Talk Healthy

I love Chuck Pal-a-whatsit!

Shall we discuss come mid April?

I'm ready whenever you are! I just finished it a few days ago.

I just finished it two minutes ago.

I'm done - should we discuss?

Sure.

At first I wasn't that into the book, but then it started getting really interesting about half-way through. I thought the style was kind of irritating though - talking to her comatose husband the entire time.

I am dying to know what she painted.

I loved it: "The weather is increasing concern followed by full blown dread."

It scares me how much I relate to Chuck's characters sometimes. I caught on early that strange narration was going to lead to a surprise ending. But I love the letter on the last page! I want to know what she painted too. Do you think the chair painting was made of poo?

You guys are going to have to bear with me here...

I didn't fully get the ending. Yes, I know what happened. But why did everyone have to get blown up? Because how does an artist bring fame and fortune to the island if no artwork survives? Why couldn't her work be shown and sold in New York and London if they wanted fame? And why did the older generation have to die? I mean, I understand that there's a shock element that might bring tourists, but is there even enough people left to replenish the island?

Just for the record... (hee) I loved the name Wait-and-see Island. Heh.

Do you think the chair painting was made of poo?

I never thought about it.

I never thought of the chair painting being made of poo. Why did you think that, Ruth? I'm gonna have to look up that section and re-read it.

Crystal, I agree, I didn't really get how it would bring fortune to the island. I thought the point was more to get rid of all the damn tourists. I thought the island folks liked it more quiet and not so touristy. But without tourists, how will they make money?

The guy who bought it sniffed and asked if it was made of shit.

And I thought a bunch of life insuarance policies were taken out too? Did I misread that? But mostly they killed everyone to keep the tourists away.

I re-read the relevant bits.

I don't think she painted it out of shit, but I think it kind of smelled like shit because she had the runs so bad when she was painting.

And yep, all the old people on the island had massive life insurance policies - so that's how the younger generation became rich from the paintings.

Twisted book, eh?

Spudd wrote:I don't think she painted it out of shit, but I think it kind of smelled like shit because she had the runs so bad when she was painting.

I have not read this book, but this statement has me laughing my ass off.

I read this book a couple years ago. I love this writer - Ruth sent me one of his books to borrow and got me hooked. All of his stuff is soooo twisted.