Pantheon Books -- hc
New York -- ©2010 -- 234pp
ISBN: 978-0-307-37920-7
Charles Yu, time travel technician - part counselor, part gadget repair man - helps save people from themselves. Literally. When he's not taking client calls or consoling his boss, Phil, who could really use an upgrade, Yu visits his mother (stuck in a one-hour cycle of time, she makes dinner over and over and over) and searches for his father, who invented time travel and then vanished.
#####
I don't remember the recommended list that I came across that had this book on it, but it sounded fascinating. And it was. But it wasn't...well...it wasn't great.
For those who have read plenty of science fiction, the idea of time travel and time loops and the dizzying headaches that accompany both, is really nothing new. I can think of a few novels of this nature (David Gerrold's The Man Who Folded Himself comes first to mind). What makes this novel slightly unique is that the narrator appears to be the author himself and that the book that we hold in our hands is the book that the narrator is both reading and writing at the same time (confusing?).
I had high hopes for a truly original sci-fi novel, but found, instead, a book that was actually pretty conventional with a main character who was generally pretty boring and not immediately like-able.
For those who've only been reading SF for the past decade or so, then this is probably an outstanding, original book. For those of us who've been reading the genre for four decades or more, than this isn't all that spectacular.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
SOLAR -- Ian McEwan
Doubleday -- hc
New York -- ©2010 -- 287pp
ISBN: 978-0-385-53341-6
Michael Beard is a Nobel prize–winning physicist whose best work is behind him. Trading on his reputation, he speaks for enormous fees, lends his name to the letterheads of renowned scientific institutions, and half-heartedly heads a government-backed initiative tackling global warming. Can a man who has made a mess of his life clean up the messes of humanity?
#####
This book was recommended to me twice, first through a listing of books that I've generally liked, and then by our local librarian who has very similar tastes as I do. Unfortunately, this book completely failed to capture my attention.
Michael Beard was an unsympathetic character. Somehow, this nerdy scientist, who is never described as particularly attractive, has women falling all over him and each time he gets married, he's off having an affair. His latest wife has an affair of her own, and of course he seems to want her back to himself, but it never happens. And... we don't care.
Beard has all but given up actually doing any hard work once he's received the Nobel Prize, and ... again we don't care. It's a wonder he was ever successful enough to actually have received the Nobel, based on what we see of him in the book.
Bits and pieces of the book were interesting, if not completely transparent. The section of the book when he was exploring the Arctic was interesting, though I'm still not sure what it had to do with any other section of the novel.
I waited and waited for the section as described in the tag lines on Goodreads and the dustjacket: "Here is a chance for him to extricate himself from his marital problems, reinvigorate his career, and very possibly save the world from environmental disaster. Can a man who has made a mess of his life clean up the messes of humanity?" Do I need to answer the question that's posted?
This was a colossal waste of time. I waited for something to happen. Anything. The few things that did happen came as no surprise.
I hope this isn't McEwan at his best, it sure doesn't make me eager to read any of his other works.
New York -- ©2010 -- 287pp
ISBN: 978-0-385-53341-6
Michael Beard is a Nobel prize–winning physicist whose best work is behind him. Trading on his reputation, he speaks for enormous fees, lends his name to the letterheads of renowned scientific institutions, and half-heartedly heads a government-backed initiative tackling global warming. Can a man who has made a mess of his life clean up the messes of humanity?
#####
This book was recommended to me twice, first through a listing of books that I've generally liked, and then by our local librarian who has very similar tastes as I do. Unfortunately, this book completely failed to capture my attention.
Michael Beard was an unsympathetic character. Somehow, this nerdy scientist, who is never described as particularly attractive, has women falling all over him and each time he gets married, he's off having an affair. His latest wife has an affair of her own, and of course he seems to want her back to himself, but it never happens. And... we don't care.
Beard has all but given up actually doing any hard work once he's received the Nobel Prize, and ... again we don't care. It's a wonder he was ever successful enough to actually have received the Nobel, based on what we see of him in the book.
Bits and pieces of the book were interesting, if not completely transparent. The section of the book when he was exploring the Arctic was interesting, though I'm still not sure what it had to do with any other section of the novel.
I waited and waited for the section as described in the tag lines on Goodreads and the dustjacket: "Here is a chance for him to extricate himself from his marital problems, reinvigorate his career, and very possibly save the world from environmental disaster. Can a man who has made a mess of his life clean up the messes of humanity?" Do I need to answer the question that's posted?
This was a colossal waste of time. I waited for something to happen. Anything. The few things that did happen came as no surprise.
I hope this isn't McEwan at his best, it sure doesn't make me eager to read any of his other works.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
MAN FROM NEBRASKA -- Tracy Letts
Northwestern University Press -- tpb
Evanston, IL -- ©2006 -- 89pp
ISBN: 0-8101-2347-9
Two act play.
4 M, 5 W
A luxury sedan, a church pew and visits to a nursing home form the comfortable round of Ken Carpenter s daily life. And then one night, he awakens to find that he no longer believes in God. This crisis of faith propels an ordinary middle-aged man into an extraordinary journey of self-discovery. This wickedly funny and spiritually complex play examines the effects of one man s awakening on himself and his family. [from goodreads.com]
#####
I started out NOT enjoying this play very much, but as I got through it, it grew on me a bit.
Tracy Letts has a bit of a theme running here with this play and his much more successful AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, and that would be a theme of late-middle-aged men trying to understand their lives. In many ways, one could almost see this as a pre-cursor to AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY.
