Book Review: Walden by Henry David Thoreau

On this day in 1854, Henry David Thoreau's now iconic book "Walden" was published. That means that today marks the 172nd anniversary of the publication of Henry David Thoreau's most iconic and, arguably, important work (along with Civil Disobedience). It was originally published by Ticknor & Fields of Boston on Wednesday, August 9, 1854. Only 2,000 copies were published originally.

It did not sell well initially. Yet it would prove to be immensely influential over time. It has only gained in traction as a classic and seminal work among American letters in the better part of two centuries since it was originally published.

The book recounted his experiment living a solitary life on the shores of Massachusetts' Walden Pond, and proved hugely influential. Some credit it with being the beginning of the modern environmentalist movement for the modern world. Indeed, the book has been republished many times over, and in most major languages.

On my end, I remember reading parts of it back in high school, and again in college. Yet I only really read it for the first time, from cover to cover, back in my late 30's. That is a little embarrassing to admit, but yes, it is the truth. That said, I began reading it while visiting Walden Pond, which was the setting for Thoreau when he set about to write it, of course. So that made the experience a little richer and symbolic, in many respects. 

So it seemed fitting to republish my original book review of Henry David Thoreau's Walden on this occasion.

Enjoy:

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

(originally published on September 10, 2012)

Statue of Henry David Thoreau (above) located by a replica of his wood cabin, which was located at Walden Woods near Walden Pond (below) in between Lincoln and Concord, Massachusetts. 

"The world is but a canvas to our imagination."

~ Henry David Thoreau

 

So, yes, I finally read Henry David Thoreau's Walden. For a long time, I had read numerous quotes from Thoreau's works, including quite a number from this, his most famous book.  

This time, however, I finally read the book itself, from cover to cover (and it included a copy of his famous essay on Civil Disobedience). I started it while on a recent visit to Walden itself, something that had always been a dream of mine, but which had never happened before.  

The thing is, this book has obviously been read already by so many. What could I possibly say about it that has not been said already? How to go about with a review of a book that was published almost160 years ago, especially one that has been dissected by so many people, and which has proven to be such a strong influence for so many people, literally numbering in the millions? 

This is a work that, along with it's counterpoint, commonly known as Civil Disobedience, proved so highly influential, including to such notables as Tolstoy, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr.? What can I possibly bring to the argument, or anyone's reading of this work?  

Not much, perhaps. But having read it and been influenced (and yes, surprised) by it myself, I figured it was worth a shot. Who could it hurt, anyway?  

It has a certain timeless quality to it, and a strong measure of serenity, as well. Once you have been to Walden, and you read the book, you cannot help but think of these woods, and imagine Thoreau going about his daily business within it, fishing in the waters, walking along it's paths, breathing in it's air.  

Walden is not a book that I would describe as an easy read by any stretch. This was not the first, or the second, or even the third try for me. I am not entirely sure how many times that I had actually tried to read the work before, but there were numerous times, and never had these efforts met with success before. Not sure what was different this time. Maybe it was the moment, that almost spiritual moment, while visiting Walden on such a pleasant, sunny, summer's morning, with the sun shining down, and the pond shimmering, keeping good company while I walked along it's shores. Maybe it was maturity. Probably it was both, and maybe it was something else, as well. Maybe it was just time, because I needed it at this moment in my life, having gone through some things, and needing some measure of guidance that the book could provide.  

There were a few reasons for the rather extreme delay, and I don't think it would behoove you to go into detail over any of them. However, sufficed to say, I was familiar with many quotes from Thoreau's written works, and so thought myself more or less familiar with his writings and his way of thinking, his approach towards the wilderness, or at least towards Walden, in particular.  

But I was wrong. This book was actually a bit different than anything that I expected, truth be told.  

Of course, not all of it came as a shock, or anything. I have long known that Thoreau went out to the woods in order to live in the midst nature, and to appreciate it in a manner that was rather unique among whites living in the middle of the nineteenth century, the way that Thoreau did.  

That said, it should be noted, and this is not a minor point, that the natives who were here before us had a much greater appreciation for, and respect or even reverence of, nature. I don't think that it's a stretch to think that Thoreau might have been influenced more than a little bit by the natives approach towards living at peace with nature.  

It marked the first time that someone from our modern culture really stopped in his tracks in order to think about where we were (and still are, because his arguments and criticisms of society in general are likely far truer of our modern society now than they were even back in his day). He overcame the general fear and distrust of nature that existed up to that point, the need to dominate, to subject it to our desire to dominate, our need to transform it to our liking. Perhaps to make it more productive, or profitable.  

What he did that was unique was voice the opinion, to a modern audience, to leave it alone just for it's own sake. Again, natives had said this many times, but Thoreau voiced this opinion from within our culture, and in that, he was the first.  

So, what surprised me about the book? 

Well, early on, he mentions something that seems actually quite relevant in the present - again, perhaps even more relevant in the present age than when it was written, back in Thoreau's day. That was the part when he focuses on indebtedness, and borrowing money in order to spend it to obtain things (mostly physical property, or land, but not necessarily restricted to it, as he also mentioned, specifically, clothes). He spoke about the tendency to borrow money systematically to buy things, and makes the point that what you "own" is not really "yours" until you actually have worked enough to have earned the money to pay for it.  

Another element that surprised me when I first found out about it (although I knew about it before actually reading the book this time around) is to what extent Thoreau did not simply go out into the middle of the woods and live entirely under his own power. In fact, he has been criticized for this, and it is not a minor bone of contention, since he often seems to suggest that this is largely what he did. Yet, he enjoyed evenings out in the town of Concord with friends during his time at Walden, when the impression often times has been that of a complete withdrawal from society. In fact, he regularly saw others, and did not exactly retreat from their company. He was hardly what anyone would have called a true hermit, or anything, although what he did made him unique, and the book itself would go on to achieve a measure of immortality based upon the quality of the thoughts expressed, and not strictly as some kind of documentation of his actual actions and documentation of his exact style of life during these times. He lived close to Concord itself, which is within easy walking distance of the site of Walden Pond and Walden Woods, where Thoreau stayed (it is only a couple of miles, really).  

