http://www.goodreads.com/review/list_rss/149841 en-US Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:40:13 -0700 60 http://www.goodreads.com/ 200 41 http://www.goodreads.com/images/layout/gr_logo.gif 25119243 Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:40:13 -0700
author: Kiran Desai
name: Jan
average rating: 3.27
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 07/08
date added: 07/12/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 23976017 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:44:54 -0700
author: Mark Haddon
name: Jan
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2003
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 06/19/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 23975943 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:42:38 -0700
author: Sebastian Faulks
name: Jan
average rating: 3.93
book published: 1997
rating: 3
read at: 06/08
date added: 06/19/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 20217262 Sun, 18 May 2008 05:09:23 -0700 A Short History of Nearly Everything. In some reviews of A Short History of Nearly Everything I read that some factual mistakes had crept into print as they have done in The Mother Tongue, but these are few and far between and of no significance.

Probably what I like most about reading books by Bill Bryson is his sense of humour and focus on the trivial. While there is a lot of trivia in the book (St Patrick was the son of a Roman who was abducted to Ireland), I definitely found The Mother Tongue the least humourous of his books that I've read. The chapters look at different parts of language and often cast a fresh eye over them, questioning spellings, idioms and accents that we wouldn't normally bat an eye at.

The Mother Tongue has a very broad approach which also includes: the history of English, dialects, English as global language, word games, swearing and grammar.

At times the book seems a bit dated (it's almost 20 years old), but generally it is relevant and interesting to read. ]]>
author: Bill Bryson
name: Jan
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1991
rating: 3
read at: 05/08
date added: 05/18/08
shelves:
review:
A topic of interest written by one of my favourite authors - I was excited to find it on a bookshelf but in the end it took quite a long time to read. While reading this book it felt like Bryson deliberately got muddled and wallowed in the irregularities and complexities of language, so in a sense it wasn't as clear to read as A Short History of Nearly Everything. In some reviews of A Short History of Nearly Everything I read that some factual mistakes had crept into print as they have done in The Mother Tongue, but these are few and far between and of no significance.

Probably what I like most about reading books by Bill Bryson is his sense of humour and focus on the trivial. While there is a lot of trivia in the book (St Patrick was the son of a Roman who was abducted to Ireland), I definitely found The Mother Tongue the least humourous of his books that I've read. The chapters look at different parts of language and often cast a fresh eye over them, questioning spellings, idioms and accents that we wouldn't normally bat an eye at.

The Mother Tongue has a very broad approach which also includes: the history of English, dialects, English as global language, word games, swearing and grammar.

At times the book seems a bit dated (it's almost 20 years old), but generally it is relevant and interesting to read.
]]> 22474512 Sun, 18 May 2008 05:08:40 -0700 Previous Convictions is a collection of some of his articles split into two sections: home and abroad.

The domestic articles include one on Glastonbury and one on father-son relationships but for the most part are about traditional outdoor activities - stalking, shooting and golf. A.A. Gill writes about these subjects with a lot of humour, unaffected opinion and a remarkable way with words. One thing that grated what was otherwise really entertaining reading was that his persona as the writer could change from one article to the other; for instance in the article on stalking he staunchly defends himself as Scottish but then in the article on shooting he went to the other side, including himself in "We English..." statements. This can make the articles seem a bit contrived, that positions are taken just to make an article fit together better or be funnier or gain better closure. Throughout A.A. Gill comes across as a highly articulate Jack the Lad.

I enjoyed the foreign articles more than the local ones, and like with Bryson's travel writing, it didn't focus on one specific of a country's profile but combined history, statistics, trivia, physical description, anecdotes and eye-witness accounts to give a more rounded view of the place. While Bryson's travel writing can feel like story time with its firm focus on the bizarre and humourous, the articles of Previous Convictions feel more realistic and are unapologetic in moments of starkness. The article on Haiti is harrowing and astounding. Altogether, the "there" articles take a snapshot of the world as it is today - coming together in many senses but still so foreign in others.

