These sorts of novels are my hands down favorite; i.e. stories of survival, resourcefulness, the amazing ability of humans to adapt and carry on, and ...moreThese sorts of novels are my hands down favorite; i.e. stories of survival, resourcefulness, the amazing ability of humans to adapt and carry on, and of course, the commentary on the nature of human goodness or propensity for evil when the whole world goes to shi*. I always wondered what sort of person I would in an "end of the world" scenario; when all societal constraints are demolished and you have only your inner moral compass to direct your actions.
I enjoyed it and would recommend it for a 3 days survival read.
What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson is about the death and afterlife of Chris Nielson, a writer, husband, and father. Chris is killed in an autom...moreWhat Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson is about the death and afterlife of Chris Nielson, a writer, husband, and father. Chris is killed in an automobile accident and whisked away to what many would refer to as "heaven." What I DID like about the book is the in-depth research that went into creating an afterlife that could reconcile many beliefs about an afterlife into one place. I felt that was ingenious and was impressed at how Matheson coalesced all of these concepts into one reality, "if you want it to be a reality." I started to envision my own piece of heaven and how I might construct my paradisaical realms. It was an interesting thought to explore. Of course, where there is a heaven, there is also a hell, and Chris, through his unbreakable connection with his grieving wife, can not only feel her suffering, but has the lingering impression that something is wrong. It's when Albert, his guardian angel, tells him that his wife, Ann, has committed suicide and now must remain in a limbonic hell for the 24 years she was supposed to continue living, that Chris decides to descend to this lower level and seek her out. I struggled with the logic of this to an extent. If time is not "time" in this heavenly realm, and if Chris risks not only losing himself but prolonging their separation by descending to this lower level, I wonder why he couldn't wait the 24 years when Ann would be allowed to join him once again. Yes, I understand the grief that she will have to suffer for those 24 years, but Albert explains that that is the key to her ultimate progression. That to learn the lessons that are sometimes the hardest to learn, and to make recompense for the poor decisions we've made, the road back is less than ideal. How else do we learn from past mistakes if not by facing the consequences of those choices and accepting that by choosing how we did, we also chose the outcome. This 24 years was meant to help Ann recognize and progress to the level where Chris ended up.
I also really struggled with the character of Ann in the book and this is where my personal bias may come into play. In the novel, Ann is constantly painted as very weak of character, child-like, naive, extremely co-dependent, and incapable. This bothered me a lot. I like strong women characters and/or women who have some independence and inner strength that helps them cope with life. Don't misunderstand me. We all have flaws, weaknesses, tragedies, and vulnerabilities that we struggle to cope with, but Ann didn't seem to cope at all, rather, to merely survive. And even in the end, she couldn't do that. She had lost her husband and throughout the novel, Matheson attempts to take this already incomprehensible grief and magnify it through Ann's inability to live as a whole person without her husband present. Passing these two off as "soul-mates" was not justification enough for me for Ann to take her own life when she still had 4 children and other family alive who were also grieving and struggling. I would never attempt to diminish the incredible loss and grief that would overcome someone if their spouse passed away so quickly; particularly if, like Ann, you didn't believe in an afterlife. But it seems that her response to Chris's passing was typical of her characters inability to have some perspective, pull up her big girl panties, and face life as it is; good and bad.
ind a way, any way, to make her mother happy after her father's death; and Leo Gursky, an old retired man waiting for death to arrive. The History of ...moreind a way, any way, to make her mother happy after her father's death; and Leo Gursky, an old retired man waiting for death to arrive. The History of Love is a book Leo wrote 60 years ago; it is a book about the greatest love of his life. It is a book for which Alma Singer, a girl he has never met, was named for after her father bought it in a shop in Brazil and gave it to her mother. The History of Love brings these to unlikely people together and leaves a trail of human experience along the way.
Overall, I found this book rather sad. Sad being different than depressing. Sad in the way that mediocrity or human experience or facing the inevitable is always sort of sad. It's like living constantly under an overcast sky. Though I enjoyed the book, I felt there was a little knot in my heart while I read it. In the end, however, you find relief in the balm of acceptance and release. A book worth reading, but perhaps outside in the summer so it won't seem so dreary...