Mostly, the idea of being able to step back a bit from the hustle and bustle that our modern lives demand is what this book tries to awaken the reader to. Taking a different approach, and understanding that there are other, perhaps higher, priorities in life, and that a different approach like this has some value. Being able to reflect, and indeed criticize, the society at large, and to understand how it (we might call it these days a consumer culture) is in fact consuming literally everything. Thoreau's emphasis on the nature, on the woods at Walden, are literally a testament to those woods, but symbolically, it is the "wildness", so to speak, within us (probably on both an individual and a societal level), that also needs to be preserved. The notion that these things have quality and are worth examining on their own was not exactly an accepted, let alone a popular, notion at the time, however much they may be glorified nowadays.  

I would have added quotes but, knowing how liberally some people tend to use quotes from this book (and with strong justification, for that matter!), I thought that maybe it would be good to take a different approach in this review. It would be all too easy to buttress my own arguments, or thoughts, or personal philosophy, or what have you, with some of his own quotes, and perhaps would have lent them some credibility. I will admit, this was initially what I was going to do. However, it began to feel more formulaic than anything, so the focus became about a review, rather than a testament to the book, or some kind of personal monument or tribute. Maybe, some time in the future, I will indeed do something with it, and use some of my favorite quotes in the process. But for the purposes of this review, it seemed more direct just to give my impressions of the work, and how it affected me in real terms, rather than employ some breathy moments of supposed inspiration by using some powerful quotes that I read (or perhaps, misread). This has been a more honest review, and I am actually glad for it.  

Now, to be fair, I must say that, technically, I may have read this book, or at least huge chunks of the actual book, without fully being aware of it. But that happened back in high school and, thus, really does not count, since I really barely paid it any attention (there was little that I did pay attention to back then, frankly), and so that hardly counts. I must say that this time, attention was paid. And so, if you have tried to read this work, and struggled to get through it, try not to get overly discouraged. It is not an easy work, especially for us now, in the 21st century. We are taught, implicitly, to rush through things, to get them done, and hopefully, to maximize their effects. Thoreau took an entirely different approach, and this is reflected in his writing style. It requires us to read it carefully, to pause and think about some of the quotes within, and to understand what vantage point he was taking. It is not a book that you can simply plow through and get what you are supposed to get out of that. That would be a true of some of my favorite authors, such as Stephen King, who has an amazing writing style in his own right. But we need to read Thoreau quite a bit differently. He almost demands it of us.  

So, if you have had difficulty with this work and really want to read it (like me), then my advice is to take your time with it, but not so much time that you put it down to softly reflect on a point, perhaps closing your eyes to focus on a specific point or passage in the book, and then never to pick up the book again, or perhaps to awake yourself by the sounds of your own snoring, and to find saliva dribbling down your cheek. This is an incredible work, and there really are some treasures to be found within, that can truly be appreciated by reading the book through entirely, and not merely being acquainted with some of the more famous quotes and passages (although these have a good quality, as well). Just stick with it, and eventually, you will find that the pace of your progress just might surprise you.

Book Review: Snug in Iceland by Victoria Walker

One thing that I like to try and do, to the extent possible, is extend my trips or vacations in some way by any means possible. That is not to say refusing to go home or go to work or re-enter my normal life routines, or anything. Rather, it means simply taking time to go through pictures and sort out my favorites, as one example. Or to watch movies or such things or read histories on the places which I just visited, to kind of mentally stay there and artificially extend my visit a bit.

Or in this case, to read a book which helped to make me feel like I was still, on some level at least, in Iceland, exploring. 

Indeed, there are differences, of course. I was in Iceland for a short duration. Really, only a couple of days. The fictional Rachel in this book is there for several weeks, even something like a month. Also, she visits during the winter, while my visit came during late spring, with summer fast approaching. So there certainly were some differences. 

Yet, it almost brought me back to my admittedly brief adventure in Iceland. That made me feel almost (not quite, but almost) like I was still at least partly on vacation, exploring Reykjavik. And that helped me to enjoy the book more than I normally would have.

Admittedly, romance is not my typical genre when I read books. And make no mistakes: this is a romance book. In fact, it kind of had a feel almost of a Hallmark kind of movie, the ones which my girlfriend often watches. But it was not a bad book, and the characters were written with rich interior lives, so we got the sense of them feeling like real people. That is to the credit of the author, Victoria Walker. 

Before I go any farther, however, let me give the usual warnings to stop reading if you intend to read this book, because there will be spoilers ahead.

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

Okay, so by now if you are still reading this, I have to imagine that you either are familiar with this story already, or perhaps you do not mind the spoilers. Please just don't say that you were not given advanced warning. 

The main character is Rachel Richards. She lives in London with her boyfriend, Adam. They do not enjoy the most exciting or sensational love life. Yet, what they have seems like a stable relationship. Both are working full-time jobs and seem to be getting opportunities for advancement. Rachel works for a store chain call "Snug" (hence the title), and has just gotten an opportunity to be in charge of setting up a new store. But this store is in another country, in Reykjavik, Iceland.

It is not necessarily an easy decision for her. She thinks about how Adam will take it before committing. But when Adam actually does seem less than enthusiastic, she realizes that there is a double-standard at work. She is always happy for him when he gets promotions or opportunities, but she does not feel the same level of support from him, and feels that he should be more understanding. In short, he is being selfish, standing in her way of progress. We get the impression that there maybe always was friction between them, but she is only waking up to it now. Regardless, she decides that this is too important and goes to Iceland. 

Adam does promise to visit her for a weekend during her stay in Iceland. Before she leaves, he gives her a wonderful night that makes her feel that things are okay with them again. Yet quickly after she arrives, she begins to see odd behavior from him, leading her to suspect that he is in fact cheating on her. The last straw is when he cancels the trip to visit her in Iceland. After that, she is determined not to give him the power to disappoint her and break her heart anymore. She will confront him and give him an ultimatum.

Meanwhile, her stay in Iceland has been wonderful. She ran into some setbacks in preparing the store, but she adapted and it is beginning to come along wonderfully. Also, she has gotten the chance to explore Iceland a little bit, and met a travel agent, Jonas, who she cannot deny having an attraction to. He seems to feel the same way. There is a real connection there, although Rachel knows that it cannot go anywhere, since she is still with Adam.  

Despite being in Iceland for only a matter of weeks, it begins to feel a bit like her life in London is far away and long ago. Of course, that is mostly an illusion. But she realizes that her life there has become chaotic. For now, she is enjoying life in Iceland and will think about London and her problems there as they arrive. 

