Olivier Vojetta's Blog: BUS RIDING BOOKS, page 3
July 7, 2015
« Soumission » par Michel Houellebecq (2015)
—BUS RIDING BOOKS—
Petite critique littéraire de « Soumission » par Michel Houellebecq (2015)
J'ai lu tous les livres de Michel Houellebecq quelques jours seulement après leur publication, tous sauf un. Sorti le jour de l'attaque de Charlie Hebdo, je me suis dit qu'on ne pouvait pas lire Soumission et être Charlie. Il faut dire qu'en ce lundi 7 janvier 2015 l'amalgame était vite fait: Houellebecq était le coupable idéal, la raison de tous nos malheurs. Houellebecq la poisse, c'est sûr, c'était lui. Lui dont la caricature était en couverture du magazine au moment du massacre. Lui qui venait de si bien prédire le suicide collectif de la France et de l'Europe, avec en ligne de mire l'arrivée au pouvoir du parti de la Fraternité Musulmane de Mohammed Ben Abbes. La messe était dite.
Alors c’est seulement en juin que je me décidai finalement à acheter le livre en question dans la librairie Louis XIV de Saint-Jean-de-Luz. C'était le coup de cœur du libraire: « Un futur proche ... Et le désarroi d'un homme sur fond de bouleversement politique! Excellent! » Je commençai à le lire sitôt assis sur mon vol Biarritz-Paris puis sur mon Paris-Belgrade, mais ce n'est qu'une fois revenu à Paris une semaine plus tard que je pris toute la mesure de ce roman pas comme les autres.
"Pour sortir d'ici ça va être une tannée" dit le chauffeur de taxi au départ de la gare du Nord. "Depuis ce matin c'est comme ça, j'en ai marre." Il soupira lourdement.
"Allez vas-y roule putain de ta race... Même pas un clignotant".
Plus tard: "24 degrés, il fait chaud. La semaine dernière 35, on était mort, j'avais qu'une envie c'était de rentrer chez moi," il soupira lourdement encore une fois. "Jusqu'à dimanche, après je suis en vacances".
Je rigolai.
"Ah ben rigolez, j'en peux plus". Puis : "Ils sont chiants ces gens-là," montrant de la main des gens qui traversaient simplement la route.
On sait déjà tous combien Houellebecq est passé maître dans l'art de disséquer les sentiments qu'un type « moyen » de notre société occidentale pourrait ressentir, les ambitions qu'il pourrait nourrir, les peurs qui pourraient le ronger, et les vices qu'il pourrait cultiver presque malgré lui. Ce que je n'avais pas compris avant de lire Soumission, c'était à quel point les différences sociales pouvaient s'effacer devant le sentiment d'impuissance qui gangrenait la société en son cœur.
Ce chauffeur de taxi, c'est aussi François, le prof de littérature dans le livre. Peu importe la différence d'éducation ou de revenus, ils vivent tous les deux à Paris, ils en ont marre tous les deux, ils « n'en peuvent plus » et ils ont tous les deux abdiqué en un sens. Ils n'ont plus vraiment de valeurs — à quoi bon? Ils laissent faire, ils laissent la vie passer avec ses méandres de ce qui ne leur plait pas, avec une certaine passiveté, comme s’ils n’étaient plus que de simples passagers de leur vie, dans une société qu'ils reconnaissent de moins en moins. Ça fait déjà longtemps qu’ils ne sont plus aux commandes — ce qui arrivera arrivera. C'est aussi pour ça que ni mon chauffeur de taxi, ni Houellebecq l’auteur à succès, ni François le professeur d’université spécialiste de Huysmans ne sont des Charlie en puissance. Pire, ce sont sans doute des anti Charlie car ils ont perdu ce qu’il y a de plus cher au monde, leur âme d’enfant. Ils ne rigolent plus des caricatures qui devraient tant les faire rire.
On peut même aller plus loin. Houellebecq a en un sens fait comme les djihadistes en ce triste jour de janvier: eux comme lui ont terminé d'enterrer notre enfance. Les terroristes l'ont fait en tuant les Cabu, Wolinski et autres dessinateurs de notre jeunesse; Houellebecq, lui, l’a fait en nous offrant en pâture un personnage dans lequel il voulait que nous nous reconnaissions personnellement. Pas complètement bien sûr, quelques traits seulement, mais suffisamment pour nous faire sentir son propre malaise, par projection littéraire ; pour nous faire comprendre que plus rien ne serait jamais plus comme avant ; et pour nous faire dire à tous : « j’en peux plus ».
La France de Houellebecq est triste, je préfère la nôtre.
O.V.
Petite critique littéraire de « Soumission » par Michel Houellebecq (2015)
J'ai lu tous les livres de Michel Houellebecq quelques jours seulement après leur publication, tous sauf un. Sorti le jour de l'attaque de Charlie Hebdo, je me suis dit qu'on ne pouvait pas lire Soumission et être Charlie. Il faut dire qu'en ce lundi 7 janvier 2015 l'amalgame était vite fait: Houellebecq était le coupable idéal, la raison de tous nos malheurs. Houellebecq la poisse, c'est sûr, c'était lui. Lui dont la caricature était en couverture du magazine au moment du massacre. Lui qui venait de si bien prédire le suicide collectif de la France et de l'Europe, avec en ligne de mire l'arrivée au pouvoir du parti de la Fraternité Musulmane de Mohammed Ben Abbes. La messe était dite.
Alors c’est seulement en juin que je me décidai finalement à acheter le livre en question dans la librairie Louis XIV de Saint-Jean-de-Luz. C'était le coup de cœur du libraire: « Un futur proche ... Et le désarroi d'un homme sur fond de bouleversement politique! Excellent! » Je commençai à le lire sitôt assis sur mon vol Biarritz-Paris puis sur mon Paris-Belgrade, mais ce n'est qu'une fois revenu à Paris une semaine plus tard que je pris toute la mesure de ce roman pas comme les autres.
