Oedipa Moss's life was uncomplicated until her former - lover millionaire Pierce Inverarity - passed away and she was named the executor of his estateOedipa Moss's life was uncomplicated until her former - lover millionaire Pierce Inverarity - passed away and she was named the executor of his estate.
She said goodbye to her husband Mucho Maase and traveled to San Narciso, CA to investigate Pierce's assets.
During her investigation, she encountered a plethora of bizarre characters with bizarre names (Dr. Hilarius, Genghis Cohen, Mike Fallopian, Stanley Koteks, ...), along with an ancient secret society dedicated to providing an alternative mail delivery system, to break the monopoly of the U.S. Postal Service.
"The Crying of Lot 49" by Thomas Pynchon is an absurd, satirical novel with a huge number of twists, considering its brief length.
On the surface, this is a detective story; but it leaves most questions unanswered and most mysteries unresolved.
Its strength is in its humor and in the creative way it bounces Oedipa from one situation to the next.
The story includes the following:
A lawyer happens to be a former child with the stage name "Baby Igor". He seduces Oedipa by feeding her tequila and playing strip baccarat while one of his old movies plays on the TV.
An American rock band dresses like the Beatles and sing all their songs with a British accent.
Oedipa's psychiatrist is intent on providing hallucinogenic drugs to his patients and ultimately reveals his Nazi past during a violent, paranoid, nervous breakdown.
And the story of the secret society, rebelling against the government by subverting its monopoly of the postal system keeps coming back to the front. It seems such a bizarre form of protest. But appropriate to this novella.
The novella makes up for its brevity by packing a great deal of querkiness into less than 200 pages. ...more
Frank wants to be good. But he keeps doing bad things - really bad things, like armed robbery and rape. Still, he tries to make up for it. Most of theFrank wants to be good. But he keeps doing bad things - really bad things, like armed robbery and rape. Still, he tries to make up for it. Most of the harm he causes is to the Bober family, an immigrant family struggling to keep their Brooklyn grocery store going.
So, Frank volunteers to work in the store at slave wages to make up for his sins. Customers like him and business increases. The family is kept from destitution by Frank's hard work and the fact that he sneaks some of the money he stole back into the cash register.
But soon, he is stealing again from the cash register. And trying to redeem himself again.
"The Assistant" by Bernard Malamud focuses on 3 characters:
Morris Bober, the impoverished, long-suffering Jewish immigrant grocery store owner. He works 18-hour days, but sees his business and savings evaporating.
Helen Bober, Morris's bright daughter, who defers her dreams of college in order to help support her family.
Frank Alpine, an Italian-American orphan, struggling to survive and to regain his lost morality.
Frank and Helen fall in love, to the horror of their parents, who disapprove of the gentile Frank. And as Morris grows older and weaker and frailer, Frank works himself sick to help the family that he feels he owes.
Ultimately, Frank succeeds the overworked, suffering Morris as his ultimate atonement.
Through Frank's story, Malamud shows us that we are all capable of redemption - no matter how terrible our sins.
"The Moviegoer" by Walker Percy tells the story of Binx Bolling, a young stockbroker existing in New Orleans of the 1050s.
Binx spends most of his spa"The Moviegoer" by Walker Percy tells the story of Binx Bolling, a young stockbroker existing in New Orleans of the 1050s.
Binx spends most of his spare time chasing his secretaries and watching movies.
At first glance, Binx seems the shallowest of people. But he often sees the world through fresh eyes, even if he struggles to articulate these observations to those around him.
Percy takes us through life in New Orleans and Chicago as seen through Binx's eyes. He likes adventure, but he is easily bored. He loves his family, but he cannot relate to them. He cares for his cousin Kate, but not enough to protect her.
We see Binx interacting with his extended family, a remnant of southern aristocracy, who lament the changing ways of their society. We experience his relationship with Kate, who recently attempted suicide. Without thinking how it might concern Kate's parents, Binx and Kate leave suddenly for a week in Chicago, without informing anyone of their departure.
"What do you think is the purpose of life - to go to the movies and dally with every girl that comes along?", his aunt asks him? He responds "No", but the reader suspects otherwise.
One might think this is a tragic tale, but it is told in a lighthearted fashion and it ends with some optimism. ...more
David's mother brought him to New York City from eastern Europe as a baby. "Call It Sleep" by Henry Roth follows young David through his first eight yDavid's mother brought him to New York City from eastern Europe as a baby. "Call It Sleep" by Henry Roth follows young David through his first eight years, growing up in the tenements of early twentieth century New York City.
Life on the lower east side of Manhattan has been hard. Hard because the family struggles to make ends meet; hard because the quiet sensitive David is bullied by the other neighborhood boys; but, mostly hard because of David's abusive father Albert, whose temper and paranoia often prevent him from even holding down a job. Albert frequently takes out on his frustration on his young son.
David is sensitive and quiet and clings to his mother. His lack of assertiveness makes him an easy target for those who use him or bully him or blame him for their own mistakes. And there is no shortage of people in his world anxious to do this - from neighborhood kids to the local rabbi to his bratty cousins. The more the world troubles him, the more he clings to his mother for protection.
There is a constant tension between all the characters - partly the result of the stress of being a struggling immigrant in an unfamiliar country, but mostly because of Albert and his temper. And Roth does a good job bringing us into their lives and making us feel their angst.
When the point of view switches to young David, Roth often gives us an eloquent description of David's impressions of the world around him. But when angst overtakes the boy, Roth switches to a stream-of-consciousness inner dialogue, revealing young David's angst through incomplete sentences and phrases.
There is a lot of dialogue in this book and much of it is spelled phonetically to indicate the European or Bowery accents of the speaker. Add to that the occasional Yiddish word and this can be a difficult book to read.
