Finally a decent book from 2025, as I have had a streak of books from 2024-2025 that I haven’t really Review: Theory & Practice by Michelle de Kretser
Finally a decent book from 2025, as I have had a streak of books from 2024-2025 that I haven’t really enjoyed.
I was drawn to this books central premise - what we believe in versus what our true desires and actions are actually centered around. There has been disconnect at times in my life, so to read a book that could help unpack this dilemma really drew me in.
While the protagonist navigates her education life along with being in a relationship with Kit, who is in a “deconstructed relationship� with Olivia, the story permeates a lot of internal monologues that I really found searing, and cathartic. For example, there was a point at which she was being mean and difficult to her mother, and she knew it intellectually and morally, yet couldn’t stop herself from doing it. Or when she’d uncomfortably sit around with Olivia - noticing Olivia’s discomfort in not being able to ask point blank if the protagonist is sleeping with Kit - yet didn’t give her that aid that could have helped Olivia. These uncomfortable yet very real moments brighten this otherwise simple book.
Reason I am saying simple is because - I wish there was more of the former tone and voice and instead, a large chunk of the book can veer into safe spaces - which was tad bit frustrating.
Yet, given her age, and drawing parts of her own life in this book, I have to give credit - it was an absolute breath of fresh air. No moralism thrusted upon the readers, instead her inner voice as it would feel when she was younger. And where she is now.
The books ending encapsulated many years after, including demise of her mother and Olivia, is peppered with wisdom and care, that may at times feel cold, but feels real - you can’t always make meaning of things - even when they are difficult things. Best to just let it be. Which this book argues as the central principle- theory may veer off from practice- but the latter may sometimes benefit from being just that - practical....more
Book Review: The Passion of Michel Foucault by James Miller
I have been a passive observer of Michel Foucault, primarily via the love that Maggie NelsoBook Review: The Passion of Michel Foucault by James Miller
I have been a passive observer of Michel Foucault, primarily via the love that Maggie Nelson, whom I deeply love and revere, has for him throughout all her thoughts and books (especially most recently on her book “On Freedom�).
Over the years, I would visit bookstores, and think I’d get some of his work and finally start reading it - yet flipping through them, I got the sense they were deeply dense and challenging (which this book highlights as well). However, the tides have turned, and I was drawn to this book - which isn’t a biography, more explorations of Foucault’s work (and their inspirations), his peers, and the general landscape that all of it existed.
This book is a version from the year 1995, someone gifted it to a friend back then (with a handwritten note) - amazing to have it on my palms - in 2025. The book is endlessly readable - which is no small feat given how much James has to sift through to make sense of Michel Foucault and all his complexities- thoughts, what he read, etc. James can be at times tentative - especially around Foucault’s deep interest with death as an all encompassing goal of life - yet, for most of the other things - James is deeply curious and endlessly giving in this book to Foucault.
I’ll admit, I still don’t fully understand all that Foucault explored in his book, and unfortunately James doesn’t fully explain them as well as I’d like - I am assuming James hoped the readers already knew what he is talking about, but still, whatever I got - it was inspiring. Michel’s lifelong obsessions with wanting to understand struggles with deep want for power, body politics, queer fantasies and death drive, and many other issues that plagued him - not everything clicks or resonates but what a gift to have had in this world. To have someone like Foucault who wasn’t afraid to lay down his thoughts and inner most obsessions for us all to examine - and as Maggie Nelson said - take what helps, leave the rest.
I’ll definitely explore some of Michel Foucault’s actual work from here onwards. This was a fantastic introduction to Michel Foucault. Loved it. ...more
Didn’t finish reading (read about 70%). Not a full book review but some interconnected thoughts about her and Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Didn’t finish reading (read about 70%). Not a full book review but some interconnected thoughts about her and the book.
I was very excited to read this book, given Americanah was one of my favorite read years ago. Yet, from the beginning, this book reeks of someone whose writers block is clearly showing in the pages. It’s been a frustrating read and I don’t think I have the patience to finish it.
I actually went to an event where Chimamanda was talking about this book. Although the interviewer was awful, in simply talking more about her own self, versus try to unpack the book with the author - Chimamanda consciously or unconsciously opened up about the book in ways it explains the shortcomings. When asked if this book after 10 years since her last full length novel, was the book she has been waiting to write - her response was yes and no. There was hesitation. As if, she herself knew it didn’t match to her previous highs.
Chimamanda was also asked, rather indirectly, to talk about the political climate, and her thoughts. She said she has a lot of thoughts, yet, when probed, flat out refused to answer. Even when audiences would ask her questions, she wouldn’t answer directly, and deflect. All these deflections and not able to answer, shows up in the characters in the book. They feel like caricatures, imaginations that I am sure exist in real world, but in this book, it feels hollow and misplaced. Dare I say - the book lacks soul, even when it treks into murky or difficult territories.
Maybe it’s the burnout from the culture we are in, yet, someone so smart, incisive, choosing to be vague and generic, in her book and in her talk, feels disheartening.
I’ll leave with this - she opened up during the talk how she is reading 5 concurrent books at the same time. Her obsessions with world war 2. Her want to connect current times with the prior times. All these shows her deep intellectual curiosities. I wish she would tap into that energy, versus this book - which is frankly, so far removed from all these things that she thinks about or reads on a day to day basis.
Or maybe it’s grief and the rage she talked about after her parents passing away - that’s having a hold on her. I can only imagine the difficulty in such circumstances that take time, a long time....more
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