"In fact, no immigrant in American history has ever made a larger contribution than Alexander Hamilton" -Ron Chernow
Alexander Hamilton was born in the
"In fact, no immigrant in American history has ever made a larger contribution than Alexander Hamilton" -Ron Chernow
Alexander Hamilton was born in the Caribbean and immigrated to New York City as a young man in 1772. The illegitimate child of a Scottish Laird and a divorced woman, his father abandoned him early and his mother died young. After his arrival, young Hamilton quickly aligned himself with the revolutionaries seeking independence from Great Britain. He rose to prominence as the George Washington's top aide-de-camp (effectively his chief of staff) during the Revolutionary War; then as a leader in battle; and finally, as a skilled politician and statesman in the newly-formed republic.
During the early days of the United States, Hamilton was arguably the most powerful man in the country, other than George Washington, who served as a father figure to his young aid for much of his career.
Hamilton was an integral part of the American Revolution, the Continental Congress, the Constitutional Convention, and the Washington administration. He founded the national bank, the Coast Guard, and the US Customs House.
He used his excellent skills as an orator and writer to persuade the passage of the US Constitution. James Madison was the primary author of the Constitution; but Hamilton was its most successful advocate, writing 51 of the 85 Federalist Papers - a set of pamphlets that were instrumental in convincing the public and the Congress to accept the guidelines for the new government.
As the first Secretary of the Treasury, he became a hero to the merchants of New York thanks to his ability to repeatedly avoid financial crises and maintain some degree of stability in the young economy. He was able to do so despite having no previous examples on which to draw.
Shortly after the formation of the United States, the country began to break into factions, forming the first political parties. People were divided between urban vs rural lifestyles; northern vs southern geography; slaveholders vs abolitionists; and those who believe power should be concentrated centrally or distributed among the states. Hamilton was a northern urban abolitionist, but he expended most of his energy fighting for a strong central government. As a result of his articulation of this principle, he became the leader of the Federalist Party.
Hamilton's success and strong opinions attracted the ire of numerous rivals - many of whom spread false rumours, accusing him of embezzling or attempting to create a monarchy in the US. Many of Hamilton's enemies accused him of benefitting financially from his role in government, even though no proof has ever been found to substantiate claims of professional impropriety.
But Alexander Hamilton was not without his faults. He was arrogant, short-tempered, and prone to hold a grudge. These characteristics became more pronounced after Washington's retirement. Washington and Hamilton remained close friends; but when Washington retired from public life, he no longer held the same calming influence over his protege. Hamilton's public disputes with Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Madison became increasingly hostile as both sides resorted more frequently to personal attacks against the other.
And, although he was faithful in his professional duties, he was a faithless husband and famous for his womanizing. This despite having a beautiful, loving, and faithful wife. One of his greatest mistakes was an affair with a married woman who later conspired with her husband to successfully blackmail Hamilton. When this became public, it damaged Hamilton's reputation greatly.
The last years of Hamilton's life were marked with tragedy. His eldest and favourite son was killed in a duel; his political influence diminished, along with the popularity of the Federalist Party; and he worked to remove himself from debt. Ultimately, his disagreements with Aaron Burr (Jefferson's Vice President) resulted in Burr blaming him for his own political failures, which led to the duel that took Hamilton's life.
Chernow does a masterful job walking the line between historian and storyteller. He presents numerous details of Hamilton's life and enhances these incidents with historical context. But he also keeps us engaged by telling Hamilton's story as the life of a real human being. Chernow is clearly a fan of Hamilton and his contributions to America; but he does a good job pointing out his weaknesses and how they hindered his personal and professional life.
Ron Chernow's "Alexander Hamilton" - the book - is a Rags-to-riches story; a love story; a story of political intrigue; and a tragic story of self-destruction....more
After 12 volumes, Anthony Powell concludes his epic series "A Dance to the Music of Time" with "Hearing Secret Harmonies".
It is the late 1960s. We meeAfter 12 volumes, Anthony Powell concludes his epic series "A Dance to the Music of Time" with "Hearing Secret Harmonies".
It is the late 1960s. We meet Fiona - the niece of narrator Nick Jenkins, along with some of the members of the cult to which she belongs, including its creepy and charismatic leader Scorpio Murtlock. We will see more of them later in the story.
Much of this series has dealt with Kenneth Widmerpool - a former classmate of narrator Nick Jenkins - who has risen to power through blind ambition; so, it is fitting that the final volume focuses much of its energies on his last days. Widmerpool is now an old man losing some of his cognitive abilities. He now rejects bourgeois society, embraces the counterculture, has joined Murtlock's cult, and is striving for humility. He is regretting some of his past actions - possibly as a result of his wife's suicide in the previous novel. Part of the old Widmerpool remains, as he challenges Murtlock for control of the cult.
A few other old characters return - some only peripherally:
-American writer Russell Gwinnett is presented the Magnus Donners Memorial Prize for his biography of the late X Trapnel. -Sir Magnus's widow Matilda oversees the award and a wedding later takes place at their former castle. -The teenage twin daughters of J.G. Quiggin become frequent companions of Widmerpool -One character appears whom Jenkins met briefly at a college party in Book 1 and has not seen in the decades since. -Bithel - a WWII comrade of Jenkins's, whom Widmerpool had kicked out of the army for drunkenness - is now an old man and a member of this same cult.
