Like many others I was absorbed by the high production values, interesting story line, and sublime acting in the Netflix limited series based on the nLike many others I was absorbed by the high production values, interesting story line, and sublime acting in the Netflix limited series based on the novel. While it improved on some aspects of the story, enriching the relationships between the characters and giving Elizabeth Harmon's parents backstory, what it missed—surprisingly—is the actual game of chess. In the US chess is not known as a high stakes competition, but Tevis uses active and engaging language to give the play-by-play for key games, walking the reader through the intricate dance on the board. The game, not her addictions, are the center of the novel. Chess continues to dominate her life and all the mundane aspects of the day-to-day grind fall to the wayside. Also, isolation of an intellectual from American society appears to be a theme for Tevis, and was central to The Man Who Fell to Earth. The story arc of an orphan to international chess prodigy is littered with obstacles, as if her life was itself a game of chess with different characters assisting her to move from pawn to queen to eventually topple the king.
One of the things I respected was the author's decision to not make this book about a woman entering a man’s world and dominating; Beth Harmon herself scoffs at that notion. It is not that she is the best female chess player in the US, she is the best. Period. Why should her gender make a difference? The truth is it shouldn’t, but it would have been controversial in the 1960s in which the novel is set, and possibly still would cause negative reactions today. Wikipedia lists over 1,900 chess grandmasters, only 37 of which are women....more
Reading the description of the alien who comes to earth on a rescue mission, one can't help but think who but David Bowie could have pulled it off? TeReading the description of the alien who comes to earth on a rescue mission, one can't help but think who but David Bowie could have pulled it off? Tevis's novel is part Christ story, part environmentalist warning, and part critique of American society. An alien has come to save humanity and his own race is humiliated and blinded by people who don't listen to or understand him, his own planet has been destroyed by war and pollution and he attempts to avoid a repetition of planetary destruction, and the characters that populate his life are seen as the aliens from Thomas Newman's perspective. His outsider's perspective on society, on the fleeting and short-sighted whims of humans, is the most interesting aspect of the novel. Ultimately, as noted by the author, the book is about the slow descent into addition, how it takes over your life and ruins your dreams and aspirations. Newman, and the other primary characters, Mary-Lou and Nathan, all struggle with alcoholism and are in part destroyed by it. The ending scene in the bar, reminiscent of the final scene in 1984, ends with the lost potential of a freethinking man....more
Let us put aside the premise of the novel. The world is overrun by some kind of creature that cannot open a door but can drive a person to homicide anLet us put aside the premise of the novel. The world is overrun by some kind of creature that cannot open a door but can drive a person to homicide and/or suicide just by looking at them. A woman has survived four years with two children, Boy and Girl, and has barely left her house, training them to listen to the world of danger that surrounds them. Although the children are four years old, somehow they have the maturity of children more than double that age. Two pregnant women end up in the same safe house and end up giving birth simultaneously at the worst moment possible? People who are already crazy who defend the creatures and try to force the frightened people in hiding out into the open. It is absurd.
Once you get over the premise, this claustrophobic survivalist thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat and up late at night until you finish. Malerman moves the story forward in two timelines: the first months of the crisis and then four years later when she tries to get the children to safety by traveling downriver, blindfolded, in a rowboat. This was turned into a mediocre movie with Sandra Bullock that had an amazing opening and loses steam 15 minutes in, but the book maintains and heightens the tension with each short chapter by showcasing the growing paranoia of the characters, most of whom don't make it, and the helplessness of being blind. This novel dovetails nicely with other survivalist stories with zombies and the like.
