| [books] Imago, by Octavia Butler |
[Nov. 9th, 2009|07:22 pm] |
To try to inspire myself on my NaNovel, I have acquired books from the library. (This is not procrastination. This is research. really.)
Link to my (spoilery, extremely rambling) review on 50books_POC
This is the first Octavia Butler I've read, and I wasn't sure what to expect. It's also- this is kind of embarrassing, but it's been ages since I've read a book. A long time. There used to be a time when I was always in the middle of a book, but since college... I really haven't. I never stopped reading, of course- I couldn't do that any more that I could stop breathing. But I hadn't sat down and read a book in a while. Listened to them on tape, yes. But it's... a different experience. And fanfiction is like- hrm. Like eating snacks, or pre-prepared food. Instant mac-and-cheese versus made from scratch. I don't mean that in a derogatory way at all- I fucking love instant mac-and-cheese! but it feeds a different need- for me, at least. There's something very comfortable about fanfic- about knowing the characters already. It's... less risky, maybe? Less work? I'm speaking as a reader, here, not a writer. I've already got my emotional hook, and I know what to expect, maybe. I think I've been... marinating in that for awhile. I've wanted to read the same stories over and over, like I sometimes like to listen to the same song or CD on repeat, or eat the same meal for weeks at a time. But variety is... good. Necessary. I think I needed it. I think it's a good sign, depression wise, that I'm reaching out for it.
I feel like my writing ability has atrophied, which is odd, considering I write (e-mail) for a living. At one time, I know I was able to write clear, grammatically correct sentences, but now it's all rambly and has too many commas and dashes and verbal tics. (Do you know how many times I deleted "you know" today? ack.)
Comment at Dreamwidth Read  comments |
|
|
| |
[Jun. 7th, 2009|06:06 pm] |
The Stand is making me kind of cranky, you guys! Are there any good post-apocalyptic books that *aren't* all "Well, now that the world has ended, no adventures for the ladies! BABIES FOR YOU. Also, only white people and Magical Black Ladies are immune to the superflu or whatever BY STRANGE COINCIDENCE."
Alternately, any interesting essays on The Stand that I can read when I finish it. |
|
|
| interrogating the text from the wrong perspective |
[Sep. 17th, 2008|09:33 am] |
Ignoring, for the moment, the content of the following paragraph*, is it just me or is there something... off about it?
"It must be [a mix of genetics and cultural influence], but the interesting question is how much of each. If social pressure is everything, then the images and lessons we give to youth of both sexes, through films, books, advertisements, and example, are crucially important. If not, then the fact that men prefer, say, thin women is fixed by the genes and hormones and not a passing fad."
This is something muddling me here, and I'm not sure whether the problem is with me or the sentence.**
*squints*
*In the next chapter, he actually goes into how thinness is not, actually, a universally preferred trait, so that's all right, then.
**Okay, I'm actually pretty sure it's the sentence, but I'm a little suspicious of my own motives. I'm afraid I'm looking for problems that aren't there because I'm resistant to his thesis.
***ETA: Except now in the *next* chapter he's saying that because he can't find any *reason* why men's preferences shifted from fat to thin, that must mean that men have always genetically preferred thinness and just... weren't able to find skinny women or something? whut? |
|
|