By Salman Rushdie
Having only read Midnight's Children, I'm in no position to attempt to rank The Enchantress of Florence among Salman Rushdie's other works. I can only describe my reaction to Rushdie's latest offering.
The Enchantress is an old-fashioned adventure. Weaving together romance and action, intrigue and cinematic grandeur, Rushdie draws his readers into a vivid world of exotic empires and historic wonders where the rules that apply to mere mortals become fluid. The power of great men and women to create by sheer force of will and the power of a story to change a listener drive the novel.
Rushdie's prose is, as always, a pleasure to read. He works his favorite milieu, the intersection of East and West, to drive home the point that it is not man's differences that cause conflict, but his sameness. 'East and West' is enriched by a study of rulers and the ruled but the most thought provoking aspect of the novel is the examinations of men and women and how each gender achieves power.
Despite an abundance of parallel story lines, the narrative is easily followed. The tiny amount of confusion and fuzziness that cling to the edges of the story only add to the mystical feel of the novel.
Having lived in Italy for a time, I found the portions of the novel set in Florence to be especially vivid. I walked the streets that the character walked. I knew the history around which Rushdie wrapped his story. This, I think, really brought that portion of The Enchantress to life. While certainly not a book that requires an encyclopedia to get through, a basic grasp of the period helps the reader see many of the more subtle points Rushdie is making. I feel that I undoubtedly missed some of Rushdie's observations when the action moved to Akbar's court.
In the end, The Enchantress' greatest asset is the deep richness of the world that Rushdie's novel inhabits. It has all the best astributes of old studio blockbusters - sweeping scope, fantastic settings, stunning vistas, exotic locals - and a wonderful interior story, beautiful language, and fascinating characters.
Oct 3, 2009
Gentlemen of the Road: A Tale of Adventure
By Michael Chabon
Michael Chabon is the undisputed master of rasing genre novels into (or nearly into) the realm of literature. "Gentlemen of the Road" was originally produced as a serialized adventure, published incrementally by the New York Times Sunday Magazine.
It shows.
But as always, Chabon makes a convincing argument that we should overlook what would normally be thought of as a failing. The adventures of a pair of Jewish con-men/mercenaries in 10th-century Khazaria feels like a very good mini-series on a channel like A&E (the way it used to be) or The BBC. Rousing action, battles and barfights, love and deceptions, politics and revolution packaged intelligently with quality actors and wrapped in Chabon's wonderful prose. While the chapters are at times disjointed, "Gentlemen of the Road" makes for an entertaining whole.
The depth and seriousness of "Kavalier & Clay" and "The Yiddish Policemen's Union" is replaced with swashbuckling action and the dust and mist of history, allowing the reader to relax and enjoy following Zelikman and Amram, a classic pair of bickering opposites, in their trip across an ancient and little known landscape.
Michael Chabon is the undisputed master of rasing genre novels into (or nearly into) the realm of literature. "Gentlemen of the Road" was originally produced as a serialized adventure, published incrementally by the New York Times Sunday Magazine.
It shows.
But as always, Chabon makes a convincing argument that we should overlook what would normally be thought of as a failing. The adventures of a pair of Jewish con-men/mercenaries in 10th-century Khazaria feels like a very good mini-series on a channel like A&E (the way it used to be) or The BBC. Rousing action, battles and barfights, love and deceptions, politics and revolution packaged intelligently with quality actors and wrapped in Chabon's wonderful prose. While the chapters are at times disjointed, "Gentlemen of the Road" makes for an entertaining whole.
The depth and seriousness of "Kavalier & Clay" and "The Yiddish Policemen's Union" is replaced with swashbuckling action and the dust and mist of history, allowing the reader to relax and enjoy following Zelikman and Amram, a classic pair of bickering opposites, in their trip across an ancient and little known landscape.