Also, she has met someone, almost by accident. While trying to capitalize the chance to get familiar with Iceland, she meets Jonas, a tour guide. He seems very kind and she feels an instant attraction to him. Then, when they keep bumping into one another, they inevitably connect on more than just a business level, beyond just guide and tourist. Despite Rachel's misgivings about how this could be perceived, since she has not yet broken things off with Adam yet, she still feels that it is harmless to go out with Jonas. But it soon turns into something a bit more serious. That, despite both of them understanding that there really appears to be no hope for any kind of a serious or long-term relationship. 

What's the saying about relationships? 

It's complicated, right? This one sure is.

And it gets even more complicated when Adam shows up suddenly, surprising Rachel. Once again, she feels torn. Especially when she finds out that Adam is not even really in Iceland for her. With his work, he had orchestrated a takeover of the Snug franchise. Meanwhile, she had agreed to lunch with Adam so that they could discuss things. But somehow, this leads to a confrontation with an injured Jonas, who has just hurt his arm during one of his trips and will be sidelined for a while from work. Adam acts like the overprotective (and threatened) boyfriend, sending Jonas off. He looks hurt, and not just because of his physical injuries. 

This proves to be too much for Rachel. She finally ends it altogether with Adam. But Jonas seems to be trying to avoid her. It is during this time of isolation that she realizes that she wants to be with Jonas. And in the end - surprise, surprise - they get together in a romantic way, in one of the heated natural pools of Iceland, and under the Northern Lights, to boot.

What a romantic ending. 

Again, this genre is not the one I usually would go for. But despite this feeling a bit like one of those somewhat cheesy Hallmark romance movies that my girlfriend sometimes watches, this was an entertaining book. Well-written. Also, it allowed me to feel like I was sort of extending my own exploration of Iceland, even if this time, it was in black and white print.

Recommended. 

Book Review: Marvel's Secret Wars II (1985)

  

 

When I was a kid, I loved Marvel's Secret Wars. I still remember my parents getting me a few 3-packs of comic books just before my brother and I left for France during the summer of 1985  It was issues # 7-9, so it was well into the series. Yet, I read and reread them several times that summer, and loved them. Collected French versions of some of the Secret Wars comics, and tried to learn some French in the process. Also collected the toys. In the summer of 1987, while back in France, I picked up the three exclusively European Secret Wars figures of Iceman, Electro, and Constrictor. In time, I got all of the issues and read them all. Even got the first series in French.

Yet as much as I loved Secret Wars, this was actually the first time that I read Secret Wars II in it's entirety. Not sure why that is, only that it is. Somehow, the fact that it was on Earth made it feel less magical, did not inspire my imagination quite as much. So yeah, I never actually read Secret Wars II in it's entirety.

At least not until now.

Before I go any farther, however, let me give the usual warnings to stop reading if you intend to read this book, because there will be spoilers ahead.

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

Okay, so by now if you are still reading this, I have to imagine that you either are familiar with this story already, or perhaps you do not mind the spoilers. Please just don't say that you were not given advanced warning. 

So yeah, back to Secret Wars.

The first series, which was published in 1984, brought together most of the superheroes and supervillains from the Marvel Universe. The Beyonder - a sort of God from another universe - has observed the Earth for a very long time. He decides to take whole chunks of the Earth and transport them to a makeshift planet of his own creation far into space, with the superheroes and supervillains to launch a war for survival to get back to Earth. Meanwhile, the planet-eating Galactus seems intent on challenging the Beyonder. 

Ultimately, there are subplots. One of them is Dr. Doom briefly usurping Beyonder's powers, but then quickly being expelled. Some heroes, like the Thing, decide to stay on the old planet instead of going back to Earth. This is also where Spiderman debuts his then new, sleek black uniform, unaware that it is an alien which is trying to merge with him. Ultimately, this alien will become an enemy and will become Venom, one of Spiderman's most dangerous rivals in time. But that is later.

Now all of that appealed to my imagination. Getting a taste of each of the superheroes, even some whom I was previously largely unaware of, was interesting. The idea of some God-like creature taking whole pieces of Earth and transporting people and heroes to a makeshift new planet really appealed to my fertile imagination back then. 

Perhaps that is why Secret Wars II, which takes place right here on Earth, did not quite appeal to me as much. I got some issues, but later on. It seemed weird. Iron Man looked very strange, with this awkward looking costume that made him appear boxy and clumsy. And the comic focused far more on the Beyonder than on either the heroes or villains, it seemed. So it seemed bizarre to me, and this made it harder to get into. 

So it begins with the Beyonder visiting Earth. He wants to come to learn more about it and what makes humans tick. He clearly is a stranger here, not knowing the ways or the customs. Pretty sure that as a kid back when these comics first came out, I would have gotten a kick out of some of the things that he gets wrong, such as eating a bottle of soda.

In time, he begins to learn the ropes. But since he has Godlike powers, he quickly rises to the top and is incredibly wealthy and powerful. He explores sex - not that this is illustrated, but it is clearly implied - and has the dream life. Yet, it all comes too easily for him, and he grows bored. 

One of the problems with a character like the Beyonder is that he seems invincible. I always felt that way about Superman, but the Beyonder goes well beyond even that. So while there are some challenges to his power, you never get the feeling that anyone has the chance to actually defeat him. 

Yet somehow, they do. There is one villain from the first Secret Wars, Owen Reece, also known as the Molecule Man. Throughout the first Secret Wars and almost all of the second, he seems too mousy of a man to actually use his incredible powers. 

Right at the end, however, he finally recognizes, once and for all, the threat to all of life and in fact all of existence that the Beyond poses. And so he decides to join the superheroes when they finally decide to challenge the Beyonder and end his threat. Molecule Man/Owen Reece actually challenges the Beyonder directly, but quickly loses ground and power. However, the superheroes step in, and it is just enough to finally defeat the Beyonder.

We then find out that Reece has done a lot to preserve life and existence, so that life can finally continue here on Earth.

Meanwhile, in an alternative universe, we see the process of the beginning of a universe, as it then expands and begins to form planets and, eventually, life begins. We see evolution turn, eventually, to the creation of another species of man. 

And that's how the comic ends.

