My wife and daughter and I made a special trip to Borders in Elk Grove since it will be closing its doors forever in the next few weeks. I browsed fiction for a few minutes and began to think about how much I've enjoyed reading Stephen King's "On Writing." Yes, I thought, I might want to try to find another book by another author on writing. I happened upon Pat Conroy's book, and at first look wondered if something with a cover this atrocious could be all that good. It was all that good and more.
Though I'd heard of a couple of his titles, I'd never read anything by Conroy. 'The Prince of Tides' has apparently been made into a movie along with one or two more, but I hadn't seen any of the movies, either. Now I've read what has to be one of the best books in this genre that I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
Conroy uses chapter titles as clues to his experiences as a reader. In the first two chapters, he writes about his youth, focusing particularly on his mother who had such a huge and unique impact on his life. His father also impacted him immensely, but in the opposite way. He was a fighter pilot during the Korean War, and his heroism in all things military was counterbalanced by his utter failure to communicate love to anyone of family. Conroy's first book, The Great Santini, was his experiment in understanding his father, primarily, and other members of his immediate and extended family. I lost myself in a world of Pat Conroy the child as I read with complete mesmerizing excitement and found by chapter three that my commitment to reading and writing would cement itself in my psyche by the time I'd finished this work of art.
Conroy gives the reader three chapters entitled, the teacher, the librarian, and the book rep. In these he discusses his experiences in learning from individuals who believed in him. What's nice is that even as a young person, Conroy believed in his abilities to write and believed that he would one day be a successful writer, this thanks to his mother and his sheer obsession and lustful devouring of literature of all kinds. These individuals supported his love of literature in many ways. Conroy describes, for example, his Beaufort High School English teacher as "...the exceptional and scrupulous man I had been searching for my whole life." Mr. Norris (the teacher) was exceptional, indeed! His influence on Conroy lasted for decades, and not just in the heart of the would-be writer, but in life. Conroy and Norris developed a friendship that would last until the day Norris died, and Conroy's account of the experiences that changed him as a person and a reader and writer were moving. One can only hope that the influence of such a human being will gift him or her in life.
In the chapters, "The Old New York Book Shop" and "My First Writers Conference," Conroy effectively tells of one of the first places for writing that became his haven as he worked on and completed one of his first novels. His relationship with the bookstore owner is revealed in only the wonderful way that Conroy could reveal it. And I was pleasantly surprised at his reaction to the first writers conference that he attended. Let's just say that it wasn't exactly what he'd expected. But that's what Conroy does in this book. He writes the truth. The reader can feel it coming through the words, the sentences that flow so freely and like poetry. It's as if you are there with him as he walks through the crowds of writers; like you have been invited to the event and have been given the privilege of hearing his thoughts.
Conroy writes about authors at length. I found myself keeping notes and ordering books as a result. Three that I'll start with are Report to Greco by Nikos Kazantzaki, Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe, and The Great Santini by Pat Conroy. In one of his chapters, Conroy writes of Thomas Wolfe and the effect of his works on his life. After I read this chapter, I sat and looked out at the sky, trying to fixate my glance on nothing so as to take in the words that I'd just read. It's as if Conroy wants his reader to find an author that has this kind of effect upon them. He wants the reader to indulge him or herself in something greater that mere words, for as Conroy states, perfection and eveything from a book are to be expected.
I could go on, but suffice it to say, this book is a must read for readers, and as close to a necessity for writers that I can imagine. As I stated to my wife and daughter, and many times to myself as I read, "How does a person do this; write this well!" I'll be reading this book again and again, and each time I'll enjoy it more. Please read this. Please do.
10/10
Oh, the joy,
Steve
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The Gathering by Anne Enright
I don't think I'll be reading another Enright novel anytime too soon. Oh, not that I didn't enjoy this one. It was, in fact, quite good. That is, it was engrossing. I found myself re-reading at least a sentence per paragraph so that I might fully grasp the meaning.
In this, Enright uses much of her Irish nuances throughout, but not so much that the reader languishes in confusion. It's just that it takes a bit of thought to put two contiguous sentences together when one is thinking in American'ese.'
Enright's main character, Veronica, finds herself writing much about her own mother and grandmother, all the while realizing that most of what she writes is conjecture and could be thoroughly fictional.
Veronica has eight siblings. She tells of all of them, their shortcomings and all, but mostly of her closest brother, Liam. And in doing so, she admits that the most dreadful of occurrences regarding Liam may indeed have not occurred at all as she sees in her memory.
Has this got you wondering? If so, read the book. But be forewarned; it has much to be desired for most readers, including myself. Though I was drawn in by the language of the author, I found myself wondering what exactly the main character was trying to communicate. There is no question that she hated men, and one finds out why as they read, but I found myself confused about the family members and the place of each in the story.
