Mark Reece's Blog, page 11

Performance at Virtual Voices

I'm going to be reading a story at an on-line event on the 12th of April. 'Virtual Voices' is arranged by author Simon Fletcher, and will involve a number of poets and prose writers.

The event starts at 19:00, with the link available from the Offa Press website.

https://offaspress.co.uk/events/

Review- much ado about nothing at the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham

The Crescent Theatre in Birmingham recently put on a version of Much Ado about Nothing, although I couldn't find details of the company that carried out the performance.

The theatre itself is very small, with the stage surrounded by seats on three sides, meaning that all members of the audience are close to the performers. There was a slight echo, but not such as to detract from the play.

The performance was sound, with some good costumes and basic sets; the re-arrangement of the latter was built into the performance. There were a few stumbles as actors hesitated over their lines, but the performance was mostly good. The actor playing Beatrice stuck out for me, with a bold, confidence (perhaps necessarily, given the nature of the character).

At a cheap price too, this was an enjoyable evening.

Review- Runaway Horses

Runaway Horses by Yukio Mishima

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Runaway Horses is the second book of the 'Sea of Fertility' tetralogy, and in my view is the best of the four. The central character is Isao Iinuma, a young nationalist fanatic who despises many aspects of 1930s Japan. He is obsessed with maintaining his sense of moral purity, and with stories of past rebellions in which warriors carried out desperate acts in the name of the Japanese emperor before committing ritual suicide. Isao is a kendo master, but at the start of the book, he is tiring of the sport and becomes eager to take action against the corruption he sees around him. Using the reputation he has gathered from his skill in kendo, and his natural charisma, Isao gathers a group of youths together in a conspiracy to overthrow the government and install the royal family as absolute rulers.

The other main character is Shigekuni Honda, who is a ponderous judge. After a chance meeting with Isao, he comes to believe that he is the reincarnation of his childhood friend, Kiyoaki. His belief is so strong that the lives of the two men become intertwined.

The themes of the first book of the series (Spring Snow) are much more explicit in Runaway horses, including the emergence of nationalism in 1930s Japan, the decline (or transmutation) of the samurai spirit, the purity of youth, and reincarnation. As with Spring Snow, the characterization is superb here. The opening sequence, in which Honda's middle age habits and attitudes are compared with those of his youth are beautiful, poignant, and witty. Isao's dialogue, which both delights and worries his elders, is brilliantly handled. Isao's father, Shigeyuki Iinuma is also a fantastic and highly believable character- another nationalist, but also thoroughly cowardly and cynical, working as much for self-aggrandizement as for his movement.

Another key feature of why Mishima is a great writer is his mastery of tone- although relying on a lot of scenes involving little action, the novel is thrillingly paced, pushing the reader onwards. It is difficult to read a single chapter of this book at the same time.

This is the best book of a classic series.



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Review- Spring Snow

Spring Snow by Yukio Mishima

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A sumptuously elegant and beautiful book, Spring Snow is the first novel of the 'Sea of Fertility' tetralogy. The novel tells the story of Kiyoaki Matsugae, a young man who is part of a family that is rising in wealth and power. Kiyoaki's father allowed him to be raised by the Ayakuras, who are an ancient, aristocratic family. Kiyoaki's relationship with the enigmatic Satoko Ayakura is central to the story.

The world in which Kiyoaki and Satoko live is one in which fine distinctions of etiquette are followed at all times. This creates considerable background tension, as scandal can be threatened by a glance that lingers too long, or a woman seeming of sorts after agreeing to a marriage. The writing expresses this sense brilliantly. There are highly memorable moments that would be mere anecdotes in the hands of lesser writers, such as when the families are embarrassed when a dead dog blocks a waterfall in a garden.

Another source is conflict is Kiyoaki's character. He is louche, lazy and changeable, although also widely considered handsome and elegant. He forms a strong contrast to his much more responsible friend Honda, who has less social status and thus largely bows to his wishes. Honda is training to be a lawyer, and his family also appears to be growing in influence, although in a less dramatic fashion to that of the Matsugaes. The novel is set in the 1910s, and the specter of imperial Japan looms in the background. Nationalists are emboldened enough to write articles criticizing the decadence of the old aristocracy, and it is hard to avoid the conclusion that Kiyoaki is an example of them, the trivialities of his character becoming more pronounced when set against the coming wars.

Aside from the intricate characterization, the beauty of the language elevates the novel to one of artwork. The passages focused on Kiyoaki are dreamy and elegant, whereas those focusing on Honda and the more practical members of the Matsugae family are brisk and precise. There are also some very funny scenes featuring Ayakura's father, the count, who is so elegant that he thinks it vulgar to take any action in a crisis, an attitude that infuriates everyone around him.

Spring Snow is a wonderful book, surely one of the finest works of the twentieth century.



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Review- By the sea

By the Sea by Abdulrazak Gurnah

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This protagonist of By The Sea, Saleh Omar, is a refugee, who arrives in the UK from Zanzibar. After pretending not to be able to speak English, the immigration authorities contact an 'expert in the area'- Latif Mahmud, to try to communicate with Omar. However, when hearing the name, Mahmud realizes that he is connected with Omar in a intricate way.

The book is highly discursive- it concerns the stories the characters tell each other and themselves. It seems that most, if not all the characters are unreliable in one way or another, or at least have not fully examined their past. There is a dreamy character to much of the novel as the characters seem to be mythologizing themselves, turning disputes and grievances from their past into epic tales.

The more concrete part of the work concerns the brusque, off-hand manner in which Omar is treated by the immigration authorities, who, in one unpleasant episode, steal some rare incense that he brought with him as the only item remaining of a despoiled fortune. Unfortunately, these sections have more than a ring of truth.

