My life is like an open book

I do this all the time, possibly because I only read books about people like me because I am self-obsessed. Even non-fiction books, I keep to ones almost invariably about people who have similar traits to me. I find myself endlessly interesting, so that's a problem. I don't have one that I most empathise with because I empathise with all of them, on purpose. I suppose if I had to pick one it'd be Patrick Bateman. Dissect as you will.

I really enjoyed Bob Fingerman's _Minimum Wage_ -- while I'm not a comic artist and I'm not in NYC, so much about that whole series rings wonderfully true. Rob is a great character and I love 'im to bits.

Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison and She Came Undone by Wally Lamb. Both nearly want to make me stop writing b/c what could I add?

YES, Wally Lamb - what else is there to say after reading his books? There isn't anything, I can't possibly write something liek I Know This Much Is True.

Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison and She Came Undone by Wally Lamb. Both nearly want to make me stop writing b/c what could I add?

I think this officially means that you are Oprah.

Nitsuh, have you read either of these book? Trust me when I say they are amazing enough to overcome even the Oprah stigma.

The reason I asked is because I'm reading Tolstoy's "Resurrection" at the moment, and the character of Prince Nekhlyudov is unnervingly like my own. He starts out in life with all these high minded ideals... and rapidly proceeds to forget them all one by one. His spiritual self is constantly at war with his baser, physical self and he's fighting a losing battle. I've reached the halfway stage and I can only hope I, I mean he, pulls through.

I tend to read books about people who are quite UNlike me.

Mark Renton out of Trainspotting. Not very arty but there was a time when I thought I'd end up a heroin addict I agreed with so much of what he had to say.

Okay, about Wally Lamb -- to be utterly honest, every time I saw the title of I Know This Much is True I started singing Spandau Ballet. But I'm guessing that's not what the book is about, so what *is* it about? I'd love it if it was about the New Romantics, though. ;-)

I was very disappointed when I turned 16 and nothing exciting happened to me on the eve of my birthday as always happens in fairytales. I wasn't really expecting it, but one never knows for sure.

Now I get to be melancholy.

I've only read She's Come Undone but would like to read the other one. I actually heard him say that he got the title, I Know This Much is True, from the Spandu Ballet song. But I don't think that has anything to do w/the plot. Thinking more about the Oprah comment I do think it's right on. this thread was asking about identifying with characters. The protagonists of the two books I mention, Oprah Winfrey and myself, all do share something in common so I guess it's not out of line.

Are you wealthy like Oprah? That'd be wicked.

Okay, about Wally Lamb -- to be utterly honest, every time I saw the title of I Know This Much is True I started singing Spandau Ballet. But I'm guessing that's not what the book is about, so what *is* it about?

Damn you, Ned, you've already asked me this question in email and goddamnit I answered! ;) It's basically about twin brothers, one is nuts and the other is "normal" and their interaction, that's an EXTREMELY simplified version of an extremely complicated plot.

Joei has read both of these books, as well, and absolutely adores them. Ad far as I know, these are the only books she's ever contemplated re-reading.

Sam you have your own TV show: u glow gurl haha!!

I have not read these booXoR I just wanted to say that. Look it is not as bad as "plato dinner"

You did do that, didn't you Ally? My poor BRANE.

Damn Mark, you figured me out.

I've read She's Come Undone 3 times and I think Bastard Out of Carolina is what caused my man to fall in love with me. When I said that was one of my favorite books his eyes got all googly and he's been at my side since.

Granted I think we're both just a little nerdy. One of his bands is named after a Harry Crews novel and when I heard that, well, let's just say I was quite excited.

So who's this man of yours, then? Or shall he be forever the Unknown Entity Who Likes Them Books? ;-)

I think he'd prefer to be known as UEWLTB. ;)

I favor his nominal utilitarianism.

You can get even more New Romantic about it: wasn't there a Duran Duran song called She's Come Undone? Circa "Wedding Album?"

Sam: I was making the Oprah crack just to be mean, I suppose. :) Although I have loathed everything I've ever looked at of Allison's, my rejection of Lamb is pretty much superficial and publishing/placement based.

But my literary tastes should be largely ignored, as I get really unnecessarily snippy about books.

In fact, ignore me completely on this thread -- I have been working on writing all day and now I am just being dumb and bitchy about books in general. Moderator: please delete me.

I have a whole pile of things set to read this weekend, though, so I will return on Monday with something rational to say about literature.

He starts out in life with all these high minded ideals... and rapidly proceeds to forget them all one by one.
You're a lawyer, mate, what did you expect? ;-) By the way I am losing my accent, Trev, people say I speak proper English again.

Okay, I'm rational again.

Many of my empathy-with-character moments are somewhat embarrassing and seem like potential indicators of a very poor self-image. Most recent -- and this seemed to step from some previously untapped reservoir of self-loathing -- was the narrator of Nicolson Baker's The Fermata, who occasionally has the power to stop the flow of time around him but can find little better to do with this power than undress women and masturbate. [But I do think most men reading this would sort of sigh with sad, pathetic understanding, which I suppose is partially the point.]

Actually, the movement of my thoughts in general is usually quite similar to that of Baker's prose (particularly that of U & I) and that is why I simply cannot fathom writing like Baker myself -- I feel a responsibility to do some actual work to shape that particular type of thinking into something else.

Nitsuh, my thoughts exactly. If you were ever to write a novel I would say "That's the story of my life".

"You're a lawyer, mate, what did you expect? ;-) By the way I am losing my accent, Trev, people say I speak proper English again."

And you're a shady salesperson, so don't take that moral high ground with me - we're both in the gutter together. ;-)

You may speak proper English, Nath, but you'll never speak English properly. Who were these people and did they use sign language?

I wonder.....

You may speak proper English, Nath, but you'll never speak English properly.
Oh the irony! Once you complimented me on my English. How quickly we change our mind. I can safely say I speak *properer* than most... uh... Did I ever say I did? No.

I read a cool anecdote in The New Yorker by this guy who's one of the main writers for the Simpsons and really admired Robert Crumb, and he got to meet him and said how much he respected his bravery and RC said sort of self-deprecatingly 'my life is an open book' and this Simpsons writer was very moved by it. I reckon anyone who dares to confess will let you feel like they are you.