Other authors you collect

[Dolan]

Hey, I have a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, and I don't get what the hell he's trying to do. Actually, this just motivated me to pull Corrections off the shelf and start reading...made it to page 5.

Holy crap you do?! Wow - super cool. I have a BA in English and a BA in Comp Lit. How cool! Had no idea.

Yeah - Franzen is still garbage.

[Rahfa]

Hey, I have a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, and I don't get what the hell he's trying to do. Actually, this just motivated me to pull Corrections off the shelf and start reading...made it to page 5.

Holy crap you do?! Wow - super cool. I have a BA in English and a BA in Comp Lit. How cool! Had no idea.

Yeah - Franzen is still garbage.

My MFA and .50 cents still won't get me a cup of coffee in this messed up town...

It's not that Franzen's a bad writer...he's clearly not, and has a great command of language and vocabulary...the problem is it doesn't go anywhere. It's writing for writing's sake, and not for the reader.

[Patrick]

You guys are cracking me up.

Here's the photo that Kenny refers to. Franzen's very recent signature.



No, I have not read the book either.

[Rahfa]

Well, I'm going to finish the book I'm reading now ("The Thing," by Alan Dean Foster!) and then I'm going to read The Corrections cover-to-cover no matter what...so I'll have a valid opinion instead of just talking out my ass.

[idlewarnings]

I've been in a book club with some friends for 10+ years now, and The Corrections is still the most hated book we've ever read. I'm intrigued by the idea of Freedom since it's set in St. Paul but in no big hurry to pick it up.

[Dolan]

Last night was the book signing for Jonathan Franzen here in New York and it was the first time I had attended a reading of his and/or even seen him in person. Rahfa, I have to say, my opinion of him as a public figure has changed greatly.

Firstly, let's start with The Corrections. I still find it unreadable. I haven't made the concentrated effort that you plan to undertake but I remember when I did try, a few times, it didn't work. Maybe I will in a few years and maybe then I will get it -- maybe not. I picked up Freedom and scanned a few pages and then put it right back down and deemed it "another one of those."

Secondly, Franzen's ego and reputation tends to precede him. I've always viewed him as a bit of a dick with a problem with his own grandeur. Though now that I think back, those were only the things reported to me in articles and online blogs that I read immediately following the backlash to The Big O. Let's make this clear, Franzen writes novels, he doesn't do PR. So sure, his case for his own public relations was a total nightmare following the Oprah incident.

However, after seeing him read and talk and take questions and have a very brief chat with him at his signing tonight, my opinion couldn't be any more different than the above.

To start, he is incredibly funny in person. Patrick, it is a true shame that you missed him in action. Though the real treasure is the book, I found his persona to be the true experience. The moderator at the B&N gave a very lengthy, gloating introduction to Franzen and, while anyone would be mildly or incredibly embarrassed of just mentioning the incredible accomplishments, my initial thought would be that Franzen would just sit there, hear them, and accept them. Rather, he acted quite humble. Often rolling his eyes or hiding behind his book with embarrassment at the consistent compliments of his writing/awards, etc.

Anyway - to make a very long post short (if you've even made it this far) he read the first chapter of Freedom and I was memorized. I was truly interested in hearing every single word and genuinely interested in the story. IN addition to that, he took questions and was extremely entertaining and warm to the 400+ people in the crowd.

When I met him on the signing line, noticed that I had first editions of his oldest books, we talked about them, shook my hand and said thanks.

In the end, I can understand that his writing isn't for everyone, that part is clear. Jonathan Franzen the person, in my opinion, is ironically humble and darkly humorous and not at all what I expected.

Just thought I should update my original posting.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

Sub Press:

Drood

Limited to 26 signed lettered copies, bound in cloth and leather, housed in a custom traycase: Regularly $500 -- Special Price $300

[WeDealInLead]

Terror too... unless it sold out already.

[Patrick]

Kenny, thank you for posting an account of your experience at the Franzen signing. He is reportedly coming back to our town in January for another reading/signing at another independent bookstore, so I'll make more of an effort to attend that one. Maybe I'll even read the book between now and then.

Thanks again.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

Some 1st editions of other authors I collect:
Robert Bloch - THE OPENER OF THE WAY
Orson Scott Card - ENDER'S GAME
Arthur C. Clarke - 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY
Larry Niven - RINGWORLD (1st UK hardcover)
Roger Zelazny - NINE PRINCES IN AMBER
Philip Jose Farmer - THE GREEN ODYSSEY



Jack Vance - TO LIVE FOREVER
Richard Matheson - BORN OF MAN AND WOMAN
Jack Vance - THE DYING EARTH (1 of 11 lettered copies)
Larry Niven - THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE
Richard Matheson - HE IS LEGEND (lettered edition)

[frik]

WoW!
I have always admired Robert Bloch and consider Arthur C. clarke as one of my all-time favorites. But I'm afraid I have very few first editions. Except from some of Clarke 's later books.
This is awesome.

sk

[Patrick]

Very nice!

