So while you bastards have been having babies and spending time with your families, I've been reading. Because of my shame over my low showing on the 1,001 Books You Should Read List and the realization after studying said list that I have read very few 'modern' novels, I decided to pick up a few and edumacate myself this summer. The results:
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (The Remains of the Day, etc.). An interesting narration that wouldn't be out of place next to P.D. James The Children of Men on your bookshelf. Not an apocalyptic view of the future (present?) but an interesting meditation on the moral aspects of cloning. The plot unfolds in such a way that things are made clear at the author's leisurely pace. The novel is relatively short and is one I thought about for a good bit afterwards.
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth. I was no big fan of Roth's early work, but decided to give him another try. The history geek in me loves this alternate history 'what if' novel that deals with Roosevelt's defeat in the 1940 election by the Nazi admiring isolationist Charles Lindbergh. Roth puts forth an extremely plausible alternate reality of life in America for Jews under a government that actively avoids fighting in WW2 and begins usurping the rights of everyday Americans. Excellent.
American Pastoral by Philip Roth. Another winner, this brilliantly written exploration of one 'perfect' family's American Dream turned nightmare is highly recommended by your learned correspondent. A baby boomer's generational navel gazing has never been rendered quite this movingly, in my humble opinion.
And finally, Saturday by Ian McEwan. This is similar in theme if not tone to the Roth book. Only this baby boomer navel gazer is a little too affluent and has a little too much self-awareness going for him to make it very relatable for me.
All in all, a good summer of reading. Up next, I finally tackle The Watchmen and Don DeLillo's Underworld.
8 comments:
You've been busy! If I read more than 5 pages a night, I'd add some of those to my list. But it takes me MONTHS to finish a book now ...
I know what you mean, Jay, so many words to sound out. I've got a wicked backlog, but will add the Ishiguro (you had me at "Children of Men") and one of the Roths.
You're in for a treat with Watchmen, Dave. When does skool start back?
Cool, Paperback Swap had the Ishiguro book, so it's on the way. I really liked Delillo's White Noise, so I'll be anxious to see how you like Underworld. I'm currently reading World War Z, an oral history of the zombie war. Very high-brow.
Zombies! Awesome. I report back on Friday. Dammit. But I am committed to continuing my reading, but only to impress you guys.
5 pages a night! Luxury! I can barely get through a paragraph of the instruction manual for the boy wonder's "Bag o' glass" toy before crashing for my nightly 45 minutes.
I also enjoyed Never Let Me Go. I've enjoyed some of his other books also; a less well regarded one, that I think I enjoyed more than the others is When We Were Orphans.
You have sold me on the recent Roth books, about which i have been on the fence about reading. I very much enjoyed reading the Zuckerman books on an ill-fated trip to the Ozarks, during which I shot and ate several squirrels, made the local paper, and rang in the New Year with a glass of sweet tea and a mouthful of chaw -- more to come at the long-awaited get together. And I very much enjoyed "The Great American Novel" about the MLB-surpressed Patriot League, and the ill-fated team that played all of its games on the road.
Of course, if we all start recommending novels we will be here all day, and will have precious little time for Tr7n, which I just saw on ebay, or was it facebook? But regardless, I throw out there two of my favorites that I re-read whenever I get a chance, but which are rarely come across these days, Penelope Fitzgerald (try "Human Voices" or "The gate of Angels") and Beryl Bainbridge (try "An Awfulyl Big Adventure" or "The Bottle Factory Outing"). English writing at its best, at least since Evelyn Waugh.
Quit trying to make the blog high brow, dammit. I just wanna watch shit blow up real good ...
You should be pleased to know Andrew that 'American Pastoral' is officially a Zuckerman book, although probably a different type of Zuckerman book than the others.
I really liked "White Noise" as well and have been told by those in the know that "Underworld" is one of the best books ever written, especially where the plot is concerned. A friend once recommended "Birdsong" by Sebastian Faulks and I actually read it. It was excellent and word is he's writing the new James Bond.
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