I have made several attempts to read the popular, made-into-a-movie Running With Scissors. I can never get past the chapter in which the mother willingly signs away custody of her youngest child to her warped shrink.
This weekend, I sat down, made a concerted effort and finished it. I cannot say my outlook has improved all that much. In fact, as I was telling my mom (who lent me the book, along with Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope) it depressed the hell out of me!
I don't know whether it was the dysfunctional family matrix, the repeated statutory rape or the graphic discussions of the filthyness of the house, but I cannot stand this book.
It was compared -- favorably -- with David Sedaris's Naked, which is infinitely more entertaining. Sedaris is a gifted writer and has an ear for creative fiction. I'm a big fan of his sister as well. She's just fucked-up funny, and there is nothing wrong with that.
My next book on the chopping block is Loving Frank, a fictional depiction of the real-life love affair of Frank Lloyd Wright and his long-time mistress.
I found out about this book through a happenstance e-mail from Borders Bookstore, which has this little online book club. Apparently the book club had its collective panties in a wad over the discussion that a woman's happiness in life was just important as her family's. If that meant leaving a family to be with the love of her life, then so be it.
It has to be more interesting than a 13-year old being forced to give a blow job.
At least, we can hope.
6 comments:
Michelle,
You will have to let me know how it is, the Frank Lloyd Wright book that is. Tony and I really love FLW's arcitecture, and to tell you the truth the Frank's love life is pretty interesting all on it's own without the fiction. Let me know.
Jenny
I'm picking it up this week so I should know soon. Read while you can, sweet girl. Read while you can.
In a few months, your breasts will be so big that you won't be able to see over them to read the pages!
I read Running with Scissors a few years ago at work in about 3 days (don't ask me why I had so much time on my hands). It also bothered me to some degree. Although the weirdness of the two families drove me crazy, I was unable to put this book down at certain times, however, I tried to watch the movie a few months ago and I couldn't get past the first 20 minutes. I thought that it wouldn't be too bad because the casting included names such as Gwenneth Paltrow and Alec Baldwin. I guess you have to be in the right mindset to enjoy the book. I'm using boredom as my excuse.
Just reread my comment, sorry about the run-on grammar :)
I have a (public) blog of not much substance. Now you can't complain!
(applenoire.blogspot.com)
Put something in it, sweet pea. I promise to read it!
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