page or two were really hard to get interested in, but the story has picked up steam and now it's reminding me of a good film noir.

I gave up after about the first page. But on your say-so, and because I generally like Franzen's writing, I should give it another try.

Did you read Freedom? I never got more than a few chapters into it. But I loved The Corrections! I'm wondering if my patience just isn't what it used to be.

[Front-Ranger]

Did you read Freedom? I never got more than a few chapters into it. But I loved The Corrections! I'm wondering if my patience just isn't what it used to be.

I felt exactly the same as you did about both novels. So, I really really wanted to read and like TROBT. It does improve after the first couple of pages, I promise!

[Jeff Wrangler]

I gave up after about the first page. But on your say-so, and because I generally like Franzen's writing, I should give it another try.

I forced my way through to the end because I thought I had a duty to read it, since he's an Important Writer.

Did you read Freedom? I never got more than a few chapters into it. But I loved The Corrections! I'm wondering if my patience just isn't what it used to be.

Mine sure isn't.

Meanwhile, at lunch today I finished the June 22 profile of Dianne Feinstein, No trouble finishing that one because I've admired her since I first heard of her at the time of the Moscone-Milk assassinations.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Today I read the June 22 article about euthanasia in Belgium for people with incurable depression. I learned that in Belgium, schoolchildren take a course in "nonconfessional ethics," which seems like a very good idea to me.

[serious crayons]

Just ran across this Today in Literary History factoid for June 26:

TODAY: In 1948, Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" is published in The New Yorker.

I never even knew that's where it was first published!

[Jeff Wrangler]

Just ran across this Today in Literary History factoid for June 26:

TODAY: In 1948, Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" is published in The New Yorker.

I never even knew that's where it was first published!

Neat!

Now that you mention it, I think I read that somewhere--I mean, that the story was first published in TNY--but I don't remember where that was. It was probably somewhere in TNY itself.

[CellarDweller]

I remember reading that story.  creepy.

[serious crayons]

We should have mentioned that in our discussion of things everyone reads in high school.

[CellarDweller]

Yeah, we should've!

[Front-Ranger]

That discussion is still going on! I haven't had a chance to weigh in with my latest thoughts on it, or even to thank you all for contributing.

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