Notes and reflections on reading.
“Paterson” is a long poem written by American modernist poet William Carlos Williams and published in five parts between 1946 and 1951. Williams names the poem “Paterson,” as Patterson, NJ is where he lived and worked as a doctor. The poem is a sprawling and ambitious work that was published in four parts and tend in my reading to go from great (Book 1) to so-so (Book 2), and on downward in overal quality. Just a fragment from the first...
Read more →
Look Homeward, Angel is a novel written by Thomas Wolfe and published in 1929. It is a coming-of-age story that follows the protagonist, Eugene Gant, as he grows up in the fictional town of Altamont, North Carolina, during the early 20th century. The novel explores Eugene’s tumultuous upbringing in a dysfunctional family. His father, Oliver, is a restless and ambitious stonecutter, while his mother, Eliza, is a controlling and domineering woman. Eugene’s siblings and extended family members also contribute to...
Read more →
China Mountain Zhang is a science fiction novel written by Maureen McHugh and published in 1992. Set in a future where China has become the dominant global superpower. The world is one where social and technological advancements have shaped a new society. The novel follows the life of Zhang Zhong Shan, a young man living in New York City. Chinese culture now influences most aspects of life. Zhang is a construction worker with a Chinese heritage who struggles with his...
Read more →
All I Asking for Is My Body is a novel written by Milton Murayama and published in 1975. Set in early 20th-century Hawaii, the novel follows the life of Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi is a young Japanese-American boy growing up in a plantation community. Murayama’s novel explores the struggles of the Japanese immigrant community in Hawaii during a time of social and economic inequality. Kiyoshi comes from a poor family. They face discrimination and prejudice from both the white plantation owners and...
Read more →
What would any of our high school educations be without Mr. Vonnegut, a ubiquitous favorite among our English teachers. Breakfast of Champions is set in the fictional town of Midland City. It’s where Dwayne Hoover’s life begins to unravel as he becomes increasingly unstable and delusional. Kilgore Trout, unaware of his importance to Dwayne’s situation, arrives in the same city. He’s there for an arts festival. Vonnegut explores a wide range of themes, including free will, mental illness, capitalism, and...
Read more →
“The Purloined Letter” begins with Dupin’s friend, the narrator, visiting him at his home. The Prefect of the Parisian police interrupts the investigation. The Prefect seeks Dupin’s assistance in locating a stolen letter. He informs Dupin that the letter contains sensitive information. And potentially has blackmail material against a prominent societal figure. The Prefect explains that the letter was stolen by Minister D—, who concealed it in plain sight. Minister D– placed it among his correspondence. Despite conducting thorough searches,...
Read more →
“The Gold Bug” is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. It follows the adventure of an unnamed narrator and his eccentric friend, William Legrand, as they search for buried treasure. The story begins with the narrator visiting Legrand on an isolated island in South Carolina. Legrand, who has recently become obsessed with finding buried treasure, shows the narrator a mysterious scarab-like bug (aka “The Gold Bug”). He believes holds the key to discovering the treasure’s location. Legrand describes...
Read more →
The Colossus of Maroussi is a travel memoir written by American author Henry Miller and published in 1941. The book chronicles Miller’s experiences traveling through Greece in the late 1930s and his encounters with various people. At its core, The Colossus of Maroussi is a personal exploration of Miller’s deep appreciation for Greece and its people. The narrative is a blend of vivid descriptions, philosophical reflections, and poetic musings. Miller immerses himself in the Greek way of life and the...
Read more →
A Contest for Supremacy examines the socioeconomic forces at play in US-China relations. I do not share the author’s conclusion, but it’s an engaging book. According to Friedberg, despite its impressive size and population, economic vitality, and drive to upgrade its military, China remains a vulnerable nation surrounded by powerful rivals and potential foes. Understanding China’s foreign policy means fully appreciating these geostrategic challenges, which persist even as the country gains increasing influence over its neighbors. Andrew J. Nathan and...
Read more →
“The Great Wall of China” is a short story written by Franz Kafka. It is a fictional account that explores the construction and purpose of the Great Wall, employing allegory and philosophical themes. The story presents a first-person narrative of an unnamed narrator who joins the labor force building the Great Wall. The narrator describes the immense scale of the project, highlighting the effort and resources required to build such a colossus. As the story progresses, the narrator delves into...
