Disillusionment is just divesting one's self of illusions. Illusions in my opinion are built on sadness and anger. Maturity in my opinion is the unencumbered but appropriate flow of emotions. If emotions are flowing, appropriately, they're not being turned into obsessions and greed and all the other miseries. As far as seeing humanity for what it is, well, humanity is what it is. You tell me what it is, Mike. Saul Bellow is one of those writers that one doesn't remember, that's probably why you don't remember him. He's too impressionistic. Way back once upon a time I read the Great Gatsby and I had the same problem. It was like I never read it, and Fitzgerald was I think a screen writer, so his writing one would think would be pretty concrete. I can't think of an author that I particularly like. We're living in interesting times, and interesting times are more interesting than fiction in my opinion. I guess I'll stick with Shakespeare. No doubt you came to praise Cesar, not to bury him... It's Halloween, Mike. I'm going as a very mature person. I haven't picked out a costume yet. Maybe Saul Bellows with a squirting flower in the lapel. What are you going as? I know. You can go as a cook. You can make "Reeses Pieces" minus the Reeses. And the Pieces. Actually, it's peanut butter, Splenda and a teaspoon or so of Hershey's unflavored cocoa powder, and a little fat free half and half to moisten (in the sink, it can make a mess, at least the first time). I'll bet that's Robert Paul's favorite Halloween tradition... --- On Fri, 10/31/08, Mike Geary <atlas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Really? You find Bellow's style unreadable?