Literary update

[alexxkay]

Got through the end of Chapter Fourteen last night, not quite half-way through. kestrell seems to be enjoying the read-together experience enough to keep up with it, though at that rate we probably won't finish till next weekend some time. It remains to be seen whether both of us will remain patient enough to reach the end together :-)

I'm also about halfway through The Fountainhead, currently in the aftermath of the trial. My *god* these people are awful! The few characters who are even remotely sympathetic seem bound and determined to destroy their own happiness on principle. If it wasn't semi-work-related, I probably would have stopped reading by now.

Incidentally, there's a character in the new HP book who reminds me somewhat of Ellsworth Toohey, although the HP version is less subtle. Also also, in my mental theater Toohey is usually being played by Howard DaSilva (probably best known for his role as Ben Franklin in 1776). On occasion, however, he shades into Charles Durning or Leo McKern.

Comments

[antoniseb.livejournal.com]

"The Fountainhead" was a pretty awful work of fiction. It perhaps can be seen in the best possible light if you regard it as an experiment in using crumby fiction with stereotype characters as a vehicle for promoting an ideological approach to life.

When you get done with this book, TRY reading "Atlas Shrugged", and tell me these aren't the same characters simply renamed. Does your name end with a hard consonant, and do you have an angular jaw? You must be a good guy.

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

It perhaps can be seen in the best possible light if you regard it as an experiment in using crumby fiction with stereotype characters as a vehicle for promoting an ideological approach to life.

A strange experiment. The characters in it who *do* have an ideological approach to life are just as miserable as everyone else. They merely have the self-satisfaction that they have self-inflicted that misery. Well, I guess it might appeal to extremely intellectual masochists...

[juldea.livejournal.com]

...

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Oh, sorry. Meant that to be this:

Well, I guess it might appeal to extremely intellectual masochists...
...

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

I actually guessed that :-)

And an earlier draft of my comment included words to the effect of "Not that I have anything against either intellectuals or masochists, as such. So many of my friends are one or both..."

[gyzki.livejournal.com]

It perhaps can be seen in the best possible light if you regard it as an experiment in using crumby fiction with stereotype characters as a vehicle for promoting an ideological approach to life.

A harbinger of L. Ron Hubbard?

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

It remains to be seen whether both of us will remain patient enough to reach the end together :-)

Based on the smiley, I'm sure you're braced for the "nice guys finish last" remarks.