tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post2258925358313870902..comments2024-03-27T16:48:21.039-05:00Comments on Wuthering <br>Expectations: More American literature I read recently - Michael Farris Smith and Sergio de la PavaAmateur Reader (Tom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-86696363789336041112018-09-18T22:33:40.869-05:002018-09-18T22:33:40.869-05:00Lost Empress has a reasonably long chunk about a 9...<i>Lost Empress</i> has a reasonably long chunk about a 911 transcriber of <i>genius</i>, the greatest transcriber of recordings of 911 calls ever. This section does not have the sublimity of the Byron the Bulb episode in <i>Gravity's Rainbow</i>, but it is good. Let me know what you think, someday.Amateur Reader (Tom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-6348244809675025412018-09-17T19:44:20.563-05:002018-09-17T19:44:20.563-05:00The comparison to Gaddis for digressions has stuck...The comparison to Gaddis for digressions has stuck with me for a couple of days, but I couldn't come up with much. Although with Gaddis, in with all the mumblings and broken conversations there was always a hint or two (and sometimes more) of what was going on in order to fill in the many blanks he would leave until later to answer. Or not, as he saw fit. <br /><br />Your comparison (more Gaddis than Leonard) is apt, but I guess what's sticking with me is that Gaddis' digressions seem to serve a different purpose than de la Pava's. Not that it ultimately matters (and again, with an <i>n</i> of 1 for de la Pava). As I said, I'm eager to explore some more to refine and clarify. Thanks for the mental jogging.Dwighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13688525659034403580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-53022999536047095962018-09-15T19:45:11.843-05:002018-09-15T19:45:11.843-05:00Right. I mean, there's a whole chunk of Singu...Right. I mean, there's a whole chunk of <i>Singularity</i> about a particular boxer the narrator admires. There's a recipe for empanadas.Amateur Reader (Tom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-40512703621695344612018-09-15T17:25:05.050-05:002018-09-15T17:25:05.050-05:00I've only read de la Pava's first one. I&#...I've only read de la Pava's first one. I'm not sure I'd call <i>A Naked Singularity</i> digressive...more like having some anecdotes he wanted to work into the novel. Not to say some of them aren't great. I read the "one-ply toilet paper" story to my boys the other day and they were literally on the floor laughing by the end of it. (Teen boys are easy to amuse. As are adult ones like me.) Although I guess such inclusions are digressive, so I stand corrected.Dwighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13688525659034403580noreply@blogger.com