Probably one of Cormac McCarthy's best novels, "No Country for Old Men" is a jarring look into criminal darkness and the consequences behind one's dec...moreProbably one of Cormac McCarthy's best novels, "No Country for Old Men" is a jarring look into criminal darkness and the consequences behind one's decisions. The novel, which was masterfully adapted to film by none other than the Coen brothers, follows Llewyn Moss, a somewhat simple man that "sticks to his guns" after coming across the remains of an intense drug deal gone awry-- as well as a huge sum of cash. The story turns into a genius game of cat-and-mouse, as one of most interesting antagonists in fiction, Anton Chigurh, chases down Moss for his money and, eventually, revenge. This novel took my mind on an adventure that I'll never forget.(less)
Fitzgerald's "The Beautiful and Damned" contains a lot of elements that his other works contain, yet at the same time has something different about it...moreFitzgerald's "The Beautiful and Damned" contains a lot of elements that his other works contain, yet at the same time has something different about it. Set in the early twentieth century, an era of excess, the reader follows Anthony Patch through his debauchery and love life with the "high maintence" Gloria. As the story goes on, any sort of strict plot seems to fade; the story wavers from relevant events in Anthony and Gloria's life to deep thoughts and emotions that the characters are experiencing. Overall, the novel was a unique roller coaster ride through Jazz Age lifestyles.(less)
I'd like to start off by saying-- wow. Anthony Kiedis, the lead singer of the band, Red Hot Chili Peppers has lead a wild life, to say the least. From...moreI'd like to start off by saying-- wow. Anthony Kiedis, the lead singer of the band, Red Hot Chili Peppers has lead a wild life, to say the least. From smoking marijuana with his father at the age of six, to having sex with his father's girlfriend before his twelveth birthday, it is clear by page 25 that he was in for quite the "rock-star" life. I love the voice of this novel, you can really get a sense of who Anthony really is-- and why he is that way. The novel explains meaning in his life and also delineates the purpose of most of the band's hit songs. I recommend this book to anyone who is into biaographies, or just anyone.(less)
In the midst of a rough breakup, I started dabbling into poetry; Bukowski being my first endevour. This book holds some of the most painful, joyful, i...moreIn the midst of a rough breakup, I started dabbling into poetry; Bukowski being my first endevour. This book holds some of the most painful, joyful, intense, funny, sad, and happy poems I've ever read. In one hand, the book explores the downside of relationships: the pain and suffering and jelousies that we all face while in love. On the other hand, he reminds the reader (rarely throughout the book) that even though life can be a shit-show, there are "lights" and "ways out". Hearing that from Bukowski, who mostly focuses on getting drunk and living in severe depression, is healing in itself. This novel got me through a tough time in my life, and I would absolutely recomend it.(less)
Although James Frey has caught shit for "faking" some of the details in this hard-core, intense story, I still enjoyed it. The novel begins with him w...moreAlthough James Frey has caught shit for "faking" some of the details in this hard-core, intense story, I still enjoyed it. The novel begins with him waking up on a plane with his teeth knocked out. And we go from there. The nnovel is written not exactly in prose form, a style that grips the reader and envelopes creativity in a huge way. The intensity of substance abuse in this story is mainly what drives it-- the details that Frey gives are enough to make your stomach hurt. And it probably will. Good read.(less)
Palahniuk has done it again. "Rant" is set up in the most unique way I've ever seen-- the whole novel is told through interviews with different people...morePalahniuk has done it again. "Rant" is set up in the most unique way I've ever seen-- the whole novel is told through interviews with different people. All focusing on Buster Casey, who is a rediculously unique individual with incredible (and disturbing) characteristics, the interviews inform the reader of his past, eventually allowing the reader to discover more and more what his intension is. The book is extremely well-written, and I would recommend it to many people. Although, the novel does seem to drag a bit towards the middle. Other than that, great read. (less)