I listened to this one and absolutely ABSOLUTELY adored it. Now that I've listened to it and loved it so much I want to read it. I feel like this is o...moreI listened to this one and absolutely ABSOLUTELY adored it. Now that I've listened to it and loved it so much I want to read it. I feel like this is one I will go back and revisit with a highlighter and make my own notes in the margins. It's beautiful and smart and thought provoking and clever. The subtle ironies, and the wit of the two protagonists: Paloma, a 12 year old child genius and daughter of wealthy French bourgeoisie parents, and Madame Michele, a 50 something who has resigned herself to her lowly station in life, a closet intellectual masquerading as a slow-witted concierge, brings together two unlikely friends who see the world apart from what their respective stations suggest. Naturally, over the course of their experiences, their synthesizing and exhaustive analyzing of the world, people, and human condition around them, they come together and recognize within each other a kindred soul. No matter how on the outskirts you think you are, there's always someone who understands.
I listened to this while driving to and from home over consecutive weekends (about a 3 hr stretch one way). Though I found the historical fiction abou...moreI listened to this while driving to and from home over consecutive weekends (about a 3 hr stretch one way). Though I found the historical fiction about the rise and fall of the World's Fair very interesting; I found myself hoping those parts would be short because I was more interested in the story about H. H. Holmes. Psychopathic serial killers and the motivation behind their crimes has always fascinated me. In high school, I wrote my research paper on Criminality and in my English 2020 class in college, I specified that research to the "why" of serial killers. I wanted to understand a killer's mind. While spending 6 weeks in London, I read Patricia Cornwell's "Potrait of a Killer" and took the "Jack the Ripper" tour that so infamously opened the door to behavioral profiling and what defined a "serial killer." Needless to say, after several papers and much research, it all started to effect even my waking dreams and I've not undertaken the tasks of "understanding evil" again. Some places just aren't meant to me explored for me. However, this novel brought back that same intrigue and to see the killer's web of ingenius lies unravel supplemental alongside the construction of one of the grandest events in American architectural history was compelling. Larson did an excellent job of welding the two together in a magical tale of early American creativity, industry, hope, death, atrocity, and ingenuity. There is genius and there is evil genius - and sometimes, they unwittingly feed on the same space. I needed to keep reminding myself that this was my America when it was still but a young 20-something trying to find its own identity. It also made me move Chicago up on my list of "cities to visit" and H. H. Holmes to my list of "evil to be left along." Though you better believe I googled the whole thing immediately after finishing it. (less)
I've now read both Tipping Point and Blink and I must say, I don't think I'll be signing up to read Outliers soon. Someday... but not soon.
T...moreI've now read both Tipping Point and Blink and I must say, I don't think I'll be signing up to read Outliers soon. Someday... but not soon.
Tipping Point is the better book, but both had similar patterns of explanation (or lack there of), analysis (over-done at times), and lack of closure.
Blink is about basic human decision making. And it's not even about how to make good decisions, but the why of our decisions. What fuels our human being's daily choices? Everything from speed-dating to battlefield operations to hiring practices, Gladwell attempts to essentially "debunk" the human subconscious in an attempt to understand our snap-decision making, stereotypes, and if there's a way to control or instincts in a moment of stress. Essentially, what fuels our instincts? Why do we react (or act) how we do in the "blink" of an eye?
Though containing some"ah ha" and "huh... interesting" moments, I don't feel the book held up to the "Tipping Point" expectations nor even road its coat tails entirely well. It didn't give very satisfactory conclusions about human instincts and decision making. In fact, he seemed to contradict compelling examples and anecdotes with other just as compelling examples and anecdotes and then the lot of them was sort of muddled into a boiling stew of "what the hell is this?" Gladwell's strength is in his story-telling and taking rather complex concepts and condensing them into readable albeit enjoyable prose. This is a rare talent and Gladwell does it VERY well. However, this ability didn't translate easily into the expected conclusions that, I felt, never really surfaced. I felt some of the examples long-winded and not really leading to a specific point or conclusion he was (possibly?) making. I also felt there was a lot of repetition and circling around - like a buzzard circling a dying animal. In this case - the dying animal was in many instances the point that never really surfaced.
