College Students! discussion

Initial reactions?
How do you feel about Oskar?

(please feel free to post a new thread if you are further than this..)

just got the book today..will be starting it soon!

Well, I am a huge fan of stream of consciousness narrative, so I immediately fell in love with the story from the first page. I love the way Oskar thinks, although some of his thoughts make him seem older than nine. I definitely could relate to him and sympathize with him. I also love that the story balances hilarity and seriousness.

Just to clarify... We're going up to "My Feelings" right?

I love Oskar's inventions.. particularly the microphones that broadcast everyone's heart beats. Oh if those were real! I guess your secret crush wouldn't be so secret which would eliminate some drama. haha.

I also just love Foer's use of language:
"the place in the hospital where babies are born would sound like a crystal chandelier in a houseboat... And at the finish line at the end of the New York City Marathon it would sound like war."

And what about all the "Thomas Schell"s at the art store? This is definitely one of those books where I continually stop and try to figure it out as I go along.

I also love Oskar's scrapbook of "Stuff That's Happened to Me." I want one.

yep..you got it! :)


i love his inventions as well..i literally started cracking up when he talked about his anus talking and saying "it wasn't me"..i read that to my (nonreading) boyfriend and he cracked up..another thing i thought was hilarious was his banter between he and the cab driver..when he was like, "do you know shit?" and the guy was like that's a bad word..and he says..not if you say "succotash my Balzac, dipshiitake." at that..my boyfriend said..actually sounds like a good book!.

i LOVE oskar..although I forget he is only nine..i think he is a brilliant character..and i don't think that i have ever openly laughed like that in the first 5 pages of a book..

I thought it was sad when he was talking about how the elevators should work..and how if it worked like how he wanted..then when a plane hit the building you wouldn't be stuck..

ahh i can't wait to keep reading!! :)

oh and lynn..if you are further..feel free to post another thread for the next couple chapters.

I love this so far! Yes, he seems a lot older than nine. But that's just what tragedy does when mixed with an intelligent and smart little boy. =)


Sometimes it's confusing how it jumps between narrators, but I'm working it out.

I like the way the book is written although somehow it's hard to keep up, I have to re-read again to figure out who is talking.

I like Oskar's character.
I'm pretty sure most nine year olds have random thoughts like that all the time.
What does everyone feel about the self harm?
Every now and then he would "give himself a bruise"
I think he feels partly responsible for his father's death, and that he didn't answer the phone or whatever was going on there.
It's a little sad to be honest. His character is extremely funny though.

yeah I'm not a big fan of the narration switches, especially since you're rarely sure of who is being addressed or even who is speaking (well, in the beginning I guess it's fairly clear, but later on it can get confusing)

I have read the whole thing, but I'm rereading along with everyone else. I might start a new thread later, but I'm interested in seeing what everyone else is saying as they go along. :]

And hindsight is 20/20 so I'm censoring myself :]

Haha Jamie, that's so funny, because I read exactly the same parts to my nonreading boyfriend, and he thought it sounded like a good book too!
I do love Oskar to pieces. As far as the self harm, he must be feeling so much pain that he doesn't know how to deal with it, so he gives himself bruises to take the pain away, even for a moment.
Parts of the book are really sad, even though it has funny parts too. I found myself laughing out loud and crying all throughout the book, so I think it's a nice balance.

Wow! I honestly thought I would be behind you guys because it's hard to keep up with trying to get school work done, but I couldn't stop reading it today!
I love Oskar!! He is so great and I do forget he is nine. He just has some of the funniest thoughts!
So, correct me if I am wrong, we still don't exactly know what happened to his dad right? I mean we know he died on 9/11 in NYC but we don't really, exactly know why, right? Just want to make sure I am up to date.
I think the mom is a very interesting character. I think you're supposed to like her but not at the same time. She just seems too busy for her son. I like the grandma though!
GREAT book so far!! I can't wait to read even more!!

i'm soo behind i feel like..i've been swamped! but this week is looking pretty decent for me to catch back up with everyone.

janet..as far as i know..we don't know exactly what happened..

i LOVE the relationship between him and his dad that he describes..its so cute.

I also am wondering if we will find out more about his giving himself a bruise thing and why he does that..

ahh seriously..it took all my self restraint to not pick this book up today..bc i have a test tomorrow..so i just can't read it..but you just wait until tomorrow night..that's allll i'm doing.

I am def sooo behind...I have a law test and a Social Psychology test 2morrow that I am craming for but Wed has been set aside to READ! Promise I will catch up ASAP!!!

I also like how he refers to heavy boots. I meant to mention that in my last post but forgot! I think that's so cute!!

earlier i said how sometimes i forget that Oskar is only 9..but then it's thrown in there a scene to make me remember..like for instance when he is in the arts supply store and he is interrupting the woman...that's such a typical kid thing to do. i love oskar..he's hilarious..this book has me hooked..

Since I just started today I am probably way behind all of you.

I do like Oskar as a character, and while some of his ideas seem too old for his age, it just reminds me of the funny things my nephews say. One is 6 and the other just turned 4, but their minds make them say and think things that are way above the level I feel they should be at. I feel the tragedy of losing his father has caused Oskar to be older than his age.

As for the mother and Grandma, I feel like they are trying their best to hide reality from the child. They act like the past doesn't matter, or only remember the good. I know they probably think this is for the best, but with a child that has that much "invention" this is going to backfire, I think.

I would like to that you all for picking this book though. This is totally not a book I would have seeked out, but I am enjoying it so far.

Kid's brains are fascinating. When I'm working with kids, I worry that what I'm saying will be above their level, but more often than not, they suprise me with their understanding and creativity.

I remember reading a poem in contemporary lit class and the narrator was talking about watching his son draw a man with flames for hair and all this other crazy stuff. My prof made a comment about how kids are so much more creative before the school system gets a hold of them.

So actually, Oskar's really not that odd in that respect. Granted, his ideas are much more thought through and well organized in comparison to other kids. :]

he reminds me alot of one of the little boys i work with..he is 5 and has asperger's..and is the smartest little boy ever! I think he is a mini oskar! haha. not really..but honestly i am so impressed with the things he comes up with. I think i miss the creativity i had as a child.

Tami..i'm glad you are enjoying it so far! I think you will come to enjoy it more! :)

I've only read the first chapter and I liked it. I had to pause it because I just got a book that I had reserved from the library and the due date is very short :(

I am really fascinated though by the writing style. I love how it has this semantic field of a child. Even though he happens to be a very intellectual child, he is nevertheless a child and one can see that by the random appearance of thoughts and emotions. One time it's this thought in his head and the next thing it is that. He's very philosophical as well.

I'm not that fond of the author breaking the convention by not seperating dialouges into seperate lines. It's just a bit of annoying but maybe I'll get used to it :)

I agree..there are so many times in the book where you are reminded of the fact that he is indeed a child despite the fact that he is very bright.

i loved the writing style as well..and honestly my only annoyance would be the same as yours..i had to slow down when i hit the dialogue just to make sure i knew who was talking. i got used to it after a while. didn't like it..but got used to it. haha

My favorite part is definitely when he talks about his if whenever he farted, his butt would say it wasn't me! Haha. That's just too cute.

Finally got around to reading this one. Although it was a touch slow in places I quite enjoyed it in the end. Think my biggest issue with it was that the writing style did not fit that of a child narrator and he often seems much older than he should.