So I was reading Kris' blog at http://onehundredbestnovels@blogspot.com, and she threw out the question to her readers of what they considered the worst book of all time. I've read about and heard from tons of people how awful the obvious books like Ulysses, Augie March, Finnegans Wake, etc are. What I'm wondering from you guys is, besides those books, are there any others on the list you feel have no business being there??
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Libris Interruptus...Worst ML Book of All Time?
So I was reading Kris' blog at http://onehundredbestnovels@blogspot.com, and she threw out the question to her readers of what they considered the worst book of all time. I've read about and heard from tons of people how awful the obvious books like Ulysses, Augie March, Finnegans Wake, etc are. What I'm wondering from you guys is, besides those books, are there any others on the list you feel have no business being there??
Monday, February 8, 2010
Ch-ch-ch-changes....
Hey gang...
A big 'welcome' shout-out to those of you who have joined my blog over the last month. Glad to see you here! Those who have been around a while, thanks for hanging around.
You may have noticed the dearth of postings over the last week or so. Or not! Thinking things over, I realized that chapter-by-chapter play calls on all the books I'm reading is probably not encouraging anyone to read the books on the list (in fact, it may be discouraging some of you from reading them altogether...which with some of the books would not be a bad thing...TRUST ME :) . So I've re-written my reviews on Books 100-84, and will be waiting until I finish future books before giving you the lowdown. So there'll be fewer blog posts...but don't worry! The Literary Dirtbag Awards will continue! And I'll be Twittering about the books daily, so you can check in with me there to see how the books are going and/or offer moral support.
I guess the other, more obvious excuse I should give is that A Bend in the River is not wow-ing me with its literary merit. Or much else, for that matter. But that's never stopped us here at Journeys!
Read on! And keep those comments comin'!
Pam
A big 'welcome' shout-out to those of you who have joined my blog over the last month. Glad to see you here! Those who have been around a while, thanks for hanging around.
You may have noticed the dearth of postings over the last week or so. Or not! Thinking things over, I realized that chapter-by-chapter play calls on all the books I'm reading is probably not encouraging anyone to read the books on the list (in fact, it may be discouraging some of you from reading them altogether...which with some of the books would not be a bad thing...TRUST ME :) . So I've re-written my reviews on Books 100-84, and will be waiting until I finish future books before giving you the lowdown. So there'll be fewer blog posts...but don't worry! The Literary Dirtbag Awards will continue! And I'll be Twittering about the books daily, so you can check in with me there to see how the books are going and/or offer moral support.
I guess the other, more obvious excuse I should give is that A Bend in the River is not wow-ing me with its literary merit. Or much else, for that matter. But that's never stopped us here at Journeys!
Read on! And keep those comments comin'!
Pam
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Battle of the Prizes, American Version Challenge!
I've decided to take this one on, as I have two books upcoming that apply to this challenge. The Battle of the Prizes requires you to read three books: a Pulitzer Prize novel, a National Book Award novel, and then a novel that won both. I'm choosing Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner (#82 on the list) for my Pulitzer book, The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow (#81 on the list) for my National Book Award book, and I'm not quite sure yet what I'll do for my "double dipper". Maybe E. Annie Proulx's The Shipping News. Wish me luck!
You can join this challenge too at http://www.rosecityreader.com/2010/01/challenge-battle-of-prizes-anerican.html.
Monday, February 1, 2010
#84...The Death of the Heart
"Happy that few of us are aware of the world until we are already in league with it."
Elizabeth Bowen, author of The Death of the Heart, was “greatly interested in "life with the lid on and what happens when the lid comes off.” To make a long story short, Bowen liked to write about what would happen if people didn’t apply filters before acting or speaking, and ended up doing or saying socially unacceptable things. Throw that situation into emotionally repressed 1930’s Inter-War England, and already we have the makings of a fascinating and potentially explosive plot line before even opening the book.
