The book won't take you more than an hour or two to read (most likely), and I think it's a worthwhile view to explore, especially now as we enter a new year. To all of you, thanks very much for reading thus far, and I promise more to come (The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is my current book so expect to see a post on that in the next week or two).
Quite recently, I was catching up on Criminal Minds Season 9, and watched an episode that stuck with me. The show of course shows many horrific scenarios, but this one was thought provoking. The detectives in the show were working to catch a man that was lobotomizing his victims. Working with a man that the assailant had allowed to escape, the team tried to solve the case. However, given the operation, the man was left unable to speak or move, so the team had to get him to spell out works using a pallet with the alphabet listed. The trauma that Jean-Dominique Bauby suffered after a stroke at age 43 was not unlike the character in the episode. While his mind remained largely intact, his body ceased functioning as it had. Bauby essentially became locked in, unable to speak or move. His book, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly or Le Scaphandre et le Papillon in the original French, a little over a hundred pages, was written letter by letter (literally) with the help of an interpreter who held up a panel with the alphabet listed and transcribed the sentences that the famed Elle magazine editor had composed in his mind. It is nearly impossible to critique a novel like this, I think. The writing is clear and sparse, and the imagery is beautiful. Through his writing, Bauby allows his readers to experience locked in syndrome, the frustration of being unable to communicate. I think this is well worth a read for anyone interested in the condition or who wants a fresh perspective on what it means to be alive. The book is split-categorized, as memoir and inspiration. I dislike the latter attribution for books in general. Nevertheless, Bauby's resolve to capture his perspective from such a diminished state, and explain to the world what living could be is entirely admirable. He died just two years after suffering the stroke, only three days after the novel was published.
The book won't take you more than an hour or two to read (most likely), and I think it's a worthwhile view to explore, especially now as we enter a new year. To all of you, thanks very much for reading thus far, and I promise more to come (The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is my current book so expect to see a post on that in the next week or two).
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Firstly, Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to all of you. I'm a bit behind in getting posts to you guys. I've buried myself in quite a lengthy history over this vacation, and and it's been a bit of a slog thus far. I debated actually whether or not I would even write a post for Anthony Marra's A Constellation of Vital Phenomena given my reaction to the book. Better or worse, here goes. Marra's debut novel is set during the Second Chechen War, and concerns the life of a little girl named Havaa, after her father is taken by Russian soldiers. After his removal, a neighbor, Akhmed, brings her to a local hospital, trusting a doctor, Sonia, with her safekeeping. What initially attracted me to the book was the subject. I knew virtually nothing about Chechnya or the two wars that spanned the last 20 years. We heard rumblings about the region when the Boston bombers were identified as ethnically Chechen; previously, the region had scarcely come up on my radar. For those unfamiliar, as I was, Chechnya is a republic of the Russian Federation. It is situated in Eastern Europe, bordering Georgia. The region is predominantly Muslim and has been marked by conflict with Russia for much of recent memory. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Chechnya has been seeking independence from Russia. The First Chechen War lasted from 1994-1996, and brought large scale losses to fighters and civilians. Russia gained control, bringing conflict to an end, briefly. The Second Chechen War lasted from 1999 - 2009, and like the previous war brought about devastating loss. Since 2009, broader fighting has ceased, though insurgent attacks still occur. I had little idea beyond the basic blub presented alongside the book, of what Marra's novel would cover and where the story would go. Unfortunately, having finished, I can't say I am totally clear about what actually happened. Before purchasing the book, I was reading the reviews on Amazon, and the contrast between the "most helpful" favorable and critical assessments stood out: Well, the one at right certainly piqued my interest and it was reviews like this that ultimately convinced me to give it a chance. As I read through the critical review (the writer comments that "I just didn't quite 'get it'"), I thought that the commentator must not have read carefully enough. Or the book was super literary and he just didn't understand what the author was doing directionally. Having finished the book, I place myself in Mr. Hoffer's camp - I just don't feel like I fully got it.
