Eclectic Readers discussion

The Marriage Plot provided a lot of interesting discussion this month about the coming-of-age journey of Madeleine, Leonard, and Mitchell. Anything you forgot to mention?

Yes. I think it went on too many tangents to explain why the character was where they were.

Agree. He did a lot of telling, versus showing. And a lot of that telling was tangential, rather than being even a conversation between two characters or something.

Rurichan wrote: "Yes. I think it went on too many tangents to explain why the character was where they were."

Oh, another classic "bad writer" mistake. Color me surprised. It is going to take me a year to get over the disappointment of this book in order to read Middlesex.

Agree on everything. The tangents were interesting but I couldn't help think, in the back of mind, "Where is this going and what does this have to do with the story?" And when he finally got to the point, I go, "Oh~~~~~~."

Podcast for The Marriage Plot is up! http://rurichan.posterous.com/the-mar...

Oh, I have a new thought/question!

Do you think this book is a dig at Ivy league/higher education?

Never thought about that! I would say yes. They are just so comically aloof and smary sometimes. At least on some level, the author is making fun of Ivy Leaguers.

I definitely would agree with that. At the very least, Eugenides is saying that even those with education are lost (and foolish).

Just for entertainment: http://betterbooktitles.com/post/1518...

Jeannette wrote: "Just for entertainment: http://betterbooktitles.com/post/1518..."

HA!

So for those of you who live in DC, I thought I might mention that I received this in my e-mail today. I can't attend: it's my birthday so I am treating myself by not mentally glaring at a fictional character (Madeleine). Also, I have class. Anyway, if anyone else would like to go and interrogate Eugenides:

Young, Bright, and Lost
PEN/Faulkner: An Evening with Jeffrey Eugenides

Acclaimed author Jeffrey Eugenides reads from his most recent novel, The Marriage Plot. This tale of modern love amongst three college students is a variation on the romantic themes of Jane Austen's social satires. "Being an American born in 1960. ... I didn't think it was possible to write a Jane Austen novel now, and in fact, it isn't. But I did want to traffic in the same ideas" said the author in an interview with NPR.

Mon,Sept 24
7:30pm

At the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 212 East Capitol St SE, Washington DC.

$15
Buy Tickets
Listen: Jeffrey Eugenides on NPR

I have a feeling I would get annoyed with everyone there since a majority probably likes the book. And I would disagree with a lot of points

Rurichan wrote: "I have a feeling I would get annoyed with everyone there since a majority probably likes the book. And I would disagree with a lot of points"

I would be the same way, but I thought it was neat to share the information anyway.

Yeah, I can't go to that. I'd be seething.