Book 15 – Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov

24 09 2010

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“Mid-twentieth century ideas concerning child-parent relationships have been considerably tainted by the scholastic rigamorale and standardized symbols of the psychoanalytic racket, but I hope I am addressing myself to unbiased readers.”
– Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

This is another late entry for my 25 in 2010 blog posts. I read Lolita about one month ago. As I was finishing my last book, Kangaroo, by DH Lawrence, my co-worker and I decided to read this one together, which was nice. This is the first time in my 25 in 2010 experience when I have read a book with someone. I was really happy to have a reading-buddy (RB). I like doing this reading challenge with my brother, but it has saddened me that we aren’t reading the same books at the same time. Part of me wanted this challenge to be like a book club. We would read a book at the same time, then talk/blog about it and exchange thoughts. Sadly, because of schedules, distance, and objectives, we picked different titles and agreed to read at our own pace.

I was really excited to have a RB for this one. As soon as we agreed to do it I took the SkyTrain to Metrotown and bought a copy from the Chapters (Initially I tried the two used bookstores by work, but neither had a copy). The next day, at work, we agreed to start reading that weekend.

I read about 40 pages over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, granted, which is not a lot to have read. When RB came in on Monday she asked how much I read. I told her. She had read about 20 pages. We discussed how we felt about the opening, what we thought of the premise of the book (basically, a middle-aged man takes Lolita, his pseudo-daughter-in-law, in a car trip around the States for a year. All the while many nefarious and unsavoury things happen between them. The concepts of incest and pedophilia are definitely challenged). I was fine with the storyline, despite its content. However, the book cover did bother me.

My copy of Lolita is the 50th anniversary version that you see above. I felt very uncomfortable reading it on the bus. The cover seems so insinuatingly pornographic, but not pornographic at the same time. I found the lips so inappropriate. “People must be wondering what I am reading”, I thought.

I told RB this and she came back to my office that afternoon with a book cover she had made out of green cardboard paper. She even added a picture of the header from this blog and pasted it on the spine. “now when people look at what you’re reading, they will see The Shadow of Chez and wonder what it is.

I still have the green cover on the book. RB was very kind to make it for me. And the cool part about it is that when it sits on my bookshelf, The Shadow of Chez is among my favourite authors – conceited, I know.

I have to confess though, RB did finish the book before me. I’m not a fast reader in the first place, but RB is pretty fast. At one point she said, “I’m going to stop reading so that you can catch up and we can finish the book together”. I thought it very sweet of her to wait for me. That weekend I put my head in to the book and did my best to get through it. I finished it that week.

When I was done we discussed what we thought about it. I was amazed at RB’s insight and analysis of the main character,  Humbert Humbert, She noticed things that I completely missed. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to her thoughts on H.H.- he is a very complicated character, a great writer and narrator who is most likely a sociopath with motives that are moved by mental illness and nymphetic lust.

I was really happy to read this volume with a friend. I’m glad she was kind enough to share the experience with me. Now, I’ve moved on to my next book, and so has she. The last time we talked she told me she was reading Kidnapped, by R.L. Stevenson. It’s one of my favourite books. I hope she’s enjoying it.

Next book: The Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Grossmith


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Categories : 25 in 2010

Book 14 – Kangaroo, by DH Lawrence

21 08 2010

The lateness of this post is probably a good lesson in life, and writing. I finished reading Kangaroo about a month ago but didn”t posted anything about it. I had planned to put up a post right away, but I got distracted. Then, I got lazy. At the end of each day I thought,  “I’ll do it tomorrow”. Then, as it so often happens, the “i’ll do it tomorrows” piled up like the dirty laundry in the back of my closet.

Now, it’s a month later, and it’s still not done (the laundry and this post). Things are starting to get smelly. So now, I’m just looking to get the post out of the way, clean up, get the dirty socks off the floor.

I would be lying if I said I didn’t write anything for the blog previously – originally I did. I wrote about my life in Australia, my trip to Kiama – where Lawrence wrote the book – and my yearning to return to that country full of sunburns and singlets.

I also wrote about Lawrence, and his experiences in England and Australia during, and after, World War One.  However, after reading it over a few times, the post seemed tired and boring to read. I tried revamping it, but I decided to scrap it all together. I couldn’t think of a better way to phrase my thoughts, so I opted for this post instead.

