What Are You Reading (Actually On A) Wednesday

[highlyeccentric]

Currently Reading:
Ha Jin, 'The Bridegroom: Stories', on loan from leareth It's... interesting.
Love in the Time of Global Warming, which is *still* not keeping my attention.

What did you recently finish reading?

Harry Potter et la Coupe de Feu, lu par Bernard Girardeu: Oh _Harry_. I was struck again by how well Rowling depicted Harry's shock/trauma at the end of this book, something which as I recall was not handled as well in the next book. Not that his behaviour wasn't *realistic* for a traumatised fifteen-year-old, but that it wasn't as well *written*.

Have run out of easily streamed French HP audiobooks and moved on to watching Brooklyn99, so the latter point I won't be checking any time soon.

Recently consigned to the couldn't-wouldn't-finish list: House of Leaves (an annoying book for wankers), and Henry James' 'The Bostonians' (no I do not care to know what Henry James thinks are the dangers of 19th century feminism).

To read next: Uh... I'm not sure. I think I expect to skid through the month on low attention span, honestly. Observe the fact that in november I chewed through a stack of books and suddenly, poof. Nuffin. I've watched one and a half series of Brooklyn Nine Nine, though!

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I have also given up on doing bi-monthly summary posts, pictorial or otherwise. There are cool photos of ducks, Amsterdam, sand dunes, and other such things to be found here: http://speculumannorum.tumblr.com/

Comments

[jack]

I saw Brooklyn 99 season 1 when it was on virgin here, and was pleasantly surprised. From the trailers it looked like the sort of thing I'd enjoy if it was done well, but expected it to be mostly cringeworthy jokes at the expense of the characters. But I was pleasantly surprised at how it managed to bring the characters to life.

[highlyeccentric]

I had a lot of trouble with the "immature white guy gets 100% of everyone's attention and adulation and effort to socialise him into functioning adult" plot. Like Community, we're *supposed* to identify with the immature white guy? BUT WHY. And Amy's desire for a mentor was played for laughing AT while Jake's flagrant lack of interest in working with others was laughed *with*. UGH.

But matters improved rapidly after the Thanksgiving episode in S1, and in S2 Jake seems to be spending a lot of time helping other people figure shit out, so I'm choosing to view his role as that of a diversion or safety blankie useful for getting the other characters airtime.

The white guy issue aside, though... now is not a good time to be watching US cop shows, perhaps. The 'arrest stats' thing makes me wince. Every time a black bit-part insists he didn't do it i think to myself "probably he didn't" and yet JAKE NEVER MAKES A MISIDENTIFICATION. The 'avoid a wrongful arrest lawsuit' episode was particularly discomfiting.

I am pleased to see Rosa getting more screentime and professional development in S2. I over-identify with Amy, but if these were real people, Rosa would be the one who *needs* the time, because she wouldn't ask for it.

[jack]

Yes, para #1 puts the problems better than I'd been able to describe, and para #2 persuades me it's worth seeing season 2 -- I'd hoped to eventually, but that sounds pretty promising.

But ouch ouch ouch, yes, you're so right about para #3 :( :( :( Effective propaganda, even if it's not intended to be, doesn't come out and say so, it often shows examples where everyone agree that in that example it makes sense, but implying they are common and universal, like 24 showing a contrived reason for torture :(

[jack]

And yes, about Rosa and Amy. In retrospect, I always was quite like Amy, but I didn't feel like that, watching her I'm mostly just annoyed (or sometimes endeared when she escapes the stereotype into person-hood).

[whereisirisnow]

Hi! House of Leaves is in my currently-reading-pile, but it is sooooo slow going! I totally understand why you couldn't/wouldn't finish it! Problem is: I am quite intrigued by the story, only the way the book is written makes it well, slow going. I am determined to finish it at some point, but I am just not going to set a deadline.. :p