Scan barcode
A review by meghan111
One for the Books by Joe Queenan
3.0
This guy is a crank. A book-reading crank, with several suspect opinions, including the complete dismissal of fantasy, science fiction, and children's books. But wait! His opinions are often outlandish, but he's hilariously clever in a Bill Bryson-esque way. His jabs at libraries and librarianship are awesome, as when he is asked to give a talk at the public library because he is a local author:
His talk doesn't go that well.
He also coins the phrase 'matriculated from The Beatrix Potter Academy of Small-Town Librarian Charm', which is a perfect way to describe those effusive and theatrical children's librarians.
This book is more or less the author talking to the reader about reading, and how the act of reading over a lifetime is an ongoing dialogue or conversation with both yourself and the larger culture. But, he reminds us, we mostly read because we aren't satisfied with reality. Reading goals and plans come up often, and among other plans, he mentions spending a year reading only books he chose from library shelves at random with his eyes shut, spending a year reading an entire short novel every day, and spending a year rereading only books he'd already read twice. That's the kind of stuff that gets me excited.
Oh, and also he's casually insulting and dismissive of the books he doesn't care for, so much so that it's hard to take seriously. He says an author writes like "Nora Roberts on Robitussin DM", which made me laugh and laugh.
One last note: I kept wondering what Nancy Pearl, professional reader, would think of this. I think she would like it?
"Library events scare me, as they provide refuge for local historians, fabulists, tellers of tall tales, historical reenactors, and even dream weavers."
His talk doesn't go that well.
He also coins the phrase 'matriculated from The Beatrix Potter Academy of Small-Town Librarian Charm', which is a perfect way to describe those effusive and theatrical children's librarians.
This book is more or less the author talking to the reader about reading, and how the act of reading over a lifetime is an ongoing dialogue or conversation with both yourself and the larger culture. But, he reminds us, we mostly read because we aren't satisfied with reality. Reading goals and plans come up often, and among other plans, he mentions spending a year reading only books he chose from library shelves at random with his eyes shut, spending a year reading an entire short novel every day, and spending a year rereading only books he'd already read twice. That's the kind of stuff that gets me excited.
Oh, and also he's casually insulting and dismissive of the books he doesn't care for, so much so that it's hard to take seriously. He says an author writes like "Nora Roberts on Robitussin DM", which made me laugh and laugh.
One last note: I kept wondering what Nancy Pearl, professional reader, would think of this. I think she would like it?