It should be noted that the Marvel Universe in comics, back then, is a lot like the Marvel Universe in movies and television these days. They try to sell you on the idea of buying more and more so that you understand the whole story. Back when I was a kid, it made me feel a little sad that I was reading all of this after the fact, and unable to easily gain access to all of those other comic books. Nowadays, however, it feels more reminiscent of corporate greed and strategies to sell products even in the middle of the story. 

But I digress...

Now, I will admit to not liking it as much as the first Secret Wars series. As a boy, I just loved that. And part of the reason that I still love the original Secret Wars is that it brings me back somewhat to those days of being young and reading stuff like this which appealed to my strong imagination. 

Secret War II somehow never quite appealed to me as much. Yet, it was pretty good nevertheless. Better than I thought it would be.

A must for any Marvel fans, or vintage fans of comics from the golden age of the 1980's.

Highly recommended.

 

Book Review: Private Paris by James Patterson

  

Recently, I have been doing book reviews of books which I already read, albeit many years ago. This, however, is not one of them. This is the first time that I ever read this book, and still probably only the third or fourth James Patterson book that I have ever read.

This book was quite different than the other Patterson books which I had previously read. In many respects, that made it quite enjoyable.

Before I go any farther, however, let me give the usual warnings to stop reading if you intend to read this book, because there will be spoilers ahead.

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

Okay, so by now if you are still reading this, I have to imagine that you either are familiar with this story already, or perhaps you do not mind the spoilers. Please just don't say that you were not given advanced warning. 

This story takes place in Paris. Of course, there is a picture of the Arc de Triumph as seen from the Champs-Élysées, in what is without argument one of the most iconic scenes in Paris, right on the cover of this book. So you might think that Patterson will focus on the most famous parts of the City of Light. Yet, we are taken to some darker, lesser known parts of Paris and the banlieues. This is not quite what I expected, and I commend Patterson for that. Showing a very different, grimier side to Paris. No action scenes on the Eiffel Tower or stolen art from the Louvre or an episode inside of the Notre-Dame Cathedral here, which is truly a refreshing change.

Otherwise, it goes along the way that you would guess that a spy mystery novel would. The bad guys are clearly the bad guys in every way. The good guys are good guys, also in every way. There are no real shades of gray, and the world feels a bit two dimensional in that sense. While I admittedly did not know the specifics of the plan -which turned out to be quite clever, actually - there are some things which made this book nevertheless predictable. The bad guys were plotting something bad, and it looks impressive and unstoppable early on. They look too well-coordinated and unbeatable. Then, they begin to make some mistakes. Also, the incredible insight and instincts of the main character, Jack Morgan, help to foil the evil plot. The bad guys are defeated just in the nick of time, then receive their just deserts in the way of worldwide condemnation and jail time. 

None of that exactly came as a surprise. 

The plot, simply, is this: there are high-profile murders all across Paris in just a short span of days. They all have a similar mark left by the killers: AB-16. At first, nobody knows or has a clue as to what AB-16 means. In time, of course, we learn what it means. For all intents and purposes, it is a call to arms for all Muslims across France to fight back against oppression and work to destroy decadent French culture and turn France into an Islamic republic. 

There is a twist ending. We find out that the bad guys, wo at first seem to side with the Muslim majority and feel that they are oppressed, instead seem angry and resentful towards Muslims. They arm them, but only with defective weapons that pose only symbolic danger. Mostly, they want to trigger a war (like a racial war) that, they are sure, will drive Islam out of France. In short, AB-16 is a scam to get militant Muslims brainwashed and to start a Holy War of sorts, but then for France to expel Islam out of the country altogether to save French culture. 

All in all, this mostly is what you expect from a James Patterson book. It is entertaining and moves fast. Not boring reading, to be sure. The chapters are short, so it feels like you are progressing through the book fast, making very good progress. As I understand it, that is one of the draws for fans of Patterson. It is not meant to be taken too seriously or to make very deep, poignant points or to get you thinking very deeply about topics. It is simply a fun book to read, perfect for beach reading. As such, it certainly achieves it's end. This was a fun read.

If there is one criticism that I have of James Patterson - and it is true with the characters in this book, as well as his more well known characters, especially Alex Cross - it is that the characters feel a bit paper thin. Jack Morgan as a main character feels remarkably similar to Alex Cross, another main character in Patterson books. The problem that I have with them is believability. They are one-dimensional. Too flawless. Frankly, they are too perfect, too successful, too attractive with incredible women desperately wanting to be near them. Also, they always find themselves in the middle of intense action from which they emerge relatively (and predictably) unscathed. All of this is a formula, and a repetitive one. Patterson writes entertaining, fun books. But I do not love the characters as I do with, say Stephen king's characters, who feel more believable to me, even if the stories, sometimes, do not. The characters which populate King books feel far more real and relatable.

That said, of course, this book is mostly meant as a fun read. In that capacity, it does it's job. It is fast-paced and packed with action which, I believe, is the reason why most readers turn to an author like Patterson in the first place.

Recommended for fun, not overly serious reading.

Book Review - Providence: The Story of a Fifty-Year Vision Request

  

Another review of a book which I have already read.

Yet, I read it many years ago, and somehow did not get nearly as much out of it then as I did this time, with the more current reading. There have to be reasons for this, and maybe it would be worth exploring by going into greater detail.

Before I go any farther, however, let me give the usual warnings to stop reading if you intend to read this book, because there will be spoilers ahead.

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

Okay, so by now if you are still reading this, I have to imagine that you either are familiar with this story already, or perhaps you do not mind the spoilers. Please just don't say that you were not given advanced warning. 

So yeah, as already mentioned, I did not get nearly as much from my previous reading as I did this time around. My guess is because I then viewed it as how it was described: the background for how author Daniel Quinn came about his revolutionary theories. Also, he expands on some of these theories, and goes in-depth with some aspects which troubled him.

Indeed, it does delve into the background of his own life. Specifically, of how he came to need to know how the world came to be precisely as it turned out. To this end, there were two visions (not really dreams) which he describes. The first was as a little kid, when he saw a tree serving as a bridge into the wilderness, and had animals almost urging him to come over. The second was after he had been stuck inside a Trappist monastery for days, when he was sure that he wanted to be a Trappist monk. He had been looking forward to outdoor work, not having seen or felt the outdoors for so long, but then this was taken away from him. Then just as quickly, he was urged to go outside after all, and when he went outside, he saw the world blazing with the fire of life. His description is fascinating stuff. It faded after maybe an hour, but influenced him for the duration of his days, clearly influencing his life and work and words. 