The Great Derangement: A Terrifying True Story of War, Politics, and Religion at the Twilight of the American Empire The Great Derangement: A Terrifying True Story of War, Politics, and Religion at the Twilight of the American Empire
By Matt Taibbi
'The Great Derangement' is something of a mongrel. As a writer for Rolling Stone, Matt Taibbi covers a wide variety of subjects. At times 'Derangement' felt as if Mr. Taibbi had stacks of notes on three different subjects, each set too large for an article but too short for a book on its own, and his solution was to combine them all in one book and claim that the combination was in an effort to compare and contrast. At that he is only marginally successful.
Where 'Derangement' is more successful is in actually reporting from inside of each of the three 'worlds' he covers.
The infiltration of Pastor Hagee's megachurch in Texas is where Mr. Taibbi shines most. Although my personal religious leanings are very similar to the author's, I grew up in the church (if a much more 'main line' denomination) and I recognize the individuals that populate Cornerstone Church in San Antonio. He manages to differentiate between the zealots running the show, the crackpot 'yes-men' that form the middle management, and the actual believers in the pews who, while overly credulous, are really just looking for some answers, stability, and a sense of belonging in their life.
While Mr. Taibbi puts forward a more sympathetic portrait of megachurch parishioners, he has no problem allowing Hagee and his ilk to damn themselves. 'Derangement' is a record of Hagee's willingness to lie to his congregation to further his political ends and ingratiate himself with his Washington benefactors.
'The Great Derangement' attempts to provide 'balance' to his critique of Evangelicalism by comparing it to the '9/11 Truth' movement, something that Mr. Taibbi characterizes as 'left-wing' though I find that claim a bit dubious.
I accept that each one is based on a similar sort of fact-free, take it on faith, 'I-want-to-believe' sort of movement. That said, the Truthers don't have a major political party beholden to them or hundreds if not thousands of adherents positioned within elected and non-elected government. People who think that the World Trade Center was dynamited may try to convince us to adopt their point of view but they're not trying to pass laws and/or change laws so that conform with their ideology. Also, Tiabbi fails to make any real connection between the 'Truthers' and any tenet of Liberalism. Conspiracy theories, and this one in particular, have very little to do with political ideologies.
The final set of notes that Mr. Taibbi used to fill out 'The Great Derangement' was on the combination of corruption and gridlock in Congress. While the Truthers come off as goofy and the Hageeites come off as unsettling, Mr. Taibbi's inside look at how ear marks work is just crushingly disheartening. The amount of disfunction is staggering. One is left wondering how anything ever gets done.
In the end, Mr. Taibbi's strongest point, one that I don't remember him stating directly, is that in today's America, a person can choose from a buffet of ideas and ideologies and there will always be somebody willing to spout reality optional 'facts' that support that position.
'The Great Derangement' is something of a mongrel. As a writer for Rolling Stone, Matt Taibbi covers a wide variety of subjects. At times 'Derangement' felt as if Mr. Taibbi had stacks of notes on three different subjects, each set too large for an article but too short for a book on its own, and his solution was to combine them all in one book and claim that the combination was in an effort to compare and contrast. At that he is only marginally successful.
Where 'Derangement' is more successful is in actually reporting from inside of each of the three 'worlds' he covers.
The infiltration of Pastor Hagee's megachurch in Texas is where Mr. Taibbi shines most. Although my personal religious leanings are very similar to the author's, I grew up in the church (if a much more 'main line' denomination) and I recognize the individuals that populate Cornerstone Church in San Antonio. He manages to differentiate between the zealots running the show, the crackpot 'yes-men' that form the middle management, and the actual believers in the pews who, while overly credulous, are really just looking for some answers, stability, and a sense of belonging in their life.
While Mr. Taibbi puts forward a more sympathetic portrait of megachurch parishioners, he has no problem allowing Hagee and his ilk to damn themselves. 'Derangement' is a record of Hagee's willingness to lie to his congregation to further his political ends and ingratiate himself with his Washington benefactors.
'The Great Derangement' attempts to provide 'balance' to his critique of Evangelicalism by comparing it to the '9/11 Truth' movement, something that Mr. Taibbi characterizes as 'left-wing' though I find that claim a bit dubious.
