Chris Dietzel's Blog - Posts Tagged "coelho"
My Top 5 Favorite Books Read This Year
Each year, I look back at all the books I’ve read. Here are the five books I read for the first time this year that I most enjoyed (regardless of when they were originally published).
5. Slapstick, or Lonesome No More! (1976) – This is yet another example of what makes Vonnegut so great. "Slapstick" combines sarcasm, humor, an absurd plot, and a critique of society, and each aspect comes together just right. This is no where near his best work and yet it's still leaps and bounds over most other books.
4. The Zahir (2005) - Combine autobiographical details of Coelho's life (his mindset before following his dream, his life and mental state before and after writing The Alchemist) with a Romantic's version of the movie, "The Vanishing" (the original French version, not the terrible U.S. remake) and you have 'The Zahir.' Coelho does a great job of writing to a spiritual mystery and providing the type of life-learning story that readers of the author have grown to enjoy. It says a lot about how much I love 'The Alchemist' that I give this book 5 stars and yet acknowledge it is no where as good as his best-seller, which I would rank as one of my favorite books of all time.
3. Norwegian Wood (1987) - This was very different from the other books of Murakami's that I've read. Those had fantastic and surreal aspects. This, on the other hand, was very 'ordinary' in its story and characters. If that was how this book was described to me I wouldn't have guessed that I would enjoy it as much as Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World or Dance Dance Dance but shockingly I enjoyed it even more than those. This was a great book, and I can see why it made the author popular.
2. Words from the Myths (1969) - I really enjoyed Asimov's charting of how Greek and Roman myths influence many of today's words. The book was filled with names and ideas that have evolved over the centuries, many of which I had no idea about. Reading this is a great combination of learning about ancient myths, appreciating today's language, and a little bit of Asimov's recounting of epic tales.
1. Wages of Rebellion: The Moral Imperative of Revolt (2015) – I read this all the way back in February and knew even then that I wasn’t going to read a better book all year. Hedges starts with the premise that revolutions occur when the point between people's expectations for their government and the actual reality of what they get instead reaches a tipping point. He then goes into detail on all of the areas where the U.S. is rapidly trending in the wrong direction. He concludes by going into detail on all of the ways governments that fear a revolt manage to maintain control. Those chapters in particular read like a nonfiction version of Jack London's dystopian classic, The Iron Heel. There is nothing pleasurable about reading this book and yet I know I won't read anything more worthwhile in a long time. Highest possible recommendation for anyone interested in real-life dystopians, sociology, and "the powers that be."
Honorable mention. Between the World and Me (2015) – This was my favorite book read in 2016 so I decided to read it again in 2017. If my list wasn’t only for books I read for the first time, Coates' letter to his son would have easily been in the top 2 again. It’s impossible to read this and not feel incredibly saddened by the injustices all around us. My highest possible recommendation to everyone.
5. Slapstick, or Lonesome No More! (1976) – This is yet another example of what makes Vonnegut so great. "Slapstick" combines sarcasm, humor, an absurd plot, and a critique of society, and each aspect comes together just right. This is no where near his best work and yet it's still leaps and bounds over most other books.
4. The Zahir (2005) - Combine autobiographical details of Coelho's life (his mindset before following his dream, his life and mental state before and after writing The Alchemist) with a Romantic's version of the movie, "The Vanishing" (the original French version, not the terrible U.S. remake) and you have 'The Zahir.' Coelho does a great job of writing to a spiritual mystery and providing the type of life-learning story that readers of the author have grown to enjoy. It says a lot about how much I love 'The Alchemist' that I give this book 5 stars and yet acknowledge it is no where as good as his best-seller, which I would rank as one of my favorite books of all time.
3. Norwegian Wood (1987) - This was very different from the other books of Murakami's that I've read. Those had fantastic and surreal aspects. This, on the other hand, was very 'ordinary' in its story and characters. If that was how this book was described to me I wouldn't have guessed that I would enjoy it as much as Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World or Dance Dance Dance but shockingly I enjoyed it even more than those. This was a great book, and I can see why it made the author popular.
2. Words from the Myths (1969) - I really enjoyed Asimov's charting of how Greek and Roman myths influence many of today's words. The book was filled with names and ideas that have evolved over the centuries, many of which I had no idea about. Reading this is a great combination of learning about ancient myths, appreciating today's language, and a little bit of Asimov's recounting of epic tales.