But it is a good story that will make you feel for the characters trapped in it. ...more
It was the early 20th century and ragtime black pianist Coaltrain Walker was returning from New Rochelle to New York City after visiting his fiancee SIt was the early 20th century and ragtime black pianist Coaltrain Walker was returning from New Rochelle to New York City after visiting his fiancee Sarah and their infant son, when he was accosted by a group of white fireman, led by Chief Will Conklin. The firemen demanded he pay a "toll" for driving on their road. While Walker went to fetch a policeman, the firemen vandalized his new car. The policeman took the side of the racist vandals. Soon after, Walker's fiance died when after being struck by a policeman and receiving inadequate medical attention.
Coltrain Walker quickly took action. He firebombed the station where he was harassed, he demanded the surrender of Conklin, he demanded the repair of his car, and he demanded an apology. Ripple effects were felt - not only by the society who learned of his violence - but by the white family that had assisted him and his family.
"Ragtime" by E.L. Doctorow looks at race relations in this country
Coaltrain's isn't the only story in this novel, but it is the most important. And the other stories and characters weave together imaginatively. For example, Tateh, a character introduced early in the novel (he is an impoverished artist, who is assisted by the former lover of Mother's Little Brother) reappears later as a fake Baron who makes animated movies.
"Ragtime" attacks race relations in America head on. Often, even those whites who are helpful to blacks still see them as inferior. Walker's experience is insulting enough that we feel sympathy for him, even as he resorts to vigilanteism.
There is a network of people affected by this story. We never know the names of some of the most important ones - for example, the family that takes in the fiancee and baby are identified by names like "Father" and "Mother" and "Mother's Younger Brother"; and some are well-known historical figures, such as J.P. Morgan, Harry Houdini, and Robert Peary.
But Doctorow takes us on a journey through many lives and the effects they have on one another.
"Under the Volcano" by Malcolm Lowry takes place almost entirely on a single day - The Day of the Dead in Mexico. It is the day that Geoffrey Firmin's "Under the Volcano" by Malcolm Lowry takes place almost entirely on a single day - The Day of the Dead in Mexico. It is the day that Geoffrey Firmin's estranged wife Yvonne returns after a year apart, in an attempt to save their marriage. But it is too late. His current relationship with alcohol has replaced his previous relationship with his wife.
It is the last day of Geoffrey Firmin's life.
Geoffrey misses and loves his wife, but he destroys his chance, spending the entire day in a drunken haze, sliding into self-destruction. He is clearly a high-functioning alcoholic and he tests this by drinking more and more as the day goes on.
The novel gives us a look into the mind of Geoffrey, his wife, his brother Hugh, and his old friend Jacque. We get a peek into their actions and memories, and (in the case of Geoffrey) hallucinations. It gives us a look at the problems of substance abuse and the denial inherent in those who suffer it.
Beer, whiskey, tequila, and mescal lead the protagonist on a downward spiral. We know where it ends; but, like a highway accident, we cannot look away.
The title refers to the two volcanoes that loom above the central Mexican City of Quauhnahuac, where the action takes place; but, also to all the unspoken conflict below the guilt and anger felt by the main characters.
Those who know me well will know what memories Geoffrey's behavior triggered in me. In Geoffrey, I saw a version of myself in a period of my life when I embraced the pain inflicted by another, rather than attempting to heal my wounds. Fortunately, I emerged from my self-destructive behavior and recovered (mostly).
These elements are cliché in the noir genre of film and books. But, in 1929, when Dashiell Hammett published "Red Harvest", the genre was in its infancy. It was Hammett's success that led others to copy these elements so much that they became clichés.
The unnamed narrator - a private investigator from San Francisco is called to meet with a newspaper publisher in the small town of Personville. Personville is so infiltrated with mob corruption that many people call it "Poisonville". This nickname is reinforced when the publisher is murdered before the narrator meets with him.
The narrator (often referred to as "The Continental Op", because he is an operative for the Continental Detective Agency) is then hired by the murdered publisher's father Elihu Willsson, the most powerful man in town to investigate his son's murder; then to clean the town of corruption. When the Op solves the murder, Willsson tells him to forget about cleaning up the town, but the Op decides to do it anyway.
He does so by setting the rival mobs against one another and the corrupt police force.
As a detective story, "Red Harvest" does not offer much. Many of the crimes are solved when someone confesses. But as an action story, it is remarkable. Dozens of people are killed in the gang war. And as a study in character, it holds up well. We never know quite what motivates The Op to continue his quest to clean up the town. He is nearly framed for murder for his troubles.
Although "Red Harvest" falls short of being a classic, its influence on literature and film noir cannot be ignored. And it is a fun read.
I have vivid memories of my childhood. I can remember the names of my teachers and of many of my classmates and what the classroom looked like and howI have vivid memories of my childhood. I can remember the names of my teachers and of many of my classmates and what the classroom looked like and how it felt when I moved from Maryland to Michigan and had to adjust to a new school. I remember the peer pressure and the angst of feeling like I didn't fit in. I remember noticing girls and not knowing why or what the big deal was or who I would or should be attracted to.
Reading Judy Blume's "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" brought back a lot of those memories and feelings.
11-year-old Margaret Simon moves to a new town and a new school just before sixth grade. She struggles with a lot of things, but one of her main struggles is with her religious identity. Her parents - one raised a Christian and the other raised Jewish - abandoned their religions when their parents objected to their mixed marriage. As a result, Margaret grew up without religion. She feels that she lacks a sense of belonging to a community. As she puts it, she doesn't know whether to join the Y or the Jewish Community Center.
