big time cat fancier

28.6.07

reading will either lead to my poverty or will make me into a shining god with wings and a little halo

all i care about this summer is reading books and hopefully not going broke and living on the streets.

i traded in a bunch of books i've had since i was in high school a couple of day ago. books i'll never read again like stephen stephen king and THE ODYSSEY and got a bunch of cool new books:

empire of the nun J.G. BALLARD (i'm not sure if this is going to be good)
where you'll find me ANN BEATTIE
rock springs RICHARD FORD
self-portrait in a convex mirror JOHN ASHBERRY



I went up to the college today and picked up alice notley's book ALMA, or THE DEAD WOMAN (granary books). the book is huge. i'm excited. big ass books of poetry normally scare me (all the books by HOMER).

then i rode my bike downtown. i got dirty looks twice from people in cars. they forget that a person on a bike is a super pedestrian and i don't have to take their shit.

it was nice to go feel the wind in my face today though.

i just finished reading CHILLY SCENES OF WINTER by anne beattie, last night. it was fantastic. it was sad and real and funny. it reminded me of what CATCHER IN THE RYE: THE LATER YEARS would be like(but in a good way). not in a shitty sequel way like Cinderella 2 or Guess Who's Talking 2. not so over-dramatic.

i also finished reading BED by tao lin. a great book of short stories where the characters thoughts are so funny, sad, and real that it almost hurts. i plan on maybe doing an actual review soon. stay tuned.

i still need a job.

anyone in Ashland know a place that's hiring or owns a place that wants a young, handsome, intelligent, hard-working, employee?

any suggestions for books i should read?


tip of the day: do not eat a grilled ham and cheese sandwich and then take a sweaty bike ride.

17 comments:

  1. See if you can get D'J Pancake's short stories through Summit.

    And also more Lorrie Moore is always a good bet.

    Since it is summer, I would recommend something old and big but essential, maybe Tobacco Road or a book of Emile Zola short stories.

    In poetry, hmm, I would recommend trying to find that anthology of New York school poets and seeing who you like and then trying to find their books. Also maybe try someone like James Tate if you haven't read much by him already. You can read his poems very fast, and they're quite enjoyable.

    I might also recommend reading across the genres and reading some Tennessee Williams plays and shit. Or read crazy Spanish plays.

    Oh, Lorca. Read Lorca!

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  2. Oh and Martin Amis's MONEY is a nice big clever novel to read.

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  3. i just bought that same book of lorca poems that mike bought in ashland. it has the spanish version next to the translation. you can borrow it soon.

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  4. excellent.

    this is why i like having friends who are english majors. too none of us will ever have jobs.

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  5. I cleaned carpets today in three apartments for $40.

    But I am going to go blow it all on coke and hussies, so I guess you have a point.

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  6. mike: i got some of the books you suggested. they look promising. have you ever read JOHN BERRYMAN? you know, the guy from the hold steady song. i'm really digging his stuff right now.

    i only wish i had coke and hooker money these days :(

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  7. alex,

    you should read 'distortions' by ann beattie

    all her other books after 'distortions' and 'chilly scenes of winter' are different than those two, which are sort of similar

    i also recommend 'honored guest' and 'the quick and the dead' by joy williams

    and 'shiloh and other stories' by bobbie ann mason (specifically the story 'graveyard day' in it)

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  8. thanks tao,

    i was going to buy quick and the dead last week from the bookstore but couldn't get that awful western out of my head. i watched it when i had a excruciatingly high fever last spring break. even hallucinations couldn't make that movie cool.

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  9. I second the Shiloh recommendation. Bobbie Ann Mason had a country song written for her. Raymond Carver can't top that shit.

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  11. I've read a little John Berryman. Just Dream Songs. I like his stuff. Your writing reminds me of his a lot, actually.

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  12. that's because, secretly, i plan to drown myself in the shallows of the mississippi river.

    i am writing a poem about turning a robot into my ass. do think that's too absurd?

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  13. Turning and turning in the widening gyre.

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  14. i don't think it's too absurd. i wish your ass was a giant robot.

    we'll work on it.

    i have tools.

    if you know what i mean.

    ..................................

    i drank like half a bottle of dayquil today for allergies and now i'm sorta hallucinating.

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  15. i wish i would have written it down. other than on the postcard. i think it was pretty good. maybe i'll try to re-create it.

    /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

    i made a tepee village.

    don't hallucinate. and if you do, don't forget that Karen is not a bathroom.

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  16. This comment stream is warm and exciting.

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