Infinite Evelina

I pretty much finish every book I start. This isn't too challenging as I generally only pick belletrist literature or highly recommended non-fiction. I am not too proud to admit that Infinite Jest is napping safely on the shelf, a few hundred pages to go, after checking online whether to file it under Foster or Wallace. Late, great, sad David, you may have won this battle but, once I regain a regular block of reading time before 10 pm, I will return for my vengeance. You will be finished.

For my post-modern recovery I prescribed Burney's Evelina, which I stayed up way too late to inhale in a few days. I read Camilla last year & instantly wondered why more people don't. I think it is as good as any Austen & way better than anything except Pride & Prejudice & Persuasion. They share the comedy of manners & gentle satire, yet Burney is much more emotionally evocative & her ear for dialogue is superb. There are a few very disturbing, almost Gothic moments that really stick & her insights into the pitfalls of money were very apropos to 2009, when I read it. Evelina was a proseco to Camilla's brunello, very predictable, considerably lighter & incredible fun.

Now to read our bookgroup book, Patricia Highsmith's Deep Water.