This book is oddly relevant to the current political climate of our world. As I have been trying my best to escape that over the past few years, maybeThis book is oddly relevant to the current political climate of our world. As I have been trying my best to escape that over the past few years, maybe this book was not the best one to read right now!
However, it is a very interesting and thought-provoking book with the theater of politics at its core. Friends become enemies and enemies become friends all depending on which leader is saying what is right and what is wrong at the time. We watch one of the fathers of a political philosophy become one of its victims as a new rank of ideas comes to power. In the process, he becomes jailed with the very people he was responsible for putting there. Also, people he knows become guilty by association even though they really haven’t done anything at all.
Really it is all just one big chess match where nothing has really changed except for perceptions and which people decide which ideas are going to be executed. It would almost be funny if it is not so scary in its consequences.
4 stars for this interesting exploration into political folly. But not something to read if you don’t want to be frustrated and possibly angered by the futility of people killing each other over who has the “right” political idea at the time. ...more
This book was a very pleasant surprise! Not that I was expecting I wouldn’t like it, I just never know with classics on must read lists. Often it is hThis book was a very pleasant surprise! Not that I was expecting I wouldn’t like it, I just never know with classics on must read lists. Often it is hard for me to determine what about the book gets people excited about it or what exactly made it a classic. With Death Comes for the Archbishop, it was not difficult to see the appeal at all!
I listened to this book in its entirety in one sitting on the road coming back from Spring Break. The storytelling and the characters were a great way to pass the time and end a fantastic vacation. I wish all books I try as “road books” ended up being this good because I have encountered some that try their best to put me to sleep!
The structure of the plot is a series of short stories all taking place in the world of missionaries in the American Southwest during the expansion of the country. The story is influenced by a lot of real-life circumstances involving cultural clashes, native people, cowboys/frontiersmen, and old religion vs new religion. The characters you meet along the way are extremely interesting and extremely fascinating to follow on their journey.
One thing I think I appreciated the most about this book is that it is quick and too the point. Often it seems like these classics drag things out unnecessarily and it starts to get kind of bloated and boring. Cather sticks to what is important and keeps the story moving along which is I think is much better than overdoing it with excess exposition.
You should give this one a try – I hope you will be pleasantly surprised as well! ...more
I swear that I read this when I was younger, but when I went to add this to Goodreads as a re-read (it was the January selection for my Completist BooI swear that I read this when I was younger, but when I went to add this to Goodreads as a re-read (it was the January selection for my Completist Book Club), I did not find it in my list. And, because this is one of those books that has a plot people tend to know because of movies and/or its general pop culture relevance, it is difficult for me to know which parts of my memories of this are from the book and which are from other places. But, re-read or not, I am glad I read it in January 2022.
This is classic sci fi. It is easy to see how many parts of this led to the tropes we see in literary and cinematic sci-fi today. And it is pretty amazing the creativity Wells had for coming up with such vivid and scientifically based alien technology and biology. This book was way ahead of its time!
While the setting is late 1800s England (horse carriages, telegrams, etc.), it is not hard to picture this in a modern setting. Wells did a great job making the story timeless. Often when I read books set in this era, they may be good, but they can also feel dated – not a bad thing, it is just that time moves on. But, with this one, society may have advanced, but it did not feel like time had moved on.
If you love the classics and/or love sci-fi and you have not read this book, I feel like it is a must for you to get it on your list right away. I was leaning toward 4 stars on this book, but the classic status and the effect it has had on sci fi over the years push that up to 5 stars!...more
“Seems to be a deep instinct in human beings for making everything compulsory that isn't forbidden.”
Politics and space . . . not a surprise when readi“Seems to be a deep instinct in human beings for making everything compulsory that isn't forbidden.”
Politics and space . . . not a surprise when reading Heinlein. With his writing will always be some very interesting sci-fi space travel, action, etc., but the political allegory is also always there. And, while some authors hide the point they are making under the story, I feel like Heinlein unapologetically puts his right on the surface. Sometimes this has not worked for me (I was not a huge fan of Stranger in a Strange Land), but with The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, I found the balance perfect; not only was I entertained by the sci-fi, but it made me think without feeling like I was being preached at (too much).
But as you can see with the quote below . . . as I said . . . it is right there on the surface!
