narratives

[Sojourner]

At 03:56 PM 9/8/97 -0400, William Karlin wrote:
>
>   It almost could go without saying ('cept that I'm saying it) that one
>doesn't *need* to be stoned (or what have you) to have an open, aware
>mind.
>

Amen.. but the more rigid your mind is, the more dynamite it
takes to blow that sucker out.  Compare to Harrison Ford in
"Regarding Henry".

>  I think this also veers dangerously close to saying that foax who didn't
>like M&D weren't being open-minded...that's not fair really.  But, it is
>clear that some have been comparing it too much to GR.  I liked M&D; in
>parts it was funny, moving, silly, profound, clever...maybe in some parts
>it 'failed' -- it isn't perfect (but what work is?).  The one thing it
>clearly is is subtle.  I read M&D slowly, going after the feeling in it...
>it is a much more mature and nuanced novel than anything previous of TRP's
>It didn't have any of those whacked-in-the-gut-with-a-sledgehammer moments
>in GR.

The more you know and love TRP's works, the harder it is to have an
open mind.  Your just can't help but  "expect" greatness, ala TRP style.  So
TRP has the doubly hard task of 1) writing greatness and 2) convincing
you that a new album can be as good as an old album (see 400 past
posts comparing two works of same artist).

>  TRP, I feel, is lightening his paranoiac view...or at least poking a bit
>of fun at it.  I think it was David who said the point is that "there's
>something going on, but it ain't as simple as a world conspriacy" --
>something more subtle...and more complex...something I am still mulling
>over and will be for a while....
>
>  TRP was after something else with GR.  Something that was overwhemling
>for this then-college-freshman -- that book absolutely blew me away.  It
>was a one-of-a-kind experience...one I'll be eternally grateful to my
>intro-writing instructor for providing me.  But it was a *one-of-a-kind*
>experience...I don't feel the same (sadly) now that I can go back and look
>more, and it hasn't been something that I felt with any of TRP's other
>works.  A-and lacking this feeling hasn't made me enjoy those other works
>less, and hasn't made me dislike GR for no longer being that sledgehammer.
>Hell, GR is so rich...I apprieciate for different reasons now.  Just as I
>apprieciate all of TRP's works (and other authors' works) on their own
>grounds.  I think M&D is yet another rich work, that I look forward to
>rereading in the future.

And per 99% of the list, we all read GR before M&D.  What if it were
the other way around? *grin* 

>
>  This is just my opinion of course: don't dismiss M&D so quickly...
>

I don't.  As ship's counselor, I just felt it was necessary to
be a Betazoid bitch and let us all come to understand why we
may feel some resentment or hurt feelings to TRP because
GR and the Imipolex Ranch did not ride again.

*grin*

	"He doesn't mean anything by it, it's
	 just a term of affection when he calls
	 me his 'racket wench'"

	    --Ball "girl" to Pete Sampras