An entertaining and at times rivetting collection that mixes up many spices of many places with gusto and aplomb. ]]>
author: A.A. Gill
name: Jan
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 06/08
date added: 05/18/08
shelves:
review:
A.A. Gill is a renouned newspaper and magazine writer who I've heard quoted and praised before but never read anything by. Previous Convictions is a collection of some of his articles split into two sections: home and abroad.

The domestic articles include one on Glastonbury and one on father-son relationships but for the most part are about traditional outdoor activities - stalking, shooting and golf. A.A. Gill writes about these subjects with a lot of humour, unaffected opinion and a remarkable way with words. One thing that grated what was otherwise really entertaining reading was that his persona as the writer could change from one article to the other; for instance in the article on stalking he staunchly defends himself as Scottish but then in the article on shooting he went to the other side, including himself in "We English..." statements. This can make the articles seem a bit contrived, that positions are taken just to make an article fit together better or be funnier or gain better closure. Throughout A.A. Gill comes across as a highly articulate Jack the Lad.

I enjoyed the foreign articles more than the local ones, and like with Bryson's travel writing, it didn't focus on one specific of a country's profile but combined history, statistics, trivia, physical description, anecdotes and eye-witness accounts to give a more rounded view of the place. While Bryson's travel writing can feel like story time with its firm focus on the bizarre and humourous, the articles of Previous Convictions feel more realistic and are unapologetic in moments of starkness. The article on Haiti is harrowing and astounding. Altogether, the "there" articles take a snapshot of the world as it is today - coming together in many senses but still so foreign in others.

An entertaining and at times rivetting collection that mixes up many spices of many places with gusto and aplomb.
]]> 19191030 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 08:01:08 -0700 The Kite Runner is a novel about an affluent Afghan boy's experiences growing up in Kabul and his coming to terms as an exiled adult in the USA with ongoing tensions caused by relationships with his father and the servant boy that he grew up with.

The novel is very readable and is written in a very clear, sometimes obvious manner. For instance, on the rare occassions that imagery is used in The Kite Runner, it's inevitably followed by a direct comparison to ensure that it wasn't missed by any reader. By contrast, most of the episodes in the plot came as a complete surprise to me, so in that sense it was a rivetting read. The main twist in the tale torwards the end could have felt melodramatic were it not for the way that it had been subtly built up throughout the novel.

]]>
author: Khaled Hosseini
name: Jan
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2003
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 04/01/08
shelves:
review:
The Kite Runner is a novel about an affluent Afghan boy's experiences growing up in Kabul and his coming to terms as an exiled adult in the USA with ongoing tensions caused by relationships with his father and the servant boy that he grew up with.

The novel is very readable and is written in a very clear, sometimes obvious manner. For instance, on the rare occassions that imagery is used in The Kite Runner, it's inevitably followed by a direct comparison to ensure that it wasn't missed by any reader. By contrast, most of the episodes in the plot came as a complete surprise to me, so in that sense it was a rivetting read. The main twist in the tale torwards the end could have felt melodramatic were it not for the way that it had been subtly built up throughout the novel.


]]> 18419165 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 08:27:26 -0700 The Great Gatsby felt like reading literature and I wanted to read a critique of the novel to get a better understanding and appreciation of it.

This edition of York Notes did the job for me. It is insightful and clearly presented. The analysis is tangible, closely following the text throughout. There is also a passage analysis section that looks at three passages in detail and compares them.

The notes on The Great Gatsby close with background information about F. Scott Fitzgerald, America in the 1920's and American literature leading up to the novel's publication. This contextualisation was a strength as it gave a better idea of how the novel was written and what it achieved in being published.

The one gripe I had with the notes was that the theme of light which is so prominent in The Great Gatsby is inexplicably ignored apart from the odd aside.

Overall, a worthy companion to The Great Gatsby that encourages a rereading of the novel.]]>
author: Julian Cowley
name: Jan
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1998
rating: 4
read at: 03/08
date added: 03/28/08
shelves:
review:
Reading The Great Gatsby felt like reading literature and I wanted to read a critique of the novel to get a better understanding and appreciation of it.