“A rational anarchist believes that concepts such as "state" and "society" and "government" have no existence save as physically exemplified in the acts of self-responsible individuals. He believes that it is impossible to shift blame, share blame, distribute blame. . . as blame, guilt, responsibility are matters taking place inside human beings singly and nowhere else. But being rational, he knows that not all individuals hold his evaluations, so he tries to live perfectly in an imperfect world. . . aware that his effort will be less than perfect yet undismayed by self-knowledge of self-failure.”
If you like just straight up action sci-fi to mainly escape with for a while, Heinlein may not be for you. But if you are a fan of a bit of political introspection in the midst of your Artificial Intelligence and laser battles, this book is worth trying. ...more
Brideshead Revisited is an early 1900’s soap opera. The themes of relationships, alcoholism, religion, etc. – and the conflicts caused by each – serveBrideshead Revisited is an early 1900’s soap opera. The themes of relationships, alcoholism, religion, etc. – and the conflicts caused by each – serve to spice up this story. At times I was reminded of Downton Abbey, Poldark, and other stories of that ilk. While I do enjoy drama set in that era, I did find this one to be a bit drier than I care for. But overall I enjoyed it and would say it is about 3.5 out of 5 stars....more
I got a comment on this review today hinting at the fact that it is taking me months to finish the last 5% and that sounds like a bad deal . . . so, II got a comment on this review today hinting at the fact that it is taking me months to finish the last 5% and that sounds like a bad deal . . . so, I figured it is about time I finally write my review. I did finish this book back in October, but I have not been all that inspired to write a review. That is partially a product of a year+ long book slump I have been going through. It is also partially because this was a very big book with lots to absorb and, because I was slumping, I am not really sure I can do it justice. So, you may want to take my review of this with a grain of salt as I am not sure it would reflect my experience with it during a better year.
Overall – I would give this book 3.5 to 4 stars.
I don’t really know a lot about the history of India, so it was interesting to learn about mid-20th Century India through this book. I cannot say that I know if Rushdie did a good job of being historically accurate – but, it sure feels like he did and I have not seen any complaints hinting at the contrary.
There was a lot of magical realism and mysticism in the story. In general – I tend to really like magical realism. There are a few authors who use magical realism a lot that do not click with me - the main one that comes to mind is Gabriel García Márquez. And, having read One Hundred Years of Solitude recently, Midnight’s Children had a very similar feeling to it. In fact, I would not be surprised if I were to hear that Rushdie was trying to write this book in the same vein. However, and not that I can quantify it in any particular way, I liked Midnight’s Children more than Solitude . . . maybe I just found it more accessible?
Should you read this book?
If you are working your way through the classics and are ready for an epic and complex book – definitely!
If you are not ready for something heavy, extensive, a bit odd, and requiring focused thought, you may want to wait. I go back to the fact that I read this for a book club during a slump – if it was not for that, I think I would have stopped and saved this until my head was in a better and more focused place. ...more
My experience with Gabriel García Márquez so far ( Love in the Time of Cholera and One Hundred Years of Solitude) have not been my favorite reading eMy experience with Gabriel García Márquez so far ( Love in the Time of Cholera and One Hundred Years of Solitude) have not been my favorite reading experiences. I feel that I did enjoy One Hundred Years of Solitude more, but in general I do not think his writing is for me. However, this does not discredit in anyway the writing and story – and I can very easily see why some people like his writing and why it is considered a classic.
I am sure people want an explanation of why I cannot give Márquez and his books a glowing review. Mainly, I just think the subject matter and style are not for me. While I usually enjoy magical realism, the way that he tells his various stories only gets me truly invested 1/5 of the time. The rest of the time I tend to be either bored and/or confused. Often, I find myself revisiting sections to make sure I understood what I had just experienced. With that being said, I did find myself more invested and interested in this book over Cholera – is that because it is a better book or because I knew better what I was getting into? I am not sure.
This book is worth a try if you want an interesting atmospheric, genre-specific historical fiction story (I hope that description makes sense . . . it made sense to me in my mind!). Also, it is worth trying if you are “collecting the classics”. But, if you are looking for an exciting or riveting read, I think chances are low that you will find it here....more
I need to read up on the background behind this book as I am not sure how much is fiction and how much is just actually history told as a story by a cI need to read up on the background behind this book as I am not sure how much is fiction and how much is just actually history told as a story by a character who lived it. To me, Historical Fiction means a fiction story set in a historical time period and maybe told with real historical figures. In this case I am thinking it is more than that; not really a fictional story at all but could possibly be characterized as non-fiction.