A suggestion for anyone who enjoyed this is the brilliant Blindness by José Saramago, in which blindness is transmitted by a disease that spreads across the entire population, causing the collapse of society. ...more
Chance is a handsome man with no background, identity, or exposure to the outside world except what he sees on TV, which informs him of every human inChance is a handsome man with no background, identity, or exposure to the outside world except what he sees on TV, which informs him of every human interaction. He is an orphan who has been sheltered in his employer's garden his entire life, but is thrust into the world without any understanding of the complexities of human relationships, economics or politics. A serendipitous accident with a rich and well-connected woman, who is the first to make presumptions based on his looks and hand-tailored clothes, believes him to be a man of means and rescues him. She installs him in her home where her ailing husband is a business leader and king maker. This accident leads to a series of events in which Chance's opaqueness and blunt honesty ("I can't read. I don't write.") is consistently misinterpreted. He becomes Chauncey Gardiner due to a mishearing of "Chance, the gardener". He is a blank slate that others project the wisdom of economist, statesman, business leader, man of letters and lover upon; a mirror that reflect back only what they want to see. Their cumulative mistakes become self-enforcing. His very lack of background only confirms their belief that he is more than meets the eye.
This reminds me of the true story of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos, who with her connections, an idea, and a dream was able to gain millions of dollars in funding for a product that didn't exist... her supporters wanted to believe and that was enough. So too, Chance rises from homeless introvert to potential US Vice President on the dreams of others. This satire was faithfully transferred to the screen with Peter Sellers in the title role. ...more
People have been shanghaied and enslaved for centuries, a practice that continues today, particularly with women emigrating from undeveloped countriesPeople have been shanghaied and enslaved for centuries, a practice that continues today, particularly with women emigrating from undeveloped countries. Northup’s personal account of his plight and the years he spent in enforced servitude, the tortures he faced from his “owners”, and the injustice of his position is a reminder that the United States and other developed nations were built by slave labor. Their disenfranchisement was the determined solely by the color of their skin. People should never be owned by others, or treated like (or worse) than livestock. Sadder still is witnessing a smart and resourceful human being who was incapable of contributing his full value to the embitterment of his life, his family, and his community. ...more
Sexual awakening can be complex, but is especially so for people who fall outside of what society considers "normal". Same-sex attraction is natural aSexual awakening can be complex, but is especially so for people who fall outside of what society considers "normal". Same-sex attraction is natural and is found across all species. The only thing unnatural about Clementine's love for Emma is the swift rejection she faces from her family and friends; this only causes her to suffer and question her identify. Clam's story is sadly all too common, even today. Trying to keep your love a secret for fear of reprisal (or jealous girlfriends) can be detrimental; lying about something so critical to your identity is destructive. Unfortunately her story jumps far into the future and rushes to a conclusion, when this could easily have been broken up into a series. Look forward to seeing the movie...
Any fan of Atwood’s will recognize some common themes: the power and powerlessness of women, the adherence and rebellion to strict social norms, and cAny fan of Atwood’s will recognize some common themes: the power and powerlessness of women, the adherence and rebellion to strict social norms, and complex psychosexual relationships. Alias Grace is a fictionalized account of actual events surrounding an infamous Canadian double homicide in 1843. There are multiple threads that weave together including the exploitation of young immigrants, blurring class divisions, the misrepresentation of facts and sensationalism of gossip and the media, and the dark underside of eroticism. Most notably are the limited choices available to women of the time, especially for those without means, which called to mind Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth. That women stood on the brink of ruin by men who treated them so casually and faced no consequences for the same acts is especially relevant in the #MeToo era when men are, in some cases haphazardly, being held to account for their actions.