This edition of York Notes did the job for me. It is insightful and clearly presented. The analysis is tangible, closely following the text throughout. There is also a passage analysis section that looks at three passages in detail and compares them.

The notes on The Great Gatsby close with background information about F. Scott Fitzgerald, America in the 1920's and American literature leading up to the novel's publication. This contextualisation was a strength as it gave a better idea of how the novel was written and what it achieved in being published.

The one gripe I had with the notes was that the theme of light which is so prominent in The Great Gatsby is inexplicably ignored apart from the odd aside.

Overall, a worthy companion to The Great Gatsby that encourages a rereading of the novel.
]]> 18413001 Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:07:55 -0700 The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway, a bondsman from the 1920's midwest travels to New York to advance his career. There he meets idle, wealthy revellers and also Jay Gatsby, the mysterious and detached host of the city's most lavish parties.

As the story progresses Gatsby's history, wealth and motives are gradually unveiled, keeping the reader guessing constantly.

F. Scott Fitzgerald writes lyrically in The Great Gatsby with lots of fresh similes that match the scale of Gatsby's fantasies and obsessions. Bizarrely, while a lot of descriptive detail is paid to characters, places and objects, it still feels like there's a distance between the reader and the story. This may be partly because of the narrator's alienation from the leisurely society he finds himself with in New York.

The Great Gatsby is dense story that's very readable, socially conscious, intriguing, beautifully written and tragic. ]]>
author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
name: Jan
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1925
rating: 3
read at: 03/08
date added: 03/22/08
shelves:
review:
In the The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway, a bondsman from the 1920's midwest travels to New York to advance his career. There he meets idle, wealthy revellers and also Jay Gatsby, the mysterious and detached host of the city's most lavish parties.

As the story progresses Gatsby's history, wealth and motives are gradually unveiled, keeping the reader guessing constantly.

F. Scott Fitzgerald writes lyrically in The Great Gatsby with lots of fresh similes that match the scale of Gatsby's fantasies and obsessions. Bizarrely, while a lot of descriptive detail is paid to characters, places and objects, it still feels like there's a distance between the reader and the story. This may be partly because of the narrator's alienation from the leisurely society he finds himself with in New York.

The Great Gatsby is dense story that's very readable, socially conscious, intriguing, beautifully written and tragic.
]]> 12322896 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:51:54 -0800 Midnight's Children is overtly and heavily symbolic, something which makes the book seem clunky and contrived to read if as in my case you're unable to attach meanings or events to the symbols. Maybe because of this I didn't find the language to be as lyrical as I'd have expected from Rushdie and the high acclaim the novel's received. ]]>
author: Salman Rushdie
name: Jan
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2006
rating: 2
read at: 02/08
date added: 02/29/08
shelves:
review:
I couldn't get into this book, I think mainly because of my ignorance of Indian history and politics. Midnight's Children is overtly and heavily symbolic, something which makes the book seem clunky and contrived to read if as in my case you're unable to attach meanings or events to the symbols. Maybe because of this I didn't find the language to be as lyrical as I'd have expected from Rushdie and the high acclaim the novel's received.
]]> 11374865 Sat, 12 Jan 2008 08:25:29 -0800 The Hobbit that it's first and foremost a childrens book, and so would probably be more enjoyable for children than adults. Tolkien includes lots of light-hearted asides in brackets to the reader, normally to comment on the characters' etiquette or lack of it. With all of these direct comments to the reader, it really feels like a friendly uncle is recounting an adventure to children. The novel also has lots of ludicrous coincidences, and there's hardly any of the psychological trauma that appears in The Lord of The Rings films (I haven't read the books yet.)

Still, it's an enjoyable read with a nice mix of action and humour, and the characterisation of the characters and the races are very well done. Also, there are lots of poems, songs and riddles which give the novel added charm. ]]>
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Jan
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1937
rating: 3
read at: 01/08
date added: 01/12/08
shelves:
review:
I didn't realize just until I started reading The Hobbit that it's first and foremost a childrens book, and so would probably be more enjoyable for children than adults. Tolkien includes lots of light-hearted asides in brackets to the reader, normally to comment on the characters' etiquette or lack of it. With all of these direct comments to the reader, it really feels like a friendly uncle is recounting an adventure to children. The novel also has lots of ludicrous coincidences, and there's hardly any of the psychological trauma that appears in The Lord of The Rings films (I haven't read the books yet.)

