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Comments:
Laura - 2005-02-24 02:53:31 I can get on board with that. I'd like to read all of the books you mentioned -- I'd heard the dog night one (w/ long title and autistic protagonist) is amazing, but I was having trouble motivating because I just didn't think the plot line sounded that appealing. Still, so many people say it's terrific that I just can't justify not reading it.* * * * * * * * * * * * Dan Arbor - 2005-02-24 10:54:27 1. (March) The Kite Runner 2. (April) The Curious Incident of the Dog... Or whatever. I am flexible...* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-02-24 11:14:30 Anna: the dog night one starts off with a rather horrific scene and is, I gather, one of those books whose writing style could be a turn-off for some readers. But as you say, people are praising it. The author did several months of work with autistic kids before writing it.* * * * * * * * * * * * Dan Arbor - 2005-02-24 11:50:40 I just read a great review here, and an excerpt here. The excerpt has me hooked. Also, I didn't think the initial scene was so horrific. I've certainly read much, much worse in "mainstream" crime novels... * * * * * * * * * * * * Dan Arbor - 2005-02-24 11:52:12 Ooops! That first link should be this instead. Sorry...* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-02-24 12:02:53 That is a good review, and good link to the first scene. You are right: the material doesn't approach the material in plenty of crime novels. Come to think of it, "horrific" is probably too strong a word. I heard a discussion about that scene in which the participants said they found the narrator's clinical, unempathetic perception of the dog, a view shaped by his autism, as something that made starker the weird violence of the dog's death. Thanks for the review Dan.* * * * * * * * * * * * Anna - 2005-02-24 12:15:21 Being something of a misanthrope, I find violence against dogs just as upsetting as violence against people. Anyway, I'd be up for reading the book, too many positive recommendations to keep resisting.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-02-24 12:23:40 Temple Grandin, the autistic engineer who designs humane slaughterhouse systems to lessen the violence against animals undergoing slaughter, has been in the media a lot of late. She has argued that animals perceive the world in much the same way as do autistic people, though it must be said autism encompasses a broad spectrum of behavior and severity. Here are some of Grandin's thoughts on the role of visual-thinking in autism.* * * * * * * * * * * * Anna - 2005-02-24 13:46:44 A friend of mine met Temple at a conference on autism. He said she was fascinating because it was like she was a computer following a program with a bunch of procedures for interacting with other people (e.g., "now look at speaker's eyes, now answer what speaker says, now smile and shake hands").* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-02-24 14:02:04 That's a fascinating observation, and somehow feels accurate. She has done some amazing work.* * * * * * * * * * * * Dan Arbor - 2005-02-24 15:24:21 Laura - Thanks for the Temple Grandin link. A very interesting and informative article. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-02-24 15:27:01 You're welcome Dan. Her ability to think as the animal would is spellbinding. I liked the whole "cattle walking on water" section especially. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-02-24 21:56:16 OK, let's take stock here. Kite Runner appeared on two people's lists, so that seems to be the winner. Vishnu received one nomination, (and was described by a different contributor on another thread as "wonderful,") and there was informal discussion about Dog No one nominated their own original book suggestion, which I thought was rather charmingly decorous. At any rate, the boil-down, subect to kind blogreader's approval, seems to be: It does sound like fun. I'll enjoy The Kite Runner I'm sure, and was also taken by the excerpt from "...Dog. Looking forward.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-02-26 12:47:35 Me too. The nice thing about it is that, thanks to the Internets, far-flung readers can participate without schlepping down to Ypsi, and everyone can add their thoughts at a time convenient to them instead of hustling to get to the library at 7 or what have you. Also the discussion can go on and on if people like. I think it's an exciting prospect. I also thought it was nice of everyone to take such an interest and contribute such thoughtful ideas (I had never heard of _Death of Vishnu_).* * * * * * * * * * * * add your comment: |