The first volume of the "Sea of Fertility" tetralogy, Mishima's final work and finished two days before his harakiri. While I have always liked MishimThe first volume of the "Sea of Fertility" tetralogy, Mishima's final work and finished two days before his harakiri. While I have always liked Mishima, I have never put him quite on the level of Kawabata and Tanizaki, but the first of the tetralogy (and I will go one) is changing my mind. While the slightly overheated romanticism is still there, this book has a kind of sincerity, intensity, and sensitivity to beauty, that I greatly admire. Kiyoaki, moreover, is a fascinating character, a character of intense, destructive emotion, that stands in stark contrast to his brilliant and "logical" friend Honda, and that makes a fitting (and therefore doomed) match with Satoko, his first and last love. And no need to issue a spoiler alert for that "last" because, folks, it is, after all, a Mishima novel. At any rate, the 20th century Japanese novel is, for me, one of the world's great literary treasures, and "Spring Snow" is a splendid example....more
Here's a dystopian novel you might not want to read while munching on slices of beef jerky. In fact, even this rather hardened reader found himself saHere's a dystopian novel you might not want to read while munching on slices of beef jerky. In fact, even this rather hardened reader found himself saying, as with few other novels, "This just goes too far." It is well done to be sure, and just as you start feeling it is falling into a kind of love-can-save-all sentimentality, it hits you right between the eyes. But I stop here so as not to feel compelled to issue a spoiler alert. Reader be warned, strong stuff and, I guess, a reminder that things could be worse....more
Okay, I confess, I'm a 76-year-old male who sometimes forgets first names. No, I've not yet been diagnosed as having dementia, but I do worry . . . . Okay, I confess, I'm a 76-year-old male who sometimes forgets first names. No, I've not yet been diagnosed as having dementia, but I do worry . . . . So, how could I not be drawn to the great Israeli writer A.B. Yehoshua's latest novel, which has as its central character a 73-year-old male who has been told by a neurologist that there is a black spot on his cerebral cortex, which perhaps explains his recent trouble with first names and will most likely lead to yet more serious problems in the years ahead. So what does he do? Well, he tries to follow his doctor's advice and not to turn his back on life--every aspect of life. He returns from retirement to his profession as highway engineer and works as an unpaid assistant to a younger engineer designing a new road near the Ramon Crater in southern Israel. All kinds of interesting episodes follow. But most captivating for me was the relationship between the aged male and his wife, a prominent pediatrician who is hellbent on helping and encouraging her husband while being justifiably wary of his situation and prone (aren't we all after a certain age?) to see every mistake of her partner as evidence of ominous decline. This is a very human story and, I think, proceeds on two levels simultaneously: first, saying something important about the aging process and how we should adapt or refuse to adapt to physical and mental realities; and second, Israel itself, which also, Yehoshua seems to say, is prone to a certain type of forgetfulness....more
Stegner's historical novel concerning Joe Hill is a sympathetic look at the radical labor movement of the first decade of the 20th century, and, at thStegner's historical novel concerning Joe Hill is a sympathetic look at the radical labor movement of the first decade of the 20th century, and, at the same time, a complex and nuanced study of Joe Hill(strom) himself. In fact, it is a story of just how Joe Hillstrom, the Swedish immigrant, became the legendary Joe Hill, a hero of popular culture down to the present day. Was Hillstrom guilty of the robbery and murder for which he was executed in 1915? Probably, although Stegner leaves the question, however improbably, open. At least no evidence ever surfaced of the mysterious woman Joe claimed he was with when he was wounded by a bullet, as it just so happens, on the same evening the intruder and murderer at the downtown Salt Lake store was also wounded and fled the scene. Hill, it seems, never wavered from his hatred of capitalist enterprise, so many of his decisions as he stood trial and then waited through appeals on death row seems to have been shaped by loyalty to the IWW and to his sense of the legend that was growing around him. Stegner is a writer of flawless technique, who intimately knows the world in which this story takes place. It was a pleasure to read this book, despite the grave seriousness of so much of the story Stegner tells....more
Sometimes one picks up a new book without quite knowing what to expect, a book that has not gained much public notice nor been published by a major puSometimes one picks up a new book without quite knowing what to expect, a book that has not gained much public notice nor been published by a major publishing house, and is then quite astonished by the quality of the work. This is just such a book. "Ma vie parfaite" is set in Texas and tells a powerful story of the way the secrets of the past can explode to the surface in an entirely unexpected and even, at least from the perspective of the central characters, absurd fashion. A small family seems to have fought its way up to respectability and a position of some status in their community. But then a "confession" threatens it all. It is difficult to say more without ruining a skillfully told narrative that will pull you forward. It is indeed a book that can and probably should be read in a single sitting. The author, I believe, is an important new presence in the French literary scene. He writes with grace, power, and intelligence. For something of a surprise, both for the skill of its author and the propulsion of the story he weaves, you too should pick up this novel....more
