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07:41 am April 9th, 2009

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			I should just subscribe - Idiot Control Now — LiveJournal bees on pie, burning rubber tires

mellowcandle


	I should just subscribe
	I finally got around to picking up the Mar/Apr Mental Floss, with the 25 most powerful books of the last 25 years. Is it bad that I've only read four of them? But... they listed How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain de Botton. Ohmygosh. I'm constantly trying to get people to read Alain de Botton's books, with no success. I think he's brilliant. Essays in Love (aka On Love) is one of my all-time favorite books, seriously. I think I've quoted it here at least a couple times. Wow. Maybe now people will pick his stuff up. edited for clarification Current Mood: impressed Current Music: breakfast at tiffany's--deep blue something

8 pathetic excuses or justify your existence


	Comments

	From: sakuracorr	Date: April 9th, 2009 05:22 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Oh really? Proust? Isn't that the writer who was invested in... the power of memories or something?

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	From: mellowcandle	Date: April 9th, 2009 09:19 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Oops, I have some pronoun confusion. I meant I want more people to read de Botton. Not to say don't read Proust, but de Botton is much more... succinct.

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	From: sakuracorr	Date: April 9th, 2009 09:36 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Ah, that makes sense. Nice. I'll have to pick him up sometime.

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	From: cal_reflector	Date: April 10th, 2009 02:18 am (UTC)		(Link)

On Love sounds like it inspired you in your writing?

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	From: mellowcandle	Date: April 10th, 2009 01:19 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Only indirectly, I suppose. The problem with reading an amazing book is it inspires one of two reactions, either "I want to write like this, so I'm going to work harder", or "I'll never write like this, so I'll just give up now", and I'm more often guilty of the second.

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	From: cal_reflector	Date: April 10th, 2009 04:07 pm (UTC)		(Link)

My reaction has always been the first, though I haven't been reading much lately, so perhaps I need to find new sources to steal from.

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	From: cal_reflector	Date: April 10th, 2009 04:15 pm (UTC)		(Link)

The local library does not have On Love, though I accidentally spoiled myself while reading a review as to the ending.

I can certainly see why this author appeals to you, if he indeed favors the "fundamentally mismatched" in his writings on love, couples who invariably split in the end.

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	From: mellowcandle	Date: April 11th, 2009 01:55 pm (UTC)		(Link)

It's probably why I love break-up songs so much, too. Happy endings are nice, just not very interesting.

But he writes on a variety of subjects, not just romance, and what I appreciate is the philosophical/literary angle he uses. The Art of Travel is also fantastic if you can find that one. The only book I've found a little too dry is The Architecture of Happiness.

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	8 pathetic excuses or justify your existence