theduckthief

theduckthief rated a book 2 of 5 stars

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

All the Pretty Horses (The Border Trilogy, #1)
by Cormac McCarthy

read in January, 2013

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“The fire had burned to coals and he lay looking up at the stars in their places and the hot belt of matter that ran the chord of the dark vault overhead and he put his hands on the ground at either side of him and pressed them against the earth and...more “The fire had burned to coals and he lay looking up at the stars in their places and the hot belt of matter that ran the chord of the dark vault overhead and he put his hands on the ground at either side of him and pressed them against the earth and in that coldly burning canopy of black he slowly turned dead center to the world, all of it taut and trembling and moving enormous and alive under his hands.”

John Grady Cole is a teenage cowboy, forced to grow up fast after escaping to Mexico when his mother decides to sell the family ranch. Riding off into the unknown with his friend Rawlins, Cole is faced with sex, prison, murder, corrupt officials, familial obligations and an indifferent wilderness. If he survives his adventure across the border it’s unlikely he will ever be the same.

Let me be the first to admit that I’ve never read Cormac McCarthy. In fact, I’ve actively avoided him as I heard he was a gruesome writer and I don’t do well with gore. The rumour about “Blood Meridian” is that most people don’t get past page 30. As for ”All the Pretty Horses”, I found it a slog to read. The time in which the story was set and the age of the protagonist should have been obvious but they weren’t. At first it seemed to be set in the old west but modern diction like “satellite” and “comic book” proved me wrong. Also, Cole is supposed to be 16, I never thought of him as that young. Teenagers are usually awkward, insecure and frustrated but Cole didn’t appear to suffer from any of these things. In fact, he seemed sure of himself and of his position in the world. His attitude, dialogue and actions felt more in line with that of a man in his 20s.

There was also a complete lack of quotations for any dialogue and out of everything else this was the most frustrating aspect of the book. It made for difficult reading as it was difficult at times to distinguish dialogue from description until the end of a sentence or paragraph and was the cause of much re-reading. It also complicated who was speaking when. I’m unclear as to why McCarthy did this but he seemed to think quotations cluttered up the page and that they were unnecessary, reasoning that “if a book is written well enough, you’ll know when you’re reading dialogue without the extra quotation marks to tell you.” In this instance McCarthy is wrong.

This leaves the strongest writing in the story McCarthy’s description of the landscape. It’s feels like an individual character as the author spends so much time and ink illustrating the surroundings.

“When they wound back up out of the glade it was already evening and the sun lay long in the grass and across the shallow swales where the land dipped in pockets of darkness. Small birds come to feed in the evening cool of the open country flushed and flared away over the grasstops and the hawks in silhouette against the sunset waited in the upper limb s of a dead tree for them to pass.”

“Days to come they rode through the mountains and they crossed at a barren windgap and sat the horses among the rocks and looked out over the country to the south where the last shadows were running over the land before the wind and the sun to the west lay blood red among the shelving clouds and the distant cordilleras ranged down the terminals of the sky to fade from pale to pale of blue and then to nothing at all.”

These spectacularly gorgeous paragraphs are space throughout but are countered with clipped, blunt dialogue. I almost wish that McCarthy had stuck with this blunted style for every aspect of the book, to fully communicate the harsh landscape through which they traveled and Cole’s hand to mouth lifestyle. I don’t think it would have detracted from the book as stark can be beautiful too. I ended up appreciating the scenery more than the characters which didn’t bode well for the story. In fact, it was only near the end of the book that I began to care about what happened to Cole. Before then, the book had felt stale and Cole was boring.

After this I don’t know that I would pick up another McCarthy book as this one felt like a waste of time. There are more enjoyable books out there so unless you’re interested in this period of history or McCarthy, I would give this one a pass.(less)

theduckthief rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Hatchet (Brian's Saga, #1)
by Gary Paulsen

read in January, 2011

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“When he sat alone in the darkness and cried and was done, all done with it, nothing had changed. His leg still hurt, it was still dark, he was still alone and the self-pity had accomplished nothing.”

