Has anyone here read this novel or anything else by Cortazar?

I read both Hopscotch and Around the Day in 80 Worlds in translation and really liked them. I think I was tweaked by some of the attitudes towards women in Hopscotch, but I can't really remember much about the actual plot now. I do remember feeling that it was a very "macho" book. Mostly I remember the main character drinking a lot of yerba mate.

It's a book where you can read the chapters in random order and still have a coherent narrative that changes depending on the order in which you read it.

It's not a random order. The chapters that outline the basic narrative of the book are still read in the proper linear order, but other chapters, which add layers to the story and characters, are read in two different possible orders. ETA: Wikipedia says there are a couple of other ways to read it, including randomly... [link]

Also, one of his short stories was the basis of the movie Blow-up.

Interesting.

ION - ABE Books list of the most expensive books sold (via ABE, I believe) in October.

The November book club book is The Book Thief. So far I am not warming to the style. It's nice to have a reason to keep reading and if it turns out I never liked the book, more fun to discuss.

Laga, I hated the narrative conceit of The Book Thief, but I got used to it and did really like the story in the end.

I love that book, Laga! I hope you warm up to it. It's lovely.

Laga, I hated the narrative conceit of The Book Thief

You guys are weird!

It was prententious and annoying (second only to the beginning of A Heartbreaking Work... ). The story totally could have been told without it.

It was prententious and annoying (second only to the beginning of A Heartbreaking Work... ).

Good god, ick. I wanted to like it, and I think he has talent, and had a story to tell, but jesus. It was like watching some guy masturbate for seven thousand pages.

I also loved A Heartbreaking Work..., so YPMV, I guess. Or at least, YTOP.

I loved both those books, but I really had to get over the style of both in the early pages.

I don't want some elaborate "found manuscript" set-up or cutesy narrative element. Just tell the story dammit.