Both plays (and I will try, of course, to speak more to this play directly) deal with an older man who has some interest or experience in the arts. In A:OC it's a poet and here it's a man who thinks he no longer believes in god, leaves his family to discover himself, and finds art in the form of sculpture. He's not very good, of course, but it brings him to a better understanding of himself AND a creator.
As a middle-aged artist who has let his art slide, I could identify mightily with our lonesome hero, Ken Carpenter (and yes, the name Carpenter is a wonderful symbol in so many ways as the Christian god-in-flesh was a carpenter, and as a sculptor, an artist uses many of the same or similar tools as a carpenter). His desire to find passion in life is probably understood by many men, and that passion is not necessarily a sensual or sexual passion. That passion is relayed here as sexual, artistic, and religious.
What did not ring true for me was how quickly and easily Carpenter seemed to make his break. Certainly some (if not all) of this would be made up for by the actor portraying the character.
The only other part that bothered me was how many short scenes there were. We jumped quickly and loosely and it made it difficult to keep a thread of the story together, even though the scenes really revolved around Ken. The scenes with Ken's wife, Nancy, just didn't work as well. It seemed too late to try to make the audience care about what Nancy was going through and how stalwart she was toward Ken.
Still...Letts has a great sense of theme and plot and subplot and uses his imagery very well. This is a play that takes a little getting used to, but could work on many levels.
Evanston, IL -- ©2006 -- 89pp
ISBN: 0-8101-2347-9
Two act play.
4 M, 5 W
A luxury sedan, a church pew and visits to a nursing home form the comfortable round of Ken Carpenter s daily life. And then one night, he awakens to find that he no longer believes in God. This crisis of faith propels an ordinary middle-aged man into an extraordinary journey of self-discovery. This wickedly funny and spiritually complex play examines the effects of one man s awakening on himself and his family. [from goodreads.com]
#####
I started out NOT enjoying this play very much, but as I got through it, it grew on me a bit.
Tracy Letts has a bit of a theme running here with this play and his much more successful AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, and that would be a theme of late-middle-aged men trying to understand their lives. In many ways, one could almost see this as a pre-cursor to AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY.
Both plays (and I will try, of course, to speak more to this play directly) deal with an older man who has some interest or experience in the arts. In A:OC it's a poet and here it's a man who thinks he no longer believes in god, leaves his family to discover himself, and finds art in the form of sculpture. He's not very good, of course, but it brings him to a better understanding of himself AND a creator.
As a middle-aged artist who has let his art slide, I could identify mightily with our lonesome hero, Ken Carpenter (and yes, the name Carpenter is a wonderful symbol in so many ways as the Christian god-in-flesh was a carpenter, and as a sculptor, an artist uses many of the same or similar tools as a carpenter). His desire to find passion in life is probably understood by many men, and that passion is not necessarily a sensual or sexual passion. That passion is relayed here as sexual, artistic, and religious.
What did not ring true for me was how quickly and easily Carpenter seemed to make his break. Certainly some (if not all) of this would be made up for by the actor portraying the character.
The only other part that bothered me was how many short scenes there were. We jumped quickly and loosely and it made it difficult to keep a thread of the story together, even though the scenes really revolved around Ken. The scenes with Ken's wife, Nancy, just didn't work as well. It seemed too late to try to make the audience care about what Nancy was going through and how stalwart she was toward Ken.
Still...Letts has a great sense of theme and plot and subplot and uses his imagery very well. This is a play that takes a little getting used to, but could work on many levels.
Monday, February 21, 2011
SUPERPOWERS -- David J. Schwartz
Three Rivers Press -- tpb
New York -- ©2008 -- 377pp
ISBN: 978-0-307-39440-8
Five college students at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, wake up one morning after a party to discover they have super powers. They begin a journey, at first alone, and then together, to discover what their powers mean for themselves.
#####
I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked this up in a little independent book store, but, as I like comics and I enjoy literary and genre fiction, this seemed like a good book for me.
I'm still intrigued with the premise ... five students in Madison, WI wake up one morning to discover that they've inherited/developed/been gifted with some extraordinary super powers. What happens next?
I like that Schwartz has attempted to keep it real. Grounded (no pun intended). Unfortunately, it gets so grounded that it becomes tedious and boring in spots. The personal/sexual relationships that are developed don't seem interesting, and frankly, I never fully understand how close these friends really are. Are they all friends? Are some outsiders among their groups? Does it matter? Well, yes it does if you're telling a story about people. And their actions as super-powered individuals isn't played up too much ... mostly second reports about what they've done. Again, this is fine as this is a story about people and not a comic about a superhero, but what is the focus of this story?
There are some really nice moments here ... specifically (without giving anything away), a scene in a nursing home that I really wanted to read more about, and the effects that the powers have on some of the students (physical as well as psychological), but in the long-run, this book lagged a bit.
I give it 3-1/2 stars.
New York -- ©2008 -- 377pp
ISBN: 978-0-307-39440-8
Five college students at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, wake up one morning after a party to discover they have super powers. They begin a journey, at first alone, and then together, to discover what their powers mean for themselves.
#####
I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked this up in a little independent book store, but, as I like comics and I enjoy literary and genre fiction, this seemed like a good book for me.
I'm still intrigued with the premise ... five students in Madison, WI wake up one morning to discover that they've inherited/developed/been gifted with some extraordinary super powers. What happens next?
