Leeway Posted June 8, 2014 Report Share Posted June 8, 2014 (edited) THE TAKEOVER - Muriel Spark -1976 Whether by coincidence or design (I'm betting on design), Muriel Spark constructs a novel that seems to invert the fictional world usually associated with Iris Murdoch: the very rich, and the not so rich who depend upon them; the spirito-mystical physical place in nature where revelatory things take place; invocation of the ancient world; the homosexual crowd with their hipness and elegance; the valuable place of art and specific keystone artworks, the sexual mery-go-rounds, etc. Except in Spark's hands, it becomes the darkest of comedies, a story of a nest of vipers whose time is spent screwing each other, out of moral obligations, or money, or for just plain sex. Literally everyone is a crook, out of either ego, or pleasure, or necessity, or profession. Set in Italy (where Spark lived for many years), it presents an unflattering picture of that fabled boot: dim noblemen and women, corrupted by privilege and money and ease; complicated and harmful laws that prevent any sort of justice being done; predatory crooks (nearly everyone), and general malfunction of the state. Where Murdoch takes these ingredients and typically finds a Platonic arrangement of the Nice and the Good, Spark makes a good Aristotelian story of it out of the Ugly and the Bad. Not a very long novel but twice as long as most Spark's books, there are points where it slowly circles the drains, as outrageous and illicit behavior is heaped upon outrageous and illicit behavior, nearly the whole inventory of vile conduct (and she does remind one of Waugh here). Shorter might have been better. Still, if hou like "vile bodies" and the things that they do, this is an amusing book. Edited June 8, 2014 by Leeway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted June 9, 2014 Report Share Posted June 9, 2014 Haruki Murakami: Hard-Boiled Wonderland and The End of the World Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Okay, stop it already...I'll try Murakami! Now reading David Brin's Sundiver. It's good hard SF, but a bit hard to adjust to after Atwood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejp626 Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Okay, stop it already...I'll try Murakami! Now reading David Brin's Sundiver. It's good hard SF, but a bit hard to adjust to after Atwood. It might be better to start with shorter Murakami. I think the short story collection After the Quake is quite good. I also liked the moody atmosphere of After Dark (and there is a trombone-playing character) but the ending was a bit unsatisfying. I can't (yet) personally vouch for the stories in The Elephant Vanishes, but I imagine they are fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Hard-Boiled Wonderland and Kafka on the Shore are the Murakamis I like best. I've read five of his novels. Haven't gotten to his short story collections yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erwbol Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Just avoid 1q84 for the time being. It starts out fine, but even in the abridged English translation it would be a chore to finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Just avoid 1q84 for the time being. It starts out fine, but even in the abridged English translation it would be a chore to finish. Just started reading that one. I shall see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Jo Nesbo: The Son Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 THE TAKEOVER - Muriel Spark -1976 Whether by coincidence or design (I'm betting on design), Muriel Spark constructs a novel that seems to invert the fictional world usually associated with Iris Murdoch: the very rich, and the not so rich who depend upon them; the spirito-mystical physical place in nature where revelatory things take place; invocation of the ancient world; the homosexual crowd with their hipness and elegance; the valuable place of art and specific keystone artworks, the sexual mery-go-rounds, etc. Except in Spark's hands, it becomes the darkest of comedies, a story of a nest of vipers whose time is spent screwing each other, out of moral obligations, or money, or for just plain sex. Literally everyone is a crook, out of either ego, or pleasure, or necessity, or profession. Set in Italy (where Spark lived for many years), it presents an unflattering picture of that fabled boot: dim noblemen and women, corrupted by privilege and money and ease; complicated and harmful laws that prevent any sort of justice being done; predatory crooks (nearly everyone), and general malfunction of the state. Where Murdoch takes these ingredients and typically finds a Platonic arrangement of the Nice and the Good, Spark makes a good Aristotelian story of it out of the Ugly and the Bad. Not a very long novel but twice as long as most Spark's books, there are points where it slowly circles the drains, as outrageous and illicit behavior is heaped upon outrageous and illicit behavior, nearly the whole inventory of vile conduct (and she does remind one of Waugh here). Shorter might have been better. Still, if hou like "vile bodies" and the things that they do, this is an amusing book. Have added it to my reading list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnblitweiler Posted June 11, 2014 Report Share Posted June 11, 2014 Mikhail Bulgakov - A Dog's Heart (Penguin Classics) Bulgakov -- what a joy, and this one is a favorite. 20 or so years ago Harvey Pekar's review of "The Master and Margarita" in the Chicago Tribune book section, edited by Larry Kart, was what introduced me to Bulgakov. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejp626 Posted June 11, 2014 Report Share Posted June 11, 2014 Mikhail Bulgakov - A Dog's Heart (Penguin Classics) Bulgakov -- what a joy, and this one is a favorite. 20 or so years ago Harvey Pekar's review of "The Master and Margarita" in the Chicago Tribune book section, edited by Larry Kart, was what introduced me to Bulgakov. Big fan of Bulgakov. At one point I read the 2 newish translations of Master and Margarita, back to back, one chapter at a time. In the end, I decided both were good but that Pevear-Volokhonsky was the better of the two. (What a great team! I am really looking forward to reading some of their translations of Dostoevsky.) I just wrapped up Murdoch's Under the Net and enjoyed that. I am midway through Zachary Mason's The Lost Books of the Odyssey, which is an awful lot like Einstein's Dreams but applied to Homer. Actually quite interesting and even thought provoking in a few sections. After that it will be Dickner's Apocalypse for Beginners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted June 11, 2014 Report Share Posted June 11, 2014 Mikhail Bulgakov - A Dog's Heart (Penguin Classics) Awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erwbol Posted June 11, 2014 Report Share Posted June 11, 2014 Mikhail Bulgakov - A Dog's Heart (Penguin Classics) Bulgakov -- what a joy, and this one is a favorite. 