His description of what being a monk is was rather fascinating. Far from the peaceful, secluded life of a recluse which most of us picture, he says that monks are actually more like soldiers. They are on the frontlines of a battle, of a war, actually. And the war is against evil, or what they perceive as evil. It is a life of strict discipline and sacrifice, in more ways than merely material.

Quinn also delves into some aspects of religion, specifically the Church. This is to be expected, since he already did exactly that in his first work, Ishmael. Also, he was to be a Trappist monk. That, he felt when younger, was his life's calling, until it wasn't.

What he says is that Jesus declared the Church would not be of rock, but rather of individuals. So whatever the structures, what really mattered was the passing of the Word through people, generation after generation. Again, something which i had never really thought about beforehand. A fascinating observation. 

Quinn struggled with acceptance all of his life. From his earliest school days to the attempt to join a Trappist monastery, it was all about being accepted. Then, after being rejected and sent home from the Trappist monastery, he tried to find a new direction. He married and worked, had kids. But still, there were problems, because he never did get the validation he was actually seeking.

Eventually, he met his wife, Rennie. Together, they found happiness. At one point, he mentions that they moved to New Mexico and worked with a couple of other people on the East Mountain News. They lived in virtual poverty, at least in comparison to their prior life in the city (Chicago). Yet, they were content. He goes into a bit of detail about how they were, in many senses, a tribe. They were not too big and relied on each other to make a living. This is part of his overall model of how humanity can save itself by being part of a tribe, of being reliant on a small group of people with a common cause.

There are other fascinating ideas, including Quinn imagining how education could be like, or another way it could work. He points out the absurd tendency of our modern society to see things like schools and infrastructure and crime continually failing, yet the answer repeatedly being to throw more money at it, despite a well-establish history of failing. So his version of education looks very different, by way of comparison. He likens it to a circus, in the tribal sense, as a circus is one of the few modern versions of tribalism well-known to our modern society. 

Of course, there is much more to this book. Again, though, I enjoyed it very much on this second reading, much more than the first time. In fact, I approached it with hesitation, but found myself quite taken by it once I actually did start to read it again. And I read it quite quickly, almost unable to put it down.

Highly recommended. 

Book Review: Stephen King's Graphic Novel "N"

 

When I picked up this graphic novel of a Stephen King story called "N" a few days ago, there was no certainty that I had ever read this story or had any real familiarity with it. Then I read the Intro and realized that, in fact, I had read it before. It was one of the stories of "Just After Sunset," a book which I had read years ago. But I could not remember it, at least not by name.

However, once I actually started to read this story, it came back to me. The more I read, the more familiar it became to me. Yet, this is different, because it is a graphic novel. Not all that dissimilar to a movie, in many respects. So that adds some dimensions to what was already a relatively familiar story. And I always felt that there is something about Stephen King's stories that generally tends to lend itself well to graphic novel or comic book style.

Before I go any farther, however, let me give the usual warnings to stop reading if you intend to read this book, because there will be spoilers ahead.

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

Okay, so by now if you are still reading this, I have to imagine that you either are familiar with this story already, or perhaps you do not mind the spoilers. Please just don't say that you were not given advanced warning. 

Marc Guggenheim and Alex Maleev collaborated on this work. "N" is a Stephen King short story which is turned into a graphic novel.

The story is great. A guy visiting a psychiatrist explaining the deterioration of his life, which is directly linked to an obsession with counting numbers. And this began with a very specific event, seeing a mysterious circle of rocks (not unlike Stonehenge) in the middle of a field surrounded by the woods of Maine. At times, it appears that there are eight rocks in the formation, and that is good. Even numbers are good. But then, once he walks away, he sees only seven. He tries to take a picture with his camera, and again there are eight. But then when he looks with his naked eye, there are only seven.

Suddenly, he feels absolutely convinced that this place - the rock circle - is a portal to another universe, or another dimension. And if there are only seven rocks, these horrible creatures will invade Earth and wreak havoc. But if there are eight, they are kept imprisoned under the ground there. But to keep the number eight, is increasingly more than a full-time job. It takes over his life, until he has had enough and takes his own life.

Yet, this sickness spreads to his doctor, who himself visits the field. At first, he convinces himself it is just out of professional curiosity, dotting i's and crossing t's. Before long, he also becomes obsessed with numbers and with keeping these horrific creatures at bay. Eventually, it consumes his life as well, until he too kills himself.

Then it is the original guy's sister. She cannot resist a visit to the field. And then she, too, becomes completely obsessed and consumed by numbers until it takes over her life, as well. Then finally she also takes her own life.

This looks like it will be an endless cycle, until the very end. We have a teacher who is headed to this mysterious place. He suspects that there is a story here to write, possibly a book can come of it. He pushes his students away and goes to visit this field. Only we learn that he is killing people, 12 of them. 

A very dark and mysterious ending.

Overall, a solid work. I remember enjoying the original King short story. Yet this adds new dimensions as a graphic novel which perfectly compliments the story. Personally, I enjoyed it, and am willing to bet that you will, too.

Strongly recommended. 

Book Review: A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

 

Here was another solid find in the selling section at the library. As soon as I saw that this was an Isabel Allende book, it sparked my interest. 

A Long Petal of the Sea is a 2019 novel by Isabel Allende. It felt timely, given the state of affairs in this world, as it focuses on not one, but two countries falling into chaos and, ultimately, becoming hardline, rightwing dictatorships. Eventually, there is an end to both, but only after many long years and much suffering in each case. 

Throughout the novel, we learn a bit about the life of Chilean poet Pablo Naruda. He writes poetry about love and politics, and he remains politically active to the end. He tries to help the Republicans who fled Spain at the end of the civil war, and brings thousands of refugees to Chile, which feels like a world away. Among them are Victor Dalmau, who hurriedly marries his missing (and likely dead) brother Guillem's wife, Roser. 

This was an audiobook, ready by Edoardo Ballerini. He does a masterful job with this reading. If you have a chance to listen to this reading, I recommend it almost just for that reason, although the book itself was quite good as well.

