SFist Reads
We were finally coming to terms with the fact that we're cheap bastards who are breaking the library and the publishing industry at the same time, when friend of SFist Christine let us know that she's finally getting the Sean Wilsey book she's had in her reserve line forever! We're both hoping that this means that folks are taking their online reserve list a little more seriously and are only reserving stuff that they're picking up.
Christine and SFist thank all of you good-citizen library users, who are responsibly managing your online reserves. But those of you (Jer, I'm looking your direction) who are lookin' to buy some of that sweet, sweet literature stuff aren't ever left out in this column! Just don't forget that it's a far better thing to drop your dough at one of our fine local independent bookstores.
SFist Rita is rereading all the Harry Potters in anticipation for July 15 and The Half-Blood Prince. Was Harry this whiny and annoying two years ago? Still -- can't wait for Year 6 at Hogwarts!
After hearing him read at A Clean Well Lighted Place, SFist Emily decided to pick up Nick Hornby's latest, A Long Way Down. Suicide and what it means to be a good person are themes that have permeated much of Hornby's recent work. Although there are some comedic elements to the set up of this book (four would be jumpers end up on a rooftop at the same time), the effect of the comedy is dulled by Hornby's experimentation with different voices. Both the American loser and the teenage girl characters come across as not totally believable. Letting go of a book that rings as true High Fidelity did is hard. Putting that out of your mind before starting A Long Way Down, is probably the only way to give it a fair chance.
SFist Derrick is reading The Pleasures of Wine by Gerald Asher. Gerald Asher is one of the wine writers that inspires his own efforts, and Derrick feels that it's always nice to immerse himself in a collection of his essays.
SFist Eve will finish Chuck Palahniuk's Haunted on the N ride home tonight. She took Pamie's post on the book like a dare and went straight from Pamie's blog to her SFPL tab to reserve it. Maybe it's because Pamie's reaction to the book, (which is certainly bloody and gory) was so very strong and Eve's trying to seem like a bad ass, maybe because she heard a lot worse at camp, but the book is kind of leaving her cold. The story of several aspiring writers on a retreat that turns very dark very fast, all of the characters are horrible people so when awful things happen to them she's not too upset. Palahniuk's certainly a talented writer, as she's been happily reading this instead of her beckoning copy of W with Brad and Angie, and she's definitely into the book, but it's not hitting her as hard as we hoped it would. And if that doesn't make Eve sound like some crazy literary masochist, what will?