I like that Schwartz has attempted to keep it real. Grounded (no pun intended). Unfortunately, it gets so grounded that it becomes tedious and boring in spots. The personal/sexual relationships that are developed don't seem interesting, and frankly, I never fully understand how close these friends really are. Are they all friends? Are some outsiders among their groups? Does it matter? Well, yes it does if you're telling a story about people. And their actions as super-powered individuals isn't played up too much ... mostly second reports about what they've done. Again, this is fine as this is a story about people and not a comic about a superhero, but what is the focus of this story?
There are some really nice moments here ... specifically (without giving anything away), a scene in a nursing home that I really wanted to read more about, and the effects that the powers have on some of the students (physical as well as psychological), but in the long-run, this book lagged a bit.
I give it 3-1/2 stars.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
ALBUM -- David Rimmer
Nelson Doubleday -- hc
New York -- ©1980 -- 105pp
book club edition
A two act play about youth growing up in the 60's, with music as a focus of their lives and a device for the playwright.
#####
As I read this, my first thought is: "Wow, this play is dated."
I really liked the idea of incorporating popular music into the life of these youngsters. It reminds me greatly of my youth -- the days when we'd sit around and talk about the new songs, or the latest album by a favorite musician, and even the arguments about when band is better. In this sense, I was pulled in to the play. But as the characters got older, I cared about them less.
Again, I believe that this is more a result of the period of the play. This play is very characteristic of plays from this era, with lives changing for the worse at every turn. But dropouts and runaways don't pull at the heart strings the way they used to.
There are some great acting scenes and monologues here, but if I saw this on the season subscription for a local theatre, I wouldn't be running out to get tickets.
New York -- ©1980 -- 105pp
book club edition
A two act play about youth growing up in the 60's, with music as a focus of their lives and a device for the playwright.
#####
As I read this, my first thought is: "Wow, this play is dated."
I really liked the idea of incorporating popular music into the life of these youngsters. It reminds me greatly of my youth -- the days when we'd sit around and talk about the new songs, or the latest album by a favorite musician, and even the arguments about when band is better. In this sense, I was pulled in to the play. But as the characters got older, I cared about them less.
Again, I believe that this is more a result of the period of the play. This play is very characteristic of plays from this era, with lives changing for the worse at every turn. But dropouts and runaways don't pull at the heart strings the way they used to.
There are some great acting scenes and monologues here, but if I saw this on the season subscription for a local theatre, I wouldn't be running out to get tickets.
Sunday, February 06, 2011
BROKEN MUSIC -- Sting
A memoir
Dial Press -- hc
New York -- ©2003 -- 337pp
ISBN: 0-385-33678-0
An autobiography of Gordon Sumner (aka Sting).
#####
I first thought maybe I'd try to write a review without commenting on Sting's music, but frankly, it would be stupid to even try. You're unlikely to read this memoir if you don't know who Sting is, and unless you've lived in a movie theatre and think he's only a bit player in a few flicks, you're likely to read this book (or not) based on his music.
What I found most interesting, though, is that this book is a lot like his music ... occasionally brilliant, mostly just okay, and sometimes downright hard to follow.
The book rambled some, and at one point I paged backward to see if I had skipped something, because I didn't understand why we'd just spent a dozen pages or more on an off-topic. But then, when he wrote about music, and his music in particular, I was interested.
Lots of artists suffer and starve before they make it 'big' and it's good to be reminded that some of these artists had tough times. Sting had a somewhat unique situation where he was in the starving/struggling camp, while working with the Police.
What I liked learning about him was that he was smart enough to hedge his bets ... joining with other musicians even while playing with a group.
All in all, it's not a book that will live with me forever, nor did it offer any great perspective on the world or even Sting's music, but it was a pleasant way to spend a weekend reading.
Dial Press -- hc
New York -- ©2003 -- 337pp
ISBN: 0-385-33678-0
An autobiography of Gordon Sumner (aka Sting).
#####
I first thought maybe I'd try to write a review without commenting on Sting's music, but frankly, it would be stupid to even try. You're unlikely to read this memoir if you don't know who Sting is, and unless you've lived in a movie theatre and think he's only a bit player in a few flicks, you're likely to read this book (or not) based on his music.
What I found most interesting, though, is that this book is a lot like his music ... occasionally brilliant, mostly just okay, and sometimes downright hard to follow.
The book rambled some, and at one point I paged backward to see if I had skipped something, because I didn't understand why we'd just spent a dozen pages or more on an off-topic. But then, when he wrote about music, and his music in particular, I was interested.
Lots of artists suffer and starve before they make it 'big' and it's good to be reminded that some of these artists had tough times. Sting had a somewhat unique situation where he was in the starving/struggling camp, while working with the Police.
What I liked learning about him was that he was smart enough to hedge his bets ... joining with other musicians even while playing with a group.
All in all, it's not a book that will live with me forever, nor did it offer any great perspective on the world or even Sting's music, but it was a pleasant way to spend a weekend reading.
Monday, December 13, 2010
CATCHING FIRE -- Suzanne Collins
Scholastic Inc. -- hc
New York -- ©2010 -- 278pp
ISBN: 0545227240
Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph. Instead, they have become the poster boys for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol.
#####
In my review of Book One (for which I've taken many pot shots from readers who feel my opinions are wrong) I said that I wouldn't be reading Book Two because I don't like being played for a sucker, and the cliffhanger ending played me big time.
Well, I'm eating those words. I just read Book Two, and of course this time I went in knowing that it was part of a series and OF COURSE it would end in a cliff-hanger moment, so I wasn't disappointed when I read it.