Before I go any farther, however, let me give the usual warnings to stop reading if you intend to read this book, because there will be spoilers ahead.

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

Okay, so by now if you are still reading this, I have to imagine that you either are familiar with this story already, or perhaps you do not mind the spoilers. Please just don't say that you were not given advanced warning. 

Right off the bat, the title of this book seemed mysterious to me. Yet early on, we learn what it actually means, or rather, what it stands for. It is a description of Chile, the country (Spanish: Largo pétalo de mar), a reference to it's long shape. Chile is also described as a "worm" at one point in the book. 

So reading this book was illuminating. There were historical events which I was really only vaguely aware about, knowing maybe the basic facts. Like the Spanish Civil War, or the overthrow of Allende in Chile, and the brutal Pinochet dictatorship which followed. 

Yet, this moving work by Isabel Allende - yes, she is related to the real-life late former Marxist President Allende of Chile - really brings these events to life. This goes well beyond the stagnant black and white facts of what happened during these events. Through the characters, which Allende brilliants breathes life into, we feel the real impact of these events, the massive suffering inflicted on human beings. We see the despair and ultimate defeat of the Republican cause in Spain in the dying days of the Spanish Civil War. Then the mass exodus into France, the way the world seemed to turn a blind eye to their plight, and then their stay in concentration camps once in France.

Throughout the novel, we learn a bit about the life of Chilean poet Pablo Naruda. He writes poetry about love and politics, and he remains politically active to the end. Naruda tries to help the Republicans who fled Spain at the end of the civil war, and brings thousands of refugees to Chile, which feels like a world away. Among them are Victor Dalmau, who hurriedly marries his missing (and likely dead) brother Guillem's wife, Roser. Roser is pregnant with Guillem's son, and so Victor has to assume responsibilities as a father. They suffer in the final days of war in Spain, then suffer during their stay at a concentration camp in France. Then Victor convinces Naruda to get them on the ship to Chile (in part because he hurriedly marries Roser), and they have a new beginning. The trip across oceans is also an ordeal, but in Chile, they are presented with a new opportunity at life. 

In Chile, we meet the Del Solar family. The head of the household is a conservative businessman, Isidro and his wife Laura Del Solar. They travel from Chile to Liverpool on the MV Reina del Pacifico while the clouds of World War II are gathering, although Isidiro seems convinced that nothing will actually happen. Then they have to hurry back to Chile once war does actually break out. We see them as quite wealthy and privileged. Their daughter Ofelia, who is engaged to Matías Eyzaguirre, starts an affair with Victor. Eventually, this affair ends after Ofelia gets pregnant, although she is told that she gave birth to a boy who died very quickly after birth. Ofelia sinks into depression, and where once she loved Victor, now she loathes him. 

Victor recovers from the affair, although he still thinks of Ofelia. But he is married to Roser, and has his son, Marcel, to take care of. Slowly but surely, they build roots in Chile until they begin to feel more Chilean than Spanish. He is a socialist and befriends a young politicians named Salvador Allende, Eventually, against all odds, Allende wins the presidency and begins to try and implement social reforms to bring about greater equality.

However, Allende remains stubbornly oblivious to the threat of the rightwing in the country plotting a coup. With the backing of the United States and the Chilean military, eventually there is a coup d'etat, with the junta led by General August Pinochet installing a hardline, rightwing dictatorship. Eventually, Victor finds himself back in a concentration camp in a remote, desert region of Chile. 

Eventually, he gets a lucky break when he helps a high-ranking camp official during a medical emergency. Eventually, he gets some measure of freedom and, in time, he and Roser escape to Venezuela. At that point in time, Venezuela is the rare functioning democracy on a continent full of brutal dictatorships. They learn to appreciate Venezuela, although they long to return back home to Chile.

Then a surprise, when Spain's Franco dies. Suddenly, that hardline rightwing dictatorship is at an end. They briefly return to Spain, but find that the country has changed beyond all recognition. They try to make it work, but eventually concede that this new Spain is now a foreign land to them. 

Finally, they return to Chile. The years have passed by very quickly, and the world has changed radically. As has Chile, which seems on the surface prosperous, but which has, in fact, staggering economic inequality. The majority of the wealth of the country is in the hands of just a few families, while the majority of Chileans live in relative poverty. This compromises the Pinochet regime, which eventually is forced to give up power. 

Yet, just as Victor and Roser seem like they will get to enjoy their elder years in quiet retirement, Roser gets terminal cancer. Victor remains in denial, but at some point, even he has to abandon hope.

Now left alone, Victor is living a bit like a hermit when suddenly, he gets a visit from a strange woman. This, he learns, is his daughter, who only recently discovered the truth. Ofelia never gave birth to a boy, but rather a girl. And she did not die, but was taken from Ofelia and given to a German Chilean family, where she was raised with love in a conservative family. She should be happy, yet there is a sadness which pervades, and she and Victor connect on this, among other things.

All in all, a very well-written and powerful book. Allende allows you to feel the passage of time and changes of circumstances. The reader gets good looks into Spain during the Spanish Civil War and Chile from between the war years until after the end of Pinochet. There are also some shorter, less extensive glimpses of southern France and Venezuela.

Truly an epic book. Highly recommended!

Book Review: We Stand On Guard

So I happened on this book just by chance, in what seems to me an unlikely place. It was at my local library, in a suburban New Jersey town.

Why would that be surprising?

Well, because this graphic novel, or hardcover comic series (or whatever it might be labeled as) it seems like a distinctly Canadian book. It is set over a century from now, in a fictional, nightmarish world where Canada has been invaded by the United States. In other words, not only are the Americans decidedly not the good guys in this one, but outright the bad guys, the villains.

So yeah, it was a bit of a surprise to see such a book, even at the library.

Before I go any farther, however, let me give the usual warnings to stop reading if you intend to read this book, because there will be spoilers ahead.

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

Okay, so by now if you are still reading this, I have to imagine that you either are familiar with this story already, or perhaps you do not mind the spoilers. Please just don't say that you were not given advanced warning. 