My first encounter with this book was in grade fiv...more “When he sat alone in the darkness and cried and was done, all done with it, nothing had changed. His leg still hurt, it was still dark, he was still alone and the self-pity had accomplished nothing.”

My first encounter with this book was in grade five when it was read to our class. At the time I found it rather long, boring and too descriptive. This summer though, I happened upon a free copy and decided to see if I still felt the same way. I loved revisiting this story, especially since I had forgotten so much that had happened.

I don’t know why I love survival stories. Perhaps it’s because it allows for man to be stripped down to his base instincts, to do without. I’m always fascinated by what people can do with less. And there’s always the ever dependable basic conflict of man versus nature and the more interesting, man versus himself. In ”Hatchet”, Brian Robeson, a thirteen year old travelling by bush plane to visit his father, survives a plane crash, leaving him alone in a forest. Faced with starvation and threats from weather and wild animals, Brian must look inward and find the strength to survive and escape the forest.

“You are your most valuable asset. Don’t forget that. You are the best thing you have.”

As a child listening to the story, I couldn’t fully comprehend what it would be like to face survival in the forest alone but as an adult Brian’s situation seems far more tenuous. He has limited supplies and more importantly, limited knowledge about wilderness survival. His most important ally though is his hatchet, a gift from his mother before his flight. The hatchet plays a key role in Brian’s survival and helps supply everything from a shelter to a fire to food prep, satisfying the most basic of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. I’ve often wondered if I would be able to survive in the wilderness, alone and with no access to civilization. As a child I was enrolled in Junior Forest Wardens which is basically a Canadian version of Scouts and while we received wilderness training that was many years ago and only basic training at that. What Brian accomplishes is far more impressive. Not only does he manage to keep a level head he makes good use of his time and faces challenges with an open mind. Not only is Brian confronted with the self-doubt of rescue, he also literally faces death in the guise of the dead pilot still trapped in the plane. He is a physical obstacle in the way of precious supplies and the tracking beacon but is also a psychological a fear Brian must confront if he wishes to escape.

Approaching this as an adult of course I have a different view of the story. I appreciated how Paulsen didn’t shy away from the possibly scarier and more gruesome aspects of a plane crash. It didn’t treat its audience like a child, instead, allowing the reader to experience a full range of emotions when it came to Brian’s situation. As well, I liked that nature’s indifference is on full display here. People are used to being surrounded and comforted by fellow human beings/society/cities. In the forest there are no safety nets; if you fail you die.

“Patience, he thought. So much of this was patience - waiting, and thinking and doing things right. So much of all this, so much of all living was patience and thinking.”

If you like survival stories then this is one you might want to look at. Written for young adults, I enjoyed revisiting this book and would recommend this book as a library loan.(less)

theduckthief rated a book 5 of 5 stars

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)
by Suzanne Collins

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"Winning means fame and fortune.
Losing means certain death.
The Hunger Games have begun…"

Katniss Everdeen belongs to District 12, one of the regions in Panem, a nation formed out of the remains of North America after a cataclysmic event, leaving food...more "Winning means fame and fortune.
Losing means certain death.
The Hunger Games have begun…"

Katniss Everdeen belongs to District 12, one of the regions in Panem, a nation formed out of the remains of North America after a cataclysmic event, leaving food and resources in scarce supply. The Hunger Games, a futuristic reality show for children involving fights to the death for fame, fortune and most importantly food, were born out of a failed coup against the government of the day. The Capitol now uses the Games as a twisted means of controlling the population, where one male and one female teenager from every District is chosen at “The Reaping” to participate in the games. This year Katniss Everdeen’s little sister Prim is chosen as a Tribute. Desperate to save her sister from certain death, Everdeen volunteers to take her place and along with Peeta, the baker’s son, she must navigate the politics and machinations of the Capitol and somehow outlast the other District Tributes.