I was fascinated by this story. It is a time period that I am aware of but that I don’t really know much about. I knew some of the characters names and a bit about their reputations, but this book really filled in everything else for me. At times it was a bit heavy and I found my mind wandering – picture listening to a history lecture – but I do like history in general, so I was able to enjoy the majority of the book.
One thing that might get tiresome for you if you decide to read this is that it is a bit repetitive. Now, that is not the fault of the author. In this case, the history itself was very repetitive and it was usually the not so pleasant stuff (murder, suicide, corruption, etc.) that was repeated. I guess you could say that it is an early Soap Opera!
This book is not for everyone. If you don’t like history or in-depth – sometimes sterile – narration of events, I don’t think it is worth giving this a try. But, if you like history, tales of the Roman Empire, the development of early Europe, etc. it may be a book that you will enjoy....more
V is for Vendetta is one of those graphic novels that I would think that everyone at least kind of knows about due to the 2005 movie with Natalie PortV is for Vendetta is one of those graphic novels that I would think that everyone at least kind of knows about due to the 2005 movie with Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving or the fact that the Guy Fawkes mask from it has become a popular pop culture symbol. It has been a long time since I have seen the movie, but it feels like in many ways it followed the graphic novel closely. But, if you want the full experience of the story as it was meant to be, reading the graphic novel is a must.
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This was definitely the longest it ever took me to complete a graphic novel. This is not the fault of the graphic novel itself, it just happened to be chosen as the monthly read for one of my book clubs when I was in the midst of one of the worst reading slumps of my life. Because of this, I never really gained any momentum with this one. So, do not look at the length of time it took me to read this one and it does not really reflect my experience with it at all.
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However, I would not say I am in with the people who were blown away by this book or feel like the experience is life changing. I know that this story has a passionate following considering it has become the symbol of how some people feel about government in general. It is very easy to see why this is the case as this book doesn’t pull any punches in the same way that 1984 didn’t pull any punches. And, while I can 100% appreciate that, I didn’t quite connect with this as much as I had hoped. I truly think that this relates to the fact that time in my life that I met this book. Over the past few years of dealing with political debate in America, I have become quite exhausted with it all, so I think this felt like reading the news that I have been trying to avoid!
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All that being said, it is a good and thought-provoking story. If you enjoy dystopian fiction and don’t mind when it doesn’t fall too far from the reality tree, then you will find something here to scratch your reading itch.
I have never quite read a book like this one. It was a bit difficult to follow and stay interested in (as evidenced in There is brilliance in madness.
I have never quite read a book like this one. It was a bit difficult to follow and stay interested in (as evidenced in the fact that it is only 300 pages but took me about 9 months to read. But, at the same time, I enjoyed it, its themes, and its symbolism quite a lot. I think this is one that can benefit from doing some side research and interpretation while you are reading it.
The book is written as if it is a true story and the author (Charles Kinbote) is a biographer for the main character (John Shade) and is interpreting his poem, that takes up a few dozen pages, with a couple hundred pages of footnotes (which is where the main story lies). At times Charles is very frank and sincere, at other times he is borderline unhinged. While it is all fiction, it was interesting to try to extrapolate the truth from the exaggerations in the story.
If you try this one, go in knowing that it is likely unlike anything you have ever read before. Embrace the differences. Then, when confusion sets in, take a break and have a nice cup of tea – it will be waiting for you when you return! ...more
I did enjoy this book, but in the end I was left wondering what it was all for? It richly develops with lots of details to suddenly come3 to 3.5 stars
I did enjoy this book, but in the end I was left wondering what it was all for? It richly develops with lots of details to suddenly come to an end without anything really happening. Basically - here is Oscar's life, some background on why things are the way they are, and here's where it all ended up. The end.
If you like really detailed Historical Fiction, this is the book for you. There is a lot of very descriptive and thorough information about the political and social structure of the Dominican Republic in the mid-20th century. This is something you are really going to love if it is your thing, or it may bring the book to a halt (and cause a few DNFs) if it is not.
The overall language and the treatment of women in this this book is a sign of the times. If you have issues reading historically accurate but rude and crass language and behavior, proceed with caution. The n-word appears a lot and any inappropriate description of a woman you can think of can be found in these pages. Again, accurate to the time and place, but maybe something you should consider before reading.
