Confederacy of Dunces

[Michael Bailey]

 Brock Vond wrote:
> interesting sub-sub-thread of the doorstopper discussion...
>
>  Which books have we re-read... only to question our first readings?
>

On the Road, twice
- 1st time thru wanting to be Dean Moriarty, uncritically trying to
adopt his driving style and scaring numerous passengers in my misspent
youth

Then after reading the rest of his books and his biography, questioned
my first adoring read
- I think I read a Paul Goodman review denouncing it as somewhat
infantile, and tracked his criticisms thru the second read (especially
where Goodman pointed out that what Kerouac described as his best ride
hitchhiking ever seemed rather humdrum to him)

after a few more years decided I liked it again - the enthusiasm for
literature and words that Kerouac evinces now becoming clear to me as
the driving force that makes it a great work.

other reassessments...
Lord of the Rings - not so much questioning that I liked it, but
deciding that I liked The Hobbit better, a reversal of my original
rating.

(Peter Jackson could've saved so much money by treating  the battle
scenes like Tolkien (rather sketchily) and including all of the songs.
Then too the whole Isengard orc-creation scene was gratuitous
interpolation adding nothing, and the deletion of Tom Bombadil a
deal-killer for me.)

(but anyway...)

not a book, but the websites and writings of Lyndon LaRouche appealed
to me just a couple of years ago.  Mentioned that here (and on
Slashdot) and was moved by unanimous disagreement to investigate
further, now am embarrassed at my naivete.


do I reverse myself, very well then I reverse myself...