The cult attempts to raise from the dead Dr. Trelawney, who led a cult in earlier "Time" novels.
In a series not known for plot twists or cliffhangers, this final novel does a good job of wrapping up the story.
This series as a whole exceeds the quality of any individual novels.
Reading "A Dance to the Music of Time" has been an amazing journey and I am happy to complete that journey....more
"Temporary Kings" is the penultimate book in Anthony Powell's epic 12-volume series "A Dance to the Music of Time" and covers the end of the 1950s - 1"Temporary Kings" is the penultimate book in Anthony Powell's epic 12-volume series "A Dance to the Music of Time" and covers the end of the 1950s - 10 years after the preceding novel - "Books Do Furnish a Room".
Book 10 introduced - then killed off writer X. Trapnel. But he lives on in "Kings". Two new characters - both American - want to tell his life story. Scholar Russell Gwinnett is researching a biography of X; and film producer Louis Glober wants to make a movie about X's life.
Narrator Nick Jenkins and those around him are getting older and some pass on, but those who survive retain and evolve their core personalities. One character observes that "...growing old’s like being increasingly penalized for a crime you haven’t committed."
The Widmerpools return. After losing re-election to the House of Commons, Kenneth is granted a Lordship to continue his social ascendency. But he is still married to the awful Pamela, who becomes even more terrible than she has in the past. Kenneth is accused of spying and Pamela is accused of killing her lover and these accusations are addressed in a rant by Pamela near the end of the story.
The revelations near the end are atypical of this series, which heretofore tended to favor character development over plot twists. The latter events are foreshadowed by a painting observed earlier in the novel.
Thanks largely to the ending, this was one of the more entertaining books in the series. ...more
World War II has come to an end and Nick Jenkins, the narrator of Anthony Powell's 12-volume "A Dance to the Music of Time" has taken a job in a publiWorld War II has come to an end and Nick Jenkins, the narrator of Anthony Powell's 12-volume "A Dance to the Music of Time" has taken a job in a publishing house and is writing a biography. Goods are scarce and the nation is tired, but everyone is moving forward with their lives.
"Books Do Furnish a Room" begins the final trilogy/season/movement of the series.
The ambitious, but insufferable Kenneth Widmerpool has been elected to the House of Lords, which should make him happy; but, as expected, his marriage to femme fatale Pamela Flitton presents many personal difficulties.
This book is mostly about Pamela and the newly-introduced X. Trapnel - an enigmatic author, who becomes infatuated and entangled with Pamela - again with predictably disastrous consequences. Pamela is cruel and manipulative and unfeeling and fascinating. She draws men to her and poisons them, before leaving them damaged.
As always, Powell does an excellent job at building characters and evolving them as they age. ...more
John Cheever's "Falconer" is the story of Zeke Farragut was a university professor convicted of killing his brother and sentenced to serve time at FalJohn Cheever's "Falconer" is the story of Zeke Farragut was a university professor convicted of killing his brother and sentenced to serve time at Falconer State Prison.
The book explores life inside a prison and the society that persists there. It is not about the brutality of prison - a theme of so many other novels; rather it is about the prisoners' relationships with the guards and with one another. Men come to Farragut and tell them about themselves - often confessing a great deal.
We also learn a lot about Farragut himself. We perceive that he is an educated man by the language of three letters he writes. Farragut is a former heroin addict and a current methadone addict, and we learn what led to his addiction. We learn about his failing marriage and his current relationship with his wife. And despite having a wife on the outside, Farragut begins a sexual and romantic relationship with another male prisoner. Interestingly, we do not learn the details of his crime until the end of the novel.
This delving into the mind of the protagonist gives the story a very personal feel, making one forget that it is written in the third person.
As a psychological analysis, Cheever's novel is brilliant. It goes beyond a story of crime and punishment and incarceration. It is the story of a man and how he feels and how he copes. ...more
We are now at book 9. The Autumn Cycle (or the Third Movement, depending if you are using the music or painting allegory) of Andrew Powell's 12-volumeWe are now at book 9. The Autumn Cycle (or the Third Movement, depending if you are using the music or painting allegory) of Andrew Powell's 12-volume "A Dance to the Music of Time".
"The Military Philosophers" covers narrator Nick Jenkins's life as World War II comes to a close. Although Nick remains mostly in Britain as a staff officer and never comes close to the front, he is still greatly affected by the war. He is eventually promoted to Major and he loses two of his oldest friends in the fighting, along with a longtime family friend. All the deaths appear "off camera", but they still move us as we know the history of each victim.
As always, the narrator's life is overshadowed by the lives of those around them and the events in which they find themselves. In this case, the event is the second world war and this book covers about two-thirds of it. It moves quickly and we see the change in people. Nick runs into a comrade from his first unit and is barely remembered because it was so long ago (although it was only a few years).
Kenneth Widmerpool - the ambitious former classmate, who appears in every novel of the series - continues to rise in power, eventually becoming a Colonel. But we see the dark side of his ambition, as some amoral decisions present themselves - decisions that cost the lives of others.
We are introduced to Charles Stringham's niece Pamela Flitton, a Pamela Flitton who keeps reappearing throughout the novel.
Near the end of the book, an old character returns who I suspect will alter Nick's postwar life.
And the author makes reference to French novelist Marcel Proust, with whom he is often compared.