Overall, a great Historical Fiction read, but the story and its seeming lack of purpose left me wanting more....more
I have to admit something kind of embarrassing here. I have never really given much thought to the title of this book. Also, there has never been muchI have to admit something kind of embarrassing here. I have never really given much thought to the title of this book. Also, there has never been much reason for me to use leagues as a unit of measurement. But, up until reading this book I always thought of the "Leagues Under the Sea" as the distance under the surface they go. But, actually, it is indicating a distance AROUND the world that they are travelling under the water. So, yeah . . . my face is a bit red!
Verne may be the king of speculative sci-fi. He wrote so many books covering scientific discoveries that were just conjecture at the time, but ended up coming true. Maybe not all of it ended up in reality, but a lot of it did. I had to keep reminding myself that the things that sounded pretty normal for submarine travel were remarkable and unheard of at the time.
I am not sure if this classic will appeal to all. Some of the sections do get repetitive and tend towards dryness. However, for me, the whole experience was worth it and I am glad to add another classic to my list of books read....more
I feel like reviewing this could be dangerous. There are many who have strong feelings about this book. Also, as my statWhat just happened to me . . .
I feel like reviewing this could be dangerous. There are many who have strong feelings about this book. Also, as my status updates for this were hitting Twitter, I was getting several likes from random Pynchon fans, so I feel like this could be under more of a microscope than usual.
So . . . here is how I am going to do this review. The first paragraph will be my experience with the book and my star review. This is strictly my experience and does not reflect on how I feel others should feel about this book. If it triggers anyone, that is not my intention . . . but nothing surprises me anymore. After that I will have just a few bullet point observations that are not necessarily pros or cons, but just things that went through my mind while reading.
Here goes!
Overall . . . I am giving this book 3 stars. At times I felt like I was at 1 star and ready to give up. At other times I was at 5 stars and what I was reading was creative genius. So, it only seems fair to average things out around 3. It was not an easy book to read, follow, or stay interested in. I often found my mind wandering and had to go back several times to recap. But, when a section stuck with me, it really stuck with me and, overall, it is a book I will not forget.
Now . . . random Gravity’s Rainbow thoughts . . .
- If David Foster Wallace was not partially inspired by this book to write Infinite Jest, I would be very surprised. There is such a similar feel between the two. - Throughout the book I also kept thinking this felt at times like Catch-22 (released 12 years before this book), so I feel like Pynchon must have had some inspiration from that classic. - I heard that this book won the Pulitzer, but they retracted the award because of the extreme nature of the content. After reading the book, I am not saying it is right that they did it, but I can say that I am not surprised. - If you are sensitive or easily offended (and blush easily), this may not be the book for you. It has been a long time since I have been this shocked about things that were put down on the page. Also, proceed with caution when reading my next bullet point. - If there was a book about The History of the Penis, it would refer to penises less than this book does. To be blunt, I think penises (and ejaculation) came up so much in this book as a symbolism of rockets, their trajectory, and the force of a launch. - This is a book I feel you might need online resources to help you get through/understand it. It has so much bizarre stream of conscious imagery and so many outlandish plot points that a little extra help won’t hurt.
I am going to stop there for now, but this book was so long and led to so many thoughts while I was on my journey that I may come back later to add additional bullet points as I think of/remember them.
Do I recommend this book? Did you like Catch-22 and Infinite Jest? Do you like very epic, very bizarre stories that will likely make your head hurt but also might blow your mind? Are you trying to complete a list of recommended books? Then yes! But otherwise . . . no or proceed with extreme caution. ...more
I did not expect Dante’s Inferno to be easy, but it was not as hard as I expected it to be.
In order to make sure that I gave it my all, over the coursI did not expect Dante’s Inferno to be easy, but it was not as hard as I expected it to be.
In order to make sure that I gave it my all, over the course of about 40 days I listened to it twice, had a physical copy that I skimmed and referenced, looked at online study guides, and discussed with some of my Goodreads friends. While I still feel there is more here to be learned and grasped due to all the symbolism and word craft used by Dante, I feel like I at least got a good feel for it in my Divine Comedy rookie status.
During my time with it, I probably looked at three or four different translations. Some of them seemed to be a bit more termed for the layman, but with others you could better see the poetry of Dante. I suppose to really get a feel for how Dante intended it I would need learn Italian (Tuscan Italian to be specific – according to Wikipedia). If you decide to give it a go, I think it may be best to not just settle on one translation but be flexible and try out a few to see which one gives you the best experience.
