I keep trying to articulate what bugs me about him. He's a good writer and storyteller, but in "The Gambler", I think what got me was that the characters were all such tropes--which can be done, but as he's a white dude writing from the first person standpoint of an an Asian immigrant to the US, it made me itchy. (Also I'm fond of Thoreau and found that aspect a little oversimplified, but that's minor.) Also, that he just sorta screwed over Laos in his worldbuilding for the sake of his story having meaning...idek.

Which, as I said, is a real damn shame, because there are some very good IDEAS in it, and I can see why you assigned it from that perspective. AUGH.

I would definitely like to meet up if you would like to!