tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post21605920400164437..comments2024-03-27T05:13:25.241-05:00Comments on The New Dork Review of Books: A Visit From The Goon Squad: Time Marches OnGreg Zimmermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08122230426442946518noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-25961492816528109752011-05-01T21:42:25.216-05:002011-05-01T21:42:25.216-05:00I didn't like this book at first, but ended up...I didn't like this book at first, but ended up really enjoying it! Your review captures the essence of the novel well. It's funny - I didn't think of the last story as about bloggers, but something more akin to twitter or facebook with giant networks of 'friends' and getting the word out with something like 'status updates' - maybe that's all anyone has time for in 10-15 years. I'm glad I read it.Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02741247801580934137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-58653574261939408992011-04-29T09:50:01.730-05:002011-04-29T09:50:01.730-05:00@Ben - You're welcome.
@LBC - Yeah, I'd l...@Ben - You're welcome.<br /><br />@LBC - Yeah, I'd love to ask Egan if that was her intention there. It's gotta be! <br /><br />@the Ape - Agreed - the interconnectedness really was very interconnectedy here. I'd say Gilead and The Known World were definitely stuffy/trudgy. And I didn't read March, but several readers seemed to think that one was a bit of a bore, too...Greg Zimmermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08122230426442946518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-38776943291280189582011-04-29T08:44:37.160-05:002011-04-29T08:44:37.160-05:00I think your point that the work is more unified t...I think your point that the work is more unified thematically (music/authenticity) than narratively accounts for how much more successful this linked-stories novel is than many others. In a way, it reminds me of Stevens' "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird", which tries different angles on the same concerns.<br /><br />By the way, what of the recent Pulitzer winners was stuffy? I guess the last two, Tinkers and Olive Kitteridge were pretty craftsmanlike, but the 7 or 8 previous to that were anything but stuffy.the Apehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14060965283007759623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-80042875759674070082011-04-28T17:17:57.568-05:002011-04-28T17:17:57.568-05:00Great review. I'm really enjoying this myself...Great review. I'm really enjoying this myself, and also was enamored of the DFWesque article chapter.LBChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08565867574821169945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-32315881238898978182011-04-28T15:47:27.098-05:002011-04-28T15:47:27.098-05:00This novel has been growing on me, waving at me fr...This novel has been growing on me, waving at me from the shelves since the reading ape brought it up like six months ago. You might have tipped the scaled in its favor. Well played sir. Well played.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11483490020980574428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-20735466869571727182011-04-28T13:44:44.648-05:002011-04-28T13:44:44.648-05:00@Katie - I completely agree with you that "Eg...@Katie - I completely agree with you that "Egan captures the voice of each one well." The voices were distinct but all played into the common themes - one of the great aspects of the book!<br /><br />@Red - That publicist / crazy general story is one my favorites of the novel - some great satire there. And yes, I was terrified of being publicly caned by The Reading Ape - so avoided "I"s (even though I agree completely with him!)... <br /><br />@Sandy - That's amazing they pulled of the PowerPoint in audio - it was actually probably really short, though, right. It encompasses about 40 pages in the novel, but it's the shortest, (to me) least substantive story.<br /><br />@Ben - Good call - those two are two other very good examples of non-stuffy Pulitzer winners. Maybe I had the Pulitzer confused with the Booker? (Kidding...) <br /><br />@bookspersonally - Thanks for the kinds words! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did when you read it.Greg Zimmermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08122230426442946518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-76046021849215193292011-04-28T13:25:18.243-05:002011-04-28T13:25:18.243-05:00Outstanding review, really gives one a feel for th...Outstanding review, really gives one a feel for the story and the feel of the book. I have been looking forward to getting to this one for a long time, hopefully soon!bookspersonallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01931047825445272188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-69597690955464092482011-04-28T12:45:14.445-05:002011-04-28T12:45:14.445-05:00I keep hearing about this book, and the more I hea...I keep hearing about this book, and the more I hear the more I want it. <br /><br />The only Pulitzers I've read are The Road and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, both of which I love. If Egan sends that to 3 out of 3, I might have found myself a Prize worth following every year.Ben Carrollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03308876297341347389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-66655040597855585862011-04-28T12:27:25.575-05:002011-04-28T12:27:25.575-05:00I agree. I had about written myself off of Pulitz...I agree. I had about written myself off of Pulitzers totally, as I have very little luck with them. This book I adored. AND I listened to it on audio.<br /><br />And I hear your wheels spinning, wondering how the hell they pulled off the PowerPoint chapter in audio, but they did, and it worked. This will be one of my favorites of the year.Sandy Nawrothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00564390728106776030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-74767390513458709392011-04-28T12:22:18.068-05:002011-04-28T12:22:18.068-05:00I have this on my TBR and didn't realize I'...I have this on my TBR and didn't realize I've actually read some Egan before, until I read this. The story of the PR and the dictator is in another collection of stories I've read, and one of my favorites in that book. Well I have a feeling I'll be reading this a lot sooner now. Thanks!<br /><br />Also I noticed how little you used "I" in this review :)Redhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16456600806188531803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-59414719980889590102011-04-28T12:18:13.022-05:002011-04-28T12:18:13.022-05:00I agree, it's a great book, and was one of the...I agree, it's a great book, and was one of the last ones I finished in 2010. My review/synopsis wasn't nearly as eloquent as yours, though: <a href="http://katieparker.tumblr.com/post/2427576068/" rel="nofollow">http://katieparker.tumblr.com/post/2427576068/</a>Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08986037474152101242noreply@blogger.com