[Gilbert]

The Mote in God's Eye, Ringworld, Nine Princes in Amber, and Ender's Game are all very rare and very expensive books! All of the ones pictured are rare, but those you never see. I heard Larry Niven say at a convention last year that he hadn't seen a copy of Mote in over 25 years. I've never seen Nine Princes in Amber and I've been collecting a LONG time. Wow! Awesome.

[Randall Flagg]

I'm impressed and very grateful for sharing.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

My modest Arthur C. Clarke collection. His earlier books are too expensive for me.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

A few more Nine Princes In Ambers

[Cloysterpete]

you call that modest!, holy hannah there's bloody loads. How many books does he have out?, I only have the Space Odyssey Series and one short story collection by him, I've never got round to reading them though.

[Rahfa]

Haha....that's exactly my impression....I mean, I expect a writer to slave over every word and image and on and on...but for God's sake, make me understand you're actually going somewhere with it.

I'm convinced he's one of those authors that everybody talks and talks about, but very few actually sit down and READ...say what you want about Dan Brown, but people actually read his stuff cover-to-cover...

Agree 1,000,000%. I don't see ANYONE reading his books and if I do, they are usually on page 10 and looking very confused. It's almost like he is mocking us by having his writing, literally, unreadable. And I studied literature... so trust me when I say he's garbage.

Hey, I have a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, and I don't get what the hell he's trying to do. Actually, this just motivated me to pull Corrections off the shelf and start reading...made it to page 5.

So basically, I'm the jerk.

I'm at page 125 or so of The Corrections and I retract everything I said previously...so far, anyway, this is really a stunning book, and deserves all the praise.

I realized that it's simply a very dense book, and its language makes skimming all but impossible...not to compare in quality, but I blazed through Under the Dome in less than a week, maybe 3-4 days...while I've been at Corrections for several days and I'm not even a third through.

It's a difficult book. He's not making it easy, and since it's not a plot-driven story, he is asking you to invest with characters that aren't solving a murder or "doing" anything that makes it easy to follow along with.

But, his writing is phenomonal...he's capturing this family in detail that is really amazing.

It might not have a payoff...I might get to the end and not have any clue what any of it accomplished...but for now, I'm very impressed. It takes a lot of work, and I guess I was just a fat, lazy American who wasn't used to the effort.

[frik]

you call that modest!, holy hannah there's bloody loads. How many books does he have out?, I only have the Space Odyssey Series

I love the Rama series, especially the first one, Rendezvous With Rama. Maybe his best ever.
Then again, i was terribly impressed with Childhood's End also.

sk

[Dolan]

Rahfa - I agree. I am listening to the audiobook of Freedom and it's amazing. You are right though, it's not some thriller with an amazing pay-off but the language is fantastic.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

Clarke wrote a number of books in the 50s which are considered classics. They are expensive in first editions. I only have a few paperbacks

My favorite Clarke books are THE FOUNTAINS OF PARADISE, 2001, 2010, 3001, the Rama series. He was one of the greatest SF writers.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

Some Niven UK first hardcovers, kind of rare I guess, including the unused dust jacket for RINGWORLD.

[frik]

Clarke wrote a number of books in the 50s which are considered classics. They are expensive in first editions. I only have a few paperbacks

My favorite Clarke books are THE FOUNTAINS OF PARADISE, 2001, 2010, 3001, the Rama series. He was one of the greatest SF writers.

He was the best, with Isaac Asimov a close second!
(IMHO...)

sk

[jhanic]

Clarke wrote a number of books in the 50s which are considered classics. They are expensive in first editions. I only have a few paperbacks

My favorite Clarke books are THE FOUNTAINS OF PARADISE, 2001, 2010, 3001, the Rama series. He was one of the greatest SF writers.

He was the best, with Isaac Asimov a close second!
(IMHO...)

sk

I personally would put Robert A. Heinlein first, then Asimov, then Clarke.

John

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

Although I 'collect' both Asimov and Clarke, and have highly enjoyed their novels and stories and have read a dozen or so Heinlein novels, none of these are in my favorite "Top 10" or so of SF and/or fantasy authors. I guess it's more a matter of who you read first that determines what authors you like the best (of course that probably isn't really true), or maybe it's a matter of either heredity or environment. This theory was explored and scientifically documented in a 3 Stooges short I believe.

After some reflection, I will add Asimov and Clarke to my 'Top 10' list of authors. I was too hasty in my previous statement.