As a reader, I question Grace’s voice. An uneducated housemaid who has incredible powers of observation and astute awareness of the motives of her audience with a powerful and unflinching narrative with carefully selected details, yet naive in the ways of the world. This is especially disarming since she has only told portions of her story in the past. However, like Scheherazade Grace spins her tale to entertain while preserving herself and we become transfixed by her version of the events. What is truth? What is a lie? Who is Grace? Which of the various stories we are told, not only in her external and internal voices, but also all the conflicting impressions of the young woman and the events that occurred. However, the author, like Dr. Jordon, does not try to determine which version is the truth, or whether or not Grace is guilty or innocent. Instead she presents the various patterns, much like the quilts that run through the novel and title each section, and allows the reader to make what they will of the story. ...more
Dracula married the Victorian era's fascination with death and sex. This novella returns to the vampire trope bringing the scientific method to put itDracula married the Victorian era's fascination with death and sex. This novella returns to the vampire trope bringing the scientific method to put it under the microscope, literally. Although it went on to have three film adaptations of varying success, this cross-genre story set the stage for other writers to blend boundaries between science and horror. "I am Legend" is uneven, struggles to explain some of the elements of literary vampirism vs clinical vampirism, and uses some opaque scientific terminology that will throw off some readers. Although the portrait of an isolated man who struggles with alcoholism rings true — he devolves from a pandemic survivor into a hermetical paranoid — and his questioning about why he wants to keep living and the value of his meaningless life gives the book some existential depth, the ending is forced and was not used in any of the film versions (although it does ring true for the zombie genre that followed). Should we be worried that the only living female character, whom he distrusts and brutalizes, takes the name of Matheson's wife, Ruth? Is it possible that it takes Robert Neville five months to realize that light hurts vampires? Why are some vampires cognizant and other zombies? After three years, who is left to feed on? Many questions go unanswered… ...more
Watch out! The dead are back and they want your electricity!
A remote Alpine village has more than its share of tragic deaths, but things get complicaWatch out! The dead are back and they want your electricity!
A remote Alpine village has more than its share of tragic deaths, but things get complicated when the dead start returning. They appear to be selected at random and have no idea why they came back, but they are in a pretty bad mood. Maybe it's because they carry all the dark secrets that the living had buried with them. The Returned have an ax to grind, literally, plus enormous appetites and their reappearance somehow takes the power grid offline. What their problem is with electricity is not revealed, nor their connection with the leaking dam, suicidal animals, the prior drowned village, nor why they are gathering together at the Hidden Hand to take the living with them... but the dead men are still sexy enough to lure the living to bed. Necrophilia isn't often explored. However, Patrick writes quick chapters with artful cliffhangers that keep you reading. The French TV series (Les Revenants) barely differs from the novel but is beautifully produced and much more forgivable for it. ...more
I had the good fortune to see David Drake perform this piece at the Perry Street Theater. As a young, gay theater nerd I was charmed by the handsome bI had the good fortune to see David Drake perform this piece at the Perry Street Theater. As a young, gay theater nerd I was charmed by the handsome blond who captured the attention of a restless New York audience--stripping down to his jockstrap helped keep it. In spoken poetry sprinkled with music and humor, Drake narrated his personal intersection of theater, sexual awakening, and political activism, against a landscape that had been radically altered by the AIDS epidemic; a generation of gay men had been wiped out while the "moral" majority claimed it was God's punishment. This is a performance piece and for the most part, the experience did not transfer off the page. As a standalone volume of poetry, it comes across as a little self-indulgent, but is not out of context with the performance theater of downtown NY of the era. The themes of self realization, sexual identity, and the fight for people to live honestly are still relevant and being explored. It originally also made me interested in Larry Kramer's work....more
I was inspired to read the book after seeing the charming, though not terribly original, movie adaptation. While the author does tap the senses, the sI was inspired to read the book after seeing the charming, though not terribly original, movie adaptation. While the author does tap the senses, the story did not draw me in. The characters were flat and the plot aimless. My interest dropped off long before the story shifts to French cuisine. C’est la vie. ...more
**spoiler alert** Some authors might be content with a story about the seduction of a teacher by her student, but this is the author who brought us **spoiler alert** Some authors might be content with a story about the seduction of a teacher by her student, but this is the author who brought us Wonderful, Wonderful Times. It can't be that simple.
