Kill the Book (Club)?

Only five readers participated in our recent LROD book club meeting of Darin Strauss's More Than It Hurts You.  Somehow, given the big flurry over Strauss, I had expected more people would show up with comments.   The Insect Cabinet wants to know what is next for the book club.  I don't know.  It seems like a lot of press for the book, which is nice, but it seems like interest is kind of low.  I could go either way.  What do you think: Should we kill the book club, or keep it going?

MORE THAN IT HURTS YOU Book Club Discussion

Welcome to the first-ever LROD book club.  As you know, we are discussing More Than It Hurts You by Darin Strauss because some of the LROD mice unfairly criticized the man without having read his book, a fact pointed out by Darin himself who was kind enough to show us our errant ways. 

I will start the discussion today with a few of my own thoughts on the book, which ultimately won me over.  When Strauss is at his most relaxed writing, he creates a very compelling story. However, in this particular book, it seems to take him quite a while before he hit his stride.  In fact, during the early part of the novel, Strauss seems overly  self-conscious, his writing a bit artificial, at times even smirky.  For me, More Than It Hurts You did not actually take off until about page 96, which is, alas, a long way to go.  

What happens in the first 95 pages is a lot of posturing and trying to settle in, a bit of searching, which can lead to some graceless and unconvincing sentences: "She was prim as Popeye's Olive Oyle, with the same shapeless frankfurter torso;" and "She fired a huff from the cannon of her nose." Phrases like "raising a Clooney eyebrow" and "a tantrum-repelling calm" really clog up the works.  

A better editor would have served this author well by going through and cutting everything inside the ubiquitous parentheses because they work to slow down the pace of the novel and reveal the author's unsubtle hand.  Clever asides, such as the ones found in More Than It Hurts You, tend to suggest a smirking attitude toward the characters, or the novel, or even the fact that fiction is an artifice--never a good idea.  

Finally, in the criticism column, the prison-release bus chapter, where Muhammad, our doctor/hero's father, gets out of jail, is something of a train wreck in terms of tone and overwriting.  Here Strauss needs the lightest of light touches, but he seems to go at the scene with a pick axe and shovel.

All that said, Strauss does get the marriage of the Goldin's just right.  He tackles complex issues with a delicate balance, and convincingly renders parental feelings during a crisis.  By page 97, I was totally in for the ride, especially won over by the author's efficient portrayal of his female characters: Dr. Darlene Stokes and Dori Goldin, who is, let's face it, a difficult character to nail. (I have a very minor character in my novel with a similar penchant for munchausen, though my character's reasons are very different. Still: I know first hand that it's not easy.)  For me, everything about Dori Goldin seems exactly right on the mark, and happily the narrative satisfies her story completely.

Strauss handles the ending quite masterfully, I thought, by following the startling legal decision with an emotionally keen conclusion for Dr. Stokes and Josh Goldin and finally the Goldin marriage, that seems just right.  

By the last page, I was genuinely impressed.

In my humble opinion, if Strauss can pull back a bit on the overwriting, he can avoid the sentences that get in the way of what he does best, which is unfolding a complex, interesting story about human emotions that are put to the test.

So, that is my two cents.  Now let's hear what the mice have to say.  In your opinion, how successful was Strauss' book? What were his strengths? What were his weaknesses?  Has your opinion of his success as a celebrated author changed in any way?  Has he earned the confident smile from his author photo?

In The Woods Until 9/15

Writer, Rejected's Personal Secretary here:

WR has gone off to the woods to write. There is no easy internet access in the wild. LROD will resume normal programming on September 15th, coincidentally the date of the LROD Book Club. 

We are reading More Than It Hurts You, by Darin Strauss. 

Until then, Cheerio. 

Get Reading, People

Don't forget! Only 12 more days:

September 15, 2008
LROD's first-ever BOOK CLUB
We will be discussing More Than It Hurts You by Darin Strauss

One Month to First Meeting of LROD BOOK CLUB

Don't miss out on this historic online event:*

September 15, 2008

LROD's first-ever BOOK CLUB

We will be discussing More Than It Hurts You by Darin Strauss

You have exactly one month to prepare.  I read my version on the beach.

Tip: Stick with the book over the bumpy beginning; it gets good later on.  It's definitely full-dress fiction, folks, so go on and force your way in, wearing a tux if you dare.

*Not really, but it sounded good.

First Ever Meeting of the LROD Writer's Book Club: September 15, 2008

I went out this weekend and bought my copy of More Than It Hurts You by Darin Strauss.  

I will admit that I haven't bought a hardback book in ages. The last time was Joshua Ferris's And Then We Came to The End, which I also recommend; it is hilarious and touching. If you've ever worked in an office, you'll love it.  A friend and I bonded together and had an anti-American Idol Book Club; Ferris's book was our first and favorite pick.  (FYI: there's grumblings at my house about pitching in to buy me a Kindle for my birthday, which would mean no more books at all (except for very special ones, but cheaper downloads....good lordy.  My birthday's not until August, so there's time to ponder the meaning of all that.)  

Anyway, once I got to the bookstore, I couldn't remember the name of Strauss's book, which I think is a bit of a problem with these sentence-like titles.  I recently read and LOVED Miranda July's completely insane and ingenious collection of stories entitled No One Belongs Here More Than You, but also can never remember the title without looking it up.  I've recommended it to everyone I bump into, but without the title, it's a little difficult.

I had a funny conversation with the dude at my local bookstore about these titles.  We decided that in our head these titles simply translate into: What the Hell is the Name of This Book, which is definitely what I'm going to title my second novel (if someone doesn't steal it first and if the first novel doesn't kill me first).

Okay, so anyway, not to ramble.  

INVITATION: You are cordially invited to the first LROD Online Book Club on Monday, September 15th.  That should give you plenty of time to get your copy (beg, borrow, buy, steal, or check out from the library) in order for our beautiful and thoughtful discussion on More Than It Hurts You by Darin Strauss.  Please dress for the occasion and bring a virtual potluck dish to pass.

If it works out, we can make it a habit.  Anyone wishing to nominate a book, can email me, and I'll keep a running list.  Book publishers wishing to contact me, can reach me at writerrejected at aol dot com.  (I've always wanted to say that.)

Also, other bloggers: please publicize this book club on your blog if you are in the mood.  I'd like to get as many writing readers as we can in on it, so we can have an informed debate on the merit Mr. Strauss's work once and for all.