Mark Rubinstein's Blog - Posts Tagged "don-winslow"
Savages by Don Winslow - Chillingly Real
Some of you may have seen previews for the new Oliver Stone film,
Savages
, based on the 2010 book by Don Winslow. Here's my review of the book:
Savages
is a uniquely creative novel. It's quirky, filled with ticklish wit and unforgettable descriptions, and beautifully written by the same author who gave us The Winter of Frankie Machine and The Death and Life of Bobby Z, Don Winslow.
It's the story of two men from Laguna Beach, California--Ben, a genius botanist who grows the finest weed in the world, and his longtime best friend, Chon, who provides the muscle for their boutique enterprise--and they woman they share, Ophelia, otherwise known as "O." The trio makes for a compelling mix of wit, sex, and brilliant dialogue. There's a shopping spree (and a sex scene) that cannot be topped by anything in contemporary writing.
When the Mexican Baja cartel decides it wants Ben and Chon to work through them and not independently, the men won't cooperate. Cartel thugs kidnap O as a bargaining chip, and all hell breaks loose.
In this novel, Don Winslow uses language in a hip and magical way, at times even writing scenes in screenplay format. He conjures images, thoughts, and feelings with a touch that's so chillingly real, it makes your spine tingle with a mixture of awe, fear, and admiration.
Yes, the bullets fly and blood and guts splatter with abandon, but the heart and soul of the story is the unyielding bond among these three characters and their refusal to yield to the greedy forces that threaten to overwhelm them.
I'm holding my breath waiting to see how Oliver Stone has translated this incredible novel into a film. Savages is a must-read for anyone who loves contemporary writing.
-- Mark Rubinstein, author, Mad Dog House (October 2012)
Savages
Savages
is a uniquely creative novel. It's quirky, filled with ticklish wit and unforgettable descriptions, and beautifully written by the same author who gave us The Winter of Frankie Machine and The Death and Life of Bobby Z, Don Winslow.It's the story of two men from Laguna Beach, California--Ben, a genius botanist who grows the finest weed in the world, and his longtime best friend, Chon, who provides the muscle for their boutique enterprise--and they woman they share, Ophelia, otherwise known as "O." The trio makes for a compelling mix of wit, sex, and brilliant dialogue. There's a shopping spree (and a sex scene) that cannot be topped by anything in contemporary writing.
When the Mexican Baja cartel decides it wants Ben and Chon to work through them and not independently, the men won't cooperate. Cartel thugs kidnap O as a bargaining chip, and all hell breaks loose.
In this novel, Don Winslow uses language in a hip and magical way, at times even writing scenes in screenplay format. He conjures images, thoughts, and feelings with a touch that's so chillingly real, it makes your spine tingle with a mixture of awe, fear, and admiration.
Yes, the bullets fly and blood and guts splatter with abandon, but the heart and soul of the story is the unyielding bond among these three characters and their refusal to yield to the greedy forces that threaten to overwhelm them.
I'm holding my breath waiting to see how Oliver Stone has translated this incredible novel into a film. Savages is a must-read for anyone who loves contemporary writing.
-- Mark Rubinstein, author, Mad Dog House (October 2012)
Savages
Savages, the Film & Book
I've just seen Oliver Stone's rendering of Don Winslow's "Savages." The film is a wonderful translation of the novel, done with typical Oliver Stone flair: quick cuts, an almost cartoonish touch at appropriate times, and a fast-driven, hard-hitting narrative drive that seems almost electric.
People who see a film often wonder if it's worthwhile reading the book on which the film is based. In this case, the answer is YES!
The film has its own artistry and is rich in the many ways a film can be. I still contend the book is as rich as contemporary writing can get, but in a hip, stylized and exciting way that's difficult to describe, especialy if you love language. There are scenes beautifully depicted in the book that can only be visually hinted at in the movie,and Don Winslow's use of language and style make the book a worthwile read, even if you've seen the movie. Don't miss this book.
People who see a film often wonder if it's worthwhile reading the book on which the film is based. In this case, the answer is YES!
The film has its own artistry and is rich in the many ways a film can be. I still contend the book is as rich as contemporary writing can get, but in a hip, stylized and exciting way that's difficult to describe, especialy if you love language. There are scenes beautifully depicted in the book that can only be visually hinted at in the movie,and Don Winslow's use of language and style make the book a worthwile read, even if you've seen the movie. Don't miss this book.
Psychology in Fiction
Over the last few years, I’ve been writing fiction. For decades, I’ve been a psychiatrist. As a novelist, I now write with a reader’s sensibility, and read with a writer’s eye. I’m struck by the degree to which fiction and psychology share certain crucial elements.
Human functioning can be conceptualized as involving thinking, feeling, and behavior. These three elements are the very pillars of being.
Fiction taps into these foundations of existence by using the written word to evoke mental images, which in turn, beget thoughts and feelings. A novelist creates a world for the reader to enter, and to which the reader relates. This is the essence of storytelling.
If the connection is a positive one, the reader is drawn into the tale. The reader must relate to the story’s protagonist for the read to be enjoyable. It’s somewhat akin to meeting a person for the first time. If there’s chemistry, a relationship begins.
To fall under the novelist’s “spell”, the reader must experience and relate to how the protagonist thinks, feels, and behaves. Without that connection, there’s little motivation to continue the relationship. The book is cast aside.