I quite liked Kangaroo. Initially I thought the book would be about the outback, and kangaroos, and such. (With a name like Kangaroo how could you not?) But it’s not. Rather it’s about an English couple who spend three months in a small coastal town in Australia.

The book is funny, poignant, and frank. We follow Richard Lovat Somers and his wife, Harriet, as they adjust to the Australian climate, geography, and people. What I like most about Lawrence’s writing is how openly disparaging Richard Somers is towards Australia. Somers goes through the same “period of transition” that is inevitable when a person moves to a new country.

I connected with this book because I could relate to Somers. The book displayed all my feelings from when i first moved to Australia. For my first six months to a year, I hated Australia. I was far from home. I didn’t have a job. The people seemed boorish and rude. It was hot. I was constantly worried about poisonous, insects, animals and couch lint. And, I had no community, I felt alone.

Not until, I made Australian friends did I grow to like it. In fact, after that I came to love the place. Now that I’m home, back in Vancouver, Canada, I think about going back all the time. Unfortunately, with school and such, that won’t be happening for a while. For now I will have to make do with talking to my friends on Skype, watching the NRL online, and listening to the Hamish and Andy podcasts.

Anyway, as I began saying at the top; this post is a good lesson in life, and writing. You need to be consistent. You can’t pull the old “I’ll do it tomorrow”. Generally if you put it off till tomorrow, you’re giving yourself an excuse to never do it, which somewhat explains why I haven’t posted my new short story. So, to make sure I don’t put it off anymore, I’m going to go work on it, right now.

Next book: Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov


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Categories : 25 in 2010

25 in 2010 Update:

21 07 2010

 

Really big, fat, grungy book.

After a long discussion, my brother and I have decided it’s okay to change our 25 in 2010 reading lists.

When we originally selected our books, back in December, we didn’t account for two very important factors: time and book length.

With school starting in September I’ve realized I better be more realistic with the type (ie the length) of book I will have time to read. (I have two daunting titles yet to read – Don Quixote and The Satanic Verses -  and I know it will take me much longer than 14 days to read each of them.)

Since 25 in 2010 is purely a leisurely challenge, I think it’s acceptable to drop and replace titles. With that in mind I may put my reading list on a diet. In other words, no fat books allowed. Sorry Rushdie: you may be the first exiled.

Some may see us revamping our lists as being untrue to the heart of this exercise – you can’t just change the game ball in the middle of a match, some may cry. To that I say, “ya, you probably have a point” But my Bro and I are the only gladiators in this arena, so we can pretty much wrestle as we like (how’s that for too many mixed sport analogies).

So, for those keeping score at home, in the near future you will see some changes to the 25 in 2010 reading list..


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Categories : 25 in 2010

Book 13 – The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde

4 07 2010

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“I make a great difference between people. I choose my friends for their good looks, my acquaintances for their good characters, and my enemies for their good intellects. A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies. I have not got one who is a fool. They are all men of some intellectual power, and consequently they all appreciate me.”
- Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

I’ve really slowed down of late. I was making great progress a month ago, then life got busy. Mainly, I moved and have spent the past few weeks settling in, and getting adjusted to my new environment.

I’m pretty excited though. I feel completely moved in now. Everything is unpacked. I’ve arranged the room in a way that creates a good divide between where I sleep (I’m basically living in a studio apt.) and where I’ll work. I’ve also got a couple bookcases set up. After living abroad for so many years, a lot of my stuff was in storage, including my many boxes of books. Over the past few months I have been gradually pulling them from storage. I now have my favourites up on the shelf.

I’ve brought in my Grandparent’s old wardrobe and stand-up radio. I really like having PICT3401them in the house. Next to the books they look rather nice. They add a bit of class to the place. 

At this point you’re probably wondering what all this has to do with Oscar Wilde’s ‘Picture of Dorian Gray’. Well, it has very little to do with the book. But it’s on my mind and I wanted to tell you about it.

To comment on the book, I will say I enjoyed it immensely. I loved the story, the characters, and Wilde’s writing. The prose was clear, precise and lively. Given that it was first published in 1890, I would say it was written in a very modern style, with shadows of Hemmingway and Orwell’s future prose styles.