In The Death of the Heart, we are introduced to the Quayne family: Anna and Thomas, who have taken in Thomas' half-sister Portia after the death of Portia's mother, Irene. Portia and Thomas have the same father; their father had an affair with Irene, and Thomas' mother forced her husband to divorce her, marry Irene and have Portia in order to punish him. Mr Quayne eventually dies, and after Irene dies, the dreamy, lonely Portia is sent to live with Thomas and Anna for a year per Mr Quayne's dying wish. The emotionally stifled Anna is less than thrilled with the arrangement; the book begins with her whining to her friend St Quentin about Portia's messy room and admitting that she's read Portia's diary, which included some unflattering remarks about all of them. Portia also has the misfortune to fall in love with Eddie, a shiftless, irresponsible jerk, who leads Portia on yet keeps her at arm’s length. Portia’s diary and her desperate need to be loved in an emotionally sterile household bring events to a head in the Quayne household.
Anyone who has ever felt different, misunderstood or alone will immediately sympathize with Portia’s plight. A child who was born under socially questionable circumstances, who lived a rather free and unconventional life abroad with her mother prior to moving to England, is then thrown into a situation where the pressure is on to conform and repress how they really feel. How awful that would be. It's no wonder that Portia befriends Major Brutt, an awkward, unemployed gentleman who sends her puzzles, and falls for Eddie, a morally bankrupt social pariah, because they are 'different' like she is, and because she is so desperate to feel understood. Portia’s diary throws the Quayne household into disarray because Portia does not hold back in her writing about how the people around her behave, and what her true thoughts are about them. Rather than understanding that Portia should be allowed to have a private place where she can unburden her thoughts and feelings, and minding their own business, the Quaynes whine about feeling unnatural and spied on. When Anna reads Portia’s diary, she is shown a side of herself that contradicts her own view of herself, which makes her uncomfortable.
The real beauty about the ending of Heart is that Portia’s discovery that Anna has read her diary, and the other characters’ discovery of this as well, forces people to admit things or discuss things that would never have come to the surface. You are left wondering if people will change once these revelations are made, but not with much hope.
Anyone who loves a good comedy of manners will be all about this book. A great read.
Grade: A-
Elizabeth Bowen, author of The Death of the Heart, was “greatly interested in "life with the lid on and what happens when the lid comes off.” To make a long story short, Bowen liked to write about what would happen if people didn’t apply filters before acting or speaking, and ended up doing or saying socially unacceptable things. Throw that situation into emotionally repressed 1930’s Inter-War England, and already we have the makings of a fascinating and potentially explosive plot line before even opening the book.
In The Death of the Heart, we are introduced to the Quayne family: Anna and Thomas, who have taken in Thomas' half-sister Portia after the death of Portia's mother, Irene. Portia and Thomas have the same father; their father had an affair with Irene, and Thomas' mother forced her husband to divorce her, marry Irene and have Portia in order to punish him. Mr Quayne eventually dies, and after Irene dies, the dreamy, lonely Portia is sent to live with Thomas and Anna for a year per Mr Quayne's dying wish. The emotionally stifled Anna is less than thrilled with the arrangement; the book begins with her whining to her friend St Quentin about Portia's messy room and admitting that she's read Portia's diary, which included some unflattering remarks about all of them. Portia also has the misfortune to fall in love with Eddie, a shiftless, irresponsible jerk, who leads Portia on yet keeps her at arm’s length. Portia’s diary and her desperate need to be loved in an emotionally sterile household bring events to a head in the Quayne household.
Anyone who has ever felt different, misunderstood or alone will immediately sympathize with Portia’s plight. A child who was born under socially questionable circumstances, who lived a rather free and unconventional life abroad with her mother prior to moving to England, is then thrown into a situation where the pressure is on to conform and repress how they really feel. How awful that would be. It's no wonder that Portia befriends Major Brutt, an awkward, unemployed gentleman who sends her puzzles, and falls for Eddie, a morally bankrupt social pariah, because they are 'different' like she is, and because she is so desperate to feel understood. Portia’s diary throws the Quayne household into disarray because Portia does not hold back in her writing about how the people around her behave, and what her true thoughts are about them. Rather than understanding that Portia should be allowed to have a private place where she can unburden her thoughts and feelings, and minding their own business, the Quaynes whine about feeling unnatural and spied on. When Anna reads Portia’s diary, she is shown a side of herself that contradicts her own view of herself, which makes her uncomfortable.
