The New Yorker - Discussion

[Rosewood]

Title: ALVARO ROUSSELOT'S JOURNEY by Roberto Balano
(Which I gotta' tell you reminds me of baloney since I can't do the accent
over the n which changes the pronounciation.)

Read it yesterday afternoon while watching football games.
 Upon finishing my first thought was, "need to get on line and see if Rosie or Jo can explain what in the world is going on with this thing".
 Must be a whole bunch of South American cultural allusions to which I am simply unaware.

Extremely interesting book review of one of Bolano's books in today's NY Times, Gary.
You are perfectly right about the allusions.
Sad to say, Bolano died a few years ago at the age of fifty.
But more of his books and short stories are coming.
He's considered something of a Major Talent, looks like.

THE SAVAGE DETECTIVES is on the Ten Best Books of the Year for the Times.
Don't know if it's my cup of tea, but I'll certainly take a look.
For whatever reason I've never really cottoned to Latin writers.
Funny, as I am a Latin myself.
But there you have it.
If these things were predictable.
Life would be so much easier. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/books/review/Wood.t.html?pagewanted=1

[garyd]

Title: ALVARO ROUSSELOT'S JOURNEY by Roberto Balano
(Which I gotta' tell you reminds me of baloney since I can't do the accent
over the n which changes the pronounciation.)

Read it yesterday afternoon while watching football games.
 Upon finishing my first thought was, "need to get on line and see if Rosie or Jo can explain what in the world is going on with this thing".
 Must be a whole bunch of South American cultural allusions to which I am simply unaware.

Extremely interesting book review of one of Bolano's books in today's NY Times, Gary.
You are perfectly right about the allusions.
Sad to say, Bolano died a few years ago at the age of fifty.
But more of his books and short stories are coming.
He's considered something of a Major Talent, looks like.

THE SAVAGE DETECTIVES is on the Ten Best Books of the Year for the Times.
Don't know if it's my cup of tea, but I'll certainly take a look.
For whatever reason I've never really cottoned to Latin writers.
Funny, as I am a Latin myself.
But there you have it.
If these things were predictable.
Life would be so much easier. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/books/review/Wood.t.html?pagewanted=1

Yeah, he has become quite the darling I guess.  Saw that in the Times yesterday.  My wife read "Savage Detectives" earlier in the year and it has been sitting in my reading stack for some time.  She liked it, my eldest son REALLY liked it but he is a Latin culture nut. I am pretty sure the story in the New Yorker is part of a published collection.  He has also , I am told used "Alvarro" as an alter ego in other stories, perhaps in "Savage, I don't know. I  did know about Bolano's death. .  Some god awful disease, I can't remember what but he knew about it and apparently wrote like crazy the last year or so of his life to provide for his wife and kids.

[CANSTANDIT]

I HAVE to catch up on my NY short stories....I've been so busy, but I will make the time to read and contribute here! The only thing I seem to have time for is the captions!

[chapeaugris]

Frightening how they just keep piling up. At least this thread compels me to make time to read them. Have actually been going to be early lately so I can read. Ack! another just arrived!

[michaelflanagansf]

I'd like to announce that there is a new moderator for the book threads - 'BrokenOkie' (a/k/a Glenn) will be taking over from me as moderator of this thread.  You will note that he is already listed as 'moderator' on the threads.

It's been my pleasure to be a moderator in the book threads and I will continue to post as a forum member.  Thanks to all of you for your time and participation.

Michael

[Ellen (tellyouwhat)]

Thank you, Michael --

and welcome Glenn!

[mountain boy]

   We love you Michael!   

[Rosewood]

Welcome, Glenn!
(And thanks again Michael for all your hard work in the past.)
Great to know the Book Club will keep on keeping on.
Even if I don't contribute regularly, I still enjoy reading the posts.

[BrokenOkie]

Thanks for the welcome, gang! 

And a very special thank you to Michael for his enthusiasm and tireless work in the Books board.  He is a tremendous asset to the forum in many ways, and someone I am very proud to know as a friend.

[garyd]

Ok, so be sure to read "Journey Into Night"...the latest from David Sedaris.  He is his usual droll self and, also as usual, at times laugh out loud funny. (his description of traveling "business elite" is priceless).

