[Shaun]

have just given up with two books. Firstly, 'Tender is the Night'... it starts off brilliantly and is very interesting, but as soon as the Rosemary angle is sidelined it just becomes so dull. Every detail is overwrought and it's basically the blueprints to a sensationalist soap opera with no real points to make other than "rich people have problems too". No solutions offered. So thumbs down for me.

Even worse though was Chuck Palahnuik's "Choke". He really should release 'Misanthropy for Dummies'. This was the most facile, predictable, corny and pathetic piece of self-indulgent smugness I have ever read and I'm really not sure why I'm surprised when he's behind the nihilistic whinge-machine that is Fight Club. I totally relate to the misanthropy but at least do it in an interesting manner, not some sardonic little literary devices. Oooh, watch as I repeat the same catchphrase over and over to emphasise my frustration with all the subtlety of a pick-axe. Marvel as I insert cool words like 'dude' and curse excessively to try and appear like an everyman when really I'm a wealthy author selling myself short.

Just a total ****ing arsehole.

have got On The Road by Kerouac to read though