Why do I post?

Posted at Sep 23, 2007 8:19 pm

Mostly because no one else (on my tiny list) has posted and so I feel a primitive urge to re-declare my existence and shout out to the world. The fact that I have absolutely nothing to say does not, in any way, deter me. So.
I finished Mr. Timothy by Louis Bayard. It takes Dicken’s Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol and tells his story ten years later.
It was a treat, from beginning to end. Like reading art. As usual, I disagree with the little praise catch phrases on the front of the book. It was not, as one person described, a “white knuckle thriller.” The language was too descriptive and the pace rather too slow for that. But every character and scene was so perfectly and meticulously drawn that I could see the action in front of me. About three-quarters of the way through the book hansom cabs started to flip over, murde.rers of little g.irls drew out their knives and waterlogged coffins were uncovered. But by then I had already settled into a comfortable hot cocoa and comforter routine with this novel and it was too late to move to the edge of my seat.
But I would recommend the book very very highly. Also- confused question which was not answered at the end— and I would be curious to see what anyone else thought— ummm— Was the author— implying that Tiny Tim was gay? Just wondering. There was a rather suggestive passage in the middle of the book which I initially read right through and forgot about – (Tim was getting killed at the time and I didn’t pause to reflect) but later I thought- huh. Did I miss something? Dickens might be miffed. But frankly I thought that this book was better than anything Dickens ever wrote so…. whatever.
I also just finished a book on crimes and victims which I got from B&N. Lots of stories (people getting stored under floor-boards) and much more that would make Poe puke- but nothing particularly original.

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