On of the chapters I found most interesting was Gladwell's experience with Salvin Tomkein, a Doctor of psychology and brilliant man who seemed to have the ability to read minds simply by picking up subtle cues in facial expressions. He would perform this feat with newly married couples and be able to predict with 95% accuracy if their marriage would last. Of course, this section was inserted into the book to better understand the outward manifestations of the "locked door" of our unconscious cognitive processes. But after all the introducing and explaining and "huh... that's cool" moments; it just dropped off to nowhere really. He didn't connect these ideas back to the "whole" for me. The only idea he constantly (and almost too repetitively) connected back to the whole was the story of the Korous. The Korous was authenticated by modern technology and scientists, only to be discovered a fraud merely by a glance (or blink) of a few chosen experts. He referred back to this example time and again; which helped initially, then became repetitive and made me feel like all the other examples he was giving were rather pointless.
In the end - it was a lot of really interesting "essay type" chapters that didn't satisfactorily create a "whole book" for me. I had the same problem with Tipping Point about the last 50 pages... I simply lost the motivation to read yet another stand-alone essay.(less)
This book was recommended to me many years ago by a former roommate. When I finished grad school, I felt it was high time to start writing again... th...moreThis book was recommended to me many years ago by a former roommate. When I finished grad school, I felt it was high time to start writing again... that is... writing what I wanted rather than what I had to. I attempted to jump right into it - and quickly realized that my "fiction" read a lot like an academic research paper. I was very much out of practice when it came to prose. So I put the writing on pause, and recommitted instead to reading again... that is... reading fiction and not academic texts. This was one of the first books I picked up - and I'm so glad I did. If you're toying with the idea of getting serious about your writing - then step #1 is to read this book. Admittedly I've never read any Stephen King (cause I'm a wuss), but I sure will make a few selections of his works now after hearing what he says about the "craft." It's common sense. There's no secret. There's no magic. And either you have it... or you don't. He just shows you how to hone that skill if you already have it. To break it like a new born colt. You won't be disappointed. (less)
This novel had 4 stars until the eulogy at the end. I found it rather anti-climactic - but the lovely little life lessons and tid-bits along the way a...moreThis novel had 4 stars until the eulogy at the end. I found it rather anti-climactic - but the lovely little life lessons and tid-bits along the way are simple and timeless. It's worth the read.(less)
Self-indulgent and dull. I liked Italy because who doesn't like Italy? But I found this story completely non-accessible to the common populous. Sure, ...moreSelf-indulgent and dull. I liked Italy because who doesn't like Italy? But I found this story completely non-accessible to the common populous. Sure, it would be really nice when faced with difficult trials like divorce to up and leave the country for months and months to "re-align" your sensibilities but guess what? Most of us still have to get up on Monday morning and go to work with the weight of the world bearing down on us. I wasn't inspired... and vaguely entertained. (less)
Meh. It's difficult to be indifferent about a book. Usually I fall one way or the other: but this one is about as close to indifference as I get. Very...moreMeh. It's difficult to be indifferent about a book. Usually I fall one way or the other: but this one is about as close to indifference as I get. Very 'X-Men' like sprinkled with some fantasy themes and rather cliched characters. It's creative - but not impressively so. I felt the plot was stretched and took a few chapters to long to get going. I liked the idea - but didn't realize until I was 90% to the end that it was clearly intended to be a "first" of "however many." Thus the "stretching" I suppose. This story could've ended sooner and been contained in one volume. Guess we need the biggest bang for your book and a triology (et al) is the pattern these days.
The photographs were really beautiful, however, and I liked the idea of combining a story with the pictures, but also felt that somewhat a stretch. It's a quick read so if you've got the time - go ahead.
Oh PS: Also not riveting enough for me to seek out when the next book will be available. In fact, if it's more than 6 months I'll probably forget about it and not feel compelled to continue with the story. I guess that tells you something.(less)
Excellent novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it not only for it's creativity, but for it's autobiographical nature. It has inspired to revisit such greats as...moreExcellent novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it not only for it's creativity, but for it's autobiographical nature. It has inspired to revisit such greats as Fitzgerald, Stein, and naturally, Hemingway. It also made seeing Midnight in Paris more excellent. You should read this... really you should.(less)
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