Margaret does have a very personal relationship with God, and she talks with Him frequently, always beginning the conversation with the book's title. She finds comfort in this relationship, but sometimes grows frustrated at God, who does not answer her directly.
I absolutely loved this book! Margaret felt very real to me. It took me back to my 11-year-old self and all the conflict I felt at that time and how important everything seemed to me. When Margaret discovered one of her friends lying, I recall the pain and disillusionment of exactly that same experience. When she described the peer pressure, I could instantly relate, as pre-teen me was overwhelmed by such pressures.
Some of Margaret's issues are exclusive to girls (bras, boys and menstruation); but many are common to both boys and girls of that age. We all struggled to find an identity and our place in the world. Margaret shows us how.
Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, better known as "Claudius" was a small child afflicted with a limp and a stammer. His family assumed heTiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, better known as "Claudius" was a small child afflicted with a limp and a stammer. His family assumed he was mentally impaired, and he spent most of his time studying and writing history. So, he was largely ignored as other members of his family conspired to rule the Roman Empire.
In "I, Claudius", Robert Graves gives a first-person narrative of Claudius's life and the early Roman Empire and those that shaped it.
The story begins with the assassination of Julius Caesar and the ascension of Augustus as the first Roman Emperor a few decades before Claudius's birth in 10BC. It concludes with the assassination of the Emperor Caligula, which led to Claudius being named Emperor.
In between are numerous assassinations, betrayals, and political maneuverings as many vie for power in the Empire.
Claudius is the perfect narrator because he is close to the power, without being part of the power. Through him, we encounter some startling evil people, such as:
Claudius's grandmother Livia. She is ruthless in her quest to see her line on the throne - destroying and murdering rivals, including some in her own family.
Caligula, whose extravagance quickly bankrupts Rome when he becomes Emperor, so he resorts to arresting and executing rich men to justify stealing their fortunes.
Tiberius, whose paranoia prevents him from effectively ruling his Empire.
In fact, we encounter very few good people in this "autobiography" (or "Game of Romes", as I like to call it). In addition to murder and assassination, many in power see nothing wrong with incest, adultery, and robbery.
Claudius survives because everyone underestimates him. No one considers him a threat or rival, thanks to his bookishness, submissiveness, and physical shortcomings.
I cannot attest to the historical accuracy of this novel, but I've read that Graves did extensive research before writing it. I can tell you that it is very entertaining. If you enjoy a story of political intrigue and conspiracies, you will likely enjoy "I, Claudius".
George Scobie is a British policemen, who has been living and working in a west African colony for the past 15 years. World War II now rages around hiGeorge Scobie is a British policemen, who has been living and working in a west African colony for the past 15 years. World War II now rages around him, but he and is wife Louise are isolated in a small port city, far from the civilization they knew. The love has long evaporated from their marriage and Louise is unhappy with her life and begs George to buy her a ticket to South Africa. George cannot afford the ticket on his small salary, so he borrows the money from a local black marketer of questionable scruples. After Louise's departure, George begins an affair with the recently-widowed Helen Rolt.
This is the happy plot of "The Heart of the Matter" by Graham Greene.
It is not an adventure story because very little action takes place. It is not a love story, because George clearly does not know what love is, although he tells himself that he does.
It is an exploration of the mind and sould of a weak, but well-intentioned man, who struggles with morality and his choices and his sins.
George Scobie tries to be a good man; but he is never honest with himself - even deluding himself into believing his affair is kept secret from others in town. He is weak: He recognizes and confesses his sin; but is powerless to keep stop from repeating it. His best trait is that he does not want to hurt anyone. He is motivated by pity (an emotion he often mistakes for love) and he tries to find a solution that will hurt neither Helen nor Louise. Invevitably, everyone is hurt by his inactions.
Scobie is a practicing Catholic, but he cannot go to confession because he knows his adultery will continue and, therefore, will not receive absolution. He is tempted by suicide, but his religion has taught him this is an unforgiveable sin that will result in eternal damnation.
In the end, this unrepentant sinner rationalizes a path that he thinks will hurt the least number of people; but, ultimately has no positive impact on anyone.
"The Heart of the Matter" raises moral questions, but leaves it to the reader to answer them. ...more
It was October 9, 2012, just after noon. A group of Taliban terrorists boarded a bus in Swat District, Pakistan and shot 15-year-old Malala YousafzaiIt was October 9, 2012, just after noon. A group of Taliban terrorists boarded a bus in Swat District, Pakistan and shot 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai in the head. They targeted her for pursuing an education for herself and for promoting education for women - something The Taliban insist is forbidden by the Quran. They left her for dead.
But Malala did not die. Thanks to emergency medical attention in Pakistan, and further treatment in the UK, she survived to become an international advocate for female and youth education. Two years later, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (the youngest Nobel recipient in history), and she wrote "I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban" - a book chronicling her story.
Malala describes her home province as a beautiful landscape that serves as a vacation destination for many Pakistanis; but it is also a battleground between the Pakistani army and the Taliban - a fundamentalist terrorist organization that seeks power for itself and strict adherence to Muslim law. They strive to achieve these goals through violence and intimidation.
Malala's story starts long before the attack on the bus. Her father Ziauddin ran the school that his daughter attended. He was progressive enough to allow girls into his school and generous enough to allow some of the poorer students to stay and eat at the family's home. Ziauddin was an outspoken proponent of education for all, which hid not endear him to groups like the Taliban. At a young age, Malala herself began writing an anonymous blog, promoting the right to education for all.
The book's writing style reminds us that Malala is still a school girl; but the message is a powerful, adult one: A young girl's courage to stand up to terrorism, violence, and oppression can inspire us all.
