Book Report

Ordered from Most Recent:

10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
The movie was better, way better.  I think that about sums it up.  I may take a lot of flack from this from literary people, but I just couldn't tolerate the nonsense in this story.  It'd be difficult to read to a child because there's too much so far outside of the realm of reality to imagine, unless you read very short bits at a time.  And as an adult, I kept looking for the religious undertones.  I suppose they were there from time to time, but ultimately I didn't care any longer.  Thankfully it was short; if it had been longer I may not have finished it.

9. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriot Beecher Stowe
It took me a while to get through this book.  It's probably around 600 pages or so (doesn't say on the kindle).  It's a challenge to get through the colloquial dialect of the slaves, and the story slows down at times and feels tedious, particularly the Christian preachier parts.  After I started, I realized that it might be page after page of horridly cruel atrocities, and I wasn't too keen on that, especially after Haunted.  Thankfully, though, it wasn't.  Stowe tells multiple stories at once.  All are heartbreaking, but some are kind and gentle, and even triumphant in the end.  I was drawn into every tale, and cared very much of the fates of its characters.  

One thing I appreciated is how she didn't just hammer on the South.  She regularly makes the point that Northerners were just as guilty for perpetuating slavery as Southerners, and in some respects, possibly more so.  Nonparticipation doesn't equal innocence; apathy in the face of injustice is also a crime.  The parallels to today's human rights' movements are obvious.

Uncle Tom's Cabin takes a bit of commitment, but it's a worthy read, showing how we as humans can be so horrible or so wondeful and amazing to and for each other.  (Kindle - Free)

8. Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk
I picked up Haunted in the hostel in Panama City, only because it was by the same author who wrote Fight Club.  If I'd thought about it a little bit more, I would've asked myself if Fight Club would've been a *book* I'd enjoy reading...probably not.

From the back cover: "Haunted is a novel made up of 23 horrifying, hilarious, and stomach-churning stories.  They're told by people who have answered an ad for a writers' retreat and unwittingly joined a 'Survivor'-like scenario where the host withholds heat, power, and food...."

The stories and the plotline with the writers are alternating chapters, and all of it is just plain disturbing.  There's a lot of social commentary in there, some obvious, and much more not so I'm sure.  I mean it took me a few times watching Fight Club before I felt like I got it all, but probably more I'll never see. 

I can't say I'd recommend this book, unless you know you like reading weird, f-ed up s#$%. :-)  (Unknown Kindle Status, 411 pages)

7. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
Shantaram is nearly 1000 pages long, and in Curacao I watched a 17 year old boy read 3/4 of it in the course of a week.  I had to have it.  Thank you Amazon for the wireless delivery to my Kindle. 

Without giving anything away, the story goes like this:  In 1978, the author is thrown in prison in Australia for multiple robberies to support a heroin habit.  He escapes 2 years later and after some time finds himself in Bombay, India.  He takes to the place and the people and starts to get immersed in the culture.  He establishes a free medical clinic for slum-dwellers, works as a counterfeiter, smuggler, gunrunner and street soldier for the Bombay mafia.  Eventually, he's captured again in Germany and serves out the remainder of his initial sentence there and back in Australia.  While he's imprisoned, he begins Shantaram, only to have prison guards take it from him not once, but twice!  It took 13 years to complete.  (He's now out and writing full-time in Bombay.)

Sounds like a story hey!?  It is - a true EPIC, let me tell you.  I couldn't put it down.  SO much happens with this guy.  His writing style is superb to boot, so what you have is a positively engrossing tale told by a masterful storyteller.  And, this is the first book about India I've read (there have been several) that has actually made me WANT to go to India.  He doesn't shy away from the filth, or even *try* to romanticize it, but you end up embracing it as he does.  He makes you see that it is the whole of India (Bombay) that makes her what she is, and without each piece, passionately vibrant and utterly disgusting alike, she wouldn't be the same.

I regularly laughed out loud, I shrieked "NO!" several times, and got choked up a little once or twice.  One of the critics quotes says:  "Shantaram is, quite simply, the 1001 Arabian Nights of the new century." and another author likened Roberts to Melville.  I know it's hard to jump into a 1000 page novel, especially if you're just reading it on your daily commute, but go for it, you won't be disappointed. (Kindle - $10)

6. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

I had high hopes for this book, but in my opinion it fell flat. The Time Machine is a fairly short book centered primarily around one trip into the future by the intrepid Time Traveller. He comes back and tells of his adventures there to his colleagues. The writing was readable, for the most part, but the story was just kind of bleh. I didn’t particularly care about the hero, I just wanted him to get on with it. I tried to surmise some greater meaning from what he finds in the future - how it seemed like strength and creativity had disappeared once all of the problems of the world had been sorted out. But again, I wasn’t inspired to dig deeper into the opportunities for literary criticism.

