Imric
That was indeed a book. I've never read anything by Pynchon but if his other works are like this I'll be sure to stay far away. I tried powering through, but just too much of the book is non sequiturs and obscure references to the early 1900s. I'm sure this is the allure for some people but I was about lost the entire time reading.
Incredible novel, unabashedly awful nonfiction. Within the first 10 minutes of the book, you're startled to learn that the author has the ability know real people's innermost thoughts and feelings as well as to describe events as they happened with no first hand accounts. Not only that, Capote has also decided to completely fabricate and rewrite history to better suit his "nonfiction" book, such as coming up with an end scene that never occurred.
This book is in a weird middle ground; it's appealing because supposedly it's grounded in reality, based on a tragic event that happened to some of the best America had to offer. You listen to the boring segments of people's lives because you can insert yourself into the situation and believe this might've happened to you. But by doing what Capote has done though and write essentially a historical fiction piece, he distorts your understanding of events by claiming "every word would be true." After knowing the truth in that key parts of the book are fake, it throw the rest of the book into contention and sullies its name.
The book taken as a whole is incredible. It invites you into small town America, an often fabled, mystical land where seemingly everyone knows your name and people take care of each other. The twists and turns you take as the crime unfolds and the hunt begins for the perpetrators are astonishing and almost unbelievable. Unfortunately for me, the way the book is labeled and the way the author describes it, I am unable to reconcile the book's inherent literary worth and the lies told to get it there.
Interesting enough and the scene it sets does grip you in what it tells. However books of such overwhelming self-hate and depression are just kind of meaningless to me at this point in my life. As an edgy teenager I might've identified with this book more, but I just can't bother to read about how awful someone's life is and how much they hate themselves throughout a book. Thankfully this was a novella so it was indeed short so it did not overstay its welcome. The family dynamic was interesting and I only hope for the best for Wolfgang.
Tau Zero is an interesting case of a fascinating concept written at a strange time. Some science referenced in the book is no longer regarded as accurate and there are certain writing tropes utilized that were typical in pulpy scifi books of the day. The audiobook narrator was also, in my opinion, the worst I've ever heard and made listening an active, straining event. What's left however is a haunting tale that is sure to stick with you for years to come. Anderson really allows you to place yourself in the shoes of the crew of this ship as they hurtle through the universe approaching near light speed; as Anderson describes every new plight, every new realization just how far the crew has come, you start to wonder how you would handle each scenario as it unfolds. Could you handle living in a ship for years at a time heading towards destination unknown? Could you survive yours and other's despair as you realize that some can cope, and others degrade into shells of themselves? Could you bear approaching light speed, knowing as second tick by on ship, centuries pass by on Earth?
A truly endearing tale that, while mostly hampered by some archaic tropes (stoic badass gets all ladies, women are weak and need to be protected), weaves a story that leaves a lasting impression on what it takes to create a universe of man.
Amend, amend, amend. At the end of this book, that's all that I could really think of. Amendment. Throughout the work, almost every other page elicited a "what the fuck..." due to some unforeseen consequence of a document written by white male slaveholders in the 1700s or an action taken by someone to (in their view) adhere to the Constitution. Amend, amend, amend. Jill Lepore mentions it repeatedly throughout the book, what the founding fathers intended as a release valve for the pressure that builds as democracy grows and ideals clash. Amendment. A check on the Constitution and the dead men who wrote it, who stated that no one should be held to a doctrine that they had no part of creating. Amend, amend, amend. The Constitution is a alive, and meant to be treated as such. Amendment. I hope every American can read this book and see what's wrong with our system of government today and what we as a people can do to mend it. Amend, amend, amend!
