I Found the Dirt
From Housekeeping vs. the Dirt, that is. It turned out to be a biography of Mötley Crüe. And so, there in the title of his collection of a year’s worth of literary columns, Nick Hornby has given a nod to what seems to be the high and low points of his year’s reading. Marilynne Robinson’s The Housekeeping vs. Mötley Crüe: The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band.
I just took a look at my 2008 book log to see what my own high and low of last year would be, and it can’t be done! There wasn’t a single dud on the list. I didn’t read a lot last year, but what I read was quality. On the whole list there’s only one book I didn’t love, but I recognize that it was well written, penetrating, ambitious (in a good way), and thoughtful. I liked a lot of things about it, but one of its subplots was creepy in the extreme, and I thought the ending was massively, maddeningly flawed.
How’s that for politely cryptic?
Jennifer says:
Well I can guess it wasn’t “Haystack Full of Needles”.
On April 21, 2009 at 8:47 am
radmama says:
I also reread Swallows and Amazons and Dogger and read Bend the Rules Sewing and Two-Part Invention: The Story of a Marriage. Can’t recall a flawed ending in those!
On April 21, 2009 at 9:10 am
RecollectedStephanie says:
The Thirteenth Tale – I’m sure of it. (Am I right?)
On April 21, 2009 at 10:14 am
Marsha says:
I couldn’t find any Nick Hornsby in our library system. Bummer!!
On April 21, 2009 at 11:19 am
Melissa Wiley says:
Stephanie–nope! But that one is in my TBR pile and now I’m very curious to find out how it fits the description (“creepy subplot” and “flawed ending”). I’ve heard such mixed reviews on 13th Tale. More annoyed reactions than raves, I think.
On April 21, 2009 at 7:39 pm
RecollectedStephanie says:
http://recollectedlife.blogspot.com/2008/06/someone-introduced-me.html
I thought it was really well written, creepy in the extreme, hard to figure out, and satisfying. But I did NOT read the first few chapters after dark.
On April 22, 2009 at 6:07 am
Mary-LUE says:
I love the entire Crosswicks Journals but Two-Part Invention was my favorite of them all.
(I am so jealous… maybe envious would be a better word… of people who are getting to read right now. I am in school and all the reading I am doing is related to my degree. I cannot wait for this summer! Read, read, read, that is what I want to do!)
On April 23, 2009 at 6:25 am