I was touched by a scene in which Nick fights to secure from a General the only room with a bath because an Indian officer of lower rank needed it "for religious reasons". Nick never asks the specifics of the religion and does not try to understand it; but fights for him anyway.
Powell does an excellent job of bringing his characters together and evolving them over time; and he does a good job of conveying the weariness felt by England at the end of the war. A celebration at St. Paul's feels more like a funeral than a commemoration. ...more
It is 1941 and London is suffering regular bombing raids by the Germans.
Anthony Powell's "The Soldier's Art" (volume 8 of "A Dance to the Music of TiIt is 1941 and London is suffering regular bombing raids by the Germans.
Anthony Powell's "The Soldier's Art" (volume 8 of "A Dance to the Music of Time") follows narrator Nick Jenkins's life in the army and the lives of those around him.
The war takes its toll, as bombs kill several of Nick's family, friends, and acquaintances and others die in battle or suicide.
Nick encounters his old friend Charles Stringham, who appears to have recovered from his alcoholism and found some stability - if not happiness - as a cog in the army.
Nick continues to bump into many of his old acquaintances, often at the same time and place - coincidences that are common in this series.
This book shines a light on the petty politics of military and its officers. The omnipresent Kenneth Widmerpool features prominently and he seems to be more and more dominated by his ambition.
I find myself more and more engaged in these characters as the series progresses. I grieve at their deaths of some and I hope for their recoveries of others. ...more
The Valley of Bones begins the second half of Anthony Powell's epic 12-volume cycle "A Dance to the Music of Time".
It is 1940 and Narrator Nick JenkiThe Valley of Bones begins the second half of Anthony Powell's epic 12-volume cycle "A Dance to the Music of Time".
It is 1940 and Narrator Nick Jenkins is now in the army and England is now at war with Germany. Nick travels with his outfit to Wales and Ireland but returns to London for a weekend leave to attend a cocktail party with his pregnant wife.
For most of this series, Nick has interacted almost exclusively with his own class - the British middle/upper class and the London arts community. But in "Valley", he meets many people outside his social stratum. This gives us a peek into a different part of society in England. The enlisted soldiers are drawn from working men, while the officers were bank managers and other professionals.
Powell includes satire of the military, from the incompetent general to the drunken aid.
This is a good opening to the 3-volume World War II cycle. ...more
Anthony Powell's "The Kindly Ones" begins and ends with a prelude to world war.
The opening chapter takes us back to narrator Nick Jenkins's childhoodAnthony Powell's "The Kindly Ones" begins and ends with a prelude to world war.
The opening chapter takes us back to narrator Nick Jenkins's childhood - at the outbreak of World War I. We see a love quadrangle among the family servants that results in a nervous breakdown for one of them; a visit from Nick's Uncle Giles; news of the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand, plunging Europe into war; and a local cult leader.
In the closing chapters, England is preparing for an entry into World War II and Nick must make arrangements for his uncle's funeral. Several characters from Jenkins's past turn up at the small town where he is arranging the funeral - remarkable coincidence, but seemingly necessary to advance the story.
In between, a group of friends attend a dinner party at the home of Sir Magnus Donner. The party turns slightly decadent as the guests pose for photographs as the seven deadly sins - a game that nearly results in another nervous breakdown.
At the halfway point of his 12-volume "A Dance to the Music of Time" series, Powell concludes the "Summer" cycle (or "Second Movement", depending if you accept the painting or the music metaphor for this work) and leads us into the war. One gets a sense of foreboding as the storylines take darker turns.
I liked the preludes to world war that bookends the novel, and the evolution of the characters over time.
I look forward to the second half of this cycle. ...more
The fifth novel of Anthony Powell's "A Dance to the Music of Time" is the darkest so far in the series.
Powell bookends his story nicely with a visit The fifth novel of Anthony Powell's "A Dance to the Music of Time" is the darkest so far in the series.
Powell bookends his story nicely with a visit to
The novel begins with a flash-forward to a woman singing near a bombed-out restaurant in war-torn London, which reminds narrator Nick Jenkins of a dinner years earlier with the now-deceased Mr. Deacon, musician Hugh Moreland, music critic Maclintick, and other English bohemians at the Italian-turned-Chinese restaurant named "Casanova's Chinese Restaurant", which is also the title of this book. During the flashback, the group discusses marriage, seduction, suicide, and other topics that become relevant later in the novel. The conversation is recalled near the end when one of the group of friends kills himself, following the destruction of his marriage.
Earlier books in the series presented relationships and marriages that failed for various reasons, but CCR presents one particularly dysfunctional relationship in which the couple bicker constantly - often to the embarrassment of those around them. The situation is at first amusing but leas to a tragic end.
Characters from previous novels make appearances. The eccentric Erridge has disappeared to fight in the Spanish Civil War, only to return at the story's conclusion. And Nick's school friend Stringham shows up unannounced and drunk at his mother's party
Again, the narrator's life takes a back seat to those around him. Nick's wife miscarries their child, but that event is glossed over and only seems a reason to run into Morland at the hospital and more attention is devoted to the birth and death of Morland's child.
This book is darker than the first four with its suicide, infidelity, alcoholism, and divorce. But it is not without its humor. ...more
Anthony Powell's "A Dance to the Music of Time" marches into the summer of Nick Jenkins's life with volume 4 in the series - "At Lady Molly's".
