"Better" is a book of many dimensions. The most compelling of which for me is the metaphorical aspect by which John explores his genetic predisposition to his addiction. I have written an essay detailing what's percolating between the lines of "Better" for the Los Angeles Times, which is slated to run on July 19, 2009. If anyone out there can obtain a hard copy of the article for me, I would very much appreciate it. Here's my address:
Erin O'Brien
P. O. Box 470167
Broadview Hts., OH 44147
In the meantime, for those looking for more on John, I offer some of my in-depth writing on my brother and his work and an associated blog entry with additional pictures and links.
Now here's pix of John and me at Universal Studios in June, 1986 taken by John's then-wife Lisa. We all laughed so hard on that trip. It feels like a lifetime ago. I suppose it was.
7 comments:
I hope that I can find it, here. The chain book stores used to carry the major national papers, but they don't so much anymore. And I would hope that I didn't get caught trying to snag the column from the library!
I will hope that someone indeed gets it to you. Be well.
Thanks Big Mark.
The article will be online of course, but I'm a bit old school and want a hard copy for my scrapbook as well.
Have a good trip.
RJ
I'll get you a copy. No problemo.
Can't wait to actually meet you on Thursday....then I can attest that Erin O'Brien is indeed a real live person!
I'm also looking forward to checking out Book Soup. I must have driven by that place a hundred times, but I've never actually had time to stop and check it out.
See you Thursday!
I was all ready to offer up my mailing services as well, since I have an unused manila envelope lying around somewhere, but I will respectfully leave it to DogsDontPurr, after seeing "Sunset Boulevard" in your blog entry, Erin, and figuring out by extension that DDP is in L.A.
Me, I live in the Santa Clarita Valley, north of Los Angeles, but I call it the backwoods of Los Angeles. This is where people live who don't want to live in L.A., but don't mind commuting there every day. A Sunday L.A. Times is a guarantee in my household, for the now-shamefully cut comics pages (one page is now just that...one page, front and back), the pitifully small book review section (more like "pages"), and the L.A. Times Magazine, when it looks as substantial as it did last weekend. I handle all the sections carefully enough that I could easily read your essay, slip it into that envelope, send it to you, and you'd think that I had put it right into the envelope without even reading it.
I envy you, DDP, as I can't make it on Thursday. Stuck with errands in this valley and possibly in the San Fernando Valley as well.
Also, Erin, I blew off $122 on Amazon.com this weekend, partly on books I needed for research for a book I'm co-writing (books I couldn't find in my local library chain...damn the County of Los Angeles Public Library monopoly), partly on books I desperately want to read which the library doesn't have, and DVDs such as "The Pajama Game" and "California Suite." Next time I embark on another spree like that, "Stripper Lessons" is on my list, and "Better" is too. Great writing deserves the most fervent support, in dollars as well.
This PAST weekend, I meant. Now I'm absolutely convinced I need sleep, despite my dislike of it in the roaring maw of a manuscript deadline, which is in late January, but still feels far too close.
Erin, Congrats to the O'Brien Family on the publication of Better! To the words, always. Geoff
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