tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post2066533156712842947..comments2024-03-29T03:14:14.401-04:00Comments on Patricia Abbott (pattinase): Whose last (or latish) novel was their best?pattinase (abbott)http://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-68644989998007680852012-04-03T02:49:21.225-04:002012-04-03T02:49:21.225-04:00Zeltserman stole my answer.Zeltserman stole my answer.Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-48200075468664166042012-04-02T09:32:35.970-04:002012-04-02T09:32:35.970-04:00Some definitely more rewarding thus than others. S...Some definitely more rewarding thus than others. Shaw often makes a good read, better than, say, Pinter.<br /><br />I'll have to check if anyone's still publishing the best plays of the year volumes of the '60s into at least the '80s...Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-50845479277596400482012-04-02T08:03:04.641-04:002012-04-02T08:03:04.641-04:00I've read a lot of plays over the years, Todd ...I've read a lot of plays over the years, Todd - all of O'Neill and Coward, Shakespeare, Neil Simon, Alan Ayckbourn, John Mortimer, etc.<br /><br />I try and read as many plays that we see as I can find at the library.<br /><br />Jeff M.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-64767144118680657762012-04-02T00:28:58.083-04:002012-04-02T00:28:58.083-04:00One of my favorite books -- MASTER AND MARGARITA b...One of my favorite books -- MASTER AND MARGARITA by Bulgakov. <br /><br />Not his best but Richard Brautigan's SO THE WIND WON'T BLOW IT ALL AWAY is way underrated even by people who still love Brautigan.Dan_Lufthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05096055160420981482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-56237971953337904042012-04-01T23:35:33.314-04:002012-04-01T23:35:33.314-04:00As if to make up for no THE GOOD WIFE, the only au...As if to make up for no THE GOOD WIFE, the only authentic and actually moving moment ever on HOUSE OF LIES played out on tonight's episode, when Kristen Bell's character broke up with her fiance, accepted his sophomoric response (he, unlike every other character in the series, had not acted sophomorically till now), and told him utterly earnestly that it was her fault and that he shouldn't think less of himself. A bit like seeing a scene from Ibsen or Tom Stoppard in the middle of a HAPPY DAYS episode.Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-65774996950417563322012-04-01T22:01:23.798-04:002012-04-01T22:01:23.798-04:00Country Music Awards. No GOOD WIFE.
I rarely read...Country Music Awards. No GOOD WIFE. <br />I rarely read plays. Not sure why.pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-1696800298321329822012-04-01T20:44:14.367-04:002012-04-01T20:44:14.367-04:00Do you read plays, much, Patti? It's a good re...Do you read plays, much, Patti? It's a good read. Though it was one of the few plays, rather than author or actor readings, I head on a Spoken Arts recording first, with pretty good casting for the two roles. From memory, the first lines are, "I'm going to the zoo. Hey, MISTER...I'm Going To The ZOO."<br /><br />Well, my first story is a little long and cheats a bit...my second is a lot long (though still pretty short), but it won't get trimmed tonight! (Not least because it's almost time for THE GOOD WIFE and SHAMELESS.)Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-65590222558094868602012-04-01T19:35:38.414-04:002012-04-01T19:35:38.414-04:00Have never seen that play, Deb.Have never seen that play, Deb.pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-7062486336567085732012-04-01T18:32:25.097-04:002012-04-01T18:32:25.097-04:00Oh, if I finish the second, both will be up, never...Oh, if I finish the second, both will be up, never fear. Thanks.<br /><br />("No, Deb...I said I'm going to the LOO!")Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-87145688278793042302012-04-01T18:20:34.916-04:002012-04-01T18:20:34.916-04:00Post both, Todd. Interesting to see where you went...Post both, Todd. Interesting to see where you went with it.pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-76860066255709278742012-04-01T18:19:58.266-04:002012-04-01T18:19:58.266-04:00I'll have Edward Albee email you my "Zoo ...I'll have Edward Albee email you my "Zoo Story"--ha-ha.Debnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-13478201185982799452012-04-01T16:18:50.920-04:002012-04-01T16:18:50.920-04:00I'm never surprised, as you know, when the NYT...I'm never surprised, as you know, when the NYTBR is full of [excrement]. <br /><br />(Mason, who has finished one of possibly two zoo stories for tomorrow.)Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-78114436869169466132012-04-01T16:12:38.275-04:002012-04-01T16:12:38.275-04:00Patti, you got me to read the JCO review you menti...Patti, you got me to read the JCO review you mention. Ha. You're right.Ron Scheerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15357501069513854664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-13231125886234450922012-04-01T14:30:52.119-04:002012-04-01T14:30:52.119-04:00Goodis. "Somebody's Done For" is his...Goodis. "Somebody's Done For" is his last book and, in my opinion, his best.Cullen Gallagherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14236957954996740924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-84082176821732483952012-04-01T14:08:06.078-04:002012-04-01T14:08:06.078-04:00Mark Twain's THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER is certai...Mark Twain's THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER is certainly among his better longer fictions.