Nick beAnthony Powell's "A Dance to the Music of Time" marches into the summer of Nick Jenkins's life with volume 4 in the series - "At Lady Molly's".
Nick becomes engaged but relays this information almost as an afterthought as he continues to focus attention on other characters.
The Tolland family figures heavily in this book, as numerous siblings, in-laws, and others pop in and out of the story. It is a large family with some eccentric characters - most especially the patriarch Erridge, who rejects society's expectations and decides to live among the proletariat in order to understand their struggles.
Widmerpool again figures heavily in this story as we learn of his engagement to a much older woman.
Weaved throughout is the story of Mona - a relatively minor character who establishes relationships with major characters, then leaves each for another. She seems to represent the impermanence of the current life of everyone in this intra-war England.
The outside world invades the bohemian and upper-class dinner parties more in this book than in previous ones as the characters discuss the likelihood of war with Germany and Marxist Quiggin associates with Erridge.
The characters still intrigue me and, with a third of the story behind me, I am committed to continuing this series. ...more
"The Acceptance World" is the third novel in Anthony Powell's epic "A Dance to the Music of Time".
Narrator Nick Jenkins has progressed somewhat in hi"The Acceptance World" is the third novel in Anthony Powell's epic "A Dance to the Music of Time".
Narrator Nick Jenkins has progressed somewhat in his career and has even written (but not published) a book.
We get a bit of mysticism (a fortune teller and a seance), a bit of politics with Quiggin expressing his Marxist views, and a bit of economics with Widmerpool's long-winded speech on the topic.
And we get numerous marriages and divorces - a sign of the fast times of the Jazz Age in England. But the Jazz Age has passed, and 1930s England is experiencing the upheaval of worldwide economic depression and the spread of new political ideas.
This novel reveals more of Nick than the first two and he finally connects with Jean Templer - sister of his school friend Peter - even though Jean is married to someone else.
The first quarter of the series is now complete. I don't know if Powell planned it this way, but the first three volumes are sometimes referred to as "The First Movement", as if the entire series were a symphony; or as "Spring" to separate Nick's life into four seasons. ...more
"Buyer's Market" is the second book in Anthony Powell's "A Dance to the Music of Time" series.
Our narrator Nick Jenkins has graduated from university"Buyer's Market" is the second book in Anthony Powell's "A Dance to the Music of Time" series.
Our narrator Nick Jenkins has graduated from university and moved to London where he has a job at a publishing house, a girlfriend named Barbara, and invitations to a lot of parties. He encounters many of the characters introduced in volume 1 ("A Question of Upbringing"), such as Uncle Giles, Stringham, and Widmerpool; and Powell introduces a few new characters, such as Mr. Deacon, an artist who was a friend of Nick's parents.
Like the first novel, this book explores the changing relationships between Nick and his friends. Only Uncle Giles seems consistent in his behavior as the years pass.
For me, the most interesting character was Widmerpool, who displays and odd combination of social awkwardness and arrogance - a trait I have observed in others; a trait that moves me to both annoyance and pity.
The other plot point that intrigued me was Jenkins's relationship with women. We see his affair with Barbara (presumably his first girlfriend) and his dealings with the rambunctious and sexually liberated Gipsy Jones.
Nick's career has not yet started; his love life is erratically beginning; and his place in the universe. The character development compensates for a minimal story and lead me to volume 3. ...more
Frank Bascombe is drifting through life and telling us about it as he goes through it.
He wrote one popular short story collection, then tried unsucceFrank Bascombe is drifting through life and telling us about it as he goes through it.
He wrote one popular short story collection, then tried unsuccessfully to write a novel. He taught at a small college but succeeded only in seducing an emotionless Muslim grad student before quitting just short of one semester. Ultimately, he took a job as a sportswriter because it required little effort, involvement, or commitment on his part.
His existential crisis began with the death of his young son, which prompted him to quit his novel and embark on a series of one-night stands while traveling away from his wife. His marriage ended when his wife discovered letters from another woman, prompting her to burn the contents of her hope chest. Frank does not bother to tell his wife that he never slept with or even kissed the woman in the letters. He accepts her judgement and their divorce.
Except for an occasional flashback, Richard Ford's 1986 novel "The Sportswriter", is told in the first person and in the present tense. This emphasizes to the reader that we are inside Frank's head, experiencing his thoughts and actions as he does. It is primarily a stream-of-consciousness story and it works.
It works because, although Bascombe is without direction, he is very much self-aware. He accepts his limitations and makes no effort to stretch himself beyond them. He understands his weaknesses - he just is not motivated to correct them. The story often reads like a confession. Frank does not even like sports or people, although his job is to write about both. And he continues with it because he is good at it. It is the path of least resistance.
Frank has no friends. He does not need or want them. He even keeps his young, beautiful, sexy girlfriend at an emotional arm's length; but people confide him - probably because they see him as non-judgmental, although this may be the result of him thinking of other things when pretending to listen to their problems. One casual acquaintance considers Frank his best friend and writes him a letter just before committing suicide.
Ford does an excellent job of building a flawed, yet sympathetic character. I saw many of my own flaws in Bascombe. Although I constantly try to rise above mediocrity, I find that this is often a struggle against my own complacency. The easier path is easier and always tempting. ...more
John Converse was once a successful playwright. But his ideas dried up and he found himself working as a correspondent during the Vietnam War. But, evJohn Converse was once a successful playwright. But his ideas dried up and he found himself working as a correspondent during the Vietnam War. But, even at this job, inspiration escaped him. So, he decided to smuggle heroin into the United States, enlisting his old friend Ray Hicks to transport the drugs to his wife Marge in California.
