Blix | 
pickIn McTeague, Norris shows us exactly how base human nature can be when people are put under pressure. In Blix, he shows how good life can be when humans live in the moment and let go of trying to be the coolest person in their set. Travis (Blix), at 19, calmly decides she is through with the petty, artificial group she runs with and from now on will do what she likes, experience what she likes, within the bounds of being a good person. She dumps⏬
LitStephanie her boyfriend (the somewhat autobiographical Condy who, like Norris, was raised in Chicago but moved to San Francisco and became a journalist and fiction writer), but they remain chums and both undergo major transformations. So much good stuff here about the animal joy of just being, how you can't really get close to another person within society's prescribed activities, and also gorgeous imagery of a San Francisco that no longer exist. Short read 1y
LitStephanie Highly recommend. At first I didn't like the Victorian woman ideal of Blix being the good angel on Condy's shoulder, rescuing him from vice, but she is nothing so simple. She is a physically strong woman who hikes as well as Condy, fishes and plays poker better, and is headed off to a womens' medical school to be a doctor. Funny, sweet, romantic novel. 1y
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