Book question for you

First, understand I don't read a ton of books, and right now I'm plodding through "The Gang That Wouldn't Write Straight," which I might simply sit down and get through it in the next few days and be done with it.

I also have Hannibal Rising and The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer sitting on my coffee table from the holidays.

That said, I see that Lay of the Land by Richard Ford was one of the Times' top 10 books for 2006. Is it, and Independence Day, worth reading?

 

Dude, you need to read the Tender Bar.

 

Not badly written, but the guy was so spoiled/lucky it makes you cringe, and much of the dialog sounds
as made-up as does Albom's.

JMO.

 

Both of Ford's efforts are worth reading. I preferred, mostly because I prefer short stories, Men With Women.

 

Y'ouch.

 

SF, if you haven't read "The Sportwriter", read it before "Independence Day" and his new book.

 

No, see, that's the thing. I HAVE read The Sportswriter. And I figure I ought to read Independence Day before the latest.

Ben, does this: Not badly written, but the guy was so spoiled/lucky it makes you cringe, and much of the dialog sounds
as made-up as does Albom's. JMO.

refer to the Tender Bar or Lay of the Land.

 

Read Independence Day first. You don't have to but you may enjoy Lay of the Land more.

 

I want to like Richard Ford's work more than I actually do. I feel the same way about Wilco.

 

I think Ford is much easier to digest in short story form. He'd boring as a novelist. He writes very pretty sentences, and after 90 pages, I'm ready to slip into a coma.

 

Me too. I read the Sportswriter and shrugged.

 

I've tried both too, and your parallel really struck me. Supposedly a great American writer and a great American band, and neither engaged me at all.