Take a photo of a barcode or cover
bluekaren 's review for:
B & Me: A True Story of Literary Arousal
by J.C. Hallman
I am completely at a loss as to how to review this book. This is a book about a man dissecting the writings of Nicholas Baker. He reflects on the writings real and inferred meanings. He laments his actions in life as he is discovering. He quips about the meaninglessness and righteousness of reviewing a writer’s book, all the while doing that very thing.
“Everything you write should be a test of whether you should be a writer.”
I have to begin by saying I didn’t even know who Nicholas Baker is, that he was a real person and that his writings are there for anyone to discover. I feel as if this could have been written by a great many people discovering great literature. Without more than the author’s dissection of Baker’s work, I am unable to say whether his writing inspired this plunge into dissection, or if the author chose Baker at random due to popularity. A good preface would be to mention that a reading of Nicholas Baker is a prerequisite. Since I didn’t and I won’t be reading Baker anytime soon. I can only tell you that the writing in this book is very thought provoking, if not a bit off the deep end of musing.
While the writer is discovering Nicholas Baker, he is going through his own life. His relationship and it’s ticks. He travels to France and sprinkles in what an American living in France might discover, or what he has discovered, anyways. There are so many elaborately elaborate descriptions in this book. The descriptions are not of the landscape or visions of the author, no, these descriptions are of the feelings and introspection of a man who really needs to reflect on the meanings of things most people didn’t consider. The author goes to great lengths to analyze his thoughts on the subjects in the stories by Baker and their mimicry to the author who penned them.
I think this book is a bit of an acquired taste though. I won’t be surprised if it is not well received by the masses. Because reviewing is made into an art. The author’s critique of another author’s writing may not be taken well. In my opinion this book is an experience for thoughts and a tribute to great writing. Any author who could make a discussion of books by one author, into a book, and make it this thought provoking has my undivided attention.
“Everything you write should be a test of whether you should be a writer.”
I have to begin by saying I didn’t even know who Nicholas Baker is, that he was a real person and that his writings are there for anyone to discover. I feel as if this could have been written by a great many people discovering great literature. Without more than the author’s dissection of Baker’s work, I am unable to say whether his writing inspired this plunge into dissection, or if the author chose Baker at random due to popularity. A good preface would be to mention that a reading of Nicholas Baker is a prerequisite. Since I didn’t and I won’t be reading Baker anytime soon. I can only tell you that the writing in this book is very thought provoking, if not a bit off the deep end of musing.
While the writer is discovering Nicholas Baker, he is going through his own life. His relationship and it’s ticks. He travels to France and sprinkles in what an American living in France might discover, or what he has discovered, anyways. There are so many elaborately elaborate descriptions in this book. The descriptions are not of the landscape or visions of the author, no, these descriptions are of the feelings and introspection of a man who really needs to reflect on the meanings of things most people didn’t consider. The author goes to great lengths to analyze his thoughts on the subjects in the stories by Baker and their mimicry to the author who penned them.
I think this book is a bit of an acquired taste though. I won’t be surprised if it is not well received by the masses. Because reviewing is made into an art. The author’s critique of another author’s writing may not be taken well. In my opinion this book is an experience for thoughts and a tribute to great writing. Any author who could make a discussion of books by one author, into a book, and make it this thought provoking has my undivided attention.