"Pour sortir d'ici ça va être une tannée" dit le chauffeur de taxi au départ de la gare du Nord. "Depuis ce matin c'est comme ça, j'en ai marre." Il soupira lourdement.
"Allez vas-y roule putain de ta race... Même pas un clignotant".
Plus tard: "24 degrés, il fait chaud. La semaine dernière 35, on était mort, j'avais qu'une envie c'était de rentrer chez moi," il soupira lourdement encore une fois. "Jusqu'à dimanche, après je suis en vacances".
Je rigolai.
"Ah ben rigolez, j'en peux plus". Puis : "Ils sont chiants ces gens-là," montrant de la main des gens qui traversaient simplement la route.
On sait déjà tous combien Houellebecq est passé maître dans l'art de disséquer les sentiments qu'un type « moyen » de notre société occidentale pourrait ressentir, les ambitions qu'il pourrait nourrir, les peurs qui pourraient le ronger, et les vices qu'il pourrait cultiver presque malgré lui. Ce que je n'avais pas compris avant de lire Soumission, c'était à quel point les différences sociales pouvaient s'effacer devant le sentiment d'impuissance qui gangrenait la société en son cœur.
Ce chauffeur de taxi, c'est aussi François, le prof de littérature dans le livre. Peu importe la différence d'éducation ou de revenus, ils vivent tous les deux à Paris, ils en ont marre tous les deux, ils « n'en peuvent plus » et ils ont tous les deux abdiqué en un sens. Ils n'ont plus vraiment de valeurs — à quoi bon? Ils laissent faire, ils laissent la vie passer avec ses méandres de ce qui ne leur plait pas, avec une certaine passiveté, comme s’ils n’étaient plus que de simples passagers de leur vie, dans une société qu'ils reconnaissent de moins en moins. Ça fait déjà longtemps qu’ils ne sont plus aux commandes — ce qui arrivera arrivera. C'est aussi pour ça que ni mon chauffeur de taxi, ni Houellebecq l’auteur à succès, ni François le professeur d’université spécialiste de Huysmans ne sont des Charlie en puissance. Pire, ce sont sans doute des anti Charlie car ils ont perdu ce qu’il y a de plus cher au monde, leur âme d’enfant. Ils ne rigolent plus des caricatures qui devraient tant les faire rire.
On peut même aller plus loin. Houellebecq a en un sens fait comme les djihadistes en ce triste jour de janvier: eux comme lui ont terminé d'enterrer notre enfance. Les terroristes l'ont fait en tuant les Cabu, Wolinski et autres dessinateurs de notre jeunesse; Houellebecq, lui, l’a fait en nous offrant en pâture un personnage dans lequel il voulait que nous nous reconnaissions personnellement. Pas complètement bien sûr, quelques traits seulement, mais suffisamment pour nous faire sentir son propre malaise, par projection littéraire ; pour nous faire comprendre que plus rien ne serait jamais plus comme avant ; et pour nous faire dire à tous : « j’en peux plus ».
La France de Houellebecq est triste, je préfère la nôtre.
O.V.
May 22, 2015
L'arrache cœur, Boris Vian
—BUS RIDING BOOKS—
Petite critique littéraire de « L'arrache cœur », dernier roman signé Boris Vian (1953)
Parfois difficile à suivre mais très beau et poétique, « L'arrache cœur » mets en scène un monde imaginaire dans lequel Angel et Clémentine sont les parents de « trumeaux». Correction : il s'agit en fait de jumeaux et d'un isolé, qui est sorti après, plus tard, signe d'une grande personnalité. Après l'avoir aidée à accoucher, Jacquemort, le héros, psychiatre et psychanalyste avec une barbe rousse va tenter de soigner la mère... Car Clémentine n'a pas toute sa tête - haineuse après la naissance de ses trois bébés, elle avait par exemple enfermé son mari Angel pendant deux mois !
« Dans l'ensemble, ça vous fait quel effet d'être père? » demande Jacquemort à Angel. Une petite phrase anodine dans un univers plutôt fou, en partie à cause du héros lui-même... Il faut dire que Jacquemort a presque violé une de ses patientes, il voulait la faire parler et ce fut une réussite. « La première fois, c'était avec mon père ». Forcément, la psychanalyse allait prendre du temps... « Pourquoi vous voulez que je me déshabille? » demande-t-elle. « C'est la base pour faire une bonne psychanalyse » dit Jacquemort. Plus tard: « Vous reviendrez me 'psychoser' ? »
La question que je me pose, c’est qui de Clémentine ou de Jacquemort est le plus malade. Jacquemort, lui, est comme un tonneau des danaïdes: il identifie les passions et les désirs mais il ne les ressent pas. Il est vide alors il veut faire la psychanalyse complète de ses patients, pour vivre leurs passions à travers eux. Désirer les envies des autres, c’est son but, lui qui dit « On est libre que quand on a envie de rien ».
Le reste du roman est tout aussi fantasmagorique, avec une ambiance très particulière... On assiste par exemple à la « foire aux vieux »... Terrible idée, mais terriblement originale pour un livre de fiction, qui plus est quand il veut se faire critique de société. « Ceux qui souffrent sur Terre gagnent leur part de paradis». Boris Vian explore aussi la religion : « Je suis contre la religion » dit Jacquemort, « mais elle peut être utile à la campagne. » « Mais elle est un luxe » réponds un autre. Et puis Il y a la fameuse scène de l’église. Les paroissiens qui supplient le curé pour qu'il pleuve... »L’Eglise n’est pas un arrosoir, il ne pleuvra pas » dit le curé, avant de poursuivre: « Dieu est un diamant serti dans le Soleil ». Finalement la pluie tomba comme des grenouilles molles, comme dans le film Magnolia. Mais entre le livre et le film, on sait lequel des deux s'est inspiré de l'autre, n'est-ce pas Monsieur Paul Thomas Anderson ?
