>the pura principle

i think it's infinitely better than the pura principle. although besides "tstmts", from what i remember of the book, i think "tpp" is probably the strongest of the stories in it.

my diaz standard for writing is "the brief wondrous life of oscar wao". amazing, brilliant, novel. it took him 11 years to write "oscar." anyway. i mention his novel only to say that when i look at everything he's published--

and when i step back and objectively look at it vs. looking with my googly eyes (i love diaz; if he's proposing to me in an alternate universe, i'm saying YES)--

i think he's had an uneven performance as a writer.

a strong, brilliant, uneven performance.

i read, for instance, an essay (or was it 2 separate essays) that he wrote in the aftermath of the haiti and japan earthquake. as i read it, i kept thinking: damn, did he have an editor?

i don't think he's built to write in quick turn arounds. he gets better when he has time. everybody and his brother is always yapping about wanting to read the next thing from him though. maybe there's more pressure to publish *something* as he begins winning more awards and accolades. he throws the public a bone, here and there.

i actually thought it took a guts for him to publish the earthquake essay. it probably, hopefully, helped with whatever his process is.

i feel like "this is how you lose her" was a pit stop on the way to something else. just an experiment. only time will tell, i guess.

>also can you go into more detail with your criticisms about
>TIHYLH? i still got two chapters left and i have mine and
>would like to see what other have

my *biggest* criticism isn't even really a criticism.

generally, the book felt rushed and uneven to me. the last story was a hot mess. it felt like he was waaaay too close to it. "this is how you lose her" definitely felt like the book that gets written in the heat of a heartbreaking split.

it was too personal-- too personal in the sense that i'm not sure he had perspective about it. not sure he was able to access his gifts and talents in a certain way. nor do i think he even had to. if your heart is smashed and you're working through what part you've played in it, you're entitled to feel however you feel.

i wish the book could've had more time.

i got to the end of the book and was like: "wow. does this guy feel like he's forever broken and dysfunctional?" it was too depressing.

it basically felt like a book written in breakup space. it was raw. nothing wrong with that.