Yes, this is a graphic novel set in a rather nightmarish world in which the United States is the aggressor in a war to obtain Canadian fresh water. Yet, we cannot be 100% certain that the Canadians - or rather, a Canadian - did not actually start the war. The first major event we see is the White House being destroyed by a drone strike. The Americans insist that their intelligence is accurate, and that it was a Canadian strike. The Canadians, by contrast, seem equally sure that this is a false flag, that this was a setup by the Americans in order to justify an invasion and takeover of Canadian water resources.

This feels like a cross between Star Wars and G.I. Joe, with perhaps a little bit of the Matrix thrown in. Modern technology in this book is rather astonishing. And yes, it is reminiscent of Star Wars in how futuristic it feels. It is reminiscent of The Empire Strike Back, in the sense that a small band of rebels are fighting an Empire (that would be the United States) which greatly overwhelms them in terms of advanced weaponry and sheer numbers. There are huge robots, some of which resemble the AT-AT Walkers, and the battle is being fought in a frozen tundra world. There are holograms, and even a base that seems unbelievable large, with a landing pad not dissimilar to the landing pad at the Death Star.

So yeah, there are definitely similarities with Star Wars.

To be sure, the Americans are the sinister force, the Empire, in this book. There is no doubt that they are regarded as the enemies, as the bad guys. Just look at the cover art.

Still, the characters have more of a look and even a feel of being from the GI Joe universe, if you will. With one major exception: the good guys are Canadian, and the bad guys would be the American military. Not the Russkies, not Cobra or some other secret terrorist organization. But the United States of America, particularly with an occupying military force. Yet, they do not view themselves as the bad guys. In fact, they clearly seem to view themselves as the good guys. One anonymous American character even describes the American side as such.

All in all, a fun read. I am actually glad that I chanced on this book, and that it piqued my curiosity enough to pull it from the shelf and take it out. A quick read, to be sure. You could probably read it in an hour or two, if you are so inclined. But I took my time with it, enjoying the artwork and the implied technological advances, as well as the story.

Recommended, although not for Americans who retain a hero complex about their country. 

A List of My Favorite Sports Themed Books

Last week, I reviewed one of my favorite sports books, "The Last Great Fight" by Joe Layden." It really was a great read both times when I read it.

However, it was not the only enjoyable book related to sports which I read. And I encountered this, which was a book review of sorts, and which included that book about the Tyson-Douglas fight. It seemed worth publishing it again.

This was originally published on Friday, December 20, 2013.

Enjoy:

So I was thinking about this topic now for some time, and decided to go ahead and write about what sports-themed books I had found particularly informative or entertaining, or both. And I think I came up with a pretty decent list. These are not simply glossy coffee-table books glowing over the accomplishments of one particular team or player in a sport. I read some of those, too - most especially about the 1986 Giants, when I was a kid. But those just glamorize one team, for one particular season, and as such, team members are always the good guys, their opponents always either the bad guys, or the incompetent, unworthy opponents. Those books might be enjoyable for a kid to read and, in a sense, relive the old memories of glories from his favorite team, but they hardly make for very stimulating reading.

I also did not choose any books specific to strategy. Their is an old book that I derive great pleasure in leafing through every now and then. It is called something like 'Pro Football Rules in Pictures", or something like that (don't hold me to that title, because I might not be remembering accurately). In any case, that book was something that my mom got me one time when I went with her to her work in New York City, and I like it more for the memories of that day, than anything else. I remember seeing Giants Stadium, perhaps for the first time, on that day, and that was where both of my two favorite pro football teams played. So, although that might make my personal list of favorite sports books, I cannot truthfully claim it to be brilliant writing, or to belong on a list like this.

For that matter, there are certain books that I have about specific sporting events - the Olympics, the World Cup, the Stanley Cup, the Super Bowl, that do not make the list, probably because they are too focused on one particular thing, which means that they tend to be restricted in interest specifically to a certain audience only. So, those really cannot be on my list of best sports-themed books, because they generally lack any human interest story separate from the sport itself.

Likewise, there are other books that I have that did not make the list. One that might someday, if I ever get around to reading it, would be Norman Mailer's book on the huge fight between Ali and Foreman. There are other sports themed books that I would like to read, as well. But for now, I am working with those books that I have read.

One book that, upon it's release, i would have expected to make the list was Faithful, co-written by Stephen King, with Stewart O'Nan. But that was so intensely focused on baseball, on the day-to-day of an entire baseball season, that admittedly it often failed to really capture my attention. Admittedly, although i am a huge Stephen King fan, I am not a huge baseball fan, and so that proved to be too limited in interest to make it on this list. I do not fault Stephen King for that, since this seemed more of a side project, than anything else. It was not bad. But it also did not come close to making this list of really great sports-themed books, because you really have to be a baseball fan to appreciate the book, I think.

These books, on the other hand, are a different story. Or rather, they each tell a story, and sometimes, that story falls far from the tree of what we think of when we think of the individual athlete. I found these following books to be very well written (in a couple of cases, even exceptionally well-written), which broadened their appeal significantly to far beyond sports. You get to see the real people, and not just glossy pictures of colorful uniforms and spectacular athletic feats. Instead, you get to glimpse the real person behind those feats. You get to know, in a sense, the real person. And that makes it transcend the specific athlete, or sport, or sports in general.

I have not read tons and tons of sports themed books, so maybe you know some sports books that you feel would definitely make your list. If so, I welcome you to share your thoughts. Who knows? Maybe I'll pick your suggestion up as my next reading project? Please do share any thoughts!

With that, let me get to the list, and explain why, specifically, I chose these books that I did.

The New York Times from February 12, 1990 showed a picture of Mike Tyson nursing his wounds following the loss to Buster Douglas.

The Last Great Fight by Joe Laydon - I really, really enjoyed this book, and that is why I put it at the top of this list!

I was not entirely sure that I would enjoy it because, really, how interesting would a book about one particular boxing match (even one as huge as Tyson-Douglas) be, anyway?

But it is an absolutely fascinating read, on every level.

I picked it up around the time that Tyson was celebrating the twentieth anniversary of his fight against Michael Spinks, and I began to reminisce quite a bit about his earlier career. I had always been fascinated by the Tyson-Douglas fight but, admittedly, had really had taken great joy in Douglas emerging victorious. At the time, I looked at Tyson almost as an inhuman monster of sorts, and some him (mistakenly) as in cahoots on every level with Don King, not realizing that he was being exploited big time.

