Posts
The Giver
Lois Lowry
This is actually a 'childrens' book, although it deals with some very adult topics. Jonas lives in a perfect world, everything is structured and there are no surprises. It is the sameness that his society has chosen, no weather, hills, sun, pain or pleasure. 'Families' are groups of people, adults and 2 children that have been carefully matched.... there is no free will. But Jonas is choosen to be the receiver of memories, to carry all the memories of the people, the pain and suffering, but also the color and joy they are missing.
An interesting dystopian tale. It reminds me a lot of Brave New World, the society is set up in a similar way.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The Hot Kid (11)
The Hot Kid
Elmore Leonard
This is set in the 1930's when booze is illegal, the country is in depression and outlaws are robbing banks and shooting people everywhere. This is the story of U. S. Marshall Carl Webster, the Hot Kid, who at 28 has made a name for himself shooting wanted bad guys. It tells the story of some of his famous battles as told to a magazine reporter, while he is on the trail of Jack Belmont a 2 bit crook, son a wealthy oil man, whose ambition is to be a famous outlaw, public enemy number one.
This is a great story written in the ususal Leonard style that draws you into the characters and makes you interested in them and their motivations. This one seem to tell a story more than some of his novels, and I enjoyed it. The body count was high, but it is the same cast of low life people that make so many of Leonard's books interesting, just set in the wilds of Oklahoma during the Oil rush.
Elmore Leonard
This is set in the 1930's when booze is illegal, the country is in depression and outlaws are robbing banks and shooting people everywhere. This is the story of U. S. Marshall Carl Webster, the Hot Kid, who at 28 has made a name for himself shooting wanted bad guys. It tells the story of some of his famous battles as told to a magazine reporter, while he is on the trail of Jack Belmont a 2 bit crook, son a wealthy oil man, whose ambition is to be a famous outlaw, public enemy number one.
This is a great story written in the ususal Leonard style that draws you into the characters and makes you interested in them and their motivations. This one seem to tell a story more than some of his novels, and I enjoyed it. The body count was high, but it is the same cast of low life people that make so many of Leonard's books interesting, just set in the wilds of Oklahoma during the Oil rush.
Comfort to the Enemy (10)
Comfort to the Enemy
Elmore Leonard
This is not a published book, but rather a serial that Leonard wrote for the New York Times. One chapter was published each week over a 14 week period. It is now available from Leondard's web sit.
It is the story of U.S. Marshall Carl Webster as he investigates the death of a POW found hung. The story is pure Leonard, but one of the interesting thing is that we kept foreign POWs on American soil during WWII. This story is set in Oklahoma and Webster has to figure out who is more dangerous the POW that is escaping, or the ones that stay in the camp.
This is the same character as The Hot Kid, and I had thought this was a prequeal, it turns out this story happens after The Hot Kid, so if you are reading them in order do this one second.
Elmore Leonard
This is not a published book, but rather a serial that Leonard wrote for the New York Times. One chapter was published each week over a 14 week period. It is now available from Leondard's web sit.
It is the story of U.S. Marshall Carl Webster as he investigates the death of a POW found hung. The story is pure Leonard, but one of the interesting thing is that we kept foreign POWs on American soil during WWII. This story is set in Oklahoma and Webster has to figure out who is more dangerous the POW that is escaping, or the ones that stay in the camp.
This is the same character as The Hot Kid, and I had thought this was a prequeal, it turns out this story happens after The Hot Kid, so if you are reading them in order do this one second.
The Second Deadly Sin (9)
The Second Deadly Sin
Lawrence Sanders
This is the second Edward X Delaney novel, the retired NYPD chief who is called back to look into the murder of an artist. This book is classic Sanders heavy on the descriptions of food and clothing, yet an interesting story as he unwraps the stories and personalities of those who are involved. It is a good whodunit and holds up well. Written in the mid 70's it is still fresh today without seeming too dated. I was reading this book while I was in NYC as it is set there, so I can place the settings, the roads, and subways which makes it a bit more interesting.