The element of plot is important. But, if the character’s thoughts, feelings, or behaviors are vapid, the plot is nothing more than a linear series of events with little meaning.
So, the first questions a writer must answer are: who is this character, and why should a reader care about what befalls the person? To put it bluntly, character counts. It’s nearly everything. Essentially, the psychology of fiction is the psychology of life. The reader must care about the character for the novel to strike a responsive chord. The goal is to immerse the reader into the commonality of life experience, establishing oneness with the protagonist’s thoughts, feelings, and situation.
Think about the tsunami of some years ago. In that disaster, 250,000 people lost their lives within the span of a few hours. While we were horrified by the magnitude of the event, most of us went about our day, as usual. But, if one person who died had been a loved one, our reactions would have been profoundly different.
Caring about someone counts. Very deeply.
While all people are different, in some respects, we share the same cognitive and emotional repertoires. We all can feel horror, fear, lust, humor, anger, guilt, love, hate, and every other emotional variant. And when we pick up a novel, we want to experience the mental and emotional lives of the characters, living vicariously through them.
Think of today’s bestsellers, those that remain at the top of the charts for many weeks or months. They all have thought-provoking characters who rivet us. In Gone Girl, Nick and Amy Dunne capture us with their marital difficulties and myopically self-serving distortions. The Goldfinch focuses on Theo Decker, a troubled youngster struggling with the loss of his mother, dealing with a remote father, and trying to find his way through a duplicitous world. Whether it’s All the Light We Cannot See, or The Nightingale, each story plumbs the pillars of existence: how and why the characters think, feel, and behave as they do.
This is true for all fiction, whether it’s literary, romance, sci-fi, thrillers, mysteries, or any other genre. Whether you’re reading Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes and rooting for Bill Hodges; Don Winslow’s The Cartel, worrying about Art Keller; a Harry Bosch novel by Michael Connelly; David Morrell’s stunning Victorian novel, Inspector of the Dead, where Thomas De Quincey works Sherlockian magic; Jon Land’s Strong Darkness, featuring Caitlin Strong; or any Linda Fairstein novel with Alex Cooper—the protagonist’s character is crucial. It marries the reader to the novel. And, that connection can linger long after the book has been read.
Psychology is everything in life, and in fiction.
Mark Rubinstein’s latest novel is The Lovers’ Tango
Human functioning can be conceptualized as involving thinking, feeling, and behavior. These three elements are the very pillars of being.
Fiction taps into these foundations of existence by using the written word to evoke mental images, which in turn, beget thoughts and feelings. A novelist creates a world for the reader to enter, and to which the reader relates. This is the essence of storytelling.
If the connection is a positive one, the reader is drawn into the tale. The reader must relate to the story’s protagonist for the read to be enjoyable. It’s somewhat akin to meeting a person for the first time. If there’s chemistry, a relationship begins.
To fall under the novelist’s “spell”, the reader must experience and relate to how the protagonist thinks, feels, and behaves. Without that connection, there’s little motivation to continue the relationship. The book is cast aside.
The element of plot is important. But, if the character’s thoughts, feelings, or behaviors are vapid, the plot is nothing more than a linear series of events with little meaning.
So, the first questions a writer must answer are: who is this character, and why should a reader care about what befalls the person? To put it bluntly, character counts. It’s nearly everything. Essentially, the psychology of fiction is the psychology of life. The reader must care about the character for the novel to strike a responsive chord. The goal is to immerse the reader into the commonality of life experience, establishing oneness with the protagonist’s thoughts, feelings, and situation.
Think about the tsunami of some years ago. In that disaster, 250,000 people lost their lives within the span of a few hours. While we were horrified by the magnitude of the event, most of us went about our day, as usual. But, if one person who died had been a loved one, our reactions would have been profoundly different.
Caring about someone counts. Very deeply.
While all people are different, in some respects, we share the same cognitive and emotional repertoires. We all can feel horror, fear, lust, humor, anger, guilt, love, hate, and every other emotional variant. And when we pick up a novel, we want to experience the mental and emotional lives of the characters, living vicariously through them.
Think of today’s bestsellers, those that remain at the top of the charts for many weeks or months. They all have thought-provoking characters who rivet us. In Gone Girl, Nick and Amy Dunne capture us with their marital difficulties and myopically self-serving distortions. The Goldfinch focuses on Theo Decker, a troubled youngster struggling with the loss of his mother, dealing with a remote father, and trying to find his way through a duplicitous world. Whether it’s All the Light We Cannot See, or The Nightingale, each story plumbs the pillars of existence: how and why the characters think, feel, and behave as they do.
This is true for all fiction, whether it’s literary, romance, sci-fi, thrillers, mysteries, or any other genre. Whether you’re reading Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes and rooting for Bill Hodges; Don Winslow’s The Cartel, worrying about Art Keller; a Harry Bosch novel by Michael Connelly; David Morrell’s stunning Victorian novel, Inspector of the Dead, where Thomas De Quincey works Sherlockian magic; Jon Land’s Strong Darkness, featuring Caitlin Strong; or any Linda Fairstein novel with Alex Cooper—the protagonist’s character is crucial. It marries the reader to the novel. And, that connection can linger long after the book has been read.
Psychology is everything in life, and in fiction.
Mark Rubinstein’s latest novel is The Lovers’ Tango