The real beauty about the ending of Heart is that Portia’s discovery that Anna has read her diary, and the other characters’ discovery of this as well, forces people to admit things or discuss things that would never have come to the surface. You are left wondering if people will change once these revelations are made, but not with much hope.
Anyone who loves a good comedy of manners will be all about this book. A great read.
Grade: A-
Sunday, January 31, 2010
January '10's Modern Library Literary Dirtbag Award Winner
I had to go with fire chief Willie Conklin from Ragtime. Reading that section where he harrassed Coalhouse Walker just made my blood boil. I am always embarrassed to remember that there was an unfortunate time in this country's history where that sort of treatment of African Americans was acceptable, and that scene in Ragtime was no exception. I was pissed off when I read that. Willie Conklin was not only a racist scuzzbucket but was also a giant coward, because he went and hid under a rock when Coalhouse was looking for him. I think he got off easy when all he had to do was restore Coalhouse's car.
Friday, January 29, 2010
RIP J.D. Salinger....Jan 1, 1919-Jan 27, 2010
I was very sad to hear last night of the death of J.D. Salinger, author of #64, The Catcher in the Rye, at 91 years old. I remember reading this book both in college and in high school and loving it; who didn't think at that age all adults were 'phony'? :) I already have it on my shelf and am looking forward to reading it as a grown-up.
It's been amazing to me, reading through this list, how many of the authors have already passed away, which I guess is what happens when you're reading a list of books from the last century. I think the only other authors I've read on the list that are still alive are Salman Rushdie and E.L. Doctorow. Having success as a writer and ending up on a list like this is its own immortality, though, isn't it?
It's been amazing to me, reading through this list, how many of the authors have already passed away, which I guess is what happens when you're reading a list of books from the last century. I think the only other authors I've read on the list that are still alive are Salman Rushdie and E.L. Doctorow. Having success as a writer and ending up on a list like this is its own immortality, though, isn't it?
Saturday, January 23, 2010
#85....Lord Jim
"It is impossible to say how much he lied to Jim then, how much he lied to me now--and to himself always. Vanity plays lurid tricks with our memory, and the truth of every passion wants some pretence to make it live."
Pete Rose is arguably one of the most famous baseball players of our time. Here in Minnesota, we're all about Joe Mauer and his batting titles, but Rose in his heyday made Mauer look like a minor leaguer. According to Wikipedia, Rose is the MLB leader in "hits (4,256), games played (3,562), at-bats (14,053), and outs (10,328), with three World Series wins, three batting titles, one MVP Award, two Gold Gloves, the Rookie of the Year Award, and 17 All-Star appearances at an unequaled five different positions (2B, LF, RF, 3B & 1B)".
However, none of that mattered in 1989. Rose had retired from baseball in 1986, but unfortunately, it came to light that during his years as a player and manager for the Cincinnati Reds, Rose had placed bets on his team as high as $10,000, always picking the Reds to win. It was felt that a player betting on baseball, even in favor of his own team,"jeopardized the integrity of the game". Rose was banned from baseball and put on the "permanently ineligible" list. He did not openly admit to the allegations until 2004. A career that should have been enshrined long ago in Cooperstown was permanently disgraced.
Joseph Conrad wasn't around to see what happened with Pete Rose, but the main character of his 1900 novel, Lord Jim, would have completely understood the pain associated with making a major mistake in your professional career that would taint the rest of your life. Jim is a regular guy who turns to a life on the sea as his trade. Jim is loving life as the chief officer of a boat called the Patna until one night when things go terribly, horribly wrong. The boat hits an underwater wreck and begins to fill with water. Jim prematurely panicks and jumps ship along with the other crew members, arriving back on land only to find the ship didn't actually sink and he is now under investigation for deserting his post. He is prohibited from ever being a ship captain again. Utterly humiliated, Jim hops from one menial job to the next, always skipping town whenever the Patna comes up in conversation. He is finally given an opportunity to start completely over in a small tribal community, where he is revered by the locals with the title of "Lord" Jim, until the day when trashy white sailors arrive on the island and threaten everything Jim has tried to escape. He is given a chance to redeem himself for his past and prove that he is not the coward he has been branded as.
