Only for you would I have read "Telegraph Avenue", because I generally avoid anything having to do with birth or trauma on my time off. And, per expectations, I kind of hated it the first time through, because birth! trauma! midwifery politics! evil obstetricians! (Honestly, not one female OB, even though that's, like, statistically improbable these days.). But then I loved it, because Michael Chabon's language is just...fun. It's hard to read, for me, the first time through, because it's so very loaded. But then you puzzle it out and you laugh. I think this is how some people feel about poetry, right? And once you get past the birth trauma and his language play, his characters are great, too, so there's a lot reward there.
Anyway, I never would have read it either the first or subsequent times if not for your recommendation (was it Loupbleu?) and for The Bearded Economist, who read the recommendation and brough it home from the library. But it's really really good - so thank you.
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Speaking of comments: thanks for the rec, but I don't think the Skeptical OB is the right place for me. The best way I can think to describe it is that she is sort of the Bill O'Reilly of women's health discussion (lots of vitriol and dismissive statements, from what I can see). And I would like to be the Rachel Maddow? Or perhaps this metaphor breaks down. Regardless, the tone is all wrong for me. Thanks for the suggestions, though.
I just finished the c-section piece (note: I was gently corrected that cesarean birth is the preferred, and overall nicer terminology; did you know that?), and we'll see if the editor takes it.
Oh, your free time is so precious and I hope I didn't encourage you to squander any of it by reading Chabon. At least the writing is incredible, right? Have you read Where'd You Go, Bernadette? No connection to your profession but hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that cesarean birth is the preferred term. I guess C-section does sound very cut and dice and clinical.
ReplyDeleteI also find the Skeptical Ob to be dismissive... but I wonder if she's always been that way? Or if years of feeling like she's beating her head against the wall has burnt her out.