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Member: jasonpettus

CollectionsYour library (201)

Reviews199 reviews — see reviews

Tags21stcentury (20), 21c (20), great (11), funny (9), humor (8), topten (8), dark (6), 20thcentury (6), fiction (6), 20c (6) — see all tags

Cloudstag cloud, author cloud

GroupsBooks Compared

Favorite authorsKirsten Bakis, Douglas Coupland, E. E. Cummings, Bret Easton Ellis, Michel Houellebecq, Jack Kerouac, Kristin McCloy, Henry Miller, Haruki Murakami, David Sedaris, Michelle Tea, David Foster Wallace, Chris Ware, D. B. Weiss, P. G. Wodehouse, Banana Yoshimoto (Shared favorites)

Favorite bookstoresChicago Comics, Myopic Books, Prairie Avenue Bookshop, Quimby's Bookstore, Shake, Rattle, & Read Book Box, The Book Cellar, Unabridged Bookstore

Favorite librariesChicago Public Library - Edgewater Branch, Chicago Public Library - Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago Public Library - Lincoln Belmont Branch, Chicago Public Library - Merlo Branch, Chicago Public Library - Sulzer Regional Library, Chicago Public Library - Uptown Branch, Newberry Library

Other favoritesChicago Cultural Center, Printers Row Book Fair

About meI'm the owner of the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography (cclapcenter.com), as well as a former novelist and travel writer. Yes, CCLaP is accepting submissions! Drop me a line to learn more.

About my libraryI am actively seeking recommendations on contemporary novels and authors, especially ones who tour and are seeking extra publicity for their projects. I have a free account, so the 200 books I'm allowed to list reflect merely the best-rated titles I've read over the last couple of years.

Homepagehttp://www.cclapcenter.com

Also onAIM, Bloglines, deviantART, Flickr, LinkedIn, MSN Messenger, Skype, Vox, YouTube

Membership LibraryThing Early Reviewers/Member Giveaway

Real nameJason Pettus

LocationChicago

Emaililikejasongmail.com

Account typepublic, free

Connection NewsConnection News

URLs http://www.librarything.com/profile/jasonpettus (profile)
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/jasonpettus (library)

Common KnowledgeSeries (21), Awards (135), Characters (698), Places (206)

Member sinceMay 3, 2007

Leave a comment

Pettus,

Tight reviews! They are really helping me delve more into literature; that's was' up. Also, CCLaP is legit. Will you be reviewing any of Bret Easton Ellis's novels?
A recommendation: Just finished Chandler Burr's You or Someone Like You. First novel by NYT's perfume writer. An insider view of Hollywood elite, mixed marriages and an intelligent Hollywood book discussion group (oh, and homosexuality). I loved it. Don't know if he'll tour.
Uh, yes indeedy, I do believe I'll be dropping by the CCLaP for part two tomorrow. Wow!
Regarding Heart of Darkness (good review, by the way), if you haven't read "King Leopold's Ghost" by Hochschild, you might be interested in knowing just how much of the Conrad book was based on actual people and events. The true story is harrowing and fascinating.

Regards
Hi Jason,

Greatly enjoyed your HOD review. I happened to see Apocalypse Now long before I'd ever even heard of (much less read) HOD (watched it several times in fact); and when I finally got around to reading HOD I experienced a bout of deja vu (thinking, have I already read this before? it's so familiar!) and of course, later, happening upon some criticism on the subject, finally made the obvious connection. You are so right that Apocalypse Now - a great, great movie in its own right - is nonetheless a rip off. Why didn't Coppola just title it Heart of Darkness? - and then there goes the rip off criticism in a flash. It's a great movie no matter what he titled it. And Heart of Darkness, in my book, is a superior title too.

Great review (as usual)
Best,
Brent
I read your one of your book reviews when I was doing some work at the library for a patron. Your book project sounds interesting. I haven't had a chance to look at the website yet, but plan to soon.
Just read your review of Running with Scissors, which I am reading now only because I want to make a good-faith effort to read it before I give it away. Bravo! I'm 50 pages in and I think I hate this book. I wish I could give your review 100 thumbs-ups.