I was most impressed with the dialogues throughout the novel. I’m sure Wilde’s experience as a playwright explains his ability to be economical with interactions. Characters spoke in an easy, engaging manner. There were few grand, long monologues. Yet it was still functional in the sense that it moved the plot forward  and revealed character and motives.

Dorian Gray was interesting an interesting character, in terms of his development and psychological struggle, but the character I most enjoyed would have to be Lord Henry. I loved his propensity for grand statements and generalizations, like the passage at the top of this post. PICT3402My other favourite gems include:

“the mind of a well-informed man is a dreadful thing. It is like a bric-a-brac shop, all monsters and dust…”

“youth is the one thing worth having;”

“she behaves as if she were pretty, most American women do. It’s the secret of their charm’;”

and the even more misogynous, “no woman is a genius. Women are a decorative sex. They never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly. Women represent the triumph of matter over mind, just as men represent the triumph of mind over morals.” 

Insulting, and somewhat ill-informed, sure. But thoroughly entertaining.

I loved this book. I’m glad I put it on my list. I’m especially glad I was able to connect with it in a way I couldn’t with the previous book, “The Scarlet Letter”.

I will have to quicken my pace in order to get through the rest of the books. School will be starting in September. After that I will have a lot less time to devote to this 25 in 2010, not to mention my 12 stories in 2010. (I’m hoping to have the third one up soon’).

All right, on to the next one. Until the next post, I hope you are happy and well, wherever you are reading this.

Next Book: Kangaroo, by D.H. Lawrence.


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Categories : 25 in 2010

Book 10 – As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner

5 05 2010

Asilaydying“Sometimes I ain’t so sho who’s got a right to say when a man is crazy and when he ain’t. Sometimes I think it ain’t none of us pure crazy and ain’t none of us pure sane until the balance of us talks him that-a-way. It’s like it ain’t so much what a fellow does, but it’s the way the majority of folks is looking at him when he does it.“
- As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner

I had a hard time picking a quote from As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner. I wanted to pick something that both summed up the book and resonated with me. After jumping between two quotes, I settled on the one above.

This  quote, in my mind, fits the first criteria by perfectly summing up the novel. Through the eyes of fifteen different narrators, As I Lay Dying recounts one family’s attempt to fulfill their dead mother’s final request, to be buried in a different county with her parents.

The perception of sanity is a theme that runs throughout the novel. Everyone here seems crazy, or to at least make bad decisions. There were moments while reading this when I actually thought, “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea”. I’ll give you an example (without ruining the story for you): one of the characters breaks his leg. So, as a makeshift cast, they encase it in cement. Do you think any good will come of this? No, you don’t. But they don’t see a problem with it.

This sort of stuff is littered throughout the novel, and at times you think, “what the hell is going on here.” Then the perspective changes and you start reading things from that character’s vantage point, and their actions seem less crazy and0375504524.01.LZZZZZZZ very human.

As for the second criteria: this quote resonated with me because I lived abroad, in Australia, for many years. While in Oz, I really liked being different from everyone else. I came form a different culture. I had a different perspective. And, more importantly, I had an accent.

What I didn’t like was being foreign. I would do things that seemed rational and  quite natural to me. But to the people I was with my actions appeared strange and unnatural. It could have been something as simple as a Canadian expression or saying “how are you" to the girl at the deli counter. Or, it could be something bigger like when driving stopping for pedestrians crossing the street or playing American/Canadian Football on a cricket pitch. To me, all my actions were reasonable. But the Auzzies just didn’t get it. I would try to explain but that would more than likely lead to more confusion. And this is the key to As I Lay Dying. No matter how sane and logical you feel your actions are, others might not get it.

I have purposefully restrained from referring specifically to the story. I don’t want to give anything away, other than what I already mentioned. It’s such a good story. I was completely drawn in to their world. Twice I missed my sky train stop on the way home from work.

Though I will say this: when you read it get a character list. I found the story very confusing to start. Direct relationships between characters are not clear at first. As well, I had trouble remembering who was who. So I looked up the character names on the internet and wrote them on a piece of paper and kept it in the back of the book. It was very helpful. And, don’t feel bad about doing this. It’s not cheating. I figure plays have character lists, so why not novels. If it helps you understand the story, and get deeper in to the plot, then go for it.