<br /><br />Eugene O'Neill's last three plays, apparently (though others were published and performed later), were THE ICEMAN COMETH, LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, and A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN...his near-best, his best, and not bad for him. (Disease disrupted his writing for the last decade of his life.)<br /><br />(Mason, not writing fiction...funny how that can happen.)Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-72181189222686042982012-04-01T13:18:44.030-04:002012-04-01T13:18:44.030-04:00Reg Hill's The Woodcutter is certainly one of ...Reg Hill's The Woodcutter is certainly one of his best. And Julian Symons' Death's Darkest Face is exceptional too.Martin Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16082485795280777670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-40738725467381684002012-04-01T13:15:21.255-04:002012-04-01T13:15:21.255-04:00Margaret Mitchell lived another ten years after wr...Margaret Mitchell lived another ten years after writing GWTW, but never published another novel. (I'm not sure, but I think she may have published some non-fiction in magazines during that time.) Her husband was ill and she spent a lot of time nursing him. In fact, she died when she pushed him out of the way of a speeding car and was hit by the car instead. There were always rumors that she had a GWTW sequel stashed away, but thus far no one has found it.Debnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-33654935476678169372012-04-01T13:13:01.296-04:002012-04-01T13:13:01.296-04:00George beat me to Henry James. Yes, he can be a t...George beat me to Henry James. Yes, he can be a tough read (Henry, not George!), but his books are completely worth the effort. I'd put THE GOLDEN BOWL in my top ten favorite books of all time. People forget that James had a terrible disappointment in the later part of his life when a play he had poured his soul into was roundly savaged by critics and audience alike, but he pulled himself together, realized that he would never realize his dream of being a successful playwrite, and spent the remainder of his life writing some of his greatest work.Debnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-26228767622604017282012-04-01T12:31:14.583-04:002012-04-01T12:31:14.583-04:00I believe Dave was having some seasonal fun with t...I believe Dave was having some seasonal fun with the topic.Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-41242877274821051172012-04-01T12:01:55.891-04:002012-04-01T12:01:55.891-04:00Mitchell was only 36 when it came out. Not sure ho...Mitchell was only 36 when it came out. Not sure how old Harper Lee was. <br />To have your only novel be a good one is kind of tragic. Thinking of Raintree County by Ross Lockridge too with this topic.pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-69475596142111202462012-04-01T11:28:00.977-04:002012-04-01T11:28:00.977-04:00Margaret Mitchell (Gone With the Wind)
Harper Lee...Margaret Mitchell (Gone With the Wind)<br /><br />Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird)Dave Zeltsermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04007736514118297783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-62833328649792732272012-04-01T11:27:00.858-04:002012-04-01T11:27:00.858-04:00Italo Calvino's last two were IF ON A WINTER&#...Italo Calvino's last two were IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT A TRAVELER... and MR. PALOMAR. (Though he, too, died youngish, at 61.)(Another reminder to get in gear.)Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-21311087825799716922012-04-01T11:23:56.830-04:002012-04-01T11:23:56.830-04:00I don't think that's a good example. Hemi...I don't think that's a good example. Hemingway was only 61 when he killed himself and inability to write any more was a part of it.<br /><br />Jeff M.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-55873038839441546892012-04-01T11:22:05.483-04:002012-04-01T11:22:05.483-04:00One fairly obvious example I'd overlooked is F...One fairly obvious example I'd overlooked is Fritz Leiber, whose last two non-retrospective nor omnibuses were the extraordinary novel OUR LADY OF DARKNESS and the solid and very autumnal linked-story collection THE KNIGHT AND THE KNAVE OF SWORDS.<br /><br />I think Theodore Sturgeon's GODBODY isn't as bad as many suggest, including George Kelley, but it isn't the work he'll be remembered for.Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-25770002208357628992012-04-01T10:53:08.677-04:002012-04-01T10:53:08.677-04:00Really a good question. Hemingway was still writi...Really a good question. Hemingway was still writing well at the end of his life. but maybe the Suicide thing changes the issue a bit. Gotta give it some thought.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.com