In which the author desperately tries to convince herself she is not a prude

Look, really I am not a prude. I don't think. But I could not take anymore of Ragtime. Ok, the story wasn't really captivating me although it seemed like historical fiction set in turn of the century NYC would be a no brainer literary lurvefest. I also get worried that I'll confuse the fiction with fact. Not really an issue as it turned out when I read the part where Emma Goldman (love her IRL) gives an astringent rubdown to an infamous chippie (already forgot her name) including her breast and "her mons. 'Yes, even this. You must have the courage to live.'" Uhhhh...what the FUCK? The chippie works herself into a...private happy moment which causes the young man who was stalking her to fall out of the closet he was watching her from while masturbating and, oh, dump his spirit all over her "in a ticker tape parade." How is any of this not seriously creepy? (nevermind the part where the same chippie gives a little girl a bath and dwells a wee too long on the details of her bosom. You know, I don't want to think about little girl's bosoms but thanks E.L. Or the part where the explorer Dad watches two Eskimos have sex on the polar expedition and is way too interested in it. And so on.)

Could not take anymore. My new tactic is you don't like the book? Fuck it. You ain't gots to finish it. White Noise I'm happy to call pseudo-intellectual twaddle but lots of people seem to like Ragtime. Goodreads has it on best books ever lists. Dennis liked it. Shit. I wonder what I'm missing? And does that still mean I'll like The Corrections whenever I finally get my reserve?

Oh well. Too many books to read to sweat shit you aren't digging-or that makes your skin crawl. I picked Neon Angel up from the library yesterday and cannot wait to start it. Hello Daddy, hello Mom I'm your ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch Cherry Bomb!

And, I have felt Christopher Hitchens beckoning to me from the shelf (beat that cancer and fucking quit smoking Hitch!) so I just started God Is Not Great. I tend to run out of steam with screed-style books before the end so I'll see how it goes.