Kiss & Tell
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
3 journalers for this copy...
My copy of this book has a different cover.
From Publishers Weekly
"Dental work on," "first kiss" and "new hairstyle" can all be found under the index entries for Isabel Rogers, the charming, unsuspecting subject of this diverting fictional biography. De Botton plays a nimble game, through the eyes and idiosyncrasies of his smart, pretentious narrator. Looking for an opportunity to explore the nature of biography without being overshadowed by his subject, the narrator attaches himself to a woman he thinks will be mundane enough to be fully mastered. To play off the appealing if thoroughly normal Isabel, de Botton (The Romantic Movement) makes his narrator as fastidious as any of Nicholson Baker's and as smarmily self-absorbed as one of Martin Amis's. But the ordinary details of Isabel's ordinary life?she is 28, a production assistant in London?prove more than enough to handle, and the narrator, who likes to quote Dr. Johnson and Richard Ellman, finds that the high-brow rigors of formal biography have to make concessions to the unruliness of lived life. Inevitably in this comic relationship, the narrator digresses too often, experimenting with handwriting analysis, palmistry and psychiatric questionnaires before he realizes that he is missing a very different kind of understanding of Isabel. Deftly, de Botton manages to flesh out the character of Isabel within the parameters of what is?in every sense?his narrator's pseudo-intellectual conceit. In the manner of Carol Shield's The Stone Diaries, photos of "Isabel" and her family add a droll touch.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312155611/103-4460128-9123067?v=glance&n=283155
From Publishers Weekly
"Dental work on," "first kiss" and "new hairstyle" can all be found under the index entries for Isabel Rogers, the charming, unsuspecting subject of this diverting fictional biography. De Botton plays a nimble game, through the eyes and idiosyncrasies of his smart, pretentious narrator. Looking for an opportunity to explore the nature of biography without being overshadowed by his subject, the narrator attaches himself to a woman he thinks will be mundane enough to be fully mastered. To play off the appealing if thoroughly normal Isabel, de Botton (The Romantic Movement) makes his narrator as fastidious as any of Nicholson Baker's and as smarmily self-absorbed as one of Martin Amis's. But the ordinary details of Isabel's ordinary life?she is 28, a production assistant in London?prove more than enough to handle, and the narrator, who likes to quote Dr. Johnson and Richard Ellman, finds that the high-brow rigors of formal biography have to make concessions to the unruliness of lived life. Inevitably in this comic relationship, the narrator digresses too often, experimenting with handwriting analysis, palmistry and psychiatric questionnaires before he realizes that he is missing a very different kind of understanding of Isabel. Deftly, de Botton manages to flesh out the character of Isabel within the parameters of what is?in every sense?his narrator's pseudo-intellectual conceit. In the manner of Carol Shield's The Stone Diaries, photos of "Isabel" and her family add a droll touch.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312155611/103-4460128-9123067?v=glance&n=283155
Part of a wonderful looking BallySwappers package. Thanks so much for thinking of me! The books look wonderful.
Well, this looked interesting but it's just not my cup of tea. I got about 80 pages in and I had to give up.
The parts about Isabel were enjoyable, but I got fed up with the ADD of the narrator. The narrator was too conceited, jumped around far too often, and tried to sound too smart & important. The biography part was fun, the "writing of the biography" parts were not.
The parts about Isabel were enjoyable, but I got fed up with the ADD of the narrator. The narrator was too conceited, jumped around far too often, and tried to sound too smart & important. The biography part was fun, the "writing of the biography" parts were not.
Journal Entry 4 by gothamgal at Main Library In Downtown Akron in Akron, Ohio USA on Thursday, February 5, 2009
Released 15 yrs ago (2/7/2009 UTC) at Main Library In Downtown Akron in Akron, Ohio USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Family Reading Festival time!!!
This book was a part of the RCBP's 1000 book release challenge at the 2009 Family Reading Festival. By picking up this book and coming to the site, you are making Akron history!!!!
Family Reading Festival time!!!
This book was a part of the RCBP's 1000 book release challenge at the 2009 Family Reading Festival. By picking up this book and coming to the site, you are making Akron history!!!!