Still, it's an enjoyable read with a nice mix of action and humour, and the characterisation of the characters and the races are very well done. Also, there are lots of poems, songs and riddles which give the novel added charm.
]]> 11134900 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:48:21 -0800 The Bridge of San Luis Rey is a relatively short story about a Peruvian bridge that collapses in the 18th Century sending five people to their deaths. One of the witnesses, a monk called Brother Juniper, decides to trace the background of the five in a bid to understand the seemingly wanton and tragic event as an act of God.

The story then focusses on each of the victims one at a time, telling their unique and lively life stories with humour and panache. The back-stories are brilliantly structured, gradually building up a web that gives a taste of colonnial Peru as well as the relations between the characters themselves. The story finishes with an uplifting flourish which is satisfying.

I loved the style of writing with which Thornton Wilder wrote this story, mock-historical, short, subtly satirical but not sharp, bordering on the absurd but still balanced. He uses invigorating turns of phrase throughout the story that add to the enjoyment of reading it. Really a book to savour.]]>
author: Thornton Wilder
name: Jan
average rating: 3.74
book published: 1927
rating: 4
read at: 12/07
date added: 01/01/08
shelves:
review:
The Bridge of San Luis Rey is a relatively short story about a Peruvian bridge that collapses in the 18th Century sending five people to their deaths. One of the witnesses, a monk called Brother Juniper, decides to trace the background of the five in a bid to understand the seemingly wanton and tragic event as an act of God.

The story then focusses on each of the victims one at a time, telling their unique and lively life stories with humour and panache. The back-stories are brilliantly structured, gradually building up a web that gives a taste of colonnial Peru as well as the relations between the characters themselves. The story finishes with an uplifting flourish which is satisfying.

I loved the style of writing with which Thornton Wilder wrote this story, mock-historical, short, subtly satirical but not sharp, bordering on the absurd but still balanced. He uses invigorating turns of phrase throughout the story that add to the enjoyment of reading it. Really a book to savour.
]]> 4475602 Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:50:58 -0800 Gilead is the story of an elderly reverend from Ohio in the 1950's who is close to dieing. The book is written as a monologue for his young son to read when he's grown up. The writing covers the reverend's views of life and death, the recent history of his family, church and hometown and reveals some moral issues that he is trying to come to terms with. The idea of the novel is great but reading it wasn't.

I was disappointed by Gilead, I couldn't relate to the setting, I didn't find the reverend's moral dilemnas to be particularly thought-provoking and the stand-back-and-appreciate-life's-beauty content just didn't work for me. In fact, the amount of paragraphs that ended with sentences like 'That's a remarkable thing to consider' and 'that's a wonderful thing when you think about it' started to grate at some point.

]]>
author: Marilynne Robinson
name: Jan
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2004
rating: 2
read at: 12/07
date added: 12/28/07
shelves:
review:
Gilead is the story of an elderly reverend from Ohio in the 1950's who is close to dieing. The book is written as a monologue for his young son to read when he's grown up. The writing covers the reverend's views of life and death, the recent history of his family, church and hometown and reveals some moral issues that he is trying to come to terms with. The idea of the novel is great but reading it wasn't.

I was disappointed by Gilead, I couldn't relate to the setting, I didn't find the reverend's moral dilemnas to be particularly thought-provoking and the stand-back-and-appreciate-life's-beauty content just didn't work for me. In fact, the amount of paragraphs that ended with sentences like 'That's a remarkable thing to consider' and 'that's a wonderful thing when you think about it' started to grate at some point.


