I find that whenever I'm bored with nonfiction, what I need to do is pick up some modern fiction. Inevitably I don't like what I find* and I run, screaming, back for the nonfiction stacks.
And so it was with Richard Ford's story anthology Blue Collar, White Collar, No Collar: Stories of Work. (It's an anthology of stories chosen by him, not a collection of his stories.) Again, get a load of that title. I totally wanted to love it.
But then I picked it up and read the first story, titled "Business Talk," by Max Apple. This is how it started:
"James I and have been worrying about things. I'm bored, restless, and in late afternoon always depressed. He tries to be helpful. The children are not too bad. My education is more than adequate. I understand what's happening as it happens. Still, I'm powerless. At four I get morose, by five I am tearful. When James comes home I looks as I've been pinched by devils all day long."
And this is how it ends:
"'Business is business,' he says. We sigh like cats.
I get the lubricant, he the prophylactics. Sometimes we're old-fashioned people doing the best we can."
Really. Now just put those two paragraphs together and see how much sense they make. None, right? Well, I've got news for you: I read the ten pages of story in between those paragraphs and they don't make any sense to me either. So what is the point of reading the story?
I know I should be the bigger person and try at least one other story in this collection. But I am not in the mood. Frankly, if I want to feel confused and somewhat depressed (at least partially because I AM confused), I'll just leave the house. That is not what I need reading for.
What You Said.
Geez Louise, I read to either learn or escape. This story did neither for me. Did the author HAVE to share this time>
Posted by: Sarah | 24 October 2011 at 01:48 PM
I'm sighing, too, but for all the wrong reasons. Oh, Richard Ford, go stand in the corner.
Posted by: Bybee | 24 October 2011 at 06:26 PM
Sarah,
Well, I guess in fairness you should read the whole story. But I did and it didn't really help matters.
Bybee,
I don't even get the imagery of sighing like cats. Cats huff, and purr, and meow, yawn and stretch, and snore. Do they sigh? Or am I being too literal?
In fairness to Richard Ford, I should have read more than just the one story. I know it. I just couldn't get myself to do it.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 24 October 2011 at 09:15 PM
For modern fiction that is interesting without being a chore or too annoying for words, have you tried Tom Perrotta? I'm reading his new one now, The Leftovers, and totally loving it. You like David Nicholls as I recall -- Perrotta has that same Nick Hornby readability -- and intelligence about human character. This book of short stories sounds like a chore. And I've never heard a cat sigh, either. Dogs, yes.
Posted by: Nan | 26 October 2011 at 01:25 PM
Nan,
Thanks for the suggestion--I have tried Tom Perrotta but he doesn't do a lot for me--something about the suburbs viewed from the male perspective (even when his characters are females) leaves me cold. Although I have been hearing lots of good things about The Leftovers.
I might just have to try some of Richard Ford's own story collections--I do like his writing. And glad I'm not the only one a bit stymied by the idea of a cat "sighing."
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 26 October 2011 at 02:45 PM
You could also put this in the category "People whom I have absolutely no wish to spend any time with".
Posted by: Sarah | 27 October 2011 at 11:06 AM
Sarah,
With the people in the story or with Richard Ford?
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 28 October 2011 at 10:43 AM
The people in the story. If I don't like them, I don't continue.
Posted by: Sarah | 28 October 2011 at 04:43 PM