Literary Disco discussion
Bookshelf Revisit
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The Bookshelf Revisit is one of my favorite parts of the podcast. The only problem for my personal revisit is that I rarely re-read books. But I did recently purchase a used paper back copy of Tar Baby by Toni Morrison. This was the first Morrison book I had ever read and I was enthralled. After I finished it, I quickly went on to read as many other books by Morrison that I could lay my hands on at the time. I read up to Beloved but stalled out at Jazz. So I now have this idea that I should re-read Tar Baby to kick start picking up Jazz again and then continuing on with other unread books by Morrison.
Tar Baby is about Jade, a black woman who thinks she is ease in white society until she is confronted by (and attracted to) a man who represents everything she fears about black society. It's complicated and I can't do the plot justice, really. It is about race, class, sex, secrets we keep, lies we tell to ourselves...all that good stuff. I think I fell in love with Morrison's writing; it can be so beautiful. Beloved is still, in my mind, her best book of those I have read, but with out having serendipitously picked up this book at the library 20 years ago, I may never have gone on to have that experience.
i love toni morrison. i read Sula when i was in college and i was hooked. i recently read Home by her and found it fantastic. she has a book releasing some time this year i believe.thanks for sharing ruthiella.
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I haven't read Tar Baby (or the latest Morrison) but I will. I brought up Song of Solomon on the show once -- I think that and Jazz are my two favorites of hers, so you should definitely give Jazz the old college try.
Just found Leap online. Wow, definitely not some light reading in the morning. One of my favorite books a couple years ago was Next by James Hynes. It's NOT about Iraq or 9/11 directly -- but more about the low level anxiety that terrorism introduces into everyday American life. The way we ignore or contend with it on a daily basis. I think if you like stories of human connection despite tragedy, you should check it out.
I have been reading the majority of your Book Shelf Revisits, Rider. I just finished Knut Hamsun's Hunger. Wow. So intense and disturbing. It reminded me so much of Crime and Punishment which I loved. Great revisit. Up next is Geek Love.
Rider wrote: "You guys, these are great revisits.I haven't read Tar Baby (or the latest Morrison) but I will. I brought up Song of Solomon on the show once -- I think that and Jazz are my two favorites of hers,..."
thanks for the recommendation rider. i'll keep it next in mind. i did read two books about soldiers in iraq or afghanistan recently too: Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk and The Yellow Birds which are definitely about the trauma of transitioning into civilian life.
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving is a revisit for me. I love the characters and the idea of Owen Meany's predestination.
I revisit Shakespeare every year. Macbeth, Hamlet, Taming of the Shrew, and Othello are my favorites.
Literary Disco
Books mentioned in this topic
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (other topics)The Yellow Birds (other topics)
Sula (other topics)
Home (other topics)
My first bookshelf revisit is an essay I teach my students titled "Mission Iraq" by Allison Perkins. The essay is about her husband's tour in Iraq and how when he is stationed there, he never discusses what is happening around him. He sticks to the normal topics between a wife and a husband: kids and home. It is not until Perkins is sent to Iraq herself as a journalist that she begins to understand her husband's silence on the topic.
It's a short essay, but quite powerful in what it is saying about adjusting to civilian life. My students are juniors and they are moved by this particular essay.
This year I plan on pairing it with Brian Doyle's essay "Leap" which is an essay on events that happen on 9/11.
What do you have on your shelves that you would recommend?