So, I have been pretty busy with projects and actually one of my AP classes decided to have an early final exam. My reading has slowed to barely 10 pages a day due to my constant studying and projects I have to get done. However, I have made some great headway in about, believe it or not, 4 books. Here is really my combined reading log for the past 4 weeks.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: 0-50
The Name of the Rose: pages 50-120
Tweak( a new book): 0-56
The Prague Cemetery: 30-71
Jack Kennedy: 0-100
This is all the reading I have gotten done in the past 4 weeks, So I will try to break up and talk about these books separately, in different posts. Today, I will talk about two books, Tweak and Prague Cemetery.
Tweak
Tweak is really an outstanding novel. The writing is, to me anyway, a fresh of breath air and it comes from deep within the person who is writing it. This book is about Nic Sheff, a kid who, at the age of 12 got addicted to smoking marijuana. At age 16, Nic tried and got addicted to crystal methamphetamine. At 18 he started experimenting with heroin and ended up in a Rehab clinic. This book is no ordinary novel, its a popular biography. This book is a memoir of his life during his heavy drug years. I call this "popular" because its focused a lot around what happens to Nic throughout his life, but also contains other elements fiction. Its also a character study and how Nic changes throughout his life. In the beginning of the memoirs, Nic has already dropped out of high school and has just relapsed after being 18 months sober. Even after knowing this information, one might question why? Why does someone relapse after already being 18 months sober? Perhaps his relapse is a reminder of how, has humans, there's a center of weakness in all of us. A voice in us that tells us to do certain things, when we know in our minds that its not what we really want to do. Perhaps this biography is more to expose the dangers of heavy drug addiction and to shed light on this weakness. According to Nic, there's no hope for him because he's already hit rock bottom. He questions himself and actually makes himself believe that he can live his life anyway he wants because its simply his life. I will elaborate more on this as I dive deeper into this novel. So far, this biography is extremely well written and a must read for others when I put it down.
Prague Cemetery
This book, is an odd one, to put it simply. The Prague Cemetery is one of those rare books that has you re-reading pages because you didnt understand them the first time. Whats even more astounding about this book is the fact that it has you re-re-reading those very same pages. This book takes place in 18-19 century France. A man wakes up in a bed and has no recollection of where he is or who he is. Interestingly enough, this book is more a diary than a 3rd person fiction novel. Everything we learn, we learn through Simonini's writing(the main character in the play). I will go as far as to say that this book is somewhat offensive, but in no way does it reflect the author's actual thoughts; although some critics believe that the views of Simonini himself are the views of Umberto Eco himself. This book talks about "dirty Jews" and how their main mission is to "steal and kill christian children". Yet, I cannot seem to put this book down. I do not have anything against this book because its simply literature. Where would the world be if we simply stopped reading or put things down because we did not like what was expressed in the book? Who knows? All I know is, is that this book is definitely one to read and go pick up at Barnes and Noble somewhere. This popular fiction novel is one of great interest to me, combining the political unrest of the age, with his own characters and his own story line. Now, continuing to the actual story, Simonini reflects on his life through his writing, and occasionally has to "stop because my hand is tired" All the information and story line is seen through the writing of the main character himself. As an analyzer of literature I'm going to break the rules and be completely evaluative, I think this is a perfect way to express this book. Umberto Eco, who also wrote, The Name of The Rose writes a masterpiece of fiction. One to pick up and read. More on the way and more books to analyze.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Notes 2 & 3
Notes 2 &3 (Video/Youtube)
Note 2:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uFarFM9sow- Open Range
This clip from the movie Open Range takes a different look at the country and the Western. It moves in a different direction than McCarthy's highly stylized imagery about the country and life in Mexico. This clip follows two cowboys as they take revenge against sinful murderers in a small country town. As the men line up and face one another there is a deathly silence that pierces the hearts of the men, all the while the beautiful mountains and rolling hills in the background. It provides a sanctuary for the dead, even if the men are killed, they die in a beautiful place among the Southern country. The wind whipping about as the men reach for their guns and then shots are fired. In contrast to McCarthy's take of the country, Open Range takes a violent approach, letting one know that death is always lurking about, even in places of boundless beauty. As the men sweat in their cowboy garb, looking down the barrel of their own feeble lives they wonder how they will die and if they can escape death one more time. Fading in and out of the scene, the mountains loom over the men, a monolithic symbol, a beacon of the afterlife. The snow gently falling at the top while the hills and prairies, green with life at the bottom. Not a bad place to die, and for many of them, the dirt becomes their final resting place, The snow-capped mountains reaching out with their fingers to take the lives of the men and laying them down in the valley, they provide a contrast to the death being dealt by the hands of the cowboys. The scene takes a much different approach to the countryside, a more violent appearance does nature have and the people in it. Death, creeps around each house and each valley, an end no one can escape from; for many of the men, the countryside and mountains becomes the last vision they ever see.