1. Wages of Rebellion: The Moral Imperative of Revolt (2015) – I read this all the way back in February and knew even then that I wasn’t going to read a better book all year. Hedges starts with the premise that revolutions occur when the point between people's expectations for their government and the actual reality of what they get instead reaches a tipping point. He then goes into detail on all of the areas where the U.S. is rapidly trending in the wrong direction. He concludes by going into detail on all of the ways governments that fear a revolt manage to maintain control. Those chapters in particular read like a nonfiction version of Jack London's dystopian classic, The Iron Heel. There is nothing pleasurable about reading this book and yet I know I won't read anything more worthwhile in a long time. Highest possible recommendation for anyone interested in real-life dystopians, sociology, and "the powers that be."
Honorable mention. Between the World and Me (2015) – This was my favorite book read in 2016 so I decided to read it again in 2017. If my list wasn’t only for books I read for the first time, Coates' letter to his son would have easily been in the top 2 again. It’s impossible to read this and not feel incredibly saddened by the injustices all around us. My highest possible recommendation to everyone.
Best Books Read of 2018
Each year, I look back at the books I’ve read. Here are the five books I read for the first time this year that I most enjoyed (regardless of when they were originally published).
5. The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights (1976) by John Steinbeck – Steinbeck is one of my all-time favorites authors, but I didn't even know this book existed until I found an old copy in a used book store. It’s incredibly neat that one of my writing idols translated Sir Thomas Malory's Arthurian tales from Middle English into modern English and then added a little bit to the stories where he felt gaps existed. The result is a series of tales that become accessible to current audiences. The best part for me, however, was the final 60 pages, containing Steinbeck's personal letters in which he discussed his approach to the translation. Steinbeck goes into detail on his approach to editing and translating, the problems he faced in both regards, and how he planned to fix those issues. Those pages in particular are a must read for anyone who has ever tried to edit or translate someone's work or likes insight into Steinbeck’s mind.
4. Hag-Seed: The Tempest Retold (2016) by Margaret Atwood - I started this book thinking it would be a 3-star. The premise didn't sound particularly exciting and I hadn't heard anything good or bad about it so I figured it would be lackluster. Immediately after starting it, however, I knew it would be at least a 4-star. As always, Atwood does a great job of using dialogue and dysfunction to keep you interested as the story unfolds. By the time I was half way through the book I knew I had deeply underestimated the story. I'm familiar with a bunch of modern Shakespearean re-envisions but this might be my favorite. The depth by which Atwood is able to retell The Tempest within her new setting while also having the actual Shakespearean play unfold as a plot point within that story is genius.
3. 2666 (2008) by Roberto Bolano – This is a large book (900 pages) but after only a few pages I already found myself invested in the story. Bolano’s intention was that the book be sold as five separate parts before being sold as one collected volume. Each part has a different but related story that converges into one brilliant storyline. The two parts dealing with fictional author Archimboldi (books 1 and 5) were my favorites but all were good. Bolano creates an epic tale that spans characters across the world. The result is well worth the long read. The only detraction is that the collected volume starts with an introduction that says it was Bolano's dying wish that the books be released separately before being released as one volume but the publisher and Bolano's family disagreed and published the collected version first. What is the goal of making a point to emphasize you went against a dying man's last wish? Other than that, great book.
2. The Buried Giant (2015) by Kazuo Ishiguro - On its surface this book is a fable that recounts an old couple wandering the lands in a post Arthurian world, looking for a son that left them long ago. In that context, the story was worth 4 stars for me until I got to the ending, which I didn't care for. However, I interpret the entire story as an allegory for an old couple looking back on their relationship together and all the struggles and decisions they had to make over decades together. Everything--the candles, the dragon, the fog, the warrior--are all devices to continue the metaphor of a relationship that went through tremendous challenges over the years. In that context, the story is superb and the ending is not only satisfying, it is perfect and incredibly touching.