Everdeen is an interesting character as a female protagonist. She’s strong, stubborn, frustrated by her emotions when it comes to boys and conflicted by her actions in the Hunger Games. She felt like a realistic character and her internal monologue revealed her humanity and inner turmoil to readers. Collins absolutely nailed the actions and emotions of a teenager. I also liked how Everdeen didn’t always know what to do or have an answer for every problem as I feel some books portray young protagonists as encyclopaedic geniuses and it makes it difficult for me to sympathize and identify with the character. I feel as if the world doesn’t have enough books with physically active female protagonists with strong personalities so this was a breath of fresh air. I liked that she went out into the woods and wasn’t a girly girl.

I also really liked the setting as I’m a sucker for post-apocalyptic fiction and this is one of the best I’ve read in the young adult genre. I liked the idea that some terrible event happened in the past to create the world Everdeen currently inhabits but that we weren’t given any explicit details of how it happened. The ambiguity feels right as I imagine that a lot of information would have been lost when the ‘event’ occurred. I also felt that the division of regions into districts focussed solely on one resource was a bit simplistic but this is understandable as it’s a young adult book and Collins is merely setting the stage, not writing a textbook. As well, I also liked the concentration of wealth and power in the Capitol as it felt like a throwback to the feudal system, another example of society crumbling and falling back onto older models of governance.

Collins creates great tension throughout the story as she ends each chapter on a cliffhanger. I also liked the fast pace, as it gives readers an insight into how Everdeen is feeling, breathless and rushed. The story never lets up, pulling you along for the ride.

I also thought it was interesting how Collins draws inspiration from both the story of Theseus and the Minotaur and today’s obsession with reality television. It’s interesting to see that despite the starvation and poverty of Panem, that people are still interested in being entertained. Again, the violence and destruction inherent in The Hunger Games is a throwback to the games at the Coliseum in Ancient Rome, speaking to the breakdown of societal rules and conventions. I mean, where else are you going to get people interested in watching children kill one another?

If you like books about dystopian futures and strong female protagonists who kick butt, I would highly recommend this book.(less)

theduckthief rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Titus Groan (Gormenghast, #1)
by Mervyn Peake

read in August, 2012

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"Dreer ritual turned its wheel. The ferment of the heart, within these walls, was mocked by every length of sleeping shadow. The passions, no greater than candle flames, flickered in Time’s yawn, for Gormenghast, huge and adumbrate, out-crumbles all....more "Dreer ritual turned its wheel. The ferment of the heart, within these walls, was mocked by every length of sleeping shadow. The passions, no greater than candle flames, flickered in Time’s yawn, for Gormenghast, huge and adumbrate, out-crumbles all."

Gormenghast is the seat of the Earl of Groan, Lord Sepulchrave, who has finally been blessed with a son and heir. Unfortunately for him, one man seeks to worm his way into the family’s good graces and seize power for his own ends. Steerpike, the kitchen boy, uses his smarts to get out of the kitchen and into the royal household, manipulating and lying to get what he wants. He is the fulcrum upon which the story turns as it’s his actions and inactions that drive the plot and force the other characters to react to his machinations. Only time will tell if his scheming bears fruit.

It’s a strange world to be sure. One that is waning rather than waxing. His strength lies in his description, which has a gothic lean to it, showing Castle Groan as a decaying mass of stone and squalor. There were evocative lines of terrifying beauty that read more like prose strewn throughout, like so much seed over tilled ground. "The darkness in the great hall has deepened in defiance of the climbing of the sun. It can afford to be defiant with such a pall of inky cloud lying over the castle, over the cracked tooth mountain, over the entire and drenching regions of Gormenghast from horizon to horizon." Both the setting and the characters benefit from his command of internal monologue and ability to paint an image for the reader in a fresh way. This is bolstered by the fact that the book contains some drawings. His manuscript contained sketches of his characters and have an Edward Gorey feel to them, giving the reader a sense of the what this world looks like and the characters who people it.