Why did I read it? Because my daughter read it and I wanted to stay tuned to what she's reading. And...I didn't dislike the first book. I thought it was quite well written, in fact, I just didn't like being surprised by the non-ending (I read it before all the hype and before it was ever printed anywhere that it was the first book in a series).
This book isn't quite as strong as the first book. There's plenty of the same old characters, and there are a few new ones tossed in. There's a plot that can be seen coming all the way from the far side of the game field, and there's still the main character who's like-able, but just doesn't seem to catch on to things until late. Still, it's fun to see what's happened to our favorite characters, and we want to cheer them on as if they really were stars of a game.
It is a quick, easy read, and I can't imagine any teenager NOT reading it if they'd read the first book. Fortunately, it can be picked up and read without having read the first book. It explains enough of the back story that a person could read this book first.
On to the third, which my daughter read in one afternoon....
New York -- ©2010 -- 278pp
ISBN: 0545227240
Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph. Instead, they have become the poster boys for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol.
#####
In my review of Book One (for which I've taken many pot shots from readers who feel my opinions are wrong) I said that I wouldn't be reading Book Two because I don't like being played for a sucker, and the cliffhanger ending played me big time.
Well, I'm eating those words. I just read Book Two, and of course this time I went in knowing that it was part of a series and OF COURSE it would end in a cliff-hanger moment, so I wasn't disappointed when I read it.
Why did I read it? Because my daughter read it and I wanted to stay tuned to what she's reading. And...I didn't dislike the first book. I thought it was quite well written, in fact, I just didn't like being surprised by the non-ending (I read it before all the hype and before it was ever printed anywhere that it was the first book in a series).
This book isn't quite as strong as the first book. There's plenty of the same old characters, and there are a few new ones tossed in. There's a plot that can be seen coming all the way from the far side of the game field, and there's still the main character who's like-able, but just doesn't seem to catch on to things until late. Still, it's fun to see what's happened to our favorite characters, and we want to cheer them on as if they really were stars of a game.
It is a quick, easy read, and I can't imagine any teenager NOT reading it if they'd read the first book. Fortunately, it can be picked up and read without having read the first book. It explains enough of the back story that a person could read this book first.
On to the third, which my daughter read in one afternoon....
Saturday, October 02, 2010
THE LAST HUNT (The Unicorn Chronicles: Book IV) -- Bruce Coville
Scholastic Press -- hc
New York -- ©2010 --605pp
ISBN: 978-0-545-12807-0
As the unicorns gather to defend their lives, the human girl, Cara, is sent on a mission to meet a ferocious and mysterious dragon. Faced with perilous danger, Cara must make a desperate decision that will change her life forever.
#####
An epic fantasy concludes!
Like so many people, I waited far too long for the conclusion to this series.
I'd been reading the books aloud to my sons, who have been completely enthralled by these characters. yes, the books start with a fairly simple, outstanding book, but as Coville advances the story, he also advances the scope, depth, and breadth of characters as well.
I haven't read all the reviews here on Goodreads, but I see that some are not happy with the variety Coville offers. I think it's been the perfect advancement for the younger readers -- to develop a greater sense of reading by gently advancing the series.
There are moments in the book that I found slow and dull, and we couldn't wait to get on to some of the more active scenes, but over-all, this was an exciting conclusion to a fantastic series. What surprises me the most is that Coville left the door open for another series based on some of the characters in this series. For as long as it took to get back to the writing of these books, does he really want to get us excited about another series?
New York -- ©2010 --605pp
ISBN: 978-0-545-12807-0
As the unicorns gather to defend their lives, the human girl, Cara, is sent on a mission to meet a ferocious and mysterious dragon. Faced with perilous danger, Cara must make a desperate decision that will change her life forever.
#####
An epic fantasy concludes!
Like so many people, I waited far too long for the conclusion to this series.
I'd been reading the books aloud to my sons, who have been completely enthralled by these characters. yes, the books start with a fairly simple, outstanding book, but as Coville advances the story, he also advances the scope, depth, and breadth of characters as well.
I haven't read all the reviews here on Goodreads, but I see that some are not happy with the variety Coville offers. I think it's been the perfect advancement for the younger readers -- to develop a greater sense of reading by gently advancing the series.
There are moments in the book that I found slow and dull, and we couldn't wait to get on to some of the more active scenes, but over-all, this was an exciting conclusion to a fantastic series. What surprises me the most is that Coville left the door open for another series based on some of the characters in this series. For as long as it took to get back to the writing of these books, does he really want to get us excited about another series?
Friday, September 10, 2010
SELECTED WORKS OF ALFRED JARRY -- Alfred Jarry
Grove Press -- tpb
New York -- ©1965 -- 280pp
A collection of theatre, reviews, essays, and fiction by the grandfather of the absurdist theatre movement.
#####
Alfred Jarry is an acquired taste, most certainly.
If you are familiar with the works of playwrights such as Eugene Ionesco, Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter, or the novels of Andre Breton, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, or Stanley Elkin or Harlan Ellison, then reading Jarry will be a treat. The works of Alfred Jarry are considered precursors to the surrealist, dada, and absurdist movements.
I'd read very little Jarry before this, but I was most impressed with his plays. The 'Ubu' plays are outrageously funny and much more cohesive than I expected (I was anticipating something more akin to Ionesco's "The Bald Soprano"). Ubu is a childish despot. He is greedy and vain and a delicious poke at power, greed, and politics. For the plays alone it is worth reading.
The writings on theatre are also a delight. How fun to read his own take on the theatre of his time.
His essays tend to show his off-beat sense of the world and where his Ubu plays are coming from (see..."How to Construct a Time Machine").
