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.