Note 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kqoJevTIIQ- No Country For Old Men
The opening of No Country For Old Men embodies all that the countryside can really be. While McCarthy was focused on the positive aspects of the countryside and nature along with the violence and harshness of it in Open Range, No Country For Old Men contains both views of the country. As the sun softly rises in the sky, the silhouettes of the vast mountains appears in the foreground. The massiveness of the mountains gives off a feeling of beautiful insignificance in the sense that the mountains make someone look so small in comparison but highlight the beauty of life in general. As the sun creeps more slowly illuminate the entire valley and mountain range, the whole scope of the world seems to come into view. Flat, arid plains go on for miles until finally giving way to the base of the mountains that stretch out toward the sky, all the while the ominous narration in the background letting one know that perhaps, something bad is coming. The blood red sun beats down hard upon the land scorching it with heat, paralleling the death that is yet to come. As the scene progresses it lifts upon a lone road with a lone car traveling through the arid desert land. Again, making the human look so small in comparison to the open world around them. Vegetation is scarce and the occasional tumbleweed rolls on by, an absence of life, of even death. The beauty of it all is tied together only by the sky looming in the background, a deep pool of blue that sits gently above the surface of the mountain range, holding up the peaks with immense strength. Only is this scene of beauty broken by the blood that is spilled when the deputy is taken brutally by the neck and strangled to death by a seemingly massive individual. This big man looks like the mountains, tall and large, standing straight among a crowd of people, letting them know by his eyes that he is the king, that the world belongs to him. And for a short while as he beings to slaughter, the world is his. This scene encompasses both the beauty in the landscape and the natural world, and the harshness of man and what he can do within this land. This place of beauty, all the mountains, once again, become the final resting place for many unfortunate people.
Note 2:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uFarFM9sow- Open Range
This clip from the movie Open Range takes a different look at the country and the Western. It moves in a different direction than McCarthy's highly stylized imagery about the country and life in Mexico. This clip follows two cowboys as they take revenge against sinful murderers in a small country town. As the men line up and face one another there is a deathly silence that pierces the hearts of the men, all the while the beautiful mountains and rolling hills in the background. It provides a sanctuary for the dead, even if the men are killed, they die in a beautiful place among the Southern country. The wind whipping about as the men reach for their guns and then shots are fired. In contrast to McCarthy's take of the country, Open Range takes a violent approach, letting one know that death is always lurking about, even in places of boundless beauty. As the men sweat in their cowboy garb, looking down the barrel of their own feeble lives they wonder how they will die and if they can escape death one more time. Fading in and out of the scene, the mountains loom over the men, a monolithic symbol, a beacon of the afterlife. The snow gently falling at the top while the hills and prairies, green with life at the bottom. Not a bad place to die, and for many of them, the dirt becomes their final resting place, The snow-capped mountains reaching out with their fingers to take the lives of the men and laying them down in the valley, they provide a contrast to the death being dealt by the hands of the cowboys. The scene takes a much different approach to the countryside, a more violent appearance does nature have and the people in it. Death, creeps around each house and each valley, an end no one can escape from; for many of the men, the countryside and mountains becomes the last vision they ever see.