Then there is "The King of Sentences" from Jonathan Lethem, the "Fortress of Solitude" dude.  I mean I know he is friends with Chabon and I KNOW he is in love with "the way sentences relate to one another".   but....please, someone on a higher plane, please read and explain to us lesser mortals.

[Rosewood]

Ok, so be sure to read "Journey Into Night"...the latest from David Sedaris.  He is his usual droll self and, also as usual, at times laugh out loud funny. (his description of traveling "business elite" is priceless).

Then there is "The King of Sentences" from Jonathan Lethem, the "Fortress of Solitude" dude.  I mean I know he is friends with Chabon and I KNOW he is in love with "the way sentences relate to one another".   but....please, someone on a higher plane, please read and explain to us lesser mortals.

The David Sedaris piece was priceless. He is a treasure.

Haven't had time to deal with the Lethem story yet, but eventually...
As for Chabon, I tried THE YIDDISH POLICEMEN'S UNION and just couldn't get into it.
(And I had, eagerly purchased the book, looking forward to the whole idea of it. VERY
disappointing.) But, for me, I must find at least ONE character to like in ANY story.
Otherwise, unless the writing is so damned brilliant that it staggers my imagination,
I give up.

[dahlia]

I stumbled upon this thread and....since I'm curious......and ignorant....and Italian....why the 'New Yorker'?

Sorry, I never saw a copy, just heard it mentioned....what does this magazine represent in particular for you?
In fact the only American literary magazine that I happened to read is the NYReview of Books. Is this similar/different?
thx

[chapeaugris]

Dahlia, you can read most of it online at http://www.newyorker.com

It's hard to explain to a foreigner what the New Yorker represents to me. It's been part of my life since before I can remember. When you see it in someone's home you can probably assume they are not a Republican.  The short story Brokeback Mountain was first published in its pages 10 years ago. The New Yorker has been in continuous existence for at least 100 years, I think. Until the late 80s or so it had no photographs and only a few pencil drawings to illustrate articles. There is always at least one fiction piece and some poems but the rest is articles on all kinds of subjects. Before it was revamped in the 80s the articles often ran very, very long.

My parents had a subscription for decades and I grew up with it, first just looking at (and puzzling over) the cartoons, then reading the movie reviews and gradually moving on to everything else as I got older.  My own subscription has followed me wherever I've lived and now my husband, who is British, is hooked, too. It's published weekly and it's easy to fall behind. We have a hard time throwing them out for fear of having missed something good (the way I missed reading Brokeback Mountain 10 years ago).

[garyd]

Dahlia, you can read most of it online at http://www.newyorker.com

It's hard to explain to a foreigner what the New Yorker represents to me. It's been part of my life since before I can remember. When you see it in someone's home you can probably assume they are not a Republican.  The short story Brokeback Mountain was first published in its pages 10 years ago. The New Yorker has been in continuous existence for at least 100 years, I think. Until the late 80s or so it had no photographs and only a few pencil drawings to illustrate articles. There is always at least one fiction piece and some poems but the rest is articles on all kinds of subjects. Before it was revamped in the 80s the articles often ran very, very long.

My parents had a subscription for decades and I grew up with it, first just looking at (and puzzling over) the cartoons, then reading the movie reviews and gradually moving on to everything else as I got older.  My own subscription has followed me wherever I've lived and now my husband, who is British, is hooked, too. It's published weekly and it's easy to fall behind. We have a hard time throwing them out for fear of having missed something good (the way I missed reading Brokeback Mountain 10 years ago).

Nicely done.  However, I too have been reading it since childhood and, here it comes, I am a lifelong, card carrying Republican.    (Not that I always vote that way  )

[CANSTANDIT]

A temporary farewell only, Michael, until future threads, events, etc.

Welcome, Glenn.....


Well, I fnally read a story whose name escapes me-it was about the kleptomaniac. It was a quick read, and I had to move on to something so cannot recall the name. But, happy to discuss if anyone knows what I'm talking about. Its the one where the protagonist steals the wallet in the bathroom...??