The fiction is a little more difficult to read (for me), mainly because of the style and era from which it was written. A bit dry and confusing. Even so, to read more of his pataphysics (his invented science) is a delight.
New York -- ©1965 -- 280pp
A collection of theatre, reviews, essays, and fiction by the grandfather of the absurdist theatre movement.
#####
Alfred Jarry is an acquired taste, most certainly.
If you are familiar with the works of playwrights such as Eugene Ionesco, Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter, or the novels of Andre Breton, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, or Stanley Elkin or Harlan Ellison, then reading Jarry will be a treat. The works of Alfred Jarry are considered precursors to the surrealist, dada, and absurdist movements.
I'd read very little Jarry before this, but I was most impressed with his plays. The 'Ubu' plays are outrageously funny and much more cohesive than I expected (I was anticipating something more akin to Ionesco's "The Bald Soprano"). Ubu is a childish despot. He is greedy and vain and a delicious poke at power, greed, and politics. For the plays alone it is worth reading.
The writings on theatre are also a delight. How fun to read his own take on the theatre of his time.
His essays tend to show his off-beat sense of the world and where his Ubu plays are coming from (see..."How to Construct a Time Machine").
The fiction is a little more difficult to read (for me), mainly because of the style and era from which it was written. A bit dry and confusing. Even so, to read more of his pataphysics (his invented science) is a delight.
OH, COWARD!: A MUSICAL COMEDY REVUE -- Noel Coward
OH COWARD! A Musical.
Doubleday -- hc
New York -- ©1974 -- 100pp
ISBN: 0385084455
A weak attempt at a story in order to get many Noel Coward songs together.
#####
Although I read a lot of plays, this may be the first musical review that I've read. And yes...it is strange to read a musical revue.
By its very nature, a musical revue has even less story (or 'book') than an opera. It's generally a compilation of songs by composer or lyricist that were written for other purposes. They are usually assembled in a way to generate some kind of story-line, albeit quite simple. In this case, the storyline was too simple. Nearly non-existent.
Musical Revues are quite popular and have evolved into their own genre. Good ones are essentially new musical plays with old songs from a variety of other sources (Crazy for You is one of my favorites). In the early days of this new genre, most didn't bother with much of a story.
And so...why read a book of a musical revue? The answer...I don't know. I wasn't aware that's what it was when I started, but I sure bored quickly.
Coward's lyrics are a delight, but without the music to accompany them, it was even harder to read this than a normal play, or even a typical musical comedy (in which case the lyrics lend themselves to furthering the storyline).
I wouldn't recommend the read, but it would be fun to see this staged some day.
Doubleday -- hc
New York -- ©1974 -- 100pp
ISBN: 0385084455
A weak attempt at a story in order to get many Noel Coward songs together.
#####
Although I read a lot of plays, this may be the first musical review that I've read. And yes...it is strange to read a musical revue.
By its very nature, a musical revue has even less story (or 'book') than an opera. It's generally a compilation of songs by composer or lyricist that were written for other purposes. They are usually assembled in a way to generate some kind of story-line, albeit quite simple. In this case, the storyline was too simple. Nearly non-existent.
Musical Revues are quite popular and have evolved into their own genre. Good ones are essentially new musical plays with old songs from a variety of other sources (Crazy for You is one of my favorites). In the early days of this new genre, most didn't bother with much of a story.
And so...why read a book of a musical revue? The answer...I don't know. I wasn't aware that's what it was when I started, but I sure bored quickly.
Coward's lyrics are a delight, but without the music to accompany them, it was even harder to read this than a normal play, or even a typical musical comedy (in which case the lyrics lend themselves to furthering the storyline).
I wouldn't recommend the read, but it would be fun to see this staged some day.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
SKELLIG/WILD GIRL, WILD BOY -- David Almond
Delacourt Books for Young Readers -- tpb
©2005 -- 240pp
ISBN: 0385730748
Skellig is the dramatization of his highly acclaimed novel. What has Michael found in the derelict garage? What is this creature that lies in the darkness? Is it human, or a strange beast never seen before? And what will happen in the world when he carries it out into the light?
Wild Girl, Wild Boy is an original play produced in London by the Pop-Up Theatre company. Young Elaine has recently lost her father, and now she spends her days dreaming in the family’s garden, skipping school, unable to read or write. One day, Elaine conjures up a Wild Boy from spells and fairy seed. No one else can see him, and Elaine disappears into a world of fantasy where she and Wild Boy remember the teachings of her father. Will her mother ever come to understand?
#####
Almond's actual book, Skellig is quite remarkable and unique, and being a theatre professional, I was looking forward to this as well. While I think the play manages to retain much of the spirit of the book, Skellig, it seems to be lacking in something quite important -- characterization.
I am well aware that theatre characters are the "bones" of a character and the actors and director put on the "flesh," but it was strange to read a play based on a book that I'd read which had some very strong, identifiable characters and then to read a play in which the characters seem to be lacking a spine.
Wild Girl, Wild Boy had a similar 'problem...there wasn't much character definition. First, there's 'Wild Girl' who doesn't change or grow much during the course of the play, and because of her learning disability, she's rather one dimensional. 'Wild Boy' is intriguing, and there's some very nice themes running through here, but again, getting to them is a bit of a slow process, and not always appearing to be worth the effort.
Moments of brilliance kept me going, but I'd like to have seen/read this same play by Almond as a more experienced playwright. Do we really need all the different scenes? Can we get these plays to flow a little more evenly?
