850 ratings (3.46 avg)
853 reviews
more photos (2)

Brian

https://www.instagram.com/bdw615

https://www.goodreads.com/bdwilfong

Brian’s Bookshelves

to-read‎ (0)
currently-reading‎ (4)
read‎ (841)

did-not-finish‎ (4)
review-of-the-year‎ (9)
fiction‎ (491)

non-fiction‎ (260)
plays‎ (80)
audio‎ (46)

religion‎ (43)
poetry‎ (11)
children-s-picture‎ (3)

Stats | More…

Brian is Currently Reading

Brian rated a book it was amazing

Death of a Salesman (Penguin Plays)

by Arthur Miller

bookshelves: plays, currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Brian said: " "Attention must be paid."

The only time I saw "Death of a Salesman" professionally performed I was almost 19 and I wept for most of the second act. I have not read or seen it since, but recently returned to it. 16 years after my first encounter with t "Attention must be paid."

The only time I saw "Death of a Salesman" professionally performed I was almost 19 and I wept for most of the second act. I have not read or seen it since, but recently returned to it. 16 years after my first encounter with this piece I still am moved by it, but for very different reasons. I guess that is what makes it a classic.
The protagonist of the play, the iconic Willy Loman, is a frustrating, loser of a man who frankly has been a cruel fool his entire life. He is jealous of people who succeed, even when their success is because of their own merits, he is an adulterer, and he is a dad who wants to be his son's buddy, not his father. In short, he is everything I dislike. I don't feel sympathy for Willy Loman, and when he died I breathed a sigh of relief for his family who has been relieved of the burden of dealing with him. With the exception of his ever faithful wife, Linda, Willy's sons have already relieved themselves of him (to varying degrees). So the "hero" of the play is not noble, and does not meet Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero. So what is the tragedy? Why is the play so important? I think there are two primary reasons.
The first is the relationship between Willy and his sons, especially Biff. Biff and his father love each other very much; they just don't love each other very well. I think there are a lot of fathers and sons who can relate to that dynamic. It made me cringe more than a few times with its poignancy, and accuracy. And watching Biff's frustration with trying to communicate honestly with his father (the fault belonging to them both) was the reason for my weeping all those years ago.
The other reason the play is tragic is because although Willy is a nobody (and I think it is his own doing) he was loved by some people who cared deeply about him. Despite a wonderful wife, some loyal friends that he does not deserve, etc. Willy is always looking for greener grass and never content with what is in front of him. To have some truly good things, primarily family love and friendship, and to spit in its face for decades is the tragedy. Willy was a somebody to them, but it was not enough for him. The tragedy of this piece stems from Willy's ignorance, and also is extended for those who loved him.
There is a lot that can be said about this play, and I don't pretend to be the final word. These are just some thoughts. Read it for yourself; let some of the lovely prose sweep over you. Pay attention to some of Linda's speeches as even out of context they are wonderful. I don't think you will walk away from "Death of a Salesman" unhappy that you read it. ...more "

Jun 13, 2026 08:38AM · see review

Brian is currently reading

Experiencing the Holy Spirit

by Andrew Murray

bookshelves: currently-reading, non-fiction, religion

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

May 30, 2026 10:13AM

Brian is currently reading

Varina

by Charles Frazier

bookshelves: currently-reading, fiction

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

May 30, 2026 10:11AM

See all 4 books that Brian is reading…

Brian’s Quotes

“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.
"Pooh!" he whispered.
"Yes, Piglet?"
"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. "I just wanted to be sure of you.”
― A.A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner

tags: friendship, piglet, pooh, reassurance

19636 likes

“There is only one page left to write on. I will fill it with words of only one syllable. I love. I have loved. I will love.”
― Dodie Smith, I Capture the Castle

tags: love

3119 likes

“Minds were made for blowing.”
― Tom Robbins, Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas

52 likes

“Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot. ”
― Clarence Thomas

54 likes

“Good novels are not written by orthodoxy-sniffers, nor by people who are conscience-stricken about their own unorthodoxy. Good novels are written by people who are not frightened.”
― George Orwell, Inside the Whale: On Writers and Writing

tags: fearlessness-quotes, writers

14 likes

More of Brian’s quotes…