A fine, elegant novel.



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Review- Make Room! Make Room!

Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Make Room! Make Room! is set in a version of 1999 New York where the population has expanded beyond the city's ability to comfortably feed and home the populace. As such, most people live in degrading squalor. Although the perspective switches between a number of different characters, the main protagonist is Andrew Rusch, a detective in an extremely overworked police force, where the majority of crimes are barely investigated. Other significant characters include Billy, a Chinese boy looking for new ways to survive, and Shirl, a woman Rusch starts a relationship with after they meet during one of his cases.

The main strength of the book is the description of the created world. The surroundings are suitably grey and despoiled. Despite being poor himself, Rusch uncritically accepts the world around him, and is harshly critical of those trying to change it, in a way that feels very realistic. The book also feels well paced; it is the type of novel that can be read quickly.

There are flaws, however, that make both the plot and setup feel not fully realized. Firstly, the novel has only a single idea, which is harped on about repeatedly, that over-population is the source of all problems, and would be solved by birth control. There is no discussion of the inequality of power within the society, or why people need to have lots of children. It is also strange that no effort seems to have been made in this world to find alternative energy sources, or, in fact, to do anything to solve any of the problems. The world doesn't quite make sense; perhaps it would have benefited from a character who was in a more powerful social position, and so would be able to provide context for what had occurred.

Next, the characterization, and hence the plot, are ultimately unsatisfying. The central conflict of the story is between Rusch and Billy, but the significance of that conflict simply disappears part way through the book, meaning that its resolution is very low key. Also, the motivation of many of the secondary characters is unrealized. Shirl's bodyguard is very loyal for some reason; Shirl attaches herself to powerful men to survive, then doesn't, then does. These factors combine to make the book feel ultimately lightweight.

Make Room! Make Room! is an enjoyable, although ultimately shallow read; one feels that the main theme could have been tackled with more energy and sophistication.



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Story published

One of my short stories, 'One Day', was recently published in 'The Spectrum' magazine. It can be viewed on the following link:

https://s4.chorus-mk.thirdlight.com/f...

Review- The leaftcutter ants

The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Hölldobler

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A wonderful book by two eminent scientists, who possess the two gifts needed for popular science writing: the ability to condense research without simplifying it too far, and good writing. The book is an expansion of a chapter from The Superorganism by the same authors, where they introduce the concept of eusociality, which they define as:

1) Cooperative care for immature individuals.
2) Overlap of at least two generations in the same society.
3) The coexistence of reproductive and non-reproductive members.

This book examines the atta genera as an exemplary case of eusociality, given the intricate caste system that pertains within those species of ants. The head width of the leaf cutter workers varies from between 0.7 to 5 millimeters, with the interactions between them described as a production line, consisting of the workers of different sizes carrying out a variety of tasks, including cutting leaves from plants, breaking them into smaller parts, carrying them to the nest, then carrying out the variety of tasks necessary to incorporate them into the colony's fungal garden.

The book has a series of wonderful pictures, many of which were taken by Holldobler, which are not only beautiful, but add a lot to the text. This include pictures of ants themselves, and also excavations of nests (which made me a little sad, given the descriptions of the work that were put into building them).

The skill of the experiments conducted by myrmecologists to discover many different aspects of ant societies are incredible. There are many wonderful details in the book about, amongst other things, the manner in which leaf cutters use their mandibles to cut leaves, the nature of the biochemistry that ants use to communicate, and the incredible synergy between ants and fungus, which enables them, in combination, to lower the level of carbon dioxide in a nest to safe levels.

This is a short book, but a delightful one. It is science as a joyful thing.



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Review- The Snowman

The Snowman was recently playing at the Birmingham REP- slightly odd timing after Christmas, perhaps, but a fun performance nevertheless.

Ethan Sokontwe put in a boisterous, energetic performance as The Boy, and there was a good energy and pace to the show overall, with sufficient surprises, sets, and occasional bang to keep younger audience members entertained, if the laughter and occasional tears were anything to go by.

Sam Rodulfo also played a fun and skillful part as The Music Box Ballerina. It cannot have been easy to dance with partners who were wearing Snowman costumes!

Overall, a good showing of the story.

Review- The end of everything

The End of Everything by Katie Mack

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In this book, the astrophysicist Katie Mack discusses current understandings of how the universe might end. Although an interesting topic in itself, she also uses it as an introduction to current research interests in physics, such as the attempt to create a 'theory of everything' that would explain the commonalities between different physical forces (Mack describes how there are presently difficulties in explaining how gravity operates on a very small scale, for example).

The author adopts a good balance between explaining very complicated concepts in a way that is accessible to the general reader without simplifying them too far. In fact, a large proportion of the book is taken up with explanations, meaning that it also serves as a general introduction to physics. I would have liked to have seen a hint of the mathematics behind the models being presented, although that may have been impossible in a book written at the 'popular science' level. As it is, the book provides a narrative of the findings of contemporary physics without the workings out.

Mack also discusses large science projects, such as the Large Hydron Collidor (LHC), and the James Watt telescope, and how the data they will gather relate to the various unsolved problems physicists are trying to resolve. For example, Mack explains how the LHC aims (amongst other things) to determine how the rules of quantum mechanics interact with other physical laws. I found this very useful, as it is often difficult to understand news reports of such projects that explain that scientists value them highly, without the wider context.

Like the best popular science books, Mack has an obvious enthusiasm about the topic, and is a good writer. Combining these features with the inherent interest of the subject creates a winning combination.



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