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Holden's childlike dream to be Catcher in the Rye comes just after telling audience story of student's suicide out window. Kids seem to be only people he's not jaded about, but when at museum thinking about them changing a little with each visit, realize he's sad about the impermanence of childhood. His mind seems stuck on the past; he can't conceive of the future. Dead brother only thing he says he likes; trauma.

Holden's mask slips, contrasting with how others perceive him: instantly alienated. He's insufferable but is somewhat self aware (he'd tell himself to shut up if he'd heard himself laughing at a theatre), & doesn't know what to do about it. He makes naive overture to a girl who says 'we're just kids;' realized this book is about loss of innocence while wanting to be mature., Wanting to take part while standing apart.

Self-assured facade but insecurity drips from Holden's prose. Always insisting you believe him, wanting to fit masculine ideal (get laid, win fights). Rages against 'phonies' while being phony (always lying). Trying to seem older than he is, but is childish (wondering where ducks go in winter). Drifting, meandering, futile sort of life, unrooted from traditional sources of meaning (like Camus' Stranger). Funny, too!

Really good but far from the narrative biography I expected--readers should have some familiarity with the Russian Revolution & politics behind it first. As a deep dive in pre-revolution Marxist theory in Caucasia, it's incredible. Suny is amazing at delineating factions. We never get into Stalin's head yet learn tons about his politics. Just takes a lot of patience! Best book I've read so far this year.

Bolsheviks eager to use Tsar strategies to gain dominance. Under Tsar's pretense to democracy, he legalized the Duma, but when they ran against him, he dismissed it & reconstituted it full of loyalists. Now post-revolution, there's a democratic Soviet, but since it isn't conforming to what Bolsheviks want, they want to re-constitute it with loyalists, & now favour the idea of just seizing power as a fringe group.

National question chapter laid groundwork for WW1's outbreak really well, since it dovetails with Bolshevik sentiments on the war. Feb revolution described in few paragraphs, really get the sense you're backstage as familiar events play out. Highlights how Stalin was peripheral until he swooped in to get power. Opportunist, leech. Interesting when he writes his own theory, especially when he differs with Lenin.

An entire chapter just discussing the national question among different socialists. If nothing else this is a great deep dive into socialist/communist thought of the early 1900s. Suny puts you right there among workers & intellectuals as their political consciousness takes shape. But Lenin/Stalin's tyrannical leanings revealed a bit at a time, increasingly narrowing acceptable dialogue, consistently anti-democracy.

Wow, what a majorly disappointing final string of stories. Final story was one of the worst for me. The story only 'works' in a symbolic sense--as a literal sense it fails. Should work on both levels. Sun City had a totally racist protagonist whose bigotry is never addressed. Some good stories in here (first one by far the best) but most are meh or worse. Many feel like long-winded jokes with poor punch lines.

Many stories about leaving feeling of dread instead of pure horror. Usually operate around slowly revealing info to prompt reader into guessing most of what's going on, topped off by a twist that 'puts the pieces into place.' Results vary--pulled off very well in Bug House; ends up being laughably lame in Stranger in the House. So far only 3 or 4 (out of the 10 I've read) have been really worth it.

First story blew me away, set the bar super high, but made me think I'd better space these out because it was upsetting! But it's almost a false expectation because next few stories were silly, more black humour than anything. So now I'm not sure what to expect! But have a feeling they wanted to build this collection around a few amazing stories, padded out with some dull ones. That first story though! o.O;;

Stalin's stances moderating to allow broader range in the party; willing to work with Duma/proletariat now. Not out of genuine conviction but because of opportunism, it seems. Lenin way more exclusionary but complains when people leave. Exiles just bicker while Stalin wants to get back into things because he can't stand theory. Political climate really changed after Tsar started reneging his 1905 promises!

Lenin's black spot anecdote about smearing opponents another red flag (no pun intended) of things to come. They disparage anyone willing to use duma/Kadet alliance to fight for rights even though this route may be more stable. Marx/Engels historical materialism discarded; Stalin says "if Marx didn't agree, we should change his writing so that he does." Rooting for Mensheviks & surprised they're still dominant faction

Wow, what a lame ending. Holy crap I don't know why this guy is so famous. I guess he can thank Spielberg for making something out of this turd. Reminds me of Jaws book vs movie.

Stalin more a 'Leninist' than Lenin, deciding no room for negotiating any of Lenin's stances even though Lenin shows himself making concessions to Mensheviks after 1905 revolution. Glimpses of what might have been accomplished had Tsar followed through on Duma reforms. Thinking book might be challenging for those new to subject. Meant to entice with pop history presentation but places where info is cursory.