6/10
Hmmm....
Steve
In this, Enright uses much of her Irish nuances throughout, but not so much that the reader languishes in confusion. It's just that it takes a bit of thought to put two contiguous sentences together when one is thinking in American'ese.'
Enright's main character, Veronica, finds herself writing much about her own mother and grandmother, all the while realizing that most of what she writes is conjecture and could be thoroughly fictional.
Veronica has eight siblings. She tells of all of them, their shortcomings and all, but mostly of her closest brother, Liam. And in doing so, she admits that the most dreadful of occurrences regarding Liam may indeed have not occurred at all as she sees in her memory.
Has this got you wondering? If so, read the book. But be forewarned; it has much to be desired for most readers, including myself. Though I was drawn in by the language of the author, I found myself wondering what exactly the main character was trying to communicate. There is no question that she hated men, and one finds out why as they read, but I found myself confused about the family members and the place of each in the story.
6/10
Hmmm....
Steve
Monday, April 25, 2011
McTeague by Frank Norris
This story had me from the first page. Somehow, the introduction of a clumsy, not-so-bright dentist in a San Francisco setting spelled magic. And the story was indeed, magical.
McTeague lived in a flat and ran a dentistry business in a small shop on Polk Street. It is here where he met his future wife, Trina. The detail that Norris uses to describe McTeague's feelings, the struggles between his will and his desires, stirred within me a kind of familiarity. The author used this technique throughout the book, and I was moved by every character as a result. McTeague's wife, Trina, had a propensity to greed, and though considered a negative characteristic, it is what stirred within me a kind of pity. I hoped that she would change, for the sake of both she and her new husband. They seemed so cute, in a way, and it was the unwillingness to deal with certain character flaws that eventually led them to their undoing.
Generally, I don't care for sudden setting shifts in a book. Personally, they confuse me--tend to annoy me, really. In this book, there is one very clear setting shift that occurs toward the end, but Norris effectively maintained my interest in the plot. It was, though dramatic, quite believable, and eventually the author brings the story to a thought-provoking close in this new setting.
The book was written in 1899, so the language is a bit different than today's. It was refreshing. Though most of Norris's characters were anything but upper-classed, even their conversations exuded a kind of intelligence that is absent in the average modern English conversation. Reading this kind of novel not only entertains the reader but educates them in conversation, as well.
I loved this book. I rarely use the statement, "I couldn't put it down," but it was true for me in this case. This book is a magical gem.
9.5/10
Enjoy San Francisco through the reading,
Steve
McTeague lived in a flat and ran a dentistry business in a small shop on Polk Street. It is here where he met his future wife, Trina. The detail that Norris uses to describe McTeague's feelings, the struggles between his will and his desires, stirred within me a kind of familiarity. The author used this technique throughout the book, and I was moved by every character as a result. McTeague's wife, Trina, had a propensity to greed, and though considered a negative characteristic, it is what stirred within me a kind of pity. I hoped that she would change, for the sake of both she and her new husband. They seemed so cute, in a way, and it was the unwillingness to deal with certain character flaws that eventually led them to their undoing.
Generally, I don't care for sudden setting shifts in a book. Personally, they confuse me--tend to annoy me, really. In this book, there is one very clear setting shift that occurs toward the end, but Norris effectively maintained my interest in the plot. It was, though dramatic, quite believable, and eventually the author brings the story to a thought-provoking close in this new setting.
The book was written in 1899, so the language is a bit different than today's. It was refreshing. Though most of Norris's characters were anything but upper-classed, even their conversations exuded a kind of intelligence that is absent in the average modern English conversation. Reading this kind of novel not only entertains the reader but educates them in conversation, as well.
I loved this book. I rarely use the statement, "I couldn't put it down," but it was true for me in this case. This book is a magical gem.
9.5/10
Enjoy San Francisco through the reading,
Steve
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Let It Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester Bangs by Jim Derogatis
Lester Bangs was a rock n' roll music critic for various publications throughout the seventies. He wrote primarily for 'Creem,' a magazine still in print today, though far from anything that it was at its inception.
Bangs's life was short-lived--he overdosed in his thirties. His struggle with alcohol and drugs was a product of a pretty screwed-up childhood. His mother was a Jehovah's Witness fanatic, constantly seeing to it that Lester was somehow involved in church activities, forever referencing all things JW, and putting down the world and its excesses. Lester, even as a child, saw through the phony rantings of church ministers and members, and held a grudge, yeah, despised all things JW for the remainder of his life.