I became aware of Malala shortly after her recovery from the assassination attempt, when she began speaking publicly and meeting with international officials, such as Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth. But I was unaware that she had been fighting for these things for most of her life. She was awarded Pakistan’s first National Peace Award for Youth at the age of 14 - an award that now bears her name.
She grew up during a turbulent time in northern Pakistan. National politicians largely ignored the remote region, except during elections. Political power in the district was concentrated among a few families. Drone attacks from the U.S. in the area and suspicion of U.S. spies led to a general distrust of America by the locals. The U.S. Military discovered Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden hiding in a compound a few miles from Malala's home and killed him during a raid. The Pakistani military did not assert its full power to maintain the safety of the citizens. All these factors allowed the Taliban to gain influence in the area and eventually assert control at least as strong as the Pakistani military. The Taliban arrived when Malala was 10 years old. They steadily increased their power in the region by recruiting the disenfranchised and by terrorizing any who disagreed with their interpretation of Islam.
"I am Malala" was co-written by British journalist Christina Lamb, but it still retains the voice of a teenage girl, concerned with her friends and her clothes and arguing with her brothers; but also recognizing the importance of what she and her father are doing. And having the courage to voice that importance. Malala Yousafzai miraculously survived an assassination attempt at point-blank range; and she seized the opportunity to spread her message throughout the world. This book is part of that.
"Naked Lunch" by William S. Burroughs is a difficult book to read and to understand. I'm still not sure I do.
The book consists of a series of descript"Naked Lunch" by William S. Burroughs is a difficult book to read and to understand. I'm still not sure I do.
The book consists of a series of descriptions of the visions seen while high on heroine, morphine, or some derivative thereof. Many of the visions consist of deviant sexual fantasies, including sadomasochistic scenarios so extreme that they lead to murder and suicide.
Burroughs was one of the most famous writers of the influential "Beat Generation", although he never approached the fame and success of his friends Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac
Burroughs spent much of his adult life in a drugged-out haze and many of the visions told here are based on his own experiences. "Naked Lunch” written largely in a drug-induced haze, which may have increase Burroughs's creativity; but it clearly pushed him toward a very confused story.
Shortly after its publication, "Naked Lunch" was banned as pornography in Massachusetts.
I disagree with attempts to ban this book; but I fail to see its value as a classic. It is a non-linear narrative with no discernable plot or story. Apparently, several of the characters are the same character with different pseudonyms. But I don't know how anyone could figure that out without being told. As a result, it is far less compelling than other non-linear classics, such as Joseph Heller's excellent "Catch-22".
I respect the fact that Burroughs pushed boundaries in the literary world and that he influenced other writers. The author sometimes captures the paranoia and other-worldliness of drug addiction. But "Naked Lunch" tries too hard to shock the reader. I can only take so much talk of vomit and jizz and people shitting themselves before it all sounds like rambling.
I will give the book the credit it deserves for one thing: The great rock/jazz band Steely Dan took their name frome a brand of sex devices described in "Naked Lunch". ...more
Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom isn't much good at anything. In high school, he was an outstanding basketball player, but he has accomplished little since theHarry "Rabbit" Angstrom isn't much good at anything. In high school, he was an outstanding basketball player, but he has accomplished little since then. After tasting that early success, life feels empty at 26 - trapped in a boring job and a loveless marriage to an alcoholic wife.
So, one day, he abandons his pregnant wife Janice and their toddler son and moves in with a prostitute.
Rabbit - the main character of John Updike's 1960 novel "Rabbit, Run" - is decidedly unlikeable. He is self-absorbed and shallow and oversexed and manipulative. Still, those around him seem to like him and are more than willing to give him multiple chances to prove his integrity. It may be because he says and does whatever comes into his head. But his tendency toward immediate gratification is his main problem and often comes at a high cost to others. Rabbit never considers the consequences of his actions or the people he hurts as he runs from his responsibilities and obligations.
In particularly examples of self-absorption and manipulation, he coerces his lover into performing fellatio, because he learns she once did it for someone else. The next morning, he abandons his lover and returns to his wife without even a phone call. A few weeks later, he storms out of his apartment when his wife refuses to have sex with him shortly after giving birth.
Updike has a way of keeping the reader engaged, even during the most mundane moments. We see inside Rabbit's mind and feel his rationalizations. But the story isn't just about Rabbit. Updike tells the thoughts of the others in Rabbit's lives and their troubles. And many of them also run from their troubles - particularly Janice, who escapes into alcohol.
Of course, the most dramatic parts of the story are also engaging. I could not look away as Updike described the inevitable tragedy near the end of the book. Rabbit's wife is home with their baby, and she is drinking when "the worst thing that has ever happened to any woman in the world has happened to her." We see it coming a mile away, but it is still a shock, when it happens.
"Rabbit, Run" is a good look into the psyche of an American male trying to find himself, and what happens when he focuses too much on that goal. ...more
Neil Gaiman knows how to tell a story. And "Odd and the Frost Giants" is no exception.
Odd was a crippled Norse boy in the age of the Vikings. Odd's faNeil Gaiman knows how to tell a story. And "Odd and the Frost Giants" is no exception.
Odd was a crippled Norse boy in the age of the Vikings. Odd's father was dead, and his mother had re-married a neglectful man. One day, Odd rescued a bear and was followed home by the beast, along with an eagle and a fox. The three creatures turned out to be the gods Thor, Odin, and Loki transformed by an evil frost giant and cast out of Asgard, as part of a plot to steal Thor's hammer Mjolnir and to kidnap the beautiful goddess Freya.
Odd and the trio set out for Asgard to rescue Mjolnir and Freya.
Undersized and weak, Odd proves more valuable than expected.