The characters were all interesting but strangely, almost all unlikeable. Here though, Peake seems willing to show his characters in a grey light, rather than force everyone into stereotypical roles. Everyone has a dark side that is evident either through thought or deed and made it somewhat difficult to identify with characters. Titus, may have been the one character we’re supposed to root for but this felt manipulative as he’s an infant. I did appreciate being able to see so many different character POV’s as it provided a multiplicity of opinions on the events taking place. The one section I thought was out of place was Keda’s. It was nice to see the viewpoint of someone outside of Gormenghast but she travels far away and has adventures that are mostly glossed over. This didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the characters or the story as everyone else’s lives seemed to center around Gormenghast.

My one major complaint is that while the story is interesting, as are the characters, it takes Peake a long time to actually say anything. In the context of plot, major events do happen but in between those events, very little appears to happen. The pace is very slow because so much ink is taken up with description. To be fair the description, especially for the characters is excellent but at times I found myself frustrated with the lack of plot development.(less)

theduckthief rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Liftoff: The Story of America's Adventure in Space
by Michael Collins

read in June, 2012

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"The boundary line between a blue and white planet, and one that is gray and tan, is fragile. Is the riverbank a delight or an obscenity, a place for diving ducks or greasy truck tires? I cry that the technology that produced this marvelous machine w...more "The boundary line between a blue and white planet, and one that is gray and tan, is fragile. Is the riverbank a delight or an obscenity, a place for diving ducks or greasy truck tires? I cry that the technology that produced this marvelous machine we call Columbia leaves in its wake the detritus of a century of industrial abuse. It need not be that way. We can use technology to cleanse, to repair, to maintain – even as we build, as we spiral out into the universe."

Written by Michael Collins, the often forgotten third astronaut on the Apollo 11 mission who didn’t get to land on the moon, this book spans the years of the beginnings of NASA, to the start of the space shuttle program. It encompasses the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions as well as the various men involved in the program from the astronauts to the engineers and includes drawings and diagrams of various vehicles, spacecraft and characters. It was fascinating to learn about the inner workings of the agency, from the original module designs to the disagreements over policy to all of the complexities of such an ambitious undertaking as going to the moon.

The idealism and passion behind the program was palpable in the writing. It didn’t hurt that the book was peppered with quotes from various people of the period, including employees which created atmosphere and a sense of urgency. They make the story of the space program come alive and show that the agency was the optimistic hope of a younger nation with hopes that stretched out beyond the boundaries of the Earth. As time wore on you could see and feel how NASA changed, adapting to a changing world and ever evolving technology. I liked how we got to see how NASA matured as an agency and how the original aspirations and plans changed over time due to budget constraints and political opinion. I also found the section concerning Apollo 1 very educational. I was aware of the troubles that Apollo 13 had faced thanks to the movie but was unaware of the tragic ending of the first Apollo mission. It was interesting to see how NASA handled the situation and how the world reacted.

Collins is very good at detail. The problem is he’s too good. While I was trying to work my way through the book I was constantly bogged down by all of the numbers and figures Collins peppers throughout the book. At one point I was so frustrated I didn’t want to finish the book. I understand the book was written by an analytical mind about a real time in history but the main point to take into consideration is that it’s a book first. If it’s not readable, people won’t read it and then instead of being a book it’s just tree pulp sitting on a shelf somewhere. My other complaint is that there isn’t an addendum to this book with an update of NASA over the past twenty years. So much has changed in that span of time that the space shuttle program isn’t even running anymore.

I will say that there were some dramatic moments that made for some good reading. I wasn’t even aware that SkyLab existed until reading this book. Overall it was a fascinating read.
Whether prescient or not, Collins does have a section where he says that Mars is the next frontier, which appears to be where some think we should be heading next. Others want to head back to the moon, whether to mine it for materials such as helium or water or whether to set up a permanent base. Whatever we decide to do, we’re still fascinated by space and I hope we continue to look up and wonder about what might be out there, just waiting to be discovered.

If you are interested in the history of NASA’s space program and don’t mind extra detail included with the narrative, pick up this book.(less)

theduckthief rated a book 3 of 5 stars

The Trial and Death of Socrates by Plato

The Trial and Death of Socrates (Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo)
by Plato

read in June, 2012

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“Such was the end of our friend, Socrates, a man who, we would say, was the best of all those we've experienced and, generally speaking, the wisest and the most just."