Read more →
Let Me Be Frank with You ( LMBFWY ) is a novel by American author Richard Ford and published in 2014. LMBFWY is a collection of interconnected stories featuring Frank Bascombe. Bascombe is a middle-aged retired sportswriter and real estate agent living in New Jersey. The book serves as a sequel to Richard Ford’s previous novels: The Sportswriter , Independence Day , and The Lay of the Land . Following Hurricane Sandy, Let Me Be Frank with You explores Frank’s...
Read more →
Kurt Vonnegut wrote Slaughterhouse 5 from his own experiences serving in the armed forces. It tells the story of Billy Pilgrim, an optometrist and World War II veteran. Billy becomes “unstuck in time,” experiencing moments of his life out of chronological order. Vonnegut structures the novel in a non-linear fashion. Billy’s experiences during the war, particularly the firebombing of Dresden, Germany, serve as a central focus. Vonnegut himself was a survivor of the Dresden bombing, and the novel draws from...
Read more →
Henry Adams, journalist, historian, and member of the Adams political family, posthumously published The Education of Henry Adams in 1918. It won a Pulitzer the following year. The book chronicles Adams’ personal and intellectual journey throughout his life. He reflects on the changes and challenges he witnessed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Adams recounts his privileged upbringing as a member of a prominent New England family. He explores his experiences in education, from his time at Harvard...
Read more →
“The Royal Game,” also known as “Chess Story,” is a novella written by Stefan Zweig. It tells the story of Mirko Czentovic, an uneducated but exceptionally talented chess player. Czentovic becomes the focus of a psychological battle during a transatlantic voyage. The narrative begins with the introduction of Dr. B., a wealthy Austrian who is traveling on a cruise ship. Dr. B. is a chess enthusiast and becomes intrigued when he learns that Czentovic is also on board. Czentovic is...
Read more →
Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell is a biography written by Janet Wallach that explores the remarkable life of Gertrude Bell. She was an influential British traveler, writer, archaeologist, and political figure of the early 20th century. The book provides a comprehensive account of Bell’s life, beginning with her privileged upbringing in a wealthy British family. It follows her journey as she defied societal expectations for women at the time. Bell went on extensive travels and explored the...
Read more →
Gerald Murnane published Barley Patch in 2009. It is a contemplative and introspective work that delves into themes of memory, imagination, and the nature of storytelling. A writer and self-described “matchmaker of words” narrates the novel. He shares his reflections on his life, his obsession with the Australian landscape, and his experiences with writing and storytelling. The narrative is nonlinear and fragmented, with the narrator weaving together memories, dreams, and fictional scenarios. At the heart of the novel is the...
Read more →
Hunter S Thompson wrote Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in 1971. It is a semi-autobiographical account of a drug-fueled journey through Las Vegas by the narrator, Raoul Duke. His attorney, Dr. Gonzo, joins him for the ride. The story follows Duke and Dr. Gonzo as they travel to Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race. However, their trip quickly descends into a chaotic and hallucinatory adventure fueled by drugs, alcohol, and reckless behavior. Throughout the novel, Thompson explores the...
Read more →
On California’s fog-hung North Coast, the enchanted redwood groves of Vineland County, a wild assortment of sixties refugees from the “Nixonian Reaction” live on. They’re still struggling with the consequences of their past lives. Aging hippie freak Zoyd Wheeler is revving up for his annual act of televised insanity. The latter typically involving self-defenestration to keep government checks flowing. When news reaches that his old nemesis, sinister federal agent Brock Vond, has come storming into Vineland. And with him a...
Read more →
Burning Secret is a novella written by Stefan Zweig. Set in an Austrian resort in the early 20th century, the story involves young Edgar and his mother. The two are spending their summer vacation at the hotel. The central focus of the novella is the relationship that develops between Edgar and a man named Baron von Aschenbach. The baron takes a particular interest in Edgar and begins to form a close bond with him. The baron’s desires to win the...
Read more →
Leo Tolstoy wrote and published the novella The Death of Ivan Ilyich in 1886. It tells the story of Ivan Ilyich, a high-ranking Russian bureaucrat, and his gradual realization of his own mortality as he faces a terminal illness. The novella begins with the news of Ivan Ilyich’s death, which prompts his colleagues to reflect on their own mortality briefly before resuming their daily lives. The narrative then shifts back in time to explore Ivan Ilyich’s life and the events...