This is a short, but delightful book - not only for its story and its characters - but for Gaiman's prose. One can imagine him sitting around a campfire and relaying the tale to a circle of Vikings who listen in wonder. As a bonus, each chapter features a beautiful ink drawing by Brett Helquist. Readers of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" will know his work; but, in this book, each drawing has the look of a woodcut, giving it a distinctly Nordic feel.
"Odd and the Frost Giants" is targeted at school-age children, but I am well into my 50s and I enjoyed it. ...more
The Brodie Set were a group of six pre-teen girls at The Marcia Blaine School in Edenborough, who were completely devoted to their favourite Teacher -The Brodie Set were a group of six pre-teen girls at The Marcia Blaine School in Edenborough, who were completely devoted to their favourite Teacher - Miss Jean Brodie.
Miss Brodie was proud and eccentric. She refused to teach the defined curriculum - instead instructing girls on how to be proper young ladies or captivating them with tales of her travels and adventures. Miss Brodie believed she was in her prime and she let everyone know it. She would often brag "Give me a girl at an impressionable age and she is mine for life." "You girls are my vocation", she insists. "I am dedicated to you in my prime." This does not endear the teacher to the administration of this 1930s private school, who search for a reason to dismiss her.
"The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" by Muriel Spark follows the girls throughout their school years, as they grow up under the influence of Miss Brodie, who takes them to museums and tea parties and to the homes of her friends. Brodie continues to be a strong influence on their lives, even after they graduate to the Senior school and she is no longer their teacher.
In some ways, Miss Brodie is a lovely person: She is bright and imaginative, passionate about art and music and history, and fiercely loyal to her girls. But in other ways, her flaws show through. She is an admirer of fascism in the years before World War II, showering compliments upon both Mussolini and Hitler.
Worst of all, she is manipulative of the girls she is mentoring. At one point, Brodie falls in love with a married teacher and, knowing she cannot have him, she conspires to have one of the girls sleep with him instead. She even makes sure another girl is with them to report back to Miss Brodie. The plan backfires when the art teacher begins an affair with the wrong girl.
The story often jumps ahead to the grown-up girls of the Set - sometimes by parenthetically revealing a bit about a girl's future ("Rose, who would later be famous for sex") and sometimes with an entire scene taking place among the older girls or with an aging Miss Brodie, who dies shortly after passing out of her "prime". Because of the flash-forwards, we know that Jenny will become a nun; that Mary will die young; that Rose will be famous for sex; and that Miss Brodie will be fired after being betrayed by one of her pupils. But the humor and intelligence of Spark's writing keeps the reader engaged until the end.
In fact, it is Spark's wit that kept me engaged throughout this short novel. She perfectly captures the eccentric schoolteacher and the teenage girls gossiping about school and sex and who they are and what they will become.
"The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" is a short, but excellent novel about the effects - both positive and negative - that a strong role model can have on impressionable youth. It is told in a way to delight the reader. ...more
Sometimes, the American dream is a reality. And sometimes, it is an illusion.
Seymour "Swede" Levov had the perfect life. He grew up tall and handsomeSometimes, the American dream is a reality. And sometimes, it is an illusion.
Seymour "Swede" Levov had the perfect life. He grew up tall and handsome and was the best athlete in Newark, New Jersey. After the war, Swede married Miss New Jersey, fathered a beautiful little girl, and began training to take over his father's glove factory. He was good at his job; his wife loved him; his daughter was perfect, except for a stuttering problem; he was successful at work.
Everybody body loved and admired Swede Levov.
Everybody envied Swede Levov.
But Swede's life was far from perfect.
"American Pastoral" by Philip Roth tells Swede's story.
In high school, Swede's daughter Merry became involved in the anti-Vietnam War movement; and, at the age of 16, she blew up the local general store and Post Office, killing a local physician. She disappeared that day.
Too much came easy for Swede. His great skill was excelling at those things that were expected of him; and he spent most of his life trying to do just that: He worked hard, he was kind to others, he loved his wife and daughter. He even kept his Newark factory open after the city was racked by riots and crime increased and it became impossible to hire high-quality craftsman. It wasn't enough.
Swede's idyllic life was an illusion. His outward success is a facade, hiding the turmoil and tragedy that plagued him and his family.
Swede searches (mostly) in vain for his daughter. His efforts result in disappointment and exploitation. Even when he finds her, he gains no closure from the incident. Merry has moved from her life as a violent terrorist; but now embraces a self-destructive philosophy that leaves her sick and pathetic and still rejecting the morals of her father.
Swede almost deals with his weaknesses and the weaknesses of those closest to him with logic and hard work and perseverance.
It is never enough.
In the end, he beats himself up trying to decide who is to blame for Merry's fall. Did she fall because of some mistake he made as a parent? Was she seduced by a radical organization?
He never finds the answers.
I loved Roth's prose and the inner dialogue he gave to his main character and the outer dialogue between the characters. The sequences where Swede and his teenage daughter argue about her limits ring true to anyone who has raised intelligent and sometimes defiant teenagers.
Roth's story gripped me throughout. I felt Swede's helplessness; I felt the jealousy of his brother; I felt the frustration of Merry, who could not live up to her parents ideals and chose a path of self-destruction instead; I felt the disappointment of those who discovered he wasn't the hero they believed; I felt the victimization of Swede's wife, who was bullied by her father-in-law before their wedding; and I felt the collapse of the American dream.
Aziz was a doctor and a father and a widow living in central India during the time of British colonization.
He was friendly and open with the EnglishAziz was a doctor and a father and a widow living in central India during the time of British colonization.
He was friendly and open with the English people and become close with some of those visiting, including the elderly Mrs. Moore, Adela Quested, who was engaged to Mrs. Moore's son, and Cyril Fielding, who ran a nearby government college. One day, Aziz invited some of his new friends to explore nearby caves.