This book is a collection of four dialogues about the last days of the philosopher,...more “Such was the end of our friend, Socrates, a man who, we would say, was the best of all those we've experienced and, generally speaking, the wisest and the most just."

This book is a collection of four dialogues about the last days of the philosopher, Socrates. Through them readers get to know Socrates, his friends and the people who condemned him. The philosophical arguments presented are both straightforward and complex. They address issues of death, the immortality of the soul and the purpose of being a philosopher. This was one of my first major forays into Ancient Greek literature and I was very excited to delve into Plato.

The first dialogue is called “Euthyphro” and I found it a challenge. Socrates debates the nature of holiness with Euthyphro and some of the abstractions used in his argument were difficult to picture. I had to turn them into examples just to try and visualize what Socrates was talking about. For example, one question asked whether something was holy because it was loved or was it loved because it was holy? I pictured Zeus and the oak tree. Is it holy because Zeus loves it or does he love it because it’s holy? This boggled my mind and gave me a lot to think about. It's here we learn that Socrates is accused of impiety and corrupting the young. He continually praises Euthyphro's wisdom and flatters his knowledge of religion, seemingly to the detriment of his own argument. I re-read sections several times to grasp their meaning and of all four dialogues it took the longest to finish.

In “The Apology”, Socrates defends himself against his accusers. This is essentially the dialogue that takes place inside the ‘court room’. Here we witness Socrates' arrogance. Time and again he says he is a better man than everyone else yet, in the previous dialogue he spent so much time downplaying his intelligence and supposed superiority. This multi-dimensionality of character makes him real in my eyes. His memory only lives on in books and he isn't always likeable but that's what makes me like him so much. Real people are complex, layered individuals and Plato makes Socrates come alive on the page.

It "Crito", Socrates is in prison with his friend Crito trying to convince him to escape. There are many people willing to help Socrates who could then live out the rest of his life in another city. Socrates resists, saying that fighting the will of the Athenian people would be wrong. He would rather accept death than exile. His argument seems backwards and contrary until you read the next dialogue.

“Phaedo” is the longest and most convoluted of the dialogues. In it Plato summarily deconstructs his friends' arguments against his surrender to death and logically convinces them of the immortality of the soul and life after death despite the lack of hard proof. He asks mind-blowing questions such as "when does the soul attain truth?" This is also where we get the quote "the life which is unexamined is not worth living." It’s actually very impressive to read how Socrates sets up his argument and then manipulates the conversation for his own ends. He was clearly a master with words.

The difficulty in reading these works is that they are conveying dialogue from a second-hand source. We aren’t hearing these words from Socrates himself. Instead they’re filtered through Plato to us. As such, there’s no real way to tell how much of the writing is truth, how much is embellishment or if it’s a full out lie. This is compounded by the fact that Socrates left no written record of his work. This may speak to his innocence of 'corrupting the youth of Athens' as he didn't seem interested in getting his works out into the public. '

I had a great time reading this book and despite its shortness, was challenged by the arguments within. I found it interesting that while the book was by Plato, it concerned itself with Socrates and his words. We learn more about him than we ever do about Plato and Socrates didn't seem like the nicest guy. He was arrogant and lorded it over people when it suited his argument and hid feelings of superiority when it didn't. Part of me felt that Socrates just seemed to give up and succumb to his sentence. In fact, by the time he was put on trial he was an old man and had lived a full life with a family. He even argues that no one, least of all he, should be upset at his passing. He convincingly argued and believed in life after death. Free from its earthly body, his soul would dwell amongst other true philosophers. I disagreed with his belief that a philosopher's main goal was the study of death though. I've always felt that philosophy was a study of learning how to live and why things are they way they are.

