Posted on October 28, 2009 by Matthew
“It frightened me because Corey was a guy. I wanted to protect it because such a love was so ridiculous and fragile. Love was for marriage, and I couldn’t marry Corey . . . I couldn’t distinguish the excitement of my fear from the excitement of love.” [61]
Joel Scherzenlieb grows up at a time given [...]
Filed under: American Literature, Books, Contemporary Literature, Gay Literature, Literature | Tagged: American Literature, Books, Christopher Bram, GLBT Literature, Literature, Surprising Myself | 11 Comments »
Posted on October 23, 2009 by Matthew
“I had entered this world of privilege where the people had taken me in as one of their own, and had been entirely comfortable divesting themselves of ugly things in my presence. These people, in my imagination, lived in a glass bubble filled with money, aerated and sent flying in all directions.” [100]
Never say never. [...]
Filed under: American Literature, Books, Contemporary Literature, Literature | Tagged: Literature, Books, American Literature, Contemporary Literature, Fixer Chao, Han Ong | Leave a Comment »
Posted on October 16, 2009 by Matthew
When he asked Larken what was going on and did it seem like the kids at school were avoiding them, she snorted darkly and said, Are you kidding? Nobody wants to see us or have anything to do with us because they all feel guilty about not looking for Mom anymore. I just wish somebody [...]
Filed under: American Literature, Books, Contemporary Literature, Literature | Tagged: Literature, American Literature, Contemporary Literature, Literary Fiction, Sing Them Home, Stephanie Kallos | 23 Comments »
Posted on October 13, 2009 by Matthew
I usually don’t do teaser, but this one really resonates. Between brother and sister, now grown up, but are still traumatized by their mother’s disappearance. (She was swept away by a tornado.)
“Gaelan, what are you thinking?”
“I’m not thinking anything,” he replies.
“I just don’t see the point of having sex if you’re not trying to have [...]
Filed under: American Literature, Books, Contemporary Literature | Tagged: American Literature, Books, Sing Them Home, Teaser | 5 Comments »
Posted on September 24, 2009 by Matthew
What’s the saddest book you’ve read recently?
Judging by the title alone, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers does not spell an upbeat mood. The loneliness of the characters pervades the entire narrative that makes me sore. Each of the characters struggles in their social position, ambition, civil justice, and racial inequality. The [...]
Filed under: American Literature, Blogging, Book Blogging, Literature, Meme, Personal | Tagged: American Literature, Blogging, Book Blogging, Booking Through Thursday, Books, Carson McCullers, Literature, Meme, Personal, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Weekly Event | 12 Comments »
Posted on September 9, 2009 by Matthew
“There’s got to be something else. What are other people for? Something besides sex and money and votes. Or we wouldn’t constantly talk about each other. Are we just entertainment? Distractions? Are we just burying our own shit in other people’s shit?” [305]
Christopher Bram delves into the adage “the personal is political” and wages war [...]
Filed under: American Literature, Books, Contemporary Literature, Gay Literature, Literature | Tagged: American Literature, Christopher Bram, Contemporary Literature, Fiction---Politics, Gay Literature, GLBT Literature, Gossip, Literature | 21 Comments »
Posted on August 24, 2009 by Matthew
“You have to trust yourself and the other person. There are no guarantees here. The world is an unreal place. You want someone with you to make it feel less unreal. You want to keep them there, and you think you can do it with a few magic words, a marriage contract, a wedding. But [...]
Filed under: American Literature, Books, Contemporary Literature, Literature | Tagged: American Literature, Books, Christopher Bram, Contemporary Literature, Exiles in America, Literature | 12 Comments »
Posted on August 15, 2009 by Matthew
“How Singer had been before was not important. The thing that mattered was the way Blount and Mick made of him a sort of home-made God. Owing to the fact that he was a mute they were able to give him all the qualities they wanted him to have.” [232]
In was 1938. In a Georgia [...]
Filed under: American Literature, Books, Contemporary Literature, Literature | Tagged: American Literature, Books, Carson McCullers, Fiction---South, Literature, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter | 36 Comments »
Posted on August 3, 2009 by Matthew
“So you understand my relations with Nicole are complicated. She’s not very strong—she looks strong but she isn’t. And this makes rather a mess.” [75]
While The Great Gatsby, with its tragic and monetary allure, is wildly popular with critics and public alike, Tender is the Night is in my opinion more substantial in the extent [...]
Filed under: American Literature, Books, Contemporary Literature, Literature | Tagged: American Literature, Books, Contemporary Literature, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tender is the Night | 18 Comments »
Posted on July 8, 2009 by Matthew
It’s hard to keep your Chinese face in America. At the beginning, before I even arrived, I had to hide my true self.” [294]
Through the stories of four immigrant women in the first half of 20th century, Amy Tan weaves a myopic tapestry that details their struggle to preserve the Chinese heritage while gingerly assimilating [...]
Filed under: American Literature, Books, Chinese Literature, Contemporary Literature, Literature | Tagged: American Literature, Amy Tan, Books, Chinese American Literature, Contemporary Literature, Literature, The Joy Luck Club | 33 Comments »