Things go terribly wrong. The bad guys learn about the drugs and try to steal them. They threaten Hicks and Marge; then, kidnap Converse. Hicks and Marge go on the run, trying to find a way to sell their product and escape their pursuers.
"Dog Soldiers" by Robert Stone is a thriller with a suspenseful buildup and an exciting climax. But it is also a commentary on the cynicism that swept America after the idealism of the 1960s counterculture. American soldiers are selling narcotics, cops are corrupt, and young people are bored with LSD and trying more dangerous drugs.
Stone intersperses the action with philosophical musings via the inner dialogue of each character. There are moments of humor, of reflection, and of fear.
The thoughts of one character as he slowly dies while trying to escape through the desert is particularly poignant.
"Dog Soldiers" won the 1975 National Book Award. It is not a classic, but it is an exciting and well-written novel, with enough ideas to exercise your brain. ...more
"A Question of Upbringing" kicks off Anthony Powell's 12-volume cycle "A Dance to the Music of Time".
Nicholas Jenkins narrates the story of his schoo"A Question of Upbringing" kicks off Anthony Powell's 12-volume cycle "A Dance to the Music of Time".
Nicholas Jenkins narrates the story of his school days in England in the 1920s.
Not much happens in this story. At school, Jenkins hangs out with his two friends - Charles Stringham and Peter Templer. They play a prank on their annoying housemaster and they laugh about their odd classmate Widmerpool. At the end of the term, Jenkins first visits with Templer's family; then spends the summer in France with friends of his family, where he encounters Widmerpool and begins to reassess his opinion of him. When Jenkins returns to school, he finds that he and his friends have drifted apart.
This book stands alone, but it seems incomplete. Each scene seemed disconnected from the others until at least two-thirds through the novel - almost like a collection of short stories.
However, I enjoyed the individual scenes, I enjoyed Powell's prose, and I enjoyed the characters, which I am told will reappear and develop throughout the series.
In 18th century Peru, Brother Juniper was out for a walk when he witnessed the bridge collapse, sending 5 people plunging to their death in chasm beloIn 18th century Peru, Brother Juniper was out for a walk when he witnessed the bridge collapse, sending 5 people plunging to their death in chasm below. Why these people?, he wondered. Was there something about them that destined them for this tragic end? Was their death random chance or part of a divine plan? Why was I spared?
"Some say that we shall never know and that to the gods we are like the flies that the boys kill on a summer day, and some say, on the contrary, that the very sparrows do not lose a feather that has not been brushed away by the finger of God."
He spent years investigating - to learn about the five victims.
-Marquesa de Montemayor was a mother mourning the damaged relationship with her daughter. She and her orphaned companion Pepita were returning from praying for the daughter at a nearby shrine.
-Esteban was on his way to serve on a sailing vessel to help him heal from the death of his twin brother and to earn money for a gift for the Abbess who cared for the boys when they were young.
-Uncle Pio had just begun to reconcile with his estranged niece and was on his way to Lima with her son Don Jaime.
There are no heroes or villains here - just people living their lives and loving one another and fighting one another. The three sets of victims did not know one another, but their lives were connected through their interactions with others.
The lives of the five people yield no clue as to why they were selected for death on this day and no clarity on God's plan. Brother Juniper is ultimately punished for even asking his questions.
Thornton Wilder's "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" is a brief, simple story that brings the reader into the interconnected lives of the characters. We see how they struggle with loss and how they deal with grief. We witness the cruelty of the world as events beyond their control affect their lives.
It is this and the beauty and subtlety of Wilder's prose that won this novel the 1928 Pulitzer Prize.
The book does not answer Brother Juniper's questions about God's plan, but it does offer a message on the meaning of life:
"Soon we will die, and every memory of those five will disappear from the earth, and we ourselves will be loved for a short time, and then forgotten. But love will have sufficed; all those motions of love return to the Love that created them. Not even memory is necessary to love. There is a world of the living and a world of the dead, and the bridge is love, only survival, the only meaning"
John Self is a successful director of advertising commercials, getting ready to direct his first feature film. He has a seemingly limitless budget forJohn Self is a successful director of advertising commercials, getting ready to direct his first feature film. He has a seemingly limitless budget for this film and is promised a huge salary. The Englishman travels from his London home to New York and back multiple times, consuming physical pleasures along the way.
Martin Amis's novel "Money" -sometimes titled "Money: A Suicide Note"- tells Self's story.
John leads a life of hedonism and debauchery, gliding from booze to porn to drugs to prostitutes to bar fights to masturbation to his girlfriend. And, despite his recent directing contract, he has trouble with money.
Most of his problems are Self-inflicted. He is an overweight drunk and a sex addict and a misogynist and is sometimes violent and he is extremely careless with money. Here are some examples of John's philosophy
"The first thing I wonder about a woman is: Will I f*ck it? Similarly, the first thing I wonder about a man is: Will I fight it?"
"I disclaim responsibility for many of my thoughts. They don't come from me. They come from these squatters and hobos who hang out in my head"
But John is also a victim.
