It isn't very often when I find a book I don't like. It confuses me further when I dislike a book that so many have found inspiring or even life-changing. After being on my must-read list for at least a year, The Catcher in the Rye became one of these novels. I started it with high expectations, hoping to love what many have called a masterpiece, and I almost feel guilty for not enjoying it. Despite all of that, I would still recommend the novel to anyone who enjoys reading. I feel as though it is a book that needs to be read, and it is simple to pick a side about your feelings towards it once you digest and understand its content. The main thing is to approach the book with a grain of salt and a mature, open mind.
Holden, both the narrator and protagonist of the novel, is unable to escape the intensity of his emotions throughout the majority of the novel. His attitude is pretty much summed up in one quote. "So I took a cab. I didn't want to, but I did." It is this kind of line that confuses me, and dissuades me from reading the novel. We can all sympathise with kids who don't fit in with people in high school, but although Holden is a lost soul, almost a tragic figure, he also happens to be a hypocritical, self-deprecating and most of all self-loathing. Holden discusses his spite for society and reveals the disgust he holds for all phonies and hypocrites around him. In the end, he is just as much, if not more, of a hypocrite as everyone he hates so virulently. His idea of a phony was someone who lied to and deceived others and themselves, however throughout the novel he lied to himself and to others constantly.
The Catcher in the Rye has been both revered and reviled, and has repeatedly found itself on lists of banned and challenged books. It is the first novel I have read that explores the truths of a teenager's world instead of brushing them under the carpet. J.D. Salinger provides the reader with no answers or earth-shattering revelations, which is what bored me. The whole book is simply an exploration of new territory. I continuously found myself re-reading pages and even chapters, which is something that I have never had to do before. I simply couldn't keep up with Holden's life. In my opinion, a major weakness in the novel was that it didn't have a plot. I had trouble reading more than 4 pages without my mind drifting off. If there ever was a climax to the book I must have missed it. The only lesson that I took from The Catcher in the Rye is the fact that we as a society need to challenge what we read in Holden's struggle, meaning the rigid, hardening and ultimately repressive cultural expectations that surround us.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Paradise of the Blind
A deep and enriched journey of the senses, Paradise of the Blind explores a world where women come second to men, and communism takes away not only people's land, but also their dreams. Through the eyes of Hang, a young woman who grew up amidst the slums and intermittent beauty of Hanoi, we come to know the tragedies of her family as her village is ripped apart. Only by freeing herself from the past will Hang be able to find dignity and a future. The most remarkable thing is that the author Duong Thu Huong isn't really a novelist, she is a professional screenwriter. In an interview she said she had never planned to write novels. She said it happened "because of the pain." I think the title implies that Vietnam can be a paradise, but only to those who are blind towards what is truly happening around them. Choosing a deeper level of knowledge leads to a complicated life, the life that Hang lives in the novel, and Huang most likely lived before she left the country.
The novel follows Hang as she travels to Moscow to visit her sick uncle. Along the way she reminisces about her life. Hang finds herself torn between two women: the mother she loves, but is continuously disappointed by, and her domineering, paternal aunt. Hang is an inspiration to women, as she rejects the tradition of women who sacrifice themselves for family, and particularly for men. As I read this book I was surprised by how similar Turks and Vietnamese are in their emotions and understandings. I could tell that love, family, respect, revenge and affection are very important, both in my culture and in the Vietnamese world. This novel is essentially a story of three women from two generations whose family is torn apart by a brother who put communist ideology above family loyalty. Hang's mother, Que, and her Aunt Tam, are both extremely strong characters. They portray themselves as women who are willing to endure hardship merely due to their desire to preserve family lineage.
A novel that is banned in its own country would be appealing to most foreigners. This is a factor that makes Paradise of the Blind a must read for anyone who loves world literature. Duong Thu Huong's writing is so haunting, so precise, and it's very clear that she has the perspective of one who has suffered. I can see why this novel was banned in Vietnam; I would imagine that her portrayal of local Communist leaders is not one that would bring a government much pleasure. The result of Huong's achingly beautiful writing is a sad but powerful story of a culture in transition. I enjoyed this book for the rich picture it painted of a culture I knew virtually nothing about. Paradise of the Blind provides a true sense of life in the Vietnam that existed not so long ago. The novel travels a bitter, beautiful road as it depicts the oppression of life permeated by culture and ideology. Huong shows in the hopeful ending that it is possible for determined individuals to resist and transcend these powerful forces.