]]> 4391881 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:08:55 -0800
Dawkins does write clearly and with as little technical language as he can get away with, but I found the content of the book heavy reading. I feel like I'd get a lot more out of reading it a second time, but that will have to wait for a while! ]]>
author: Richard Dawkins
name: Jan
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2006
rating: 3
read at: 12/07
date added: 12/12/07
shelves:
review:
Finally finished! This book was a real slog to read - interesting but difficult to understand the concepts presented in each chapter and then fit them together. When I tried to explain the book in some detail after reading it I realized I couldn't as I got myself confused.

Dawkins does write clearly and with as little technical language as he can get away with, but I found the content of the book heavy reading. I feel like I'd get a lot more out of reading it a second time, but that will have to wait for a while!
]]> 4514793 Wed, 21 Nov 2007 23:03:54 -0800
The story is presented in a historical way, mainly because of the acute detail with which Simon Winchester, the author, describes the scenes. The events are often backed up by historical documents and correspondance that are testament to the author's painstaking research. At times the details feel superfluous. but on the other hand lots of coincidental/anecdotal/amusing details come up as a result.

It's funny because although the story had a real feel of historical authenticity about it, I also felt that the author was building it up to be more sensational than it was... maybe it's because he repeatedly warns the reader of how tragic and unexpected the tale will pan out to be. That said, the commentary at the end excellently sums up the unusual nature of the story. ]]>
author: Simon Winchester
name: Jan
average rating: 3.75
book published: 1998
rating: 3
read at: 09/07
date added: 11/21/07
shelves:
review:
This book is about the making of the colossal Oxford English Dictionary with focus on one of its editors and one of its main contributors, an American doctor who worked from the mental asylum in which he was incarcerated.

The story is presented in a historical way, mainly because of the acute detail with which Simon Winchester, the author, describes the scenes. The events are often backed up by historical documents and correspondance that are testament to the author's painstaking research. At times the details feel superfluous. but on the other hand lots of coincidental/anecdotal/amusing details come up as a result.

It's funny because although the story had a real feel of historical authenticity about it, I also felt that the author was building it up to be more sensational than it was... maybe it's because he repeatedly warns the reader of how tragic and unexpected the tale will pan out to be. That said, the commentary at the end excellently sums up the unusual nature of the story.
]]> 3847555 Tue, 28 Aug 2007 06:15:26 -0700 The English Patient is a beautifully written, moving and interesting novel, but ultimately I feel disappointed as I was expecting it to affect me a lot more than it did.

The story is about four people who end up staying together at an abandoned florentine villa in the closing stages of the second world war. The novel describes the protagonists' wartime experiences including the patient's tragic love affair.

The language of this novel is poetic and I had problems with it from the start. Some sentences were hard to make sense of, the far-fetched metaphors were hard to relate to and the seemingly divergent details were distracting. Sometimes Ondaatje ended paragraphs with a quotation or abstract sentence that I suppose sum up the previous text, but I could never make the connection.

The time frame skips about in the present time as well as during the back stories and I found this disorientating, especially in the first half of the story. In The English Patient it feels like events are often described as if the character's senses were narrating rather than a narrator which was engaging.

The descriptions of desert exploration were great, and the the ways in which Ondaatje wrote about exile in terms of space, identity and love made compelling reading. ]]>
author: Michael Ondaatje
name: Jan
average rating: 3.94
book published: 1993
rating: 2
read at: 08/07
date added: 08/28/07
shelves:
review:
Granted, The English Patient is a beautifully written, moving and interesting novel, but ultimately I feel disappointed as I was expecting it to affect me a lot more than it did.

The story is about four people who end up staying together at an abandoned florentine villa in the closing stages of the second world war. The novel describes the protagonists' wartime experiences including the patient's tragic love affair.

The language of this novel is poetic and I had problems with it from the start. Some sentences were hard to make sense of, the far-fetched metaphors were hard to relate to and the seemingly divergent details were distracting. Sometimes Ondaatje ended paragraphs with a quotation or abstract sentence that I suppose sum up the previous text, but I could never make the connection.

The time frame skips about in the present time as well as during the back stories and I found this disorientating, especially in the first half of the story. In The English Patient it feels like events are often described as if the character's senses were narrating rather than a narrator which was engaging.