--Kris
Hello Jason,

Do you have a list of the classics you will be reviewing? Can I find it on your website? I have enjoyed all of your reviews so far. I even enjoyed your review of "Just a Geek" and will be looking for a copy. Caroline
I've been enjoying reading through your reviews for the past couple of days. You gave a positive review to one of my favorites: The Solitudes by John Crowley, and I've just now posted a review of his newest work Four Freedoms, which I got through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program. I strongly agree with your take on "academic genre" v. "literary" fiction, and although Crowley has a history as a genre author (World Fantasy Award winner even), he is now convincingly established as a "literary" author. The AEgypt cycle certainly exhibits some of the academic genre traits that you've inventoried, but Four Freedoms is surprisingly free of them, despite being even farther from his early SF and fantasy work. There's a wee bit of metafiction, but not in the quantity nor the cleverness you (but not I) found distasteful in The Solitudes. Having read AEgypt over the course of two decades as the books came out, I can vouch that a long breather between them doesn't damage the experience, and I'd encourage you to make Four Freedoms your next Crowley read.
Your review of Mme Bovary makes me want to go read it again. I read it at age 13 or so and hated it. Obviously I need to give it another chance now that I'm a grownup. I am wasting time at work here reading some of your other reviews, particularly the negative ones, so felt I had to tell you how much I am enjoying them.
Enjoyed your review of Gulliver's Travels and admire what you're doing.
That's what I figured. Still enjoying your reviews!
I randomly stumbled upon your Gargoyle review and had to respond. Genius! The chocolate/throat image was almost too much for me as I happened to be drinking coffee while reading your review. Choke! Your review rocked! Thanks! Holly
I enjoyed your review of Northanger Abbey so much I bought a copy. Caroline
Ha ha ha!
I loved the Gargoyle, but your review was fantastic.
Great review of Austen as always. I still have yet to read anything by her, perhaps this year. Interesting choice for a first novel, and not one of the better known ones.

> "Let's not forget, before the late 1700s, full-length fictional stories barely even existed"

I believe the first English novel to be self-admittedly pure fiction is `Tom Jones` (1749). Prior to that there are novels of fiction, but they are presented as true stories (or as actual non-fiction) like `Robinson Crusoe`. I'm currently working my way through `Tom Jones` and Fielding starts each chapter with a section apologizing for and justifying fiction, saying he is creating a new artform (although really imitating `Don Quixote`). It's pretty interesting. Maybe you know this, I am just learning about it. Good time of year for old classics. Happy holidays!
Stephen
Ativan or Citalopram are helpful for post-Gargoyle-review reflux. LOL...sincerely! Wow. Won't be reading that book.
I read Portnoy's Complaint many years ago. Haven't eaten liver since.
Hi Jason,

You've only read one Phillip Roth novel?! Really!!?? Oh my, and you, literary critic, freely admit it? Well, far be it for me to be a hippo critter about it, truth be told I've read only one book of his too -- "American Pastoral" -- and my sense about it seems similar to your reaction in The Plot Against America: complex, profound, era-defining, disturbing, can't believe after reading it I haven't read more by this author before. When you do decide on another Roth read, hope you'll give AP some serious consideration; you won't be disappointed.
I recently finished A Farewell to Arms and was scanning some of the reviews when I ran across yours. I was blown away. Though our reading tastes don't exactly jive, I'm interested in your project of reading and critiquing "the classics". I am also trying to go back and read more classic literature and will certainly appreciate your take on some of the possibilities.
Hi Jason,

While reading your review of "The Faith Between Us" I thought of some our discussions on the Happy Heathens group in Talk part of LT. You might find it interesting.

