We watched The Namesake the other night and were bothered by how much it seemed to muck up the book. Two books I finished of late—George Saunders’ The Braindead Megaphone and Garcia Marquez’ Of Love and Other Demons. The latter–I had read earlier, maybe on the last sabbatical trip, and somehow it had not worked or I had not given it full attention. This time the top of my head did fly off. Saunders book is about three stars—occasional pieces with two superb travel essays—one to Dubai and the other to Nepal to see the meditating Buddha Boy.
We’re halfway through the movie about Piaf—La Vie en Rose and like it a lot. Virginia is reading for her book group tomorrow night and lives the book—-Mortensen’s Three Cups of Tea. Setting up orphanages in Pakistan and Afghanistan by a former mountaineering star.
George Saunders is one of the three or four best writers around, in my view. Have you read his short stories or the lovely children’s book he wrote called THE VERY PERSISTENT GAPPERS OF FRIP? Wonderful stuff, highly recommended…