Actually, I will even say this too: there are many similarities between the Bundren family, in As I Lay Dying, and the Lamb family, in Cloudstreet. The family mentality’s match – especially when you compare mothers. As well, both novels have character’s named Quick and Fish. As well, the writing styles and symbolic references in the two books are quite similar, which would also explain why I liked this book so much.

Anyway, As I Lay Dying, is the best novel I have read so far in my 25 in 2010 challenge. I really think people should pick it up. It’s short too, about 150 pages, so if you don’t like long stories, even better.

Next book: The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, by Mordecai Richler.


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Categories : 25 in 2010

Book 9 – All the Names, by Jose Saramago

25 04 2010

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“Some of those who are born become entries in encyclopaedias, in history books, in biographies, in catalogues, in manuals, in collections of newspaper clippings, the others, roughly speaking, are like a cloud that passes without leaving behind it any trace of its passing, and if rain fell from that cloud it did not even wet the earth.”
                         – All the Names, by Jose Saramago

All right. Here it is. Book nine done. I’m so happy too. I was ready for a book I could connect with, really get in to, especially after my disappointment with the previous two books.

Why did I pick All the Names, by Jose Saramago? Well, I don’t really have a reason, other than I really like Jose Saramago. I have read The Gospel According to Jesus Christ and Blindness, I found both amazing.

All the Names is like a low-level mystery novel. The main character, Senhor Jose, comes across the birth certificate of an anonymous woman. He decides this event is not mere chance, so he decides to find her. After a series of leads, dead-ends, and close calls, Senhor Jose learns what he is really seeking.

While I thoroughly enjoyed All the Names, Saramago is a tough read. The text is dense; the paragraphs can go on for pages; and the dialogue is built in to the paragraphs. Despite all that, Saramago is very rewarding. There’s a soft humour and a penetrating humanity to his writing.

If you recall from my previous post about The Turn of The Screw, I was very put off by James’ dense, meandering writing style. Given that Saramago shares this similarity, you’d think I would have struggled with Saramago too. But I didn’t. And I think the key difference is that Saramago is engaging. He brings you in to the story, with Senhor Jose. While, with James you merely feel as though you’re watching things from a balcony, high up above; you can see the story but you’re not a part of it.

The other part I enjoyed about this story of a lonely clerk is its simplicity. In fact, it reads more like a short story than a novel. There are really only three characters, Senhor Jose, the Registrar, and the anonymous woman. Sure there are other minor characters that help move events, and provide insight about the major characters, but there is a single mindedness to the narrative. It made the story easy to follow, and easier to get caught up with.   

Obviously I am a fan of this one. I love Saramago. I think he is a great writer and should be cherished. If you are at all swayed, or inspired, by my gushing, I say check him out. Be prepared for the dense text and wandering sentences, but know that it will be worth it.

Next book: As I lay Dying, by William Faulkner


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Categories : 25 in 2010

Book 8 – The Turn of The Screw, by Henry James

12 04 2010

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Usually, I start each post with a passage from the novel I just finished reading. But, this week I have nothing. And that’s not for lack of trying. Before writing this I flipped through the book a couple time, looking for something. Sadly, I found nothing.

I am really quite disappointed by this too. I picked The Turn of the Screw, by Henry James, because it was on a list of “100 books you must read before you die, otherwise your life will have been a waste”.

So when I pulled the book from my shelf I was ready and primed to go – I’ll take every precaution to keep my life from being a waste. Heck, I’ll slide nude down a well oiled, cement driveway on a hot summer day if some list in Cosmo told me I HAD to do it before I died. 

Before I go too far, though, here’s the plot: An uncle gains custody of his niece and nephew after their parents suddenly die. The uncle sends them to live in a cottage in the country and hires a nanny to take care of the. The turnofthescrew2nanny is hired under the stipulation that she agrees to never contacts the uncle – he will continue to send money for all wages and expenses.  From there events quickly unfold to reveal there are people, other than the nanny, kids, and servants in the house.

For me, the whole ghost story angle was fine. I liked the premise, and was keen to read another Victorian horror story – I had recently read Dr Jekyll and Mr Hide, by R.L. Stevenson, and thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Unfortunately, for me, after reading it I’m wondering if playing “driveway slip and slide” would have been a better idea. This was a tough read. Following the narrative was like listening to my grandfather recount pre-war tax laws. The sentences are dense; they go on forever; and there is a lot of incidental information crammed in each sentence. By the time I got to the end of a sentence I had forgotten the start. I was not impressed.

