More Bad News For Americans

[Skibo]

... how will the affect Oprah's Book Club?

Oprah is the boil on America's ass. What a useless piece of flesh.

You wouldn't say that if she gave you a car.

[LIPH]

Oprah didn't give anybody a car, they were donated by GM. She got all the publicity but it didn't cost her a penny.

[Skibo]

details, details, details.

[rednekkPH]

I've belonged to a book group for almost 10 years and I have to say, I can count on one hand the number of Oprah books we've read.

You're supposed to read those books she recommends? I thought she recommended the ones she thought tasted best.

[rednekkPH]

Maybe the reason no one's reading is lack of quality material.

Exactly. There hasn't been a worthwhile book written since:

[green1]

Maybe the reason no one's reading is lack of quality material.

Exactly. There hasn't been a worthwhile book written since:

My little girl loves that book! It is a nightly read.

[rednekkPH]

Maybe the reason no one's reading is lack of quality material.

Exactly. There hasn't been a worthwhile book written since:

My little girl loves that book! It is a nightly read.

It was my favorite. I really need to find a copy for my little lad. I wonder if mine is still at my dad's place...

[Frank4]

Nobel literature head: US too insular to compete

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080930/ap_ ... .0y9MDW7oF

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Bad news for American writers hoping for a Nobel Prize next week: the top member of the award jury believes the United States is too insular and ignorant to compete with Europe when it comes to great writing.

Counters the head of the U.S. National Book Foundation: "Put him in touch with me, and I'll send him a reading list."

As the Swedish Academy enters final deliberations for this year's award, permanent secretary Horace Engdahl said it's no coincidence that most winners are European.

"Of course there is powerful literature in all big cultures, but you can't get away from the fact that Europe still is the center of the literary world ... not the United States," he told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview Tuesday.

Considering the relatively low percentage of Americans who read at all any more, he may have a point....

Well said, SGH. Maybe the reason no one's reading is lack of quality material.

I read books for a living. I have access to almost everything in print. It's hard to find something to review in a positive light. The quality of modern American literature is sketchy, at best ... I *tried* to read four books last week. I finished *0*. Two were on the best sellers list ... two were highly touted debut novels.

If a book has really lit you up, PM me with the title, please. I am desperate.

So you didn't like, "A Salty Piece of Land?"

I really enjoyed all of Jimmy's books but the rest of my group would skewer me if I suggested it. They tolerate my obsession with good humor but they draw the line at reading all his books.

That's really too bad, I love to read and never thought any of his books were bad