My buddy Alen introduced me to Anthony Lane, who was one of my favorite movie reviewers in The New Yorker. Not that I read the New Yorker often, but w...moreMy buddy Alen introduced me to Anthony Lane, who was one of my favorite movie reviewers in The New Yorker. Not that I read the New Yorker often, but when I do I always look to see if there's a review by this guy.(less)
I liked the first book the Alvin Maker series, Seventh Son well enough for its folksy look at a young alternative America, filled with homespun magic ...moreI liked the first book the Alvin Maker series, Seventh Son well enough for its folksy look at a young alternative America, filled with homespun magic knacks and big families dreaming even bigger of a better life. In Red Prophet, we get to see the flipside of the white man's knackery compared to those of the red man. It's a fascinating portrait of good versus evil, drawn along the fault lines of selfishness, ambition, misplaced good intentions, ignorance, and principle. The characters in the book, many of which you'd recognize from history, all have their own agendas and motivations, and Card takes us deep into their reasoning and nature of conflict. People just want to live their lives, most of the time, but the way they live them invariably steps on someone else's idea of what that means...the end result, on the Tippecanoe river, filled me with sadness. This is an alternative history of America, mind you, so the events portrayed will be different from what you read in history books. It is, however, imagined with great heart. Red Prophet is, I think, the best of of this six book series. (less)
Part of me is thinking I shouldn't be throwin' around the 5 star rating so casually, but I was gripped all the way through. A few things struck me abo...morePart of me is thinking I shouldn't be throwin' around the 5 star rating so casually, but I was gripped all the way through. A few things struck me about the book:
* People die, the way they do...suddenly, unexpectedly.
* The psychology of friendship and social forces is not spelled out, but is ever present. It's a book about moral choices and getting beyond surface impressions, and goes out of its way to make sure they're not easy.
I'm impressed. More later once I'm done processing it.(less)
I can't remember when I first came across this book, but I think it was passed to my sis and I by a nice Canadian missionary lady at the seminary we w...moreI can't remember when I first came across this book, but I think it was passed to my sis and I by a nice Canadian missionary lady at the seminary we were growing up on. I remember being enthralled by it, as I was big into the Arthurian legend stuff via T.H. White's "The Sword in the Stone" and following series.
I recently bought this book again while hanging out at the Harry Potter VII release at Borders, passing the time. It's a fun read, though I found myself skipping passages to just find out what was going on. It might just be that I was trying to get the book out of the way, and wasn't in the mood to savor the read like I do with other books. (less)
I was talking to a friend about a book she was reading that had folksy expressions in it, and I remembered the "Alvin Maker" series from Ors...moreI was talking to a friend about a book she was reading that had folksy expressions in it, and I remembered the "Alvin Maker" series from Orson Scott Card. I'd forgotten how it's one of my favorite books. I like the depiction of an early alternative America with hard-working people speaking plainly to each other, the undercurrent of magic and good and evil, and the family life. It's also a story about a young boy growing into his talent and his mission (a common theme with OSC), and I just about always enjoy the journey. I see a lot of myself reflected in this book.(less)
I has an affinity for cyberpunk stories, which is how I know Gibson's work. I feel a certain distance, though, between his characters and the world th...moreI has an affinity for cyberpunk stories, which is how I know Gibson's work. I feel a certain distance, though, between his characters and the world they are caught up in; the language is scintillating, but it feels very "surface" to me. Pattern Recognition was the first of his novels that really spoke to me perhaps because the main character reflected a lot of what I was going through, and my own confusion with my emerging values versus the identity I wanted to step into. I enjoyed the book immensely, and it left a lingering impression (hence the 4 stars). I should reread it and write a real review.(less)
I've been reading through Paulo Coelho's books. The writing I find simple and honest in tone that is just slightly new-agey. However, at times his wor...moreI've been reading through Paulo Coelho's books. The writing I find simple and honest in tone that is just slightly new-agey. However, at times his works surprise me with the occasional blunt phrasing.
In this particular novel, the theme is that of how people with unique perspectives are seen as crazy by the majority who do not understand them. The protagonist, a young woman named Veronika, attempts to kill herself because she just doesn't see life getting any more interesting. She doesn't succeed right away, and ends up in an insane asylum, where there are a collection of people who are not quite as insane as one would think. I am naturally drawn to people who are think differently than the mainstream and somehow are able to retain their uniquenesses with dignity, so I found the premise of the book intriguing.
I reliably get good insights from Coelho's books, and I find them pleasurable to read. There is almost always a moment or two that I find incredibly powerful. However, the reason for my pleasure is that I project my own personal journey into the work; I suspect that others may not have the same effect on others who aren't questioning themselves in the manner that Coelho's characters do.
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