2/3/08

Please, Malcolm, would you make something explode?

Generally when I start one of these posts I know where I am going and pretty much what I am going to say but, here I am at a loss. Nothing witty or even slightly entertaining comes to mind. He is very dry. For someone who uses words relating to sticky so often he turns out to be quite the opposite. Not exactly my kind of writer and not exactly my kind of book. Don't get me wrong; I love reading as much anything and I greatly enjoy the ego boost I get from knowing more about Dutch AIDS babies than people who havn't read the book but, when I am reading it seems to fall short of my expectations. I think that my problem is the same as the one Miriam mentioned in her post about Heath Ledger (I am sorry Miriam for mentioning you in multiple blogs but nobody else has bothered to say anything of intrest to me yet besides you). There is no meat on this books bones. Pure fact with no lacy ellaboration. I know that this book wouldn't take very well to the addition of a paragraph of sappy romance but, maybe just maybe a chase scene? exploding car or boat? I am sad to say that my goldfish like attention span does not agree with this textbook-like piece of writing. Despite my dislike for the writing style there was one thing that I really did find interesting. I think that the Winston cigarette example he uses is amazing. A commotion-making ad like that is genious. I was watching TV and an ad came on for a weight loss food plan and over the thirty second time period that the commercial was on there were at least three errors. Unlike the cigarette company, I don't think that these women were doing it on purpose. Every time I see that add I am forced to grumble very mean things under my breath. Sure, you lost 130 pounds but I am sure that at least 30 of those pounds were pure brain matter.

4 comments:

Miriam Hitchcock said...

Well, I think my latest post has just been thrown out the window. I'll stick, officially, with what I concluded to begin with: I am a traiter. By this I mean, I'm only ever supposed to like fiction, ever, so how on earth am I enjoying this book? I tried to justify it the same way you just discarded the book and my gut says you're right. I'm just going soft or something.

bcclong said...

Nice language, you writing is different than your actual spoken usage of words. It was interesting to see the difference. I do agree with you that his writing is a bit bland, but I seems to fancy it just as much as Miriam does. But really, I think that non-fiction kicks fiction's ass(Jen, we are allowed to cuss for emphasis, correct?).

Jennifer Woods said...

Cussing for emphasis is fine.

So what was it that kept you thinking about the cigarette ad and made you so upset about the weight loss ad? Do you say or was I just skimming too quickly?

Barga said...

you know, if they combined the products they could kill the person TWO whole different ways

AND, IF YOU ACT NOW...