Beautiful Children available as a free PDF

Charles Bock’s novel Beautiful Children is available as a free PDF until Friday. I finished this a few weeks ago and know that I promised a report, but alas wasn’t inspired to do so. Here’s what I wrote elsewhere:

I read this and can’t say that I recommend it. There are some good moments, especially when Bock is writing about teenage street life, but the prose is uneven and it’s not structurally inviting. It’s definitely a first book and I wouldn’t be surprised if Bock eventually knocks out a great novel, but this one isn’t it. Having lived in Vegas for two years, though, I will say that it manages to capture elements of that city which are often overshadowed by The Strip.

(via lvsun)

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Submitted by crazymonk on Thu, 02/28/2008 - 12:00am.

Comments (3)

I was excited until I realized that this is the Vegas novel you mentioned and not that thing with Kate Winslet. However, hey, literature!

Speaking of Vegas, you know the Ninth Circuit's going to sit at UNLV soon, right?

Lorelei | Thu, 02/28/2008 - 10:53am

I didn't know that, but I knew that they sat at various law schools from time to time. I'm hoping I have a good excuse to see a 9th circuit argument fairly soon, if you know what I mean, but I'd prefer to see them in their usual digs in SF.

crazymonk | Thu, 02/28/2008 - 11:04am

I bought the book and started reading it, but still haven't finished it. Maybe I've lived in Vegas too long.

I attended part of the Ninth Circuit session yesterday; my boss was arguing an appeal. It was a rockstar panel (relatively speaking): Berzon, Bybee and Kozinski.

alina | Thu, 02/28/2008 - 3:02pm