Mark Reece's Blog, page 20

Story shortlisted

My story 'The Diary' recently received an honourable mention in 'The Short Story' 2019 competition. Congratulation to the two winners: Sophie Lay and Jeremy Galgut.

Here's the link for the full details:

http://www.theshortstory.net/

The Nutcracker

It must be Christmas, as The Nutcracker is on at The Hippodrome in Birmingham. Despite the changes in personnel at the Birmingham Royal Ballet over the last year, the performance is reassuringly as good as ever.

Of course, that means outstanding, with beautiful sets and costumes, and delightful performances. From the moment the curtain raises to reveal the dancers frozen in position around a Christmas tree, one knows to expect dancing of the highest quality.

The programme this year describes how the sets and costumes have been updated. It is difficult to compare performances by memory, but the changes felt modest. I recall specifically only a few new elements, such as a moon motif hanging from the ceiling during some scenes, which seems to match the magician Drosselmeyer's costume.

The Nutcracker is notable for its inclusion of young children dancers, who are unfailingly skilled, and also witty actors, particularly the boy who plays Fritz, who made the audience laugh several times when he broke the nutcracker, or sulked when his toys were taken away.

Life would be so much better if it comprised ballet everyday.

Review- Thinking Styles

Thinking Styles by Robert J. Sternberg

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


In this book, Sternberg sets out a schema to categorize styles- ways of thinking, which he distinguishes from abilities. Sternberg's main argument is that people are often wrongly judged as lacking ability, when in fact, their thinking styles are mismatched with the activities they are undertaking.

That is a reasonable observation, although a banal one. It is repeated throughout, making this short book feel like a long one. Given that Sternberg does not profess to know in any detail what causes a person to develop a thinking style, I'm not sure why he needed to write a book, rather than a short article, on this topic.

The schema Sternberg sets out contains several strands that are not mutually exclusive. For example, he states that some people are 'legislative'- creative, others 'executive'- rule following, still others 'judicial'- critical. However, he conceeds that many people share several of these traits, further weakening his argument. I would also suggest that activities cannot be neatly categorized in this way. For example, Sternberg suggests that creative writing is 'legislative'. Of course, poems require creativity, but they also require editing, an understanding of form, and so on. In other words, many poets are also analytical and disciplined, at least to some extent.

Sternberg makes reference on a few occasions throughout the book to a person's 'real self', or similar formulations. It isn't clear what this means- I wonder whether he is suggesting that self-hood comprises something beyond what a person does and thinks. This somewhat mysterious suggestion goes unexplained.

In short, the book is useful as a reminder that teaching should be flexible enough to accommodate children who learn in a variety of different ways, but I didn't take much else from it.



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Review- Lolly Willowes

Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The protagonist of this novel- Laura Willowes- moves in with her brother and his wife after the death of her father. She picks up the nickname 'Lolly', and the loss of her real name seems to mirror the loss of her independence. However, after many years, she surprises her relatives by moving to a small town on her own initiative, and becoming a witch.

The first half of the book is written in a laconic, dryly witty style. Laura's relatives and their deathly dull existence are detailed deftly, in a way that is often very funny. There's a real sense of strangled domesticity- meals are always served at a certain time, after which, the men rest to avoid disturbing their digestion. Meanwhile, Caroline, Laura's sister in law, takes particular care with how the washing is folded, in accordance with her belief that neat underwear is an expression of godliness. Even the advent of world war does not change family life much.

The writing may not be to all tastes, as the pacing is very slow- there are few concrete events. However, it is infused with a deep sense of pathos and whimsy that well evokes the environment the author describes. This is a lot of quiet drama.

I did not enjoy the second half of the novel as much. The symbolism of becoming a witch to escape social convention seemed forced and obvious. Also, although I like magic realism/fantasy sequences, the witch scenes are written entirely deadpan and came across as just silly sometimes- sitting in woods, chatting cod philosophy with the devil. I much preferred the first half of the book, where the social satire was more subtle, and Laura's character seemed better developed.

Overall, however, I'm glad to have discovered this author and will read more of her books in the future. She has the ability to depict mood over time in a way that is not easy to invoke, and that alone makes this book worth reading.