5. A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
A Dirty Job, set in San Francisco (bonus!), follows the Beta Male Charlie Asher as he inherits and becomes accustomed to his new role as a “Death Merchant” – a person responsible for collecting and redistributing souls. The souls are in the form of soul objects – inanimate objects that people’s souls move into when they die, and out of when a new appropriate body comes along. The Forces of Darkness are stewing, however, and Charlie soon finds himself instrumental in a classic good versus evil showdown. Moore's humour is so quick, sarcastic, biting and witty; all of his characters are clever and hilarious, it’s tempting to think he has a whole team of writers at his side.
It's a very quick read that'll have you chuckling out loud with nearly every page. Highly recommended!


4. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
The Jungle should be on every American’s reading list, and on everyone’s from elsewhere that thinks America was born with a silver spoon in its mouth.  (I realize I’ll take some flak for the latter part of that statement; I’ll explain in a bit.) 

Set in the early 1900’s, The Jungle tells the story of a Lithuanian immigrant and his family in the United States, primarily in the stockyards of Chicago.  If memory serves, this book was one of the main catalysts for the creation of the USDA, as Sinclair’s brutally honest account of the meat packing industry is more than enough to make your stomach churn.  I believe it also had some effect on labor regulations, as again, his account of what workers endured is heart wrenching. 

Several notions struck me as I was enjoying this book.  The first and most prominent is that hundreds of thousands if not millions of people killed themselves toiling at manual labour jobs building up America.  I’d like to think that some of those family’s efforts paid off and they are living successfully today (though I realize that it’s usually only those that were on top to stay on top).  I couldn’t help but think about my time in Namibia.  There you have a new, developing country where, with a few exceptions of course, people just don’t want to work to build anything up.  They want to wait around for handouts as if it’s possible to reap all the fruits without all the labour.  America is where it is today because it’s people,  have been working their tooshies off for centuries.  (It’s also where it’s at from capitalist greed, lying, cheating and stealing too – I get that.)

Second, and probably the most disturbing notion, is that things are just as appalling today as they were then, though in craftier ways.  The book talks about how filthy and disgusting the meat packing plants were – that dead, diseased carcasses of animals not fit for consumption would get churned up and mixed among meat that was, that chemicals would be used to make inedible products taste like food so they could be sold, that workers injured on the job wouldn’t be tended to medically and left to their own nonexistent devices, etc.  Jebus, doesn’t all of this sound familiar!!??  All of this crap is STILL happening, though it’s happening in sneakier ways and under the guise of government approval.  Sure we have health agencies and regulations, labour laws, etc., but whenever a corporation can find a loophole that makes them more money at the expense of its employees or its consumers, it does.  In a lot of ways I think we are more despicable now than we were then.  Sigh, ok, my social commentary is over. 

This is a fantastic book.  It’s very well written, easy to read and gives you characters you really care about.  At the end, the soapbox Sinclair gets on about Socialism is somewhat tedious, but thought-provoking if you choose to entertain the ideas.  READ IT!!

3. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
My first “classic” to read on this trip, and the one that inspired me to load up my kindle with several more. I saw someone reading it on MUNI in San Francisco and realized I’d always wanted to read it and never had.

I won’t lie, there are sections that are positively mind-numbing, but the core of the story and the accompanying details are intriguing. To think that we wear not only our age but our transgressions on our face, and that somehow if we could remain innocent we would never grow old. I enjoyed how the story unfolded too, as I didn’t know the ins and outs of the tale.

Within a few months I’ll have a better idea of how this classic stacks up to others, but as of right now I’d recommend it to those who ever had an inkling to read it. (Kindle – free)

2. Gordon by Edith Templeton
I was more than a little surprised when I came across this book in a book exchange at the La Paz Yacht Club. There were lots of books on the shelves there; I don’t know what made me pick it up with its nondescript plain green cover, completely nondescript title, and a back cover that only gave praise for the author’s other works. The description in the jacket got me immediately, though. I’m paraphrasing here…”…she was disturbed that he had taken her within the hour that they had met…her complete submission to him was what she’d always longed for but didn’t realize…”. I think I may have even shut the book a bit and looked over my shoulder to see if anyone was there while I blushed.

