Further to our earlier discussion on pocket monsters

Published: August 12, 2010 at 1:14pm

“Let me tell you a secret, Russell. It’s them against us.”

“Them?”

“The short, unattractive men who run the world.”

“That’s the secret?”

“Absolutely. Winning is never going to matter to you as much as it does to them. So – you lose.”

– Jay McInerney, Brightness Falls (1992)




14 Comments Comment

  1. Anthony says:

    Here follows a list of some of the short, unattractive men who are running our world :

    Angela Merkel
    Barack Obama
    Jose Luis Rodriquez Zapatero
    David Cameron
    Dmitry Medvedev
    Hu Jintau
    Cristina Elizabet Fernandez de Kirschner

    [Daphne -The reference was not to a politician but to a financier.]

  2. Brian says:

    “McInerney’s new novel, Brightness Falls, details the fulfillment of Bright Lights‘ prophecy. The book revolves around the stock market crash of 1987, when American businesses suddenly found themselves suspended like cartoon characters in mid-air without ground to stand on. Within twenty-four hours, corporate empires had silently and irrevocably collapsed, taking hoards of enterprising young opportunists with them.”

    – David Louis Edelman

    History repeating itself… Now this would make a good article on corporate empires, it would make a more better reading than this obesession of name labelling. Don’t you think so? This novel has nothing to do with people’s physique as it’s an insight on human greed, the shallowness of success.

    Hopefully this comment will not be spliced according to your whim.

    [Daphne – It’s not a new novel. It was published in 1992. If you were to read it, instead of quoting two-decades old reviews, you would see that the physique of each and every character is a constant and significant motif that runs right through it.]

    • Brian says:

      @ Daphne

      Who said that it’s a new novel. That was a written review done around 1993, as quoted.

      U ejja Daphne, you are nitpicking. I am sure you know what I meant.

      [Daphne – No, I don’t. You seem to think the novel is about the financial world. It isn’t. It’s about priorities.]

    • willywonka says:

      Look, Brian…you didn’t read the book or any of the works of the author. Period. Stop the bullshit.

      • Brian says:

        @willywanka

        The problem lies here you see….I am not criticising the works of the author and neither am I interested to… . Although I am sure the author’s works, rather political I may add, will make a good read (for some).

        What I I have previously commented on, I reiterate, no living person has the right to label others for their creed, colour AND natural physique. This blog after all, was about the physique and features (rather the lack of it) and not the written works of Jay McInerny. Period.

  3. willywonka says:

    An excellent literary piece of work. And in self-fulfilling prophetic fashion, he isn’t that well known either…locally, that is.

    [Daphne – I’m currently rereading everything he’s written. I love his work. I ordered every title from Amazon after I couldn’t find my old copies. Then I’ll reread Brett Easton Ellis, and save his new title for last.]

  4. Iro says:

    I don’t know if you are aware of Alibris. This site makes available copies of books that have been out of print for decades often at very low prices – use the UK branch though to avoid expensive shipping

  5. R. Camilleri says:

    I guess the taller, attractive men are too busy enjoying themselves to bother with petty things like wars and politics.

  6. KS says:

    @ Anthony

    Barak Obama is 1m 87cm tall….that’s not short at all!

  7. White Rabbit says:

    Out of contest, but you’ll love this one:
    From Maltastar

    Children’s (anzi mhux childrens) rights – FORGOTTON?

    http://www.maltastar.com/pages/r1/ms10dart.asp?a=11229

  8. White Rabbit says:

    Hey D

    What happened, are you still there?

    Hope you are all right…..

    Am a bit worried myself

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100818/local/power-station-government-turns-down-request-to-publish-replies-to-eu

    Reminds me of Mintoff….. his style

  9. FrancescaF says:

    Try http://www.abe.com – it’s a great website for most published material in a number of different languages.

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