Like I said, I read this primarily because I enjoyed Roman Polanski's "The Ninth Gate". But the movie only toucheA love letter to reading the classics
Like I said, I read this primarily because I enjoyed Roman Polanski's "The Ninth Gate". But the movie only touches on a few plot points found in the book, and removes a bulk of the story -- I.e. : the entire Dumas plot line -- reducing it to a more devil-worshiping detective mystery than a historical-romp-through-the-classics-do-you-believe-in-the-devil story it really is.
I'll polish this review when I have more time but reading "The Club Dumas" surprisingly paralleled reading Dan Brown's "The DaVinci code". Both books delved a lot into history and into our notions of God or Devil; both left me wanting to know more about other historical readings of Jesus and the devil. And both ends up with the protagonist finding some sort of connection with Jesus or the devil. But while Dan Brown reads like a paperback mystery, "The Club Dumas" feels richer, more thought out, and it reeled me in with its intriguing world of rare books. In an age where nearly everything can be found in the internet, and nothing is hidden anymore, mysteries are welcome reprieve. So, where else can one find the best mysteries other than in books? Paper books, that is. Old books that hold more than what their musty old spines tell.
Even at this early in the millennium the thought of real books, bound and written in paper, has started to sound old fashioned -- and, gasp -- archaic that paper books are beginning to elevate into an art status. Less for practically, more for art. Like paintings where once cameras came, or Polaroid films when digital cameras arrived. And that thought reverberates, especially to a book lover like myself. There is no mystery in an Ebook. We don't touch a machine and wonder who bound it, who cut the pages, who has touched this pages before us, and perhaps did they poison it, a la Arabian Nights, and so on. All we get are a bunch of letters in a faux sepia screen.
The Club Dumas is a nostalgic ode to reading, to getting lost in the pages of a good book, to opening new chapters and living different lives other than ourselves. To discovering more than what is just written on pages To biting the apple and knowing...more
Actually, I've only read the ebook version of Matheson's short story "Button, Button". It was reminiscent of WW Jacob's The Monkey's Paw with a dark tActually, I've only read the ebook version of Matheson's short story "Button, Button". It was reminiscent of WW Jacob's The Monkey's Paw with a dark twist in the end. I have seen both the Twilight Zone version and the Cameron Diaz movie, both of which weren't faithful to Matheson's original concept (although the Twilight Zone version seemed closer even though it differed in the ending). Personally, I think I prefer the Monkey's Paw, but Button, Button is still a nice, good read, especially since it's short enough to read while sitting in the waiting room. ...more
Brilliant story. I've never read anything by Neil Gaiman until I stumbled upon this wonderfully written story, and now I'm a fan. The creepy, medievalBrilliant story. I've never read anything by Neil Gaiman until I stumbled upon this wonderfully written story, and now I'm a fan. The creepy, medieval vibe; the supernatural undertones; the twist at the end. It's the best Snow White story, in my opinion...more
Frankly, I haven't read the book but I saw the play and I loved it. A bit on the weird side (ok, on the very weird side) but I love the absurdity of iFrankly, I haven't read the book but I saw the play and I loved it. A bit on the weird side (ok, on the very weird side) but I love the absurdity of it. One of my friends who came to see it with me said it was stupid, and I suddenly realized that I was one of the few people laughing at the theater. It was funny how society was slowly turning into Rhinoceroses, leaving the protagonist the only "normal" person left, only to realize that if everyone was a rhinoceros, doesn't that make him the abnormal? Tragic and funny, but I guess not for everyone....more
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