The title character, Erika Kohut, was once an aspiring concert pianist who ended her career after one failed performance. In her late thirties she is relegated to teaching piano and giving lectures, neither of which she enjoys. She lives a half-life with painful experiences in her past, nothing in the future. Her co-dependent relationship with her suffocating mother, with whom she shares her marital bed, is both comforting in its predictability and explosively antagonistic. Erika buys vivid dresses that she won’t wear; her mother attacks her for wasting their money. These disagreements escalate into verbal and physical conflict and speak volumes of their shared oppression of sexual desire. The mother’s violently possessive love has taught the daughter that love comes with pain; Erika has learned to be a masochist. Erika rebukes her students harshly, intentionally hurts people on the trains by "accidently" hitting them with her instruments, fills the pockets of her teenage rival’s jacket with shards of glass to maim her. The frustrated woman haunts peepshows and parks in search of sexual stimulation, but only as a voyeur. She is estranged from her body. Erika cuts herself to watch the blood seep out like a secret, peers into her orifices for answer, but finds nothing. She is numb.
Her student, Walter Klemmer (referred to by his last name, while the teacher is always Erika, exhibiting their power arrangement), is all of 18. He is a handsome know-it-all who decides to seduce his older teacher to gain sexual experience that can be used on younger, more suitable girls. The harder he tries with Erika, the further she pulls away; he becomes determined to have her even as he grows disgusted with her reluctance. They grow obsessed with each other, circling to the increasingly frantic music of their own creation. In a moment of weakness she reveals her sexual fantasies to him, of being devoured, bound, and beaten (replicating her mother’s love with a man). Klemmer believes she is making fun of him; his manhood questioned when he can’t get an erection with her. Neither of them are giving or getting any pleasure. The tension escalates into a physical attack. The boy, frantic to get rid of his lust and end their relationship forces himself on her and rapes "the woman" (she has lost her identity). He hits then kisses her to give her the pleasure she demanded, or at least take his own. Erika feels nothing but pain. The story ends realistically, but inconclusively, with Erika reverting to self-harm instead of attacking the man who raped her.
The novel is challenging to read, upsetting.The dynamic between the three characters is tense and often violent, sometimes confusing. Erika's unfilled fantasies of being eclipsed by a man's desire, a fantasy which she has scripted for herself, is painful and heartbreaking. ...more
At the end of the novel, the captain of the rescue boat raises a question, "Well, who is happier than a naked savage in a warm climate?" The novel chaAt the end of the novel, the captain of the rescue boat raises a question, "Well, who is happier than a naked savage in a warm climate?" The novel challenges the reader to consider this question, while presenting a best case scenario of desert island life where everything is provided without much struggle. Cousins Dick and Emmeline are stranded with a childlike sailor who teaches them basic survival skills before drinking himself to death. The children, who have been coddled by their overprotective father/uncle, Mr. Lestrange, grow into self-sufficient young adults without society, religion or parents, while retaining their childish wonder and naivete. They create their own rules without the weight of societal norms, going naked without shame, exploring sex and parenthood without fear. The captain's question reverberates with their rescue, were they better off in their recovered Eden or will their rescue from their island paradise be their undoing? The author explores the children's reintroduction into the wild, painting a rosy-hued depiction of island life, without many of the real challenges posed by isolation. ...more
In a novel that is delivered in a pugilistic style, Condon roughs out a bleak world where no one can be trusted. An ill-tempered loner, Raymond Shaw, In a novel that is delivered in a pugilistic style, Condon roughs out a bleak world where no one can be trusted. An ill-tempered loner, Raymond Shaw, is brainwashed by foreign operatives to make him into an easily programmed assassin who has no memory or guilt of his acts. He is used to remove several prominent people to carve a path toward the U.S. Presidency. Running alongside this story is the rise of McCarthyism, and how one man with false accusations and outright lies can disrupt the political process; very timely considering the 45th U.S. president leverages the same political theater to rabble-rouse his nationalist followers and lead the easily distracted media by accusing his opponents of the crimes he himself has committed; this is how bullies and fascists operate.
The novel is a product of its time and is saturated in misogyny. All of the women are robotic in the manner of The Stepford Wives, sexual automatons who live to service their men and seem to have no will of their own. The only woman who has any depth does not even deserve her own name, Raymond’s mother or Mrs. Iselin (Elenaor). She is a violent and duplicitous junkie who manipulates all the men in her life, especially her husband and son, in her unquenchable pursuit of power and influence. Men are her toys, as she herself was to her incestuous father.
