Comments on: Dude, Douglas Coupland, seriously…

By: zenboy

zenboy — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 16:45:41 +0000

He also has some samples from his books on his multi-excellent page – http://www.pulpnoir.com

By: Flynn

Flynn — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 15:36:09 +0000

From the Amazon ‘key phrases’ (wtf??) section for Caught Stealing:

Key Phrases: fucking cat, New York, Sick Cop, Spalding Gray

I’m in! I’ll report back sometime in 2014 when I finish it.

By: zenboy

zenboy — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 02:16:28 +0000

Sounds like it could be fun. I went through a bunch of my “required reading” type stuff recently and I’m kind of running low on material right now. Lonesome Dove seems to be working, but that’ll be done soon enough. I have a couple of Kevin Andersen space soap opera books, but they’re kind of wearing on me.

The last books I read and they really nailed it for me were Charlie Huston’s Caught Stealing/Six Bad Things/A Dangerous Man trilogy, and I finally got around to reading I, Legend, which was as fantastic as I had heard.

As I spent much of my college time drunk and yelling at people, I will probably avoid IHTSBIH, reading the reviews was enough to make me kind of retch. Plus I finished Marley and Me a while ago and that fulfills my Humor-laced Memories requirement for the year, as well as my “Book Club Selection” numbers.

By: Flynn

Flynn — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 01:40:47 +0000

I have to admit, I eventually read all of Crichton’s shit. I chalk it up to a nerd’s guilty pleasure. I just finished State of Fear, and it was downright cringe-inducing. I can’t wait for NeXT!

I’m reading that dickbrained law student guy’s book ‘I Hope they Serve Beer In Hell’. He’s 100% hemorrhoid, but manages to have a pretty nice comic timing. It’s horrible and funny, and will make you want to punch someone wearing Abercrombie.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 17:34:07 +0000

I somehow managed to avoid reading Girlfriend in a Coma. I read Postcards from the Dead at one point, but it was so utterly forgettable it has left no stain on me.

I agree that the Mom in jPod was awful, but I think some of the characters in Crichton’s NeXT (Or, god forbid you should be forced to read it, Heinlein’s For Us The Living) rival Mom for the title of worst.

Vonnegut did it with some elan and wit. I’m sure others have managed it, but it’s strictly bush league as far as I’m concerned. I might pick up Money and check it out.

Meanwhile, I’ve moved on to Lonesome Dove, and Gus and I have some sourdough biscuits to make.

By: Flynn

Flynn — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:29:24 +0000

Judging by the fact you didn’t bring up Girlfriend in a Coma, I’d guess you didn’t read that? Because I’d wager it would enrage you far further than jPod did. And he doesn’t even use himself to rescue the main character in a SUV.

The Mom character in jPod was one of the worst characters I’ve encountered…anywhere.

I’m really hesitant to even give a positive nod to you of any book that does this, but Money by Martin Amis does an ok job of the author appearing in the book. And the rest of the novel is an all-time debased classic. It’s kind of like Amis’ Gen-X or Microserfs…all his later novels have pissed me off in comparison.