Week 9: 1,598 pages or 80%; probably not getting an artificial “A” this ‘semester’!

Sadly, I am falling behind. I do not think I will catch up but I am going to do my best for the last week of course. I want to comment once more on how this approach of a page goal versus a total number of books has led me down paths I otherwise would have likely passed by.

For example, my brother sent me a book for my birthday called The Wes Anderson Collection by Matt Zoller Seitz. The book is large– one might refer to it as a coffee table book, perhaps. Here is the front cover:

Inside you will find lots of pictures– sets, photos of Wes as a young man, LA, costumes, Bill Murray– and of course, his friend, Owen Wilson. I love Wes Anderson films– I greatly enjoy his perspective and humor. I know very little of Wes Anderson, but what I do know is that is for a very specific reason– he is extremely private. He’s not a limelight kind of writer/director. There’s just not a lot ‘out there’.

This book is a great example of Wes Anderson hiding in plain sight. I told my brother, “No one actually READS this book! They go through the photos– wow, ou la la, and maybe catch a few words here or there.” I’m actually reading the very in depth interview that is the text within this large, photograph rich book. The interview is between him and a long time friend who is a journalist. The interview is revealing and deeply personal. I feel so lucky to have spent a few hours with just the first 80 pages. I am looking forward to slowly peeling apart each of his films with these interviews in mind.

The book is broken up into each of his films. I finished Bottle Rocket and am somewhere in the middle of Rushmore I think. I don’t even want to rush through this book so if I don’t meet my page goal, oh well! I am enjoying the ride way too much to worry about it.