Unhappy

It's a travel book for Portland, that's kinda what I expected from it, an advertisement. Although it's a bit more interesting than a normal travel book because of the places and things he talks about.

It's probably not going to be everyone's favorite Chuck book, but it is what it says it is. What would you expect to find in a cookbook, or an autobiography, or a book about war, no matter who writes it?

I didn't care about some of the places he mentions, but a lot of it made me want to visit portland a little. And other people too, but not everyone.

the fact that you couldn't figure out that it was a travel book aside, my question here is, who are you to say what does or doesn't belong in a chuck book?

most of the book, anyway, is autobiographical stories, or "postcards"--and the jacket identifies it not only as a travel book but as "the closest thing [chuck] will probably ever write to an autobiography." i appreciated it for that.

He was asked to write the book. And, one assumes, paid a lot of money. It's not exactly "early" in his career, as such; he's been writing for sevaral years, has, what, five published novels under his belt and a sixth completed and out in a couple months. Now for a little experiment in non-fiction. Why not?

I think he just writes what he damn well feels like writing without being overconcerned by what his fans expect/want the next "Chuck" book to be like.

My opinion is that you are probably going to argue with any opinion that is not a positive one which makes you seem pretty small minded. Don't get all fussy because something negative is being said here.

I just came to give an opinion on what I consider to be a poorly planned move for Chuck. Don't you wish he got this much media attention for one of his novels? I guarantee that anyone with a new interest in Chuck who doesn't live around Oregon would be a little turned off by this book.

And that's silly to think that "Chuck" doesn't write for his fans. If he didn't then why are his books published?

I read somewhere he *did* write this for his fans--that Crown gave him a hard time about some of the stuff he included--and that he refused to change it--because of his fans.

It is the best travel book I've ever read. It kicks Fromer's ass, any day. Anyway if you look at the back there are bunch of these guides coming out--the Like Water for Chocolate woman's writing one, Ishmael Reed's writing one, etc etc. I don't think you would pick up Laura Esquivel's travel guide expecting a sweet novel...

I guess I didn't read it expecting a novel.

I guess I don't get what is being critiqued here.

Re-read my first post. I was arguing about the book. I did tell you what I was thinking.
You seem like the kind of person who argues with everything and then makes the other person look bad for arguing back.

I'm not the one who turned this thread into something other than what it was intended for.

Fair enough. Maybe I'm being unfair in judging this book.

And yes, there was tons of detail with the recipes and whatnot in Survivor, but reading a make-believe character's recipes in a novel is totally different, to me, than what an author thinks are good things to eat.

Good analogy with the DVD, because that reminds me that that's what I was sort of hoping for in the book. Like a behind the scenes, I got this idea from this, or this inspired this type of thing. There was a little bit of that, but I'm probably being a little greedy.

"I'm afraid that anyone mildly interested in Chuck may be completely turned off after reading this book."

I kind of see where you're coming from. As someone who lives in Portland the book was obviously a lot more exciting for me. I found out some cool new things about the city, and got to read a few interesting stories about his life. But didn't Chuck actually admit he pretty much wrote it for the money? You can't really expect a fantastic novel out of a little travel guide he wrote one summer.

PS am I the only one that doesn't believe half of the crazy stories CP tells?

I have to wonder too...

What's in the emperor thread? Should I read it? It's soooo long and intimidating, maybe you can summarize???

She said hopefully...

Ohhhh... I just checked it out, it's fucking hilarious.... I could spend hours there, I'll have to get back to it later. Omigod, thanx for the tip, I would never have bothered with such a long thread otherwise :)

I'm unhappy that Penuckle is such a moron :(

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Penuckle [/i]
[B]Yeah, shame on me for having something negative to say about Chuck P. I'm stupid. [/B][/QUOTE]

No, it's a shame that your comments were so poorly thought out. It's a shame that you would expect something different from what the book tells you it is. It's a shame that you would bash something for being exactly what it is. It's a shame that you feel an author should stick to one thing and, god forbid, explore other territory. It's a shame that you think that you should have to expect something from Chuck P. You set standards for yourself. You're the one who is ruining the experience for yourself.

i couldn't agree more.
and yes, the book is a travel book of sorts. this is the reason it's not in the fiction area with the rest of his novels. this is what it has been hyped up as, a non-fiction travel book on portland, not another nihilistic book. chuck wrote it as someone who grew up in portland. accept it as face value. don't expect it to have deep meanings. expect only stories on portland.
and yes, penuckle, you are very wrong in expecting it to be what you wanted it to be, despite knowing before you read it that it is not what you thought.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Penuckle [/i]
[B]I purchased this book expecting the "closest thing to an autobiography Chuck will ever write."
It wasn't anything like an autobiography, and I was unhappy. That's all. I should have done a little more research on the book and I guess I should have also expected to get blasted by a lot of Chuck fanatics for saying something negative about him. [/B][/QUOTE]