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Review- Other Minds

Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness by Peter Godfrey-Smith

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


In this book, Godfrey-Smith discusses the evolution of intelligence and consciousness, focusing on invertebrate species, particularly the octopus. It is loosely structured, with several chapters being essentially digressions on the author's personal experiences of interactions with octopus, or studies broadly related to the topic. This makes the book a little hard to follow at times, although it is an engaging and interesting work.

Godfrey-Smith is a philosopher and interprets the empirical findings of biological research philosophically. It is this combination that gives the book its power. It is unusual for a philosopher to study a particular group of animals- cephalopod species- in detail, and also to write about the philosophy of mind in a general fashion. The philosophy of mind is a subject that I confess to having little interest, but here, the discussion in grounded in a sufficiently interesting topic for it to be pleasurable to follow.

Godfrey-Smith is mostly an elegant writer, and his joy when recounting his personal encounters with octopus and cuttlefish are apparent throughout. His care for these creatures is also expressed powerfully and without undue sentiment. "When you dive into the sea, you are diving into the origin of us all".

All in all, the book is more a collection of loosely connected essays than a consistent narrative, but the author's blend of biology and philosophy enriches both subjects and rewards reading and re-reading.



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Review- We have been harmonised

We Have Been Harmonised: Life in China's Surveillance State by Kai Strittmatter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book sets out how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is attempting to renew itself, if that is the right phrase, by the use of AI, advanced surveillance techniques, and the manipulation of the Internet. The book also discusses related subjects such as the manipulation of language to achieve the same ends.

The author previously lived in China and calls upon a wide range of sources, including personal experience and articles from party publications, amongst other things, to provide a compelling picture of the attempt by the current Chinese leadership to create a 'new authoritarianism'. In addition to censorship, this includes various schemes to determine what makes a 'good citizen' by means of, for example, creating databases of points systems awarded for various types of behaviour that are not explicitly political- for example, points may be deducted for running across a road at the wrong time.

The author gives an interesting discussion of the effects that an authoritarian state have on personal behaviour. In particular, he describes how the CCP actively undermines solidarity between citizens, which leads to a culture of cynicism, whereby people who are perceived to be selfless are disparaged. This gives the book a more rounded approach than if it had focused strictly on the high politics of the CCP.

The author also points out how the CCP makes use of cultural relativist arguments to support its cause (the Chinese have a unique culture and interpret liberty differently from other people etc). Of course, this is self-interested and hypocritical- Marxism originally purported to be a universalist creed, and Chinese people have a wide range of views about how their country should be run. It is absurd to suggest that any government represents the views of its people wholesale. This should give pause for thought to advocates of relativism in other countries- the position that there is no criteria that can be used to judge between different viewpoints or political systems, seems well suited to authoritarianism.

The tone is a little hectoring at times. The author is relentless in pointing out precisely why the various CCP policies are so harmful. This is a little annoying, and unnecessary- the research stands very well on its own merits. Also, I wonder whether the book focuses a little too heavily on the current leader- Xi Jinping. Authoritarian regimes often focus on a 'great leader' figure but are usually, in reality, highly factional. For example, Nazi Germany did not operate solely according to the dictates of Hitler, regardless of the image the Nazis tried to portray. The author describes the Chinese military as being purely an adjunct of the CCP, and therefore of Jinping. Not being knowledgeable about the Chinese state myself, I cannot say with any certainty that that description is flawed, but it certainly sounds like an over-simplification.

Overall, this is an interesting book, that breaks together many themes in an impression display of erudition.



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Review- Conspiracy theories

Conspiracy Theories by Quassim Cassam

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


In this short tract, Cassam defines conspiracy theories and describes what he considers to be their purpose, which is political propaganda. That is the central argument and the main insight of the book. It is a sound argument; Cassam highlights the fact that anti-semitism is the intellectual force behind many conspiracy theories, despite their disparate nature.

Perhaps a little more could have been made of the way that many conspiracy theories rely on a version of the 'great man' theory of history, in which small groups supposedly arrange events in secret. Some proponents of conspiracy theories seem to find comfort in the idea, which is implicitly authoritarian in nature- if social ills can be traced back to cabals, then one need only eliminate the cabals, rather than considering questions of political philosophy, what forms of constitution are most likely to produce justice, and so on.