Oh boy. This is an adventure that every mature reader should indulge in. Hunter S Thompson (probably during his days of heavy drinking) takes us on th...moreOh boy. This is an adventure that every mature reader should indulge in. Hunter S Thompson (probably during his days of heavy drinking) takes us on the wild ride of Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo, who pack a suitcase full of miscellaneous drugs and a trunk full of booze, travelling to Los Angeles. Throughout the novel, the two are on a constant altered state of mind, expiriencing L.A. in the strangest way possible. This is a great read and I reccomend it to anyone who is ready for an adventure.(less)
This novel digs deep; within its bleakness resides hope, trust, and feeling. Set in a dark post-apocalyptic world, a father and son strive to survive....moreThis novel digs deep; within its bleakness resides hope, trust, and feeling. Set in a dark post-apocalyptic world, a father and son strive to survive. During their quest on the road, they encounter terrible sights of death, bandits, and a desolate, grey world riddled with sadness. This novel evokes intense emotions-- it seems to shed light on feelings that are usually not kept in mind. Overall, McCarthy's novel is similar to an intense dream; although it contains an unorthodox style and a bleak tone, it resonates within and makes one really think about the things they would not ordinarily think about.(less)
This novel takes the reader on a gut wretching, in depth perspective of serial killer Patrick Bateman, who (grusomely) kills numerous people and gets...moreThis novel takes the reader on a gut wretching, in depth perspective of serial killer Patrick Bateman, who (grusomely) kills numerous people and gets away with it. He is a wealthy Wall St. CEO, specalizing in "murders and executions" (a sick pun on his actual title; mergers and acquisitions). I loved the way Bret Easton Ellis portrays the character, in the first person, so non-chalantly. He discusses eating, the act of sex, and murder in the same, toned- down manner. This book is a sick, twisted page turner and I enjoyed every page. (less)
Donald Barthelme is an experimental and postmodern writer who employs a wide range of strange devices that helped him create emotion and feeling in th...moreDonald Barthelme is an experimental and postmodern writer who employs a wide range of strange devices that helped him create emotion and feeling in the reader. In his short story collection, 40 Stories, he constructs an entire story though a question and answer session, he juxtaposes pictures with text to create greater effect, and one story is several letters to an editor. I have chosen to focus on one story in the collection in order to fully explain what is at play in Barthelme’s writing so as to give a thorough review. I must say that Barthelme is a magnificent writer with the ability to transform the uses of the written form in narratives. The story “On the Deck” represents Barthelme’s experimental approach to point of view, both spatially and cognitively, and although the story does not easily reveal itself to the reader, a string of interconnected sights weaves together a collage that can be seen as informing the story’s last two paragraphs, which seem to be entirely separated from the story’s previous images other than as a creation in the narrator’s mind serving to reflect his distant and confused thoughts as he sits with a woman who he seems to care for. The story begins with a description of a lion in a cage, moves forward to describe a group of Christian bikers, a girl in leg braces, a red Camry, a scandalous yellow dress, and so on. What makes Barthelme’s description of these people and items fascinating is not their varied and eccentric assembly but the way they seem to line up in a row as if you are looking at the boat’s profile and seeing each image lined up exactly as if they were positioned in the same location on the boat as their mention on the pages. Each person or thing is connected to something in its proximity. The bikers look after the girl; the car’s exhaust disturbs the lion; the captain touches the hem of the girl in the yellow dress. About half-way through the story, the progressing linear structure breaks down and draws back on itself rewalking its previous steps but with a new series of people and things populating the previously straightforward assembly—clogging it and giving it the appeal of a crowd instead of a line, a newly formed three-dimensional scene. The captain’s dog is now bothered by the lion on the opposite side of him; the scene is no longer two end points joined by a line but a single point of activity and emotions. Before the final paragraphs all the people on the boat share in the reception of mail from the mail carrier and Christmas music and falling snow—they all share a mutual connection now