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"Maybe they used to have jazz but stopped. The had a jazz policy that became a policy of no jazz, which is much the same thing if you examine it closely."
-- Underworld by Don DiLillo.
Huh? Just what does that mean? Most of this book is full of that kind of grandiose, meaningless, blather. It has a zillion characters, but almost no plot. It moves generally backwards in time, so what plot there is is a puzzle to put together as information about earlier events comes around later in the book. I find it needlessly confusing and pompous.
Another problem I have with this book is that it is, literally, full of sh*t. It is scatological enough to make it to my sh*t list. Not only do the characters think about the subject, they philosophize about it, saying things like, "All waste defers to sh*t. All waste aspires to the condition of sh*t."
I am definitely not cut out to be a DeLillo fan.
Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.
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I feel pretty much the same way about DeLillo, even though a lot of people seem to think he's wonderful. I've never been able to finish anything by him. Guess I'm missing something.
ReplyDeleteI always wonder what his books are like.
ReplyDeleteI know other readers just rave about his books, but I read a page or two of this once and knew it wasn't for me...oh, well...
ReplyDeleteNever read this author, don't think I'll try .
ReplyDeleteI think I will check him out!
ReplyDelete:D
Tuesdays: Teaser/Whereabouts
I'm about two-thirds of the way through Underworld, so I am going to finish. But it continues to bug me. Unless there is a massive pulling together of all these loose strings, there is no plot that connects the moving parts.
ReplyDeleteI'm not cut out to be a fan either. I have no clue as to what is meant by the teaser sentence. I was saying "Huh?" when I read your Huh?
ReplyDeleteI'm still about equally split between Huh? Who cares? And, Oh, that's interesting.
ReplyDeleteI'm ready for this book to be over.
Oh man, this book sounds like a struggle.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like one to cross off the reading list.
ReplyDeleteMy teaser is here.
I am so with you on this! I hated Underworld so much that I think I made it only 40 pages before I threw it against a wall. I haven't tried another Delillo since and probably never will...
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