Notes from Underground: 05/24/07
I picked up Sixteen Short Novels at the September BookCrossing meeting last year. Yes; I went a week postpartum and Harriet went too. My goal is to read and review each of these short novels but if I do it all at once I'll only get this one massive book read for quite some time. Instead, I'll concentrate on each novel separately and count each one as its own book just as I did for the four novellas in Four Past Midnight. At that rate I figure I can read about three of these short novels a month and I should have the book ready for release by Harriet's first birthday.

I'm almost to the halfway point in this 1000+ page tome. "Notes from Underground" reads like one of those manifestos oft-times left behind by someone who has gone postal. The first half of the tale is a set of observations on life and the "enjoyment of suffering." The second half which is the story proper, follows the underground man (he never names himself) as he tries to fit in at work. When he's rebuffed he tries picking a fight. When that doesn't work, he tries to reunite with some acquaintances and of course, that doesn't work either. At last he tries to date a girl and that too ends in failure. Can this book be any more "emo"?

sixteen short novels | books | bookcrossing | fiction

Comment #1: Thursday, May, 17, 2007 at 15:10:33

dew says:
"That's one of the most interesting takes on the book that I've seen. Neat insight!"

Comment #2: Thursday, May, 17, 2007 at 12:15:18

Pussreboots says:
"The meeting is only five (maybe eight) miles away. My husband did all the driving. I just had to sit and enjoy seeing my friends and of course showing off Harriet!"

Comment #3: Friday, May, 18, 2007 at 01:25:15

Michelle says:
"Really? Online since 1997? REALLY? That's got to be a record."

Comment #4: Thursday, May, 17, 2007 at 10:36:33

Pussreboots says:
"Yes indeed! August 2 will be my 10th anniversary. I've been doing web design since 1995 but have only had this site since 1997."