The writer Xenophon also has an account of Socrates' trial. It would be interesting to see how the two contrast. It would serve to illustrate what I said about second-hand information. Truth gets obscured the further you are from the source. I would recommend this book but not for anyone looking for a quick read. This is not a work to skim. I would say it requires contemplation and introspection. If you're in for a challenge and want to understand the roots of philosophy, pick this up.(less)

theduckthief rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Macbeth
by William Shakespeare

read in May, 2012

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"Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble."

A Scottish lord named Macbeth has won a great victory for his king, Duncan. On his return he encounters three witches who prophesize that he will be King of Scotland. He demands an expla...more "Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble."

A Scottish lord named Macbeth has won a great victory for his king, Duncan. On his return he encounters three witches who prophesize that he will be King of Scotland. He demands an explanation as Scotland still has a king in Duncan who is still living but the witches vanish. Macbeth informs his wife of this strange encounter and things quickly spiral out of control. The result is madness, murder and civil war.

"Macbeth" is one of Shakespeare's more well known tragedies. The plot is fast moving and propelled by ambition while characters are trapped by guilt and destiny. The initial catalyst that propels Macbeth on his headlong course isn’t fleshed out as much as I would like as we really only get the description that he’s despatched one of the rebels, Macdonald, in a most gruesome manner to hint at the reasoning for his future decisions. In defeating the rebels, Duncan makes him Thane of Glamis though it should be noted the last Thane was stripped of his title and executed for committing treason. Foreshadowing much? My only real issue with the beginning was I felt I was dumped into the story in medias res. At this point I didn’t know if Duncan was a good king or if Macbeth was a loyal subject and I thought it was strange how quickly and easily Macbeth accepted the idea that he would be king even though the witches offered no explanation to him. What is interesting is the course Macbeth chooses because he decides to make his prophecy come true by going after Duncan. He makes his own destiny while also falling in line with the fate set out for him by the witches. Imagine what would have happened if he hadn’t listened to them? And come to think of it, why did they decide to appear to him in the first place and mess with his head? Was this their idea of joyriding, running roughshod over someone else’s future?

The characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth I found to be the most interesting because they were more evil than everyone else. I always find villains more intriguing than heroes because their motivations are always so widespread and varied. I liked that once reality set in, Macbeth had a crises of conscience about his decision and we saw that Lady Macbeth was the cold fish of the duo. She calls him a coward and she is the one that thinks clearly to keep them from being discovered. I loved that she was the instigator for action against Duncan! She said Macbeth was ”too full o' the milk of human kindness” to commit the act and had to urge him towards it. Even though he told her about the prophecy she is the one that has to drive him to it. It’s not often that we see a strong female villain taking such a central role in a story, especially over a male villain. Some might call the duo tragic anti-heroes but for me, their original actions colour their characters for the rest of the play.

The language as always was gorgeous. My favourite parts were definitely the soliloquies.

Here's one of my favourites from the play:

"Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,
Till thou applaud the deed - Come, seeling night,
Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day,
And with thy bloody and invisible hand
Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond
Which keeps me pale. Light thickens,
And the crow makes wing to th' rooky wood;
Good things of day begin to droop and drowse,
Whiles night's black agents to their preys do rouse.
- Thou marvell'st at my words; but hold thee still,
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill -
So prithee go with me."

It did take forever to actually read the play though because I was so far removed from when the source material was written that the archaic diction and phrases interrupted the flow of the story. I had to keep referring to footnotes and the introduction to understand everything that was going on. This was my first time reading the play in more than ten years now I feel that I understand the plot, who the characters are and the general gist of the language. If you haven’t read Shakespeare before or not in a long time I would suggest reading a version with annotations and then watch one of the many movie versions of the plays. I felt this really helped as I had a good idea of the plot going into the film and then listening to the dialogue and watching the action made everything far more understandable.

I was hoping to see Banquo’s story play out. I liked the parallel prophecies for him and Macbeth but we never get to see his fulfilled it’s never addressed again after Macbeth goes after him. The play ends abruptly and I wondered if this was deliberate or not. In any case, it’s one of Shakespeare’s best and I highly recommend it.(less)

theduckthief rated a book 2 of 5 stars

Thank You, Jeeves (Jeeves, #5)
by P.G. Wodehouse

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”You know, the longer I live, the more I feel that the great wheeze in life is to be jolly well sure what you want and not let yourself be put off by pals who think they know better than you do."