This tends to be a problem with novelists who decide to write plays. In books, they can jump around from scene to scene easily. But when they write plays, they tend to have trouble condensing and confining while keeping the story active. Almond has the same trouble here -- Wild Girl, Wild Boy has only 82 pages, but has fifteen different scenes. Skellig has fiften scenes in act one and nine in act two.
Skellig also makes use of a narrator -- another common problem with novelists-turned-playwrights ... you can tell a read anything you want about a character in your book, but how do you give the audience inside information? A good playwright knows how to do it. A 'young' playwright gives us a character or characters to give us that sort of information.
As theatre, neither of these plays work. As literature, there is some great moments, keeping my rating neutral, rather than too low or too high.
Monday, August 23, 2010
BORDERLANDS 1 -- Thomas F. Monteleone, editor
White Wolf Pub. -- pb
Stone Mtn, GA -- ©1994 -- 334pp
ISBN: 1-56504-107-0
Dark Fantasy/Horror fiction.
'Introduction' -- Thomas F. Monteleone
"The Calling" -- David B. Silva
"Scartaris, June 28th" -- Harlan Ellison
"Glass Eyes" -- Nancy Holder
"The Grass of Remembrance" -- John DeChancie
"On the Nightmare Express" -- Francis J. Malozzo
"The Pounding Room" -- Bentley Little
"Peeling It Off" -- Darrell Schweitzer
"The Raw and the Cooked" -- Michael Green
"His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood" -- Poppy Z. Brite
"Oh What a Swell Guy Am I" -- Jeffrey Osier
"Delia and the Dinner Party" -- John Shirley
"Suicide Note" -- Lee Moler
"Stillborn" -- Nina Kiriki Hoffman
"Ladder" -- T.E.D. Klein
"Muscae Volitantes" -- Chet Williamson
"The Man in the Long Black Sedan" -- Ed Gorman
"His Frozen Heart" -- Jack Hunter Daves Jr.
"Evelyn Grace" -- Thomas Tessier
"By The Light of the Silvery Moon" -- Les Daniels
"A Younger Woman" -- John Maclay
"But You'll Never Follow Me" -- Karl Edward Wagner
"Stephen" -- Elizabeth Massie
"Alexandra" -- Charles L. Grant
"The Good Book" -- G. Wayne Miller
"By Bizarre Hands" -- Joe R. Lansdale
'About the Editor'
#####
I have always enjoyed taking a literary ride on the 'horror' train, though I haven't read as much dark fantasy lately as I did as a teenager. I picked this book up in an airport some years back when I had forgotten to bring along something to read, and while I read maybe two stories at the time, this book sat around on my shelves waiting for me to get back to it.
Mostly this book was a time-passer. Few, if any, of the stories really reached me. Nothing stood out as a story I'll remember for a long time. One story, as I was reading it, had me thinking ... oh good, a story that I can write about in my review, but as I look through the table of contents, it doesn't stand out. I recognize all the titles. I remember reading them, but none strike me as 'outstanding.'
At the same time, none of these struck me as terrible. In some cases, they were predictable ("By Bizarre Hands" "The Man in the Long Black Sedan" "Muscae Volitantes" "Stillborn" "Delia and the Dinner Party" "The Raw and the Cooked" "The Grass of Remembrance"). However, of these, some did stand out as being excellently written, specifically "Stillborn" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman and "Delia and the Dinner Party" by John Shirley and "The Grass of Remembrance" by John DeChancie.
If you enjoy the genre, then this book will probably be a welcome window to the dark for you. If you are new to this type of fiction, then better, perhaps to start with a true master of the field (find something by Robert Bloch or Robert Aikman or H.P. Lovecraft).
Stone Mtn, GA -- ©1994 -- 334pp
ISBN: 1-56504-107-0
Dark Fantasy/Horror fiction.
'Introduction' -- Thomas F. Monteleone
"The Calling" -- David B. Silva
"Scartaris, June 28th" -- Harlan Ellison
"Glass Eyes" -- Nancy Holder
"The Grass of Remembrance" -- John DeChancie
"On the Nightmare Express" -- Francis J. Malozzo
"The Pounding Room" -- Bentley Little
"Peeling It Off" -- Darrell Schweitzer
"The Raw and the Cooked" -- Michael Green
"His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood" -- Poppy Z. Brite
"Oh What a Swell Guy Am I" -- Jeffrey Osier
"Delia and the Dinner Party" -- John Shirley
"Suicide Note" -- Lee Moler
"Stillborn" -- Nina Kiriki Hoffman
"Ladder" -- T.E.D. Klein
"Muscae Volitantes" -- Chet Williamson
"The Man in the Long Black Sedan" -- Ed Gorman
"His Frozen Heart" -- Jack Hunter Daves Jr.
"Evelyn Grace" -- Thomas Tessier
"By The Light of the Silvery Moon" -- Les Daniels
"A Younger Woman" -- John Maclay
"But You'll Never Follow Me" -- Karl Edward Wagner
"Stephen" -- Elizabeth Massie
"Alexandra" -- Charles L. Grant
"The Good Book" -- G. Wayne Miller
"By Bizarre Hands" -- Joe R. Lansdale
'About the Editor'
#####
I have always enjoyed taking a literary ride on the 'horror' train, though I haven't read as much dark fantasy lately as I did as a teenager. I picked this book up in an airport some years back when I had forgotten to bring along something to read, and while I read maybe two stories at the time, this book sat around on my shelves waiting for me to get back to it.