Note 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kqoJevTIIQ- No Country For Old Men
The opening of No Country For Old Men embodies all that the countryside can really be. While McCarthy was focused on the positive aspects of the countryside and nature along with the violence and harshness of it in Open Range, No Country For Old Men contains both views of the country. As the sun softly rises in the sky, the silhouettes of the vast mountains appears in the foreground. The massiveness of the mountains gives off a feeling of beautiful insignificance in the sense that the mountains make someone look so small in comparison but highlight the beauty of life in general. As the sun creeps more slowly illuminate the entire valley and mountain range, the whole scope of the world seems to come into view. Flat, arid plains go on for miles until finally giving way to the base of the mountains that stretch out toward the sky, all the while the ominous narration in the background letting one know that perhaps, something bad is coming. The blood red sun beats down hard upon the land scorching it with heat, paralleling the death that is yet to come. As the scene progresses it lifts upon a lone road with a lone car traveling through the arid desert land. Again, making the human look so small in comparison to the open world around them. Vegetation is scarce and the occasional tumbleweed rolls on by, an absence of life, of even death. The beauty of it all is tied together only by the sky looming in the background, a deep pool of blue that sits gently above the surface of the mountain range, holding up the peaks with immense strength. Only is this scene of beauty broken by the blood that is spilled when the deputy is taken brutally by the neck and strangled to death by a seemingly massive individual. This big man looks like the mountains, tall and large, standing straight among a crowd of people, letting them know by his eyes that he is the king, that the world belongs to him. And for a short while as he beings to slaughter, the world is his. This scene encompasses both the beauty in the landscape and the natural world, and the harshness of man and what he can do within this land. This place of beauty, all the mountains, once again, become the final resting place for many unfortunate people.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Reading Log
Pages read: 1-100
I have neglected my reading thus far for this quarter for many reason. One of them being that I have sustained some injuries and school had picked up pace plus my sport i play outside of school. Nevertheless I have here my first reading post about an obscure novel called Starship Troopers. This is a book that follows the life of Jonny, a young fresh high school graduate who joins the interstellar military force called the Mobile Infantry(MI). It follows his military escapades on other planets in other solar systems. This was written some time ago, perhaps this is a commentary om our own imperialistic military structure. In its time, this novel was considered to be controversial, so maybe I am correct in my assumption about the novels purpose. Robert Heinlein wrote this novel and I think he, this is a personal opinion, was trying to illuminate the inner workings of our own military and all the complexities of it. leaving the real purpose of conquest so obscure that only the politicians know and the men fighting are fed lies. Who know? As i dive further into this book i will try to reveal more and explain some of the action and crucial characters. For now, a brief overview and synopsis of the themes and motifs wills suffice.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Excersize #3
Reviews read: Dead to You,CHOMP, Cinder:Book One in the Lunar Chronicles
Components of a Review:
(1) opening paragraph about the nature of the work
(2)general summary or synopsis of the events in the novel
(3)what worked well in the novel and what did not
(4)Comparison/Contrast between prequels
(5)Discussion of themes, motifs, etc.
(6) Open ended conclusion leaving room for evaluation of possible sequel
Components of a Review:
(1) opening paragraph about the nature of the work
(2)general summary or synopsis of the events in the novel
(3)what worked well in the novel and what did not
(4)Comparison/Contrast between prequels
(5)Discussion of themes, motifs, etc.
(6) Open ended conclusion leaving room for evaluation of possible sequel
Friday, March 23, 2012
Note #1
All The Pretty Horses-Country Life
Cormac McCarthy's, in his famous novel All The Pretty Horses, strays away from the typical style Western. McCarthy's uses long and prolix passages to describe the beauty of the Mexican countryside as if the country is the only thing that exists. His passages of the countryside exude senses of calm beauty and a cool formality, almost placing nature and the boundless mountains and prairies on a pedestal- putting to shame the common conveniences of towns and cities. As the main characters ride into Mexico for the first time they notice that "the sun to the west lay blood red among the shelving clouds" while "the terminals of the sky to fade from pale to pale blue." His romantic description their surroundings is a testament to his aberration of the typical western, centered around action and movement. His highly stylized description of the mountains and ranges lead the characters to be filled with a sense of boundless imagination as they ponder and try to think of all that they could do in this new land. Rawlins, one of the main characters, says "where do you reckon that paradise is at?" These boys are cattle ranchers by heart, and entering this lands fills them with immense gaiety bliss; these boys are in a state of beatitude.He sees this beautiful land around him and thinks that its paradise and his friend, John Grady, agrees. McCarthy's very stylized and poetic diction allows for an effect like none other, as he describes the surroundings, each description flowing along with the rolling hills of the land. Even the wildlife is depicted in great detail, as "a hawk set forth below them and circled in the deepening haze." The sense of limitless comes to mind as these boys keep on riding through the country, and as the country descriptions become deeper and more thoughtful. McCarthy puts much more emphasis on nature, a theme of Romantic writers, than on action, although there is some good action in the novel. This becomes one of McCarthy's central themes as he provides contrast between the country and towns by his short abrupt descriptions of towns and cities in contras tohis long prolix passages about the country. His stylized diction allows the words to flow and roll like the mountains and allows the animals, like the hawk, to become real and tangible.
