This one’s a little break from the usual — it’s me talking to a friend about my new novel, Look, I’m Gone with a particular emphasis on the iconic American author JD Salinger, who has a meaty role as a character in my book, playing himself, kind of a first for Salinger, who passed away in 2010.
I enjoyed this conversation and it reminded me of how very much I enjoyed Look, I'm Gone. The Sound of Music reference in the novel really amused me, as I loved that movie and was all about the Von Trapp family as a little girl. I didn't know you had done any theater--so that was interesting as well. Merry Christmas!
Thoroughly enjoyed this. I’ll be buying this novel. I’ve read several of your books and have loved them all. Still on my list of to do’s is reading your earlier works. Thank you for all your work.
A couple of minutes before the end of this engaging encounter I had an insight concerning the contrast between other of your podcasts, where you were "talking down a tube", customarily to a personage in some faraway locale whom you did not know well, and this one, where the acoustics told me you were certainly sharing the same space. Carrying on an exchange without the benefit of facial cues, eye contact and physical presence certainly constrains expression - and that can yield curious results, in its own way. These days, to avoid being swindled yet again, I often demand an unfamiliar caller switch to "video call" to confirm identity, and it is telling the number of people who are reluctant to show their faces, or become guarded or circumspect, carefully measuring their responses during such intercourse. Limiting a dialogue to voice only, or even to an exchange of typed messages, can be unexpectedly revealing, or even offensive, if some sort of misrepresentation is in the mix.
I enjoyed this conversation and it reminded me of how very much I enjoyed Look, I'm Gone. The Sound of Music reference in the novel really amused me, as I loved that movie and was all about the Von Trapp family as a little girl. I didn't know you had done any theater--so that was interesting as well. Merry Christmas!
Truly enjoyed this conversation - and picked up a copy of “Look, I’m Gone”.
I enjoyed both the interview and of course the book. On to more of your work which is already on my phone. Thanks for sharing your journey, Jim.
I grew up in the same era as Jim, and his Holden Caulfield-like hero. It's an excellent read-- and accurate. I really enjoyed the book.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. I’ll be buying this novel. I’ve read several of your books and have loved them all. Still on my list of to do’s is reading your earlier works. Thank you for all your work.
Jimbo is an old man entitled to his fantasies. I prefer his non-fiction like "The Long Emergency".
Either way, it's hard to deny that he is a good writer with an excellent command of the English language.
A couple of minutes before the end of this engaging encounter I had an insight concerning the contrast between other of your podcasts, where you were "talking down a tube", customarily to a personage in some faraway locale whom you did not know well, and this one, where the acoustics told me you were certainly sharing the same space. Carrying on an exchange without the benefit of facial cues, eye contact and physical presence certainly constrains expression - and that can yield curious results, in its own way. These days, to avoid being swindled yet again, I often demand an unfamiliar caller switch to "video call" to confirm identity, and it is telling the number of people who are reluctant to show their faces, or become guarded or circumspect, carefully measuring their responses during such intercourse. Limiting a dialogue to voice only, or even to an exchange of typed messages, can be unexpectedly revealing, or even offensive, if some sort of misrepresentation is in the mix.