I finished a book too! Way too exciting, considering it's not exciting. I just read so rarely these days.
Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner. I have to admit, the shenanigans in Swordspoint sometimes went over my head, when they weren't primarily emotional. This one talks down to me more, and I can't say I don't appreciate it.
I think she did a good job of a clueless learning-her-way story without me feeling impatient or scornful. Katherine didn't know some things, and she was going to learn them, but I didn't dislike her or the author for it.
Didn't love the book, but I sure did enjoy it.
Finished Barrayar today
Shopping!
Oh, YEAH. I forgot you had mentioned that!
Damn, I love Cordelia.
She paid too much.
I do adore Cordelia. She's just awesome. Aral is too, of course.
No way...I believe I did come close to writing Lethem/ Pelecanos once.
Not sure if George would dig that...but it is *me*...as I recall they spent much more time fondling records than each other.(As well as being quite jealous of the time I spent with the other one.)
But you just can't punk the leading crime writer in America...I'm sure you feel me on that.
But I think they are both very cute.
Ok. Who wants to talk Flannery O'Connor? erika? Anyone? Bueller?
Ok. Who wants to talk Flannery O'Connor? erika? Anyone? Bueller?
Dude, I own a Flannery O'Connor t-shirt. She's my favorite writer. What do you want to talk about?
Good Country People. For starters, anyways.
I'm having a disagreement with my professor. He says that Hulga "takes a chance on love," and I say that's bullshit. So, I thought I'd see what some other O'Connor lovers think.
The point of him saying that was, he was trying to get us to think about the point where Grace is offered in this story as today's quiz question. I'm still not completely sure how to answer that question, but partially it is because I disagree with him on his use of "takes a chance on love."
I'm having a disagreement with my professor. He says that Hulga "takes a chance on love," and I say that's bullshit. So, I thought I'd see what some other O'Connor lovers think.
It's not really presented as a positive choice by Hulga. She's snookered, and it's clear even when it's happening that she's making a mistake. She's got all these brutal defenses up - which make her a very unpleasant person - but when she let's them down it's because she's foolish.
I'm not sure if grace is really offered to her in the context of the story. It might be more that her closed nature is part of her spiritual flaw and it can't be redeemed by dopey romantic love. Her egotism and her sneering disregard already point to her spiritual failings. Love and/or sex can't fill that hole.
I'm trying to remember the very ending. She certainly doesn't have a spiritual epiphany like the grandma in "A Good Man..." but I have some vague sense that she was not merely humiliated, but possibly also humbled.