My feelings soon grew to disdain once I factored in my distaste for the characters. The Nanny comes of as a foil for the events happening around her. Her gushing over the children sickened me. The children were lifeless and two-dimensional. Not to mention the other turnofthescrew1characters, like Mrs Grose, who also seemed plain and uninspired.

I will say, I did enjoy the criticisms and analyses of the text, found in the back of this Norton Critical Edition. I like reading about people’s interpretations of a story. “Were the ghosts just a figment of the nanny’s imagination?” “Is it an allegory about how the evil that men do will live after them?” Or, “is it a straight ghost novel about spirits and the afterlife?”

After reading these analysis I considered rereading the story, in order to discuss those questions. If only I found the text and narrative style approachable, at least a little, then I may have done it. However, as it stands, these questions will go unanswered by me.

Now, it’s time for me to go. I just found another list to complete: “100 of the best places to stub your toe, before you die”

Next book: All the Names, by Jose Saramago.


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Categories : 25 in 2010

Book 7 – Naked Lunch, by William S. Burroughs

31 03 2010

Naked Lunch“He it is… He and no other who has reduced whole provinces of our fair land to a state bordering on the far side of idiocy… He it is who has filled great warehouses with row on row, tier on tier of helpless creatures who must have their every want attended… ‘The Drones’ he calls them with a cynical leer of pure educated evil…”
                       – Naked Lunch, by William S. Burroughs

As a reader I have two rules. One: always finish a book. And, two: always find one good thing to say about it.

Sometimes those rules are easier to tout than follow.

I have always tried to abide by these rules. To me not finishing a book is quitting. Even if I loath a book I will charge on. Oh, I may curse and spit while doing so but I will keep reading. 

Why put myself through this? Well, it can somewhat be explained by my possessing an unhealthy balance of pride, stubbornness and stupidity. But, also, I make a commitment to the writer. I’ll follow their story, on their terms. I believe just because I may not enjoy a novel doesn’t mean I shouldn’t finish reading it.

Before I get further into it, I should tell you: I like the beat writers. Kerouac is cool. On the Road rules – though, I’ll never understand why he left that woman in the cotton fields. I like Ginsberg. Plutonian Ode is a great collection of poems. I want to say I like Burroughs too, but prior to this I had never read anything by him.

With all that in mind, I purchased Naked Lunch years ago. It was on sale at a used bookstore. I was attracted by the yellow cover, sideways title, and the lure of it being a previously banned book (much in the same way naked_lunch_prospectusthat people are drawn to Tropic of Cancer, by Henry Miller).

For those who don’t know, the story line is roughly: a drug addict travels from New York to Tangiers, and then into a nightmarish, fantasy, world called Interzone.

After finishing the book in a little over a week, I can safely say I cursed those rules. I hated them so much; I had half an idea to shave them into the side of a dog, preferably a chocolate coloured Labrador retriever, then push it down the stairs.* 

But, I didn’t.

I charged on. I put the dog idea to the side, for later, and kept reading.

I am happy I read it, but I’m even happier to be done with it. There were moments I liked, and even a few pages I “dog eared”, to reread for later. Still, overall, it’s a tough read. The writing style is highly experimental: the narrative is non-linear; the tone and voice changes constantly; the main character takes on many different aliases; and the flipping between fantasy and reality is confusing.

Despite it being confusing and hard to follow I stuck to my first rule, just barely, and finished the book. As for the second rule, I will start by saying this: I love the serendipity of reading. Quite a few times in my life my outside world has matched up with what I’m reading.

In high school a friend gave me a book for my birthday. At the same time my youngerJohnSteinbeck_TheGrapesOfWrath brother and his band (www.rcoriginal.wordpress.com) were practicing a song they would play at their school’s talent show. While I was reading the book my brother came in to my room and started telling me about the song he was practicing, ‘Ghost of Tom Joad’. The events in the song were eerily similarly to what was happening in my book, The Grapes of Wrath. “Do you think the song is about the book?” we wondered.

It was.

Gotj

We were amazed at our discovery. What is the likelihood that our  lives would connect in such a way, at that moment? Not very likely, we decided.

It felt so eerie and odd, like we were we in the opening scene of Magnolia**, the movie. “It is in the humble opinion of this narrator that this is not just something that happens. This cannot be one of those things. This, please, cannot be that. This was not just a matter of chance.”