Marra's novel is certainly an exercise in tone. The book is murky, things are done in secret, and the plot is generally hazy. Certainly, the author was conjuring the feeling of being an innocent Chechen at the time of the conflict. In addition, the continual shifts between past and present contribute to the general confusion in the setting. For the characters central to the novel, life is a continual process of change and adjustment, with family and friends constantly disappearing, some to never return. However, as a result, the details of the story are somewhat obscured. Marra does continually intertwine the elements of the various character's stories, but given the general obfuscation of the setting, this literary handiwork feels contrived. For me, beyond the general sense of the dire circumstances and psychological trauma that these conflicts brought about, I take away little else. While the characters were distinct, and even relatable, I do not think these are personalities that will stay with me unfortunately. I wanted more from this book, and I think perhaps would benefit from a rereading. But, to be honest, I probably won't pick this one up again, I'm accepting the tone and haziness of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena as my key takeaway. Everywhere I look, I'm seeing these best of 2013 lists. None of the book ones have really nailed it for me yet, so I thought maybe I'd try to compile a list of my own (note, these are books that I read in 2013, not necessarily those published this year). Here they are, in no particular order (mostly because I can't really decide on an order with the exception of the first one listed). The Fort of Nine Towers | Qais Akbar Omar I was and remain completely obsessed with this book. I recommend it to practically everyone I know. The writing is beautiful and the story is so compelling. Qais Akbar Omar writes of his childhood in Afghanistan, growing up throughout the various regimes - Soviet, Taliban, American. It is the story of a family and of survivors in a land that has been completely torn apart by strife. We in the U.S. often hear about Afghanistan on the news, but rarely do we get to hear about it from someone who grew up there. Reading this book felt like listening to a symphony, it was so melodic and beautiful. Omar left me wanting more and more of his writing and stories. The Fault in Our Stars | John Green This was one of the first books that I read in 2013, and I believe they are making a movie set to be released in 2014 (so read it before you watch!). This is technically young adult fiction, but the story is beautiful (and heartbreaking). If you cry when you read, you'll be a mess after this one, but oh what a story. Green writes of a young girl who is fighting cancer, while experiencing some of the normalcy of being a teen, falling in love, fighting with your parents, and trying to get through high school. This book has quote after quote, so get your highlighter ready. It's a book that's easy to read and even easier to recommend. In The Heart of the Sea, The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex | Nathaniel Philbrick This one might not be for everyone, I'll say that up front. I LOVED it. But, I love any story, movie, article, really anything that concerns large marine life. This is a work of non-fiction, that will transport you back to the late 1700s. The American Colonies are still forming. Essex, Massachusetts, is a town on the coast whose primary occupation is whaling in the South Pacific. In the tale that inspire Herman Melville's Moby Dick, the whaleship Essex finds itself rammed by a sperm whale with a vengeance, leaving the sailors shipwrecked and fighting to survive on life rafts. It will truly be unlike anything you've read about early American history before, and Philbrick is a wonderful historical writer. The Boys in the Boat | Daniel James Brown One of my favorite books of all time is Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken, and I am constantly looking for a history book as well written with a story as compelling. I cannot tell you that The Boys in the Boat is that book, but it does come pretty close. Daniel James Brown tells the story of the 1936 U.S. Olympic Rowing Team. The story starts during the Great Depression, chronicling the upbringing of Joe Rantz, who was raised on a farm by a very poor family before enrolling in the University of Washington. The book focuses primarily on the personalities that make up the team and the difficulties they overcame to be the team rowing in the Berlin Olympics. Meanwhile, Brown reminds readers that Hitler's Germany is simultaneously growing in power and threatening to ruin the nine American's quest for Gold. The races are written such that the reader feels like they are there in real time, and the characters seem close enough to touch. This was a wonderful book, and I wholeheartedly recommend. The Luminaries | Eleanor Catton This book has topped quite a few lists as one of the best books of 2013. I do not disagree. Eleanor Catton's book won the Man Booker Prize this year. It's a very literary novel, and quite a long read as well. But, at the heart, The Luminaries is a murder mystery set in nineteenth century New Zealand. There are two possible modes of reading