It's a Slippery Slope (bookray)
14 journalers for this copy...
Excellent. I'm reserving this for a bookray that I'm starting in tribute to Spalding Gray.
I'm sending this book out on a bookray. This is the list, in order, of the people on the ray:
wincey (that's me!)
labmomnm - New Mexico
pashmack - Florida
Emperor-Fool - Massachusetts
grover3d - West Virginia
allysther - Hawaii
tqd - Australia
fuji - Australia
murmurrr - Australia
katayoun - Iran
rslicer - Kansas
spaceystacey - New Jersey
bookczuk - South Carolina
danadoodle - New York
tavie - New York
ppagano - Florida
And then we'll see what happens (if the book holds up that long!)
wincey (that's me!)
labmomnm - New Mexico
pashmack - Florida
Emperor-Fool - Massachusetts
grover3d - West Virginia
allysther - Hawaii
tqd - Australia
fuji - Australia
murmurrr - Australia
katayoun - Iran
rslicer - Kansas
spaceystacey - New Jersey
bookczuk - South Carolina
danadoodle - New York
tavie - New York
ppagano - Florida
And then we'll see what happens (if the book holds up that long!)
Received from wincey.
4/1/04 update: started reading this on the bus this morning and it is really good, but strange to read - it sounds just like his monologues and I *swear* I can hear his voice. I'm going to have to see if I can find this on tape. Finished it on the way home (it is a quick read) - the last page just about broke my heart. Thanks, wincey, for sharing!
4/3/04 - mailed to pashmack
4/1/04 update: started reading this on the bus this morning and it is really good, but strange to read - it sounds just like his monologues and I *swear* I can hear his voice. I'm going to have to see if I can find this on tape. Finished it on the way home (it is a quick read) - the last page just about broke my heart. Thanks, wincey, for sharing!
4/3/04 - mailed to pashmack
Came in today's mail. I am really looking forward to reading this (although the anticipation is coupled with a bit of sadness). Thanks, labmomnm, for sending it, and thank you, wincey, for sharing your book with us.
Loved it. I agree, labmomnm - it was almost as if I could hear him delivering this as a monologue. So many great passages that show his wonderful psychological insight. I loved the way he described his bond with Ramona:
"There was also a very powerful unconscious attraction between us. We had a strong case of arrested development going on just under the surface of our adult appearance, where there were two children who had never been seen or, rather , had been seen by their respective parents and then gobbled up. Now the sad remains of these children hung out inside our adult bodies like frightened kids peeking through leaves." (p. 48)
Yeah, the last page was quite moving....
Thank you, wincey. Tomorrow it heads north to Emperor-Fool.
"There was also a very powerful unconscious attraction between us. We had a strong case of arrested development going on just under the surface of our adult appearance, where there were two children who had never been seen or, rather , had been seen by their respective parents and then gobbled up. Now the sad remains of these children hung out inside our adult bodies like frightened kids peeking through leaves." (p. 48)
Yeah, the last page was quite moving....
Thank you, wincey. Tomorrow it heads north to Emperor-Fool.
4/17/04--Arrived in the mail (thanks, pashmack). I'm looking forward to reading it and will update this journal entry when I have done so.
4/22/04--I agree with labmomnm and pashmak: you can actually hear his voice in your head as you read. So sad to hear the impending tragedy, even though it was written years before he took his life. A compelling read.
Tomorrow, it's off to grover3d; I hope she enjoys it too.
4/22/04--I agree with labmomnm and pashmak: you can actually hear his voice in your head as you read. So sad to hear the impending tragedy, even though it was written years before he took his life. A compelling read.
Tomorrow, it's off to grover3d; I hope she enjoys it too.
I saw Spalding Gray in "concert" when in college and I've been fascinated by him ever since. It will be quite interesting and sad to read this book now, shortly after his suicide was discovered.
Thanks for sharing this book. I have a couple of ring/ray books in front of it, but I'll read quickly!
Thanks for sharing this book. I have a couple of ring/ray books in front of it, but I'll read quickly!
It was easy to imagine Spalding reading this, and very sad. This is the most personal of his monologues with which I'm familiar, touching on his infidelities and his suicidal tendencies. What a loss, and what a shame.
Thank you for sharing this!
DC# - 0303 2460 0000 0734 6367
Thank you for sharing this!
DC# - 0303 2460 0000 0734 6367
Bad timing for me, sorry. Just came home from vacation today. I will read this and have it on it's way by the end of the week.
How sad that you could see the self destruction all along. He was obviously loved, and there were aspects of life that he loved, but in the end, it just was not enough. So sad.
It is on it's wayto tqd.
It is on it's wayto tqd.
Turned up in the mail today, thanks allysther and wincey! (And it's got a gorgeous postcard of a turtle tucked into it, especially chosen for a toddler! Shame I just put the Smallish One to bed, but tomorrow morning I shall show it to him, and see if he can't learn a word that isn't "car", "truck", "shoe" or "bear".)
I've never read Spalding Gray or seen any of his monologues before. I just know of him through Neil Gaiman's web journal (www.neilgaiman.com/journal/journal.asp). And Neil Gaiman's always recommended good authors through there.
What a great read. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable watching one of his monologues, however. Too emotionally raw, I wouldn't know where to look! And knowing that he committed suicide recently gave everything a very emotionally painful tone for me. (But catharis is good.)
I was curious about his comments about the performance Spalding Gray & Ramona and the real Spalding Gray & Ramona. And of course, since this was written by the "performing" Spalding Gray, I wondered just how true it was. (Obviously true enough.)
