explorations

Arthur & George

Arthur & George (2005)
by Julian Barnes
****

Epic
Julian Barnes has been one of my favorite novelists since 2000, when I read his splendid History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters for an overseas course in Postwar British Fiction. He seems to have a whimsy about him and yet a profound sense of awe. For instance, one of the chapters in A History was the story of Noah's ark from the perspective of a stowaway wordworm. Another was an in-depth exploration of the painting that was to become Gericault's "The Raft of the Medusa." Needless to say, I was eager to read his newest, a tracing of the interrelations between George Edalji, a British-Indian solicitor, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. And now that I have read it, I am not in the least disappointed.

Blood Diamond

Blood Diamond (2006)
Directed by Edward Zwick
***1/2

Eye-Opening
I skipped Blood Diamond in the theatres because I wasn't sure if I could handle Leo's accent attempts.* I ended up enjoying the film because his character held my interest so well.
It's also a good film on its own merits, the best Edward Zwick (Courage Under Fire, The Last Samurai) has made to date. And though it acts like it's most concerned about its three central characters, we know better. We know Blood Diamond is meant to be an eye-opener.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1984)
Milan Kundera
****1/4

Unexpectedly Rich
After I began reading this novel, I was embarrassed. Embarrassed that I was never properly introduced to Kundera in all my years of reading & education. And embarrassed that I hadn't read this novel years ago. It's that good.

For those of you who want to stop reading right now so you can rush out and buy it: one moment, please. Please read the disclaimer at the end of the review first.

When the novel opened, I expected it to be a philosophical novel — a very well-written philosophical novel. After all, the opening discussion is a discussion of the title. The reality of life is that history can never truly repeat itself, and we can never know whether the decision we are about to make will truly turn out better than another decision. As a result we feel that our decisions don't matter, even at the same time that we want them to matter. Unbearable lightness. The doctor who is the central figure of the novel responds with his own worldview: "Einmal ist keinmal" (What happened once might as well not have happened at all). But wait, there's more...

Film Cap Contest: Tennis

Here's another contest for you. The connection is tennis, so don't stress yourself out trying to find another link (you know who you are! :-).

Cap 1

The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd (2006)
Directed by Robert DeNiro
***1/4

Cons
• Matt Damon isn't riveting enough.
• Either the editing and/or the plot is/are confusing.
• The tone is fairly depressing all the way through.
• There are a couple sexual scenes which are not entirely called for but which (surprisingly enough for a film of this kind) contain no nudity.

100 Favorite Novels

Books are Our Friends
When I was a baby, my parents used to read to me. They tell me that when I was 3 years old, I asked them to stop, because I could read for myself. Hmm... And so began one of my childhood obsessions: tickling the ivory pages. In elementary school, one of the only competitions I got excited about was the reading contest, which gave me the chance to run, jump and swim through thousands of pages within a couple weeks.

Film Cap Contest: 13 April 07

Thanks for all of your noble attempts on the last contest. I went ahead and posted a comment with the answers. This time around, there is a common theme, but I'll make that part of the game. Identify each film, and the link between them. Enjoy!

Cap 1

Thinking Bloggers

My blogpal Charlie Lehardy recently informed me that he was giving me one of his Thinking Blogger awards. I admit, I was unfamiliar with the award, though I'm honored that Charlie (a fine blogger in his own right) enjoyed my writing enough to put me on his short list. This is a "pay it forward" award, so I've taken a little time to think through whom I should award.

The difficult, wonderful part is this: there are so many great bloggers. I ruled out Charlie, whose blog I love, since I didn't think tag-backs were a legal part of the game. I also ruled out Jeffrey Overstreet's blog, since it is kind of in a different ballpark for me (I treat it more like a website, I guess). So I had to narrow it down, somehow, to those whom I especially looked forward to reading, those whom I identified with closely. No offense to the rest of you brilliant bloggers.

Casino Royale

Casino Royale (2007)
directed by Martin Campbell
***1/2

Stylish & Exciting
1. I've not seen all of the Bond movies.
2. I love Sean Connery as an actor.
3. I mean no disrespect.
That was for any of you die-hard Bond fans out there, to whom I am saying — this is the best Bond movie ever. And Daniel Craig is the best Bond ever. OK, so I said it.

Easter Thoughts 07

1.

2. cutting from "East Coker" by T. S. Eliot

3. "Easter" by George Herbert

Cat's Cradle

Cat's Cradle (1963)
by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
****

The End
Robert Frost wrote, "Some say the world will end in fire, / And some in ice." Vonnegut falls in the second camp, and this novel proves it. He floats a mysterious substance, Ice Nine, throughout the novel, naming it as if it were a Model T, treating it as if it were The Bomb. You see, when Vonnegut calls his last chapter "The End," he really means the end. Like many of his other fictional works, the movement of Cat's Cradle is toward loss, tragedy, and finality.

Alison's March Reviews

What wonderful books I’ve read this past month!

I began with Lyndall Gordon’s respected biography T. S. Eliot: An Imperfect Life. I loved this book. I recommend that people begin with this biography before reading any of Eliot’s poetry, which is what I did, because understanding the man helps in understanding his poetry. A few themes especially interested me. First was Eliot’s sense of a “silence,” which echoed with my intermittent quasi-fear of heaven and eternity. The book also deals extensively with what it means to be a poet and to write poetry, which I found to be inspirational and thought-provoking. I was fascinated with the way Eliot, like a martyr subconsciously seeking glory, allowed himself to fall into tragic situations. He seemed to enjoy them for their sheer drama which, although painful, also informed some of his deepest, most lasting poetry. Case in point: his inexplicable and harrowing marriage to Vivienne. In general, Eliot was a rather inexplicable person, which makes reading this book all the more enjoyable. Gordon does well blending biography with some criticism and literary exposition. The only bone I have to pick with her is that she often neglects to document her sources, so sometimes it is difficult to tell fact from fiction.