As I mentioned in my introductory sentence, it was not as hard as I expected it to be. I thought going in that I would be totally confused, and it would be hard to stay focused. But the narrative was enjoyable and not to hard to follow. It was the poetry and the symbolism that makes this one a bit more complex. So many different elements of mythology, literary history, religion, and world history are referenced that it kept my brain on its toes. I mentioned that this felt like an introductory experience because I could probably go back and spend hours on each Canto researching all the things referenced.
While it was a bit of a labor, I am pleased with my overall experience with Inferno and I will likely give the rest of the Divine Comedy a look sometime in the future. ...more
I went in without really having any expectations other than knowing that it was a classic novel addressing the trials and triInvisible Man is unique.
I went in without really having any expectations other than knowing that it was a classic novel addressing the trials and tribulations faced by the black community in the mid-1900s. While it is that, the experience of the tragic hero of the novel is very bizarre, trippy, and somewhat unexpected. It is told in a way to make sure it reflects on a variety of possible experiences a black man might face during the time period. But, because Ellison is covering so many in one book and they are delivered in such quick succession, your head might be spinning before it is done.
I was surprised at how accessible the writing is. Sometimes I am nervous going into a classic worried that I will be spending more time getting comfortable with the writing style than actually absorbing the story. With Invisible Man, the writing and narrative are very easy to follow, and it only requires a little extra concentration because of the sudden narrative jumps.
A lot of the frustrations encountered by our protagonist sound very familiar to what is encountered in America today. Maybe some of it a bit different because times have changed, but it is still concerning that a story written 70 years ago can feel so current. I will equate my feelings on this to a discussion I had with my wife about the show Mad Men. For those who have not seen it, the main storylines are always affected by what is happening in America in the late 50s and 60s. We noted how amazing it is how all the plots around the handling of racial inequality do not sound much different than today. Many may look at the news and say “Wow, 2020 is crazy! I cannot believe what the response to racial inequality has become!” But, if you take the time to look back, it has been this way for a long time – you may just not have been listening or watching close enough!
A very good book worth checking out – both because it is a good and interesting story, but also because of the message it has to share. ...more
I really wish I like this one more than I did. I have heard about it for years and have seen it on many must read lists. I kept waiting for it to clicI really wish I like this one more than I did. I have heard about it for years and have seen it on many must read lists. I kept waiting for it to click with me, but it never did.
It is not a bad book and my rating only reflects my experience with it. It is well written and the different stories in it are all interesting, but my mind kept wandering. I feel like there was not enough to keep me focused. As I can tell from other reviews, this is not an issue for many other people. But, when I got to the end and it hadn't clicked, I knew it was not going only must read list.
I think one of the biggest issues for me was keeping the characters and timelines straight in the midst of frequent story jumps. I think there were some stories/characters that started their telling early in the book and then didn't come back until late in the book. Because of this I had trouble putting two and two together.
I say it is worth trying because you will likely not have the same experience I did. But, if you do, don't say I didn't warn you!...more
The first thing that I must admit is that I liked this book much more than I expected to like it. I think I judged this book by its many sort of borinThe first thing that I must admit is that I liked this book much more than I expected to like it. I think I judged this book by its many sort of boring covers and the fact that it sounded like a dry classic in some descriptions I read. I know, “BAD MATTHEW!” As a voracious reader I should not make assumptions and I should go in with an open mind. But, at least with my pre-conceived notions being disproved, I was pleasantly surprised.
While this book has many characters, the story is not complex. This is good because I could focus on keeping the characters straight instead of the story straight! It is basically a story of how late 1800s high society in New York handles behavior they feel unbecoming of their station. It is especially “shocking” when one of their own becomes involved and forgets his place. Scandalous indeed!
I enjoyed the characters and felt strongly – both positively a negatively – about many of them. I did a lot of head shaking. I did a lot of feeling sorry. I did a lot of not being able to believe how people viewed and treated each other. What we see as rather commonplace today in relationships was not to be tolerated back then. I suppose that is reflected in the title of the book – it was an age of innocence – even the smallest sins were too taboo for daily life and not to be accepted or discussed in public forum. I am interested to discuss this further with the book club I read this for and in comment discussion on this review. I am still trying to figure out what the commentary the author was trying to make. I almost feel like the author’s point could be interpreted as “This is how it was – no subtext implied – you decide how you feel about these people and the way they treated each other.”
I have no problem recommending this if you are looking for a classic to read. If you are a fan of historical fiction and/or scandalous gossip stories I don’t think you can go wrong here. After this, I look forward to trying even more Edith Wharton. ...more
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