Wolf Hall

Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel is the first of two historical novels centering around the life of Thomas Comwell who was a key player during the reign of Henry VIII. The tale is vividly told and is highly recommended for fans of this period of history (think of the cable show The Tudors). The central drama in this novel is the divorce that Henry seeks from his wife Katherine so that he could be free to marry Anne Boleyn. The decision to pursue the divorce has geopolitical ramifications and ultimately impacts the power of the Roman Catholic Church in England. There are some extremely violent sequences where "heretics" are burned to death. The reader gets a real flavor for life during those times for both the royalty and the commoners. Overall, it was an excellent novel.

What I Am Reading Now

I mentioned before that I usually have multiple books going on at once. I can't help it. It is not my style to read one book at a time. I have the book that I read on the train (just finished The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke and I just started From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne). There is the book I am reading in my comfy chair in the bedroom - Lincoln by David Donald Herbert. This choice was inspired by seeing the Spielberg movie, but is not the book that the film is based on. Also, I started reading the Hobbit around the time that that movie came out, but it's been sitting in my living room largely unread. It's cold in my living room, so this may contribute to my pokey attitude towards Tolkien. When I find myself somewhere without a book, I pull out my IPhone and read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. I am not a huge fan of e-reading. I prefer the tactile quality of a paper book. However, the e-book is fine in a pinch. So, I am in the middle of four books. I bet there are people that are in the middle of many more. Please share the titles that you are juggling. I would love to hear from you.

This is How You Lose Her

Junot Diaz was recently quoted: "Mother****ers will read a book that's 1/3 Elvish, but put two sentences in Spanish and white people think we're taking over." It is a funny quote. He is reacting to some people's comments regarding his writing style, which peppers Spanish words and sentences throughout his narrative. This style is evident in his latest collection of stories entitled "This is How You Lose Her." These connected stories tell of a Dominican family that emigrates to Northern New Jersey in the late 1970s or early 1980s. The stories are told either in the first or second person and pop with energy, passion and wit. Some of my non-Spanish speaking friends find the "Spanglish" device annoying at times, but appreciate the authenticity that the author brings to the characters' voices. There are some stereotypical depictions of Dominican men as cheaters and the women being either long suffering or opportunistic. However, the protagonist's journey is fascinating. Yunior is clearly an alter ego for the author. His arrival as a child in the US, his assimilation into American society, his adolescent and early adulthood struggles, mistakes and adventures with his family and girls form the emotional core of these stories. At his root, Junot Diaz is exploring what it means to be an American. It is wrong to think about these simply as Latin stories. These are American stories.

I'm Back!

Hello all - it's been a long while since my last post. I have read so many good books over the past year. Here are some highlights: John Steinbeck - Tortilla Flat and Cannery Row: These were enjoyable reads but ultimately they are not timeless. These novels are set in California during the depression and include a wide ranging cast of characters of the roustabout and ne'er-do-well variety. All the women are whores and all the men are loafers. It's bleak but with comic touches. There is even a hint of magical realism. It all feels a bit dated, but I enjoyed Reading Cannery Row a bit more. Kevin Brockmeier - A Brief History of the Dead. This book was a birthday gift from a friend. It was not a novel or a writer that I had ever heard from. I started reading it in part out of a sense of obligation. Boy, I am glad I did. It is one of my favorite books of all time. I don't really want to say much more. If you like end of the world type stories (with no Zombies), this one is for you. Jack London - The Sea Wolf - This is a really well written sea adventure story. It is action packed and philosophical. If you are looking for a classic novel, I highly recommend this one. I read this on my phone! Christopher Hitchens - Mortality - This was a powerful meditation on the experience of becoming ill and dying. It is a beautiful short book by one of the great 20th century writers. Nathan Englander - For the Relief of Unbearable Urges; What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank - Englander is a master of the short story form. His tales are mystical, ancient and modern all at the same time.

Anthill

"Anthill" is a Pulitzer Prize winning first novel by the scientist / naturalist, E.O. Wilson. Mr. Wilson wrote the influential "Sociobiology" back in 1975. In recent years, mathematical models have called into question some of the tenets of his theory. Wilson has embraced these revelations as progress in science. Imagine that, a scientist more interested in the truth than in protecting his legacy. Pretty heroic if you ask me.

So I have known him as a science writer and thinker for more than 30 years. The question is, can he write fiction well. The answer is: sort of. The story revolves around a young boy growing up in rural Alabama with a preternatural interest in the insects of the local woodlands. The story throws in a lot about the conflict between conservation and development. There is an interesting thread about a certain strain in Christian extremism that is against conservation on biblical grounds. I did enjoy the exploration of Southern mores and traditions. Wilson, like his protagonist, was reared in the rural South and attends university at an elite Eastern institution. So he knows what he writes about. He captures the cadence and the worldview of these characters perfectly. My major complaint has to do with his plotting. Without giving too much away, this story has "first novel" written all over it.

The best part of "Anthill" (and the reason I totally recommend this book) is the middle section where he describes, in page-turning detail, the daily lives of ants that live in various anthills throughout the local woods. He ascribes to the ants almost human characteristics when describing their activities, reactions and motivations. This section of the book is not to be missed.

On an unrelated note, in my slow but sure quest to read all of Arthur C. Clarke's stories, I read "The City and the Stars". The writing was not great, but the ideas were mind-blowing. Clarke's imagination was a gift to all of us.

Hyperion/Fall of Hyperion

A couple of weeks ago, I finished reading a collection of two novels referred to as The Hyperion Cantos by author Dan Simmons. This collection is comprised of Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion. I mentioned this book last year in one of my early posts. At the time, I said the following:

This is truly one of the greatest "hard" science fiction stories ever. It borrows from Chaucer in that a group of pilgrims (in space) tell each other their life stories. It includes elements of action, noir mystery, political intrigue, religious mysticism, and psychohistory. It is a mind blowing portrait of humanity's imagined future.

I actually started reading this book in October 2009. It took me the better part of 18 months to finish the nearly 1,000 page story. I kept putting it down, not because it was boring, but rather, because I found it overwhelming at times. The comment above about Chaucer really only applies to the first book. The second book explodes with interstellar war between humans, a cold war between mankind and machines, and heartbreaking political decisions that no leaders would wish to face. There is even reference to a confrontation between god-like entities in the far future. The genius of the writer is that he never loses touch with the characters amidst all these heady concepts and far flung plot developments. I really cared about each of these characters and I wanted to follow their stories until the end. The book's finale is very satisfying and will not disappoint. If you are a fan of Dune, 2001: A Space Odyssey, or the Ender books, I recommend Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion.

Tea in the Sahara

Ok, now I know what that Police song is about. The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles is a wonderful post-war novel set in French North Africa. The protagonists are a small band of American travelers. It can be argued that the characters are searching for meaning or inner peace. Some may see this as an existential or even nihilistic novel, devoid of any quest or sense of purpose. What I love about this novel is that it is all of these things: Romantic love story, travelogue, action/adventure, political drama, comedy of manners. The best novels are never about one thing. The writer has a lot to say about Europeans colonials in the wake of WWII. The relationships among the Americans, the Europeans and the "natives" in this book are well observed. I don't want reveal much (or anything) about the plot because one of the true pleasures of this book is not knowing too much. The only other thing I will say is that it starts off a bit slowly, but there is a payoff if you stick with it. And yes, the title of the Police song is explained in the novel.