despite their physical or mental differences: “Winter on deck. All of the above covered with snow. Christmas music.” The boat scene fades and is replaced with a spring day—“Then, spring. A weak sun, then a stronger sun”—and a pair of people. These two people may soon be lovers because they have just touched for the first time, she falling into his lap and becoming one point. These two disparate scenes—the winter boat trip and the spring lounging—shows Barthelme’s astounding ability to create two scenes with near-identical emotions and expressing the same spatial point of view. Both scenes had two ends or two bodies and both ended with a convergence of the two. Furthermore, the two scenes seem connected by more than just a spatial point of view. It seems that the first scene’s narrator who is ostensibly third-person omniscient is also the first-person “I” in the second scene because the seamless connection of the spatial point of view seems to suggest a seamlessly cognizant narrator. Barthelme’s ability to construct a scene of postmodern ambiguity in a decipherable structure shows his ability to convey complex thoughts, such as the melding of disparate people and emotions, in the form of a puzzle. And, “On the Deck” is not alone in its puzzle like qualities. Stories such as “The Genius” and “The Explanation” require similar puzzle solving to open up. The question and answer format and the several large black boxes used throughout “The Explanation” ask the reader to look into the spaces in between the questions, and into the black boxes, to get a feeling of who the characters are and what their priorities are. Barthelme’s 40 Stories is a great read and a great start to the stranger type of experimental fiction, later postmodern writing. (less)
To say the novel “The Soul Thief” by Charles Baxter is a psychological thriller is like saying Robert Frost wrote poems: Both statements are true but...moreTo say the novel “The Soul Thief” by Charles Baxter is a psychological thriller is like saying Robert Frost wrote poems: Both statements are true but fail to illustrate the impact of the authors’ work. Charles Baxter uses a unique style of involving the reader in his writing—a style that bleeds throughout “The Soul Thief”. The novel takes its readers on a rollercoaster ride through the mind of Nathaniel, a college student who struggles with love, lust, and more importantly, a seemingly-obsessive new friend whom Nathaniel believes is attempting to steal his identity.
The story begins in the 70’s in Buffalo, New York, where Nathaniel meets Theresa (his physical attraction), for the first time and they walk to a party together. At the party, they meet Coolberg—a well-spoken, almost annoying character—and right off the bat, the author displays a strange feeling towards him. Coolberg speaks in highly intelligent vernacular throughout the novel; a characteristic that bothers Nathaniel from the start. After the three interact with each other (and some alcohol) at the party, Nathaniel drives the two home.
The novel then introduces Jamie, Nathanial’s soon-to-be love interest. She is a lesbian (a perfect impediment for our main character) that works at the same soup kitchen as he. Throughout the novel, Nathaniel splits his time with Theresa and Jamie; slowly growing further from Theresa and closer to Jamie, who, at first repels his feelings and eventually begins to feel the same. All the while, the novel centers on Coolberg’s obsession with Nathaniel and his constant (desperate) need to be around him. Coolberg then, in an attempt to get closer to Nathaniel, forms a bond with Theresa and persuades her to steal things from Nathaniel’s apartment (clothes, books, pictures). At this point, our main character’s life takes a downward spiral.
“The Soul Thief” is written in four parts and forty-six chapters; some of which stretch to twenty pages, some only one page. The novel is quite a well-written story and I loved Charles Baxter’s way of telling it. Part one of the story, which lasts for half the book, is told in the third-person tense and it ends with Nathaniel having a mental breakdown. Part two then switches to the first-person tense, through narration of a character who we later find out is Nathaniel, years after the breakdown. This tense remains throughout the rest of the novel.
Charles Baxter’s style is one of balance—he uses copious amounts of articulate detail as well as highly-relatable wit that engages the reader. Through his innate tendency to describe scenes (which sometimes last for pages and are vivid with imagery), Baxter inserts bits of humor and sarcasm. His style informs the reader and places the images in their head, yet keeps them connected with relatable, situational commentary.
