Ahab’s Wife or, The Star-Gazer Sena Jeter Naslund Sena Jeter Naslund took a brief reference in Moby Dick mentioning Captain Ahab’s young wife (and son) and from that seed, she planted and grew herself a transcendent novel. What kind of woman could hold up against the magnificent (and stubborn) Captain Ahab? If Naslund had asked [...]
I don’t know what took me so long to read Tuesdays with Morrie. It’s famous and recommended constantly, but I somehow let it go by the wayside for years. Finally, I got my hands on a copy, and it was horse-blinders until I was finished with it. I read the whole book in a day: I started it after the morning meeting – I read it between classes – and then I sped home so I could finish it in my apartment. ..
Yes. That is the first thought that comes to mind when I think of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. The second thought? F**K yes.
Translated from French to English, The Elegance of the Hedgehog is a powerful novel that brings two very extraordinary characters to life. Renee Michel is a concierge at an upper-class Parisian apartment complex. She constantly has to conceal her intelligence from the other tenants in her building for fear they may not appreciate her insights and philosophies – especially if they are coming from one of their apartment employees.
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., by my own personal standards, is quite possibly the God of creativity and existential thought.….at least as far as putting it to literature goes. Lately, I’ve decided to ‘go back’ and read some of his classics. For those who haven’t yet already read Cat’s Cradle please do, as it will make your head spin in all the right ways. I am definitely one who has added “busy, busy, busy” to my list of appropriate responses of the question, “how are you?”
It’s a bit of an unsung hero for those who have read it. It was recommended to me as a good plane book and while I read it on both my connecting flights, I had someone comment on how much they loved it each time. I also find myself doing the same if I hear anyone mention it. I can’t help it; I just start to ask questions: “Don’t you love it?”; “Isn’t that exactly what it would be like if someone could time travel?”; “How far are you in the book?” I just convulse with happiness that someone else is reading this book and I want to bond with them over our mutual reading.
It was not so much a book as an atmosphere. I was completely enveloped in the world of this novel; sometimes I couldn’t tell what was ‘real’ and what was ‘imaginary’. This was until I stopped trying to find a separation and just marinated in the book. It became, in this way, quite an existential read. Surrendering the urge to define what’s “really happening” and what’s going on in the “dream world” was quite provocative and ultimately rewarding as a reader, you begin to discover that there may not be that large of a separation at all.
Current Issue — May 2012
From the HT Photo Group
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Maigo in Hyogo – May ’12
What temple has the weary pilgrim found?Engrish Corner
Life After the B.O.E.