Read more →
Philip K. Dick published the sci-fi novel Eye in the Sky in 1957. The story follows a group of individuals who find themselves trapped in a bizarre and ever-shifting alternate reality created by a malfunctioning particle accelerator. The novel begins with the main characters, Jack Hamilton and Marsha, visiting a new tourist attraction - an experimental particle accelerator. The particle accelerator goes awry and transports the group into a series of parallel worlds. Specific beliefs and prejudices govern each of...
Read more →
Report from the Interior is Paul Auster’s memoir and it’s divided into four distinct sections. The first section focuses on Auster’s childhood and early adolescence, recounting his experiences growing up in post-World War II America. He reflects on his move at the age of four into his first house. He recounts his fascination with comic books, movies, and literature, discussing how these cultural artifacts shaped his understanding of the world and influenced his development as a writer. Grass and trees,...
Read more →
Man Walks Into a Room is a novel written by Nicole Krauss and published in 2002. The story centers around Samson Greene. Greene is a professor of cognitive science who discovers that he has lost all memory. All memories of the first 24 years of his life–due to a brain tumor. The novel follows Samson’s struggle to come to terms with his memory loss and to reconstruct his identity. As he grapples with the gaps in his past, he embarks...
Read more →
Kobo Abe wrote and published The Ruined Map in 1967. Set in Tokyo, the story follows a private detective named Mr. Nemuro. Takahashi seeks Nemuro’s help in finding his missing brother-in-law, Katsumi, who disappeared after his wife’s murder. Takahashi is desperate to uncover the truth behind the events and wants Nemuro to unravel the mystery surrounding Katsumi’s disappearance. As Nemuro delves into the investigation, he becomes increasingly entangled in a web of mystery and confusion. The novel explores themes of...
Read more →
Lise begins her final journey not with a whimper, but with the jarring visual discord of a dress—a lemon-yellow skirt paired with a bodice of violent, unnatural pink. In the sterile, fluorescent-lit boutiques of her unnamed northern city (could be in Scotland, where Spark is from?), she rejects the tasteful and the subdued, opting instead for a costume that ensures she cannot be missed. There is a brittle, porcelain quality to her composure, an existential restlessness that Muriel Spark renders...
Read more →
Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out is a novel by Mo Yan published in 2006. The story spans several decades of Chinese history, following the protagonist, Ximen Nao, through his various lives and reincarnations. The novel begins during the land reforms of the 1950s, where Ximen Nao, a wealthy landowner, is executed. However, instead of moving on to the afterlife, Ximen Nao is reincarnated as different animals over several decades. Each reincarnation takes place during a significant period in...
Read more →
Bleeding Edge is a novel written by Thomas Pynchon and published in 2013. Set in NYC in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, we follow fraud investigator and mother Maxine Tarnow. She becomes entangled in a vast conspiracy involving technology, finance, and the shadowy forces of the digital age. The world of the “bleeding edge” of technology pulls Maxine into its complex narrative circuitry. It is “here” where she uncovers a series of suspicious financial transactions that hint at...
Read more →
Set in apartheid-era South Africa, the story revolves around a wealthy white businessman named Mehring who acquires a farm in the countryside. Mehring acquires a farm called Trekkersburg. Through Mehring’s perspective, Nadine Gordimer explores the dichotomy between the black majority who work the land and the white minority who hold power. Mehring’s attempts to assert control over the land and its people reflect the broader dynamics of white privilege. The exploitation of black labor during the apartheid era is naturally...
Read more →
All That Is is a novel written by James Salter and published in 2013. The story follows Philip Bowman, a book editor, as he navigates the landscape of love and the world of publishing. The novel runs from the end of World War II through the latter half of the 20th century. As Bowman moves through different phases of his life, he encounters various women. Each represents different facets of love and desire. From his first love to his failed...
Read more →
Le Grand Meaulnes revolves around Augustin Meaulnes, a young man from a rural background who arrives at a boarding school in the village of Sainte-Agathe. Meaulnes befriends a fellow student named François Seurel, who also serves as the narrator of the story. One day, Meaulnes goes on an adventurous journey and stumbles upon an estate known as the Domaine de la Sablière. A grand wedding celebration is taking place. He becomes captivated by the festivities and falls in love with...
Read more →