I enjoyed “The Soul Thief” for many reasons; the most memorable being Charles Baxter’s ability to enter the mind of his main character. By thrusting the reader into his thoughts; insecurities, anxieties, and pleasures, Baxter involves the reader in a masterful way and makes turning the page effortless. I look forward to reading more of Charles Baxter’s work, and I truly believe that he stands as an important figure in creative writing. (less)
Perhaps it is Chuck Palahniuk's sick-minded, realistic approach to character psycology that makes this book what it is. Fight Club is the story of an...morePerhaps it is Chuck Palahniuk's sick-minded, realistic approach to character psycology that makes this book what it is. Fight Club is the story of an unnamed protagonist who disperses his psychotic tendencies through the construction of a fight club, under his mentor- Tyler Durden. This roller-coaster ride of a book (more of an entire theme-park, actually) envelopes the reader with short, easy flowing scripture and intense first-person interactions. The insanity of the novel is what made me love it, but it, and keep it on the top-shelf of my bookcase. (less)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, as explained by my 8th grade reading teacher, is "all about tripping". This scattered, deeply embelishing stream...moreThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, as explained by my 8th grade reading teacher, is "all about tripping". This scattered, deeply embelishing stream of conciousness takes the reader on a journey that they will never forget. Douglas Adams paints a most crisp encounter with the universe and one character's journey through it. The comically- crafted book is one that will stand as a critical piece of creative fiction for the rest of human history.(less)
Aldous Huxley was known for his brilliance as well as his encouragment for taking psychedelics. Brave New World is without a doubt due to a combinatio...moreAldous Huxley was known for his brilliance as well as his encouragment for taking psychedelics. Brave New World is without a doubt due to a combinatioon of these two aspects. The novel, set far into the future, explores a world where people are cloned and grouped into classes, all serving a certain purpose. This amazing, eye-opening book serves as a lesson in humanism and culture; a lesson that should be learned by everyone, world-wide.(less)
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster is the intense, first hand view of a group who attempts to climb the largest mountain in...moreInto Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster is the intense, first hand view of a group who attempts to climb the largest mountain in the world. John Krakauer's constant tendency to paint us vivid details of the story is frequent throughout the book. The uplifting, heartbreaking tale of this group's triumph is enough to keep any level of reader on the edge of their seat. Into Thin Air is a masterpiece, to say the least.(less)
Chris McCandless's story couldn't have been better told-than the way it has been in Into The Wild. Krakauer gets down and dirty into the details of th...moreChris McCandless's story couldn't have been better told-than the way it has been in Into The Wild. Krakauer gets down and dirty into the details of this privelaged young man's life- leading up to his sudden obsession with the detachment of materialism. We indulge into McCandless's life begining with the end- his dead corpse found in a bus in Northern Alaska- and slowly work our way through. This story is a nail-biter to say the least, and it's intensity reminds the reader that it is a John Krakauer novel.(less)
Stephen King's The Shining is an erie, psychotic tale of a recovering alchoholic writer who brings his family on his duties to look after a vacant hot...moreStephen King's The Shining is an erie, psychotic tale of a recovering alchoholic writer who brings his family on his duties to look after a vacant hotel during the winter. The novel will send chills down the spine of whoever reads it, and King's perfected styles of foreshadowing, suspense, and horror consolidate to make for an incredible read. I'd recomend this book to anyone who doesn't mind a gut-wretching freefall of viciousness.(less)
Lord Of the Flies tells the story of parentless, pre-adolescent children on an island who develop a new way of living. The book is very well written a...moreLord Of the Flies tells the story of parentless, pre-adolescent children on an island who develop a new way of living. The book is very well written and comes off as a dark view of how children would act given no supervision whatsoever. The novel dabbles into themes of human nature- competition, struggle, and survival. The tragic result of the children's self- government is a metaphore for the actual governing that society has placed upon us, to this day.(less)
Of Mice and Men is one of Steinbeck's masterpieces- it's a somewhat down-trodden tail of two migrant workers during the great depression. The book enc...moreOf Mice and Men is one of Steinbeck's masterpieces- it's a somewhat down-trodden tail of two migrant workers during the great depression. The book encaptures some of the strongest emotions you, as a reader, will ever feel towards characters in a novel. The friendship between these two men, the struggles they encounter, and the tragedies that unfold along the way, all serve as the backbone for this heavy-hearted American classic.(less)
Where The Sidewalk Ends is a captivating collection of Shel Silverstien's imaginative poetry. The poems found in Where the Sidewalk Ends open a realm...moreWhere The Sidewalk Ends is a captivating collection of Shel Silverstien's imaginative poetry. The poems found in Where the Sidewalk Ends open a realm of creativity and imagination that couldn't be found anywhere else. This book brings the reader into a well-crafted displayed world of Silverstien's mind. And it makes the reader feel those ever-so-vivid childhood memories.(less)
JD Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye is a classic, American novel that should be read by every high school student in the country. Salinger portrays H...moreJD Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye is a classic, American novel that should be read by every high school student in the country. Salinger portrays Holden, a teenage high school drop-out, who finds himself isolated from society and usually drowned in thoughts of depression. The novel has a very dark tone to it, and it's sometimes vulgar nature is partly why I enjoyed it so much.(less)
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