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August 04
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George
is currently reading:
Abundance: A Novel of Marie Antoinette (Hardcover)
by Sena Jeter Naslund
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
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George
gave
to:
Grotesque (Hardcover)
by Natsuo Kirino
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my rating:
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read in August, 2008
George said:
"Through various perspectives and narrative styles, Grotesque relates the story of several graduates of an elite Japanese high school (as well as one Chinese immigrant, whose own narrative -- as others have noted here -- sticks out somewhat incongruou...more
Through various perspectives and narrative styles, Grotesque relates the story of several graduates of an elite Japanese high school (as well as one Chinese immigrant, whose own narrative -- as others have noted here -- sticks out somewhat incongruously in the middle of the book). Some of the students at the school are born for success, whether it's because of their family's weath, their own looks, or their brains. Others have to work at it a bit harder. All of the narrators who take turns throughout the book are ultimately unreliable, and their accounts of certain events can vary quite widely. Then again, as the book demonstrates, we are all pretty unreliable narrators, not only when recollecting events from the past, but also when talking about ourselves.
Kirino is critical of a number of aspects of Japanese society, from the role of women within the society, to the still-existing class system, to the treatment of foreigners. She also addresses the struggle between belief that the key to success is practice, repetition and hard work, and the idea that everyone has a limit and that we need to be realistic when setting our goals. By placing some of her strongest criticisms in the mouths of unlikeable characters, she challenges the reader to find the truth despite the messenger. ...less
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July 25
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George
gave
to:
One Man's Justice (Paperback)
by Akira Yoshimura
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my rating:
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read in July, 2008
George said:
"In the years following World War II, the American forces are rounding up suspected Japanese war criminals and trying them for their actions. Nowadays, we think of war criminals as pretty much limited to the worst of the worst, the political and milit...more
In the years following World War II, the American forces are rounding up suspected Japanese war criminals and trying them for their actions. Nowadays, we think of war criminals as pretty much limited to the worst of the worst, the political and military leaders who order the wholesale slaughter of innocents. At this time, however, the term applies to pretty much anyone who mistreated or killed an American soldier during the war. Even in its premise, the book forces you to confront your own notions of war and who must bear responsibility for the terrible acts that occur during it -- the individuals who commit them, or the officers who gave orders demanding (or at least permitting) these acts. One of these individuals, Takuya, is on the run from the American forces. As he makes his way through postwar Japan, a country trying to rebuild while staving off starvation and poverty, he finds shelter in various places, testing the bonds of friendship and family. He rages against the perceived unfairness that he is in danger of losing his life for his involvement in the killing of men who in turn had killed many more. It is often said that history is written by the winners, and it's interesting to see into the mindset of someone on "the other side," and also to see the effects on the country itself. At first, I thought the approach was going to be a little too obvious, and fairly superficial in its treatment, but in the last quarter of the book, Yoshimura taps deeper levels of meaning, raising more complicated questions about justice and responsibility....less
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July 15
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George
gave
to:
The World Without Us (Hardcover)
by Alan Weisman
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my rating:
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read in July, 2008
George said:
"A "thought experiment" into what the word would be like if the entire human population was to suddenly disappear. In places, the book is fascinating, and it changes the way you look at those buildings and cities you drive by, now wondering ...more
A "thought experiment" into what the word would be like if the entire human population was to suddenly disappear. In places, the book is fascinating, and it changes the way you look at those buildings and cities you drive by, now wondering what they would look like once we are gone. It also makes you that much more aware of the various materials that are in everything around you. That said, there is a painful lack of organization and an awful number of either complete non sequiturs, or else just ideas that are poorly connected to the overall theme of the book. I understand that it originally started as a magazine article, and I can see why people might have wanted more after reading that, but this book helps prove the old truism that more is not always better....less
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June 30
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George
gave
to:
The Ministry of Special Cases (Hardcover)
by Nathan Englander
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my rating:
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read in June, 2008
George said:
"Set in Argentina during a time when an authoritarian government has imposed a rule of fear, paranoia, and ruthless bureaucracy, The Ministry of Special Cases centers on a single family's struggles with power and authority. Despite the comedy inherent...more
Set in Argentina during a time when an authoritarian government has imposed a rule of fear, paranoia, and ruthless bureaucracy, The Ministry of Special Cases centers on a single family's struggles with power and authority. Despite the comedy inherent in some of the interactions with the various bureaucrats -- kind of like Terry Gilliam's Brazil -- this is not a happy book and even the humor quickly gives way to darkness. Such a government has been well described before, but Englander does, for the most part, a good job of avoiding the cliches or simply presenting us with images that we've seen/read before. The heart of the novel is the notion of disappearance, from the ways we forsake our ancestors, to the ways we attempt to hide who we really are, to the actual physical disappearance of so many people under the new regime. ...less
