tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post3417733516583610291..comments2024-03-29T08:45:57.792-04:00Comments on Patricia Abbott (pattinase): The best debut novelpattinase (abbott)http://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-90628732613262530962016-10-07T03:04:17.877-04:002016-10-07T03:04:17.877-04:00I think Seana's assessment is fair...the serie...I think Seana's assessment is fair...the series is good enough but not compelling. Some nice performances.Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-66978591962181915802016-10-06T21:46:27.690-04:002016-10-06T21:46:27.690-04:00Didn't know there was one. Have to look for it...Didn't know there was one. Have to look for it. pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-28539876177963513702016-10-06T21:39:48.888-04:002016-10-06T21:39:48.888-04:00I saw the White Teeth miniseries, and I know frien...I saw the White Teeth miniseries, and I know friends who liked it a lot, but I felt that although faithful, it didn't somehow capture what was magical about the book. seana grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03774794086733027289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-2160204982277659582016-10-06T21:22:43.585-04:002016-10-06T21:22:43.585-04:00Did you see the WHITE TEETH miniseries?Did you see the WHITE TEETH miniseries?Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-90652272127879550632016-10-06T21:22:00.899-04:002016-10-06T21:22:00.899-04:00It could vie with THE FEMALE MAN by Joanna Russ, i...It could vie with THE FEMALE MAN by Joanna Russ, if not quite the collective bulk of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS: anthologies...Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-34727387938223098032016-10-06T19:21:49.645-04:002016-10-06T19:21:49.645-04:00CONJURE WIFE has to be your most oft-mentioned boo...CONJURE WIFE has to be your most oft-mentioned book. And probably WHITE TEETH is mine. pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-76905924163701772202016-10-06T19:16:18.459-04:002016-10-06T19:16:18.459-04:00I'm happy to Pile On...John F. is 110% about b...I'm happy to Pile On...John F. is 110% about both THE SECRET HISTORY and THE WASP FACTORY, the latter aggressively stupid at it's "shocking twist" core. Banks did much better later. I doubt Tartt will ever do better, and that's not a compliment...albeit she's still vastly better than Bennington classmate Bret Easton Ellis, if not nearly as good as their dropout classmate Jonathan Lethem.<br /><br />My first thought among best first novels runs to CONJURE WIFE by Fritz Leiber. I'm not sure he wrote a completely better novel, and that is a compliment. <br /><br />Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-11016858267171890012016-10-04T15:21:14.111-04:002016-10-04T15:21:14.111-04:00My husband loved The Goldfinch but not me. I find ...My husband loved The Goldfinch but not me. I find her pretentious.pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-76659210347732257022016-10-04T14:56:50.455-04:002016-10-04T14:56:50.455-04:00I agree on The Secret History as well, but have be...I agree on The Secret History as well, but have been told by several people not to be put off reading The Goldfinch on that account. And I suppose the truth is that the books we've been discussing are exceptions to the rule and most writers actually do get better.seana grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03774794086733027289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-20343583626549560582016-10-04T13:10:43.234-04:002016-10-04T13:10:43.234-04:00Been meaning to read that one for years. Been meaning to read that one for years. pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-55360972188148126202016-10-04T12:27:39.088-04:002016-10-04T12:27:39.088-04:00I am with John. THE SECRET HISTORY is much too ove...I am with John. THE SECRET HISTORY is much too over-rated. I think Arundhati Roy's GOD OF SMALL THINGS was a brilliant debut.neerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01986509319841061021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-56224942439498072352016-10-03T13:38:55.607-04:002016-10-03T13:38:55.607-04:00It was a real knockout for me too. It was a real knockout for me too. pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-72117419293371772112016-10-03T13:04:15.669-04:002016-10-03T13:04:15.669-04:00I'm with you on White Teeth. I continue to rea...I'm with you on White Teeth. I continue to read Zadie, and will, but nothing since has quite lived up to that original dazzling novel.seana grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03774794086733027289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-35938028561343797212016-10-03T12:54:13.906-04:002016-10-03T12:54:13.906-04:00Loved Birdy especially!Loved Birdy especially!pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-54721876431719212322016-10-03T12:49:31.175-04:002016-10-03T12:49:31.175-04:00GEEK LOVE is a very good choice in that list of &q...GEEK LOVE is a very good choice in that list of "Best Firsts". THE SECRET HISTORY and THE WASP FACTORY have to be two of the most overrated and derivative books on any "Best of" list. So tired of seeing those two books touted as being innovative and noteworthy. Both are derivative of better known thrillers. THE WASP FACTORY is ineptly told with a "surprise twist" ironically telegraphed within the first few chapters. I think it's pretty obvious from the start, but others have told me they were shocked by the ending.<br /><br />Off the top of my head I can think of these few debuts since 1950 that impressed me to no end.<br /><br />BIRDY - William Wharton<br />EDWIN MULLHOUSE - Steven Millhauser<br />MYSTERIOUS SKIN - Scott Heim<br />THE KILLINGS AT BADGER'S DRIFT - Caroline Graham<br /><br />J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-36539691395695554282016-10-03T12:12:11.746-04:002016-10-03T12:12:11.746-04:00All great choices!All great choices!pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-64232422315566491472016-10-03T10:51:20.908-04:002016-10-03T10:51:20.908-04:00The Big Sleep. And opinions vary, but I think Cha...The Big Sleep. And opinions vary, but I think Chandler <i>did</i> write a better novel, in The Long Goodbye.Graham Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01775285782385634486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-5126189618765476632016-10-03T09:22:29.575-04:002016-10-03T09:22:29.575-04:00George beat me to Harper Lee's novel. So I wil...George beat me to Harper Lee's novel. So I will name instead Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood. It is not really a crime novel (although the protagonist does kill someone I think), but it was a great "first novel." As for crime novels, I nominate Agatha Christie's The Mysterious Affair at Styles. It is a great introduction to Hercule Poirot!RTDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17113953356514605424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-57967392790336578332016-10-03T08:50:49.104-04:002016-10-03T08:50:49.104-04:00Catch-22.Catch-22.mybillcriderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02350478005243505108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-72395683188087099652016-10-03T08:35:38.599-04:002016-10-03T08:35:38.599-04:00Yes, where is A KISS BEFORE DYING? Or A CONFEDERA...Yes, where is A KISS BEFORE DYING? Or A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES, for that matter. Or THE MOVIEGOER.<br /><br />I don't think BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES really belongs. Yes, it was Wolfe's first novel, but he'd published a dozen books before that.Jeff Meyersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00093411926030586355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-44235497682145455912016-10-03T08:14:28.811-04:002016-10-03T08:14:28.811-04:00TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04546161337366365635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33110302.post-40471715207386697532016-10-03T08:01:26.155-04:002016-10-03T08:01:26.155-04:00Interesting question, Patti. I think the Levin is ...Interesting question, Patti. I think the Levin is excellent. So is le Carré's <i>Call For the Dead</i>. There are several others I think are stunning, too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com