Posted by phone monkey at 1cust245.tnt3.minneapolis3.mn.da.uu.net on March 17, 2002 at 22:23:16:
In Reply to: Books besides comics? (question) posted by CleverDevil on March 17, 2002 at 21:14:01:
: I, too, am an avid comic reader(though not a collector) but I also NEED to read book, books. I was wondering what Kevin, or anyone els from the View Crew reads. Namely because this whole operation is so sharp, and there are so many quick eclectic(? can't spell) referances. I totally dig it all, but I always think of literature as a tool that sharpens this kind of mind. I've heard Kev make referance to Catcher(also noting affleck's character 'Holden' in Amy) I'm wondering what else he reads? What else do you read Kevin??
to Anais Nin in the deleted scenes? His films are so highly literate and eclectic (though my brother insists the Anais Nin is probably from having seen Henry & June, not from having read her books).
I'm still high from seeing Michael Moore speak last night, and if you want to enjoy some first-class wit, he is one of the best. It takes a certain genius to decide to reveal racism in New York by having an Emmy-winning black actor and a white convicted felon stand on the same block and administer eye tests to the cabbies who wouldn't pick up the black man. His idea to confess the same sin at 20 different Catholic churches and publish a comparison of the resultant penance as a consumer's guide to confession was brilliant. He also had a gay men's chorus sing "Stop in the Name of Love" outside Jesse Helm's office.
He's got a new book out now called Stupid White Men, and will have a film out in the fall called Bowling for Columbine.
What I love best about his writing is that he takes the official line on what is going on and parses it carefully to see if there is any logic to it. It's like mental training. And I can't think of anyone who tackles the contemporary topics he does, like he did with Roger and Me, and gets an audience.
Other than he, I'd start with Jean Jacques Rousseau, and Stephen Jay Gould.