The argument and writing are a little plodding in places, and the recommendations at the end of the book are not revelatory. However, this is an interesting overview of the topic.



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Story published

I've recently had a short story published in Orbis magazine. Naturally, that's one good reason to read it. Even apart from that though, it's a fine poetry/fiction magazine, well worth a look.

http://www.orbisjournal.com/

Review- Dangerous Liaisons

Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I love this book.

The novel is set in pre-revolutionary France and is told in epistolary style. The central characters are the Vicomte de Valmont, who makes a game out of seducing women, and his friend the Marquise de Merteuil, who sometimes eggs him on but also enjoys manipulating people around her. When Valmont tries to seduce a woman known for her virtue, a series of events are set in train with consequences for many people.

The two protagonists are portrayed ambiguously. On the one hand, they are cynical and amoral- typical aristocrats with nothing to do other than indulge in decadence and express their 'love' in a manner both trite and tired. On the other hand, they are amusing and intelligent, in a certain way, and don't seem worse that the people they live amongst, who are bound by boorish and hypocritical 'virtue', which largely depends on maintaining their reputation amongst their peers. The morality of most of the secondary characters revolves around the suppression of female sexuality- being sent to live in a convent is mentioned frequently, usually as a punishment, but also (and ironically) as a calling.

Around half way through the book, a difference forms between the two central characters, in an extremely vivid and powerful letter sent from Merteuil to Valmont, in which she sets out the philosophy with which she has lived her life. She describes the way that she has carved out an autonomous life for herself in the stiffling society she was raised. This casts an entirely new light on her actions up to that point, and sets her apart from Valmont, who suddenly seems trite by comparison.

It is curious that for a man who seduces women so readily, Valmont never talks about the pleasures of sexual encounters- rather, the only thing he seems to get out of them are bragging rights, which add to his dubious reputation. After that letter, the distance between the two of them start to widen, setting up the conflict that is the main focus of the novel.

If there's a criticism to be made of the book, it is that the two central characters are so colourful and well written that their letters dominate the story and make the other characters seem small and predictable. Time spent away from them is time waiting for them to return.

Furthermore, the ending is perhaps slightly moralistic in tone, which detracts from the nature of the rest of the story, although only slightly, and perhaps ironically.

It's a shame that this is de Laclos' only major work of fiction. His mastery of character, plot, and language are majestic. Still, sometimes we must simply be grateful for what we have, and this novel is one such example.



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Review- Journey to the Ants

Journey to the Ants: A Story of Scientific Exploration by Bert Hölldobler

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Journey to the Ants is a short book that has the feel of a long book. It is packed with the findings of the lifetime of research by the Myremecologists Holldobler and Wilson, ranging across all aspects of ants' life cycle, from how ants communicate, to how members of a colony interact with each other, other colonies, and other species. There are sections on the evolution of ant species, and even advice about how to capture and study ants.

With such extensive ground to be covered, there is a danger that the book would feel rushed. However, that is not so. The passion of the authors is clear on every page, and the book is crisply and elegantly written. The authors point out that the estimated total body mass of ants is estimated to be equivalent to that of humans, and the ants have maintained their numbers for a long period of time- likely, millions of years. Almost all ant species have evolved to be eusocial- that is, ant colonies are organised along a caste system, meaning that individuals cannot survive alone for any period of time. All the workers are sterile females, meaning that their reproduction is carried out at the colony level. The book is an excellent demonstration of the complexity and wonder of the diversity of lifeforms of the earth. There are no uninteresting species.

Social animals are generally more aggressive than solitary animals, and ants, as the most social of creatures, are the most aggressive. They dominate their environment and respond ruthlessly to perceived threats, to such an extent that solitary insects, such as spiders, are pushed to the margins of the environment. Ants have an enormous impact on the wider environment, in terms of their interaction with other species, plant life, and how they change the natural world to suit their purposes. It is a measure of the strength of the book that the authors place ants within the context of wider biology.

The book is also beautifully illustrated, with both a range of close-up photography and a number of artist impressions. It is an excellent example of a science book written with the general reader in mind. It explains a number of complex concepts clearly without over simplification. It is essential interest to anyone interested in myrmecology, but also to anyone with any interest in the nature world.



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