tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post7273009137604611166..comments2023-12-24T17:41:42.989-08:00Comments on seraillon: Adolfo Bioy Casares and Silvina Ocampo: Where There's Love, There's Hate seraillonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-27867314440032502462015-08-09T13:05:47.394-07:002015-08-09T13:05:47.394-07:00The lavender oil is a good idea. That tea tree oil...The lavender oil is a good idea. That tea tree oil gets used without discrimination for <i>everything</i> in Northern California. I'm on the lemon-ginger tea, or will be if I ever come down from this caffeine high. seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-12125979638138709082015-08-08T00:12:37.846-07:002015-08-08T00:12:37.846-07:00Have you considered Scott, using lavender oil when...Have you considered Scott, using lavender oil when reading matter of fantastical import. It can help blur that border between reality and dream. Also, for detective novel, can I recommend something like lemon and ginger tea, to stimulate alertness without the unfortunate side effects of over indulging in coffee.Séamus Dugganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00574186409184247059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-5823258141881367792015-08-07T11:34:23.578-07:002015-08-07T11:34:23.578-07:00Many thanks, Richard! You can't be back alread...Many thanks, Richard! You can't be back already from your travels, I hope, so shut that computer, open a beer, and lie back down on the beach.<br /><br />Any reservations I might have are extremely minor; for what it is (and it is <i>not</i> a <i>roman à clef</i> unless I'm even more obtuse than both my narrator and Casares/Ocampo's), it's a bit of terrific fun. It would be a good thing, in fact, for you to have at the beach, if that's not already apparent from the setting.seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-78478254653536762412015-08-07T10:05:29.754-07:002015-08-07T10:05:29.754-07:00Terribly fun post for such a "slight," &...Terribly fun post for such a "slight," "125-page Agatha Christie-style pot-boiler" (or something)! I look forward to reading this someday despite any minor reservations you might have about it, but your review is so effervescent that you might have scared me off from ever writing about it as this post would be hard to top. Still, a potentially disguised but "clever <em>roman à clef</em>" set in Bioy Casares', Ocampo's, and Borges' Buenos Aires? You're speaking my language now, Scott!Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-7673748599703924342015-08-05T15:39:11.203-07:002015-08-05T15:39:11.203-07:00Thanks, Miguel! For me the key to enjoying this no...Thanks, Miguel! For me the key to enjoying this novel was the extreme unreliability of the narrator (if that's not obvious from my post). I did feel, when I began reading, that it reminded me of the casual short stories university friends and I would group-write to alleviate stress during exam time - and I wish the book had been a bit meatier as an exercise - but I grew to enjoy it a great deal. I found the atmosphere marvelous, but then again give me an isolated and empty winter coast and I feel right at home. seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-89451134172472545022015-08-05T14:59:11.094-07:002015-08-05T14:59:11.094-07:00I loved the style of this post, Scott! It was diff...I loved the style of this post, Scott! It was different, and funny.<br /><br />I didn't really care about the novel, though, when I read it a few years ago; you make it look very entertaining and mischievous, but I mostly remember an insipid and tedious read. I hope you're right and I'm wrong, and the novel really is better than what I felt.LMRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08538873868140070018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-66775204579005794072015-08-03T17:09:28.084-07:002015-08-03T17:09:28.084-07:00Thank you, Grant, and thanks too for your review, ...Thank you, Grant, and thanks too for your review, which helped push me along to this.<br /><br />I picked up one of the Casares/Borges collaborations, but haven't yet begun it. I love that in one of them the solving of all the crimes occurs while the sleuth is behind bars. seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-72832949155875570622015-08-03T17:07:24.528-07:002015-08-03T17:07:24.528-07:00Thanks, Bellezza. Yes, the only improvement I migh...Thanks, Bellezza. Yes, the only improvement I might make to the reading comforts is to be read aloud <i>to</i> while being fanned by palm fronds.seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-11755302784439059462015-08-03T09:10:53.336-07:002015-08-03T09:10:53.336-07:00What a wonderful review / impersonation - it broug...What a wonderful review / impersonation - it brought back all the fun of reading the book. (I enjoyed the opening so much I really wasn't that bothered whether you ever got to the story).<br />You make me wonder again what the stories Casares and Borges wrote together are like.1streadinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17546473277895842785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-70387349564014517282015-08-01T15:54:00.405-07:002015-08-01T15:54:00.405-07:00Of your whole review, of which tremendous enthusia...Of your whole review, of which tremendous enthusiasm reigns, my favorite part is the image of you with ginger-stem biscuits, tea-tree oiled temples, and a shawl from your Aunt Louisa on the divan. Surely a more perfect reading posture couldn't be better described.Bellezza https://www.blogger.com/profile/18073864187188953633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-6040599544274857982015-07-31T11:05:41.824-07:002015-07-31T11:05:41.824-07:00Thanks so much, Jacqui. Huberman is such a terrifi...Thanks so much, Jacqui. Huberman is such a terrific narrator; I'd wouldn't mind seeing a whole series of books with him as the bumbling non-detective still intent on imposing himself on every aspect of the investigation. And you're right - the atmosphere is fantastic. <br /><br />By the way, Aunt Louisa's shawl is real; that and the ginger-stem biscuits indeed figured in my reading of the book (the seven cups of coffee, I'm relieved to say, not so much). seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-70243976685615484502015-07-31T10:57:54.887-07:002015-07-31T10:57:54.887-07:00Thanks Brian. If only all "disappointing"...Thanks Brian. If only all "disappointing" books were this much fun. I almost enjoyed it as much the second time when going back through it to prepare the review. Borges' fingerprints are all over it; <i>he's</i> probably the real killer. seraillonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17654593356535433945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-76024005215797514132015-07-31T02:19:37.853-07:002015-07-31T02:19:37.853-07:00Love, love, love your review, Scott! Written in a ...Love, love, love your review, Scott! Written in a style that befits this wonderful novel (in fact, I'm beginning to think you are Humberto Huberman!). I especially enjoyed the description of you settling down to read with your coffee and ginger-stem biscuits, not to mention Aunt Louisa's shawl. <br /><br />The sandstorm scene is terrific, isn't it? So atmospheric and full of swirling imagery. And I loved the little touches like the fly-swatting typist and the sand seeping through the hotel windows. Intriguing comments about the possible representation of Borges - Miguel, eh? I can see I'm going to have to reread this novel at some stage. Fabulous post, Scott, really terrific stuff. Thanks for the link to mine. JacquiWinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16220597283351925721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2609668304633418767.post-81858003170932685332015-07-31T00:19:27.886-07:002015-07-31T00:19:27.886-07:00It is too bad that this was a disappointing. The l...It is too bad that this was a disappointing. The literary connections make it sound like the had so much potential. I do think one can write a great novel within the genre of mystery or a whole host of other categories.<br /><br />This was such an outstanding and entertaining post. I plan to emulate your reading preparations as close as possible and as soon as possible, right down to the seven cups of coffee.<br />Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.com