The descriptions of desert exploration were great, and the the ways in which Ondaatje wrote about exile in terms of space, identity and love made compelling reading.
]]> 3116814 Sat, 11 Aug 2007 06:18:43 -0700
The best point about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the narrative framework - Rowling's lightning-paced storytelling is as quick as ever, is full of twists and turns, frequently refers to and relies on previous instalments amd includes insightful back-stories, this time about Dumbledore. Also, the rules of magic never seem to contradict each other or take the long way round. I don't know why Dumbledore sent Harry after the Hallows, especially as he already possessed them all. If anyone can tell me why, I'd be grateful to know.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is much more allegorical than the other Potter books, Rowling continuously preaches the importance of an inclusive and egalitarian society.

The story is funnier than I thought it would be, though I find the humour to be too reliant on sarcasm. At the same time, this is probably also the saddest book as the stakes are at the highest.

All round, a magnificent end to Potter. ]]>
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Jan
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at: 07/07
date added: 08/11/07
shelves:
review:
A stunning end to the Potter series, possibly my favourite book of the lot.

The best point about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the narrative framework - Rowling's lightning-paced storytelling is as quick as ever, is full of twists and turns, frequently refers to and relies on previous instalments amd includes insightful back-stories, this time about Dumbledore. Also, the rules of magic never seem to contradict each other or take the long way round. I don't know why Dumbledore sent Harry after the Hallows, especially as he already possessed them all. If anyone can tell me why, I'd be grateful to know.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is much more allegorical than the other Potter books, Rowling continuously preaches the importance of an inclusive and egalitarian society.

The story is funnier than I thought it would be, though I find the humour to be too reliant on sarcasm. At the same time, this is probably also the saddest book as the stakes are at the highest.

All round, a magnificent end to Potter.
]]> 3115098 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 08:07:38 -0700 Freakonomics light, it was for me, alongside Brave New World, the most thought-provoking read of 2006.

The book is a study of the causes behind actions and how sometimes the causes can be unexpected or hidden from first sight. The book's approach is based on the supposition that modern-day life is driven by incentives, both positive and negative. The beauty of this book comes out of how the author, Steven Levitt, is able to identify 'where people are coming from', to reveal what is incentivising their actions, and compile statistics to back up his argument.

Freakonomics considers a controversial list of topics, including abortion, cheating teachers, the Ku Klux Klan and inner city crack-cocaine gangs, and breaks them down to size by analysing the statistics. While readers may not agree with Levitt's conclusions, or may accuse him of compiling selective arguments, they are nonetheless clearly presented and explained in detail.

Levitt also looks at less abrasive issues such as name-choosing and online dating sites, once again explaining that there's more than meets the eye.

I found that the book dragged in some chapters, possibly because I wasn't interested in the point being presented, such as the suggestibility of sumo wrestlers when they don't need to win a bout.

Overall, a clearly presented, stimulating, funny and controversial study. ]]>
author: Steven D. Levitt
name: Jan
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 11/06
date added: 07/31/07
shelves:
review:
This book has been frequently labelled as one that will overhaul your life perception; while I don't feel that I see the world in a new, post-Freakonomics light, it was for me, alongside Brave New World, the most thought-provoking read of 2006.

The book is a study of the causes behind actions and how sometimes the causes can be unexpected or hidden from first sight. The book's approach is based on the supposition that modern-day life is driven by incentives, both positive and negative. The beauty of this book comes out of how the author, Steven Levitt, is able to identify 'where people are coming from', to reveal what is incentivising their actions, and compile statistics to back up his argument.

Freakonomics considers a controversial list of topics, including abortion, cheating teachers, the Ku Klux Klan and inner city crack-cocaine gangs, and breaks them down to size by analysing the statistics. While readers may not agree with Levitt's conclusions, or may accuse him of compiling selective arguments, they are nonetheless clearly presented and explained in detail.

Levitt also looks at less abrasive issues such as name-choosing and online dating sites, once again explaining that there's more than meets the eye.

I found that the book dragged in some chapters, possibly because I wasn't interested in the point being presented, such as the suggestibility of sumo wrestlers when they don't need to win a bout.