One of the best books I've read in a long time. Which unfortunately might not mean much because I haven't read much in a long time either, but my point remains; Joe Hill's King Sorrow is a masterpiece of novel. Right from the first few pages you immediately feel like one of the group as Arthur Oakes describes his college life and the misfortunes surrounding him. Seeing him and his friends navigate their early adulthood is as relatable as ever and as things start falling apart it only further endears you to the story. From there, as they navigate what it means to have summoned King Sorrow you capture further glimpses of their lives as the perspective jumps from character to character with each section of the book upping the ante. It culminates in an ending that is touching and eye-watering, as you watch the group you've traveled with for 30 years and across America come together one last time in a final battle to be rid of their pet iguana.
In terms of the book itself, it leans more fantasy than horror and the characters at times can be a little on the nose. A lot of references to Stephen King books, modern references to things like terrorist events or Teslas, and the occasional cringe joke pops in as well. For the most part though, the humor lands and the plot is always there to carry. I docked some points for King Sorrow not actually being in the book all that much despite himself being quite an alluring character. There were also some minor character elements or plot lines I didn't enjoy: Gwen not really being taunted by King Sorrow while she was chosen, also her riddle with King Sorrow seemed incredibly forced , Collin just being a little much after his reveal, seemed he went really evil really fast , Tana's son being mentioned a lot and is just kind never there, seemed way under utilized .
At the end of it though, I was in love with the book and sad to put it down. I hope Hill continues to put out such remarkable works. No free rides!
Unfortunately quite a let down as a successor to The Broken Sword. What The Broken Sword had in realism and grit, Three Hearts and Three Lions trades in for traditional fantasy and happy endings. While those things don't make a book automatically mediocre, when a vast amount of the novel revolves around various mini-adventures of all the ladies swooning at the main character and saving the day it does start to grind on you. Where the novel really shines is when Anderson channels his knowledge as a physics major and compares and contrasts how a modern man might make sense of a fantasy world. From explaining how one might breathe underwater to the parallels of Nazism and the forces of chaos, there's a lot to see and interpret from a modern lens. Not to mention the audiobook has Bronson Pinochot reading Holger's, Hugi's, and all other non-standard English speakers with an insane accent that can at times be difficult to understand.
Ultimately, this book is a great read as young adult title and I would've mostly likely loved it as a teenager. Unfortunately, as of today the book doesn't do enough to stand out on its own in any meaningful way. The ending was touching however, and the original 1960s hardcover release looks great as well!
A powerful book needs to contain powerful imagery, which Patrick Radden Keefe interjects with every other page turn. One paragraph you'll read about an atrocity committed by civilian-led military groups and then the next a revenge killing sponsored by the United Kingdom's army. You'll find out about a mother whose disappearance was manufactured by someone every in Ireland could point out and yet would never be prosecuted. You'll discover the horrors of hunger strikes, the unjust treatment of UK citizens, and what happens to soldiers who live past their best-by date and rot away in public housing, poor and destitute. You will know why Northern Ireland has an era called the Troubles, and all the pain and suffering its people endured to earn that name.
Say Nothing is a gripping piece of nonfiction and deserves every minute of your attention to enlighten you on what was happening in the '60s-‘90s. My biggest takeaway from books that revolve around rebellions and insurgencies is that patriotism is an incredible motivator and an inspiring aspiration. Sensational read.
A vampire story revolving around three people in three different timelines who gradually intertwine. While the book is well-written, the Britishisms, the author's inability (or lack of want) to write a male character who isn't evil, and quirks in regards to character development ultimately turned me off to the story. Overall enjoyable story that I wished revolved more around the central character and the others less.
Probably one of the greatest fantasy novels ever written, Poul Anderson's take on fantasy comes from a time when The Fellowship of the Ring was only just hitting the shelves. Coming from a completely different tree of fantasy than what we know today, Anderson's world comes from a land where all myths and legends are true and the secret world they reside is under threat from the White Christ. From that comes the elf king and his designs to further his own ends by taking a human child and raising them as his own.
As the story weaves from there, a tragedy, an epic, and a romance all bloom in 300 pages of the book and hook you from the get go. The greatest tragedy of all is the fact that Anderson never followed up this story with the sequel it deserved.