One of the six classic Chinese novels from the Ming-Qing period. "Three Kingdoms" is a historical novel but reflects, as the narrative progresses, theOne of the six classic Chinese novels from the Ming-Qing period. "Three Kingdoms" is a historical novel but reflects, as the narrative progresses, the rise of its central characters from a historical to a legendary, and then, towards the end, an almost mythological status. That is, it witnesses in its very narrative a sort of apotheosis of Lord Guan, Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, and Zhu Geliang, which any visitor to various temples in the contemporary Chinese world might still see enshrined in brightly colored and dramatically posed statuary. But most of all this is an engaging and sometimes exciting tale of loyalty, warfare, military strategy and the ever-shifting world of political alliances. Moss Robert's translation is rich and readable--in fact, it is something of a masterpiece. His full translation (2000+ pages) now awaits on my shelves....more
This book deals with lunatics but does so with a straight face, precisely what so many of us are more-or-less required to do these days. Anyway, "MastThis book deals with lunatics but does so with a straight face, precisely what so many of us are more-or-less required to do these days. Anyway, "Masters of Atlantis" describes grown men who imagine themselves in possession of profound secrets, which neither they nor anyone else can quite understand, and go about their small lives, wearing funny hats and exchanging knowing glances. Portis could have had any number of groups in mind--shriners, masons, etc., but it is really a novel about how extreme we small people can become in pursuit of some meaning that will help us imagine ourselves to be of greater significance than we really are. As a prominent politician might be inclined to say, "Sad." But kind of fun too, although the joke does wear thing after a hundred or so pages....more
One of those always welcome recommendations from my daughter. As the title indicates, this novel is very dark . . . and also quite funny. One sister iOne of those always welcome recommendations from my daughter. As the title indicates, this novel is very dark . . . and also quite funny. One sister is a psychopath, the other, who narrates the novel, is either an accomplice to murder or just a loyal sibling, depending on where you stand in a long debate about whether you should reveal the crime of a family member (at least a debate in early China). Anyway, this is one of those novels I shouldn’t spoil with more commentary except to say it is fast-moving, well-written, and, yeah, enjoyable. ...more
I know I should have liked this more--but I stretched it out a few too many days and had a difficult time remembering the tangles of the plot. Chalk iI know I should have liked this more--but I stretched it out a few too many days and had a difficult time remembering the tangles of the plot. Chalk it up, I guess, to old age. Plus, I confess, I'm not a great reader of detective novels. Oh well, I see I can watch this in the TV series version. Maybe that will help me follow the plot . . . plus get some good visuals of Sicily, a place I dearly love....more
Dickens� plots certainly do engage me, but I read him mostly for his wonderful array of eccentric, unforgettable characters. So put aside David CopperDickens� plots certainly do engage me, but I read him mostly for his wonderful array of eccentric, unforgettable characters. So put aside David Copperfield himself, Uriah Heap, Mrs. Gummidge, and a number of others, each engaging in his or her own way, for me Mr Micawber and Mr Peggoty stole this novel. Micawber’s pretentious, tangled, polysyllabic speechifying kept a smile on my face every time he opened his mouth. And Mr Peggoty was one of those Dickens� lower-class heroes—simple, speaking always in dialect, and fiercely loyal and upright, obsessed with finding and saving his dear Emily. Yes, this is a rewarding read—how did I get so old without reading it before? Except maybe, when I was a child, in classic comic book version of course. Anyway, it certainly deserves five stars? Plus, at 900+ pages, It was a significant investment of time—nowise can I say it was wasted....more
This short novel, written near the end of Tolstoy's life and published posthumously, tells the story of a Chechen leader who goes over to the RussiansThis short novel, written near the end of Tolstoy's life and published posthumously, tells the story of a Chechen leader who goes over to the Russians in a failed attempt to save his family, who are held by a Chechen rival. Tolstoy contrasts the rustic but noble Chechens with the often decadent, self-indulgent Russians. The story is a tragic one, and displays Tolstoy's sympathy for an ethnic group other Russians tend to denigrate....more
In this existentialist classic, Camus founds his philosophy on the notion of the absurd, which is the disjunction between our mind's demand for claritIn this existentialist classic, Camus founds his philosophy on the notion of the absurd, which is the disjunction between our mind's demand for clarity and meaning and a world that is meaningless--in his own words, "The absurd is born of this confrontation between the human need (that is, for happiness and for reason) and unreasonable silence of the world" (p28). The question is how we respond to this disharmony--suicide being an entirely logical option. But that is not the option that Camus would choose. Instead, one pursues one's meaningless task, which can be almost anything, with a kind of resignation and, yes, happiness. And that is where Sisyphus comes in, whom Camus imagines filled with joy as he strides down the mountain, time after time, to take up his burden once again. Well, maybe. Anyway, this is good reading. Camus is never ponderous, at least in this reader's opinion, a quality that separates him from some of his existentialist "friends."...more