I haven't skied for years, but loved it when I did. It was great to read about it.
And it's onto fuji next!
What a great read. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable watching one of his monologues, however. Too emotionally raw, I wouldn't know where to look! And knowing that he committed suicide recently gave everything a very emotionally painful tone for me. (But catharis is good.)
I was curious about his comments about the performance Spalding Gray & Ramona and the real Spalding Gray & Ramona. And of course, since this was written by the "performing" Spalding Gray, I wondered just how true it was. (Obviously true enough.)
I haven't skied for years, but loved it when I did. It was great to read about it.
And it's onto fuji next!
Missed fuji at meetup on Tuesday night, so popped in the mail this afternoon.
Apologies to all members of this ring for my late journal entry!
I'll read it soon and send it on - I was very sad to hear of Spalding's death.
Thanks to all for getting this book to me,
f
I'll read it soon and send it on - I was very sad to hear of Spalding's death.
Thanks to all for getting this book to me,
f
I've always had a bit of a crush on Spalding.
His monologues ring true for me because unfortunately I can relate to some of his more disturbing attitudes to life. I see myself in his feeling that life often overwhelms him to the point of his being unable to cope and he just freezes up and runs or hides.
I also live with too many regrets, although thankfully I'm not suicidal as a result.
I enjoyed the usual fast pace of this monologue - no doubt it spilled out on the page just as he thought it. I've PMed murmurrr for a mailing address.
RIP Spald.
f
His monologues ring true for me because unfortunately I can relate to some of his more disturbing attitudes to life. I see myself in his feeling that life often overwhelms him to the point of his being unable to cope and he just freezes up and runs or hides.
I also live with too many regrets, although thankfully I'm not suicidal as a result.
I enjoyed the usual fast pace of this monologue - no doubt it spilled out on the page just as he thought it. I've PMed murmurrr for a mailing address.
RIP Spald.
f
Journal Entry 16 by curdsandwhey from Perth City, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, October 14, 2004
Arrived safe and sound will keep you posted on my progress. :^)
Journal Entry 17 by curdsandwhey from Perth City, Western Australia Australia on Tuesday, December 7, 2004
Thankyou so much for sending this bookray out wincey. What an amazing experience! I loved the urgency of his writing and the way it hurtles you through to the end, unable to put the book down. Very resonant.
Pming for the next address.
Pming for the next address.
Released on Tuesday, December 28, 2004 at about 1:00:00 PM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Australia Post in Kalamunda, Western Australia Controlled Releases.
RELEASE NOTES:
Absolutely enjoyed both of the books on this ring immensely! Thankyou so much for sharing! Both are wending their way to the next lucky reader. :^)
RELEASE NOTES:
Absolutely enjoyed both of the books on this ring immensely! Thankyou so much for sharing! Both are wending their way to the next lucky reader. :^)
here, thanks! got 2 book before these, so will probably start these next week.
ok, sorry for the delay in journal entries, had time to update the status in profile but was very busy these past weeks, am going to just scribble a note and run again. will be back next week to mail and journal properly, promise. this one's read and i think i'll browse through the other book, since i didn't know spalding gray before this it might not have been the reason i didn't find the books as interesting as the rest of the people...and you are wondering if THIS is a scribble and run thing, what she'll do when she starts talking... you don't wanna know. thanks and both books will be mailed next week, tuesday probably, since this week sat and sun are holidays.
mailed today to Bountifulpots and should be there in a month, give or take a week and with the usual safe travel wishes and touching of wood!!
Got this in a ray, will journal again once I've read it.
Received in today's post along with the other Spalding Gray book. I will have to journal that one later as it is still in the car.
Read today while at the beach. I found this gentleman's books to be hysterical. I laughed outloud over and over again.
Gotta love the Road Runner reference.
Read today while at the beach. I found this gentleman's books to be hysterical. I laughed outloud over and over again.
Gotta love the Road Runner reference.
Perfect timing for this little book to arrive! I have a relativly clean slate in terms of my must read list and can start this immediately. Thank you for sending it on, spaceystacey, and to all the rest of you, including ring organizer (or would that be ring-leader???) wincey, I am waiting to read your journal entries till I am done. Now...on to the slippery slope!Pictured: Local Charleston Garden
Ok- here's the deal. this book left me incredibly sad. In fact, despite the humorous moments and interesting way of recounting his life in a monologue, I still was sad through most of the book. I can appreciate dark humor with the best of 'em, but this just wasn't the time for me, I guess. LAst week, while boyczuk and I were driving home, we were stuck on one of the bridges here as the police, unsuccessfully, tried to talk a jumper down. She survived the plunge, but is obviuosly undergoing some intensive psyco-care right now. So, knowing that Gray offed himself in a river was just a bit too close to home, literally.I'm glad I read this book though, and am very grateful for the chance to be in this ray.
HAve PM'd Danadoodle for her addy, and await hearing from her. Will send along shortly!
May 28- SEnding today!
Pictured: Cool comfort on a Charleston porch. Great place to read.
thank you, bookczuk! got spalding safely over the weekend, and will start him on the read.
i'm sorry to hear of bookczuk's RL experience as it coincided with the book. its tragic to lose someone of such narrative talent. by his work and observations he seemed very self-aware, and was able to be quite humorous in his storytelling to off-set the sadness.
passed on to tavie.
i'm sorry to hear of bookczuk's RL experience as it coincided with the book. its tragic to lose someone of such narrative talent. by his work and observations he seemed very self-aware, and was able to be quite humorous in his storytelling to off-set the sadness.
passed on to tavie.
