Monday, November 06, 2006

 

Susan's Book Talk: Fat Kid Rules the World

I've been suffering under the delusion that Trevor's a true original. But then Karen! sent me a book that totally left me exhilarated at how good it is, and at the same time, left me deflated as to how close to Trevor the character of Curt was drawn. This isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Rather, I think it says a lot about the people who are drawn to music, and drawn to making it (although for Trevor, making music is by and large, a means to an end). And author KL Going's descriptions of the inside of The Dump, her fictional club, invoked both memories of CBGB's and other backstages I've been in. Totally real, totally vivid.

Anyway, the name of the book is Fat Kid Rules the World, and you can buy it, but it looks like only used. (Here's a link.) Scour your used bookshops for it.

This one's a keeper.

Look for me to be picking up lots of copies whenever I can, and maybe giving them as prizes down the road.

I wish award-winning books were more like this one (which won plenty of awards) and less snooty, but that's just me and I've always preferred more accesible literature.

Ya know, sort of like I write.

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# posted by Susan Helene Gottfried @ 7:59 AM
Comments:
I am SO glad you liked 'Fat Kid'... especially b/c it means that I continue to have amazing picking-books-out-for-people skills :D

There's nothing like a really fabulous journal entry or blog post like this to brighten a bleak Monday morning
# posted by Blogger karen! : November 06, 2006 9:31 AM
 
Like I keep saying, Curt is a more extreme version of Trevor. He's less in control; that's one of the things I like so much about Trev. He keeps control.

Anyway, I LOVED the book. You can send me more anytime (especially 'cause I've got some from your wishlist here that I've got earmarked for you...)!!!

HUGE thanks for sending that my way.
# posted by Blogger Susan Helene Gottfried : November 06, 2006 11:09 AM
 
Ack, I hate most award winning books. They're so stuck up and ... grr. The worst book I ever read, barring Dan Brown, was the only 'award winning' book I ever read. It was so very much beyond cliche, that my mouth was hanging open in horror by the end.

It now has pride of place on my bookshelf, to remind me that I'm a thousand times better than that guy. :D
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : November 06, 2006 7:47 PM
 
I need to stop reading book blogs. My wish list is growing heavier than my TBR stack, and that's no small feat! *laugh*
# posted by Blogger Candy : November 06, 2006 8:03 PM
 
ls, I SO hear you. I brag about having two degrees in English -- without having read most of the classics. Chaucer? Forget it. Hemingway? Never.

Now, I just run whenever I see "Winner of the ... prize."

But if other Prinz award winners are this good... I'll be there! YA is such a different creature, I can see the rules for award-winning books being different.

Oh, and Candy, if you want, I'll send you this copy! I ordered one tonight at the Mystery Lovers' Bookshop (see my link in the sidebar -- and use it! Mary Alice's wish for Christmas is a great holiday season)
# posted by Blogger Susan Helene Gottfried : November 06, 2006 10:31 PM
 
I see some resemblance but not much. I'm not much into YA books. Except Harry Potter and Georgia Nicolson books.
It may be I need to check this book out. ;)
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : November 06, 2006 10:58 PM
 
I can send it to you instead of Candy, since she's not answering my offer to send it to her... (anyone seen our intrepid accountant-type?)

I had sworn off YA, too, but let me tell you, this was an exception to that. I still think I might need to buy a second copy, but I'm not really sure why. One for you and one for Candy?
# posted by Blogger Susan Helene Gottfried : November 07, 2006 7:54 AM
 
I still read quite a bit of YA stuff... some of it is fabulous, but a lot of it is mediocre.
# posted by Blogger karen! : November 07, 2006 1:13 PM
 
I'll like a copy if that isn't too much trouble for you. :kiss:
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : November 07, 2006 1:40 PM
 
You got it, Cheeze! Candy snoozed and loozed. :D

And yeah, Karen, the mediocre stuff is there, just as it is on every other bookshelf (except mine. I don't keep the mediocre stuff! Thank God for BookCrossing!). Mediocre isn't confined to genre.

Too bad it's out there at all, but every now and then, I remind myself that some mediocrity is a matter of taste. Probably bad taste, but you can't win 'em all. ;)
# posted by Blogger Susan Helene Gottfried : November 07, 2006 4:16 PM
 
LOL! You always have such lovely little tidbits. :)
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : November 09, 2006 8:00 PM
 
Thanks, Rash!

I actually have more about KL Going, but it deserves a post of its own. Stay tuned; I'd like to do it before my next Working Stiffs shameless plug!
# posted by Blogger Susan Helene Gottfried : November 09, 2006 10:11 PM
 
Just ordered a used copy for myself....and hopefully my kids will one day pick it up too (for the language, I hope it is a few years till they read it)
# posted by Blogger Penina : November 12, 2006 8:09 PM
 
Oh, not just the language, babe. No rush for them to read it.

KL has a pretty nice forum, too, if you're so inclined once you finish reading.
# posted by Blogger Susan Helene Gottfried : November 12, 2006 8:10 PM
 
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