Rythmé par un calendrier d'un autre monde (59 Janvril, 348 Juillambre, 11 Octembre, 67 Nouvrier etc.), on croirait avoir à faire à une comédie mais c'est bien d'une tragédie moderne dont il s'agit. Clémentine, la mère, construit « Le mur de rien », pour empêcher ses trois enfants Joël, Noel et Citroën de sortir du jardin – là -aussi, peut-être une idée avant-gardiste plus tard adaptée au cinéma dans le film Truman Show avec Jim Carrey (1998). C'est la mère terrifiée à l'idée qu'il arrive quelque chose à ses enfants, alors comme souvent dans ce cas, c'est aussi la mère qui va un peu trop loin... Cela me rappelle un peu mon enfance pour dire la vérité. Avec mes frères et sœur, on devait chacun prendre une énorme pierre avec nous, placée au fond de notre sac de sport à chaque fois qu'on prenait le bus pour aller à la piscine. En cas d’accident, la pierre nous aurait permis de casser la vitre et de sortir du bus ! Le sac pesait facilement dix kilos. Et on n’a jamais pu faire de l'aviron avec nos copains de classe non plus; on restait à l'école à faire des lectures et des devoirs en attendant que les autres reviennent avec tous leurs souvenirs. Bref, je diverge. Clémentine, la mère qui a fait tout ça parce qu'elle les « aime ». « Mes enfants et moi, c'est la même chose. Je les aime tant. » Et c'est aussi elle qui finit par mettre en place trois cages, bien chaudes et pleines d'amour, avec des petits lits dedans…
Cruel de vérité ? Allons ! Gobez un papillon et tout ira mieux.
O.V.
Petite critique littéraire de « L'arrache cœur », dernier roman signé Boris Vian (1953)
Parfois difficile à suivre mais très beau et poétique, « L'arrache cœur » mets en scène un monde imaginaire dans lequel Angel et Clémentine sont les parents de « trumeaux». Correction : il s'agit en fait de jumeaux et d'un isolé, qui est sorti après, plus tard, signe d'une grande personnalité. Après l'avoir aidée à accoucher, Jacquemort, le héros, psychiatre et psychanalyste avec une barbe rousse va tenter de soigner la mère... Car Clémentine n'a pas toute sa tête - haineuse après la naissance de ses trois bébés, elle avait par exemple enfermé son mari Angel pendant deux mois !
« Dans l'ensemble, ça vous fait quel effet d'être père? » demande Jacquemort à Angel. Une petite phrase anodine dans un univers plutôt fou, en partie à cause du héros lui-même... Il faut dire que Jacquemort a presque violé une de ses patientes, il voulait la faire parler et ce fut une réussite. « La première fois, c'était avec mon père ». Forcément, la psychanalyse allait prendre du temps... « Pourquoi vous voulez que je me déshabille? » demande-t-elle. « C'est la base pour faire une bonne psychanalyse » dit Jacquemort. Plus tard: « Vous reviendrez me 'psychoser' ? »
La question que je me pose, c’est qui de Clémentine ou de Jacquemort est le plus malade. Jacquemort, lui, est comme un tonneau des danaïdes: il identifie les passions et les désirs mais il ne les ressent pas. Il est vide alors il veut faire la psychanalyse complète de ses patients, pour vivre leurs passions à travers eux. Désirer les envies des autres, c’est son but, lui qui dit « On est libre que quand on a envie de rien ».
Le reste du roman est tout aussi fantasmagorique, avec une ambiance très particulière... On assiste par exemple à la « foire aux vieux »... Terrible idée, mais terriblement originale pour un livre de fiction, qui plus est quand il veut se faire critique de société. « Ceux qui souffrent sur Terre gagnent leur part de paradis». Boris Vian explore aussi la religion : « Je suis contre la religion » dit Jacquemort, « mais elle peut être utile à la campagne. » « Mais elle est un luxe » réponds un autre. Et puis Il y a la fameuse scène de l’église. Les paroissiens qui supplient le curé pour qu'il pleuve... »L’Eglise n’est pas un arrosoir, il ne pleuvra pas » dit le curé, avant de poursuivre: « Dieu est un diamant serti dans le Soleil ». Finalement la pluie tomba comme des grenouilles molles, comme dans le film Magnolia. Mais entre le livre et le film, on sait lequel des deux s'est inspiré de l'autre, n'est-ce pas Monsieur Paul Thomas Anderson ?
Rythmé par un calendrier d'un autre monde (59 Janvril, 348 Juillambre, 11 Octembre, 67 Nouvrier etc.), on croirait avoir à faire à une comédie mais c'est bien d'une tragédie moderne dont il s'agit. Clémentine, la mère, construit « Le mur de rien », pour empêcher ses trois enfants Joël, Noel et Citroën de sortir du jardin – là -aussi, peut-être une idée avant-gardiste plus tard adaptée au cinéma dans le film Truman Show avec Jim Carrey (1998). C'est la mère terrifiée à l'idée qu'il arrive quelque chose à ses enfants, alors comme souvent dans ce cas, c'est aussi la mère qui va un peu trop loin... Cela me rappelle un peu mon enfance pour dire la vérité. Avec mes frères et sœur, on devait chacun prendre une énorme pierre avec nous, placée au fond de notre sac de sport à chaque fois qu'on prenait le bus pour aller à la piscine. En cas d’accident, la pierre nous aurait permis de casser la vitre et de sortir du bus ! Le sac pesait facilement dix kilos. Et on n’a jamais pu faire de l'aviron avec nos copains de classe non plus; on restait à l'école à faire des lectures et des devoirs en attendant que les autres reviennent avec tous leurs souvenirs. Bref, je diverge. Clémentine, la mère qui a fait tout ça parce qu'elle les « aime ». « Mes enfants et moi, c'est la même chose. Je les aime tant. » Et c'est aussi elle qui finit par mettre en place trois cages, bien chaudes et pleines d'amour, avec des petits lits dedans…
Cruel de vérité ? Allons ! Gobez un papillon et tout ira mieux.