My own tastes veer toward realistic novels, but Circe did engage me, particularly the last hundred pages or so when Odysseus� son Telegonus enters theMy own tastes veer toward realistic novels, but Circe did engage me, particularly the last hundred pages or so when Odysseus� son Telegonus enters the picture, and Madeline Miller cmposes a fascinating stand-in for the lost classical Greek Telegony. The theme of Miller’s novel, at least so it seems to me, is the huge chasm between immortals (gods and titans) and mortals, with Circe’s sympathies and desires shifting gradually from the former, to which she belongs, to the latter, where she eventually wishes to be. This makes for an emotionally complex final section of the novel in which Circe and her son Telegonus struggle with their own destinies and, ultimately, reconciliation. Miller writes exceedingly well and re-creates a mythological world that is filled with great energy and deep, sometimes almost terrifying, emotion. ...more
A beautiful book by an Italian theoretical physicist on the mystery of time. Did I understand it all? No. But I did find much of it, particularly the A beautiful book by an Italian theoretical physicist on the mystery of time. Did I understand it all? No. But I did find much of it, particularly the final chapters, moving and strangely consoling. Nuff said. ...more
Jill Lepore is a prominent Harvard historian who here argues that the terrain of American national history has been ceded to illiberal nationalists anJill Lepore is a prominent Harvard historian who here argues that the terrain of American national history has been ceded to illiberal nationalists and must be reclaimed by historians who simultaneously believe in the principles on which America was founded and acknowledge the sometimes terrible injustices that have plagued the American past--and continue on to the present moment. It is a slight book, but cleanly and clearly argued. I am now intrigued to see how she attempts to carry out such an agenda in her general history of American, published just one year before this book....more
Everything McEwan writes is well-written, to be sure. And, I think, worth reading. "The Cockroach" begins with a good premise, a kind of reverse "MetaEverything McEwan writes is well-written, to be sure. And, I think, worth reading. "The Cockroach" begins with a good premise, a kind of reverse "Metamorphosis," where an insect turns into a man, rather than the other way around. The groundwork is laid for some good satire, even if identifying one's political opponents as cockroaches is not particularly, uh, kind. However, McEwan has a few too many targets in mind for the relatively few pages he allocates to his satire. Yes, the Brexit advocates, the French, the American president, tweets, the press, the me-too movement, etc. all are caught on McEwan's barbs, in very rapid succession . . . a bit much. Maybe he should have attempted less . . . or written more....more
Mizoguchi, the protagonist of this novel, is a fictionalized version of Hayashi Yoken, a novice monk who actually did burn down the Golden Pavilion inMizoguchi, the protagonist of this novel, is a fictionalized version of Hayashi Yoken, a novice monk who actually did burn down the Golden Pavilion in 1950. Developing themes found elsewhere in his fictional and autobiographical works, Mishima imagines Hayashi/Mizoguchi as a young man so obsessed with an idealized notion of beauty, embodied in his case in the Golden Pavilion, that he is unable to engage fully in “life,� which is to say, among other things, renders him impotent. The novel is a rich one. On one level it is a portrayal of a young man’s deep sense of alienation, deriving in part from his chronic stuttering, and his slow descent into madness. But on another level “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion� is both a meditation upon the subject of beauty, as noted above, and upon Zen philosophy as well. At the center of the latter is the peculiar koan of Nansen cutting a cat in two . . . the meaning of which remains disputed. Mishima’s work always has a haunting quality, even as it perplexes and invariably leaves me feeling perhaps I don’t quite understand . . . ...more
Going back in old age and rereading a book we first encountered decades ago can sometimes be a disappointing experience. Like so many of my age, I pasGoing back in old age and rereading a book we first encountered decades ago can sometimes be a disappointing experience. Like so many of my age, I passed through a Hesse stage, and Steppenwolf was my favorite of his novels. Harry Haller’s deep sense of spiritual alienation from the bourgeois world, even as he finds himself attracted to its order and comforts, and his constant toying with the idea of suicide, even as he pursues life’s sensual pleasures, appeals to me less now than it did before. After all, these subjects are so common in weary post-World War I Europe. But what engaged me this time through his book much more than before was the “redemptive� half of the novel, the very section Hesse once excoriated his readers for more-or-less ignoring. Here we see Hesse’s oriental mysticism on display, as he uses Buddhist perspectives to deconstruct the overly simplistic mythology around which Harry Haller has built his self-image (half man / half wolf). It is not so simple—none of us can be reduced to such a simple binary model, this novel argues, for “we are multitudes,� and the only healthy response to so much that floats across the surface of our being is little more than cool laughter. Some of this, I know, sounds a bit hokey, but perhaps hokey wisdom is better than no wisdom at all. Glad I reread this book. ...more
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