Cheers,
d
I enjoyed this line in your latest review. Cheers, d

"Of course, as we've all learned over the course of this "CCLaP 100" essay series so far, although Victorian and Edwardian literature still continues to be legible and readable to modern eyes, that's a long way from being entertaining or simply not tedious; "
Hey there. I just finished reading Banana Yoshimoto's "Kitchen" and saw in your review how much you enjoy her writing. This is my first read of hers. Any suggestions where to go next? Carry on with the reviews. Cheers. -Theresa
Hey now, it's kind of too soon to be talking about this friend stuff, I mean I only made you an interesting library a few days ago. This all just too fast for me. ;)

Your review of "Tree of Smoke" caught my attention. I thought the review was wonderful and fun to read. I've enjoyed reading other of your reviews as well. I poked at CCLaP website... I really hope I can find more time to spend there.

Cheers,
d
Hi Jason,

I haven't talked for a while, but just letting you know that I have changed my user name from karenwardill to kiwidoc - in case you are womdering who that friend was on your list!

Hope all is well with you.

Cheers,

Karen
Liked your review of the Boy Detective book. I've even added the book to my wish list.
Hi Jason - Just wanted to let you know, in case you haven't seen, that LT now has a "green flag" system to flag unjustly given red or blue flags, so I quickly went through and green-flagged all your reviews that were red-flagged (flag, flag, flag....). I don't know what effect this will have, but I hope it goes towards removing the red ones. Always enjoy your reviews!
Fabulous review of Jezebel: The Untold Story of the Bible's Harlot Queen. I recently finished the book and agreed with many of your points, but you express them so much more eloquently than I do.
Hi Jason,

Thanks for the note. And many thanks for the post on CCLaP. It is Very Much appreciated.

Maybe we'll see you in April when we'll be discussing McCarthy's The Road!

Many thanks and stay well,
Dawn
Hi,

My name is Dawn and I am a librarian and the host of Toronto Public Library’s online book club: Book Buzz and a fellow LibraryThing member.

I stopped by your CCLaP site for the first time and got lost there for a while - thank-you! I particularly enjoyed the Paul Hockett picture - and his site's gallery. Again - thank-you.

This month at TPL we are reading Consolation, by Michael Redhill. I noticed that you include Consolation in your library and I enjoyed your thoughtful review of the book.

I’d just like to invite you to visit us and share your thoughts about Redhill’s book. It’s a friendly easy-going book club with over 500 members and we are always looking for new points of view.

We will also be hosting the author himself until the end February.
Post your questions for Michael Redhill and he will answer from his current home in France.

If you are interested, visit us at http://bookbuzz.torontopubliclibrary.ca .

Thank-you for your time,
Dawn
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/Book...
I missed your Zardoz review and the link at CCLaP doesn't seem to work. My take on The Maltese Falcon was a little different than yours (and a lot more stupid.)

http://knownunknowns.blogspot.com/2006/0...
Lovely screencaps in your 2001:aSPO review at CCLaP! Can't wait to read your take on Zardoz.
I've just read Houellebecq's work on H.P. Lovecraft and really agree with your review of it. Interesting to hear he's so unknown in the USA. If that ever changes I can't wait to hear how he goes down in middle America!

I'm based in London by the way and have read every misanthropic word he's written - that's been translated into English.

Cheers,
Paul
Thanks, Jason! I made the change in my bookcrossing entry for the book so it directs to the website. I appreciate you answering me back, and thanks for the info re the Lovecraft bio. I'm ordering it today!
Jason - thanks for asking to be friends - 'Shucks' that's nice.

Led me to your profile page and your reviews. Hilarous and controversial and hard hitting? Oh and great, too - even if I beg to differ wildly on some of them. We only share 13 books but then you have only 53 catalogued.

What have you written yourself?

Cheers, Karen
I saw you reviewed Me and Kev. Came over and I enjoyed reading your other reviews too. With your art world connections and Finley thing you would almost certainly like (maybe already have liked) Simon Black's Book of Frank. Another pretty unique book.

You might like Bruce Robinson's Peculiar Life of Thomas Penman. Also, Cold Dog Soup, by Stepehen Dobyns, is a unique book that doesn't get as much recognition as it deserves. James Gunn's Toy Collector is better, I think, than Lucky Wander Boy. Kung Fu High School by Ryan Gaddis and Battle Royale by Koushun Takami (especially Royale) are insane books.
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