natesea's review against another edition
4.0
Tom Bissell can write. His ability to pull you in with essays about film, literature, and sitcoms, is surprising. His approach toward subjects that often come across as elitist and dry are done in a humorous, yet thought-provoking way. The Werner Herzog essay is increcible, and left me with a long list of flims to add to the Netflix que. The story about Jeff Daniels filming a movie in the BFE town in which Bissell grew up, reminds us all with small-town roots of the unique personalities and culture instilled. Though some of the essays are less entrhalling, Magic Hours' abracadabra is certain to please.
sawyerbell's review against another edition
1.0
Disappointing. While claiming to be a book that "explores the highs and lows of the creative process" these essays are more about the author doling out endless heaps of unsubstantiated praise to those he thinks are cool and dumping lots of snark on those he dislikes. Quite a tedious read.
courtney_mcallister's review against another edition
4.0
The typos were very distracting, especially since this isn't a galley copy, but Bissell's prose is well-crafted and he uses it to explore some excellent topics: Tommy Wiseau, Herzog, voice acting, and the precarious nature of literary reputations. Considering there was only one essay I couldn't get into, I'd call this a very successful volume. :)
annetteb's review against another edition
3.0
Sharp writing. Interesting thoughts. He's a bit full of himself at moments which is interesting because sometimes he's calling out others for being full of themselves.
melanie_reads's review against another edition
2.0
Coronavirus book review #9 – 2 stars
UGH, Tom Bissell is a load. The Jeff Daniels Escanaba in da Moonlight essay had me going for a bit. The big city nostalgia for small towns that aren’t intended for the small town people they glamorize and the angry mean lady at the end who snickers at you snickering at her snickering at you is on point. BUT ….
I’m with King Wenclas. There absolutely needs to be literature beyond the coastal literary centers. Name drop much, Bissell? Have beef with the fact that Bukowski was an alcoholic and worked at the post office like your average American … what, he wasn’t a striver like you? You've even managed to sour me on McSweeney's.
And the absolute worst, during an interview with Werner Herzog, Bissell points out a minor continuity error in one of Herzog’s movies. You are the poster child for mean-spirted. Then you have the nerve to pretend you’re surprised that annoyed him? And while I’m at it, you said he was wearing biscuit-colored pants. Seriously.
There’s a part of me that hopes you cringe when you read these essays by your younger self. They reek with immaturity. And those hundred-dollar words you throw around like candy? Nobody is impressed.
This is exactly why Middle America hates New Yorkers and Californians. For the record, I lived in LA for 25 years. Maybe I was once like you.
UGH, Tom Bissell is a load. The Jeff Daniels Escanaba in da Moonlight essay had me going for a bit. The big city nostalgia for small towns that aren’t intended for the small town people they glamorize and the angry mean lady at the end who snickers at you snickering at her snickering at you is on point. BUT ….
I’m with King Wenclas. There absolutely needs to be literature beyond the coastal literary centers. Name drop much, Bissell? Have beef with the fact that Bukowski was an alcoholic and worked at the post office like your average American … what, he wasn’t a striver like you? You've even managed to sour me on McSweeney's.
And the absolute worst, during an interview with Werner Herzog, Bissell points out a minor continuity error in one of Herzog’s movies. You are the poster child for mean-spirted. Then you have the nerve to pretend you’re surprised that annoyed him? And while I’m at it, you said he was wearing biscuit-colored pants. Seriously.
There’s a part of me that hopes you cringe when you read these essays by your younger self. They reek with immaturity. And those hundred-dollar words you throw around like candy? Nobody is impressed.
This is exactly why Middle America hates New Yorkers and Californians. For the record, I lived in LA for 25 years. Maybe I was once like you.
boehmek's review
2.0
I enjoyed the first & maybe the 2nd essay, but gave up about 1/2 way through. These aren't essays about creativity. These are essays by a writer, mostly about other writers. Generally some ranting about other writers who rant, and criticism about journalists. I've got better things to read.
bookishlibrarian's review
4.0
My favorite essays: "Writing about Writing about Writing" about writing advice books, "Great and Terrible Truths" about David Foster Wallace, "The Theory and Practice of Not Giving a Shit" about the writer Jim Harrison. The gem, for me, was "Escanaba's Magic Hour", in which he returns to his small Michigan hometown to cover its invasion by a film crew making an independent movie there. It's a thoughtful piece on the perception of small towns, from both an insider and outsider perspective.
civreader's review against another edition
4.0
3.5*, maybe. Some of the essays in here are fantastic, while others dragged. A couple of others I was unable to get too much out of, being completely unfamiliar with the subject. At the same time, the piece on Jim Harrison, who I've never read, was superb.