Overall, a clearly presented, stimulating, funny and controversial study.
]]> 2324354 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 08:01:35 -0700 The Satanic Verses a few years ago, my overriding memory is of how little of the novel I understood. I was therefore reluctant to get stuck into Shalimar The Clown when my sister passed it on recently.

Sure enough, I'm finding Rushdie's authorial voice to be much like I remember it - extensive vocabulary, usage of magical realism/dreams/fantasies, strong character descriptions, and multi-cultural savvy that combine together seamlessly. For these reasons I'm finding the story a bit overwhelming, and the author's power of expression is so strong and eloquent that at times I find it overpowering.

The novel tells the tale of Shalimar the Clown, a Kashmiri performer who is blinded by hatred following his wife's affair with the American ambassador. The complexities of character and impulses are beautifully told in this story and are superimposed over historical events and ideological conflict.

The tones of the novel vary greatly, although the story becomes increasingly desperate as Kashmir is torn apart by conflict and Shalimar is possessed by hatred. The author seems ambivilant towards the main characters, challenging the reader to judge/sympathise for themselves.

I would recommend Shalimar The Clown for its sheer scope, humanity and power of description.]]>
author: Salman Rushdie
name: Jan
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 06/07
date added: 07/31/07
shelves:
review:
After toiling through The Satanic Verses a few years ago, my overriding memory is of how little of the novel I understood. I was therefore reluctant to get stuck into Shalimar The Clown when my sister passed it on recently.

Sure enough, I'm finding Rushdie's authorial voice to be much like I remember it - extensive vocabulary, usage of magical realism/dreams/fantasies, strong character descriptions, and multi-cultural savvy that combine together seamlessly. For these reasons I'm finding the story a bit overwhelming, and the author's power of expression is so strong and eloquent that at times I find it overpowering.

The novel tells the tale of Shalimar the Clown, a Kashmiri performer who is blinded by hatred following his wife's affair with the American ambassador. The complexities of character and impulses are beautifully told in this story and are superimposed over historical events and ideological conflict.

The tones of the novel vary greatly, although the story becomes increasingly desperate as Kashmir is torn apart by conflict and Shalimar is possessed by hatred. The author seems ambivilant towards the main characters, challenging the reader to judge/sympathise for themselves.

I would recommend Shalimar The Clown for its sheer scope, humanity and power of description.
]]> 2850177 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:58:42 -0700
I found the notes useful in that they contextualise the poetry but limited as they're brief. ]]>
author: Rudyard Kipling
name: Jan
average rating: 2.00
book published: 2001
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 07/31/07
shelves:
review:
I found it hard to get into this collection of Kipling's poetry even though his writing is accessible and I find the subject matter interesting. The focus is on India in the british empire, the armed colonial forces and an emotional take on expat life.

I found the notes useful in that they contextualise the poetry but limited as they're brief.
]]> 2846133 Sun, 08 Jul 2007 21:11:24 -0700
The story follows the adventures of four animals who come from different habitats and have different personalities but are bound together by their care for one another and un underlying good-heartedness, a point that the reader is constantly reminded of in justifying Toad's conceit. I thought the characterization of the four friends, particularly Toad, is a highpoint of the story.

The illustrations by E.H. Shepard are great and contribute to the ambience of the story.

I didn't find the story very instructive for a child's book, but focussed more on revealing natural instincts.

The story is split into episodes that are unpredictable, and add to the strength of the animal world that Grahame describes. There's a lot of detail about the changing flora of the riverside, revealing the author's blatent love of nature. Invariably dangers that confront the heroes are quickly replaced by comfort and familiarity once overcome - normally involving slippers and firesides.

A really enjoyable read, though maybe a bit childish for some adults because of its fantastic nature and lack of tension.



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author: Kenneth Grahame
name: Jan
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2000
rating: 4
read at: 07/07
date added: 07/08/07
shelves:
review:
Wow, I wish I had had this book read to me as a child! The language is taxing for children to take on and there's a lot of descriptive and figurative language that wouldn't make sense to them, but there's a huge amount of charm in the story that is unavoidable.

