Gearing up for White Noise (and Next)

The little I know about White Noise by Don DeLillo comes from the book cover and the first few pages. I see a preoccupation with death in the text and there appears to be radiation or something like it in the picture on the cover. The writing draws me in.

I have been looking forward to reading White Noise for about 6 months. I've put it off because it's a post-modern book, and that made me suspect that I would need a clear head (i.e. no work projects screaming to be done) to do it justice. So as I'm cooking the Thanksgiving dinner, I plan to read the short chapters and enjoy the spaces in-between. No disgusting sexuality as in Lolita and Naked Lunch. No creepy babies or settings as in Beloved or Never Let Me Go (much as I loved both). No cryptic stream-of-consciousness as in The Sound and the Fury. Just a solid exercise in great reading. This book won the National Book Award, and DeLillo was a Pulitzer prize finalist for two other books.

Next, by James Hines

For some reason, the first few pages of White Noise remind me of a book by James Hines called Next. It is about a man living in Ann Arbor, who in a panic when he suspects his girlfriend is pregnant, decides to drastically change his life. One morning he secretly flies to Austin to apply for a job. Arriving early, he spends a few hours following a pretty woman around town as she runs errands. (She's in on the game). As he fantasizes about being with her he relives key moments in his life - especially his love life. His anxiety increases with his reminiscences and as a result his morning becomes more eventful, but he survives it intact and arrives for his interview on time. The book leads up to a big twist and so I'll stop here. Loved the book. I chewed on it for a few weeks afterward - which is my idea of a what good book should do.

What is it about White Noise that reminds me of Next? There is a sense of calm before the storm. Here's to a Happy Thanksgiving and to some relaxing reading time!