O.V.
April 14, 2015
A girl is a half-formed thing by Eimear McBride
—BUS RIDING BOOKS—
"A girl is a half-formed thing" by Eimear McBride
Here is my review of the book…
It's not often that I pick a book purely based on its side story, not knowing anything about the actual storyline. This is what I did with this book though. I read an article in the New Yorker explaining how it got published after nine years of rejection and how it has since won multiple awards. I was hooked straight away, it had to be good, there was no other way.
I listened to the audio book version, read by the author. Sure, I liked her voice, but the book not so much. It's interesting to think how a book in print is all silence until it becomes alive and loud in the reader's head (or not) while an audio book is all noise to your ears from page 1. The story comes to you without effort, you don't have to go and grab it from the pages of the book sitting on your lap while on the bus or hung in the air while lying on the beach. Does that make an audio book any less interesting or enjoyable? I don't think so. If anything, it's effortless like watching a movie. And it's probably the best litmus test for the worthiness of any book. For aspiring authors are often advised to "show, not tell". They need to answer this crucial question: "Would this sentence, paragraph, page be visible on the screen?", "What would this chapter look like if it was turned into a movie?"
I might be wrong but "A girl is a half-formed thing" might actually be difficult to turn into a movie. Unnamed characters, no sign of when it takes place. All we know is that it's set in Ireland, "this country is awful in the winter", there is lots of Christian songs singing and it's yet another account of the life of a dysfunctional family and the hypocrisy that follows ("Your bloody father is dead and gone", and then "My family is all love", mum said. I ask her: "All love, seriously?").
Lesson learnt: pick a book because you like its story, its characters, not because it won awards after being rejected over and over again for so many years.
O.V.
"A girl is a half-formed thing" by Eimear McBride
Here is my review of the book…
It's not often that I pick a book purely based on its side story, not knowing anything about the actual storyline. This is what I did with this book though. I read an article in the New Yorker explaining how it got published after nine years of rejection and how it has since won multiple awards. I was hooked straight away, it had to be good, there was no other way.
I listened to the audio book version, read by the author. Sure, I liked her voice, but the book not so much. It's interesting to think how a book in print is all silence until it becomes alive and loud in the reader's head (or not) while an audio book is all noise to your ears from page 1. The story comes to you without effort, you don't have to go and grab it from the pages of the book sitting on your lap while on the bus or hung in the air while lying on the beach. Does that make an audio book any less interesting or enjoyable? I don't think so. If anything, it's effortless like watching a movie. And it's probably the best litmus test for the worthiness of any book. For aspiring authors are often advised to "show, not tell". They need to answer this crucial question: "Would this sentence, paragraph, page be visible on the screen?", "What would this chapter look like if it was turned into a movie?"
I might be wrong but "A girl is a half-formed thing" might actually be difficult to turn into a movie. Unnamed characters, no sign of when it takes place. All we know is that it's set in Ireland, "this country is awful in the winter", there is lots of Christian songs singing and it's yet another account of the life of a dysfunctional family and the hypocrisy that follows ("Your bloody father is dead and gone", and then "My family is all love", mum said. I ask her: "All love, seriously?").
Lesson learnt: pick a book because you like its story, its characters, not because it won awards after being rejected over and over again for so many years.
O.V.
February 23, 2015
Book review of Bright lights, big city by Jay McInerney
—BUS RIDING BOOKS—
"Bright lights, big city", by Jay McInerney
Here is my review of the book…
This is a great book. Not so much because it's set in New York, nor because it tells the story of a cocaine-fuelled wannabe writer, sort of a literary version of American Psycho's Patrick Bateman. No, it's a great book because it's written in the second person and there are not too many of those on the shelves of your local library, trust me on that. Authors rarely write books in the second person... It's a bit of a perilous exercise to be honest and most authors think of themselves in the third person anyway. I liked the fact that this book is different in that regard.
I also liked this book because the main character (interestingly unnamed) is working at a magazine, and I like all things paper. What's more, he is not in charge of writing, instead working as a "verificationist". It was fascinating to discover the world of magazine production and the various people involved in the craft: the grammarians, the writers, the editors, the copyrighters, the verificators, etc. And within this artistic world always comes the brotherhood of unfulfilled early promises, which is a good reminder of the long journey ahead, with all its challenges, most of which are applicable to all of us, mere workers of the world. "Where are you heading? To the heart of the night." As good a response as any other, I thought.
But in the end, what really got me is that I recognised myself in "you".
"You gathered experience for your next novel. You were taking notes all the time. Your night life became more and more interesting, you surrounded yourself with authors."
A must read novel for readers eager to experience something different.
O.V.
"Bright lights, big city", by Jay McInerney
Here is my review of the book…
This is a great book. Not so much because it's set in New York, nor because it tells the story of a cocaine-fuelled wannabe writer, sort of a literary version of American Psycho's Patrick Bateman. No, it's a great book because it's written in the second person and there are not too many of those on the shelves of your local library, trust me on that. Authors rarely write books in the second person... It's a bit of a perilous exercise to be honest and most authors think of themselves in the third person anyway. I liked the fact that this book is different in that regard.
