"What did I think?" Asks the prompt for this review. I think reading this book was a terrific waste of time. There's no real plot, there's no real resolution, there's no real anything except a man taking stock of his life during and after a divorce. There's a final scene that I thought would be IT, the whole point of the previous 400 pages...and it was nothing. There was no great understanding, there was no sense of a corner being turned and life beginning to be better, there was just two people who have been married 30 years poking each other in the soft spots they know best.Maybe this is an accurate rendition of divorce, particularly a divorce after 30 years of marriage, but it's not an entertaining look at divorce, and who, whether you've been through it or not, wants to read about a painful, pathetic divorce and rending of two peoples' lives?The only redeeming feature of this book was the protagonist's self-awareness. It is interesting to see him think through and create these monologues of self-discovery and self-understanding. I think understanding of self is something that is sorely lacking in humanity in general, people do things because they want to, but never think about WHY they want to, and to me that's the most interesting part.Overall, if you're just having a really great, fabulous, wonderful week and you're afraid you're going to die from happiness, read this book. It'll bring you down to the reality that most people pretty much suck, your best friend probably thinks you're a creepy schmuck, and apparently there are 57 year old people in this world who just walk around openly ogling 20 year old baristas' asses without any thought or acknowledgement that they're being inappropriate. On the other hand, if you're already a bit depressed, avoid this book like the plague.I finished this book last night and immediately started the most bubble-gum-like book I could find on my book of the day reading list. I didn't want to have sad depressing dreams. I will not be looking for this author in the future.Book of the day for January 30, 2014! I did not think the writing in her autobiography Blue Plate Special was that great, so I was pleasantly surprised that this book had excellent prose. It made sense for the narrator to excellently describe his Brooklyn surroundings since he is a poet. It was also fun to read about Williamsburg-Greenpoing from the perspective of a old-timer. Having read her memoir, I can see the influences of her own life in North Brooklyn, with its familial and relationship rifts and angst and artsy friend group, in this book.
What do You think about Das Ehespiel (2000)?
Fair warning: there are a few lose ends in this book. But I liked it anyway.
—mare
Interesting book about my new neighborhood.
—dfgfiugj
