After writing about my discomfort with Jonathan Franzen's books, I happened to hear a remark by David Lipsky when being interviewed about time spent with David Foster Wallace. Referring to a comment in an article, Lipsky talked about how "awake" he felt after reading Wallace. Unlike more entertaining fare, Wallace's writings require work to grasp, but the fact that Lipsky felt smarter after reading Wallace made him feel the effort was worthwhile.
Hearing the comment made me wonder if part of the anxiety I feel when reading Franzen comes out of that feeling of wakefulness. Certainly that's not the case when I slip into Jack Reacher's world. Page turners pull me into a dream world that separates me from any real concerns I may have.
I guess after The Corrections must come Wallace's Infinite Jest, that is unless I get my hands on George Martin's A Song of Fire series before then. No matter how much I value being feeling awake, I'm a sucker for warrior women who choose baby dragons as a fashion accessory.
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1 comment:
Did you think the Reacher movie lived up to the novels? I haven't seen it yet, but the reaction seems to be mixed. Judging from the reviews, it seems more to be about whether you're a Cruise fan or not. He could be a problem as Reacher, but I'm willing to give him a chance. Have you seen him yet?
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