Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Primary Colors
Joe Klein
1996
Primary Colors. The only three colours that cannot be created by mixing others. They are pure, the top, primary. Primary Colors. It is literally a book about the American democratic primary. Politicians and colours have so long been associated. Red and Blue and Green and more. Primarey Colors. The book has strong racial themes. Anchored in Arkansas, the Southern racial issues are ever present. The main character is black, grandson of a civil rights leader. His race provides steady obstacles and opportunities. It is suggested he is brought on board to add colour to the campaign team. Primary Colours. The odd cast of characters running the campaign, are, if anything, colourful. Primary Colors. The race itself is coloured by so many ups and downs. It is anythign but grey. Primary Colors. The initials are PC. The novel is not. What a title. Genius. Wit.
Knowing people in politics, natural "charismatic" leaders, Governor Stanton portrayal is so vivid. It is the best writing Ihave ever known that offers such a multi layered reading of a character simply through his monologues. He never says anything to specifically make you suspect his sincerity, yet amidst it all, there is so much, undefineable, to suspect. Show, don't tell.
So vivid, engrossing.
Joe Klein
1996
Primary Colors. The only three colours that cannot be created by mixing others. They are pure, the top, primary. Primary Colors. It is literally a book about the American democratic primary. Politicians and colours have so long been associated. Red and Blue and Green and more. Primarey Colors. The book has strong racial themes. Anchored in Arkansas, the Southern racial issues are ever present. The main character is black, grandson of a civil rights leader. His race provides steady obstacles and opportunities. It is suggested he is brought on board to add colour to the campaign team. Primary Colours. The odd cast of characters running the campaign, are, if anything, colourful. Primary Colors. The race itself is coloured by so many ups and downs. It is anythign but grey. Primary Colors. The initials are PC. The novel is not. What a title. Genius. Wit.
Knowing people in politics, natural "charismatic" leaders, Governor Stanton portrayal is so vivid. It is the best writing Ihave ever known that offers such a multi layered reading of a character simply through his monologues. He never says anything to specifically make you suspect his sincerity, yet amidst it all, there is so much, undefineable, to suspect. Show, don't tell.
So vivid, engrossing.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Until I Find You
John Irving
2006
It's hard to see how any book could be more autobiographical than any of Irving's previous, yet this one has sure enough been dubbed his "most autobiographical" work. All the usuals are here: private schools in New England, Europe, transvestites, prostitutes, too-early sexual experiences, and single mothers. This book is as rich as any of the others. Oddball characters, wildly imaginative events, predictably random coincidences. The book is touching and involving. It is easy to become invested in the characters lives. You like what they like, hate what they hate, and when the inevitable death of a main character comes, just as hard.
Jack Burns, son of William Burns - organ player, womanizer - lives out his life in the shadow of his fathers reputation. Jack never allows himself to truly experience his emotions, and accordingly, he is Irving's most two dimensional character yet.
Once he finds his father, and realizes how he has been deceived by his mother since he was four, he explodes with emotion. Using the word love dozens of time per chapter, Jack is finally able to say it without any cynicism.
Jack is supposed to be Irving. This is easy to believe, because Jack is in all Irving's other books as well. This is what Irving writes, and I think it is a testament to his ability as a writer that he can write the same story again and again and it is always so new and fascinating.
The title has a range of interpretations.
The story takes place partly in Toronto, which is always a thrill - reading about where you live.
Was it his best? Maybe? Probably not, but it is unquestionably in the same league as The World According To Garp and Hotel New Hampshire.
John Irving
2006
It's hard to see how any book could be more autobiographical than any of Irving's previous, yet this one has sure enough been dubbed his "most autobiographical" work. All the usuals are here: private schools in New England, Europe, transvestites, prostitutes, too-early sexual experiences, and single mothers. This book is as rich as any of the others. Oddball characters, wildly imaginative events, predictably random coincidences. The book is touching and involving. It is easy to become invested in the characters lives. You like what they like, hate what they hate, and when the inevitable death of a main character comes, just as hard.
