Monday, June 20, 2011
State of Wonder
I loved State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. I love Ann Patchett. It reminded me of Bel Canto. It swept me up from the minute it started and while I was left with questions and the themes were familiar, I want to read it again, right now.
Thursday, June 09, 2011
A Visit From the Goon Squad
I've read two of Jennifer Egan's other books and had read good things about A Visit from the Goon Squad, so I was excited when it came out in paperback.
However, as I started reading the novel, I remembered the feeling I had with the other two books - like you are the straight-laced dorky kid in school who is getting a glimpse into the edgy world of the too cool for anything ordinary kids. And I, for one, like not to feel that uncool.
Egan introduces a new voice in each chapter and though they are all connected it is sometimes so tangentially that takes some work to put it all together. None of the characters are all that likable - not Benny, the aging rock producer or Sasha, the kleptomaniac assistant turned artist mom or any of the other characters who crossed their paths over the years.
And the last chapter set in a paranoid post-9/11 New York was disturbing with its bleak, Big Brother-like descriptions.
If you're looking for something out of the ordinary, I would recommend this book. If you want to retain the illusion that you are cool, you might want to skip it.
However, as I started reading the novel, I remembered the feeling I had with the other two books - like you are the straight-laced dorky kid in school who is getting a glimpse into the edgy world of the too cool for anything ordinary kids. And I, for one, like not to feel that uncool.
Egan introduces a new voice in each chapter and though they are all connected it is sometimes so tangentially that takes some work to put it all together. None of the characters are all that likable - not Benny, the aging rock producer or Sasha, the kleptomaniac assistant turned artist mom or any of the other characters who crossed their paths over the years.
And the last chapter set in a paranoid post-9/11 New York was disturbing with its bleak, Big Brother-like descriptions.
If you're looking for something out of the ordinary, I would recommend this book. If you want to retain the illusion that you are cool, you might want to skip it.
Under the Banner of Heaven
After reading The 19th Wife, I wanted to read more about Mormonism and polygamy so I picked up Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer.
Krakauer gives the history of Mormonism and particularly how fundamentalists broke off to create sects where polygamy is still practiced. He frames it around the brutal murders of Brenda Lafferty and her daughter by he fundamentalist brothers-in-law.
The story is well told and he expanded on history that was touched upon in The 19th Wife giving a broader understanding of the faith. However, I was left with a bad taste about fundamentalist Mormonism. I know not all Mormons are like this, but the extremism and using religion as an excuse for violence was disturbing.
At one point, Krakauer asks one of the brother's convicted of the murders how he is different from the 9/11 bombers (both believe they have been told by God to act and murder) and his answer is basically that he is listening to the true Prophet, they were listening to a false prophet.
Makes me afraid for the future of our country and world.
Krakauer gives the history of Mormonism and particularly how fundamentalists broke off to create sects where polygamy is still practiced. He frames it around the brutal murders of Brenda Lafferty and her daughter by he fundamentalist brothers-in-law.
The story is well told and he expanded on history that was touched upon in The 19th Wife giving a broader understanding of the faith. However, I was left with a bad taste about fundamentalist Mormonism. I know not all Mormons are like this, but the extremism and using religion as an excuse for violence was disturbing.
At one point, Krakauer asks one of the brother's convicted of the murders how he is different from the 9/11 bombers (both believe they have been told by God to act and murder) and his answer is basically that he is listening to the true Prophet, they were listening to a false prophet.
Makes me afraid for the future of our country and world.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)