I accept that each one is based on a similar sort of fact-free, take it on faith, 'I-want-to-believe' sort of movement. That said, the Truthers don't have a major political party beholden to them or hundreds if not thousands of adherents positioned within elected and non-elected government. People who think that the World Trade Center was dynamited may try to convince us to adopt their point of view but they're not trying to pass laws and/or change laws so that conform with their ideology. Also, Tiabbi fails to make any real connection between the 'Truthers' and any tenet of Liberalism. Conspiracy theories, and this one in particular, have very little to do with political ideologies.
The final set of notes that Mr. Taibbi used to fill out 'The Great Derangement' was on the combination of corruption and gridlock in Congress. While the Truthers come off as goofy and the Hageeites come off as unsettling, Mr. Taibbi's inside look at how ear marks work is just crushingly disheartening. The amount of disfunction is staggering. One is left wondering how anything ever gets done.
In the end, Mr. Taibbi's strongest point, one that I don't remember him stating directly, is that in today's America, a person can choose from a buffet of ideas and ideologies and there will always be somebody willing to spout reality optional 'facts' that support that position.
It's been a while...
It's been a few weeks since I posted anything here. That doesn't mean, of course, that I haven't been reading. A few quick posts in short order to cover my last few books...
Sep 9, 2009
A Wrinkle in Time
By Madeleine L'Engle
Some people find solace in comfort food. I have a habit of looking for solace in comfort books. A Wrinkle in Time is the literary equivalent of Mom's mac & cheese.
A Wrinkle in Time is the first book I remember reading. I remember loving Where the Wild Things Are and anything by Richard Scary but those were books that were read to me. I'm sure I read other things first, but Madeleine L'Engle's was my guide on my first solo trip into literature (or at least my first foray into grown-up "chapter" books.)
Even without any clear recollection of the plot, I remember being absolutely in love with A Wrinkle in Time and I decided, perilously close to 20 years on down the road, that I'd indulge my nostalgia.
Mom's Mac & Cheese may not impress many gourmet chefs and Madeline L'Engle's tale of a misunderstood girl doesn't compare to the great works of fiction, but like all great comfort foods, it doesn't pretend to be anything more than what it is. And it's delicious. Soft, warm and Soul-affirming, A Wrinkle in Time takes you back to being curled up under the blankets in your childhood bed.
Some people find solace in comfort food. I have a habit of looking for solace in comfort books. A Wrinkle in Time is the literary equivalent of Mom's mac & cheese.A Wrinkle in Time is the first book I remember reading. I remember loving Where the Wild Things Are and anything by Richard Scary but those were books that were read to me. I'm sure I read other things first, but Madeleine L'Engle's was my guide on my first solo trip into literature (or at least my first foray into grown-up "chapter" books.)
Even without any clear recollection of the plot, I remember being absolutely in love with A Wrinkle in Time and I decided, perilously close to 20 years on down the road, that I'd indulge my nostalgia.
Mom's Mac & Cheese may not impress many gourmet chefs and Madeline L'Engle's tale of a misunderstood girl doesn't compare to the great works of fiction, but like all great comfort foods, it doesn't pretend to be anything more than what it is. And it's delicious. Soft, warm and Soul-affirming, A Wrinkle in Time takes you back to being curled up under the blankets in your childhood bed.
Sep 7, 2009
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
By Susanna Clarke
'Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell' is in many ways more a piece of historical fiction than it is a Tolkienian fantasy. There is no wand waving or lightning and fireball battles between wizards. There is no epic 'good versus evil' battle at the end. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is a character driven story about jealousy, ambition, and loss. The magic is almost incidental.
Ms. Clarke crafts an alternative version of England at the beginning of the 19th century - the twist being that magic has returned to England - that is so wonderfully immersive that you can nearly smell the damp earth and musty libraries.
