Joe’s review of Veronica > Likes and Comments
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Julie wrote: "I just laughed out loud and startled Jenga!"
I think it's good your animals are Havanese dogs and not skunks.
You're so funny, Joseph! Wonderful review. But - he honks her nose? I'm sorry, I would cut out right then. What on Earth was that all about?
Sorry the book didn't have more plot.
Carmen wrote: “You’re so funny, Joseph! Wonderful review. But - he honks her nose? I’m sorry, I would cut out right then.”
Thank you, Moneypenny. The French do silly things. Maybe I’m thinking mostly of mines, but —
I do love Writing, I admit it. But I also need a plot to move me forward in a book. It's disappointing to hear Gaitskill lost you here, Joe. I had high hopes after reading Bad Behavior.
Thanks for a fine review, and for introducing me to a new literary term, Hooptedoodle!
Robin wrote: “I do love Writing, I admit it. But I also need a plot to move me forward in a book. It’s disappointing to hear Gaitskill lost you here, Joe. I had high hopes after reading Bad Behavior.”
Yes, this is another sign in the road that warns how hard writing a novel is. Gaitskill is so good at paragraphs and writing a series of Polaroids. I probably liked this novel more than any I’ve quit on ever.
Robin wrote: “Thanks for a fine review, and for introducing me to a new literary term, Hooptedoodle.”
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Robin. You must read Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck. No “hooptedoodle” at all there! It’s the novel where Steinbeck introduced his literary term.
Great review, and I'm excited to see what's next in your Year of Women!
Jess wrote: “Great review, and I’m excited to see what’s next in your Year of Women!”
Thank you, Jess! It doesn’t get much womanly than my next read.
Terrific review, Joe! I just picked up a book of Gaitskill's essays at the library today. I hope they dazzle me more than this did you!
Candi wrote: "Terrific review, Joe! I just picked up a book of Gaitskill's essays at the library today. I hope they dazzle me more than this did you!"
I predict you'll like it, Candi. Gaitskill can't write a paragraph that isn't dazzling. Thank you for commenting!
Fantastic review! I thought hooptedoodle was Steinbeck's word ;-)
Kandice wrote: "Fantastic review! I thought hooptedoodle was Steinbeck's word ;-)"
Thank you, Kandice. Steinbeck invented the word in a dialogue between the vagrant princes of Monterey for Sweet Thursday
“You sure are a critic,” said Whitey No. 2. “Mack, I never give you credit before. Is that all?”
“No,” said Mack. “Sometimes I want a book to break loose with a bunch of hooptedoodle. The guy’s writing it, give him a chance to do a little hooptedoodle. Spin up some pretty words maybe, or sing a little song with language. That’s nice. But I wish it was set aside so I don’t have to read it. I don’t want hooptedoodle to get mixed up in the story. So if the guy that’s writing it wants hooptedoodle, he ought to put it right at first. Then I can skip it if I want to, or maybe go back to it after I know how the story come out.”
Insightful review, Joe. And I love your “Year of Women.”
Lorna wrote: "Insightful review, Joe. And I love your “Year of Women.”"
Thank you, Lorna. I think a year of just about anything else would melt my brain. This might too. We'll see.
Great review! Veronica sounds like it was more of an writing exercise than novel. And a stretcher of reader endurance;) Love your reading plan for 2021.
Lori wrote: "Great review! Veronica sounds like it was more of an writing exercise than novel. And a stretcher of reader endurance;) Love your reading plan for 2021."
Thank you, Lori! That's a pretty good description of this novel. You may love writing exercises. It grew tedious for me. Thank you also for joining me on this reading exercise which I hope is not tedious for you.
Joe, I absolutely loved and related to this: "Have you ever spent the day at a museum and got to a point where your brain needed a rest as much as your feet? When you can't see one more fascinating exhibit or one more priceless work of art? When it becomes stimulus overload? That's what reading Veronica felt like. Writing overload. " I usually need more plot too, but liked this one. It was my first of hers, so I think I was taken by her ugly, beautiful writing.
Jennifer wrote: "I usually need more plot too, but liked this one. It was my first of hers, so I think I was taken by her ugly, beautiful writing."
Oh, Gaitskill's writing is par excellence. Any paragraph of this novel is terrific, just like any section of the Getty Museum is terrific. I just got to a point where I wanted that writing to stop and a story to kick in. I'm thrilled that you read and enjoy this book. Jennifer.
You nailed it with "hooptedoodle." I liked the book, but I often got the feeling that it suffered from a "prose overage" -- just one or two adjectives too many, or a description drawn out a little too far.