I stashed it away and read it cover to cover over the course of my bus ride and 3 flights from La Paz to Curacao. It could have been steamier, for sure. It wasn’t Story of O, but I enjoyed it in the way I imagine men enjoy looking at a beautiful woman partially clothed rather than fully naked. Know whatahymean? (Unknown kindle status – doubt it.)

1. Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux : Overland from Cairo to Capetown
I came across this book on the shelf of a Peace Corps Volunteer friend in Namibia; it’s apparently been very popular on the volunteer and backpacker circuit for a few years. I didn’t have the heart to start it while I was actually in Africa, however, or even when I was home. It was to be my first book to read on my next trip :-)

Paul is my hero – he travels the way I think travelling should be done, and if I had the balls (somewhat literally) I would. AND, I think he’s got the formula for travel writing down…a little history, a little comedy, a little pain and a lot of realism.

I found myself bored in a handful of sections though. I think the book could’ve been 50-100 pages shorter without losing anything. That notwithstanding, it’s a very good recent (~2003ish) look at Africa with all of its strife and charms. If you’ve travelled the continent at all or want to, check it out. (Sadly, at the time of writing it was not available as a Kindle edition. Eh, hem, Paul, you should know how important this is to travellers!)

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The following is my "Book Report" from my time in Africa.

Listed in "Star" Order: ***** = Best, * = Worst (though not ranked amongst
similar stars)

BOOKS COMPLETED (17)

***** Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen --> A delightful story and easy
read, Water is about an old man reflecting back on his youth when he joined
the circus. It has a charming plot and engaging characters. Full
recommendation to all.

* Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin -->
UPDATE (Nov 2014): Do NOT buy this book. This guy is a lying, stealing scoundrel, as exposed in the recent "Three Cups of Deceit" by Jon Krakauer, who previously believed/donated in Greg's work. It's sad; Mortenson obviously garnered a ton of support, but it was based on lies and very little of what was promised has been delivered successfully.

Original review: I've already put up a plug on this book on the blog; it is fantastic. I admit it
goes a bit squirrelly at the end, but the accomplishments detailed are
nothing short of moving and inspirational. If you want to purchase, buy at
www.threecupsoftea.com , 7% of purchases goes toward the schools.

***** Scribbling the Cat - Alexandra Fuller --> This book is many things
despite being relatively short (only 200 pages or so if I remember). It's
travel writing, history and a solo women's challenges in the world. I loved
it. It may not be suuuper engaging to everyone, but if you're a woman who
has been in tricky places overseas, or if you have any interest in southern
African countries, read it.

**** Desperate Passage: The Donner Party's Perilous Journey West - Ethan
Rarick --> Having lived in Northern California for 10 years now and gone to
Tahoe countless times, you'd think I'd know more about the Donner Party. I
didn't, hence the purchase. The title says it all - the book covers their
entire journey, not just the sensationalized cannibalism stuff. I learned a
ton about that period in time, and the story of survival and loss is
incredible. It isn't for the faint of heart, but I definitely recommend it
to anyone who has ever wondered about them as you drive over Donner Pass.

**** The Devil in the White City - Erik Larson --> This book got a lot of
hype a few years back. I can see why, mostly. It's 2 stories in one: all
about the World's Fair in Chicago, and about one of America's first serial
killers who is doing his business around the city at that time. The serial
killer part sort of didn't do much for me. It was fascinating how the guy
went undetected for so long, but other than that it was kind of bleh. The
World's Fair part was super interesting. It contained all sorts of
interesting facts about that time and how it really had a hand in shaping
America. Parts of it were sluggish, but the good stuff made up for it.

**** Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides --> I confess I'm only half way through
this book, but I'm reading it voraciously and by the time some of you read
this post, I'll be finished. Another book that has gotten a lot of critical
acclaim, Middlesex has a very different style to it that I'm enjoying. The
story is of a hermaphrodite, but it's a whole lot more than that. Book 1 is
a little slow, but it's worth getting through.

*** The Dante Club: A Novel - Matthew Pearl --> This book reminded me of
the movie Seven. It's not based on true events, but it sort of reads like
it is. Set in Boston, it's about the great American writers (Holmes,
Longfellow, Lowell, etc.) who are working on a Dante translation and end up
trying to solve murders happening around the city that are modeled after
Dante's descriptions. I actually started and quit the book twice, but after
I finally got into it a bit, it stuck.

*** Stiff, The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers - Mary Roach --> Very
interesting book, but a little slow from time to time. Plus her sense of
humour is a bit put-on. However, you sure do learn a lot! If it's up your
alley, you'd like.