Since then, my books and life have matched up in other ways. Some may explain this as my own personal confirmation bias. Still, it doesn’t make the discoveries any less eerie, exciting, or rewarding.

Back to Naked Lunch. My one good thing to say about the book, and my potentially serendipitous discovery, is the text I quoted at the top of this blog. I am a huge fan of the Australian badrones-covernd, The Drones (see their video below). When I read this passage, I  wondered, “is this where they got their name?”

I then looked on the internet for the answer. After a brief investigation I have not found one. I can only assume that “this is not one of those things”; There has to be a connection. The Drones are an intelligent, literary band. Based on that – and until I can ask them personally – I will believe “this is that”.

And, that is my good thing to say about this book. I may not have enjoyed the book, but it did help me discover something about my favourite Australian band – even if it could be just a coincidence.

Next book: The Turn of The Screw, by Henry James.

*Please note: I don’t advocate animal cruelty, unless, of course, it helps illustrate a point.

**Yes, I know, the movie wasn’t out yet.’

Watch “The Minotaur’, from The Drone’s new album, Havilah. Best line from the song: “He spends all day looking at porn, or playing, fucking, Halo 2” Enjoy.


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Categories : 25 in 2010

Book 6 – Three Men in a Boat, by Jerome K. Jerome

27 03 2010

Three men in a boat

“Everything has its drawbacks, as the man said when his mother-in-law died, and they came down upon him for the funeral expenses.” 
                 – Three Men in a Boat, by Jerome K. Jerome

 
I’m putting this post up now, even though I don’t really know what to say. I finished the book last week. Due to work, school and other obligations I haven’t had time to write anything about it. Seeing that this is a story about three guys (and a dog) going on a rowing excursion that goes horribly wrong, I thought I could recount a camping story of my own. I don’t really have many good things to say about the book so I thought this would be a good way of distracting myself.

I now realize this is the opposite of what I should be doing. I have to own how I feel about this book. I can’t go recounting poorly planned, organized and executed camping trips of my youth. Sure I could tell you about my first camping trip, when we got lost on the way to the camping site and my older brother had to come looking for us after nightfall. Or the time my friend’s old 1950, cherry and white, Chevy broke down in the bush and we had to get it towed out, again my older brother drove up to find us and help take us home. I could even tell you about the time in Australia when I camped in the bush, on my own, for over three weeks, where I met “the messiah” there (I’m not even joking) – and my brother didn’t have to come looking for me. But, like I said above, this would all be just a distraction.

This book made me feel nothing. I was constantly distracted while reading it. I’ld start reading at the top of the page, obviously. By the end of the first paragraph I would be thinking of something else. I tried blocking out my surrounding environment by channelling my focus on the text, but even then my mind would wander. I don’t know what it was. I was having the same problem with Gulliver’s Travel.

Three men in a boat

Maybe it’s the style of writing. They are both 19th century texts. They are both first person narratives, where it’s hard for the reader to feel a true connection to the narrator; he’s rigid and distant. Even if he and I went to counselling together, for years, I don’t think I would be able to find a way to break down the barrier between us.

Perhaps it was the long, meandering sentences. They sure got the most out of their commas and semi-colons back then. If they could break those sentences up, make their ideas clearer and more immediate, then, perhaps, I could connect with it.

Or, maybe it’s because the story relies so heavily on a previous understanding of English sensibilities and the English environment. Sure, he described things using “non-comparative” terms, but there were other times, and generally more often, when I was expected to already know about the specific cities, counties, or shires. At least that’s how it felt. I could be completely wrong and just looking for faults in the text.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on it. I’m happy to be done with the book, but sad that I didn’t like it more. A good friend of mine really liked it and recommended it highly. Like, Gulliver’s Travels I hope to read it again in the future and maybe gain a better appreciation from a second read. Oh well, till then I will move on to the next book (which I have almost completed, and am not that impressed with either). I’ll let you know how it goes, soon.

Next book: Naked Lunch, by William S. Burroughs. 

