It’s a collection of essays, short stories, poems, reviews of other books….. and stuff. At points irritatingly pretentious, at others awe-striking and wise. He was a rude and violent person as well as a sexist who for some reason believed himself not to be, but I’ll stand by his writing, particularly this book, being some of the best ever. His style is so markedly his and absolutely brilliant. I’m not selling it well but it’s kind of impossible to say nice things about the man, as much as I adore (most of) his writing.
Feb 2, 2025
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If you know me you know I am Gore Vidal’s number one fan but for somebody who was known for being so coldly and precisely self-aware, he was often simultaneously totally lacking in self awareness. He created elaborate copium narratives about himself just as much as if not more than the people he accused of doing so and seemed to exist in a perpetual and unyielding state of self-deception and repression, with a very interesting definition of what it means to be truthful. That’s a major part of what makes him so fascinating to me.
I love his hateration towards Henry Miller because half of it is real and accurate and half of it reads like narcissistic projection—critiquing Miller for his arrogance and elaborate self-mythologizing when his own biography ended up being entitled Empire of the Self—and all of it is hilarious and cutting in his typical fashion.
“Yet Henry never seems to do anything for anyone, other than to provide moments of sexual glory which we must take on faith. He does, however, talk a lot and the people he knows are addicted to his conversation. ‘Don’t stop talking now…please,’ begs a woman whose life is being changed, as Henry in a manic mood tells her all sorts of liberating things like ‘Nothing would be bad or ugly or evil— if we really let ourselves go. But it’s hard to make people understand that.‘ To which the only answer is that of another straight man in the text who says, ‘You said it, Henry. Jesus, having you around is like getting a shot in the arm.‘ For a man who boasts of writing nothing but the truth, I find it more than odd that not once in the course of a long narrative does anyone say, ‘Henry, you’re full of shit.’ It is possible, of course, that no one ever did, but I doubt it.”
Feb 12, 2025
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just a delight to read. as much as I love billy burroughs, cooper's awfully brutal in his accusations of him "selling out". also understood the language of the internet far better than a lot of current literature with internet prose does ("The Sluts" is at once shocking and feels like it could've been written yesterday).
Feb 14, 2025
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Equally excellent to “The Corrections.”
His non fiction is terrific too, eg, “My Bird Problem,” “How To Be Alone,” “Farther Away.”
Any writer who loves the Mekons as much as Jonathan does can’t be bad, right? 🎶
Mar 1, 2024
Top Recs from @archibald
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I have a very strong desire for control over every aspect of my life and I’ve never been able to roll with things. Lately I’m trying to let go of this so I can participate in my ‘friendships’, which I have really been neglecting in recent years. Today a friend texted and asked me to go to the farmers market with her. At first I felt scared (lol) and inclined to ignore the message but I decided instead I would agree to go, and within 5 minutes I was in her car with her. It was a total blur and I was anxious out of my mind but I felt very grateful to spend time with someone I love. I’m terrible at conversing but even just to stand beside her was nice. We hugged before parting ways. I am glad that I did this.
Feb 8, 2025
Absolutely the best book I’ve ever read but it took me, if I’m remembering correctly, over a month to get through. It’s so dense with material I had to reread things over and over to get everything being put together. It has an academic vibe, so if that’s not your thing, you probably wouldn’t enjoy. But god, I loved it.
Feb 7, 2025
The other album I’ve been super into the past few days :-D so gorgeous. I’d never heard of this band before and I still haven’t heard their other albums but I feel inclined to listen. They have a really nice sound and the vocalists are both (I think it’s just two?) wonderfully talented. Some of the songs make me want to cry some of them make me want to dance
Feb 15, 2025