I have found over a lifetime of reading that there are some books out there that you can coast through without having to read every word deliberately, yet still be able to follow the the story. And then there are books so wordy and dense that you feel like you have to crawl into a deep, dark, non-distracting hole for about a month in order to even find the story. Unfortunately, Lord Jim was one of the latter books for me. Conrad takes basic sentences like "the sky is blue" and turns them into a page-long paragraph, semi-colons, run-ons, and adjectives aplenty. I found myself re-reading sentences just to make sure I got every word, and then going, "Geez, was THAT all he was trying to say??" Someone should have let Conrad know that he could have bored a hole in himself any time and let the adverbs out.
The disappointment for me with Lord Jim was not that the story was bad. In fact, the last 1/3 and the ending were really good. The disappointment for me was how hard it was to slog through the first 2/3 of the book. It was like walking through two-foot deep snow, something we know all about up here in the Great White North.
The take home message? If you love what you do for a career, don't make the one major mistake that will screw it up forever. And if you decide to pick up Lord Jim, find your deep, dark, non-distracting hole in advance.
Grade: C
Pete Rose is arguably one of the most famous baseball players of our time. Here in Minnesota, we're all about Joe Mauer and his batting titles, but Rose in his heyday made Mauer look like a minor leaguer. According to Wikipedia, Rose is the MLB leader in "hits (4,256), games played (3,562), at-bats (14,053), and outs (10,328), with three World Series wins, three batting titles, one MVP Award, two Gold Gloves, the Rookie of the Year Award, and 17 All-Star appearances at an unequaled five different positions (2B, LF, RF, 3B & 1B)".
However, none of that mattered in 1989. Rose had retired from baseball in 1986, but unfortunately, it came to light that during his years as a player and manager for the Cincinnati Reds, Rose had placed bets on his team as high as $10,000, always picking the Reds to win. It was felt that a player betting on baseball, even in favor of his own team,"jeopardized the integrity of the game". Rose was banned from baseball and put on the "permanently ineligible" list. He did not openly admit to the allegations until 2004. A career that should have been enshrined long ago in Cooperstown was permanently disgraced.
Joseph Conrad wasn't around to see what happened with Pete Rose, but the main character of his 1900 novel, Lord Jim, would have completely understood the pain associated with making a major mistake in your professional career that would taint the rest of your life. Jim is a regular guy who turns to a life on the sea as his trade. Jim is loving life as the chief officer of a boat called the Patna until one night when things go terribly, horribly wrong. The boat hits an underwater wreck and begins to fill with water. Jim prematurely panicks and jumps ship along with the other crew members, arriving back on land only to find the ship didn't actually sink and he is now under investigation for deserting his post. He is prohibited from ever being a ship captain again. Utterly humiliated, Jim hops from one menial job to the next, always skipping town whenever the Patna comes up in conversation. He is finally given an opportunity to start completely over in a small tribal community, where he is revered by the locals with the title of "Lord" Jim, until the day when trashy white sailors arrive on the island and threaten everything Jim has tried to escape. He is given a chance to redeem himself for his past and prove that he is not the coward he has been branded as.
I have found over a lifetime of reading that there are some books out there that you can coast through without having to read every word deliberately, yet still be able to follow the the story. And then there are books so wordy and dense that you feel like you have to crawl into a deep, dark, non-distracting hole for about a month in order to even find the story. Unfortunately, Lord Jim was one of the latter books for me. Conrad takes basic sentences like "the sky is blue" and turns them into a page-long paragraph, semi-colons, run-ons, and adjectives aplenty. I found myself re-reading sentences just to make sure I got every word, and then going, "Geez, was THAT all he was trying to say??" Someone should have let Conrad know that he could have bored a hole in himself any time and let the adverbs out.
The disappointment for me with Lord Jim was not that the story was bad. In fact, the last 1/3 and the ending were really good. The disappointment for me was how hard it was to slog through the first 2/3 of the book. It was like walking through two-foot deep snow, something we know all about up here in the Great White North.
The take home message? If you love what you do for a career, don't make the one major mistake that will screw it up forever. And if you decide to pick up Lord Jim, find your deep, dark, non-distracting hole in advance.
Grade: C
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