A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

Haven't really started on this book. I picked it up a year ago but gave up on it. Now I'm going to try to read it again. Another book buddy said it was really good.

It looks very involved. Something about his parents dying. His mom is really sick throwing up blood. The back cover has all kinds of notes and pictures. Interesting piece of non fiction. Again I wish I could make money writing about my life.

A Confederacy of Dunces

I've been having trouble getting through this book. One of my book buddies loaned it to me. He absolutely raved about it. I'm having trouble with the style of writing. Maybe it's because I'm not from the South and the dialect is unfamiliar to me. I have trouble visualizing the characters saying what they're saying. The story behind the story is much more interesting.

Apparently this professor guy got the manuscript from the writer's mother. The professor wasn't keen on reading anything that was dropped off by anybody's mother. He thought it would be crap. She was very insistant. Calling him frequently. Finally he picked it up to give it a quick once over and found that it was actually quite good and he couldn't put it down. He called the mother to inquire about he writer only to find out the writer committed suicide. How sad.

On the Road
by Jack Keroack (sp?)

I wish I could make money just writing about my travels. I love his rambling style. I love his rambling life. Very bad things seem happy and hip. This is an easy book to pick up and put down. Not a gripping plot. Just funny little anecdotes and fabulous writing style.

I picked up this book while I was at Big City Lights bookstore in San Francisco. The tourist thing to do when you're visiting a famous beat poet spot.

Under the Tuscan Sun

Delicious! It's about an American woman who buys a home in Italy and all her tribulations and joys with the local contractors, carpenters etc. It's like a scrap book with little anecdotes about her olive trees, the surrounding villages, local history (ancient history) and recipes. It makes me want to cook with olive oil and drink wine! I strongly reccommend this book.