Books You've Thrown Away

[chonies]

Thank you, famvir. His article about Debbie Heald was really interesting...if you centrifuged it to separate the writing from the facts. It had a quirky, if annoying and quickly exhausted pacing structure. And ugh, it appears he's written a full length book about Zola Budd, so now I'll have to read it.

Also, he looks nothing like I expected. I imagined a Canadian tuxedo, a bolo tie, and a mane of silvery hair. Wrong on all counts.

[Deleted]

Oh man, I remember finding the Brett Dunlap story really moving but when you point out his schtick I can't believe I didn't notice that before. I think Dunlop's story was just so touching it was easy for me to overlook that. I have a subscription to Runner's World but I have never looked at any of the writers' bylines before but I won't be able to help myself now. And he does write about some interesting people/topics which I will always be checking now for his weird writing style. So thanks for that

[Sunnyhorse]

That's too funny. He was editor in chief of the magazine I used to copyedit, albeit before I took the gig. He's good friends with one of my friends.

[chonies]

OMG, sunnyhorse! I'm kind of embarrassed now. I hate to ask for stories, but I'd love to hear something positive. I read through his website and loved his page about writing description.

It was actually the Bret Dunlap story that sort of turned me: I read it a few months ago, put it aside, saw he was doing an AMA on the Runner's World forums, and reread the story, which is when it all clicked with incredibly bulky story about Debbie Heald. I know reading isn't just about absorbing information, but my brain was looking for the Wrap It Up box, as seen on Chappelle's Show.

[Sunnyhorse]

No, no! No reason for embarrassment! I don't know him personally, and I wasn't wild about that Zola Budd piece myself.

[Auroranorth]

I just tossed Virginia Rounding's Alix and Nicky: The Passion of the Last Tsar and Tsarina. When the author does a Meyers-Briggs test online as Nicholas to get into his head, it's time to rethink your plans. Blech.

[cremetangerine82]

I’ve never thrown away a book, but my mom did abandon a book. From someone or somewhere, she received a used paperback copy of L. Ron Hubbard‘s Dianetics. After a while, it just got thrown into the pantry next to the washing machine and rotting potatoes, so I’m guessing she didn’t enjoy the book!

There’s also a book of “white” (beneficial) witchcraft that got burned, but that’s a story for another day!