Ms. Clarke has structured the book as a sort of post-action record compiled for posterity. This structure gives Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell it's most remarkable feature - its footnotes. These glorious footnotes explain bits and pieces of magical history to help us, the reader, understand references made by Strange, Norrel, and others. Each one is a jewel of compressed storytelling, a tiny window into the wider magical world beyond the confines of this book.
You get the feeling Ms. Clarke could write he own version of The Silmarillion, filling out a complete history of the world she's created.
Though the book starts off slowly, the writing is rich enough and the characters intriguing enough to get the reader into the meat of this book. Once there, read slowly to savor the world Ms. Clarke created. The end of the book comes much quicker than one would expect from an 800-odd page novel.
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell masterfully mixes action, drama and comedy into a attention-consuming whole that left me with a wonderfully satisfied feeling.
'Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell' is in many ways more a piece of historical fiction than it is a Tolkienian fantasy. There is no wand waving or lightning and fireball battles between wizards. There is no epic 'good versus evil' battle at the end. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is a character driven story about jealousy, ambition, and loss. The magic is almost incidental.Ms. Clarke crafts an alternative version of England at the beginning of the 19th century - the twist being that magic has returned to England - that is so wonderfully immersive that you can nearly smell the damp earth and musty libraries.
Ms. Clarke has structured the book as a sort of post-action record compiled for posterity. This structure gives Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell it's most remarkable feature - its footnotes. These glorious footnotes explain bits and pieces of magical history to help us, the reader, understand references made by Strange, Norrel, and others. Each one is a jewel of compressed storytelling, a tiny window into the wider magical world beyond the confines of this book.
You get the feeling Ms. Clarke could write he own version of The Silmarillion, filling out a complete history of the world she's created.
Though the book starts off slowly, the writing is rich enough and the characters intriguing enough to get the reader into the meat of this book. Once there, read slowly to savor the world Ms. Clarke created. The end of the book comes much quicker than one would expect from an 800-odd page novel.
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell masterfully mixes action, drama and comedy into a attention-consuming whole that left me with a wonderfully satisfied feeling.
Jeeves and the Tie that Binds
By P.G. Wodehouse
'Jeeves & The Tie That Binds' was assigned reading for a college 'Humor in Lit' class. As so often happened to me in college, I managed to get through the class without doing the assigned reading.
What a mistake!
A week ago I happened to pick 'Jeeves & The Tie That Binds' up off of my bookshelf. I rarely so much as chuckle when reading, but P.G. Wodehouse's bumbling Bertie Wooster and his arch-English Butler Jeeves had me laughing out loud.
The story is a whirling cacaphony that includes Bertie's friend Ginger Winship standing for Parliment, money troubles, the Junior Ganymede club book (and it's dangerous contents), engagements, disengagements, theft, and every other manner of absurdity. Not that the plot really matters. P.G. Wodehouse's comic genius is in his wordplay and comic timing.
If you really want to delve into Wodehouse, you would find the ever present English obsession with class but you'd also be ruining a wonderfully light hearted piece of writing through over-examination. At only 208 pages, it's the perfect book for an airplane flight or a train ride.
'Jeeves & The Tie That Binds' was assigned reading for a college 'Humor in Lit' class. As so often happened to me in college, I managed to get through the class without doing the assigned reading.What a mistake!
A week ago I happened to pick 'Jeeves & The Tie That Binds' up off of my bookshelf. I rarely so much as chuckle when reading, but P.G. Wodehouse's bumbling Bertie Wooster and his arch-English Butler Jeeves had me laughing out loud.
The story is a whirling cacaphony that includes Bertie's friend Ginger Winship standing for Parliment, money troubles, the Junior Ganymede club book (and it's dangerous contents), engagements, disengagements, theft, and every other manner of absurdity. Not that the plot really matters. P.G. Wodehouse's comic genius is in his wordplay and comic timing.
If you really want to delve into Wodehouse, you would find the ever present English obsession with class but you'd also be ruining a wonderfully light hearted piece of writing through over-examination. At only 208 pages, it's the perfect book for an airplane flight or a train ride.
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