He suffers from a severe toothache and from tinnitus. When he came into money, his father presented him with a bill for the cost of his upbringing; his gold-digging girlfriend is unfaithful and is spending his savings; each of the film's actors pressures him to radically alter the movie's script in order to satisfy their ego; Self has a mysterious enemy, who calls him to harass and threaten him and seems to know everything about his life. And there are other forces conspiring against Self of which he is unaware until the end of the novel.
Amis does a good job building a character that is at once abhorrent and sympathetic. John Self is clever, but unlikeable. His first-person narrative is the stream of consciousness made popular by writers like Henry Miller, Vladimir Nabokov, Malcolm Lowry, and Jack Kerouak. And Self's path to self-destruction is not unlike the narrators of "Tropic of Cancer", "Lolita", "Under the Volcano", and "On the Road".
And the author's ability to take a complex, unlikely story filled with hyperbole and make it seem plausible is admirable, as is the humor with which he tells this story. Amis even inserts himself into the book, as the arrogant writer that John approaches to rewrite his screenplay. He may add himself as a character to convince the reader that he is not the vulgar anti-hero narrator.
It helped that I listened to the audiobook, which was expertly narrated by Graeme Malcom, who reminds me very much of Michael Caine
"Money" is a commentary on the excess consumerism of the 1980s; but it will remain relevant as long as humans value money over other aspects of their life....more
It is the early 1960s at the height of the Cold War. Alec Leamas is the Berlin Station Head for the British Intelligence agency known as the "The CircIt is the early 1960s at the height of the Cold War. Alec Leamas is the Berlin Station Head for the British Intelligence agency known as the "The Circus". Operations in Berlin have not gone well and Leamas is taking the blame.
When Leamas returns to England, the Circus chief - who goes by the name "Control" - gives him a new assignment. Leamas is told to pretend to leave The Circus under bad circumstances and lead a life of isolation, alcohol, debt, and bitterness. The Circus even circulates rumours of incompetence and embezzlement to make his despair more convincing. Sure enough, an agent of the Eastern Bloc approaches Leamas after he` is released from jail on an assault conviction.
Leamas defects to the other side and sows suspicion amongst his enemies. But is Leamas the manipulator or is he the one being manipulated?
John Le Carré is a master at building suspense. For a novel with very little action (much of it is interrogation), I found myself riveted to "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" - anxious to know what will happen next. He kept me guessing until the end - pointing the reader in one direction, before pulling back the curtain to reveal a new twist.
On the surface, this is a complex spy novel with espionage and double agents and double-crossings and triple-crossings.
But there is a subtext to this novel that elevates it from good to great. The Communists of the East and the Democracies of the West each hold to ideals that they believe are best for their society. Yet, the agents protecting these societies are willing to completely ignore those ideals to protect their societies. To them, values are meaningless when a war must be won. To protect the interests of the state, bad guys are protected, and idealists are destroyed. England may believe in democracy for its citizens, but The Circus will abandon all national principles to win the Cold War. Leamas has become almost numb to this hypocrisy. He strives to ignore the moral issues and just do his job. If it were not for the love story, he would have succeeded. ...more
What would happen if a plane crashed on a deserted island and the only survivors were a group of English schoolboys? Would they form their own society?What would happen if a plane crashed on a deserted island and the only survivors were a group of English schoolboys? Would they form their own society? Would they establish rules by which to govern themselves? Would they be kind to one another?
William Golding describes this scenario in his 1954 novel "Lord of the Flies".
It is a dark story.
After their plane crashes, killing all adults on board, the boys attempt to self-govern, but quickly devolve into savagery. The stronger boys seize power and bully the weaker ones.
Golding uses the boys on the island as a microcosm of society. Without the rule of law to govern them, the strongest take over and exert their way upon the weaker ones.
Not one of the boys is over 12 years old, but it is easy to forget this as they grow more violent and emotion overrides reason and groupthink overrules logic.
A power struggle takes place between Ralph, who tries to establish order and a set of rules to help the boys survive and increase their chance of rescue; and Jack, who appeals to their emotions and plays on their fear of an alleged monstrous beast on the island.
As their makeshift society collapses, they begin to worship the head of a pig swarming with flies (their "Lord of the flies") and even robbery and murder is no longer taboo to some of them.
I read this parable 20 years ago and again this week - and I loved it. Golding paints a dark picture of the chaos that results when rules are not enforced. We see ourselves in these young boys and it is not the best part of ourselves.
Long ago, in an isolated temple in the mountains near Kyoto, a magical fox falls in love with a monk. When the monk's life is threatened by a powerfulLong ago, in an isolated temple in the mountains near Kyoto, a magical fox falls in love with a monk. When the monk's life is threatened by a powerful rich man and his hired demons, the monk and the fox must choose whether to sacrifice themself for the other.
They seek the help of Morpheus, the King of All Night's Dreaming - a character introduced in Gaiman's popular "Sandman" comic series.
"Sandman: The Dream Hunters" is a novella written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano. Amano is famous for his work on anime projects video games and he adds depth to this story with beautiful watercolor and charcoal images.
This is a simple fairy tale, with the feel of Japanese folklore. It does not add much to the Sandman legend, as Morpheus is a peripheral character here, but he helps to tie the story together with his advice and philosophy.
Immediately after reading this novella, I read P Craig Russell’s comic adaptation, which was a simplified version of the same story and also worthwhile.
