Maugham establishes himself as the narrator at the periphery of the intersection of lives starting with an endearing ex-patriot snob, Elliot TempletonMaugham establishes himself as the narrator at the periphery of the intersection of lives starting with an endearing ex-patriot snob, Elliot Templeton, whose life's goal is to be admitted into the highest circles of society. This relationship brings the author into Elliot’s family circle, including his niece, the emotionally conservative Isabel Bradley, and her charmingly distracted fiancé, Larry Darrell. What starts out as a “drawing room” novel grows into a philosophical exploration of how one should leads one’s life which this makes this quiet novel exceptional.
Maugham keeps himself at arm’s length to the other characters as their lives overlap, tracing the rise of Elliot into the superficial social stratosphere only to be cast out when he becomes infirm, Isabel’s conundrum of being in love with Larry while being married to the earth-bound Gray Maturin, but it is Larry’s endless pursuit of the absolute truth that makes this novel fascinating. Maugham keeps himself in the corner as a skeptic, which allows Larry’s story to feel more genuine and not like a life lesson forced onto the reader. Larry lives his life in humble simplicity, financed by his inheritance, and takes time to explore religion, philosophy, and the physicality of being human--discovering his place in the universe--and a life we might all aspire to. It is also a journey of the generation following WWII, who were forced to re-prioritize their lives after so much senseless death. Experiencing life brings us happiness, not material things.
However, one might argue that Maugham found a way to bridge the material and the immaterial worlds with a comfortable life, literary success, and relationships with those he finds interesting. He steadfastly keeps this center course through the novel, aging gracefully on his own terms, without all the twists and turns of his characters. A remarkable book....more
I found myself laughing out loud during the infamous deli scene and the oft-repeated line, "I'll have what she's having." Perhaps it is my familiarityI found myself laughing out loud during the infamous deli scene and the oft-repeated line, "I'll have what she's having." Perhaps it is my familiarity with the movie, but Ephron's brand of romantic comedy spills off the page and you can't help but chuckle. The build up between strangers who become friends who become lovers in the relationship desert of New York is so universal that it doesn't feel dated (even without cellphones and social media). This script is a good reason why more women should be in the film industry. ...more
Feast of the Goat blends history and fiction to depict the waning days of the Dominican dictator, Rafael Trujillo, whose 31 year reign was considered Feast of the Goat blends history and fiction to depict the waning days of the Dominican dictator, Rafael Trujillo, whose 31 year reign was considered one of the bloodiest in the Americas. Vargas Llosa gets inside the head of the man, who rationalizes his tyranny as necessary to bring a country of incompetents up to par, who, despite his Haitian immigrant background, wages a bloodthirsty war on other Haitians in the Dominican Republic, does not trust anyone around him, and consistently manipulates his cabinet officials to force his will as they stumble over each other to please him. He is also an older man with issues stemming from his age: an enlarged prostate, weak bladder, and impotence. The novel primarily takes place in two time periods, the day of Trujillo’s assassination, detailing the dictator’s final day on earth, as well as the anxious thoughts and desperate flights of his assassins. Running in parallel is the fictitious story of Urania Cabral, who returns 35 years after the assassination with a more personal and affecting story of sexual abuse at the hands of Trujillo. One sign of a talented author is his ability to weave together moments from different time periods, skillfully shifting in a single conversation between the past and the present without losing the reader; this is especially true in Urania’s chapters.
Scenes in the latter pages of the book of the systemic torture and murder of Trujillo’s assassins and their relatives are not for the weak of heart, and sadly, may not be fully rendered to capture what really occurred. Sadly, aside from the toppling of Trujillo, most of the other players escape Haiti with millions in their bank accounts.