Must have appetite for political theory to appreciate this section; also reader should have some knowledge of the conditions under Tsar that led to movements like this. I fit that! Both factions know there's magic ratio of workers/theorists in party--they disagree on ratio. Didn't know Mensheviks were so favored in Georgia! Bolshevik strats against voting & workers majority presages their tyranny once power is taken.

Stalin returns, but peers skeptical due to Batumi fiasco & national 'Bundist' proclivities. Menshevik/Bolshevik split, tho latter not certain to win out yet, especially as their theory of workers being incapable of praxis without being led by smart people is being disproven daily by huge labour movement going on without Bolshevik input. Learning lots about Leninism, though theory sections might drag on some readers.

Stalin gets to exile, says 'fuck y'all I'm out' & leaves! Funny cop incompetence; they literally lose track of Stalin & think he's escaped while he's still in prison, send a spy to a secret meeting where it's too dark to identify anyone & he can't understand the language they're speaking, a spy tailing Stalin gets detained by a cop because Stalin pretends he's the spy & sics the cops on the real spy. 3 Stooges shit.

Stalin kicked out by Baku movement, starts fresh in Batumi, culminating in 1902 strike/massacre. Results continue debate between ekonomisty & politiki. Latter argues violent flashpoints are good because they drive people to the cause, former believe they should avoid arrest/violence for workers. You can see Stalin/Lenin's tyrant side in their insistence that the massacre will have net positives for movement.

'Historical Materialism' helped contextualize the strategic thinking of rebels in this book. There's an order that socialism is meant to be achieved & Russia doesn't exactly fit Marx/Engel outline w/o a bourgeois class. Relation between workers/intelligentsia is crux of debate instead, w/ Lenin/Stalin believing workers need them more than vice-versa, a foreshadow of their tyrannical top-down policies. Really enjoying

Everyone in this is dumb as a brick. Kids totally change character from one scene to next depending on what's needed at the time, especially Lex (are you shell-shocked or fearless?). Chaos theory badly explained by Malcolm who is way more obnoxious here than in movie. Even though I'm not a big fan of movie either, it knew how to sand down the rough edges while propping up the strengths of the book.

Stalin underground! Struck by 'illegal printing press;' Soviets later made unofficial printers illegal. Also love that so much of this era in his life was distorted later to make it seem he stood apart/above his rebel peers & raved about 'Lenin' before Lenin used that name. Author sets the hagiographies straight. Would like him to expound more on Marxist theory; maybe I'll read some alongside this. Very into it!

Seeking signs of what Stalin becomes, aided by Suny sprinkling dark reminders: he was called Koba by friends all his life; Suny points to an example of someone pleading for their life before execution as an example! Also, seminary school involved spying & ratting on each other, rebel students had to copy out subversive texts by hand (as anti-USSR activists did later). 'Trust' virtue is warped into blind loyalty, etc.

Says Stalin's mom didn't give up on him becoming a priest even when he ruled the biggest nation on earth. That line right in the middle of describing the boyhood of this sensitive kid was jarring in best way. Russification's effect on his village gave me People's Tragedy flashbacks, & I realized how much worse things will get. Author admits sneakily using subject to get people to read about Georgia. It's working!

Achebe keeps the reader at arms length. Even though events were tragic, it was hard to care because of flat style. The backstory of Ekwefi & her 9 children all dying young was the most I cared, & that part was skimmed & never mentioned again. I'd call this book 'sparse.' Though I liked underlying theme of tradition & duty, masculinity & pride, & some of the laconic style worked, it never fully clicked with me.

Similarities to Devil on the Cross--heavy use of proverbs, no contractions in prose, heavily gendered & superstitious life (though Achebe seems not to push against gender norms). Much darker, though. People abandoning newborn twins in the woods, rampant normalized abuse, reciprocal murder, etc. Lots about tradition/duty, inter-generational punishment. Fables used to parallel events & characters. Decent, not amazing.

Hokey & cheesy, lots of B sci-fi tropes/sensibilities, but fun. I like the slow reveal of what's going on (even though the title gives it away) and some aspects of the premise are pretty cool. Strange for me since most men my age were nuts about the movie as kids, but I only saw it when I was maybe 27 & only thought it was mid. The cultural phenomenon missed me so looking at it as an outsider, I'm jus lukewarm on it.

Enjoying learning Andean cultures in detail, especially since I've now been to a bunch of the places talked about! Surprised at vastness of Incan road system (25,000 miles) & speed which relay messengers covered it (150 miles/day). They had jails too apparently. Their admin system was very complex, with people governing units of 100 homes, 1000, etc. Penal system brutal, especially if you messed with agriculture!