1. Manuscript Found in Accra (2013) by Paulo Coelho – Another great book by Coelho, and maybe my favorite of his outside 'The Alchemist'. Coelho is at his very best here, using the story to convey wisdom of the world and lessons to help the reader feel like they can understand the nature of life. If you found Coelho because of 'The Alchemist', I would definitely recommend either this book or 'The Zahir' as the book of his that most provides a comparable experience.
Honorable mention. The Great Train Robbery (1979) by Michael Crichton – This isn’t included in the top 5 because it was my second time reading it. I originally read this in middle school and loved it. It was one of the reasons I spent a childhood summer reading everything I could find by Crichton and I think it might be my favorite of all of his books. It has a great blend of historical fiction, nonfiction, and the author's natural ability to provide a sense of excitement and adventure. Highly recommended even if you typically only enjoy Crichton's science fiction.
5. The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights (1976) by John Steinbeck – Steinbeck is one of my all-time favorites authors, but I didn't even know this book existed until I found an old copy in a used book store. It’s incredibly neat that one of my writing idols translated Sir Thomas Malory's Arthurian tales from Middle English into modern English and then added a little bit to the stories where he felt gaps existed. The result is a series of tales that become accessible to current audiences. The best part for me, however, was the final 60 pages, containing Steinbeck's personal letters in which he discussed his approach to the translation. Steinbeck goes into detail on his approach to editing and translating, the problems he faced in both regards, and how he planned to fix those issues. Those pages in particular are a must read for anyone who has ever tried to edit or translate someone's work or likes insight into Steinbeck’s mind.
4. Hag-Seed: The Tempest Retold (2016) by Margaret Atwood - I started this book thinking it would be a 3-star. The premise didn't sound particularly exciting and I hadn't heard anything good or bad about it so I figured it would be lackluster. Immediately after starting it, however, I knew it would be at least a 4-star. As always, Atwood does a great job of using dialogue and dysfunction to keep you interested as the story unfolds. By the time I was half way through the book I knew I had deeply underestimated the story. I'm familiar with a bunch of modern Shakespearean re-envisions but this might be my favorite. The depth by which Atwood is able to retell The Tempest within her new setting while also having the actual Shakespearean play unfold as a plot point within that story is genius.
3. 2666 (2008) by Roberto Bolano – This is a large book (900 pages) but after only a few pages I already found myself invested in the story. Bolano’s intention was that the book be sold as five separate parts before being sold as one collected volume. Each part has a different but related story that converges into one brilliant storyline. The two parts dealing with fictional author Archimboldi (books 1 and 5) were my favorites but all were good. Bolano creates an epic tale that spans characters across the world. The result is well worth the long read. The only detraction is that the collected volume starts with an introduction that says it was Bolano's dying wish that the books be released separately before being released as one volume but the publisher and Bolano's family disagreed and published the collected version first. What is the goal of making a point to emphasize you went against a dying man's last wish? Other than that, great book.
2. The Buried Giant (2015) by Kazuo Ishiguro - On its surface this book is a fable that recounts an old couple wandering the lands in a post Arthurian world, looking for a son that left them long ago. In that context, the story was worth 4 stars for me until I got to the ending, which I didn't care for. However, I interpret the entire story as an allegory for an old couple looking back on their relationship together and all the struggles and decisions they had to make over decades together. Everything--the candles, the dragon, the fog, the warrior--are all devices to continue the metaphor of a relationship that went through tremendous challenges over the years. In that context, the story is superb and the ending is not only satisfying, it is perfect and incredibly touching.
1. Manuscript Found in Accra (2013) by Paulo Coelho – Another great book by Coelho, and maybe my favorite of his outside 'The Alchemist'. Coelho is at his very best here, using the story to convey wisdom of the world and lessons to help the reader feel like they can understand the nature of life. If you found Coelho because of 'The Alchemist', I would definitely recommend either this book or 'The Zahir' as the book of his that most provides a comparable experience.
Honorable mention. The Great Train Robbery (1979) by Michael Crichton – This isn’t included in the top 5 because it was my second time reading it. I originally read this in middle school and loved it. It was one of the reasons I spent a childhood summer reading everything I could find by Crichton and I think it might be my favorite of all of his books. It has a great blend of historical fiction, nonfiction, and the author's natural ability to provide a sense of excitement and adventure. Highly recommended even if you typically only enjoy Crichton's science fiction.