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Julie wrote: "I just laughed out loud and startled Jenga!"I think it's good your animals are Havanese dogs and not skunks.
You're so funny, Joseph! Wonderful review. But - he honks her nose? I'm sorry, I would cut out right then. What on Earth was that all about?Sorry the book didn't have more plot.
Carmen wrote: “You’re so funny, Joseph! Wonderful review. But - he honks her nose? I’m sorry, I would cut out right then.”Thank you, Moneypenny. The French do silly things. Maybe I’m thinking mostly of mines, but —
I do love Writing, I admit it. But I also need a plot to move me forward in a book. It's disappointing to hear Gaitskill lost you here, Joe. I had high hopes after reading Bad Behavior.Thanks for a fine review, and for introducing me to a new literary term, Hooptedoodle!
Robin wrote: “I do love Writing, I admit it. But I also need a plot to move me forward in a book. It’s disappointing to hear Gaitskill lost you here, Joe. I had high hopes after reading Bad Behavior.”Yes, this is another sign in the road that warns how hard writing a novel is. Gaitskill is so good at paragraphs and writing a series of Polaroids. I probably liked this novel more than any I’ve quit on ever.
Robin wrote: “Thanks for a fine review, and for introducing me to a new literary term, Hooptedoodle.”
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Robin. You must read Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck. No “hooptedoodle” at all there! It’s the novel where Steinbeck introduced his literary term.
Great review, and I'm excited to see what's next in your Year of Women!
Jess wrote: “Great review, and I’m excited to see what’s next in your Year of Women!”Thank you, Jess! It doesn’t get much womanly than my next read.
Terrific review, Joe! I just picked up a book of Gaitskill's essays at the library today. I hope they dazzle me more than this did you!
Candi wrote: "Terrific review, Joe! I just picked up a book of Gaitskill's essays at the library today. I hope they dazzle me more than this did you!"I predict you'll like it, Candi. Gaitskill can't write a paragraph that isn't dazzling. Thank you for commenting!
Fantastic review! I thought hooptedoodle was Steinbeck's word ;-)
Kandice wrote: "Fantastic review! I thought hooptedoodle was Steinbeck's word ;-)"Thank you, Kandice. Steinbeck invented the word in a dialogue between the vagrant princes of Monterey for Sweet Thursday
“You sure are a critic,” said Whitey No. 2. “Mack, I never give you credit before. Is that all?”
“No,” said Mack. “Sometimes I want a book to break loose with a bunch of hooptedoodle. The guy’s writing it, give him a chance to do a little hooptedoodle. Spin up some pretty words maybe, or sing a little song with language. That’s nice. But I wish it was set aside so I don’t have to read it. I don’t want hooptedoodle to get mixed up in the story. So if the guy that’s writing it wants hooptedoodle, he ought to put it right at first. Then I can skip it if I want to, or maybe go back to it after I know how the story come out.”
Insightful review, Joe. And I love your “Year of Women.”
Lorna wrote: "Insightful review, Joe. And I love your “Year of Women.”"Thank you, Lorna. I think a year of just about anything else would melt my brain. This might too. We'll see.
Great review! Veronica sounds like it was more of an writing exercise than novel. And a stretcher of reader endurance;) Love your reading plan for 2021.
Lori wrote: "Great review! Veronica sounds like it was more of an writing exercise than novel. And a stretcher of reader endurance;) Love your reading plan for 2021."Thank you, Lori! That's a pretty good description of this novel. You may love writing exercises. It grew tedious for me. Thank you also for joining me on this reading exercise which I hope is not tedious for you.
Joe, I absolutely loved and related to this: "Have you ever spent the day at a museum and got to a point where your brain needed a rest as much as your feet? When you can't see one more fascinating exhibit or one more priceless work of art? When it becomes stimulus overload? That's what reading Veronica felt like. Writing overload. " I usually need more plot too, but liked this one. It was my first of hers, so I think I was taken by her ugly, beautiful writing.
Jennifer wrote: "I usually need more plot too, but liked this one. It was my first of hers, so I think I was taken by her ugly, beautiful writing."Oh, Gaitskill's writing is par excellence. Any paragraph of this novel is terrific, just like any section of the Getty Museum is terrific. I just got to a point where I wanted that writing to stop and a story to kick in. I'm thrilled that you read and enjoy this book. Jennifer.
You nailed it with "hooptedoodle." I liked the book, but I often got the feeling that it suffered from a "prose overage" -- just one or two adjectives too many, or a description drawn out a little too far.
I just laughed out loud and startled Jenga!