During their spelunking expedition, Adela and Aziz were separated. Adela became disoriented inside a cave and later accused Dr. Aziz of trying to rape her.
Aziz's guilt was assumed, and the trial began quickly.
In "A Passage to India", E.M. Forster focuses more on his characters than on the action of those characters and the most interesting character in the novel is Dr. Aziz.
Falsely accused by one he trusted and to whom he showed kindness, Aziz re-evaluates his attitude toward the British colonizers.
The novel explores the difference between the cultures and the attitudes of the English and Indians. It shows the bigotry inherent in colonialism, particularly (but not solely) among the English. Sometimes that bigotry is explicit, as many English consider themselves superior to the Indians - or any darker race, for that matter. Sometimes, it is more subtle, as when the English authorities and population are more likely to believe the false accusations of Adela, even before the trial begins.
The book explores whether personal friendships can exist under the shadow of colonialism. Aziz's opinion on this subject changes, after he is falsely accused.
"A Passage to India" is a beautifully written novel that makes the reader feel for the characters and think about the relationship between people, countries, and races. ...more
The unnamed African-American narrator of "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison recounts his life, growing up in the south; attending, then being expelled fThe unnamed African-American narrator of "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison recounts his life, growing up in the south; attending, then being expelled from a traditionally black college; emigrating to Harlem and taking up a group calling themselves "The Brotherhood", from which he ultimately separates. He does his best to assimilate with those he meets, repeatedly ceding his own ideas and identity; but it ends up for naught as he becomes more and more "invisible".
After discovering the narrator rescuing an evicted tenant from an angry mob, The Brotherhood recognizes his talent for persuasive speech and for mobilizing a crowd and he soon becomes the voice of this organization in Harlem. We are never given a clear picture of what The Brotherhood stands for. They support vague statements, such as "equality" and "the woman issue", but we know nothing of their details for achieving these goals. They may represent the Communist party, with which Ellison had a brief relationship. But they consolidate their power by manipulating others, including the black community of Harlem. When it suits their needs, they turn on the narrator and reverse their commitment to the local black community.
The Narrator loses ground every time he tries to assert his own opinions and his own characters. This leads him to label himself "invisible". He is punished every time he asserts himself. When he acquiesces to those around him, he achieves temporary success, but he cannot maintain this success, as those in power shift their goals and expectations.
The book is filled with bizarre scenes that sometimes give it a surreal feeling. In one scene, a poor black farmer recounts in embarrassing detail how he came to impregnate his own daughter. In another scene, the narrator is forced to fight blindfolded against dozens of other black men to entertain a white audience, as a prerequisite to earning a college scholarship.
But "Invisible Man" is also filled with a very real, very poignant story about a young man trying to achieve success. He is thwarted because of the color of his skin; but also, because the system is stacked against anyone who tries to follow their own path.
He summarizes his position, as follows: "I was pulled this way and that for longer than I can remember. And my problem was that I always tried to go in everyone's way but my own. I have also been called one thing and then another while no one really wished to hear what I called myself. So, after years of trying to adopt the opinions of others I finally rebelled. I am an invisible man."
To some extent, we all face a battle between success and invisibility; balancing our own goals with the goals of society. It is hard enough for those born into a position of privilege. But even harder for a black man living in 20th century America. ...more
Set against the backdrop of black families and churches in Harlem and in the American southeast during the Great Depression, "Go Tell It on The MountaSet against the backdrop of black families and churches in Harlem and in the American southeast during the Great Depression, "Go Tell It on The Mountain" by James Baldwin takes us through the struggles of a family dealing with God, religion, and temptation, sin, guilt, and redemption.
The story begins ends with John Grimes on his 14th birthday. John is troubled by his relationship with God, which is negatively affected by John's poor relationship with his unloving stepfather - an evangelical preacher at a Harlem storefront church.
But most of the book's stories are told in flashbacks: We learn of John's birth father, who was arrested and beaten by police because he was a black man walking around the city at night; We learn of John's aunt, who left home because her mother reserved her love for another child; and we learn of John's stepfather Gabriel.
Gabriel grew up a wild youth in the south. After years of rejecting God, Gabriel is saved and decides to become a preacher. His idealism helps him, but his weaknesses hinder him. Desperately desiring a son, Gabriel is frustrated at his wife's inability to conceive. He meets Esther at church, who flirts with him. A brief extramarital affair with Esther results in a bastard son, which Gabriel tries to cover up by stealing his wife's money and sending Esther out of town, thus compounding his sin. Like nearly all of us, Gabriel falls short of what he seeks to become; but his greatest weakness is his inability to accept personal responsibility for his mistakes. Consistently, he blames others for his own failings. This hypocrisy hinders his desire for forgiveness - from himself, from others, and from God. As he grows older, Gabriel becomes more bitter and unloving.
The most powerful scene of the novel is when Gabriel finally confesses his illegitimate son Royal to his wife Deborah after learning that the teenage boy has been murdered. Royal never knew his father, but Deborah knew all along. Deborah does not chastise Gabriel for his infidelity; instead, she chastises him for not helping Esther when she needed his aid and for not taking in his infant son after Esther's death and for not accepting the gift that God gave him.
The language of "Mountain" poetic, mixing references from Gospel hymns and the King James Bible. It is a beautiful story that is well told, even though it describes many ugly things.
Hours after finishing it, I was haunted by the characters and their actions and the circumstances that shaped them. ...more
In 1954, 25-year-old Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. moved to Montgomery, AL to lead a small Baptist Church. Alabama of the 1950s was known for embracingIn 1954, 25-year-old Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. moved to Montgomery, AL to lead a small Baptist Church. Alabama of the 1950s was known for embracing "Jim Crow Laws" - which enforced racial segregation by bogusly claiming "separate but equal" services. Among these laws were rules giving preference to white passengers on public buses.