*** The Accountant's Story: Inside the Violent World of the Medellin Cartel
- Roberto Escobar --> Man, I could not put this book down!! ...For the
first half. The second half got repetitive and whiney....so I can't give 4
stars. But boy oh boy was it ever FASCINATING!! If you liked the movie
Blow, you'll LOVE this (at least the first half).

*** The Last Season - ? --> I read this book in 24 hours (mostly because I
was on a bus); it was pretty good, though I realize not everyone's cup of
tea. It's the story of a back woods park ranger in California who
disappeared. The story reads like an in-depth newspaper article, which is a
style I particularly enjoy. If you see it on the used book store shelf,
pick it up. If not, probably wouldn't tell you to spend the $15, unless
you're into mountaineering and/or park rangers (who are incredible folks,
btw).

*** Stalking the Wild Dik Dik - ? --> The story of a chick who travels from
Cape Town to Cairo. Read this one in about 8 hours (again, on the road).
It's made the rounds amongst volunteers and we all agree: if we'd read it
before coming to Africa we probably would've liked it more. This means, you
will probably enjoy it. The stories are mostly good; the writing is so-so.
It's a very very easy and quick read.

**1/2 The Surgeons - Charles R. Morris --> Investigative writing on Heart
Surgeons and Surgeries at Columbia-Presbyterian in New York. I realize this
wouldn't be on many peoples' lists, but if you're at all curious, I did like
it. There were parts I sort of glazed over, but I'd say I read and enjoyed
3/4 of it.

* Twilight Series, Books 1-4 - Stephanie Meyer --> The ONLY reason I read
these was because they were all very long (i.e. guaranteed time waster) and
I wanted to not be hypocritical when I bashed them. Let me preface by
saying I LOVE the Harry Potter books. It's criminal that Twilight is
compared to Harry Potter. The story is mildly entertaining, yes, but the
writing is horrible, and the characters are a bunch of pathetic, whiny,
codependent saps. I wouldn't recommend these to anyone, least of all
teenage girls, the intended audience.

* The Persistence of Memory - ? --> Bleh, I don't even feel like writing a
review on this one. Didn't care for the writing style at all
(self-inflated, pedantic) but there was a time or two that I related to the
story. Part of it is set in Namibia. But if you haven't been to Namibia or
think you'll ever go, don't bother. Actually, just don't bother.

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BOOKS STARTED, NOT COMPLETED (7) (Listed in order of Likely to Finish)

The Seashell on the Mountaintop - Alan Cutler --> I'll probably finish this
one. I stopped because Rachel handed me a physical copy of Middlesex that I
need to finish. It's about the father of modern geology who paved the way
for the field by suggesting (correct) scientific theories as to how, well,
seashells could be found on the tops of mountains. This back in the day
when the church ruled all and strictly believed the earth was only 6000
years old. Where I'm at, he's just published his theory, and I think about
to have a can of whoopass opened up on him.

The World Without Us - Alan Weisman --> I might finish this one too; the
later chapters look more interesting than where I'm at. The premise is we
(humans) all vanish from the face of the earth in an instant, so what
happens to all we leave behind (buildings, houses, roads, etc. -
everything)? I don't have much to say yet on my personal thoughts on the
book.

Guns, Germs, and Steel - Jared Diamond --> I started reading this before I
came and had trouble concentrating. I was pretty distracted then though. I
will definitely pick this up again at some point in the near future.

The Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle
of Wine - Benjamin Wallace --> Only luke warm on this one...kind of doubt
that I'll finish. What I've read has been mildly interesting, but not
enough to keep going. If you're a wine aficionado though, you'll probably
love it.

Sailing to the Reefs - Bernard Moitessier --> Moitessier is a bit of an
acquired taste. "The Long Way" was really good, but also kinda challenging
to read. Parts of this book are enjoyable so far, but some parts are
suuuper dry. I'll probably take it along the next time I'm out on the ocean
for a long stretch of time. Sailors will like; non-sailors will hate.

War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy --> I've seen this book in the hands of at
least 2 other volunteers, and I know it's on everyone's, "if I'm stuck on a
boat or in Africa" list. I started it. It wasn't bad; it just wasn't good.
There are lots and lots of characters, and it's hard to keep them straight.
I will read this book someday, dammit.

Wreck of the Medusa: Mutiny, Murder and Survival on the High Seas -
Alexander McKee --> ACK, terrible!! Old English style writing, WAY TOO
HEAVY on the sailing talk (and I'm a sailor!) Nothing good to say about
this one.