You get to understand the background behind the fight from the camps of both fighters. The dominance of Mike Tyson, and the seeming ease with which he was tearing through the heavyweight division at the time, his aura of invincibility. That, contrasted with the struggles of Buster Douglas, who's career just kept having drawbacks, and who never quite shined as brightly as he seemingly could when at his best, up to that point.

Then, the tragedy of his losing his mother before the fight, and the extra determination that he had in preparing for it, contrasted with Tyson, who seemed to have been guilty of largely overlooking his opponents, or at least this opponent in this particular case. Tyson seemed to be getting used to his own dominance, and perhaps was beginning to believe in his own invincibility, precisely at the same time that Douglas was beginning to believe that he would be the one to expose Tyson's vulnerabilities, and show that this man was not unbeatable.

Open by Andre Agassi- If you thought you knew what was going on with Andre Agassi during his famed tennis career, think again. There was a lto going on that probably nobody but him, and maybe his closest inner circle, could have known or understood. Like how he essentially willingly lost the French Open Final one year because he was afraid that his hairpiece, or whatever that thing was, might fall out, and expose him at a time when his image truly was everything - particularly his wild hair. All of those years when he seemed to be a great tennis player, but just could not win the biggest matches, and you begin to understand a little more what was going on. We see the distractions with the women, who always seemed to love Agassi.

Ultimately, Agassi of course began to change all of that. He wore less colorful clothes, he began to grow up in visible ways - and none more visible than simply being honest and shaving all of that hair off, revealing an already rapidly receding hairline. But that liberated him, and allowed him, finally, to focus on tennis, and on winning. Not surprisingly, this was when he enjoyed his most successful run in tennis. We see him going through relationships without knowing what he really wants, and then finally finding his apparent true love with fellow tennis icon Steffi Graf. Finally, Agassi is a very decent man, and in reading this book, we catch a glimpse into the man behind the image. We also catch a bit of a glimpse into what it must be like to be groomed your entire life for tennis, and then struggle to find an identity outside of it. Great book!

The Game That Changed Pro Football by Stephen Hanks - This was a surprisingly good book that gave some good background on the game that really helped to make the Super Bowl what it has since become: an epic event, and perhaps the single biggest annual sporting event in the world, or at least in the United States.

What interested me was his different take on the New York Jets, a team that represented change in a time of change, with this being part of their draw. They were, of course, from the AFL, which was challenging the established and powerful NFL. And brash Joe Namath made his famous guarantee, as well as claiming that five AFL quarterbacks were better than the Colts quarterback, Earl Morrell.

But Namath did other things, and he represented change in other ways. You begin to see the impact that he had on this Jets squad, and how the New York Jets began to rise, until they reached that one pivotal, unforgettable moment in their history, and won what still remains their only Super Bowl championship to date.

If you are like me, someone who pulls for the Jets but is constantly frustrated by their consistent lack of huge success, and you were born after their legendary Super Bowl win, then this book helps to move that title out of the realm of myth, and make it somehow more real, more accessible. A solid and entertaining read for any football fan (especially fans of the Jets, though, of course), or even sports fan in general!

Dr J: The Autobiography of Julius Erving - This was a surprisingly fascinating book that does not get so detailed into basketball that it would turn off people that are not fans of hoops. Erving describes his childhood growing up in Long Island, and his first taste of organized basketball.

You get a glimpse into his first taste of sexual experiences, and then the explosion of wealth and fame, and his getting rather carried away in overindulging with the women, specifically. You also see just how important family is to him, something that he returns to again and again in the book.

For basketball fans, you can read as Erving's accomplishments grow and grow, as he begins to stand out on every level that he reaches. You get a look at his ABA days, when he first got a taste of ABA success, even as the league itself struggled, even wobbling on it's last legs. And finally, his Philadelphia 76ers days, and reaching the NBA Finals several times, constantly being turned away disappointed, before finally winning that elusive NBA title in 1983, as well as his retirement tour. And finally, we see the man emerge, independent of any sport, to see his life since basketball ended.

No Medals For Trying: A Week in the Life of a Professional Football Team by Jerry Izenberg - I read this one when I was still just a teenager, and very much into sports. I remember really enjoying this one at the time.

It documents a week in the life of the 1989 New York Giants, with a particular emphasis on the head coach, Bill Parcells. The Giants were a contender that year, thre seasons removed from their first ever Super Bowl championship, and a season away from rising to the top again, for the second and final time under Parcells, and with some of the core and iconic players of the eighties and early nineties.As you read this book, you get a feel for the subtle concerns of a coach and the players, and get to feel a bit what it must be like to prepare a team for a big game during the course of a typical week in an NFL season, as well as what it is like on the sidelines. Parcells focused on many small things, including playing mental games with his players, in order to get the most out of them. But there are concerns with injuries, with playing styles of, and match ups with, opposing teams. The weather is a bigger factor perhaps than most passive fans realize, and we see Parcells preparing for all of these, as he gets his team tries to rebound from a big loss to the then defending champion San Francisco 49ers that dropped their record to 9-3, ready for a big showdown (that they ultimately lost) to the Philadelphia Eagles, in a game that appeared likely to determine who the division winner would be (it actually wouldn't, as the Giants would go unbeaten the rest of the way, and the Eagles would lose one more, dropping their record below the Giants).

This was a really, really enjoyable read, as I remember it, and I think it gives a good glimpse of what life is like for those privileged few who make it into the big leagues in pro sports, and their concerns in preparing for the next contest, in trying to stay focused from day to day, with their eyes always on the big picture.

McMahon - This book was surprisingly modest and, also, quite humorous. 

It was an entertaining read, and this from a quarterback who I had admittedly presumed to be full of himself at the time. But he was different than I had expected him to be. It was a good read, and it was informative, at least if you are interested in football, and especially if you are a fan of those incredible 1985 Chicago Bears, who I still think were the most dominant team in North American sports that I had ever seen. The one knock on it, which is more or less acknowledged within the book, was that this was written right smack in the peak of McMahon's career, just a year or so removed from the Bear's Super Bowl season, and not too long before he departed for San Diego, and other teams, including the Minnesota Vikings and, finally, Green Bay, where he won his second, and last, Super Bowl ring with the main rivals for his old team, the Packers, only this time as the backup for Brett Favre. Very entertaining read, as I remember it!