In 1955, King helped organize a boycott of the Montgomery bus system after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat for a white passenger. The protest lasted for over a year and ultimately resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the segregation laws of Montgomery were unconstitutional.
"Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story", Dr. King gives his firsthand account of the historic boycott. It is a moving story of strength and prejudice and perseverance and hatred and solidarity and bigotry.
The white establishment in Montgomery fought to end the boycott and to defend their segregationist laws. The protest was noted for embracing King's philosophy of Non-Violent Resistance, encouraging local blacks not to respond to white violence and threats of violence with violent acts of their own.
In between King's narrative, he describes how he came to his Non-Violent Protest philosophy, what it means, and how it could be effective. King embraced similar philosophies promoted by Jesus Christ and Mahatma Gandhi.
Ultimately, the Montgomery boycott was successful because of the U.S. court system, which took a position based more on fairness and constitionality than on maintaining the status quo.
King concludes this book by taking stock of where the country was regarding race equality following the events in Montgomery. He notes that equality is a national - not a regional - issue and he calls out many who were not doing enough, including the President, Congress, and people in both the North and the South.
I was struck by how little the boycott organizers demanded from the city (they did not ask to end segregation) and how forcefully the local police harassed the protestors (volunteer cab drivers were detained and those waiting for rides were arrested for loitering). It is unlikely that change would have taken place in Montgomery without the intervention of the Supreme Court.
"Stride Toward Freedom" is an excellent history of one of the most significant events of the U.S. civil rights movement. But it is also an inspirational story of what a small group of very determined people can do to change the world when they know they are right.
The United States has made progress since 1954. But we still see the ugly specters of racism and bigotry today. ...more
Cecilia Tallis and her Robbie Turner were making love in the Tallis family home when Cecilia's 13-year-old sister Briony saw them. Later, Briony witneCecilia Tallis and her Robbie Turner were making love in the Tallis family home when Cecilia's 13-year-old sister Briony saw them. Later, Briony witnessed the rape of her cousin in the darkness outside their home.
Despite getting no good look at the rapist, Briony's overactive imagination and her desire for attention lead her to wrongly accuse Robbie, sending him to prison.
This is the setup of "Atonement" by Ian McEwan.
It is the story of an aristocratic English family torn apart by a scandal and lives ruined by a lie and the lifetime of guilt that comes with the telling of the lie.
The book follows the 3 main characters at various points in their lives, following the initial scandal. World War II breaks out and Robbie enlists in the infantry after he is released from prison, while Briony and Cecilia work as nurses. McEwan gives us a look inside their heads (particularly Robbie and Briony) and how the incident affected them. The images of the war in Europe and the hospitals in England are particularly intense.
A final chapter takes place decades later with an aging Briony returning to the family home. Here we learn that the story is even more tragic than we originally believed.
The atonement itself is less satisfying than most readers will hope for. But "Atonement" the novel is a very good story of psychology and pain and guilt.
It was years ago, but I still remember waking up to the phone, telling me about my sister's collapse. I drove across town to see her, but she was braiIt was years ago, but I still remember waking up to the phone, telling me about my sister's collapse. I drove across town to see her, but she was brain-dead by the time I arrived at the hospital, and her heart stopped beating within minutes of taking her off the machines that kept her organs functioning for 24 hours.
I remember the pain and the guilt and the anger and the confusion. I didn't know for what I was feeling guilty or at whom to direct my anger, but I felt it all.
James Agee captures these emotions beautifully in his powerful novel "A Death in the Family" - the story of a family dealing with the sudden and unexpected death of a father / husband / brother / son, who is killed instantly in an automobile accident, while returning from a visit to his own ill father.
Agee takes us back to the family before the death - showing us both the mundane and the memorable.
He takes us through the painful uncertainty experienced by the family, after they know of the accident, but before they know whether he survived.
He takes us through the heartbreaking trial of telling his children their father will never come home again.
He takes us through the pain and the anger and the guilt and the denial of dealing with unexpected loss.
He takes us along the dynamics of the family as they try to support one another and the helplessness of knowing that, in many ways, they cannot.
He takes us into the minds of all the survivors in the family and it rings very true to those of us who have lost a loved one - either suddenly or slowly over time.
"A Death in the Family" is light on plot, but heavy on emotions. Events just happen and Agee dives deep into the thoughts and emotions of the survivors. It rang true for me and brought back memories of my own lost family members....more
88-year-old Bob Newhart sits down with other comedians to discuss the art of comedy and their experiences as comedians.
"Hi, Bob" by Bob Newhart exist88-year-old Bob Newhart sits down with other comedians to discuss the art of comedy and their experiences as comedians.
"Hi, Bob" by Bob Newhart exists only as an audiobook, so it sounds more like a 4-hour podcast than a traditional book.
The audio cuts between conversations with Will Ferrell, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, Judd Apatow, Conan O'Brien, Sarah Silverman, and Marc Maron - often with Bob repeating the same questions to different comics. We hear the stories of these comedians and of Bob himself (the oldest of the group), who shares what it was like to break into comedy in the days before comedy clubs. You can hear the age in Newhart's voice, but you also can treasure his experience of 60+ years in this field.
"Hi, Bob" is informal, informative, and very funny. ...more
"I sat there and poisoned myself with cigarette smoke and listened to the rain and thought about it."
Phillip
"Dead men are heavier than broken hearts."
"I sat there and poisoned myself with cigarette smoke and listened to the rain and thought about it."
Phillip Marlowe was one tough detective. And Raymond Chandler introduced him in his 1939 novel "The Big Sleep". Marlowe is cool, hardnosed, and wisecracking. He sometimes breaks the rules; but he has a code of honor that he will not break.
