I think I'll review the book reviews on the back cover.
"The best American writer of his generation."
--San Francisco Examiner
I dunno about that. I'm a pretty big Suzanne Collins fan right now.
"The Things They Carried is as good as any piece of literature can get."
--Chicago Sun-Times
That's pretty good. As soon as a book gets labeled as "literature," I become instantly wary of it. I didn't mind this book, though, and that's as good as it's going to get.
"This is writing so powerful that it steals your breath." --Milwaukee Journal
Definitely it's powerful. It didn't cause me any breathing problems, for which I am thankful.
"Rendered with an evocative, quiet precision, not equaled in the imaginative literature of the American war in Vietnam." --Washington Post
I can't vouch for this one; I'm a Vietnam novel novice.
"You've got to read this book... These stories shine in a strange and opposite direction, moving against the flow, illuminating life's wonder, life's tenuousness, life's importance."
--Dallas Morning News
I have two problems with this decidedly rather eloquent review. First, it doesn't end the first sentence with enough periods. I really think there ought to be four--three to illustrate the ellipsis/trailing off and one to show the end of the sentence. I also don't like that it told me I have to read it. I mean, I don't even live in Dallas.
"A book so searing and immediate you can almost hear the choppers in the background... This is prose headed for the nerve center of what was Vietnam."
--Boston Globe
I am forgiving the three-period thing. Maybe it's a personal preference, but anyway, the consistent three-period-pattern suggests that perhaps that's a Mariner Books influence.
"An ultimate, indelible image of war in our time, and in time to come."
--Los Angeles Times
I guess. I mean, it'll probably stick with me for a while. I won't be around forever, so... "indelible"... maybe not. That's commonplace hyperbole, though, I guess.
I guess they really wanted us to know how awesome this book is. I tried to read all of the reviews but there were just so many I was overwhelmed...
ReplyDeleteI didn't read all of the ones at the beginning =}.... That would've driven me crazy. It's four pages or something, isn't it? Think of the rainforeeeeest!!!!
ReplyDeleteHWHELMED! I loved your wit in these "reviews of the reviews." Even the idea is novel. Hey get it, novel? Yeah... I especially liked your review of the Dallas Morning News review. What happens though, when you become a successful writer and have to move to Dallas to pursue your career? I think some apologies to the DMN is in order. But for now, you'll remain the witty, slightly perplexed (due to the 19 posts) Abby.
ReplyDeleteOne time, my brother told me he had a novel idea, and I was like, "...An idea for a novel? Or just a good idea?"
ReplyDeleteThen he said, "...Both."
Also, I will not be moving to Dallas ever, because the aforementioned brother lived there once and did not like it al all.
This made me laugh Abby, none of my blogs were this creative.... I love that I can totally see your personality in this though. (look, I used 4 periods)
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you for that =D.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I didn't meeean to be creative.... I just ran out of chapters =\.