the book (the plot track, those who want to enjoy a good story, and the symbolism track, for some of us English majors out there). Catton assigns each of her characters to one of the signs of the zodiac and then sets the planets in movement, playing out her various scenes based on the astrological implications. I posted a two part review on Bookasaurus (Part I and Part II) for those that want to dig deeper. This novel is highly rewarding, but not for the casual reader. Despite having a book queue that is about 10 – 15 deep, I struggle at times with choosing where to go next. Which is exactly the rut I found myself in after finishing Running the Rift, and indeed am still in having just finished another. I choose the unfortunately titles Between Shades of Grey, because it was already downloaded in my Kindle app (my mom had previously read for her book club). I read The Book Thief maybe four years ago, and loved it, and thought that from the basic plot outline this book might be similar. I did realize before starting it that this is technically a “young-adult” novel, but so was The Fault in our Stars, and that probably makes my top of 2013 list. Between Shades of Grey is about a Lithuanian family that is forcibly removed from their home during World War II. I had never read anything about the Eastern European / Soviet dynamics during the war. Sixteen year old Lina is deported to Siberia along with her mother and her brother. The group is kept in circumstances that are synonymous with the concentration camps in Western Europe. Many starve or are worked to death. As Lina’s mother fights to keep what remains of her family alive and together, Lina, an artist, works to document the personalities that they meet and the events that befall them. The book certainly warrants it’s classification in the young adult genre. The plot moves very quickly, making it quite possible to read all 350-something pages in one sitting. But, the complexity of the story is low. The language is not difficult, which plays into the speed at which the plot continues. I think the ending is the other aspect that buckets this in the young adult genre. To speak in terms of the classic structure of literature, the book’s “falling action” and “dénouement” occur in about five pages. It simply wraps up much too quickly and much too neatly, leaving me looking sometwhat like this: To be honest, I didn't take that much away from this book. I enjoyed the reading of it, but the too clean ending ruined it for me. It was a very quick read, and the plot was compelling though. I did become aware of an aspect of world history that I had not previously been conscious of, which was the forced deportation of Eastern Europe by the Soviets. I think I might recommend this to middle school teachers and maybe to certain book clubs. I truly did enjoy the story, but the way that it concluded was so disappointing that I will probably sooner forget it, than pass the title along.
I suppose I should clarify up front, I read a lot of depressing books. Or what others might think of as depressing given their subject matter. For the most part, however, they do not make me overly sad in reality while reading or once I have finished. I empathize with the characters as the plot moves forward, but rarely am I left depressed about events that took place. Having issued that disclaimer, I had been reading articles on Buzzfeed books (or actually, since it's Buzzfeed, let's be honest and say I was more just looking at pictures) and came across one suggesting a few more serious reads for Christmas vacation. Naturally, that was right up my alley (beach books and I are not best buds). On that list were a few books on the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. I chose the first one, which was Running The Rift. Benaron's book concerns a young man named Jean Patrick (I did not like his name so I just kept calling him Jean Pierre in my head - thought it rolled off the tongue better) who grew up in Rwanda amidst conflict between the Tutsi and the Hutu. For those who do not know much about this conflict, it centers around physical differences of people in this part of East Africa. Essentially, and this is admittedly simplistic, the Tutsi are taller, lighter skinned, and leaner, while the Hutu are darker, stockier, and stronger. The Twa is a third classification, which you can see at left; the book omits this group of people. In Rwanda around the time of the genocide, the Tutsi made up a smaller proportion of the people, but the majority of the government. In neighboring Burundi, the Tutsi were the majority and the Hutu were the minority. Jean Patrick and his family are Tutsi and therefore are persecuted. Each person was assigned a card delineating what "ethnicity" they are, because it often wasn't clear outright. I found this aspect of the story quite interesting with the Hutus often having to demand whether or not someone they had stopped was indeed Tutsi. Jean Patrick is a runner, who trains to be in the Olympics for Rwanda. Much of the book concerns his races, his training, and his status as a Tutsi runner (and whether or not this makes him ineligible to represent his country). We see Jean Patrick's fight for survival, while also watching him grow up, and find love and friendship.