Mostly this book was a time-passer. Few, if any, of the stories really reached me. Nothing stood out as a story I'll remember for a long time. One story, as I was reading it, had me thinking ... oh good, a story that I can write about in my review, but as I look through the table of contents, it doesn't stand out. I recognize all the titles. I remember reading them, but none strike me as 'outstanding.'
At the same time, none of these struck me as terrible. In some cases, they were predictable ("By Bizarre Hands" "The Man in the Long Black Sedan" "Muscae Volitantes" "Stillborn" "Delia and the Dinner Party" "The Raw and the Cooked" "The Grass of Remembrance"). However, of these, some did stand out as being excellently written, specifically "Stillborn" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman and "Delia and the Dinner Party" by John Shirley and "The Grass of Remembrance" by John DeChancie.
If you enjoy the genre, then this book will probably be a welcome window to the dark for you. If you are new to this type of fiction, then better, perhaps to start with a true master of the field (find something by Robert Bloch or Robert Aikman or H.P. Lovecraft).
Thursday, August 12, 2010
SPINNING INTO BUTTER:A PLAY -- Rebecca Gilman
Faber & Faber -- tpb
©2000 -- 96pp
ISBN: 0571199844
a new play that explores the dangers of both racism and political correctness in America today in a manner that is at once profound, disturbing, darkly comic, and deeply cathartic. Rebecca Gilman challenges our preconceptions about race relations, writing of a liberal dean of students named Sarah Daniels who investigates the pinning of anonymous, clearly racist letters on the door of one of the college's few African American students. The stunning discovery that there is a virulent racist on campus forces Sarah, along with other faculty members and students, to explore her feelings about racism, leading to surprising discoveries and painful insights that will rivet and provoke the reader.
#####
I was not at all familiar with this play before reading it. Gilman's name sounded familiar but I couldn't name anything she'd written. I am sure that will change for me.
Judging simply by the title, I suspected that this play would deal with racial issues and I admit to having second thoughts because I just wasn't looking for a didactic lesson on race. Fortunately, what I got was not a lesson on race but a lesson on racism. And...surprise, surprise...from a "white" perspective! How novel! How daring! And, being Caucasian, it actually reached me in a way that a play never has before.
The play is about one individual on a college campus who is forced to face her own feelings of racism. Outward, she appears level-headed, intelligent, and very sympathetic to racial issues. But of course sympathy is perhaps not the right emotion to have. Inward, the woman struggles with her views on 'blacks' and admits that one of the reasons she took a job at a college in Vermont was to get away from the black population.
One of the most beautiful aspects of this play is that it takes a major issue, and brings it in to focus through one individual -- and a likable individual! It forces us to look at ourselves and how similar we may be to this character.
There are no clear answers, only lots of soul-searching questions, but the play does end with a spark of promise.
©2000 -- 96pp
ISBN: 0571199844
a new play that explores the dangers of both racism and political correctness in America today in a manner that is at once profound, disturbing, darkly comic, and deeply cathartic. Rebecca Gilman challenges our preconceptions about race relations, writing of a liberal dean of students named Sarah Daniels who investigates the pinning of anonymous, clearly racist letters on the door of one of the college's few African American students. The stunning discovery that there is a virulent racist on campus forces Sarah, along with other faculty members and students, to explore her feelings about racism, leading to surprising discoveries and painful insights that will rivet and provoke the reader.
#####
I was not at all familiar with this play before reading it. Gilman's name sounded familiar but I couldn't name anything she'd written. I am sure that will change for me.
Judging simply by the title, I suspected that this play would deal with racial issues and I admit to having second thoughts because I just wasn't looking for a didactic lesson on race. Fortunately, what I got was not a lesson on race but a lesson on racism. And...surprise, surprise...from a "white" perspective! How novel! How daring! And, being Caucasian, it actually reached me in a way that a play never has before.
The play is about one individual on a college campus who is forced to face her own feelings of racism. Outward, she appears level-headed, intelligent, and very sympathetic to racial issues. But of course sympathy is perhaps not the right emotion to have. Inward, the woman struggles with her views on 'blacks' and admits that one of the reasons she took a job at a college in Vermont was to get away from the black population.
One of the most beautiful aspects of this play is that it takes a major issue, and brings it in to focus through one individual -- and a likable individual! It forces us to look at ourselves and how similar we may be to this character.
There are no clear answers, only lots of soul-searching questions, but the play does end with a spark of promise.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
NORSE CODE -- Greg van Eekhout
Bantam Spectra -- pb
New York -- ©2009 -- 292pp
ISBN: 0553592130
The NorseCODE genome project was designed to identify descendants of Odin. What it found was Kathy Castillo, a murdered MBA student brought back from the dead to serve as a valkyrie in the Norse god’s army. Given a sword and a new name, Mist’s job is to recruit soldiers for the war between the gods at the end of the world—and to kill those who refuse to fight.
But as the twilight of the gods descends, Mist makes other plans.
#####
My timing on reading this book turned out to be nearly perfect. I'd just finished a great deal of research on Norse mythology for a project that I was commissioned to write, and I was heading out for a week of vacation on the beach and grabbed this book as something small and 'light' for beach reading.
Having so many of the Norse gods and their relationships and places still in my head, this book struck me as extremely well researched and a fun take on the personalities. I knew immediately who each character was and of course I knew their relationship with the other characters. I did wonder, though, if I hadn't been as fmailiar with them before reading this, would I have enjoyed this book nearly as much? Probably not.
Although I gave this book four stars, based on my own enjoyment of reading it, I did have a few problems with the story.
