Richard's Book Club #23
-"Independence Day" by Richard Ford (April 23rd thru June 10th)
http://www.amazon.com/Independence-Day-Richard-Ford/dp/0679735186/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-6366578-3726335?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181449644&sr=1-2
My two-and-a-half cents:
Just like "Invisible Man", I have to get this out of the way right off the bat: this book is not related to that 1996 sci-fi, Will Smith, special-effects orgasm of a movie by the same name. In fact, if you asked me to write a novel named "Independence Day" that had absolutely nothing to do with the movie, it would be this book.
Winner of the Pulitzer in 1996, this is a story about a guy named Frank Bascombe. He's a real estate agent who's going through an "Existence Period" in life. He's divorced, living in his old wife's house, and is about to take his son to a couple of Hall of Fames for the July 4th weekend. Unfortunately, his son gets whacked in the head with a baseball in a batting cage and that kinda throws a wrench in the plans for the father-son bonding experience Frank wanted to have.
To be honest, I hated the shit out of this book. Although the book alludes to the "Existence Period" multiple times, I couldn't tell you what the hell it means (I have a few theories, none of which I care to pursue). This novel was basically two short stories with 50 pages of plot development and the rest (400 pages) of internal dialogue. That was the biggest problem with this book: at times, I thought it was insightful, fulfilling, beautiful... in short, the best thing I've ever read. Unfortunately, most of the time I wondered when this horrible wreck of a story would end.
Two more things about this book before I'm forever done with it. 1) This is the only book I've read so far that I don't actually own, something I'm now proud of. 2) This is the second book in a three part trilogy of this Frank Bascombe guy. I will not be reading the other two. Sorry
Recommended: No no.
Killer Quote: (Frank alone at the 4th of July Parade) "Even the smallest public rigmarole is a pain in the ass, its true importance measurable not in the final effect but by how willing we are to leave our usual selves behind and by how much colossal bullshit and anarchy we're willing to put up with in a worthwhile cause. I always like it better when clowns seem to try to be happy."
Next: "Guide to Getting it On!" by Paul Joannides (cont.)
http://www.amazon.com/Independence-Day-Richard-Ford/dp/0679735186/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-6366578-3726335?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181449644&sr=1-2
My two-and-a-half cents:
Just like "Invisible Man", I have to get this out of the way right off the bat: this book is not related to that 1996 sci-fi, Will Smith, special-effects orgasm of a movie by the same name. In fact, if you asked me to write a novel named "Independence Day" that had absolutely nothing to do with the movie, it would be this book.
Winner of the Pulitzer in 1996, this is a story about a guy named Frank Bascombe. He's a real estate agent who's going through an "Existence Period" in life. He's divorced, living in his old wife's house, and is about to take his son to a couple of Hall of Fames for the July 4th weekend. Unfortunately, his son gets whacked in the head with a baseball in a batting cage and that kinda throws a wrench in the plans for the father-son bonding experience Frank wanted to have.
To be honest, I hated the shit out of this book. Although the book alludes to the "Existence Period" multiple times, I couldn't tell you what the hell it means (I have a few theories, none of which I care to pursue). This novel was basically two short stories with 50 pages of plot development and the rest (400 pages) of internal dialogue. That was the biggest problem with this book: at times, I thought it was insightful, fulfilling, beautiful... in short, the best thing I've ever read. Unfortunately, most of the time I wondered when this horrible wreck of a story would end.
Two more things about this book before I'm forever done with it. 1) This is the only book I've read so far that I don't actually own, something I'm now proud of. 2) This is the second book in a three part trilogy of this Frank Bascombe guy. I will not be reading the other two. Sorry
Recommended: No no.
Killer Quote: (Frank alone at the 4th of July Parade) "Even the smallest public rigmarole is a pain in the ass, its true importance measurable not in the final effect but by how willing we are to leave our usual selves behind and by how much colossal bullshit and anarchy we're willing to put up with in a worthwhile cause. I always like it better when clowns seem to try to be happy."
Next: "Guide to Getting it On!" by Paul Joannides (cont.)