If it wasn't for the language (which I found effective but inappropriate for gentler audiences), I would be yelling about this book everywhere I go. I...moreIf it wasn't for the language (which I found effective but inappropriate for gentler audiences), I would be yelling about this book everywhere I go. It's amazing. The story is taut, the dialect is spot on without being pancaked (or maybe that's b/c I live in that dialect), and the characterization is barely ever two-dimensional with the exception of the psychotic priest.
The hook in two sentences: The main character is the last boy in a world of men and only men where the thoughts of every sentient being are broadcast for the world to hear. No secrets, no escape, no quiet . . . or is there?(less)
A classic of both the comic and graphic novel world. An examination of caped crusaders and what it means to be one. Not for the faint of heart. There...moreA classic of both the comic and graphic novel world. An examination of caped crusaders and what it means to be one. Not for the faint of heart. There is a fair amount of blood, cursing and sex. Also, not for those lacking in attention span. Like most classics, it is dated and the significance of certain symbols and public figures will be lost on readers with less than a cursory knowledge of the seventies and eighties.
Many many storylines and happenstances are skillfully woven into a convergance in the penultimate act. For the place that it holds in the minds of the cognizanti, it's worth the read. Kind of like Thoreau's Walden.
I don't know how faithful the movie is to the text. Depending on that, I might recommend the movie as easier to get into.(less)
Beautiful photography, good articles for content and writing. Very informative about the 'world of cigars.' Chapter titles: Celebrities and Their Ciga...moreBeautiful photography, good articles for content and writing. Very informative about the 'world of cigars.' Chapter titles: Celebrities and Their Cigars, Cigar Origins, The Silver Screen, Cigar Accessories, The Art of Cigars, Walking my Cigar. Takes you through the production process of growing, drying, cutting, and rolling. Entertains the debate over cutting, punching, snipping, biting, etc. Options on lighting procedures and necessary accessories. A great coffee table book for the cigar enthusiast, which is why my wife keeps it in the upstairs bookcase. (less)
For several nights over the past week or so, I've stayed up well past my bedtime to sneak in just a few more pages of Rabih Alameddine's gorgeous nove...moreFor several nights over the past week or so, I've stayed up well past my bedtime to sneak in just a few more pages of Rabih Alameddine's gorgeous novel The Hakawati. The novel begins and ends with this curious imprecation to the reader: "Listen." Not 'pay attention,' not 'read this twice,' but "listen;" An indication that what is to follow is meant to be heard, meant to be oral.
Just check out the opening lines:
Listen. Allow me to be your god. Let me take you on a journey beyond imagining. Let me tell you a story.
I could write a whole blog post about that paragraph.
For those like me in the dark about Lebanese culture, a hakawati is a storyteller, something like the minstrel or bard in fantasy novels. The most familiar example of a hakawati to the Western world is Scheherazade. Yeah, the woman who stayed alive by leaving the king wanting more of her stories.
The Hakawati weaves myth and legend and family history and war into an amazing tapestry (think Persian carpet, the flying kind). Magic and the supernatural live in this book, as do sex and death. If you haven't read the uncensored One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights), you may be surprised by the variety of sexual activities. It's not just Aladdin urging good teenagers to take off their clothes. So reader be aware that not only do guys and girls get it on, but there is man-boy, girl-girl, guy-guy, girl-Other and so on.
Alameddine has a very similar style to Rushdie (Midnight's Children), but that connection could be solely from the cultural immersion. At 513 pages, it's not a small book, but the stories are compelling, the weaving is intentionally and cunningly muddled, the characters are mysterious and achingly human.
As a tale that deals with the telling of tales, it delves into the realms of meta-fiction: What are our stories? How and why do we tell stories? How do we create the stories we tell? One of my favorite sections (and there are several) comes from chapter eighteen toward the end of the book:
Uncle Jihad used to say that what happens is of little significance compared with the stories we tell ourselves about what happens. Events matter little, only stories of those events affect us.My father and I may have shared numerous experiences, but, as I was constantly finding out, we rarely shared their stories; we didn't know how to listen to one another.
It's a journey from beauty to beauty on waves of intelligent prose. This is a BIG recommendation. (Note: I first started the book back in April. Life delayed the finish, but not the enjoyment.)(less)
The story of a princess (with infrequent asides regarding proper behavior for princesses), a miner boy and the goblins, or cobs, that live inside the ...moreThe story of a princess (with infrequent asides regarding proper behavior for princesses), a miner boy and the goblins, or cobs, that live inside the mountain.
A really good adventure story with plenty of symbolism. Published in the 1870's, the language is pretty dense by today's standards. This is a book that begs to be read aloud to children (and adults).
It's about 300 pages, but the chapters are short.
Recommended to fans of The Tale of Despereaux (book) and The Chronicles of Narnia. (MacDonald's work, esp. Phantastes, was a profound influence on Lewis.)(less)