First, while I really liked the idea of "Norse Code" -- a technologically modern center for finding appropriate people to bring to Valhalla to fight for Odin at the final battle, I felt that this gimmick was ill-used. Certainly not worthy of the title of the book. It came into play in the first couple of chapters and then was really nothing at all important to the story.
Second, we as readers had to take some giant leaps (pun intended) of literary faith to accept that everything that happens in the story is simply because one woman, a mortal who became a Valkyrie, wants to rescue her sister and a man she doesn't know (but whom she killed) from Hel. I don't think that the relationship with the sister was ever really established enough, and the guilt over killing the man was definitely not believable. Perhaps that's why both ... neither was strong enough motivation? Even so...for all that these people faced, marching into Hel, attempting to stop Ragnarok (the final battle), facing undefeatable foes, all to rescue two people... well, it just seemed a bit lame, quite frankly.
If I could have given this three and a half stars, I would have, but I stand by the four stars because ... well, I enjoyed it.
New York -- ©2009 -- 292pp
ISBN: 0553592130
The NorseCODE genome project was designed to identify descendants of Odin. What it found was Kathy Castillo, a murdered MBA student brought back from the dead to serve as a valkyrie in the Norse god’s army. Given a sword and a new name, Mist’s job is to recruit soldiers for the war between the gods at the end of the world—and to kill those who refuse to fight.
But as the twilight of the gods descends, Mist makes other plans.
#####
My timing on reading this book turned out to be nearly perfect. I'd just finished a great deal of research on Norse mythology for a project that I was commissioned to write, and I was heading out for a week of vacation on the beach and grabbed this book as something small and 'light' for beach reading.
Having so many of the Norse gods and their relationships and places still in my head, this book struck me as extremely well researched and a fun take on the personalities. I knew immediately who each character was and of course I knew their relationship with the other characters. I did wonder, though, if I hadn't been as fmailiar with them before reading this, would I have enjoyed this book nearly as much? Probably not.
Although I gave this book four stars, based on my own enjoyment of reading it, I did have a few problems with the story.
First, while I really liked the idea of "Norse Code" -- a technologically modern center for finding appropriate people to bring to Valhalla to fight for Odin at the final battle, I felt that this gimmick was ill-used. Certainly not worthy of the title of the book. It came into play in the first couple of chapters and then was really nothing at all important to the story.
Second, we as readers had to take some giant leaps (pun intended) of literary faith to accept that everything that happens in the story is simply because one woman, a mortal who became a Valkyrie, wants to rescue her sister and a man she doesn't know (but whom she killed) from Hel. I don't think that the relationship with the sister was ever really established enough, and the guilt over killing the man was definitely not believable. Perhaps that's why both ... neither was strong enough motivation? Even so...for all that these people faced, marching into Hel, attempting to stop Ragnarok (the final battle), facing undefeatable foes, all to rescue two people... well, it just seemed a bit lame, quite frankly.
If I could have given this three and a half stars, I would have, but I stand by the four stars because ... well, I enjoyed it.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
THE DAY ROOM -- Don DeLillo
Alfred A. Knopf -- hc
New York -- ©1986 -- 113pp
a play
A black comedy that explores the chaos caused when the onlooker is unsure of the status of a team of medics in a psychiatric unit. Are they really bona fide staff or patients just pretending to be?
*****
I enjoy absurdist theatre a great deal and while the name Don DeLillo may have brought people in to watch a theatrical production who might otherwise never have gone to a play, I found very little that was original about this.
First of all, there's going to be an obvious One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nestcomparison. I caught myself making just such a note early as I was reading, but I also found myself thinking about Harold Pinter's The Hothouse, and in both cases the earlier play is a much more engaging piece. Of course the plots are vastly different, with The Day Room asking some rather metaphysical questions, such as "What is real?" "Who can you believe or trust?" It is a deconstruction of reality, whereasCuckoo's Nest is a fight for reality and Hothouse is about abusive power.
But if you are going to deconstruct reality, you must be compared to another master playwright, Eugene Ionesco, who managed to do it over and over again.
Back to DeLillo...
The main problem I had with this script is "why?" Why tell this story? What was in it for me? I didn't finish it and think about my own life and what was real or not. I didn't feel compelled to see this on stage any time too soon.
I enjoyed the theatricality of this, and the humor, but found it lacking in story or purpose.
New York -- ©1986 -- 113pp
a play
A black comedy that explores the chaos caused when the onlooker is unsure of the status of a team of medics in a psychiatric unit. Are they really bona fide staff or patients just pretending to be?
*****
I enjoy absurdist theatre a great deal and while the name Don DeLillo may have brought people in to watch a theatrical production who might otherwise never have gone to a play, I found very little that was original about this.
First of all, there's going to be an obvious One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nestcomparison. I caught myself making just such a note early as I was reading, but I also found myself thinking about Harold Pinter's The Hothouse, and in both cases the earlier play is a much more engaging piece. Of course the plots are vastly different, with The Day Room asking some rather metaphysical questions, such as "What is real?" "Who can you believe or trust?" It is a deconstruction of reality, whereasCuckoo's Nest is a fight for reality and Hothouse is about abusive power.
But if you are going to deconstruct reality, you must be compared to another master playwright, Eugene Ionesco, who managed to do it over and over again.
Back to DeLillo...
The main problem I had with this script is "why?" Why tell this story? What was in it for me? I didn't finish it and think about my own life and what was real or not. I didn't feel compelled to see this on stage any time too soon.
I enjoyed the theatricality of this, and the humor, but found it lacking in story or purpose.
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