I've never found Lethem terribly self-conscious. Maybe there's more of that sort of thing in his short stories? I haven't read those in a while. If you like his stories I'd think you'd enjoy his novels -- they're definitely a little odd, but they don't come with big banners attached that say "Look! This is daring and experimental! LOOK! Not that I care if you do."
Dude, Eggers SO MUCH MORE. SO much.
I'm with you. I find it difficult to make sense of the phrase "as self-conscious as Eggers" except as a whimsical way to say "something that self-evidently cannot exist in our reality."
I've read a couple of Lethem's novels, and definitely liked the more real-world ones much much better than the more fantastic stuff. But I'm seriously almost as low-brow as a person can get and not get all of her books at the drug store. Some of the short stories in this collection (Men and Cartoons) feel like mostly playing with an idea, but in a way that I can enjoy.
Girl in Landscape is a western in space, if you're into that sort of thing.
In a "Little House on Altair" way.
The weird part is trying to compare Eggers with Lethem at all -- in so many ways, they are nothing alike. And then you realize that they
are
grouped together, in a lot of people's minds, as are ten other names that show up in McSweeney's and the Georgia Review and Zoetrope. Really, though, I think they all have their own tangents, and are compared so often because they're both youngish writers who have cracked the
New Yorker
set.
Which is like comparing people because they stand on the same commuter platform in the morning, waiting for a train. I guess it's a function of how small the short-fiction world is, in part; if five people are all dabbling in the same vague areas, they must be a Movement.
Really, though, I think they all have their own tangents, and are compared so often because they're both youngish writers who have cracked the New Yorker set.
Well, and for me because I was given books by both of them on the same day. Edit: And I don't tend to read short stories, so I'm especially noticing them.
I found 'Cartoons" a little masturbatory.(not in porniness, but, you know)
Yeah...Eggers is funny, but the bitch is he knows it, too. Better than me. And if I forget, he'll remind me with a cute footnote.
- I'm a hoot and a half. Love, your friend, Dave.
I've always felt for the little brother about that. I hope all the irony hasn't been too much for him.
My newest column is up at GotPoetry.com: Your Mediocre Political Poem Is Hurting America. Usual Victor grumpiness.
No, actually, I thought it was much grumpier than usual. In another few years, you're headed for curmudgeon, babe. Then you'll wear shorts with long black socks and be a "Whatever happened to..." for some of us devoted followers.
Heh. Actually posted this in the wrong forum, but anyway...
You may be right, except that I intend to remain a very visible curmudgeon...
And please don't really go around like...Neil Young. That would be a waste.(I really did like the column...I just thought "Whoa, bad poetry evening for Victor!")