YOU KEEP TRYING TO CHANGE THE ARGUMENT. Knock it off, you sound like a jackass. You were disappointed with the book because you, for whatever reason, were expecting something different. No one would give a shit if you said something bad about Chuck Palahniuk had you actually thought out your argument or had valid points to back it up. As it stands, you sound like a whiny bitch who obviously got in over his head and can't deal with the reprecussions of his actions. Way to be a bitch.

penuckle. let me quote your original argument word for word of your explanation of why you disliked F&R

now, your original argument has nothing to with "autobiographical stuff". even if that were your point, it's still full of crap. if it was autobiographical, which you were supposedly expecting it to be, it would not be found in the god-damned travel guide section. it would not be called "Fugitives and Refugees: A Walk in Portland, Oregon". you got your feedback, and pleanty of people have calmly tried to point out to you your mistake in your presumptions of your question. now you're just making an ass out of yourself.

penuckle, look at the Adversary's screenname. we've all, at one time or another, fallen into arguing with him, i think.

i move to adjourn this thread. all those in favor...?

this book sucks i'm about 3/4's through it.
i was expecting something a little better
if i wanted to learn about portland i would watched the travel channel.

oooooooooooo whore house's wow now it's suppose to be cool because it's all chucky palaniuk style.
no way this is stupid and i hope he never tries this approach to writing ever again.

<3 paper.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by paper street [/i]
[B]HA HA LEK @ MEEE I AM TEH SO KWEL CUZ I DNOT LIEK TEH REEDNIG I AM TEH SMURTST REEDER I WEL NOT WEST MY TYM REEDING BAOUT WAIR I DO NT LEEV!!!!!!!11!!!11!!11!@!111!@!@!!!!q!!!![/B][/QUOTE]

I agree with penuckle.

I too was dissapointed with the book. Sorry Im not on this site 24/7 and I dont know chucks cats name and his favorite color. I am a fan though and when I see a C.P. book in the store Im buying regardless of what its about, because each novel so far has been great.

So yeah, I expected chuck to travel around portland and tell stories about people he met and things he did. Cool, im there.

But instead its call ahead to visit the self cleaning house, and expect to negotiate a fee. He’s even giving out phone numbers, wtf? Im not going to portland anytime soon. I think the whole travelling in so and so city is just a bad publishing idea because it isolates and divides readers instead of uniting them.

penuckle has an opinion; whats close-minded is to waft away his opinion as ignorant just because he is on CP.net and he is *gasp/gulp* saying something...negative about chuck? grow up folks, he wasnt bashing the dude.

hehe this is a funny thread... got some good laughs out of it.:)

anyway yeah, i agree 100% with you morgan.

oh, and ROFL @ insomnomaniac! :D

[QUOTE=Spike]but it was worth the $17, and worth the $98 worth of accumulating overdraft fees because I'm stupid and never open my bank notices. Through my own carelessness, I may have purchased the most expensive copy of F&R.[/QUOTE]
Spike, in a way, you kinda rule for that.

"Some shit you do for artistic integrity and some shit you do just to make a quick buck. He's still got my props..."--Morganlikely

What is Starnger than Fiction, Alex?

[QUOTE=insomnomaniac] it's kind of like the "special features" on a DVD--not the same as the movie content, but interesting to fans nonetheless.
QUOTE]

unfortunately this book was nothing more than filler. I don't buy DVDs for the bonus material I buy them for the film. This book unfortunately is the equivelent of buying a DVD with only a couple of deleted scenes, completely lacking anything like a directors commentary which gives good insight into the creators mind.
As for "Interesting to fans", I have to say that I have bought all chucks books and f&g and non fiction were a big dissapointment. The stories were not well crafted and without the depth of his other novels. If I want short interesting stories I'll go down the pub and listen to my friends talk about how their parents tried to kill them, or how they almost killed themselves drunkenly setting off fireworks.
I can honestly say that chucks last two books managed to both blow and suck at the same time.
Penuckle wasn't wrong to think this new chuck venture would put of new potential fans but he left out the fact that It is souring the minds of devout fans too.

Oh yeah and if I want a cook book, I'll look in the fucking cookery section