One takeaway is showing how such a despicable person stayed in power for over three decades. The dictator uses a combination of fear, the power of the military, the destruction of government institutions, a puppet presidency, and rewarding those slavishly loyal to him who risk their lives and their families should they disagree. By concentrating power and wealth he is able to continue his regime. These same tactics are being employed in countries around the world; we should read this book as a warning about how history repeats itself....more
Where Rushdie shows off his genius is by combining the history of India in the time of Partition, blending in cultural context, movie plots, with the Where Rushdie shows off his genius is by combining the history of India in the time of Partition, blending in cultural context, movie plots, with the rich tapestry of colors and smells of his home. Interwoven is the fracture of a society that has been colonized and arbitrarily cleaved into sections and the aftermath. The magical realism of the tribe of children born at the same time as Partition allows him to unravel the complexities of this time period in a way that both entertains and enlightens. What helps engage the reader is Rushdie's dark sense of humor, insightful attention to detail, and liberal use of symbolism. ...more
I am not familiar with many other books that capture the dull terror of dystopian politics, driven by secular or religious conservatives, that has as I am not familiar with many other books that capture the dull terror of dystopian politics, driven by secular or religious conservatives, that has as much resonance with the public than Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. The “journal” of an unnamed woman is set in the immediate future where religious extremists have taken over a part of the United States through lethal force. Somewhat unrelated to the civil war is a significant drop in fertility rates (which is actually occurring in most of the developed world today). Using a Bible story as justification, Sarah gave her enslaved handmaid to her aged husband in order to bear an heir, the religious order traps and enslaves fertile woman to be used for procreation. Those who cannot bear children are threatened with exile to the Colonies, areas that were left toxic after the war. The handmaids are ritualistically raped by high-ranking officials and mistreated by the jealous wives. This is history repeating itself, the same hollow justification has been used for centuries by religious orders to condone slavery and justify white supremacy.
The unnamed heroine of the book is rich, flawed, and complex. She survives her day to day “unreality” by adapting for survival, reminiscent of Primo Levi’s descriptions of life inside a concentration camp. There is the day to day oppression, fear, and self-censoring, but alongside that are little victories: fond memories of the past, reminding yourself of your own sanity, the caring touch of another human being, and most importantly, and dangerously, hope for the future.
Atwood’s narrator reveals in two sentences how totalitarian societies can exist despite the free will of humanity. When two enforcers, The Eyes, approach the handmaid but take another man nearby, she responds, “What I feel is relief. It wasn’t me.” The pervasive spying and reporting on each other, instilling distrust of everyone, enforced paranoia that you might be next, even for "thoughtcrimes"… these are the methods that dictators use to control large populations with few resources. Everyone is a part of the enforcement system, including those who remain silent. Disloyalty to the leader/party is punished with extreme measures, so everyone must remain loyal and police others or they and their family may face the consequences; real life occurs behind closed doors in whispered voices.
The good news, these regimes do not typically have long durations without using increasingly extreme measures and controls, including extermination of anyone who gets in the way. However, society as a whole is larger than those “in control”. If we continue to unite, embrace our differences, and stand up for everyone, we can collectively force change. Many comparisons have been made between the government represented in this powerful novel and current administrations around the world, and there is a need to fight back against isolationism and totalitarianism in all its forms. Atwood repurposes a fake Latin phrase from her childhood as a rallying call for this fight, “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.”...more
Takei has positively leveraged his fame as Hikaru Sulu to help make our world more like the inclusive universe of Star Trek. He has been a human rightTakei has positively leveraged his fame as Hikaru Sulu to help make our world more like the inclusive universe of Star Trek. He has been a human rights activist for decades, notably on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community.
They Call Us Enemy chronicles his family’s forcible internment following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, when American’s reactionary fear of Japan turned against anyone of Japanese descent. Takei’s family was part of the 120,000 Americans and Japanese immigrants who were jailed without cause or trial. This graphic novel is depicted in effective black and white panels, shuttling between the author's childhood and his misperception of the events as an adventure (thanks to the fierce protection of his parents who shielded their children from the trauma) and his adulthood in which he can reflect back on the bravery of his parents, his father’s sacrifices to help other members of their community, and the power of unifying to make positive change in spite of the circumstances. His family was forced to sell all of their possessions and his father’s business for pennies on the dollar, housed in horse stables and a camp in Arkansas, watched by armed guards, and surrounded by a barbed wire fence. Over years this life became the only one that the children understood, and they feared leaving the safety of the fence when they were unceremoniously evicted after WWII ended. Takei, as he grows into an adult, learns that this chapter of history was missing from the records and used this book, and the musical that was based on the book, to ensure it was not forgotten.
He comes full circle to deliver a talk about the internment at the home of President Roosevelt, who was responsible for the law being put into effect. He also took part in pressuring the government to apologize and give reparations, which came more than 40 years later. African-Americans are still waiting for theirs.