Lawrence Sanders
This is the second Edward X Delaney novel, the retired NYPD chief who is called back to look into the murder of an artist. This book is classic Sanders heavy on the descriptions of food and clothing, yet an interesting story as he unwraps the stories and personalities of those who are involved. It is a good whodunit and holds up well. Written in the mid 70's it is still fresh today without seeming too dated. I was reading this book while I was in NYC as it is set there, so I can place the settings, the roads, and subways which makes it a bit more interesting.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Women (8)
Women
Charles Bukowski
Read 3/24/09
This winter I purchased all six of Bukowski’s novels. I have read the first 3, but will want to read them again. Women is the next book in order to read. This looks at Bukowski’s life in the early 70’s after he was a writer and starting to enjoy some celebrity. He still lives in L.A., and not in the best part. Still drinking heavily, and still writing. What is different is he is not broke all the time, and he has a steady stream of women who want to be with him. It doesn’t hurt that this is in the middle of the sexual revolution and it seems that everybody is sleeping with everyone. He tends to favor the psychos and broken down women, he can’t seem to care enough to actually have a relationship, even though a few women seem to genuinely like him. He said if he had to choose between drinking and women, he would give up women… so that puts in all in perspective.
Charles Bukowski
Read 3/24/09
This winter I purchased all six of Bukowski’s novels. I have read the first 3, but will want to read them again. Women is the next book in order to read. This looks at Bukowski’s life in the early 70’s after he was a writer and starting to enjoy some celebrity. He still lives in L.A., and not in the best part. Still drinking heavily, and still writing. What is different is he is not broke all the time, and he has a steady stream of women who want to be with him. It doesn’t hurt that this is in the middle of the sexual revolution and it seems that everybody is sleeping with everyone. He tends to favor the psychos and broken down women, he can’t seem to care enough to actually have a relationship, even though a few women seem to genuinely like him. He said if he had to choose between drinking and women, he would give up women… so that puts in all in perspective.
Rabbit, Run (7)
Rabbit, Run
John Updike
Read 3/8/09
This year I have been reading some popular authors of the past, I liked Vonnegut, and have read lots of good things about Updike, so I had high hopes for Rabbit. Unfortunately I found the writing to be cumbersome and slow. It is basically the story of a young guy who can not decide if he wants to stay with his wife. He has a wife, a girlfriend, and he can’t figure out what he wants. Updike goes into vivid descriptions of everything in an almost poetic way.. but what I really want is a story to read.. the story is slow to develop, in the end it gets quite interesting, but much like life there is no real resolution at the end. I guess that makes you want to read the sequel.
The book was written in the late 50’s and what is interesting is the role woman played in life. We meet Rabbits wife, girlfriend, mother, mother-in-law and a few other characters and it shows how women were though of and their duty and place in the late 50s. Unfortunately that wasn’t enough to save this book in my opinion.
John Updike
Read 3/8/09
This year I have been reading some popular authors of the past, I liked Vonnegut, and have read lots of good things about Updike, so I had high hopes for Rabbit. Unfortunately I found the writing to be cumbersome and slow. It is basically the story of a young guy who can not decide if he wants to stay with his wife. He has a wife, a girlfriend, and he can’t figure out what he wants. Updike goes into vivid descriptions of everything in an almost poetic way.. but what I really want is a story to read.. the story is slow to develop, in the end it gets quite interesting, but much like life there is no real resolution at the end. I guess that makes you want to read the sequel.
The book was written in the late 50’s and what is interesting is the role woman played in life. We meet Rabbits wife, girlfriend, mother, mother-in-law and a few other characters and it shows how women were though of and their duty and place in the late 50s. Unfortunately that wasn’t enough to save this book in my opinion.
Slaughterhouse Five (6)
Slaugherhouse Five
Kurt Vonnegut
Read 2/16/09
I read a book of Vonnegut's short stories last year, he started as a science fiction writer and you could see that in many of his stories. This is a book roughly about his war experience as a German POW. It is told from the point of view of a time traveling optometrist who spends time as a POW and also as a zoo specimen on a foreign planet. It is a odd way to look at an awful and powerful story and in the end the message comes across stronger than if he would have just told it. The use of humor gives a side line to make the awful bits more powerful.
Kurt Vonnegut
Read 2/16/09
I read a book of Vonnegut's short stories last year, he started as a science fiction writer and you could see that in many of his stories. This is a book roughly about his war experience as a German POW. It is told from the point of view of a time traveling optometrist who spends time as a POW and also as a zoo specimen on a foreign planet. It is a odd way to look at an awful and powerful story and in the end the message comes across stronger than if he would have just told it. The use of humor gives a side line to make the awful bits more powerful.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)