It is worth noting that Condon may have plagiarized several passages of the novel from Robert Grave’s 1934 novel, I, Claudius, as well as other sources. This might be the reason the novel is uneven and the two parallel storylines barely intersect....more
This semi-autobiographical novel is told a series of snapshots; high drama moments in the lives of a young family, their story revealed in poetic and This semi-autobiographical novel is told a series of snapshots; high drama moments in the lives of a young family, their story revealed in poetic and urgent prose. The story is revealed through the eyes of the youngest of three brothers, who remains unnamed and defined only by his fears and observations. At first the volatile trio are referred to as a collective unit—“we” and “us”—hungry for everything; life, food, and experience. The boys live in the shadow of their parents’ violently passionate relationship and are often neglected as Paps and Ma struggle with money, work, substance abuse and their own tumultuous relationship. As the unnamed boy begins to grow into something else, a boy with secrets, he drifts away from his brothers into a harsh landscape of his own choosing. The balance of power shifts from "us" to "them". While this spare novel relates this boy's tale in vivid vignettes, we seldom get any insights into the characters. I look forward to more work from Torres....more
Several questions I posed to myself while reading Conley’s memoir. Why do monotheistic religions, including Christian-based sects, go to such extraordSeveral questions I posed to myself while reading Conley’s memoir. Why do monotheistic religions, including Christian-based sects, go to such extraordinary lengths to attack/eradicate LGBTQ people, their lives, thoughts, and deeds? Jesus never mentioned homosexuality, but was himself a radical who fought against common beliefs and spoke of love for everyone. What possible threat can we as a minority population pose to these religious entities (especially in light of widespread child rape and molestation over decades by Catholic priests)? How can you claim to believe in a perfect God only to see the devil in everything and everyone he created? Finally, how can parents destroy the lives of their children, going so far as to have funerals for their LGBTQ offspring? Where does all this venomous negativity stem from? How do you justify this extreme hatred when they claim to be spiritually enlightened/entitled?
In Conley's memoir a young man struggles to reconcile his natural same-sex attraction against his religion. A boy who has not—contrary to conservative misinformation campaigns—been brainwashed or led astray by a person nor the devil. His efforts to align his Baptist teachings (direct from his father) with his own thoughts and desires brings him, like so many LGBTQ youth, to the brink of self-annihilation. In a non-linear fashion he relays his growing awareness of his attraction to other men and his aborted attempt to change nature by attending a 12-step "ex-gay" program. The struggle is all too common, and Conley documents in plain language his own journey toward self-acceptance. It is worth noting that his relationship with his mother, as well as his love of literature, were keys toward his survival.
For any young person facing the same struggle, or for any sane adult who wants to support them, please go the The Trevor Project, a not-for-profit who assists LGBTQ youth....more
I came to this novel after binge watching the Netflix series, so I was already aware of many of the plot twists and secrets. The television series wisI came to this novel after binge watching the Netflix series, so I was already aware of many of the plot twists and secrets. The television series wisely built out the story, elevating the stenographer-policewoman, Charlotte Ritter, into a more complex and interesting character. The novel is set in Berlin in the years between world wars, and allows the reader to cross paths with German nationalists, Communists, Russian criminals, drug lords, befuddled Nazis, and corrupt policemen. The central character, Detective Gereon Rath, a country cop in the big city (with the help of his well-connected father), immediately stumbles onto a complex plot involving tons of hidden gold. While Rath, who can be a bit of a cad, does some actual detective work, most of his breakthroughs come by accident. He is a flawed man, and a product of his time (women exist for sex and to serve him coffee). Rath accumulates secrets as he tries to link together a series of crimes in this interesting crime story....more
As an openly gay man I had trouble picking up a book by a vocal opponent of LGBTQ marriage equality and rights, but if I only read people with whom I As an openly gay man I had trouble picking up a book by a vocal opponent of LGBTQ marriage equality and rights, but if I only read people with whom I agree I would live in my own echo chamber. I borrowed the book from the library so I did not support him financially.