He had an extraordinary talent for writing, particularly about music, musicians, and fans, and it wasn't long after Lester entered the world of writing, that he found himself sought out by many small but hopeful magazines, including The Rolling Stone and Creem. Though he is considered to have had a fairly successful career, Lester seemed to forever struggle to keep up. His confusion about women and relationships in general haunted him, and this was, in part, a reason for his passion for alcohol and drugs.
I enjoyed this book, though I felt that more could have been said about his personal life, feelings, etc. A bunch of the book was dedicated to names and places, and that's necessary, to be sure, but the few times that his personal life was referenced left me wanting for more.
7/10
Read with pleasure,
Steve
Bangs's life was short-lived--he overdosed in his thirties. His struggle with alcohol and drugs was a product of a pretty screwed-up childhood. His mother was a Jehovah's Witness fanatic, constantly seeing to it that Lester was somehow involved in church activities, forever referencing all things JW, and putting down the world and its excesses. Lester, even as a child, saw through the phony rantings of church ministers and members, and held a grudge, yeah, despised all things JW for the remainder of his life.
He had an extraordinary talent for writing, particularly about music, musicians, and fans, and it wasn't long after Lester entered the world of writing, that he found himself sought out by many small but hopeful magazines, including The Rolling Stone and Creem. Though he is considered to have had a fairly successful career, Lester seemed to forever struggle to keep up. His confusion about women and relationships in general haunted him, and this was, in part, a reason for his passion for alcohol and drugs.
I enjoyed this book, though I felt that more could have been said about his personal life, feelings, etc. A bunch of the book was dedicated to names and places, and that's necessary, to be sure, but the few times that his personal life was referenced left me wanting for more.
7/10
Read with pleasure,
Steve
Friday, December 24, 2010
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
The last time I read Twain I was probably around twelve years old, though I can't be sure. What I am sure of is that it had no effect on me. After just finishing Finn, I can understand why it had no effect on me--the language requires an understanding of the setting and time period.
The setting takes place along the Mississippi River. Unless the reader understands the complexities and difficulties involved in this setting, they cannot appreciate so many of the actions of the characters throughout most of the story. The time period is referred to as antebellum, that is, before the war (in this case, the Civil War).
In this work, Twain depicts a young boy and a black adult, named Jim, making their way along the river, hoping to get Jim to Ohio, a free state. The first one third of the story of their journey takes the reader on a number of adventures, including a finding by the two characters of a "floating house" in which Jim finds a dead man. He doesn't allow Huck to look at the dead man.
The second one-third of the story centers around two characters who become known as the duke and the king, titles which belong to neither, but to which they attribute many activities and rights. Huck and Jim both experience quite a handful of activities with these two characters.
The last one-third of the book centers around the escape of Jim.
I read this book in about five sittings, the last being about three hours long. As with so many other books, I found it much more interesting during the times in which I was disturbed by nothing and was in a hurry for nothing. I found myself re-reading much of the dialogue, especially between Jim and Huckleberry. But this did not bother me much; the story rolled along quite easily, and the reading was smooth, despite the frequent change in style of dialogue.
Not only does this story entertain, but it educates as well. It's quite amazing that so many who lived during this time, though fraught with difficulties, including disease and the simple provisions of life, saw these as mere facts of life, and determined to survive. This story, written in 1884, gives us a rather clear picture of the difficulties of life, not only along the Mississippi, but throughout the country. It provides us with a perspective of life that we won't find in modern literature.
I enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the language. I enjoyed the experiences that I visualized through the writings of a young boy named Huckleberry.
And yes, we find out in the end why Jim didn't allow Huck to see the dead man that they discovered in the floating house.
7.5/10
Read it in solitude,
Steve
The setting takes place along the Mississippi River. Unless the reader understands the complexities and difficulties involved in this setting, they cannot appreciate so many of the actions of the characters throughout most of the story. The time period is referred to as antebellum, that is, before the war (in this case, the Civil War).
In this work, Twain depicts a young boy and a black adult, named Jim, making their way along the river, hoping to get Jim to Ohio, a free state. The first one third of the story of their journey takes the reader on a number of adventures, including a finding by the two characters of a "floating house" in which Jim finds a dead man. He doesn't allow Huck to look at the dead man.
The second one-third of the story centers around two characters who become known as the duke and the king, titles which belong to neither, but to which they attribute many activities and rights. Huck and Jim both experience quite a handful of activities with these two characters.
The last one-third of the book centers around the escape of Jim.
I read this book in about five sittings, the last being about three hours long. As with so many other books, I found it much more interesting during the times in which I was disturbed by nothing and was in a hurry for nothing. I found myself re-reading much of the dialogue, especially between Jim and Huckleberry. But this did not bother me much; the story rolled along quite easily, and the reading was smooth, despite the frequent change in style of dialogue.
