reading the first week of January 2007

A few days ago, Richard Powers The Echo Maker finally made its way back into the bookstore. It's been on backorder for what seems to be at least a month. I never saw anyone buy the original copies that came in, but someone bought them before it was awarded the National Book Award. Hammond is not much for literary fiction, so i'm curious as to who these people are.

I read the book last week, but it's too early to post about it. I'm still digesting it.

While i still have time, i'm trying to run through as much new fiction as possible. Ed Champion said great things about The Echo Maker, and gave the thumb's up to Danielewski's Only Revolutions. I trust the guy, so i gave it a shot... only to find Only Revolutions to be unreadable dross. Three nights i tried it, but each time it only made me want to scrub my eyes.

Tales from the Town of Widows is what i have checked out now. One of the blurbs on the back namechecked every major Latin American author, and another compared the author to Pamuk in "braininess." So far it's readable, even enjoyable, but what i'm getting is hero worship of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Ehhh... it's likable, but i was hoping for more. Perhaps it'll pick up as it goes along. It won't cause me any serious damage to continue.

Next up is O.Z. Livaneli's Bliss. I've already read a few pages on various breaks, and it's living up to my hopes.