I like to read. Always have. Sure, video games and movies are great, but for me nothing compares to a great book. Why did Peter Jackson cut the Tom Bombadil scene form the film adaptation of The Fellowship of the Ring? Because that scene never would have worked in a movie. Write a script and have some actors act that scene out and it would have looked ridiculous. But in the pages of a book where the reader can use their own imagination that scene works, and works well. That's one of the great strengths of the medium, and one of the reasons why I love reading. Another strength is just how long writing has been around. You can still read the works of a great philosopher from ancient Greece or China, or read about Caeser's conquest of Gaul from the man himself. Many authors have captured places and times long before the photograph was invented. I like reading, but I go through long stretches where I don't read anything. Lately though, I've been reading quite a bit; So I thought I'd start this blog and write mini reviews for each book that I finish to help me remember what I've read. So there you have it. This is an amateur project obviously, but maybe you'll come across a new book that sounds interesting.

• 7Sep 08

  Who is watching the Watchmen?

  
  

  I'm a staunch believer in the adage "the book is better than the movie". I also think that movies are at their best when they have a book behind them. The characters and dialogue in a good novel are almost infallibly better than anything Hollywood can cook up. While the sprawling labyrinth of literature has made the world of film incalculably better, it seems of late that the movie industry is also helping it's source material find new heights. After 50 years in print the Lord of the Rings reached #1 on the bestseller list for the first time when the film adaptation hit theaters. Now we see a similar thing happening with Wacthmen, as the graphic novel rockets up the charts.

  I've read my share of comics, but seeing the theatrical trailer for Watchmen and hearing the line "The most critically acclaimed comic of all time!" left me at a loss. I had never even heard of it. A little research upped the book's credentials, as I learned that it was also one of Time Magazines 100 best novels. Quite impressive. One review even called it the "Citizen Kane of Comics", which I believe it is.

  The writing and complexity of this novel are head and shoulders above any other comic I've read. The reader will have to re-evaluate the characters again and again as new layers are revealed. Even dialogue at the very beginning of the novel takes on new meaning several times as the book progresses. All of the characters are well developed and interesting, and the character Rorschach in particular is an incredible literary achievement.

  I was concerned that the artwork would look dated by todays standards, but it holds up very well. Dave Gibbon's excellent facial expressions and character art really add to the story.

  The book does deal with some very dark subject matter, in addition to having nudity and some disturbing violence. In a memorable scene one of the heroes recalls his life to a psychologist, and the doctor's life falls into a downward spiral as he deals with what he has heard and the realization that he can't help his patient. The chapter concludes with Nietzsche's famous line "If you stare into the abyss it will stare back into you". It seems to me that the reader also stares into the abyss. It's a very well written book, but know what you're in for if you decide to read it.

  • Posted Sep 7, 2008 8:51 pm PT
  • Category: Writing
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• 27Aug 08

  R.I.P. Solzhenitsyn

  It didn't make a big splash in the news, but Alexander Solzhenitsyn passed away earlier this month. He was an author of immense talent who accomplished a great deal during his career as a writer.
  
  
  
  Imprisoned in the gulags for making critical remarks about Stalin, Solzhenitsyn survived and spent most of his life exposing the Soviet prison system through his writing. His masterwork, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, was the first glimpse into the gulags for many people both within and outside Russia.
  
  
  
  In addition to it's historical and political significance, Ivan Denisovich was also a landmark piece of writing. The author's depictions of the individual prisoners and their comradery is something I will never forget.
  
  Solzhenitsyn would go on to write The Gulag Archipelago, his most comprehensive work.
  
  
  
  Though he initially received support from some Russian political leaders seeking to distance themselves from Stalin, the political climate changed again and Solzhenitsyn was eventually expelled from Russia. He refused to return until after the collapse of the Soviet Union, spending 20 years in the United States.
  
  He passes away during a time when the Russian government has once again tightened it's control of the press.
  
  
  
  "The death of Alexander Isayevich Solzhenitsyn is a heavy loss for the whole of Russia," said a statement from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin -- a former agent with the KGB security service that led the persecution campaign against Solzhenitsyn.
  
  State television ran solemn reports on his life but there were no visible signs of grief on Moscow streets. Younger people confessed they knew little about his work.
  
  (Sections in italics from the Reuters article cited below)
  
  Reuters article
  
  • Posted Aug 27, 2008 4:37 pm PT
  • Category: Writing
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• 14Apr 08

  The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn

  

  The Boys of Summer is a book about baseball; It's also a book about life, racism, journalism, and loving a sport team. In the first half of the book Roger Kahn talks about growing up as a kid, his father, his hometown, and his lifelong love of the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the second half of The Boys of Summer Kahn tracks down each of his now retired heroes and writes a chapter about each player. In between is the critical moment when fan and team intersect - Kahn's opportunity to cover the Dodgers as a sports writer for the Herald Tribune.

  There's a lot to like in this book. The author's account of his boyhood dream of playing for his home team is well written and easy to relate too. The depiction of Kahn's father and their relationship is also one of the most enjoyable aspects of the book.

  The Boys of Summer gives an inside look at both the goings on inside a newspaper and a major league ball club. Both are interesting. The complex relationship between sports writer and player is especially captivating. Kahn offers an uncompromising account here, even if it casts himself in a less than favorable light. Lots of profanity in this one, if that bothers you.

  The second half of the book is the best in my opinion. The old Dodgers have all aged and moved away from Baseball when Kahn finds them again. The prospect of looking at an athlete after retirement is a fascinating one to be sure, but still better is seeing how the personality of each ball player impacts the trajectory of their life after retirement.

  Throughout the book is woven the courageous life of Jackie Robinson. He endured written threats of being shot the next time he stepped up to bat, consistent racial taunts during games, and being segregated from his team each time they stopped at a hotel for the night. Through it all he maintained his fearlessness and competitive edge during a brilliant career. When you look at the mental struggles of other athletes it's hard to believe he accomplished what he did.

  Although Jackie Robinson is given the spotlight there are many other interesting and memorable players. Most are very well written. If you enjoy baseball then I probably don't need to sell this to you anymore, but it's also a fine book for anyone who has ever loved a sports team. The author's portrayals of himself, his father, and the human aspects of the ball players also make for good reading even if you don't enjoy sports.

  • Posted Apr 14, 2008 8:26 pm PT
  • Category: Writing
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