The story centers on Ender Wiggins, a warcraft prodigy who is inwardly different from his peers, seeks approval from adults, is picked on and physically harassed in school, disregarded by his teachers, and who relates more readily with his computer than other humans. Ender is desperately lonely and cannot relate to anyone around him, so he throws himself into being the best, which only makes him a bigger target. The story can easily be read as a gay coming of age novel, one in which there is significant amounts of young male bonding, suspiciously inordinate amounts of time lounging naked or in the shower, and a gentle same-sex kiss from another boy, Alai. Never mind the near total absence of female characters. Others have commented on the irony of the gay subtext, and despite the author's religious-sponsored intolerance, Ender's journey resonated with me in a way the antiseptic film did not.
Considering the book was originally published in 1985, I'll give credit to the author's prescience in foreseeing our current age. Portable desktop computers, using video games to prepare children for the armed forces or drone warfare (which generates the same PTSD outcome as outlined in the novel), the prevalent use of the internet, and cybersecurity concerns. While the majority of the book dwells on Ender's training and his evolution as a strategist being pushed to his limits by uncompromising adults who lie to him, what I want to acknowledge is the side story of his older sister and brother, Valentine and Peter, who use the internet to pretend to be adults, capture public opinion with manufactured opinion pieces they don't even believe in, and rise to fame, fortune, and a presidential panel, by taking the most controversial position possible. How Card may have foreseen the rise of right-wing news channels like Fox and Breitbart that espouse lies to drive division, tapping into the paranoia of the United States to enormous profit, is beyond me. However, the "only one who can save us" trope gets a bit stale as Ender is able to immediately come up with alternative ways of approaching complex problems, repeatedly, and never lose. Ever. Heroes should always have to come up against obstacles. By making him a perfect, almost machine-like boy, makes the reader less likely to root for him; instead we are all bored by his "victory"....more
**spoiler alert** What better way to spend a quarantine stuck at home than reading about a family trapped by a malevolent house?
This horror novel has **spoiler alert** What better way to spend a quarantine stuck at home than reading about a family trapped by a malevolent house?
This horror novel has been compared to The Haunting of Hill House, but I would argue that aside from a “haunted house” there is little to tie the stories together. Shirley Jackson’s riveting novel is a psychological thriller than never quite answers the question if the house is haunted or just the mind of a mentally off-balance woman; both readings are equally possible. The house at the center of Burnt Offerings is a “hungry house” as described in the introduction, one that feeds on the life force of its victims like a vampire. However, I chose to read this through the lens of addiction. Marian, the woman who escapes her mediocre life through the mystery, power, and splendor of 17 Shore Road, gradually ignores everything else in her life. Her daily routine brings her more frequently to Mrs. Allardyce’s sitting room, rationalizing away her fears, pushing away her family, and embracing her addiction with growing conviction. She is helplessly drawn to the dark secrets, quickly circling toward her doom. When Marian realizes it is all an illusion, that she has not been the key to unlock the treasure but only a blood sacrifice, it is too late. Her addiction has taken everything meaningful from her. With nothing left to lose, she succumbs to the power of the house, which has been enriched by her sacrifice and lays in wait for the next victim. Beware of deals that are too good to be true!...more
The novel presents an alternative reality in which the Nazis and the Japanese were the victors in WWII, have become the superpowers, and have divided The novel presents an alternative reality in which the Nazis and the Japanese were the victors in WWII, have become the superpowers, and have divided the United States between them. Another alternative to the war's end is captured in the book at the center of the novel, The Grasshopper Lies Heavy where the Allies were successful, but also varies from history. Added to this conflicting mix are power struggles, an aging Hitler, assassination attempts, blackmail, counterfeit goods, entrenched spying, and the I Ching. What starts out as a fascinating question about what might have happened becomes mired in so many plots and subplots, mundane conversations, and the anxious machinations of many of the novel's characters, that it was a struggle to finish the book. Leave it to the infamously paranoid Philip K. Dick to place the author in the center of a coordinated assassination attempt over this controversial novel that supposedly tells the truth......more
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