Jack Burns, son of William Burns - organ player, womanizer - lives out his life in the shadow of his fathers reputation. Jack never allows himself to truly experience his emotions, and accordingly, he is Irving's most two dimensional character yet.
Once he finds his father, and realizes how he has been deceived by his mother since he was four, he explodes with emotion. Using the word love dozens of time per chapter, Jack is finally able to say it without any cynicism.
Jack is supposed to be Irving. This is easy to believe, because Jack is in all Irving's other books as well. This is what Irving writes, and I think it is a testament to his ability as a writer that he can write the same story again and again and it is always so new and fascinating.
The title has a range of interpretations.
The story takes place partly in Toronto, which is always a thrill - reading about where you live.
Was it his best? Maybe? Probably not, but it is unquestionably in the same league as The World According To Garp and Hotel New Hampshire.
Freakonomics
Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
2005
At the end of each chapter, having just read yet another alternate and totally shocking viewpoint on phenomenon that on the surface don't appear shocking at all, the most you can really say is "neat".
Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
2005
At the end of each chapter, having just read yet another alternate and totally shocking viewpoint on phenomenon that on the surface don't appear shocking at all, the most you can really say is "neat".
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Raven's End
Ben Gadd
2001
The story was watered down Disney, the writing was basic, even dry. The setting and knowledge that went into the book are both vast. The best parts were learning about the geography of the region through a fictional perspective. I will remember so much more than if I had just read facts about the rockies/ravens.
Ben Gadd
2001
The story was watered down Disney, the writing was basic, even dry. The setting and knowledge that went into the book are both vast. The best parts were learning about the geography of the region through a fictional perspective. I will remember so much more than if I had just read facts about the rockies/ravens.
SMALLWOOD
Richard Gwynn
1968
Wonderful. Really. Throughout the book I found I was in awe and amazed again and again. It's is simply a political biography. The biographer is fairly sympathetic to hi subject. He respects Smallwood's accomplishments and feels they should be widely known. He doesn't shy away from criticism though. Smallwood is portrayed variously in the book as stubborn, over-reaching, idealistic, and narrow minded. Yet, through it all he is driven. Which is from where most of the author's admiration seems to stem. Joey Smallwood gets and idea and follows it through. If it doesn't work out, he moves on, undeterred. He is able to draw from seemingly unlimited sources of enthusiasm and energy. Even suffering defeat or embarrassment will not deter him from proudly promoting a new innovation or idea the right next day. Canadian politics needs more like him. The book was written in 1963, before Smallwood's tenure was done. Everything major had passed, yet he lived for a long time after. A more recent biography, or Smallwood's memoirs, would be an interesting read. Smallwood also wrote a number of books, before and after politics, in particular: The Book of Newfoundland.
More.
Smallwood was in his forties before really entering politics. He was just so rooted in the community of his island, he felt such kinship (interestingly, he had no real attachment to the sea).
Richard Gwynn
1968
Wonderful. Really. Throughout the book I found I was in awe and amazed again and again. It's is simply a political biography. The biographer is fairly sympathetic to hi subject. He respects Smallwood's accomplishments and feels they should be widely known. He doesn't shy away from criticism though. Smallwood is portrayed variously in the book as stubborn, over-reaching, idealistic, and narrow minded. Yet, through it all he is driven. Which is from where most of the author's admiration seems to stem. Joey Smallwood gets and idea and follows it through. If it doesn't work out, he moves on, undeterred. He is able to draw from seemingly unlimited sources of enthusiasm and energy. Even suffering defeat or embarrassment will not deter him from proudly promoting a new innovation or idea the right next day. Canadian politics needs more like him. The book was written in 1963, before Smallwood's tenure was done. Everything major had passed, yet he lived for a long time after. A more recent biography, or Smallwood's memoirs, would be an interesting read. Smallwood also wrote a number of books, before and after politics, in particular: The Book of Newfoundland.
More.
Smallwood was in his forties before really entering politics. He was just so rooted in the community of his island, he felt such kinship (interestingly, he had no real attachment to the sea).
