Empty Plateau

I am about 2/3 through a really great book. Beautiful Ruins, by Jess Walter. Early in the book he writes:

He found himself inhabiting the vast, empty plateau where most people live, between boredom and contentment.

I thought that this pretty well describes Lakeside life and that this guy can really put the words together. I'm sure it is well reviewed.
Here are some other teaser quotes from Goodreads to see if this might be to your liking.

http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/16381755-beautiful-ruins

Nice!

After reading this author's quotes, my conclusion is that he may be one of the most cynical writers I've ever encountered.
Only the timid, the chronically fearful, or those with a damaged ego fail to not only believe that their dreams can come true but fail to ACT on making them happen.  If a dream is totally unrealistic, you go on to another one.  
" Retirement" is a state of mind and may well be the most damaging attitude for living out the last chapter of our lives.

Once upon a time, I worked for the SSA and had the opportunity to have applications for retirement benefits cross my desk.  I couldn't help  but notice that the longest lived people were self-employed...........artists and fishermen. Right behind them were others who never quit doing what they always did.  Others found ways of finding a new passion to pursue with the skills they already had.  The ones who took their "gold watch" and settled in with the TV  to watch their bellies grow?  Their widow came in approximately 18 months later.
Go figure.  I say "Screw that empty plateau".

I didn't find the quotes at all cynical. I did not see the author advocating for what he was writing about. He was more observing and perhaps providing a warning -- or at least a caution sign. I am not sure what the quotes are attached to but, like Chillin, could appreciate the author's beautiful prose.

This story does has a tear breaking ending. It does end up well though, there are smiles of glee. But it feels like in the ebook/kindle - when the studios in the 1960's, sent in a fifty screenwriters , they came up with a five hour solution, which would involve "Cleopatra" into five movies. It is a novel about film history too. Too much, too little time. Egads - I would hate to see the movie on this novel, which does exist.

This book is a dizzy spin, to be reread a few years later (dog willing).

Lady Otter Latté wrote:I didn't find the quotes at all cynical. I did not see the author advocating for what he was writing about. He was more observing and perhaps providing a warning -- or at least a caution sign. I am not sure what the quotes are attached to but, like Chillin, could appreciate the author's beautiful prose.

I too, appreciate the author's writing skills. But, if his quotes are typical of his attitude, I pity him.