2010/04/04 Dublin
Fool
Overweight
In today’s Herald Tribune Alex Witchel writes about Norman Mailer’s last wife, Norris Church Mailer: ‘When Norris discovered the scope of Mailer’s infidelities, she was struck by how many of the women were either his age — he was near 70 then — or significantly overweight. “He made the remark, ‘Sometimes I want to be the attractive one.’ I think he felt if it wasn’t somebody young and beautiful, he wasn’t betraying me as much. He just couldn’t resist someone who told him what a great man he was and what a great writer he was. Every time he fell for it. After I found out, I kept saying to him, ‘Why didn’t I know?’ And he said, ‘It’s not hard to fool somebody who loves you and trusts you.’ ”’
I find it much harder to resist a person who tells me what a loser I am.
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24 comments 
Catch 22
My automatic reaction was to inform you what a loser you are, and wholeheartedlty so, but I fear you'll misinterpret my sincerity.Fool
Schatje, ik vind je de liefste, beminnelijkste man ooit. Het is hard je te weerstaan.Neria
"Some " in my book means a "lot".There is nothing like the submissive adoration of an unattractive person.
Mieke
Let's leave it the way it is.Yes, people who love or like you tend to explain everything you do or say in your favor.
Arnon
"I find it much harder to resist people who tell me what a loser I am." Do you also have age and weight preferences? I'm just trying to figure out...Juliane
No, please, let there be no misunderstanding. I find you very attractive.arnon, juliane
do you know each other?Oh this terrible world wide web.
Juliane, of course it's none of my business, but read the last sentence of Mr. Grunbergs blog carefully... maybe you have to grab your chance.
Juliane, of course it's none of my business, but read the last sentence of Mr. Grunbergs blog carefully... maybe you have to grab your chance.
Arnon / Beata / Ruthger
@ ArnonThank you, that's a nice thing to say. I wonder how much you can remember.
@ Beata
Not exactly, no.
@ Ruthger
Mr. Grunberg considers me as dessert, so I don't think I have to fulfil his dinner-needs and be my good old decent self.
Omdat niemand anders het doet
Heimtückische Preisbrecher.Schrijvertje van het derde knoopsgat.
Agatha Christie epigoon.
"Bönhase" is a nice one too, I think.
Juliane
The less you remember the better.This is one of the most important laws of desire.
Arnon
Yes, I can see that. I must admit, I'm a bit curious about the picture of me you got in your head. And you should probably stop posting pictures of yourself. You could be the most stunning man on earth. This might even boost your book sales. Just put some witty remarks or scandalous details on the dust jacket instead.Interpretation
Juliane, I read the dessert-comment. The thing is: in your case I would have read it as a compliment on the comparison you made in your comment, not as a compliment on your appearance. I don't read the first comment of Mr. Grunberg on your first comment here as a compliment, because in my interpretation it puts you in the position of the submissive admirer. But who am I. Nothing more than a very average reader, writing in Denglish.My exclamation about the www was ment as a hint in your direction. I google myself from time to time in order to see what traces I leave.
behind on the www.
Ruthger
Submissive adoration fits my character quite snugly, so I don't take that as an offence at all. But I don't necessarily practice it towards Mr. Grunberg.Thanks for your advice concerning my www-traces. They are alive and kicking.
Meubelboulevard
Juliane, okay! I'll quit this blog now. I will go to'de meubelboulevard' (joke). It's not for nothing 'second easter day' in the Netherlands (no joke).
Your pictures are beautiful. I especially liked the Dutch wave (no joke). I hope they won't get any bigger here in the Netherlands.
@Juliane, actually the less attractive the author, the greater the appreciation of your work. At least in Holland.
I always thought men are judging women to much on their appearance. On this website I become aware some women are even worse.
Ruthger
I'm a bit confused. Does "Your pictures are beautiful" refer to me? Because I'm in total ignorance of any pictures.Aliefka
Arnon mag dan soms een onderkruipertje zijn, maar ik vind hem wel verdomd sexy.Mieke, actually, I didn't mean Arnon. To be quite honest, I was being entirely self-centered as my above statement was born out of concern re. the influence of 'image' on the general appreciation of a novel. Forgive me, it's because I am about to release a new novel.
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