tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post8869218025072791561..comments2023-10-25T03:38:09.523-04:00Comments on Unedit my heart: Fiiiiiiiiiiiiinally Read: An Object of Beauty by Steve MartinLeah Sandalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13586221448338828889noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post-4410114285018761662012-07-03T21:01:05.654-04:002012-07-03T21:01:05.654-04:00Hi Heather,
Whoa, nice Bobby Brown reference! Une...Hi Heather,<br /><br />Whoa, nice Bobby Brown reference! Unexpected.<br /><br />I haven't seen Gallery Girls, but the most appealing thing about reality TV for me is how far it seems to be removed from reality. I guess in that respect it will be interesting to see (or guess) how much the personality of these GG characters is molded like those fictional character.<br /><br />Also on the topic of books I've never read: Martin's Shopgirl, which also addresses desire for a girl who works in a retail environment. I wonder how it relates to Object of Beauty...Leah Sandalshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13586221448338828889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post-58264258574326660362012-07-03T17:35:59.707-04:002012-07-03T17:35:59.707-04:00Hi Leah,
I can definitely relate to your reaction...Hi Leah,<br /><br />I can definitely relate to your reaction of feeling alienated by Lacey Yeager's character. She brings to mind the Bobby Brown lyric, "Too hot to handle, too cold to hold."<br /><br />While it should feel like a relief that someone so superficial and manipulative is fictional, the new Bravo show Gallery Girls looks like it's out to prove there are a whole bunch of real-life Lacey Yeagers out there. Yikes!<br /><br />H.Anonymoushttp://artistintransit.blogspot.ca/2010/12/object-of-beauty.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post-91832425401783568972012-06-30T11:41:00.319-04:002012-06-30T11:41:00.319-04:00Sorry, that should be "At the same time, *I* ...Sorry, that should be "At the same time, *I* read Lacey as one of the potentially commodified objects of beauty of the book's title."Leah Sandalshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13586221448338828889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post-66271997697505981042012-06-30T11:39:32.316-04:002012-06-30T11:39:32.316-04:00Hi Heather,
I think a lot of other reviews captur...Hi Heather,<br /><br />I think a lot of other reviews captured the book a bit better. Some of these compared the novel to the Great Gatsby in terms of Art and Money being the main protagonists or driving forces. (Excerpts can be viewed at http://www.amazon.co.uk/An-Object-Beauty-Steve-Martin/dp/0297863290)<br /><br />I've never read Gatsby (perhaps that's another one for the summer list) so I can't speak to that, but I did wonder about Lacey being a kind of figure capitalizing on a boom time with little regret or remorse before encountering a moral and economic crash--something that may be relevant to the Gatsby theme. (?)<br /><br />As a character, I felt a bit alienated when considering Lacey. Alienation can be a bit of a default position for me, something it is easy for me to feel, so I wouldn't put too much stock in that reaction. By this I mean that I couldn't really identify with her way of life or social position in her sphere, or the way she conducted herself in the world. Beyond our shared interests in art and to a certain extent the art market, it felt hard for me to connect with her.<br /><br />At the same time, it read Lacey as one of the potentially commodified objects of beauty of the book's title. I likely feel this way having spent a lot of time in my life thinking about the objectification of women and feeling upset about that. Just as some of the book's paintings were something that both the narrator and other characters felt desire for and wanted to in some way acquire, Lacey also had the potential to fall into that position--in fact, in many ways, she cultivated that position and tried to use it to her personal advantage. <br /><br />I wondered while reading if this was something Martin was conscious of while writing the book--of attempting to portray, at times, Lacey as an object among objects whose values rose and fall depending on trends or markets, or whether this was something I simply experienced given my own personal interests and sensitivities.<br /><br />Still, I think his use of the constant third-person voice when addressing Lacey's story certainly accentuated this possible reading of her character. <br /><br />What did you think of Lacey?Leah Sandalshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13586221448338828889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post-60904408777002348502012-06-30T09:09:55.586-04:002012-06-30T09:09:55.586-04:00Hi Leah,
Your review really captured the essence ...Hi Leah,<br /><br />Your review really captured the essence of the book, but I'm left wondering, what did you think of Lacey Yeager?<br /><br />Cheers,<br />Heather SaundersAnonymoushttp://artistintransit.blogspot.ca/2010/12/object-of-beauty.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post-90106762431065429952012-06-27T14:10:24.673-04:002012-06-27T14:10:24.673-04:00Yeah, it's a good one... again, any recommenda...Yeah, it's a good one... again, any recommendations for other good reads, please let me know!Leah Sandalshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13586221448338828889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post-55516790875998019002012-06-27T12:38:31.119-04:002012-06-27T12:38:31.119-04:00I totally enjoyed reading that bookI totally enjoyed reading that bookAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post-57210130750541578472012-06-26T10:00:19.982-04:002012-06-26T10:00:19.982-04:00Thanks Ingrid! I do recommend the reading list Dav...Thanks Ingrid! I do recommend the reading list David drew up (and that I proofread over at CA) http://www.canadianartschool.ca/education/terrific-summer-reads/<br /><br />And if you have any good summer reads, let me know! I'm trying to catch up...Leah Sandalshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13586221448338828889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post-24722725979556288842012-06-25T20:49:13.829-04:002012-06-25T20:49:13.829-04:00This sounds like a good summer read. Thanks for th...This sounds like a good summer read. Thanks for the thoughtful review.Ingrid Midahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03609389355426171504noreply@blogger.com