 


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Categories : 25 in 2010

Book 5 – Cloudstreet, by Tim Winton

13 03 2010

cloudstreet

“‘God, you sound like a book…What did you ever get out of [books], anyway?’
‘…some idea of how other people lived their lives, Mum. A look at real people.’”
                                       – Cloudstreet, by Tim Winton

These past couple weeks I have been missing Australia like a child misses their foster parents. I lived in Oz for over three years. I moved back to Canada last summer. When I left I was happy to be done with the whole lot. Sure the weather was great and the landscape spectacular, but I had to leave. Australia was my adopted home, but I had been an expat too long. I was getting tired of being “the foreigner”. And, besides, my visa was going to expire, so I had to decide between applying for permanent residency or moving on. I knew  it was time for me to go home, be close to family, and remind myself why I love Canada so much.

I have been home seven months now. I have thoroughly enjoyed being back. I attended three weddings (was in the bridal party for two), moved to Montreal for 3 months (where I got a job as a dishwasher in Old Montreal), started up an online radio show with a buddy (you can listen to us here), and am taking an editing course through SFU. Plus, I got to be here, in Vancouver, for the Olympics. All in all my time back has been great.

Then I started reading Cloudstreet. I received it  as a Christmas gift last year. I tried reading it once before. I didn’t like the writing style so I put it down. Which is funny, because the previous year I had received Tim Winton’s “The Turning”, a collectionCloudstreet2 of his short stories, and I absolutely loved them. His writing was so vibrant, yet required very little details to create an impression. The first story, ‘Big World’, is one of my favourite short stories. It’s funny, insightful, and bleeds adolescent truth. 

This is why my initial distaste for Cloudstreet upset me. I wanted to like it, but, I guess, it wasn’t meant to be, at that time. I brought the book back to Canada with me, and let it sit on my bookshelf for the past six months. Now that I have finished it, I am happy to say that my opinion has changed. I do like it. And, while it doesn’t make my top ten list of favourite novels it is definitely one I will recommend to friends.

Cloudstreet, to me, is a cross between “East of Eden”, by John Steinbeck, and “The Sundowners”,  by Jon Cleary. (Interestingly, both novels were published in 1952.) Roughly, the story follows two families, The Pickles and The Lambs, as they cohabitate in the same house, called Cloudstreet. Over the span of decades they fight, laugh, and learn the value of family.

Winton explores many themes throughout the novel, like the battle between luck and God’s plan, the changing role and identity of men in post-war Australia,  the need for independence and family, and how we remember our childhood and the past.

Given the size of the families, and the intermingling, Winton had a large cast to balance. He could have easily been bogged down by featuring every character’s story arch; luckily he doesn’t. He follows a few characters more closely than others and uses them to illustrate everyone’s experiences.

cloudstreet3 I loved the book for it’s descriptive style. One of Winton’s strength’s is his word choice. He does not waste words on a page. Every line, sentence and word has a weight and provides balance. Remove one and the feeling is gone. I would reread whole sentences and remove adjectives to see how vital they were for that sentence. Just as a quick example, here is a passage from one of the more traumatic scenes in the novel. A child is hit by a train:

“…the engine smacks him with the sound of a watermelon falling of the back of a truck, and he’s gone. Everything is screaming. The train punishes itself to a halt.”

Now, take out, and change, the words: “smack”, “watermelon”, and “punishes itself”. Change them to, say, “the engine hits him with the sound of a doll falling of the back of a truck, and he’s gone. Everything is screaming. The train comes to a halt.”

Without the original words the passage has lost all of its power and resonance. “Smack” has the double effect of giving the impression of sound and the act of being hit. “Watermelon” adds weight and texture. And “punishes itself” humanizes the train – it adds another character to the scene, allowing the reader to relate to the events.

Not to hyperbolize, or overplay the affects the book had on me, but I loved it. My father once told me “ a great book will  affect you in ways you don’t expect. When the character(s) is having a good day, it makes you have a good day too. But if he is having a bad day, then, somehow, that makes you have a bad day.” And that’s exactly what Cloudstreet did. It was so easy to connect with these characters. They seemed so human, real, and, at times, lovable, I wished I could be there with them in the kitchen and “give the knife a spin”.

Cloudstreet has made me want to go back to Australia. Maybe not to live, but at least visit. It has reminded me of all the things I miss there: two-up, meat pies, League’s clubs, the Darby Raj, swimming, Roos, and the orange, hot sunsets over the hills.

The next book: “Three Men in a Boat”, by Jerome K. Jerome 


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Categories : 25 in 2010

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