What is most tragic is that despite our understanding that stealing everything a family owns and then jailing them based exclusively on their genetic heritage is wrong, yet the 45th President of the United States with the full support of the Republican Party has repeated this moment in history to jail families of immigrants escaping the gang and drug violence of Central America, as well as intentionally banning religious groups from our country. However, They Called Us Enemy is inspirational, aside from the loving tribute to his parents, because in spite of their experience they maintained the belief in the possibilities of an inclusive America. Takei stands as an example of the benefits of immigration and how this has helped our country prosper and be a beacon to democracy. We, he reminds us, have the choice to choose the world we live in. Intolerance and fear versus acceptance and love. We could use more Americans like him to stand up and make a positive difference....more
I was first introduced to the work of Daniel A. Olivas when I was the editor of OutsiderInk.com, and it was a treat to return to his fiction. The storI was first introduced to the work of Daniel A. Olivas when I was the editor of OutsiderInk.com, and it was a treat to return to his fiction. The story he published with me is the lead story, “Los Angeles, 1970,” a piece that deftly navigates the challenges faced by immigrants and their children and a boy’s confusion regarding a sexually manipulative priest. The story showcases Olivas’ talent for capturing a unique and often unheard perspective. There is a spectrum of characters in his stories: protective to overly proud fathers, determined daughters, lesbian lawyers, cocky weathermen, strong older women, as well as a hot and not always welcoming Los Angeles, which is a character appearing it each piece. The author serves up a slice of life with dexterity and dash of humor. Layered into his stories is a current of music: jazz, pop, rock, and Mexican standards. The book is solid throughout, but there are some standouts: The chilling reality-based “Summertime” about a white supremacist opening fire on a Jewish community center and “19” a humorous take on the Y2K debacle, but for me it is the “cautionary” tales that I enjoyed most, reminding us that life is short and we should be true to ourselves: “Res Judicata”, “Weatherman” and my personal favorite, “Voir Dire,” in which a man discovers his ability to write fiction and his parents still dismiss him as an idiot; a mixture of hope and humor! ...more
Coming out used to be much more difficult and was ripe with dangers that today’s gay youth are wholly unaware of. Tom Cardamone’s introduction in thisComing out used to be much more difficult and was ripe with dangers that today’s gay youth are wholly unaware of. Tom Cardamone’s introduction in this homage to out of print gay fiction touches upon those challenges, and how once-upon-a-not-so-long-ago-time gay fiction and bookstores were the entry point for many to our community. Those days may have passed but the connection to our roots and our literature is just as strong—at least for some of us—than ever. Full disclosure, not only am I included in this collection, but I was involved with Tom from the time he originated the idea for this anthology through to the end in searching for just the right publisher; it was well worth his valiant effort. There is a lot to appreciate in this anthology, not only will it give you an idea of how broad the scope of gay lit is, as well as some worthy (albeit hard to find) books to add to your must read list, but it brings up the very real point of why fiction, especially gay fiction, is still relevant to our community; it unites us from one generation to the next as we pass down our stories of the trials faced and overcome (and the sex we had along the way). While some essays focus more on the books discussed and can read like reviews or literary criticism, what most endeared me are the very personal pieces that depict how a certain text came into the reader's life and how it may have impacted him, for good or ill, with some heart-wrenching honesty. This is a resource that should be in every gay reader’s library.
Read my essay about Lynn Hall's young adult novel, Sticks and Stones, in VelvetMafia.com to whet your appetite for this excellent book about books....more
“[The politician] was vulgar, almost illiterate, a public liar easily detected, and in his ‘ideas’ almost idiotic, while his celebrated piety was that“[The politician] was vulgar, almost illiterate, a public liar easily detected, and in his ‘ideas’ almost idiotic, while his celebrated piety was that of a traveling salesman for church furniture, and his yet more celebrated humor the sly cynicism of a country store.” You would be forgiven if you thought this referred to the 45th American president. However, the quote is taken from Lewis’ prescient It Can’t Happen Here, which documented the rise of fascism across Europe in the mid-1930’s in a fictionalized U.S. setting.