I also liked this book because the main character (interestingly unnamed) is working at a magazine, and I like all things paper. What's more, he is not in charge of writing, instead working as a "verificationist". It was fascinating to discover the world of magazine production and the various people involved in the craft: the grammarians, the writers, the editors, the copyrighters, the verificators, etc. And within this artistic world always comes the brotherhood of unfulfilled early promises, which is a good reminder of the long journey ahead, with all its challenges, most of which are applicable to all of us, mere workers of the world. "Where are you heading? To the heart of the night." As good a response as any other, I thought.
But in the end, what really got me is that I recognised myself in "you".
"You gathered experience for your next novel. You were taking notes all the time. Your night life became more and more interesting, you surrounded yourself with authors."
A must read novel for readers eager to experience something different.
O.V.
February 11, 2015
The Facts, a novelist autobiography, by Philip Roth
—BUS RIDING BOOKS—
"The Facts, a novelist autobiography", by Philip Roth
Here is my review of the book…
In his autobiography, Philip Roth is looking at the wounds that plagued him for decades, yet were kept at a distance. The same troubles that led him to a grave depression after he decided to open himself up by writing these pages. For him, like for so many other writers before him, this self-investigation is like a second chance. That's the beauty of being a writer I suppose: Roth can fictionalise a "kind" of himself... and rewrite his eventful past one way or another, as and when he chooses to.
And what a journey he had! From his Jewish upbringing in 1950s America to being a professor at the University of Chicago and getting his PhD there, who would have imagined he would one day become one of the most famous American writers of our times?
For a little while, the classroom was his stage and he thought this was going to be his life. But Philipp Roth really wanted to be a writer, right from the start, unlike some other authors I'm familiar with, like former lawyer Marc Levy who wrote his first book at the age of 37 - a story for his daughter - and found huge success straight away, to his biggest surprise. Only then did he decide to stop law and focus on his writing. No, Roth was already involved with the "Et cetera" magazine in high school and writing on the side. For Roth, life had always been about writing, nothing else was on his mind and I find this both courageous and admirable. A trajectory I would have liked to pursue had there been no other, more pressing imperatives such as getting a job, repaying my student loan, buying a flat, getting married, becoming a dad and so on and so on. Instead, and despite having a few books out there, I am still at the fringe of literary life but I continue to write, always.
Of course, having the vocation is not enough. It took Roth a lot of hard work and isolation from real life and people to be able to write those books that became instant blockbusters. And tons of talent.
All in all, this book is fascinating but also very sad in more ways than one. Roth' journey is not one for the faint hearted, dotted with marriages, break ups, divorces, abortions, years of legal battles, property disputes, and disputes over whose books is who's...
"The Facts, a novelist autobiography", by Philip Roth
Here is my review of the book…
In his autobiography, Philip Roth is looking at the wounds that plagued him for decades, yet were kept at a distance. The same troubles that led him to a grave depression after he decided to open himself up by writing these pages. For him, like for so many other writers before him, this self-investigation is like a second chance. That's the beauty of being a writer I suppose: Roth can fictionalise a "kind" of himself... and rewrite his eventful past one way or another, as and when he chooses to.
And what a journey he had! From his Jewish upbringing in 1950s America to being a professor at the University of Chicago and getting his PhD there, who would have imagined he would one day become one of the most famous American writers of our times?
For a little while, the classroom was his stage and he thought this was going to be his life. But Philipp Roth really wanted to be a writer, right from the start, unlike some other authors I'm familiar with, like former lawyer Marc Levy who wrote his first book at the age of 37 - a story for his daughter - and found huge success straight away, to his biggest surprise. Only then did he decide to stop law and focus on his writing. No, Roth was already involved with the "Et cetera" magazine in high school and writing on the side. For Roth, life had always been about writing, nothing else was on his mind and I find this both courageous and admirable. A trajectory I would have liked to pursue had there been no other, more pressing imperatives such as getting a job, repaying my student loan, buying a flat, getting married, becoming a dad and so on and so on. Instead, and despite having a few books out there, I am still at the fringe of literary life but I continue to write, always.
Of course, having the vocation is not enough. It took Roth a lot of hard work and isolation from real life and people to be able to write those books that became instant blockbusters. And tons of talent.
All in all, this book is fascinating but also very sad in more ways than one. Roth' journey is not one for the faint hearted, dotted with marriages, break ups, divorces, abortions, years of legal battles, property disputes, and disputes over whose books is who's...
January 27, 2015
Literary rivals: feuds and antagonisms in the world of books by Richard Bradford
New post in my blog —BUS RIDING BOOKS—
Book review of "Literary rivals: feuds and antagonisms in the world of books" by Richard Bradford.
Interesting book at times but it looks like a complete hotch-potch of anecdotes all along. I give it a 2 out of 5 for that reason.
Authors can get very competitive. Norman Mailer, for example, failed as a novelist and criticised his contemporaries, most notably Tom Wolfe (author of "Bonfire of the Vanities") and J.D. Salinger. He wrote about authors with contempt whenever he could and even punched some at parties. As a result, he was labelled a "deranged celebrity" by Joseph Heller, author of "Catch 22".
What's more, some authors will also attack critics when the genius of their books is not recognised nor celebrated like it should be; the "Post war literary world was confusing with no critics able to set standards as to what is good and what is bad", one author of the time said.
The most interesting part is when the author explains how and why novelists can use fiction to inflict pain on their peers, through fictional characters. Can authors really ruin lives of other authors with their books? Some clearly think so. A book can be a real stab in the back!
Of course, I would have liked to add some personal experience to this book review but I have none to contribute, sorry. The only animosity I have managed to attract thus far is not from fellow authors but from a professional book reviewer at US-based "Kirkus". Correction: he didn't exactly review my book, it was more of a personal attack to be precise. No disrespect to any of my Yankee friends, but me not being an American probably didn't help my case. Anyhow, below is the link to the review but please never judge a book by its cover or the oh-so-inaccurate depiction of the author's personal life! Promise?
