Sunday, March 22, 2009

nice books

I always love inspecting people's bookshelves. It's like stepping into their brain. Here are just a few of my favorite reads. 

My b.a. advisor J.Z. Smith introduced me to Ernst Cassirer my second year at chicago and I was a fan ever since. I spent a lot of time with The Philosophy of Symbolic Forms vol.2  in 2004. 

W.E.B. Du Bois was probably one of the smartest americans ever. If you are over 15 and haven't at least skimmed this book, shame on you. 

Franny and Zooey will always have a special place in my heart. I love the way Salinger described people and situations. I don't think dialogue gets much better either.  The Glass family has enthralled me for my entire life. I am nearly 27 years old and I still want to marry Franny Glass and smoke cigarettes in the bathtub like Zooey

Salinger is also probably one of the reasons I didn't get into Northwestern too. At least if you ask me. I blew my admissions interview. Hardcore. I had an interview with the head of admissions at Northwestern. He asked me who my favorite authors were. I replied "Salinger, Thompson Greene, and London." He said, "And your favorite amongst them?" "Salinger", I said quickly and confidently. "Isn't that a bit obvious?" he asked. 

It was at this point that I asked him who his favorite author was. It was Melville and Moby Dick. I told him that that it was funny that a middle-aged man's favorite book was  about a self-destructive quest for the unattainable. Then I told him Bartelby, the Scrivener was a better story. Needless to say, I got the little envelope from Evanston, Illinois. 

Franny and Zooey is also why I read the last book in this group. The Way of a Pilgrim. It's about a pilgrim who endeavors to learn how to pray incessantly and what his journeys teach him. Franny reads it in the novel and when I found out it was a real book, I could not resist. It's kind of tough to get through, but it is pretty interesting and is sort of a must read for Salinger fans, no?

Spring is coming. Grab a book and go read outside. I heard girls like guys who can read. 

2 comments:

Margaret Meyer said...

Isn't Moby Dick a bit obvious? Your observation should have gotten you IN to that place. It does make for a good story, though!

Victoria Thorne said...

Bartelby is better. Can imagine the look on his face after "...quest for the unattainable."

Chutzpah you've got. The good kind.

Post a Comment