Bertie Wooster has become enamoured of the banjolele b...more ”You know, the longer I live, the more I feel that the great wheeze in life is to be jolly well sure what you want and not let yourself be put off by pals who think they know better than you do."

Bertie Wooster has become enamoured of the banjolele but is getting nothing but grief from his neighbours and his valet Jeeves. After a severe disagreement about the instrument causes Jeeves to leave his service, Bertie departs for the country to practice in peace. He gets caught up in the affairs of his good friend “Chuffy”, current employer of Jeeves, and manages to accidentally get himself engaged to the woman “Chuffy” loves. Madcap hijinks ensue, leaving Bertie to fend for himself without the stalwart advice of his gentleman’s gentleman.

This is the second Wodehouse book I’ve read and the first full-length novel. I had high expectations and to my disappointment found that it didn’t measure up to ”The Inimitable Jeeves”. I don’t know whether it was the fact it was written more than ten years later or that it was a full length story rather than many short stories but I actually found myself getting bored with the story. It wasn’t bad per se, it just wasn’t very good. There were long stretches where I thought the diction and dialogue could have used punching up and the whimsy that I had so enjoyed before was missing. There were several things I found offputting, not least of which was the continued reference to blackface and racist terms that not only severely date the book but also leave a sour taste after I’d finished the book.

That’s not to say there weren’t enjoyable parts in the book. There were some great lines Bertie spouted off at random, echoing Wodehouse’s genius.

”He uttered a coarse expression which I wouldn't have thought he would have known. It just shows that you can bury yourself in the country and still somehow acquire a vocabulary. No doubt one picks up things from the neighbours -- the vicar, the local doctor, the man who brings the milk, and so on.”

"I hadn't heard the door open, but the man was on the spot once more. My private belief, as I think I have mentioned before, is that Jeeves doesn't have to open doors. He's like one of those birds in India who bung their astral bodies about--the chaps, I mean, who having gone into thin air in Bombay, reassemble the parts and appear two minutes later in Calcutta. Only some such theory will account for the fact that he's not there one moment and is there the next. He just seems to float from Spot A to Spot B like some form of gas.”

I think the main complaint and problem is the Jeeves-Wooster balance is missing. The best part of these books is the back and forth between Bertie and his valet. Usually Bertie’s done something foolish and Jeeves must reel him in to point out the error of his ways. For a large part of this book the two are separated. Granted Bertie sneaks over to ask Jeeves’ opinion on occasion but Bertie is mostly left to fend for himself, therefore creating a very bland story. It’s fries without ketchup, cake without icing, toast without jam, etc. The two of them work best together. I also found the fact that the entire plot hinged on the bajolele being a hated instrument very annoying. Surely there was another way to get Bertie out to the country without ditching Jeeves. Perhaps they could have disagreed with something after reaching the cottage?

Ultimately I think I was spoiled by ”The Inimitable Jeeves” which I previously reviewed. It was just better overall so if you are looking to read a Jeeves & Wooster book I would suggest that one.(less)

theduckthief rated a book 5 of 5 stars

The Inimitable Jeeves (Jeeves, #2)
by P.G. Wodehouse

read in January, 2011

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"I flung open the door. I got a momentary flash of about a hundred and fifteen cats of all sizes and colours scrapping in the middle of the room, and then they all shot past me with a rush and out of the front door; and all that was left of the mob s...more "I flung open the door. I got a momentary flash of about a hundred and fifteen cats of all sizes and colours scrapping in the middle of the room, and then they all shot past me with a rush and out of the front door; and all that was left of the mob scene was the head of a whacking big fish, lying on the carpet and staring up at me in a rather austere sort of way, as if it wanted a written explanation and apology."