The story follows the adventures of four animals who come from different habitats and have different personalities but are bound together by their care for one another and un underlying good-heartedness, a point that the reader is constantly reminded of in justifying Toad's conceit. I thought the characterization of the four friends, particularly Toad, is a highpoint of the story.

The illustrations by E.H. Shepard are great and contribute to the ambience of the story.

I didn't find the story very instructive for a child's book, but focussed more on revealing natural instincts.

The story is split into episodes that are unpredictable, and add to the strength of the animal world that Grahame describes. There's a lot of detail about the changing flora of the riverside, revealing the author's blatent love of nature. Invariably dangers that confront the heroes are quickly replaced by comfort and familiarity once overcome - normally involving slippers and firesides.

A really enjoyable read, though maybe a bit childish for some adults because of its fantastic nature and lack of tension.




]]> 2617734 Tue, 03 Jul 2007 08:07:26 -0700
I've almost finished the book now, and although I have a basic understanding of Machiavelli's ideological beliefs, I'm still vague on why he is so notorious - the main reason why I chose to read it.

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author: Quentin Skinner
name: Jan
average rating: 3.25
book published: 2001
rating: 3
read at: 06/07
date added: 07/03/07
shelves:
review:
Machiavelli is someone that I know nothing about except his name and his reputation as a fox. Like the other books in this series that I've read, the language and the presentation is academic. The main focus of the book is on Machiavelli's writings, and a bit on his life as well. What surprised me most was to learn that Machiavelli was more of a commentator than a man of power.

I've almost finished the book now, and although I have a basic understanding of Machiavelli's ideological beliefs, I'm still vague on why he is so notorious - the main reason why I chose to read it.


]]> 2438378 Wed, 27 Jun 2007 07:53:01 -0700 On The Road, but settled for the sequel of sorts when I saw it in the bookstore.

This is the first book I've read of the beat genre, and I found the breezy youthfulness and idealism of a nomadic life is appealing to read. Mountain trekking plays an important part in Kerouac's search for dharma, or the truth, and his description of natural settings in the story are stunning, almost poetic to read. As the protagonist Ray Smith (Kerouac himself) and other main characters are poets, a lot of wacky wordplay comes up in dialogue.

At times the novel seems to be more like a tribute with regular appraisals of Gary Snyder's (Japhy Ryder in the story) acts and beliefs appearing throughout. Snyder is presented as a personification of vitality and a benchmark for the desired spiritual 'backpack revolution'. The two characters contrast well together and their unusual friendship is a highlight of the story.

I didn't get much out of the Buddhist aspect of The Dharma Bums as it seemed too soundbitelike and unexplained to carry significance. That said, it did push me on to reading A very Short Introduction: Buddhism to get a better idea of the terms the character's use.

An enjoyable, warm, easy-reading story.]]>
author: Jack Kerouac
name: Jan
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2006
rating: 3
read at: 05/07
date added: 06/27/07
shelves:
review:
I originally went looking for On The Road, but settled for the sequel of sorts when I saw it in the bookstore.

This is the first book I've read of the beat genre, and I found the breezy youthfulness and idealism of a nomadic life is appealing to read. Mountain trekking plays an important part in Kerouac's search for dharma, or the truth, and his description of natural settings in the story are stunning, almost poetic to read. As the protagonist Ray Smith (Kerouac himself) and other main characters are poets, a lot of wacky wordplay comes up in dialogue.

At times the novel seems to be more like a tribute with regular appraisals of Gary Snyder's (Japhy Ryder in the story) acts and beliefs appearing throughout. Snyder is presented as a personification of vitality and a benchmark for the desired spiritual 'backpack revolution'. The two characters contrast well together and their unusual friendship is a highlight of the story.

I didn't get much out of the Buddhist aspect of The Dharma Bums as it seemed too soundbitelike and unexplained to carry significance. That said, it did push me on to reading A very Short Introduction: Buddhism to get a better idea of the terms the character's use.

An enjoyable, warm, easy-reading story.
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