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open_ears_now's reviews
35 reviews
The Painted Word by Tom Wolfe
Mr.Wolfe really, really has a bone to pick with famous art critics and art theorists. He provided no citations on anything that had numbers. It’s all opinion, and I disagree with him.
A fun read, but man, he did not like art at this time.
It’s an interesting read in 2023, especially with the epilogue proclaiming what museums would be like in 2000. Was he joking when he said that art critics and theory would be posted everywhere instead of art? Probably, but I feel like part of him wasn’t.
My first sentence alludes to my biggest gripe with this book. He criticizes art critics for only liking modern art, but also points out that realistic art (photo realism in this case) was popular. Modern and realism were both doing fine, it didn’t seem like then, and it doesn’t seem like now, we’re heading towards a world where there is no realism.
Eh, what do I know. I’m not an art critic. I’m just a guy that found this book at a used book store. Tom Wolfe really did not like art critics and art between ~1935-1975.
A fun read, but man, he did not like art at this time.
It’s an interesting read in 2023, especially with the epilogue proclaiming what museums would be like in 2000. Was he joking when he said that art critics and theory would be posted everywhere instead of art? Probably, but I feel like part of him wasn’t.
My first sentence alludes to my biggest gripe with this book. He criticizes art critics for only liking modern art, but also points out that realistic art (photo realism in this case) was popular. Modern and realism were both doing fine, it didn’t seem like then, and it doesn’t seem like now, we’re heading towards a world where there is no realism.
Eh, what do I know. I’m not an art critic. I’m just a guy that found this book at a used book store. Tom Wolfe really did not like art critics and art between ~1935-1975.
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
4.0
It took me a while to finish this book. This book isn't difficult to read or anything like that.
It's written like a collection of stories, each chapter lightly connected to the others. One chapter has a character, another has a character's wife, another has the character's wife's boss, etc.
What took me a while was trying to find connections between the chapters. This was a mistake.
People can be connected in the smallest of ways. We don't spend our time investigating each thread. Why do the same for a book?
Besides, you'll recognize names. You can always figure it out later.
Writing and narration was magnificent. The threads between chapters made me feel omniscient. I was on the outside of the world, looking in on my creations and how they're doing.
Some slight spoiler opinions on chapters:
I loved any chapter involving Sasha. The first chapter was perfect. The slideshow chapter with her daughter was absolutely adorable. I never imagined I would learn so much about a family through a presentation.
I disliked parts of the last chapter. Namely the texting slang with all the handsets. It felt like a Gen-X 2000s take on texting. If someone types "brb" it doesn't mean they're going to type "wyf" or "nw jb b hppy 4 me $$$". It really detracted from the story. If you want more examples, literally watch any procedural crime show with episodes from 2007ish.
It's written like a collection of stories, each chapter lightly connected to the others. One chapter has a character, another has a character's wife, another has the character's wife's boss, etc.
What took me a while was trying to find connections between the chapters. This was a mistake.
People can be connected in the smallest of ways. We don't spend our time investigating each thread. Why do the same for a book?
Besides, you'll recognize names. You can always figure it out later.
Writing and narration was magnificent. The threads between chapters made me feel omniscient. I was on the outside of the world, looking in on my creations and how they're doing.
Some slight spoiler opinions on chapters:
I loved
I disliked
Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis
dark
fast-paced
4.0
Clay is like the main character of Camus’ The Stranger, but he never does anything bad. Or at least, he himself isn’t doing anything. He’s bad because he does nothing and cares about nothing. In the end, there’s no realization, no looking back on a life learning of the actions one could take.
Clay looks back, sees nothing, remembers nothing, and leaves LA.
Clay looks back, sees nothing, remembers nothing, and leaves LA.