Marlowe is hired by millionaire General Sternwood to investigate a main who is blackmailing his daughter Carmen. The blackmailer is murdered, and Carmen tries to seduce Marlowe and Carmen's sister Vivian tries to seduce Marlowe and the family chauffeur is found dead in the river and then it gets complicated.
It's a gritty novel of crime and betrayal and urban tough guys and femme fatales and all the elements of a noir detective story.
The narration is often poetic, filled with imagery and metaphors. So many writers have copied and parodied this style that it may sound cliché to hear this style of storytelling.
Chandler's similes are remarkable
"I was as empty of life as a scarecrow's pockets."
His description of people gives the reader a taste of the character he is describing and of the one doing the describing
"She lowered her lashes until they almost cuddled her cheeks and slowly raised them again, like a theatre curtain. I was to get to know that trick. That was supposed to make me roll over on my back with all four paws in the air."
"As honest as you can expect a man to be in a world where it's going out of style.”
The author often injects humor into serious situations.
"Neither of the two people in the room paid any attention to the way I came in, although only one of them was dead.”
"She bent over me again. Blood began to move around in me, like a prospective tenant looking over a house.”
Chandler succeeds in providing a view of the world around Marlowe, as well as the effect in has on his hero.
"It seemed like a nice neighborhood to have bad habits in.”
"I went to the kitchen to make coffee - - yards of coffee. Rich, strong, bitter, boiling hot, ruthless, depraved. The lifeblood of tired men."
"The Big Sleep" a complex story; and it's sometimes hard to keep straight all the characters and all the plot twists. But Chandler wraps it up well in the end and Marlowe has one last chance to philosophize about life and death.
"What did it matter where you lay once you were dead? In a dirty sump or in a marble tower on top of a high hill? You were dead, you were sleeping the big sleep, you were not bothered by things like that...You just slept the big sleep, not caring about the nastiness of how you died or where you fell. Me, I was part of the nastiness now."
"Starship Troopers" by Robert A. Heinlein a science fiction novel without much science. It is the story of earth fighting a war against bug-like alien"Starship Troopers" by Robert A. Heinlein a science fiction novel without much science. It is the story of earth fighting a war against bug-like aliens from another galaxy, but there are very few battle scenes. It describes a future Earth ruled by a military government, but this fascism is never questioned.
In fact, the book contains very little action and very little plot.
It's primarily the story of Johnny Rico, a rich earth kid, who decides to enlist in the Mobile Infantry against his father's wishes.
It's mostly a coming-of-age story for Johnny, who learns discipline, strength, duty, and courage while being indoctrinated into the armed forces.
The novel has sparked controversy for its praise of the military and for its casting the aliens as dehumanized invaders - much as Americans have dehumanized foreigners against whom they fought. I don't know about that. One should consider that the book was written and released before the social upheaval of the Vietnam War and the before the Civil Rights movement was widely covered; and Heinlein drew from his own experiences in the US Navy.
I do know that I liked Johnny. I felt for him when his mother was killed in the war; and identified with his struggle and reconciliation with his father.
And there is some good science - in particular, the powered armor worn by the soldiers that enhances the strength, information, and abilities of its wearer. This idea has been borrowed by countless other science fiction authors and by military organizations.
If you are looking for an enjoyable, quick read with a bit of action and sci-fi and a solid leading character, you could do worse than "Starship Troopers". ...more
Sometimes a novel with very few facts can contain a lot of truth.
"The Confessions of Nat Turner" by William Styron was written in 1967 and was inspireSometimes a novel with very few facts can contain a lot of truth.
"The Confessions of Nat Turner" by William Styron was written in 1967 and was inspired by a slave rebellion 136 years earlier.
In August `1831, Virginia slave Nat Turner led a rebellion that killed 55 white people in southeast Virginia. Turner, was captured, confessed to the crime, and was executed. He claimed that he did what he did because he was directed by God.
Almost nothing is known about Turner, other than the documents pertaining to his arrest and trial. So, Styron attempts to recreate his life - not by researching historic records and biographies - but by hypothesizing how an educated black slave could come to lead such a rebellion. The result is far from accurate in a personal sense, but very real in relating the conditions of slavery and the relationships between slaves and masters in the antebellum U.S. south.
Very little in "The Confessions of Nat Turner" is true. Styron takes liberties with the day-to-day activities and with Turner's thoughts. But it rings true, because so many of Nat's reactions spring logically from a lifetime of being treated as property.
The hypothetical Nat of the novel is originally owned by a man who treats his slaves better than most slaveowners do. He believes in the potential of blacks, ensures that Nat receives and education, and even makes plans for Nat to serve an apprenticeship in Richmond and ultimately earn his freedom. But these plans of freedom are abandoned when a failing economy forces the owner to sell off some of his slaves, including Nat. This broken promise underscores the unfairness inherent in the institution of slavery. An owner may speak to his slaves with respect and refuse to beat them; but, ultimately, a slave was a possession the owner may do with what he wishes with that possession. Virginia law fully supported this inequity.
Nat passes to several more masters - some more cruel and some less so. Overall, his life is better than most American slaves of the time, but he has lost the hope of freedom that was promised to him, and he is left facing a lifetime of servitude. Nat's strong faith in God helps to sustain him, so he begins to preach to other blacks in the area and soon gains a following. When he is finally inspired to emancipate his fellow slaves, he enlists this following to help him execute his plan.
Some critics claim that Styron's skin color prohibits him from making any assumptions or writing about a black slave - particularly writing in the first person, as he does in this novel. But Styron does a good job of humanizing the mysterious Turner and of shining a light on the dehumanizing institution of slavery....more
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