Re: The Mezzanine
the little engine (jrh5b@uva.pcmail.virginia.edu)
Tue, 25 Feb 97 16:21:41 EST
In response to all the previous remarks about the Mezzanine, I will also say
that i am on middle ground. Whereas I found the book slow and pointless, I
admire him for writing it. I cannot say that I would have the courage to put
my beliefs and little "quirks" down on paper for people to scrutinize. I
think his thoughts are unique but very tangential. Someone was saying this
morning about the lack of fluidity due to the footnotes. i have to say that
the endnotes are what ruined the book for me. I found myself even skipping
some in order to retain my place in his other thoughts.
Also, in response to whomever said that this book was positive. Yes, I
agree. However, how else can we view a plotless, relationless tangential
narrative about shoelaces? We have to come out if it thinking, "hey, this
guy thinks that products and things are really important to everyday life."
We all do. What would we do without shoelaces? But this book fails to
ponder anything else that keeps us alive and ticking...like interactions with
other people. How do we know that Howie's life is really positive? We dont
because he doesn't tell us much about his life. Hey, but at least we can see
how his fixation upon door knobs and men's bathrooms have a positive
influence on this book.
Jen Hummel
"In order to become the winner that you will respect and admire...you must
have control of the authorship of your own destiny...the pen that writes
your life story must be held in your own hand."
-Irene C. Kassorla