I Finished It--But Was It Worth It?????????????????????????

                                                    I am about to violate my New Year's Resolution.  Which was to clean out my vertical bookshelves by reading what remains on them, some of which have been sitting there for years.  Many are NYRB Classics.  This recent read was helped by listening to book bloggers like Chris Via, and this guy named Russell on Ink and Paper Blog.  Chris is the real thing, and serious; Russell is more down to earth and fun.

                                                    And, after reading "Abel And Cain," fun is what I am looking for.  Now, let me tell you, yes, it was worth reading, but, at half the length, I did not find it as enjoyable as Uwe Johnson's blockbuster "Anniversaries," which had more going for it, like a cohesive narrative, and did not wander all over the place with references as disparate as Little Red Riding Hood and "Better Homes And Gardens," not to mention philosophical and rhetorical posturing, some written as monologues and letters, and all centered around two brothers whose lives are both dissatisfying.

                                                       Did this book need to be this long?  Not at all!  But it was good enough that I did not put down, even though I have put down shorter works; most recently, Richard Powers' "The Overstory."

                                                        Not only do I need fun for mental palate cleansing, but David is having prostate surgery on Wednesday, so nothing too heavy in content, until afterward.

                                                           Any suggestions, darlings???????????????