2009/05/27 Lyon
Shrimpy
Perfect teeth
On the plane from New York to Lyon I started reading Updike’s novel “Couples”.
A very entertaining read, sometimes the language is a bit flowery, but it is surprising how effective Updike’s language is when sex is the subject.
This dialogue left me flabbergasted:
‘Piet wanted to weep, to drop fat tears onto her deflated breasts. “Did I feel big enough?”
She laughed, displaying perfect teeth, a dentist’s wife. “No,” she said. “You felt shrimpy.”’
Till then “Couples” came across as a naturalistic novel. Would any man after making love to his mistress or his wife for that matter ask: “Did I feel big enough?”
Piet is probably not the most sophisticated man ever, but still.
And I don’t know why but the word “shrimpy” reminded me of Nabokov.
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51 comments 
How does a writer know if his characters come across as authentic without writing exclusively about his- or herself all the time? To what extent is thinking about the authenticity of characters healthy and when does it start to impede the writing process? I'm not talking about consistency but about the (perceived) realness of the final product.
I am found women with little breasts. Nice little breasts.
Juliane
The question is not authenticity. The question is why did the suspension of disbelief stop while I was reading this dialogue. Probably it says a lot about me.For a brief period of time in my college days, I worked out together with a rather large friend of mine. At the gym, we referred to ourselves as the shrimp and the whale.
Mister Grunberg
While writing/working on a novel - do you suspend your identity as a reader? If yes, do you do so consciously or does it happen naturally? If no, is it because you can't have one without the other?Mr. Wilders
Would you like to swop?http://www.marktplaats.nl/index.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fboeken.marktplaats.nl%2Fliteratuur%2F254860738-arnon-grunberg-persoonlijke-brief-armani-gesigneerd.html
Fashion Victim
No.Since now you're a facebook-test.
Well, without being asked I told my partner he felt like an an umbilical cord. What does it say about me?
Neria
Since when do you have a partner? I missed out!Dens
This is not an intimate blog so accordingly I leave out intimate details about myself. The previous comment to my taste was not intimate, I think it had to do more with enlarging the scope of possible aftermath conversations, who knows, perhaps to the effect of prolonging the duration of suspension of disbelief for some people. I can add that I told him it felt like 3 meters long and had the shape of a curved sword. The whole house is full of weapons, even one folding sword for travels...I wonder what I feel like.
Dens
Maybe you should ask.I have no one to ask.
Once you will then.
Neria
Send me some details if you feel like sharing...I might never have sex again.
Margot
hehehehe :)) No. I have developed the preference of sharing intimate details only in a reciprocal relationship where I actually meet my dear ones face to face :) The fact that meeting you face to face is impossible and your decision to block comments to your posts inevitabely created a certain distance between us.Dens
I have learned that so long you're capable of breathing you're capale of having sex, this was a dramatic revelation for me. I agree with Andrea Dworkin that the language of sex has been reduced by many means. If you plan on stop breathing soon I geuss my reply is no longer relevant. If you wish to have sex I hope you will (or were you only interseted in knowing how you feel?)Dens
to another I meant.Neria
You can always invite me to Israel. I need a couch to crash.Dens
Your kicking the flowers while cycling is far more sexual than penertrating Ms. Grey.I'm going back on my word regarding the 'so long one breaths...' I realize it is both arrogant and probably incorrect.
I remind you that Arnon's blog is not an intimate blog, this is why I avoid asking you why do you think you will not have sex anymore in your life. I hope that you don't suspect that I'm indifferent.
Margot
I'm sorry, I can't.Margot
But if I recall well, Ilanit is very inviting :)Tabatha
I'm not sure what you mean with "suspending my identity as a reader" but I'm pretty sure I don't suspend this identity.a few minutes ago i killed the first moskito of that season with "kamermeisjes en soldaten" ... in case you wonder what one does with your books... till now i only read the story about couchsurfing, i was impressed by the foreword quoting thomas mann, "wahrheits-erlebnisse"!
Laughing
http://www.oldjewstellingjokes.com/ , is it okay to find this funny?Neria
There are no specific reasons for me not having sex anymore. That's why I used "might" instead of "may". But that's grammar.Strasse's partner
Which is your favorite joke?Dens
Yes, I was mistaken, I've noticed that retroactively (not being able to see the exact comment while responding to it is not ideal for this kind of communication). Well, theoretically we might all not engage in sex anymore.Dens
Did you wish to say something that was more than grammar?Neria
Ilanit doesn't live in Israel.Margot
But she visits regularly.Margot
It was a small provocation on my side calling Ilanit from the deads and using 'very inviting' rather than any derivation of hospitable etc. I know nothing about Ilanit and I also wish to continue knowing nothing about her. I have got the idea you wish to have a couch to crash on rather than crashing on a couch specifically in Israel. Maybe I'm wrong. Anyhow, alas, I can't offer you a couch to crash on and I have no way to mitigate this message.on my part...
Fashion Victim
Victim, Strange, you sell both items as one seller on Marktplaats, so swopping would be quite easy.David M. Pefko
Yes, of course, Fashion Victim is my alias. It was meant as a joke. Are you interested in buying? I make you a very special price.Victim
No, I'm sorry, I have enough prullaria.Maybe you can wait a while, the Wilders item is nice for an auction, when he dies for example. The letter is nice for The Arnon Grunberg Museum.
David M. Pefko
If I am dead I am not able to sell my stuff at Marktplaats.F. Victim
Thats true. Do you have children?David
Children are not for sale.Arnon
I'm not really referring to your post with my question, I'm afraid. Your words just served as a trigger. It's been a burning issue to me for some time and pops up every now and then.Perhaps someone is willing to answer.
Juliane
Authenticity is not the same as the ability to make believe.Arnon
I was thinking of "Glaubwürdigkeit" (is "credibility" the more appropriate term)? You wrote "Would any man after making love to his mistress or his wife for that matter ask: “Did I feel big enough?”"I'm not sure if I got you right, but this sentence came across as if you thought that a man asking such a question isn't glaubwürdig. How do you know? That is my problem. How does one know if the character one writes is glaubwürdig?
Neria
I truly have nothing more to say than grammar.Dens
:)Juliane
Intuition.But please enlighten me. Have you ever slept with a man who asked you: “Juliane, my dear, be honest, was I big enough?”
Would you appreciate this question?
Glaubwürtigkeit
A man asked me once with an insecure voice: "Are you O.K.?Do you still feel comfortable? Am I not too big?"Juliane
I don't know if this is a sufficient answer but one option is to read your text to a circle of friends (Thomas Mann did). Think about developing a new industrial vegan schnitzel, you really must try it on a small group of people to see how they react. You might find out that your idea of what a vegan schnitzel is is very different of theirs.[ Add comment ]