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
Book review of "Literary rivals: feuds and antagonisms in the world of books" by Richard Bradford.
Interesting book at times but it looks like a complete hotch-potch of anecdotes all along. I give it a 2 out of 5 for that reason.
Authors can get very competitive. Norman Mailer, for example, failed as a novelist and criticised his contemporaries, most notably Tom Wolfe (author of "Bonfire of the Vanities") and J.D. Salinger. He wrote about authors with contempt whenever he could and even punched some at parties. As a result, he was labelled a "deranged celebrity" by Joseph Heller, author of "Catch 22".
What's more, some authors will also attack critics when the genius of their books is not recognised nor celebrated like it should be; the "Post war literary world was confusing with no critics able to set standards as to what is good and what is bad", one author of the time said.
The most interesting part is when the author explains how and why novelists can use fiction to inflict pain on their peers, through fictional characters. Can authors really ruin lives of other authors with their books? Some clearly think so. A book can be a real stab in the back!
Of course, I would have liked to add some personal experience to this book review but I have none to contribute, sorry. The only animosity I have managed to attract thus far is not from fellow authors but from a professional book reviewer at US-based "Kirkus". Correction: he didn't exactly review my book, it was more of a personal attack to be precise. No disrespect to any of my Yankee friends, but me not being an American probably didn't help my case. Anyhow, below is the link to the review but please never judge a book by its cover or the oh-so-inaccurate depiction of the author's personal life! Promise?
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
October 20, 2014
'Death of a salesman' by Arthur Miller
—BUS RIDING BOOKS—
‘Death of a salesman’ by Arthur Miller
Here is my review of the book...
My eldest brother recommended I read this book as I was looking for a piece centered around a dad – an inspiring one if possible. I was not disappointed, even though Willy Loman is not exactly what you would call a picture perfect daddy.
Willy Loman is a salesman driving around the US to make commissions and support his family. But times are tough, he’s not getting any younger (63) and sales are falling. What’s more: he keeps crashing his car as he can’t keep his mind at it (how anyone driving 700 miles a week could?) and allegedly tries to kill himself.
Work and family life are all interconnected and when Willy wants to stop the “road business” to work in an office in New York or Boston, it turns out such a move is not easy, even for someone who has put 34 years into a company.
In the end, there is no surprise and the title proves true: Willy dies. And when a salesman dies, hundreds of “buyer friends” are expected to come to the funeral. Not this time though: there are not many people around; not many buyers, even less friends.
What I liked the most is the rising tension throughout the play. There is lots of it, like in a Hitchcock movie. Plus, it gives a warning or two about signing your life away for your job, even if it is to live the American Dream. Or any other dream as a matter of fact because dreams can sometimes proves elusive...
Good night and keep up the good work!
‘Death of a salesman’ by Arthur Miller
Here is my review of the book...
My eldest brother recommended I read this book as I was looking for a piece centered around a dad – an inspiring one if possible. I was not disappointed, even though Willy Loman is not exactly what you would call a picture perfect daddy.
Willy Loman is a salesman driving around the US to make commissions and support his family. But times are tough, he’s not getting any younger (63) and sales are falling. What’s more: he keeps crashing his car as he can’t keep his mind at it (how anyone driving 700 miles a week could?) and allegedly tries to kill himself.
Work and family life are all interconnected and when Willy wants to stop the “road business” to work in an office in New York or Boston, it turns out such a move is not easy, even for someone who has put 34 years into a company.
In the end, there is no surprise and the title proves true: Willy dies. And when a salesman dies, hundreds of “buyer friends” are expected to come to the funeral. Not this time though: there are not many people around; not many buyers, even less friends.
What I liked the most is the rising tension throughout the play. There is lots of it, like in a Hitchcock movie. Plus, it gives a warning or two about signing your life away for your job, even if it is to live the American Dream. Or any other dream as a matter of fact because dreams can sometimes proves elusive...
Good night and keep up the good work!
October 6, 2014
‘One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories’ by BJ Novak
—BUS RIDING BOOKS—
‘One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories’ by BJ Novak
Here is my review of the book...
To review a book of short stories is never easy but with 'One more thing', it's almost mission impossible. BJ Novak has a crazy mind and it's fantastic but his stories of all shapes, sizes and colours make it hard to spot what links them all, if anything. They only seem to be related in that they form part of the same 'roller coaster' book. Up, down, up, down, sideways. And again. Scared, amazed, speechless, scared, surprised. And again.
I concede the book can feel a bit random at times, with the author looking a bit like a rebel without a cause. For he's dealing with so many themes in succession, zapping at the blink of a page, a paragraph, a sentence even. But it's perfect for a bus ride, and it would deserve 5 stars only for that reason.
Now, if I was BJ Novak's shrink, I would say he's pretty obsessed with a thing or two, money and sex robots to be more specific. Hereafter are a few discussion questions about topics covered by BJ Novak... a new way to tell you about a book I've read.
1.What would generally push you to tell your mate about a story you've heard? One that is amazing, funny, interesting, disturbing, or else?
2. The universe will tell you what it wants you to do with your life. Discuss.
3. Regret is just perfectionism plus time. Do you agree?
4. What would you do if your son had won 100,000 dollars by participating in a Kellogg's raffle he wasn't allowed to enter into? Would you forbid him to claim the prize for that reason?
5. Do you think a winning lottery ticket worth 10 million dollars would sell for more than 10 million if it was marked as 'VOID' by Damian Hirst?
6. 90% of the universe is dark matter. Do you know what it is?
7. What would you say of a guy who buys a sex robot called Sophia only to return 'it' days later because Sophia fell in love with him? Would you say he's a romantic at heart or to the contrary, someone without a heart?
