At the risk of being one of the men who is reminded of and recommends DFW in response to pretty much anything, I'm reminded of and recommend DFW's essay "How Tracy Austin Broke My Heart" for more on the frustrating, inarticulate dream state of high-end athleticism.
Hey, I like to think we're safe to talk about DFW again. I remember that essay, although it's been a while — it does seem fascinating and frustrating that this is one human experience that resists language.
Ahh now I want to read this. I've been following your mid-life crisis in suburbia binge, may I recommend Julian Barnes' The Sense of an Ending? He's so brilliant on how life incrementally becomes what you didn't really hope for -- how you settle in to a life, and possibilities narrow down. Also, one of the stories in Zadie Smith's Grand Union, 'Miss Adele Amidst the Corsets'.
Glad this one caught your interest! The Barnes I read this year, and thought it was very astute about both those incremental changes but also how we lie to ourselves about what kind of people we are and were. I haven't read the Zadie Smith story; I'll look for it.
At the risk of being one of the men who is reminded of and recommends DFW in response to pretty much anything, I'm reminded of and recommend DFW's essay "How Tracy Austin Broke My Heart" for more on the frustrating, inarticulate dream state of high-end athleticism.
Hey, I like to think we're safe to talk about DFW again. I remember that essay, although it's been a while — it does seem fascinating and frustrating that this is one human experience that resists language.
Ahh now I want to read this. I've been following your mid-life crisis in suburbia binge, may I recommend Julian Barnes' The Sense of an Ending? He's so brilliant on how life incrementally becomes what you didn't really hope for -- how you settle in to a life, and possibilities narrow down. Also, one of the stories in Zadie Smith's Grand Union, 'Miss Adele Amidst the Corsets'.
Glad this one caught your interest! The Barnes I read this year, and thought it was very astute about both those incremental changes but also how we lie to ourselves about what kind of people we are and were. I haven't read the Zadie Smith story; I'll look for it.