20 or so years ago Harvey Pekar's review of "The Master and Margarita" in the Chicago Tribune book section, edited by Larry Kart, was what introduced me to Bulgakov. I learned about Bulgakov and A Dog's Heart from a footnote in Orlando Figes's A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution 1891-1924. I've since read both that book and The Master and Margaritain their Penguin Classics translations. Now reading: Alaistar Reynolds - Blue Remembered Earth (2012, Gollancz) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon8 Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 Great book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van Basten II Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Just avoid 1q84 for the time being. It starts out fine, but even in the abridged English translation it would be a chore to finish. Just started reading that one. I shall see. Read the first volume in a French translation and I don't think it's as deep as his previous ones, haven't bother to read the following ones of this series Edited June 12, 2014 by Van Basten II Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Fascinating account of the effect on the music of social, economic, technological, etc factors in the period 1942-72. Edited June 12, 2014 by BillF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeway Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 Great book. Let me second that. First thing I thought of when I started reading about Bowe Bergdahl. There's also a kinship, I think, between this book and "Red Badge of Courage." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejp626 Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 Great book. Let me second that. First thing I thought of when I started reading about Bowe Bergdahl. There's also a kinship, I think, between this book and "Red Badge of Courage." I have to admit that, Bergdahl or no, I haven't thought of Tim O'Brien in quite some time, but I did admire his earlier books (it looks like he really has slowed down since 2002). I actually saw him give a reading at U Michigan, most likely from The Things They Carried. Incidentally, I'm making a list of books I ought to reread one day, and I think this one and The Things They Carried both belong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 Great book. Let me second that. First thing I thought of when I started reading about Bowe Bergdahl. There's also a kinship, I think, between this book and "Red Badge of Courage." I have to admit that, Bergdahl or no, I haven't thought of Tim O'Brien in quite some time, but I did admire his earlier books (it looks like he really has slowed down since 2002). I actually saw him give a reading at U Michigan, most likely from The Things They Carried. Incidentally, I'm making a list of books I ought to reread one day, and I think this one and The Things They Carried both belong. In my "war novel" pantheon, it's right up there with Matterhorn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeway Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 Great book. Let me second that. First thing I thought of when I started reading about Bowe Bergdahl. There's also a kinship, I think, between this book and "Red Badge of Courage." I have to admit that, Bergdahl or no, I haven't thought of Tim O'Brien in quite some time, but I did admire his earlier books (it looks like he really has slowed down since 2002). I actually saw him give a reading at U Michigan, most likely from The Things They Carried. Incidentally, I'm making a list of books I ought to reread one day, and I think this one and The Things They Carried both belong. In my "war novel" pantheon, it's right up there with Matterhorn. "The Things They Carried" is such a fine book. Perhaps THE book of the Vietnam experience, although Herr's "Dispatches" might also have a strong claim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alankin Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 I agree about "The Things They Carried." Perhaps I should also read Going After Cacciato... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejp626 Posted June 14, 2014 Report Share Posted June 14, 2014 (edited) I wrapped up Dickner's Apocalypse for Beginners, which was ok (a bit better than his first novel). I'm midway through Douglas Coupland's Generation X, which I've never read. I'm also reading George Eliot's Silas Marner. I really don't like the beginning (and am pretty sure I will find the ending far too saccharine). I hated the ending of The Mill on the Floss. This gives me pause. While I am still committed to reading Middlemarch one of these days and probably Felix Holt, I think I am going to scrub Adam Bede from my To Be Read pile. Life seems too short right now... (Actually I meant Daniel Deronda not Felix Holt, but I'm still way more likely to read Felix Holt than Adam Bede.) Edited June 15, 2014 by ejp626 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 Silas Marner was the second book I never finished. First attempt was in the tenth grade, last attempt was about five years ago. I'm sure it's a very important book... (First book I never finished was Poe's The Gold Bug, but that's because I tried to read it when I was eight years old. It was an extremely frustrating experience.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejp626 Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 (edited) Silas Marner was the second book I never finished. First attempt was in the tenth grade, last attempt was about five years ago. I'm sure it's a very important book... (First book I never finished was Poe's The Gold Bug, but that's because I tried to read it when I was eight years old. It was an extremely frustrating experience.) At least Silas Marner is short, but yeah I am not liking this book on any level. I am quite baffled how she (apparently) made such a quantum leap from what I consider basically failed novels (far too contrived and/or depressing plots--even where she sympathizes with those who buck convention, she shows them ground down by society) to an apparently terrific novel (Middlemarch). Color me quizzical. I read some of Kafka's stories a bit too young, but then I came back around to them (and the novels) during high school and enjoyed them considerably. I am trying to figure out when to squeeze in a rereading of Kafka before letting another decade slip by... Edited June 15, 2014 by ejp626 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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