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Book Reviews

So, I read a lot. I figured it might be useful to everyone out there (all 3 of you, that is) if I put up a little info about books I've read lately, and what I think of them. I'm probably not going to put in all the books I read, just the ones I think are of interest (or to be avoided). So, without further adu, my summer reading list:

In America, Susan Sontag

First, I have a confession to make. Before reading this book, I didn't really know who Susan Sontag was. I mean, the name sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. Then her name came up in one of the web pages I look at frequently (ok, ok, suck.com), and then I was at the library, and saw her new book. The book is based in history, about a Polish actress who emigrates to the US to start a commune. The introduction is somewhat strange, as Sontag creates the characters as we watch in a mixture of curiosity, disbelief, and a bit of disgust. However, after that it becomes a fairly normal narrative, with occasional breaks for continuous dialog. And once you get beyond the introduction's oddness, it becomes quite a good book, filled with ideas about what it is that we think we want, what we really want, etc. Despite having no pretensions towards acting myself, there were several times in the book when a main character would make a comment and I would realize that exactly the same thing had happened to me, either in reality or in my imagination. A captivating book; I recommend it.

Miss Wyoming, Douglas Coupland

The latest book by the author of Microserfs, the fabulous Microsoft parody that, well, I haven't actually read. But I did read this one, and overall a good read. Not as thought-provoking as some of the previous books on this here list, but you get sucked into the storyline (which darts back and forth in the lives of two Hollywood types trying to escape it all). Maybe I would have gotten more out of it if I knew more about Hollywood in the first place, other than whats on TV and in movies, but then again, maybe thats the point. Anyway, enjoyable, but not earthshaking--that's the verdict.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce

The prelude: I read this book because I've tried to read Ulysses, hailed as the greatest book of the century, about five times. Each time I've only been able to make it about 30 or 40 pages in. People have told me that reading Portrait first would be a good idea, as its easier to read, and makes the first part of Ulysses somewhat more comprehensible.

So, I sat down and read it. Took longer than most 250 page books, but that was what I expected. The narrative style, very disjointed, confused me at first but as I read on it gradually made more sense. I don't know how much I was missing because I don't come from a Catholic background, I don't know anything about Irish politics of the time, and I don't speak any of the foreign languages that Joyce occasionally uses, but I still felt like I was extracting some meaning from the book. Honestly, it felt a lot like reading philosphy, at least at some points, and thats something I always at least pretend to enjoy. So, time will still tell if this enables me to make it through Ulysses, but if nothing else, reading Portrait was an experience worth having in its own right.

Hannibal, Thomas Harris

Not entirely through this one yet. If you've been living under a literary rock, this is the long-awaited sequel to Silence of the Lambs, which I'm finally getting around to reading. So far, not as good as the previous book (or as Red Dragon, the first book in the trilogy). I'm about half-way through, and Starling is basically a pawn. We find out too much about whats really happening from the point of view of Dr. Lecter, lessening the suspense one might expect. And so far, there haven't been any surprises. Still, maybe it will get better.

Ok, finished the book. And there were surprises, but I was left unsatisfied with the ending. I think I put my finger on why; unlike the previous books, this one was very cynical, almost to the point of bitterness. It also felt like everthing was almost pre-ordained, with the major players (especially Starling) not really having any options. So, on the whole, I'd have to reccomend against this one.

Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates, Tom Robbins

In this mostly-linear novel about a CIA agent confined to a wheelchair, Tom Robbins returns in typical mind-expanding fashion. Plenty of drug references, as well as some references to super-string theory, the 3rd Secret of Fatima (which was actually just recently revealed by the Pope), and enough pedophilia to keep anyone happy. Very enjoyable read, and perhaps its too early to tell whether my mind has been expanded by it or not.

City of God, E.L. Doctorow

A book about theology, physics, mystery and love, so it should appeal to all demographics. Seriously, this is one of the best books I've read in recent memory. Its a glimpse into the notebook of an author, containing story snippets (often continued) along with "real-life" drama which our narrator watches and then writes. The main player is a radical priest searching for God in the wake of the theft of a cross from his church. I'm really not doing this book justice; its not linear but its easy to follow, it will leave you with a different conception of reality than you came in with, and its a good story. Go read it.