Blue sky, green trees
Added to listMysterywith 131 books.
Added to listAuf Deutschwith 138 books.
Added to listNon Fictionwith 403 books.
The author lays it on pretty thick, even for 1950s hard-boiled detective novels. Still, it was a fun read and helped get me through the hottest day on record in Germany (41.5 C!).
The author lays it on pretty thick, even for 1950s hard-boiled detective novels. Still, it was a fun read and helped get me through the hottest day on record in Germany (41.5 C!).
Added to listNon Fictionwith 403 books.
It was pretty good, but some chapters dragged a bit. I'm fine that I spent my time reading it, but I probably wouldn't recommend it to any of my bookish friends.
It was pretty good, but some chapters dragged a bit. I'm fine that I spent my time reading it, but I probably wouldn't recommend it to any of my bookish friends.
Absolutely loved this book. The way humanity reacts to The Visit is so realistic that it took my breath away, it felt like "Yes, that is us, that is exactly how we are." And I loved the writing style, how lots of stuff wasn't explained outright but rather bits and pieces dropped throughout and the reader gets to connect the dots for themselves. Often sci-fi and fantasy writers have to explain new worlds or beings to the reader, but having big chunks of texts that just plop it down in your lap, or monologues where one character explains everything to another character, is so clunky and artificial; it takes me out of the story. This book handles the problem with confidence and style, and is probably the best example of how to do it that I've read so far.
Highly recommend.
Absolutely loved this book. The way humanity reacts to The Visit is so realistic that it took my breath away, it felt like "Yes, that is us, that is exactly how we are." And I loved the writing style, how lots of stuff wasn't explained outright but rather bits and pieces dropped throughout and the reader gets to connect the dots for themselves. Often sci-fi and fantasy writers have to explain new worlds or beings to the reader, but having big chunks of texts that just plop it down in your lap, or monologues where one character explains everything to another character, is so clunky and artificial; it takes me out of the story. This book handles the problem with confidence and style, and is probably the best example of how to do it that I've read so far.
Highly recommend.
Added to listBookclubwith 61 books.
When I watched the movie "Into the Wild" many years ago, I was very moved by Chris McCandless and his adventure-gone-wrong. He seemed earnest and moved by the beauty of nature and he fucked up just a little and the consequences were total. However, the Chris McCandless in the book is something completely different. While he still seems earnest and moved by the beauty of nature, he comes off as arrogant and insufferable, gazing at everyone from heights of self-righteousness; I loathe self-righteousness. Yet somehow everyone who met him (in the book) thought Chris was the greatest person ever. I would generally have guessed that the author had a general dislike for McCandless and that it came through in his writing, but over the course of the book it becomes very clear to the reader that this isn't the case at all, and I won't say more in case it borders on spoilers.
So, an interesting book for sure. And I quite like how Krakauer writes, and how he looks at things. I just didn't like Chris McCandless.
When I watched the movie "Into the Wild" many years ago, I was very moved by Chris McCandless and his adventure-gone-wrong. He seemed earnest and moved by the beauty of nature and he fucked up just a little and the consequences were total. However, the Chris McCandless in the book is something completely different. While he still seems earnest and moved by the beauty of nature, he comes off as arrogant and insufferable, gazing at everyone from heights of self-righteousness; I loathe self-righteousness. Yet somehow everyone who met him (in the book) thought Chris was the greatest person ever. I would generally have guessed that the author had a general dislike for McCandless and that it came through in his writing, but over the course of the book it becomes very clear to the reader that this isn't the case at all, and I won't say more in case it borders on spoilers.
So, an interesting book for sure. And I quite like how Krakauer writes, and how he looks at things. I just didn't like Chris McCandless.
Added to listNon Fictionwith 401 books.
The author lays it on a bit thick, but it's still a fun read.
The author lays it on a bit thick, but it's still a fun read.