The novel follows Hang as she travels to Moscow to visit her sick uncle. Along the way she reminisces about her life. Hang finds herself torn between two women: the mother she loves, but is continuously disappointed by, and her domineering, paternal aunt. Hang is an inspiration to women, as she rejects the tradition of women who sacrifice themselves for family, and particularly for men. As I read this book I was surprised by how similar Turks and Vietnamese are in their emotions and understandings. I could tell that love, family, respect, revenge and affection are very important, both in my culture and in the Vietnamese world. This novel is essentially a story of three women from two generations whose family is torn apart by a brother who put communist ideology above family loyalty. Hang's mother, Que, and her Aunt Tam, are both extremely strong characters. They portray themselves as women who are willing to endure hardship merely due to their desire to preserve family lineage.
A novel that is banned in its own country would be appealing to most foreigners. This is a factor that makes Paradise of the Blind a must read for anyone who loves world literature. Duong Thu Huong's writing is so haunting, so precise, and it's very clear that she has the perspective of one who has suffered. I can see why this novel was banned in Vietnam; I would imagine that her portrayal of local Communist leaders is not one that would bring a government much pleasure. The result of Huong's achingly beautiful writing is a sad but powerful story of a culture in transition. I enjoyed this book for the rich picture it painted of a culture I knew virtually nothing about. Paradise of the Blind provides a true sense of life in the Vietnam that existed not so long ago. The novel travels a bitter, beautiful road as it depicts the oppression of life permeated by culture and ideology. Huong shows in the hopeful ending that it is possible for determined individuals to resist and transcend these powerful forces.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Never Let Me Go
How can the perfect novel be about a dystopia? This is what that I asked myself a few days after finishing Never Let Me Go. When I started the novel I had no idea what I was getting into. Having never been a fan of science fiction, I was worried about reading it. I shouldn't have been concerned, because Kazuo Ishiguro's exquisite writing style transformed the book from a depressing out-of-world love story to a masterful study on mortality.
The narration is careful and understated, and exists solely to focus on the way young people can make a life out of whatever is offered to them. The reader is busily occupied with the interactions of Kathy and her best friends Ruth and Tommy. In these relationships, Ishiguro sets a cat's cradle of psychological and emotional tensions. I was struck by the whole concept of organ donation, and how Kathy, Tommy and Ruth were treated by normal human beings. Never Let Me Go deals with questions about humanity and humaneness as the novel shows a steady erosion of hope. It is a tale of deceptive simplicity. Ishiguro is slow to reveal an extraordinary amount of emotional depth and resonance, but once everything is out it raises an interesting question. Would it be better to be brought up in ignorance and be happy, not knowing you are going to die much earlier than others because you were created to donate body parts? Or is it best to tell the donors what is going to happen to them, and take away the innocent happiness of their childhood. Personally, I can't decide on an answer.
Even though it was a completely unrelatable topic, the novel hit me close to home. It continued to haunt me even after I finished the novel. Kazuo Ishiguro's words weave a beautifully damned world, and even when I didn't understand what was happening, I was very attached to the characters. I still felt like something ominous was looming over the whole plot. I read faster, waiting for the secret to be spilled. I devoured this book in one sitting, and didn't stop to take it in until I was done. It reduced me to tears as if I had just woken up from a disturbing dream. I felt disoriented and anxious, almost betrayed by the thought that this situation could occur, now or in the future. Kazuo Ishiguro was never interested in the possibility of escaping and rebuilding lives. His novel was written as an exploration of a doomed life, where characters realize: you cannot lose a thing that was never yours and things that you have lost cannot wash back to you and wait in perfect condition on the shores.
The narration is careful and understated, and exists solely to focus on the way young people can make a life out of whatever is offered to them. The reader is busily occupied with the interactions of Kathy and her best friends Ruth and Tommy. In these relationships, Ishiguro sets a cat's cradle of psychological and emotional tensions. I was struck by the whole concept of organ donation, and how Kathy, Tommy and Ruth were treated by normal human beings. Never Let Me Go deals with questions about humanity and humaneness as the novel shows a steady erosion of hope. It is a tale of deceptive simplicity. Ishiguro is slow to reveal an extraordinary amount of emotional depth and resonance, but once everything is out it raises an interesting question. Would it be better to be brought up in ignorance and be happy, not knowing you are going to die much earlier than others because you were created to donate body parts? Or is it best to tell the donors what is going to happen to them, and take away the innocent happiness of their childhood. Personally, I can't decide on an answer.
Even though it was a completely unrelatable topic, the novel hit me close to home. It continued to haunt me even after I finished the novel. Kazuo Ishiguro's words weave a beautifully damned world, and even when I didn't understand what was happening, I was very attached to the characters. I still felt like something ominous was looming over the whole plot. I read faster, waiting for the secret to be spilled. I devoured this book in one sitting, and didn't stop to take it in until I was done. It reduced me to tears as if I had just woken up from a disturbing dream. I felt disoriented and anxious, almost betrayed by the thought that this situation could occur, now or in the future. Kazuo Ishiguro was never interested in the possibility of escaping and rebuilding lives. His novel was written as an exploration of a doomed life, where characters realize: you cannot lose a thing that was never yours and things that you have lost cannot wash back to you and wait in perfect condition on the shores.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Month-long Hiatus
"Going to the mountains is going home."