Not only does this story entertain, but it educates as well. It's quite amazing that so many who lived during this time, though fraught with difficulties, including disease and the simple provisions of life, saw these as mere facts of life, and determined to survive. This story, written in 1884, gives us a rather clear picture of the difficulties of life, not only along the Mississippi, but throughout the country. It provides us with a perspective of life that we won't find in modern literature.
I enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the language. I enjoyed the experiences that I visualized through the writings of a young boy named Huckleberry.
And yes, we find out in the end why Jim didn't allow Huck to see the dead man that they discovered in the floating house.
7.5/10
Read it in solitude,
Steve
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Eats, Shoots & Leaves, by Lynne Truss
This book is about punctuation. However, the reader is entertained; something that might seem unusual in a book about this particular subject. The author does a good job of relating stories about despicable usages of the comma, the period, the apostrophe, the dash, and more. And most of these stories are rather entertaining. I love some her quotes about the general necessity for correct punctuation, like this:
6.5/10
Read if you want,
Steve
Taking our previous analogies for punctuation, what happens when it isn't used? Well, if punctuation is the stitching of language, language comes apart, obviously, and all the buttons fall off.The author's ability to make the subject of punctuation interesting is quite impressive, and I'd advise this as a read for someone interested in the subject, but if you happen to be the average person who has little interest, you might find it less than appealing the moment the book does anything but entertain. When the author gets into the specifics of punctuation, it does tend to dry up a bit.
6.5/10
Read if you want,
Steve
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni
Picture this: A kid lives in a geodesic dome with his grandmother. He's raised there under her tutelage until her illness coaxes him to expand his horizons. His experiences outside of his dome world bring him to realizations that his grandmother never intended for him to have.
Wow! Sounds strange--and it is! The main character, Sebastian Prendergast, is an interesting subject, to be sure. He's been educated, after all, on the philosophy of one R. Buckminster Fuller, an American architect, author, designer, and inventor.
Jared Whitcomb is Sebastian's introduction to all things new in the "real world." Jared is a chain-smoking teenager who has a dream to start his own punk-rock band, but little does he realize that his dream will soon come true, though not exactly as he planned.
This book held my attention throughout. The characters, believe it or not, were rather convincing. Bognanni does a great job to portray modern life for today's teen without souring the story in the process. 30 years ago I would have balked at some of the language and actions of these characters, but having experienced today's frayed American society, none of this was unbelievable. As I read about a kid smoking in his own home, at the age of 16, it didn't really shock me. And on the other end of the spectrum, a home-schooled kid kept far from the average societal norm isn't at all unbelievable either. The way the two meet is even more possible.
In most books there is a message, be it hidden, muffled, buried, or right out there in your face. With this book, I haven't quite determined what the message is nor how deeply buried. And yet the author still does a great job of keeping the reader reading.
In the end, though I was satisfied that I'd experienced the story, I wondered where the feelings got lost. Sebastian develops a bit of a relationship with a girl in the story, but we're left wondering what happens next. And even Sebastian's relationship with his grandmother sort of hangs out there in the end.
I would certainly recommend this book. You may find something, in the conclusion, that I didn't.
7/10
Reading leaves you thinking,
Steve
Wow! Sounds strange--and it is! The main character, Sebastian Prendergast, is an interesting subject, to be sure. He's been educated, after all, on the philosophy of one R. Buckminster Fuller, an American architect, author, designer, and inventor.
Jared Whitcomb is Sebastian's introduction to all things new in the "real world." Jared is a chain-smoking teenager who has a dream to start his own punk-rock band, but little does he realize that his dream will soon come true, though not exactly as he planned.
This book held my attention throughout. The characters, believe it or not, were rather convincing. Bognanni does a great job to portray modern life for today's teen without souring the story in the process. 30 years ago I would have balked at some of the language and actions of these characters, but having experienced today's frayed American society, none of this was unbelievable. As I read about a kid smoking in his own home, at the age of 16, it didn't really shock me. And on the other end of the spectrum, a home-schooled kid kept far from the average societal norm isn't at all unbelievable either. The way the two meet is even more possible.
In most books there is a message, be it hidden, muffled, buried, or right out there in your face. With this book, I haven't quite determined what the message is nor how deeply buried. And yet the author still does a great job of keeping the reader reading.
In the end, though I was satisfied that I'd experienced the story, I wondered where the feelings got lost. Sebastian develops a bit of a relationship with a girl in the story, but we're left wondering what happens next. And even Sebastian's relationship with his grandmother sort of hangs out there in the end.
I would certainly recommend this book. You may find something, in the conclusion, that I didn't.
7/10
Reading leaves you thinking,
Steve
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