I learned quite a bit about the conflict and about Africa from this novel, which was awarded the Bellwether Prize for Fiction, which honors "socially engaged" literature. I enjoyed my reading of the novel on the whole but there were a few parts that really bothered me. Firstly, I think this novel writes about a runner from the perspective of a non-runner. Obviously I do not know how Ms. Benaron spends her time; however, I think that the way she writes Jean Patrick feeling when he runs or trains is the perspective of someone who thinks this is how it would feel. Quite frankly, it did not feel completely believable. Secondly, there were two Americans in the story who Jean Patrick becomes friends with, and the characterization of these two was somewhat bothersome and stereotypical. Both were somewhat blundering, clueless as to their surroundings, and loud. Lastly, and please note, <SPOILERS AHEAD>, Jean Patrick's entire family (not only nuclear, extended, and in-laws as well) is killed off about 300 pages in. Until that point, the reader had been told about 10-12 characters that were executed in just a few pages. It felt like such a waste. Perhaps that was the intention, given that approximately 20% of Rwanda's population was slaughtered in a three month period in reality. However, Jean Patrick's reaction was seemingly part shock and then he resolved to move on. The reaction did not seem genuine. I mean, understanding that that is the only way for him survive and the story to move forward, if you're entire family was killed, would you just be able to move on and continue fighting for your original goal? The book is a great primer and introduction to what occurred in Rwanda in the 90s. It made me want to read further on the conflict, and get to know more / hear more stories. It was lacking in believably at times and some of the characters were too flat, but this was not a deal breaker. I don't think this would top my list of great serious reads for the holidays though, sorry Buzzfeed. If someone had recommended Elizabeth Gilbert’s new novel without any context, simply by trying to sell the outline of the plot, I probably would have said, “Thanks, but no thanks.” The Signature of All Things chronicles the life of a female botanist, a bryologist to be exact (new vocab word – this is someone who studies moss) in the nineteenth century. The novel charts her youth, growing up in Philadelphia, and her later travels to Tahiti and Europe. Presented with those facts, my reaction would likely have been something like this: But, man, would I have been mistaken.
I was traveling back to the city this weekend from D.C. after Thanksgiving. I read half way through Sebastian Junger’s War and then ended up leaving it. So, I downloaded Elizabeth Gilbert’s latest figuring I had about 3 hours to sink my teeth into a 500 page book, at the very least I’d make some progress. I was honestly surprised at the pace at which this plot travelled. It was only about a three day read. Elizabeth Gilbert is the author of the well-known Eat, Pray, Love. To be honest, I have neither read the book nor seen the film (have never had the desire). So while I cannot compare, I think Gilbert’s foray back into fiction was a definite success. She turned the story of a lonely academic woman who studies arguably one of the more erudite plant species into a page-turner. If that’s not talent… Alma Whittaker, a scientist of Gilbert’s invention, was born into a lineage of botanists. Her father helped to cultivate her love of science and inquiry, and more specifically of the natural world. The reader watches the entirety of Alma’s life, from a lonely child exploring the land beyond her house to a scientist at the time of Charles Darwin. Though I was pretty at peace at the way the book story concludes, part of me hoped (and was disappointed) that this woman would have a bigger impact, that her moments of unhappiness, longing, and questioning would lead to an answer and to happiness. The character is contented, but the happiness is relative. My head likes the realism, but my heart hopes nonetheless for the fairy tale ending. There is a very specific reason that religion and religious characters are featured in this novel, though I won’t go into more detail so as not to ruin the novel. At first, I did not mind that aspect, but as the story continue, I found myself slightly annoyed with that aspect. While Alma is not a religious character, her travels invoke a revelation and type of awakening. Though this was a positive development for her psyche, I was anxious for this chapter in her life to close. Men enter and exit Alma’s life. She is