I am reading The Empusium, her most recent novel. It doesn’t have the same narrative drive as Drive Your Plow, but it’s engaging. I tried reading Flights & couldn’t get into it; the Books of Jacob got dazzling reviews but it’s a monster read & I haven’t been ready to make that kind of commitment.

I read it some time ago and couldn’t have told you who wrote it, although I was enthralled by the book. Before I’d finished it, I came out of the dry cleaners one day & to my surprise, the novel was being discussed on the car radio. I was stunned moments later to learn its author won the Nobel.

Had someone told me I’d be completely absorbed by a novel about video game designers, I would’ve been skeptical, to put it mildly. That GZ was able to pull a total non-gamer like me (& millions like me) right into her book is a testament to her storytelling skills.

About damn time, not that they are likely to get anywhere.

What Joyce said.

Stay on their good side, I always say.

Good Lord, deliver us.

Joyce, I learned today that Flannery O’Connor was briefly famous as a child for teaching her pet chicken to walk backwards. A Pathe newsreel was made. O’Connor said it was the high point of her life. Just thought you should know in case you’re looking to change careers 😀