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Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Et Tu, Babe by Mark Leyner

Turns out I really wanted to read My Cousin, My Gastroenterologist . Whoops.

The first time I read this book, I was a young teenager. My mom got it for me at a thrift store. Occasionally she would do something like this, and the books always ended up being crazy and making an impression. (Another example: Neuromancer). All the sex, drugs and brand names in Et Tu, Babe, along with the fantastically narcissistic protagonist totally blew my mind when I was 13 or whatever, but upon rereading it just seemed like breakneck speed mediocrity.

For a quick reread however, it was a fun, if ultimately disappointing, blast from the past.

4 comments:

LOOKA said...

Teenage reads:
Besides good old Sci-Fi, I read some comics from Dark Horse that weren't as good as the "Dark Horse Presents" monthly which had real awesome indie stuff in it and was in B/W. I was so fascinated by all they had put out back then. It was very different from all the MUMBLE and DC stuff at the time. Not as different as the Fantas but anyway...

I loved Aliens Vs Predator stories like crazy, thought it was kind of the holy grail!

Now I think: What you said at the end.

Amanda said...

I read Mark Leyner in my late teens or early 20s and remember I really didn't get it. Like, I had that nagging feeling that the book sucked but not because it was a sucky book, rather because I wasn't understanding what he was getting at. Perhaps it bears a re-read...

Carrie said...

Amanda: I wouldn't bother.

Myles said...

How can you say that? Mark Leyner is a great author, a true subversive comic genius! Amanda read Tooth Imprints on a Corn Dog!! It's great, don't listen to Carrie sheesh!