8. Is there really such a thing as 'closure' when a relationship comes to an end? Why or why not?
Just ONE MORE THING: please share your thoughts and stories!
‘One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories’ by BJ Novak
Here is my review of the book...
To review a book of short stories is never easy but with 'One more thing', it's almost mission impossible. BJ Novak has a crazy mind and it's fantastic but his stories of all shapes, sizes and colours make it hard to spot what links them all, if anything. They only seem to be related in that they form part of the same 'roller coaster' book. Up, down, up, down, sideways. And again. Scared, amazed, speechless, scared, surprised. And again.
I concede the book can feel a bit random at times, with the author looking a bit like a rebel without a cause. For he's dealing with so many themes in succession, zapping at the blink of a page, a paragraph, a sentence even. But it's perfect for a bus ride, and it would deserve 5 stars only for that reason.
Now, if I was BJ Novak's shrink, I would say he's pretty obsessed with a thing or two, money and sex robots to be more specific. Hereafter are a few discussion questions about topics covered by BJ Novak... a new way to tell you about a book I've read.
1.What would generally push you to tell your mate about a story you've heard? One that is amazing, funny, interesting, disturbing, or else?
2. The universe will tell you what it wants you to do with your life. Discuss.
3. Regret is just perfectionism plus time. Do you agree?
4. What would you do if your son had won 100,000 dollars by participating in a Kellogg's raffle he wasn't allowed to enter into? Would you forbid him to claim the prize for that reason?
5. Do you think a winning lottery ticket worth 10 million dollars would sell for more than 10 million if it was marked as 'VOID' by Damian Hirst?
6. 90% of the universe is dark matter. Do you know what it is?
7. What would you say of a guy who buys a sex robot called Sophia only to return 'it' days later because Sophia fell in love with him? Would you say he's a romantic at heart or to the contrary, someone without a heart?
8. Is there really such a thing as 'closure' when a relationship comes to an end? Why or why not?
Just ONE MORE THING: please share your thoughts and stories!
September 21, 2014
‘To kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee
—BUS RIDING BOOKS—
‘To kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee
Here is my review of the book...
Not finishing a book I’ve started is unlike me. Honest. But I couldn’t possibly go further than chapter 12 of that classic novel. There were about 20 other chapters to go through but I couldn’t go on despite the book being high up on my ‘bibliotherapy prescription’ received 6 months ago from Alain de Botton’s School of Life. They knew I was going to be a dad and thought I would feel inspired by a book that, they said, portrays “the most admirable father in all of literature”. They went on explaining that Atticus Finch is the central character all wannabe dads need to study in order to be the best possible father.
In fact, the book is more about racial prejudice than anything else, according to Wikipedia: “the primary themes of To Kill a Mockingbird involve racial injustice and the destruction of innocence. Scholars have noted that Lee also addresses issues of class, courage, compassion, and gender roles in the American Deep South. The book is widely taught in schools in the United States with lessons that emphasize tolerance and decry prejudice”.
The fact is: Wiki don’t mention fatherhood at all, maybe for a reason. Atticus Finch “wears glasses, works in an office, doesn’t play poker nor smoke or drink. He just sits in the living room and reads”. He also happens to defend the case of Tim Robinson, a black man and he’s getting all sorts of trouble for doing so. And at some point he says: “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”... It should all make sense given the title of the book, except it doesn’t, but I guess it’s all down the fact I was expecting something else. I wanted to read an inspiring story about being a super dad. And I don’t think this book is what I was looking for...
If you have a suggestion for a book truly depicting “the most admirable father in all of literature”, then let me know! Thanks heaps.
Ollie
‘To kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee
Here is my review of the book...
Not finishing a book I’ve started is unlike me. Honest. But I couldn’t possibly go further than chapter 12 of that classic novel. There were about 20 other chapters to go through but I couldn’t go on despite the book being high up on my ‘bibliotherapy prescription’ received 6 months ago from Alain de Botton’s School of Life. They knew I was going to be a dad and thought I would feel inspired by a book that, they said, portrays “the most admirable father in all of literature”. They went on explaining that Atticus Finch is the central character all wannabe dads need to study in order to be the best possible father.
In fact, the book is more about racial prejudice than anything else, according to Wikipedia: “the primary themes of To Kill a Mockingbird involve racial injustice and the destruction of innocence. Scholars have noted that Lee also addresses issues of class, courage, compassion, and gender roles in the American Deep South. The book is widely taught in schools in the United States with lessons that emphasize tolerance and decry prejudice”.
The fact is: Wiki don’t mention fatherhood at all, maybe for a reason. Atticus Finch “wears glasses, works in an office, doesn’t play poker nor smoke or drink. He just sits in the living room and reads”. He also happens to defend the case of Tim Robinson, a black man and he’s getting all sorts of trouble for doing so. And at some point he says: “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”... It should all make sense given the title of the book, except it doesn’t, but I guess it’s all down the fact I was expecting something else. I wanted to read an inspiring story about being a super dad. And I don’t think this book is what I was looking for...
If you have a suggestion for a book truly depicting “the most admirable father in all of literature”, then let me know! Thanks heaps.
Ollie
September 14, 2014
'Sane new world: taming the mind' by Ruby Wax
Have you read it? What did you think?
Below is my review of the book…
I read this book because of Robin Williams' decision to kill himself. I wanted to understand how the mind could push anyone that far into despair. None of us is meant to become a slave, let alone of one's own mind. But the mind is like a wild animal and can slowly become anyone's master. 'You have to send this email', 'You have to meet this deadline' etc. Sounds familiar? We feel bad if we don't do what our mind tells us to do but if we do it all the time then life becomes nothing more than a to do list. Textbook catch-22. Do yourself a favour: stop doing whatever you are doing once in a while. Just STOP.
