Leafing through a heavy volume of Complete Book Covers from "The New Yorker" 1925-1989, I was immediately fond of several of them. The book weighs more than most, and like many worthwhile art books, it is large, awkward, and hard to shelve. Nonetheless, here are some covers (all pre-1940) which caught my eye.
I have to come clean about something to you, my Readers, something which I have concealed for years. I am now ready to admit it: I hated the book The Great Gatsby. I was never enormous on Fitzgerald to begin with, but this one is at the bottom. The characters are unlikable and the story requires trudging to get through. I can see why it resonates with many thematically (and I mean that in the rudest possible way), but I just don't get it. It was required reading when I was young and in school, and when I reread it in college and then again a few months ago, my opinion has not changed. The Men's Style blogosphere is still in love with it, but it's a terrible book.
While I'm on the subject, after endless prodding by friends, the Mrs. and I watched Downton Abbey (on a laptop). Again, I didn't see the appeal. It's a boring PBS soap opera with all the predictably of a children's book. "But the scenery and costumes are soooo beautiful" they say. Maybe true, but I needed more after the eight minute mark. It never delivered. My wife's review was more succinct: "Ugh. This is why we don't watch television".
Pleasant Scandal.
Beautiful Evening.
Ugly seas.
The race committee starting gun.
The dweeb.
Veto power.
I can relate to this.
This one I like in particular. I come from a long line of men who were lucky enough to marry VERY patient women.
I have to come clean about something to you, my Readers, something which I have concealed for years. I am now ready to admit it: I hated the book The Great Gatsby. I was never enormous on Fitzgerald to begin with, but this one is at the bottom. The characters are unlikable and the story requires trudging to get through. I can see why it resonates with many thematically (and I mean that in the rudest possible way), but I just don't get it. It was required reading when I was young and in school, and when I reread it in college and then again a few months ago, my opinion has not changed. The Men's Style blogosphere is still in love with it, but it's a terrible book.
While I'm on the subject, after endless prodding by friends, the Mrs. and I watched Downton Abbey (on a laptop). Again, I didn't see the appeal. It's a boring PBS soap opera with all the predictably of a children's book. "But the scenery and costumes are soooo beautiful" they say. Maybe true, but I needed more after the eight minute mark. It never delivered. My wife's review was more succinct: "Ugh. This is why we don't watch television".
