Just for Fun!

[Sparky]

Okay, I gotta ask, where are all the sci-fi fans? There are enough medievalists and modern lit people here that there must be a *couple* more of you out there, right? Anyone else excited for the new Neal Stephenson and Vernor Vinge books this fall? I am so excited they are both happening this year, when I can pretend I have time to read non-school things, instead of next year when I'll be reading for comps.

[ahembree]

I just finished Tom Robbins' The Jitterbug Perfume, and would highly recommend it.

[bdon19]

My latest venture: Palo Alto by dear James Franco.

I'm having trouble articulating my thoughts on this one. It's no worse than a lot of the short stories I read in my fiction writing classes. I actually liked some of the stories. But then I remember it's James Franco, and I feel like I have to hate him, on principle...

[Two Espressos]

My latest venture: Palo Alto by dear James Franco.

I'm having trouble articulating my thoughts on this one. It's no worse than a lot of the short stories I read in my fiction writing classes. I actually liked some of the stories. But then I remember it's James Franco, and I feel like I have to hate him, on principle...

Yes, I have an abnormal James Franco hatred as well. My former roommate is, conversely, a huge fan, and she read Palo Alto. She said the stories were good, but I had heard otherwise. Flipping through it, it seemed...well, not so good, to put it lightly, lol.

[bdon19]

Yes, I have an abnormal James Franco hatred as well. My former roommate is, conversely, a huge fan, and she read Palo Alto. She said the stories were good, but I had heard otherwise. Flipping through it, it seemed...well, not so good, to put it lightly, lol.

I feel like I have to hate him, if only because he got into Yale and, well, there's a (very good) chance I won't. Then again, I'm not even applying to Yale anymore. But still, it's a principle thing.

I just finished it on my commute to work this morning. Believe me, there's nothing worse than trying to read Franco over two high schoolers complaining about how they have bad counselors and so won't get into Penn. Basically, my final assessment is that some of the stories are pretty good, but some are exactly the opposite. He uses the phrase "ketchup randomness" to describe blood. What?? The biggest problem I had with most of the stories were the endings. I understand the technique he's going for with the end of the stories, but I don't think it works for him. The longest stories were the best, even if their endings were still a bit unfortunate.

If you're curious, I think it's worth the read. It's the only reason I read it. You can get through it really quickly, so it ends up not being a waste of time. And I felt like it was on par with a lot of what I tend to call "MFA fiction"--exactly the type of stuff you tend to see coming right out of the workshops. That isn't to say that it's bad, I just don't typically find that kind of writing particularly fun to read, even if it is fast. Though I still keep taking creative writing classes, so that has to say something, right? Maybe it's just that I like reading bad fiction written by my classmates.

Edited September 7, 2011 by bdon19

[Two Espressos]

I feel like I have to hate him, if only because he got into Yale and, well, there's a (very good) chance I won't. Then again, I'm not even applying to Yale anymore. But still, it's a principle thing.

I don't have a problem with him attending Yale, though it's rather curious that he's attending two (or is it three?) graduate programs simultaneously. I don't know how he does that.

I dislike him because he's a shitty actor, starring in mostly terrible roles.

I just finished it on my commute to work this morning. Believe me, there's nothing worse than trying to read Franco over two high schoolers complaining about how they have bad counselors and so won't get into Penn. Basically, my final assessment is that some of the stories are pretty good, but some are exactly the opposite. He uses the phrase "ketchup randomness" to describe blood. What??

Wow. I remember somewhere that something (shadows, maybe?) was described as being "shadow-colored." What?

If you're curious, I think it's worth the read. It's the only reason I read it. You can get through it really quickly, so it ends up not being a waste of time. And I felt like it was on par with a lot of what I tend to call "MFA fiction"--exactly the type of stuff you tend to see coming right out of the workshops. That isn't to say that it's bad, I just don't typically find that kind of writing particularly fun to read, even if it is fast. Though I still keep taking creative writing classes, so that has to say something, right? Maybe it's just that I like reading bad fiction written by my classmates.

I might borrow it from a local library out of mere curiosity. I will probably just skim it, reading a few stories here and there.

As far as enjoying reading bad fiction, I quit my role as a member of my university's literary magazine precisely because I hated reading such bad fiction, poetry, etc. I told myself at the start of last year that if the magazine published a large quantity of bad writing, I would leave. I was actually ashamed by some of the stuff that got published.

[bdon19]

I don't have a problem with him attending Yale, though it's rather curious that he's attending two (or is it three?) graduate programs simultaneously. I don't know how he does that.

I dislike him because he's a shitty actor, starring in mostly terrible roles.

Something like that. Hasn't he been in like five or six programs total? Do I even want to know how many? I'd love to see him in a classroom setting, to understand (or not understand) how he manages that. I still begrudge him for attending Yale, if only in the same way that I begrudged Rory Gilmore for it when I was in high school--and then chickened out of even applying.

I don't even know if I've ever actually seen any of his movies. Maybe I shouldn't judge. Though the fact that I have no desire to see most of what he's in might speak to the quality of such films.

Wow. I remember somewhere that something (shadows, maybe?) was described as being "shadow-colored." What?

I might borrow it from a local library out of mere curiosity. I will probably just skim it, reading a few stories here and there.

Yep. "Shadow-colored." But then again, there were some really great moments, so I hate to discount him for some moments of sloppy writing. It's worth checking out. I snatched it for 4 bucks off the shelf of my depressing, nearly-empty local Borders.

As far as enjoying reading bad fiction, I quit my role as a member of my university's literary magazine precisely because I hated reading such bad fiction, poetry, etc. I told myself at the start of last year that if the magazine published a large quantity of bad writing, I would leave. I was actually ashamed by some of the stuff that got published.

Haha, I did the exact same thing with my literary magazine! I joined the staff because a friend was running it and they were in major trouble--for a while they lost all university funding--but the quality of work was just so terrible, it wasn't worth going to the two meetings per term. At least my creative writing classes tend to have a few gems; very few of these gems, of course, would submit to the literary magazine. (The good writers have tended to be the ones who are less confident in their writing!) I think I read two stories that were worth publishing: one by my friend who's now in a top MFA program, and one by a kid who at least did a creative honors thesis.

Now I'm taking an intro creative writing class again (we have sequences that proceed from intro to advanced). It's nonfiction, which I prefer, but I have no idea who will be in my class. It should be an interesting term... Though I get to go on a weekend excursion with a pretty well-known nonfiction writer and have a manuscript consultation with her, which will be nervewracking but fun!

[user_name]

Vonnegut is always great. Right now I'm working through Nabokov's short stories and Michio Kaku's new book (whenever I want to get my mind of literature).

[dimanche0829]

Any Neil Gaiman fans? I loved American Gods and enjoy his graphic series, too.

[user_name]

American Gods was good. Had a coworker get me into the Sandman series but read only the ones he brought in.

Edited September 9, 2011 by user_name

[JeremiahParadise]

I'm late to the party, but I'm reading Villette right now and really liking it. Cool post, btw -- it's neat to see what everyone's reading.

[bdon19]

I'm late to the party, but I'm reading Villette right now and really liking it. Cool post, btw -- it's neat to see what everyone's reading.

VILLETTE! Hooray!

[Jbarks]

VILLETTE! Hooray!

Agreed! It's my favorite. I'm also a huge fan of Anne's Tenant of Wildfell Hall.