"The Dream Hunters" is a beautiful tragic love story, told with Gaiman's lyrical charm. ...more
"All the King’s Men" by Robert Penn Warren tells the story of Willie Stark - a southern country lawyer who b"All the King’s" Men by Robert Penn Warren
"All the King’s Men" by Robert Penn Warren tells the story of Willie Stark - a southern country lawyer who beat the system and became Governor.
Stark began as "Cousin Willie from the country". His first entry into public life was to fight against a back-room deal that handed a school construction project to an undeserving contractor - a deal that resulted in the deaths and injury of dozens of children when a fire escape collapsed a couple years later. Willie continued his fight against the political establishment and eventually became governor. But, as he accumulated more power, he lost the idealism of his youth. Eventually, he became known to all his associates as "The Boss".
Willie was charismatic and popular because he championed the common man. But he was also brutal and would not hesitate to destroy his enemies. He often resorted to bullying, bribery, and blackmail to accomplish his goals and maintain his power. He built and presided over his own political machine.
Eventually, Willie encounters problems against which he is powerless.
But "All the King's Men" is not just the story of Willie Stark. It is as at least as much about Jack Burden - Stark's friend and right-hand man and the narrator of Warren's novel. Like Willie, Burden abandons his ideals as he carries out Willie's plans - ignoring the consequences of his actions.
And the book is very much about the consequences of actions. Neither man has trouble rationalizing his choices. Stark believes that the ends justify the means - that it is ok to accumulate power by any means necessary because he is doing good with that power. He is convinced there is only evil in the world, so he must use that evil as a tool to make good. Stark is not a bad man. But, in his quest to do good, he ends up causing bad things.
Burton, in contrast adopts a nihilistic attitude in which he ignores any results of his action. He lives much of his life through Willie and abandons his own sense of responsibility.
Even many of the minor characters in the novel compromise their principles at least once - invariably with negative unintended results.
This is a novel about the corruption of power and the hypocrisy inherent in American politics and the consequence of using the end to justify the means and the limits of that power once obtained. Although written in 1947 and chronicling a fictional southern state governor (presumably based on Louisiana governor Huey Long), one can find parallels in the current administration. ...more
Young Nick Carraway spent the summer of 1922 in East Egg Long Island, renting a home next to the mansion of the enigmatic Jay Gatsby. A plethora of ruYoung Nick Carraway spent the summer of 1922 in East Egg Long Island, renting a home next to the mansion of the enigmatic Jay Gatsby. A plethora of rumours about Gatsby bounced around the small community: Gatsby is the son of European royalty; he was a German spy in the war; he once killed a man.
The two men become friends and Gatsby asks Nick to help him re-connect with his former lover Daisy Buchanan, who is now trapped in a loveless marriage.
There are many reasons why F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" is a classic. It captures the spirit of the wealthy elite in the Jazz Age of 1920s America; it sings of lost love and unattainable love; and it is the kind of timeless tragedy that stays with the reader long after the novel is finished.
Gatsby represents the American dream of the self-made man, yet the old money of Long Island looks down on him. He cannot let go of the past, so he buys a mansion across the bay from his former lover; he throws lavish parties in the hope that she will attend. Gatsby reinvents himself; and he amasses a fortune, thinking it will win Daisy's heart and rekindle what they once had. He does not consider that Daisy is not the girl she was; or that she was never the girl he believed her to be. He is in love with a vision of her from the past - a vision that was never real.
Gatsby is likeable; Daisy's husband Tom is arrogant and unfaithful and violent. But Tom is from old money; born into a higher caste. And this makes a difference to Daisy.
It is a tragic story of the shallowness and arrogance of the financial and social elite. Gatsby idealized Daisy; in the same way, people overestimate the positive effect that money will have on their life. There is an emptiness inside so many of the characters. ...more
"Ten days after the war ended, my sister Laura drove a car off a bridge. The bridge was being repaired: she went right through the Danger sign. The ca
"Ten days after the war ended, my sister Laura drove a car off a bridge. The bridge was being repaired: she went right through the Danger sign. The car fell a hundred feet into the ravine, smashing through the treetops feathery with new leaves, then burst into flames and rolled down into the shallow creek at the bottom. Chunks of the bridge fell on top of it. Nothing much was left of her but charred smithereens."
Iris was the daughter of wealthy industrialist in a small Canadian city. She and her younger sister Laura grew up in a small Canadian town with their widowed father and their housekeeper, until Iris's arranged marriage at 18 years to an ambitious businessman twice her age.
That is all gone now. Iris is an old woman telling the story of her life and her abusive marriage and her sister's suicide and her lost family.
Margaret Atwood's "The Blind Assassin" is a complex story, narrated in a nonlinear fashion by octogenarian protagonist.
The book's title comes from a story told by a character in a novel by Laura published by Iris after Laura's death. This story within a story within a story works because the characters in each narrative reflect the lives and feelings of those in the surrounding narrative.
The story unfolds through Iris's writing, through newspaper clippings, through letters, and through the allegories of the embedded stories. Iris's tale jumps around in time and the book often cuts to Laura's novel and back again. This complexity allows Atwood to slowly reveal the tragedy of family. Through her reflections, Iris peels away the layers of a story to slowly reveal what drove her sister to take her own life.
Her reflections reveal her feeling of guilt and the regrets she carries.
