Comments on: “Lit” by Mary Karr http://www.girldetective.net/?p=5655 Reading, Writing, Movies and Mothering in Minneapolis, Mostly Mon, 11 May 2026 19:51:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: girldetective http://www.girldetective.net/?p=5655&cpage=1#comment-41126 girldetective Wed, 18 Jun 2014 12:48:53 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=5655#comment-41126 Jennifer! So good to hear from you! I have not read the DFW bio, nor the one by Lipsky that is getting movie-ized. They are on the long list, though. A group of friends just started making noise about doing an Infinite Jest group read, so I am online now, pre-yoga, pre-brekkie, to nerdishly obsess about that. From what I know of him, though, it's easy to imagine pity, but less attractive is the dislike, which jars with the portrayals of most people of him as a quiet, kind, social bumbler. Have you read Dry by Augusten Burroughs? Maybe I should do a tour of the sobriety memoirs. Jennifer! So good to hear from you! I have not read the DFW bio, nor the one by Lipsky that is getting movie-ized. They are on the long list, though. A group of friends just started making noise about doing an Infinite Jest group read, so I am online now, pre-yoga, pre-brekkie, to nerdishly obsess about that. From what I know of him, though, it’s easy to imagine pity, but less attractive is the dislike, which jars with the portrayals of most people of him as a quiet, kind, social bumbler.

Have you read Dry by Augusten Burroughs? Maybe I should do a tour of the sobriety memoirs.

]]> By: Jennifer Reese http://www.girldetective.net/?p=5655&cpage=1#comment-41114 Jennifer Reese Mon, 16 Jun 2014 16:20:13 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=5655#comment-41114 I loved this book. Stuck with me, too, even more than Liar's Club. I've retained all these harrowing images from it -- MK at faculty parties, MK huddled on the back steps of her house, her struggles with the issue of the higher power. (Cherry I barely remember.) I think Caroline Knapp's book was also excellent on the subject of women and alcohol. The movie Smashed -- horrifying and unforgettable. I still drink, but barely, which is a big change from 10 years ago. My sister has been reading Rosie Schaap's memoir, a book that holds no appeal for me. Alcohol and bars have lost all their romance. P.S. Have you read the DFW biography? I was fascinated, but ended up disliking and pitying him which was unfortunate. I look at his work differently now. I loved this book. Stuck with me, too, even more than Liar’s Club. I’ve retained all these harrowing images from it — MK at faculty parties, MK huddled on the back steps of her house, her struggles with the issue of the higher power. (Cherry I barely remember.)
I think Caroline Knapp’s book was also excellent on the subject of women and alcohol. The movie Smashed — horrifying and unforgettable.
I still drink, but barely, which is a big change from 10 years ago. My sister has been reading Rosie Schaap’s memoir, a book that holds no appeal for me. Alcohol and bars have lost all their romance.
P.S. Have you read the DFW biography? I was fascinated, but ended up disliking and pitying him which was unfortunate. I look at his work differently now.

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