A simple man, in a complex world
Curtis White has written a novel called America's Magic Mountain, a recasting of Mann's in (you'll never guess) America. The protagonist is still named Hans Castorp. But this is outrageous: no one could possibly be ordinary ("unassuming", as White has it) if he grew up in downstate Illinois with the name "Hans Castorp".
(I received this book, along with Hugh Kenner's Counterfeiters, Harry Mathews' Cigarettes, Ernst Gombrich's A Little History of the World (for some reason) and a few other less immediately interesting books in the mail today, the same day I also got the third issue of n+1. When the hell am I going to read these?—at least the books were kostenlos. Looking about me I see several books checked out of the library, presumably to remind me to check them out again next quarter and continue not reading them. Large portions of my library could be replaced, Time out of Joint–style, with slips of paper saying "book" and it wouldn't make, I suspect, the least difference to me.)
Comments
on 2005-10-21 2:00:11.0, James commented:
Even though I probably won't read Michael Powell's autobiography for several years, by owning it I will at least be assured access to a copy when I do get around to it, thereby circumventing those communist librarians. They might also be lesbians.
and, further, on 2005-10-21 7:33:30.0, Kriston commented:
Whenever I have a little money in my pocket, I'll go into book-buying jags and pick up everything by some given author. So then I'm not ignoring books, I'm ignoring a writer—it's like inviting a ghost into my living room.
How's your arm?
and, further, on 2005-10-21 17:03:04.0, ben wolfson commented:
I wouldn't want to circumvent a commie lesbian librarian, personally. Who knows what hotness I might thereby forego experiencing, or even undergoing?
My arm is ok—I'n in a forearm cast that restrains my thumb but not my fingers, so I can bend at the elbow and perform an activity that somewhat resembles typing with both hands.
and, further, on 2005-10-21 20:01:16.0, dave zacuto commented:
Can you write a program which can tell me when you're able to play Soul Calibur again?
and, further, on 2005-10-21 20:32:19.0, ben wolfson commented:
No, but I can write one to tell you when to buy eggs or milk.
and, further, on 2005-10-21 20:33:22.0, ben wolfson commented:
Besides, you always beat me anyway.
and, further, on 2005-10-22 14:14:17.0, dave zacuto commented:
n+1 #3 is pretty good