alone for most of the tale, which taken with the mores of the age, leaves Alma, the scientist, with countless unanswered questions about sex and sexuality. In this way, Alma actually reminded me a bit of Anne Frank. Sex is such a frank topic today, that it is always jarring for me to think about a time when the subject was taboo. Even for educated, so much went unexplained. I love when topics like this are weaved into the framework of stories, pushing the reader to open his / her mind and imagine. So, if you read the description and you’re reaction is anything like mine was, ignore the impulses. Despite my minor complaints, I really enjoyed reading The Signature of All Things. I’m not particularly interested in botany and I’m a little bit over these strong female narratives (as mentioned in a previous post) at the moment; nonetheless, this story will take you in right away, and you won’t be able to break its hold until you’ve turned the final page. As someone who loved the movie The Social Network, I can’t resist a good start-up story. It’s not because I have any grand plans to start a company or because I’m enthralled with the origin story behind the products I use. I think that these stories are a type of modern-day super-hero tale. You have the nerd (or group of them), the brilliant outsider, who doesn't fit societal norms but has this way to change our culture in a big way. So, when I heard about Nick Bilton’s Hatching Twitter, I couldn't wait to read it.
Bilton’s novel did not disappoint. Though some have criticized the accuracy of the book, mostly the chronology and truthfulness of the narrative arc. Critics argue that the interviews conducted do not provide a complete picture, and given the egoism of most of the personalities involved, that’s not hard to imagine. Either way, the story of Twitter’s founding (as compiled by Bilton) is a definite page-turner. Featured is the expected assortment of tech nerds, each of which experienced his (yes his, the only women in this story are love interests) fair share of rejection / hardship / social rejection before becoming a part of the Twitter story. As with the Facebook story, there is an argument over whose idea it was and who the founders are (and thus who deserves a cut of the profit). There is backstabbing, fast friendships that form and dissolve, and what looks like an enormous mess of a company. Though it’s terrifying to think that with such a high valuation, the company might be internally unstable, that’s a concern for the investor. For the reader, it’s a compelling drama with turn after turn and characters who fascinate. As many may already know, Twitter was founded by four individuals – Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams. Each is equally interesting, and I think Bilton does a great job (at least from my outsider perspective) of capturing the personalities and quirks of all. There are villains galore, but no true evil, all are simply motivated by ego, past-failings, and drive for success and recognition. Noah is probably the one true victim, cut early from the company and the story, excluded from the fame and riches that eventually followed. Jack is often the focus of interest from the media and from readers. After being forced from the company, Jack goes rogue, continuing to conduct interviews and speak on behalf of the company despite not being a part of it. In addition, he reinvents his own mythology, shaping himself into the second coming of Steve Jobs. The conniving actions and sheer petulance was enough to drive me bonkers with his character, but for those who love Steve Jobs, Jack Dorsey would be of definite interest. I’m a nut with highlighting when the book demands. This one did not really but, there were a few quotes that I liked. One in particular was when Bilton talks about a deadline that was handed to Dorsey, “Of course, they knew Jack couldn't fix anything in three months, or three years. He was incapable of running the company. It was like watching somebody try to build sandcastles underwater.” I thought that was such a poetic way of stating Jack’s managerial inabilities. The author has a few turns of phrase, like the aforementioned, that stand out because of the metaphors he conjures. This book is a quicker read, it’s fast-paced and not too long. The plot is shaped such that you won’t want to put it down. For those who love business books, this would be a surefire win. But for those who don’t necessarily love the genre, if you like or are interested in the tech space and/or are looking for a good story, this is not a bad option. |
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