Cormac McCarthy's, in his famous novel All The Pretty Horses, strays away from the typical style Western. McCarthy's uses long and prolix passages to describe the beauty of the Mexican countryside as if the country is the only thing that exists. His passages of the countryside exude senses of calm beauty and a cool formality, almost placing nature and the boundless mountains and prairies on a pedestal- putting to shame the common conveniences of towns and cities. As the main characters ride into Mexico for the first time they notice that "the sun to the west lay blood red among the shelving clouds" while "the terminals of the sky to fade from pale to pale blue." His romantic description their surroundings is a testament to his aberration of the typical western, centered around action and movement. His highly stylized description of the mountains and ranges lead the characters to be filled with a sense of boundless imagination as they ponder and try to think of all that they could do in this new land. Rawlins, one of the main characters, says "where do you reckon that paradise is at?" These boys are cattle ranchers by heart, and entering this lands fills them with immense gaiety bliss; these boys are in a state of beatitude.He sees this beautiful land around him and thinks that its paradise and his friend, John Grady, agrees. McCarthy's very stylized and poetic diction allows for an effect like none other, as he describes the surroundings, each description flowing along with the rolling hills of the land. Even the wildlife is depicted in great detail, as "a hawk set forth below them and circled in the deepening haze." The sense of limitless comes to mind as these boys keep on riding through the country, and as the country descriptions become deeper and more thoughtful. McCarthy puts much more emphasis on nature, a theme of Romantic writers, than on action, although there is some good action in the novel. This becomes one of McCarthy's central themes as he provides contrast between the country and towns by his short abrupt descriptions of towns and cities in contras tohis long prolix passages about the country. His stylized diction allows the words to flow and roll like the mountains and allows the animals, like the hawk, to become real and tangible.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Exercise 2
Weaknesses
(2)"Grey and tall and stocky as the granite outcrop their town was built upon" are the inhabitants described in an unvarnished plain-dealing diction.
(4) Gaiman's diction has a reminiscent feel that exudes feelings of an ill fated fairy tale, or perhaps just a morose moral story. The description of the neutral town and it's similar inhabitants is enough to leave a optimistic reader pessimistic.
Good Post- Books for Dummies(like me)
(2)"Grey and tall and stocky as the granite outcrop their town was built upon" are the inhabitants described in an unvarnished plain-dealing diction.
(4) Gaiman's diction has a reminiscent feel that exudes feelings of an ill fated fairy tale, or perhaps just a morose moral story. The description of the neutral town and it's similar inhabitants is enough to leave a optimistic reader pessimistic.
Good Post- Books for Dummies(like me)
Paragraph:Stardust
This is a sample paragraph for Stardust by Neil Gaiman.
In this scene of Stardust, Gaiman utilizes a bold, pedantic style language along with lyrical description to evoke a sense of monumental immaculateness which surrounds the town. The town of Wall sits comfortably "on a high jut of granite amidst a small forest woodland." The houses in the town "are square and old, build of grey stone." These solid images of the town suggest a sense of foreverness. The houses are made of stone and are the walls that protect it. As if nothing can harm the town but nature itself. There is a sense of peace that surrounds it though, a perfect little town jutting out toward the sky. Gaiman continues this very pedantic style language as he describes the roads leading way from Wall. The road is "lined with rocks and small stones" and it evolves to a road "paved with asphalt; followed further the road gets larger." This indicates that the town is actually small in size contrasting with the big imagery he depicted earlier. He evokes a sense of secure solitude, that maybe some travelers will find refuge, and the people in it find refuge from the real world.
In this scene of Stardust, Gaiman utilizes a bold, pedantic style language along with lyrical description to evoke a sense of monumental immaculateness which surrounds the town. The town of Wall sits comfortably "on a high jut of granite amidst a small forest woodland." The houses in the town "are square and old, build of grey stone." These solid images of the town suggest a sense of foreverness. The houses are made of stone and are the walls that protect it. As if nothing can harm the town but nature itself. There is a sense of peace that surrounds it though, a perfect little town jutting out toward the sky. Gaiman continues this very pedantic style language as he describes the roads leading way from Wall. The road is "lined with rocks and small stones" and it evolves to a road "paved with asphalt; followed further the road gets larger." This indicates that the town is actually small in size contrasting with the big imagery he depicted earlier. He evokes a sense of secure solitude, that maybe some travelers will find refuge, and the people in it find refuge from the real world.
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