I read this novel over a weekend - fearing that if I set it aside for long, I would lose the many threads balancing in my head.
It is a story of manipulation and blind pursuit of power and control It is a story of violence against women It is a story of women who sacrifice themselves to protect others. It is a story of disappointment
Nobody Owens was a toddler when The Man Jack broke into his home and murdered his family. Young "Bod" survived because he wandered away from his home Nobody Owens was a toddler when The Man Jack broke into his home and murdered his family. Young "Bod" survived because he wandered away from his home and into a nearby graveyard where the ghosts of the graveyard raised and protected him.
Neil Gaiman's 2008 novel "The Graveyard Book" tells Bod's story as he grows from a child to a teenager. The first chapter are a series of loosely-connected short stories, set about 2 years apart, relating Bod's encounters with the various ghosts and spirits of the graveyard and (occasionally) the living people of the nearby town. But, in the climax, the stories circle back on themselves: A childhood friend moves away, then returns as a teenager; an ancient guardian re-surfaces; and the Man Jack eventually returns to finish the job he failed to complete years earlier.
Gaiman proves again that he is a master storyteller. He takes some classic horror story ideas - ghosts, malevolent spirits, secret societies, werewolves - and breathes something fresh into them. Bod's mentor - the reformed vampire Silas - is an excellent example.
"Graveyard" is a coming-of-age story for a boy with an unusual childhood. Gaiman was inspired by Kipling's Mowgli and by the sight of Gaiman's own toddler riding a tricycle through a graveyard.
This is a dark, macabre tale; but it is filled with hope. It is aimed at young adults, but kids of any age will enjoy it.
This was my third visit to this story, as I have read the 2-part graphic novel adaptation; and a short story in the "M Is for Magic" collection. And each time, I come away with a new appreciation for Neil Gaiman and his imagination. ...more
Saleem Sinai was born at the stroke of midnight on the day that India declared independence from Great Britain. 1,001 Indian children were born withinSaleem Sinai was born at the stroke of midnight on the day that India declared independence from Great Britain. 1,001 Indian children were born within an hour of midnight August 15, 1947 and each of them were gifted with some special power. Saleem's power of reading minds and communicating telepathically manifested itself when he was 10 years old.
In Salman Rushdie's "Midnight's Children", Saleem tells the story of his life and his family. His parents and grandparents grew up in an age of colonial rule, but Saleem grew up with his country. Significant events in Saleem's life coincide with significant events in India's history. He and his country experience growing pains together. He is conflicted by the different aspects of his personality just as the new nation experiences the difficulty of coordinating the needs of countless cultures.
It is a complex novel with dozens of characters introduced in its 500+ pages.
The narrator (Saleem) often switches between relating his story in the first person and writing about himself in the third person. He is quick to switch between the present tense and the past tense and the past imperfect tense; while recounting an incident, he will suddenly digress and recount a significant bit of family history; or he will hint about something yet to happen, promising to relay that story later. He tells the story to his fiancée Padma. Occasionally, the author looks up from his narration and tells her (and us) what he is thinking at that moment or what is going on outside his window. It is as if he is writing down the story as it occurs to him, rather than in any natural order. His stream-of-consciousness narration reads more like an oral history than a novel.
Rushdie addresses love and fidelity and struggles for power and the dangers of centralized authority.
Despite the supernatural ability of many of the characters, Rushdie provides a sense of realism - even bringing in some historically significant characters in India's history.
But the accuracy is not as important as the story and the characters and the way Rushdie weaves together multiple plots and fulfills prophecies and promises - sometimes long after they are made.
"What's real and what's true aren't necessarily the same, " proclaims the narrator. ...more
Dave Ramsey has built a company that provides financial advice via seminars, a radio broadcast, a podcast, and numerous books.
His 2011 book "EntreleaDave Ramsey has built a company that provides financial advice via seminars, a radio broadcast, a podcast, and numerous books.
His 2011 book "Entreleadership" is not about personal finance; but about what it takes to build and run a company. Ramsey coined the title word, combining "entrepreneur" and "leader" because he believes that one must embrace both roles in order to successfully build a small company.
He supports most of his advice with anecdotes from his own successes and failures as he grew his company.
The message running through this book is that a company is a team. As such, employees should be treated as team members; and the boss should think of himself as a leader; and you should hire candidates with a passion for what you are building, rather than those just looking for a job.
He talks about setting priorities: identify and perform the tasks that are important and urgent before turning to those that are important/not urgent or urgent/not important. Skip those that are neither important nor urgent.
He talks about the importance of a leader's ability to make a decision.
He talks about the importance of trust: "People will not buy from you if they don’t trust you, your product, and your company."
He talks about communication: it is important for a leader to share their goals with their team members, so they can make intelligent decisions.
He talks about debt, which he advises against - a philosophy I apply to my personal finances.
Much of Ramsey's thinking is based on his relationship with God. As a practicing Evangelical Christian, he looks to the Bible to lead him in his daily activities, including his business activities.
I was unfamiliar with Ramsey before reading this book.
I don't think I could work for him, primarily because he requires everyone in the company to spend their day at their desk in the office - a lifestyle I rejected years ago; and also because the following passage gave me pause: "privacy isn't a big deal to people who are living a clean life and doing the right thing."
But the book contains a lot of practical, common-sense advice, delivered in a straightforward manner. ...more
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