-John Muir
Tomorrow I leave for a month in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. I am beyond excited to spend my fourth summer summiting mountains and riding horses at what I call my second home. I won't have any wifi throughout the whole experience, so blogging isn't going to be possible. Nevertheless, I will still be reading! The books I am bringing are:
-The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
-Paradise of the Blind by Duong Hu Huang
-Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
-The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
-Lord of the Flies by William Golding
-Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
I think I have a good variety of books to look forward to, and if I run out I also have my kindle loaded with more options. Don't hesitate to tell me your thoughts on any of my choices in the comment box below! I'll be posting about each novel when I get back. Have an excellent month!
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Mountains Beyond Mountains
Being an avid reader, I often come across books that are both inspiring and thought-provoking. If I'm lucky, I'll even find something that changes my perspective towards life. Mountains Beyond Mountains is fascinating, and each page filled me with wonder and hope for what people can become. The book woke me up through the uncomfortable points that it raises. I was both enthralled and exhausted by Dr. Paul Farmer's energy and motivation.
Mountains Beyond Mountains is one of the first non-fiction books I have ever read and enjoyed. It has proved to me that reality can be just as amazing as fiction. Although it is a true story, Tracy Kidder writes a personalised account of Farmer's life. Although I had never even heard of Paul Farmer, I now feel as though I know him better than I know myself. Kidder also opened my eyes to the fact that we are all implicated in the problems that Farmer is working to solve. The book left me wondering why I wasn't more like him in terms of my virtues.
The real beauty of this book is the context in which it was written. Described through Kidder's eyes, both Paul Farmer's talents and his flaws come alive. Farmer believes that every life is equally important, yet does not see people as numbers. To him, "the idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that's wrong in the world." Farmer goes about saving lives, only to find that beyond mountains they are more mountains, or as the Haitians say, dèyè mòn gen mòn. To me, this proverb refers to the fact that solving one problem only reveals another. Paul Farmer is full of quirks and weaknesses, but the most amazing thing about him is his singular commitment to curing the diseases of the poor.
While reading Mountains Beyond Mountains, I couldn't help but feel that it was much more than simply a narration of a story. I felt connected to Paul Farmer, and his mindset to never let good be good enough. Tracy Kidder transported me from the beach I was sitting on to Haiti, Peru, Cuba and Russia, and I happily accepted to accompany Farmer's visionary spirit. It's hard to imagine one man accomplishing all that Paul Farmer has done. There are so many things one could take away from the book. Rather than feeling helpless, I was inspired by Farmer's belief that one individual has the power to help others. Tracy Kidder has provided me with not only an unforgettable book, but also an unignorable life lesson. Mountains Beyond Mountains left me guilty, exhausted and astonished, but it also inspired me, kept me reading all day and unexpectedly revised my values.
Mountains Beyond Mountains is one of the first non-fiction books I have ever read and enjoyed. It has proved to me that reality can be just as amazing as fiction. Although it is a true story, Tracy Kidder writes a personalised account of Farmer's life. Although I had never even heard of Paul Farmer, I now feel as though I know him better than I know myself. Kidder also opened my eyes to the fact that we are all implicated in the problems that Farmer is working to solve. The book left me wondering why I wasn't more like him in terms of my virtues.
The real beauty of this book is the context in which it was written. Described through Kidder's eyes, both Paul Farmer's talents and his flaws come alive. Farmer believes that every life is equally important, yet does not see people as numbers. To him, "the idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that's wrong in the world." Farmer goes about saving lives, only to find that beyond mountains they are more mountains, or as the Haitians say, dèyè mòn gen mòn. To me, this proverb refers to the fact that solving one problem only reveals another. Paul Farmer is full of quirks and weaknesses, but the most amazing thing about him is his singular commitment to curing the diseases of the poor.
While reading Mountains Beyond Mountains, I couldn't help but feel that it was much more than simply a narration of a story. I felt connected to Paul Farmer, and his mindset to never let good be good enough. Tracy Kidder transported me from the beach I was sitting on to Haiti, Peru, Cuba and Russia, and I happily accepted to accompany Farmer's visionary spirit. It's hard to imagine one man accomplishing all that Paul Farmer has done. There are so many things one could take away from the book. Rather than feeling helpless, I was inspired by Farmer's belief that one individual has the power to help others. Tracy Kidder has provided me with not only an unforgettable book, but also an unignorable life lesson. Mountains Beyond Mountains left me guilty, exhausted and astonished, but it also inspired me, kept me reading all day and unexpectedly revised my values.
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