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June 19
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George
gave
to:
The Power and the Glory (Paperback)
by Graham Greene
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my rating:
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read in June, 2008
George said:
"In popular culture, religion is often criticized for the self-righteousness and hypocrisy embodied by many of its most outspoken adherents, to the point that these people are often seen as representative of the religious community as a whole. (I gues...more
In popular culture, religion is often criticized for the self-righteousness and hypocrisy embodied by many of its most outspoken adherents, to the point that these people are often seen as representative of the religious community as a whole. (I guess I should say that this particular characterization seems to be especially applied to Christianity, with each of the other major faiths having to deal with its own analogous stereotype.) It's a story that's been told often, and, to be honest, that was the direction I was expecting this book to take at first. The main character, a so-called "whiskey priest," is the sort of flawed being that flies in the face of the notion that a priest should be perfect and beyond reproach -- in other words (heaven forbid!) he is human. He has his weaknesses, his hypocrisies, his doubts, and his sins, but whereas many an author would make this figure a caricature and take great joy in bringing him down a peg or two, or -- taking the other route -- bring down a choir of angels to miraculously redeem the sinner and bring him to salvation, Greene delves deeper and provides a fascinating and spiritual book about faith, duty, and the various forces that have power over people's lives. It is a book that is not afraid to ask difficult questions about religion and faith, but, thankfully, it's also not the kind of book that feels the need to answer each of those questions. ...less
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June 13
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George
gave
to:
The Book of Lost Things (Hardcover)
by John Connolly
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my rating:
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read in June, 2008
George said:
"Combining elements of Pan's Labyrinth, Labyrinth (the David Bowie one), the Wizard of Oz, and the books of Gregory Maguire, The Book of Lost Things is not entirely original, but still entertaining. The writing is uneven, reflecting the many shifts in...more
Combining elements of Pan's Labyrinth, Labyrinth (the David Bowie one), the Wizard of Oz, and the books of Gregory Maguire, The Book of Lost Things is not entirely original, but still entertaining. The writing is uneven, reflecting the many shifts in tone as the book moves from satire to fantasy to horror to a type of parody, almost as if it was trying to decide for itself what type of book it is. Several of the scenes are memorable -- the take on the 7 Dwarves is hilarious, although I swear I've encountered a similar interpretation before. Many of its flaws are common to genre fiction -- thin plot designed to get you from A to B, supporting characters who are picked up and then discarded, poorly sketched main character -- so if you've already forgiven these flaws in other books, you can sit back and enjoy because, while it's not great literature, it's a fast-moving, clever-at-times, enjoyable read....less
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George
gave
to:
Babbitt (Paperback)
by Sinclair Lewis
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my rating:
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read in May, 2008
George said:
"In the satirical tale of Midwestern realtor George F. Babbitt, Lewis created a picture of conformity and materialism that remains strikingly relevant, despite the 20s slang and the debating over whether to finally spring for that closed-top car. Many...more
In the satirical tale of Midwestern realtor George F. Babbitt, Lewis created a picture of conformity and materialism that remains strikingly relevant, despite the 20s slang and the debating over whether to finally spring for that closed-top car. Many readers will struggle to like Babbitt the man, so if you need to like the main character of a book, this one might leave you feeling somewhat dissatisfied. Babbitt is straight, pull-no-punches satire, and spends little time on plot or character development (something that H.L. Mencken, one of its supporters, cheered in an early review). Most of its themes have been dealt with in many a book, movie, and TV show in recent decades -- the underlying soullessness of conformity, the terrifying power of public opinion, the midlife crisis, corruption and hypocrisy -- but the sharpness of Lewis's critique does not suffer because of it. If you're at all interested in the 1920s, I highly recommend this book....less
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May 24
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George
gave
to:
Some Prefer Nettles (Paperback)
by Jun'ichiro Tanizaki
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my rating:
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read in May, 2008
George said:
"In this book, a married couple who have given up on their marriage try to muster the resolve to divorce. As with the novels of Kawabata, a traditional Japanese art -- in this case bunraku, or puppet theater -- forms a symbolic backdrop. The common Ja...more
In this book, a married couple who have given up on their marriage try to muster the resolve to divorce. As with the novels of Kawabata, a traditional Japanese art -- in this case bunraku, or puppet theater -- forms a symbolic backdrop. The common Japanese vs. foreign influence motif also makes an appearance, in the form of a prostitute who the husband visits. Given the connection between the situation presented in the book and the dissolution of Tanizaki's own marriage, it is hard not to read this as the author writing to himself. That said, there is enough depth to keep this one interesting to many readers. Bunraku is a beautiful art form, and it is well-chosen as a metaphor for a traditional Japanese femininity. The presence of the various female characters, though, shows a refreshing amount of contrast, and it is easy to see how modern the book must have seemed when it came out. The events of the book could not carry it much farther than its current length, so it is good than Tanizaki kept it short. Even so, some readers who crave a little more action or prefer conclusive endings may feel disappointed....less
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August 12
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George
took the never-ending book quiz.
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