The story is told at the local level through voice of a liberal New England journalist, Doremus Jessup, who goes from dismay to determination to despair—much like the proverbial frog being slowly boiled—as the government is hijacked by “Buzz” Windrip. Buzz rises to power on the shoulders of rabid patriotic nationalism with empty promises of economic windfalls for (almost) everyone. The new president is surrounded by white nationals and their first order of business is to stage a coup to take over all branches of government, jailing any objectors “for their protection”, in order to legislate discrimination against African Americans and Jews. They also revoke the rights of women to return to core American family values (aka The Handmaid's Tale). This legalized racism and sexism ensures the support of his base, who have not recovered financially from the Great Depression, and empowers them over subjugated groups of people. He further empowers these increasingly hostile men by forming them into a well-paid militia, who are instructed to enforce the government’s position by any means necessary. What follows is a discrediting of the media, a takeover of the educational system, and a rise of corruption and self-dealing among those freshly in positions of power.
As documented in the work of Primo Levi, a concentration camp survivor, objectors are thrown into an alternative reality from which they are too numb—or legitimately scared for their lives—to fight back; instead they fight for food and to make sense of their new reality in order to save themselves. What makes this novel such an important read is Lewis’ noting the flags of a rise of a military dictatorship to warn us of their reappearance; many would argue too many of these points have already been breached as of 2018. Recommend this book for any intentionally blind conservative who is “just following orders.”...more
Woolf, in her poetically rambling way, manages to navigate through numerous subjects, including but not limited to: a history of women writing fictionWoolf, in her poetically rambling way, manages to navigate through numerous subjects, including but not limited to: a history of women writing fiction, their male counterparts, the literary merits of both sexes, the dual-sexed nature of the brain, the limits placed upon women in society and to hold property, thwarts the critiques of men who dismiss the contributions and characters of women, and mediates over walks, meals and cigarettes. While she takes an indirect course, a characteristic of her fiction, she hits upon her thesis throughout: to be an artist of any merit a person needs a room to write in and a source of income; without both the artist is hard-pressed to have the time and energy in which to create. She notes that this holds true for men as well, holding up a number of authors we have long canonized who were not only from wealthy families, but highly educated; things denied women throughout most of history. What is most enjoyable is her dry humor that peppers the text, and I wish her fiction contained more of it. I would recommend reading Orlando in conjunction with this; not only does it explore the same themes of art, sex, gender and the evolution of women, but it does so with the same level of humor. It is also her most accessible work and the "love letter" to her lover, Vita Sackville-West, is a warm and sensual novel. ...more
**spoiler alert** After facing with the terror of nearly drowning, the heroine of Chopin’s novel, Edna Pontellier, begins to question the somnolent bu**spoiler alert** After facing with the terror of nearly drowning, the heroine of Chopin’s novel, Edna Pontellier, begins to question the somnolent but respectable life she has all but slept-walked through. In a moment of weakness she lets down her guard and lets passion—for music, art and a handsome younger men—penetrate her socially-prescribed boundaries. The discrepancy between how she is expected to live as an upwardly mobile wife and mother is suddenly at significant odds with her desire to be an independent woman and artist. She decides, at the age of 29, to live her life according to her own desires, exceptionally controversial for a woman in 1899. What follows is Edna’s vacillation between the extremes offered women of her class as represented by her circle of friends, from the matronly Mrs. Ratignolle who lives at home with bars on the windows to the “old maid” pianist, Mademoiselle Reisz, who is disliked by everyone except Edna and her beloved, Robert Lebrun. Once the yokes of wife and mother are removed when her husband travels on business and her children vacation with their grandmother, Edna is free to reinvent herself on her own terms. She breaks with convention and moves out on her own into the “pigeon house”—a coop from which to fly—and blazes her own increasingly solitary path. As a married woman she is neither able to achieve a relationship with the respectable young man she loves, nor succumb to the passionate ministrations of a man with a “reputation”; Edna finds no place for her newly found independence to exist. Instead, she returns to the sea where she was “born” and, like Thelma and Louise, chooses her own death instead of continued subjugation. The lyrical text engages the reader with its honest depictions of desire and sensuality of a modern women, which men of the time had no trouble discussing. Sadly this novel pushed the boundaries too far and Chopin died in near obscurity five years after its publication, but her work was thankfully resurrected decades later as feminist fiction. ...more
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