Bertram Wilberforce Wooster, known as "Bertie" to his friends, belongs to the upper crust of Edwardian society. Unfortuantely he's not very smart and is forever getting himself into embarassing situations. Luckily for him, his valet, Jeeves, is tactful, brilliant and possessed of a wit that usually flies over Bertie's head. Together they form an odd partnership that carries them through a variety of events, encapsulated in 18 short stories.

I had never read Wodehouse before and had only vaguely heard of 'Jeeves & Wooster' the tv show starring Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Boy was I surprised. All the stories link together to form a cohesive whole; there's a variety of situations that involve different characters and there's a light tone to the book that keeps the reader from getting bogged down in detail or exposition. I was also very impressed with the slang and diction used in the book. It felt modern and fresh, echoing the feel of the twenties yet I could still understand it. For example:

"The good old persp. was bedewing my forehead by this time in a pretty lavish manner. I don't know when I've been so rattled."

Another aspect of the book I loved was the humour and Wodehouse isn't just funny, he's laugh out loud hilarious! Also, it wasn't just slapstick run of the mill humour, it was intelligent and visual. Here are just a few choice snippets of what you'll find in the book.

"She had a penetrating sort of laugh. Rather like a train going into a tunnel."

"He chuckled like the last bit of water going down the waste-pipe in a bath."

"Jeeves lugged my purple socks out of the drawer as if he were a vegetarian fishing a caterpillar out of his salad."

The fact that this book was published in 1923 yet is still funny today and uses slang familiar to a 21st century reader, is extremely impressive. It's rare to find a book almost 100 years old that is stil so accessible. It is also very intelligently written and the fact that it does so many things right makes for an amazing story. If you're looking for a light, funny read, pick up one of the books in the 'Jeeves' series. I highly recommend this book in particular and can't wait to read my next Wodehouse!(less)

theduckthief rated a book 5 of 5 stars

The Star Machine
by Jeanine Basinger

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"The idea of a star being born is bushwah. A star is created, carefully and coldbloodedly, built up from nothing, from nobody...Age, beauty, talent - least of all talent - has nothing to do with it...We could make silk purses out of sow's ears every...more "The idea of a star being born is bushwah. A star is created, carefully and coldbloodedly, built up from nothing, from nobody...Age, beauty, talent - least of all talent - has nothing to do with it...We could make silk purses out of sow's ears every day in the week."

During the Golden Age of movies the studio system controlled and manufactured the lives of their actors, having final say over everything from haircuts to spouses and covering up the seedier side of Hollywood. Basinger brings to light the lives of lesser known actors and shows us from the inside out how they were created and kept in line. It's an intimate look at a way of life that has since disappeared, accompanied by a great set of archival photos.

My love of classic movies runs deep so this book was right up my alley. The great part about this book is it introduces the reader to actors they may not know as well. It doesn't cover the John Wayne's and Judy Garland's of the era. Instead it introduces readers to other amazing actors like Jean Arthur and William Powell, stars who were famous more than 50 years ago but have since been mostly forgotten. For me, it was nice to read more about a group of actors I'd watched on screen but knew little about. For example, Eleanor Powell was almost singlehandedly responsible for saving Warner Brothers Studios during the Depression. "Her powerful, low-to-the-ground tap dancing tended to blow any male partner out of the water. She was physically stronger than most of the men available to play opposite her, and she certainly could out-tap everyone."

The reader is told the old studio system is no longer in existence but in its hey day was extremely impressive. MGM could complete a film every nine days. 'In 1950 alone they completed 16 cartoons, 12 "Travelogues", 9 "Pete Smith specialties", 8 "People on Parades", 104 "News of the Day" and 41 feature films.' I tried not to let my jaw hit the floor. The amount of complex coordination it would have taken is mindboggling.

Basinger references a huge stack of movies and provides a variety of stock and candid photos that help put names to faces and also reveal the variety of talent at the studios. I only wish the book had included more actors or had been longer. It was nice to see how things worked but I almost wanted a more chronological approach to see how things started and follow through to when the system broke down. If you love classic movies then I would highly recommend this book. It's a great addition to any library and now has a home in mine.(less)

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