Ghandi said 'there is more to life than speed'. He didn't say what tough... How are we supposed to react to global disasters aired on TV? Are we expected to go there and help? If not, what's the whole point of telling us in the first place? Honestly, how do you feel about Iraq, Syria, Ukraine? We live in a fog of facts and it's hard to pay attention to anything for more than 30 seconds in our busy lives. What's more, many of us want to change the world but most of us do not want to change ourselves...
... or can't because our brain is full of chemicals triggering emotions. 'We are our own walking pharmacy', the author says. The reason why girls want more shoes and guys fast cars is because of a chemical in our brain called dopamine. Each time we get something, we reward ourselves with an injection of it and that feels good, it's a kick, a real high. Chemicals are to a large extent driving our behaviour. It's the craving of dopamine that makes us want more, not the shoes; endorphins give us that 'houhou' feeling if we run long enough; as for testosterone, it has lots of sex but no brain...
Luckily, the book tells how we can overwrite the mind. Only two options (suicide isn't one): anti depressants or 'mindfulness'. The former are still a mystery... they work but what do they do to the millions of neurons we have? The latter is by far the preferred option. 'Mindfulness' is witnessing what's happening and standing back without judgement and the usual negative criticism. Thoughts are not who you are, nor are they facts and the mind should be your servant, not your master.
The problem is what emotions make us do. Let's take an example: fear. Uncertainty is most people's biggest fear, that's why we tend to lock ourselves in a box, professionally and personally. The author explains how some women keep picking the 'bad guy' type. They know the pain is inevitably coming and feel they can somehow comfort themselves by continuing to be that person who is fuming at how bad all guys are. Ruby Wax says this type of scenario can last a lifetime. It wouldn't if we remembered that we will all die down the road. It's dark I know but thinking of death is the best way to accomplish big things in life, achieve what's really important to us. 'What's wrong with me?' Look, it's simple: there is nothing wrong with you, or me, or any of us; we just are. Of course the mind might disagree and since it always wants an explanation, the best is to concentrate on the area of pain and describe it, feel it. Just like Freud said 'you have to bring your darkness into the light before you can get better', it's all about acceptance. It's like imagining watching your thoughts on a cinema screen. And it works: studies led by top US universities show that mindfulness reduces sensitivity to pain and helps eradicating addictions too.
To conclude, if there was only one takeaway, it would be this: be nice with yourself, forgive yourself, let yourself off the hook once in a while, shut down those internal voices saying that you envy someone else's life or that you are not good enough. You are GREAT.
(Sydney,
September 2014)
Below is my review of the book…
I read this book because of Robin Williams' decision to kill himself. I wanted to understand how the mind could push anyone that far into despair. None of us is meant to become a slave, let alone of one's own mind. But the mind is like a wild animal and can slowly become anyone's master. 'You have to send this email', 'You have to meet this deadline' etc. Sounds familiar? We feel bad if we don't do what our mind tells us to do but if we do it all the time then life becomes nothing more than a to do list. Textbook catch-22. Do yourself a favour: stop doing whatever you are doing once in a while. Just STOP.
Ghandi said 'there is more to life than speed'. He didn't say what tough... How are we supposed to react to global disasters aired on TV? Are we expected to go there and help? If not, what's the whole point of telling us in the first place? Honestly, how do you feel about Iraq, Syria, Ukraine? We live in a fog of facts and it's hard to pay attention to anything for more than 30 seconds in our busy lives. What's more, many of us want to change the world but most of us do not want to change ourselves...
... or can't because our brain is full of chemicals triggering emotions. 'We are our own walking pharmacy', the author says. The reason why girls want more shoes and guys fast cars is because of a chemical in our brain called dopamine. Each time we get something, we reward ourselves with an injection of it and that feels good, it's a kick, a real high. Chemicals are to a large extent driving our behaviour. It's the craving of dopamine that makes us want more, not the shoes; endorphins give us that 'houhou' feeling if we run long enough; as for testosterone, it has lots of sex but no brain...
Luckily, the book tells how we can overwrite the mind. Only two options (suicide isn't one): anti depressants or 'mindfulness'. The former are still a mystery... they work but what do they do to the millions of neurons we have? The latter is by far the preferred option. 'Mindfulness' is witnessing what's happening and standing back without judgement and the usual negative criticism. Thoughts are not who you are, nor are they facts and the mind should be your servant, not your master.
The problem is what emotions make us do. Let's take an example: fear. Uncertainty is most people's biggest fear, that's why we tend to lock ourselves in a box, professionally and personally. The author explains how some women keep picking the 'bad guy' type. They know the pain is inevitably coming and feel they can somehow comfort themselves by continuing to be that person who is fuming at how bad all guys are. Ruby Wax says this type of scenario can last a lifetime. It wouldn't if we remembered that we will all die down the road. It's dark I know but thinking of death is the best way to accomplish big things in life, achieve what's really important to us. 'What's wrong with me?' Look, it's simple: there is nothing wrong with you, or me, or any of us; we just are. Of course the mind might disagree and since it always wants an explanation, the best is to concentrate on the area of pain and describe it, feel it. Just like Freud said 'you have to bring your darkness into the light before you can get better', it's all about acceptance. It's like imagining watching your thoughts on a cinema screen. And it works: studies led by top US universities show that mindfulness reduces sensitivity to pain and helps eradicating addictions too.
To conclude, if there was only one takeaway, it would be this: be nice with yourself, forgive yourself, let yourself off the hook once in a while, shut down those internal voices saying that you envy someone else's life or that you are not good enough. You are GREAT.
(Sydney,
September 2014)
BUS RIDING BOOKS
Everyday I take the bus.
Everyday I read books.
Everyday I write about them.
Everyday I live through them.
Everyday I read books.
Everyday I write about them.
Everyday I live through them.
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