In which Bookdwarf receives a galley, gets excited, and then notices that the book is really short

The lovely HarperCollins rep sent me a galley of Michael Chabon’s new book The Final Solution: A Story of Detection yesterday. I read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay several years ago and found it a completely engrossing read. So I have high hopes for this book. Chabon seems to have many devoted fans too. But this book is only 130 pages long! Kavalier and Clay came out 4 years ago, so he’s had plenty of time to work on a new novel. I know he wrote a children’s book and helped McSweeney’s put together some anthologies. He’s been busy. I probably should not complain I know. Maybe he is working on something bigger? I just thought that his other books seem meatier, you know? I’ll shut up now.

8 thoughts on “In which Bookdwarf receives a galley, gets excited, and then notices that the book is really short”

  1. Ed's avatarEd

    Well, damn, that came out quick. Here I was thinking for some reason that it came out early next year. Now there’s something additional to pick up. I tell ya, that Michael Chabon’s a damn writing machine.

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  2. Little Toy Robot's avatarLittle Toy Robot

    According to his site, he’s working on a novel called The Yiddish Policeman’s Union that’s scheduled to come out in Fall 2005. I’m sure it’ll be more than 130 pages! He has also been busy editing the McSweeney’s anthologies (a second one is coming out in November) and the quarterly Escapist comic books for Dark Horse. And don’t forget he wrote a treatment of the Spider-Man 2 script!

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  3. bookdwarf's avatarbookdwarf

    I know he’s been working hard. sigh. I am just one of those people disappointed with short novels. I need 200 pages or more to keep me going I guess. Who knows when I will work this into my TBR list? I always want authors I like to write works that are meaty enough for me to spend a week reading and sweating over. 130 pages is more like a novella to me. But Ed, you’re right. Chabon does work hard. He wrote a kids’ book, edited some McSweeney’s anthologies and worked on a graphic novel series. What have I done since he published Kavalier and Clay? Not much I tell you but start this blog.

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  4. patricia's avatarpatricia

    Loved loved loved Kavalier and Clay. Was really sad to finish it. I like thick meaty books, too. Middlesex was a good meaty read, I think.

    Have you read Chabon’s collection of short stories Werewolves in their Youth? Not meaty, but quite pithy.

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  6. bookdwarf's avatarbookdwarf

    No, I am afraid that I haven’t read Werewolves in their Youth. You make it sound interesting though. I am almost embarassed to admit that Kavalier & Clay is the only Chabon I’ve ever read. Gotta get on that! Where to start?

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