Comments for Choses Vues

Comment on Reading War and Peace by Cliff Burns

Cliff Burns — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 14:10:25 +0000

Gregory, you show-off! Reading all those big, fat books with huge ideas while the rest of us toil over trivial offerings.

I read about the debate re: the two different translations of WAR & PEACE coming out and some less than kind things Richard Peaver had to say about his competition. But Peaver and his wife are acknowledged as the best two translators of Russian works into English so I guess he’s got the literary chops.

I envy you for tackling the big books of history and hope I can do the same sometime soon. I have most of them, they glare at me from the shelves, daring me to pick them up…

Comment on Reading War and Peace by Joe

Joe — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 13:10:13 +0000

I am reading Dickens’s “Bleak House” now, so you better put that on your list as well.

Comment on National Book Awards announced by S.

S. — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 05:33:36 +0000

The trick: be a former student of one of of the judges.

Comment on AP discontinues Book Review Package by Joe

Joe — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 23:05:35 +0000

Wow. That sucks. Mom will be really upset.

Comment on How the National Book Awards are picked by S

Sat, 20 Jan 2007 17:42:24 +0000

It also helps if you are a former student and good friend of one of the judges.

Comment on How the National Book Awards are picked by paul

paul — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 14:48:26 +0000

Margaret Atwood makes a very convincing case for The Echo Maker in the latest NYRB...

Comment on Pynchon’s got a big-old book a’comin. by Joe

Joe — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 15:53:16 +0000

I just read the Time article. Very interesting. One thing that comes to mind is that idea that “bad press is good press”. By being a so-called “recluse”, Pynchon is able to effectively market his books – whether intended or not. Also, for some reason, his quirky behaviour makes me want to read his books more.

Comment on Pynchon’s got a big-old book a’comin. by Joe

Joe — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 15:36:55 +0000

I have a copy of Mason Dixon as well that has been cracked but quickly shut. It seems rather daunting – kind of Ulysess-esque. All I see from Mr. Pynchon is that he seems to have a penchant for large unwieldy novels. I would be interested to hear from anybody that had actually read his work.

Comment on American editing versus Canadian Editing by Joe

Joe — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 15:31:48 +0000

Good review. I do find it rather interesting that American newspapers tend to chop up reviews. However, in some of your other reviews this hadn’t been the case. Maybe it was the fact that you were reviewing more widely recognized authors like Updike.

I also wonder why the Canadian papers seem to like your reviews so much?

Comment on Franzen schmanzen by Gregory Flanders

Gregory Flanders — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 00:54:18 +0000

No, I hadn't but thanks for pointing it out! here is the link to three of the letters, were there more? Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed Mendelsohn's review, I'm glad that someone had the gall to be so negative - someone had to do it. Finally, I just found out that Mendelsohn is going to be coming to Northwestern in February to talk about his new book "Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million."