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This is my little media diary. A lot of what passes for creativity is really just repackaged imput; this is my attempt to come clean and show you where I'm getting all of my good ideas. Also, I haven't had a reviewer gig in years. I need to let off some steam. Joshua Then and Now, Mordecai Richler
American Gods, Neil Gaiman
The Cosmic Trilogy, C.S. Lewis
Where I found it: I bought it at The Odd Book at the same time as Lord Of Light. It's three books in a single paperback volume.
Why I wanted to read it: it was recommended by a friend. Also, I've been interesting in theology lately, and I keep picking up Mere Christianity, reading it for a few pages, then moving onto something easier. I think I was trying to atone for this.
What it's about: A man on a walking tour of England stumbles into an ill-intentioned space mission to Mars, where he discovers several varieties of life ruled over by a planetary archangel in a world that never Fell. In the second book he is summoned to Venus to assist the native Eve in resisting the temptations of Lucifer, which he does by killing the physical body of Satan (who is actually Earth's archangel). Returning to Earth, he gathers a company around him to combat an evil scientific institute that intends to raise Merlin Ambrosius from his enchanted sleep and use him to conquer the earth. The books are almost 800 pages long, so that is the merest skeleton of the action.
Style: British fantasy/fairytale/science fiction, written in an age which did not make such fine distinctions.
So? This is one king hell of a trilogy. There is enough myth, fairy tale and high adventure to keep you going for months (3 weeks in my case, but I lead a boring life.) As in the Narnia Chronicles, Lewis has created a fantasy allegory of Christianity that is both marvellously inventive and firmly lodged in the history of Christian writing. These are good books, but you have to be reconciled to the idea that he will preach to you, and at some length. Who knows, you may learn something. I'm still not sure what I think about his, shall we say gender ideas: I'm not sure that he's aware how much of his ideas of universal difference are based on cultural norms. Even so, I found his commentary on marriage extremely enlightening, and found myself uncomfortably aware of my similarities to the main female character of the last book: she's an academic who married another academic, and she is appalled that there are times when her husband prefers her body to her conversation, and other times when he prefers his thoughts to both. That hit a little close to home.
Momo, Michael Ende
Where I found it: the Boy brought it home from church.
Why I wanted to read it: I found The Neverending Story beautiful but very very sad. I find his work intriguing, but somehow I never thought to track down another book.
What it's about: A little girl of mysterious origin settles in the ruins of an amphitheatre. Her one skill is listening, which inevitably brings out the best in those whom she listens to. When the sinister men of the Timesaving Bank show up to steal the time of the local townspeople, her peculiar talent allows her to discover their true intent. Also stars Cassiopeia (a wise turtle) and Professor Hors Minute Secundus.
Style: Marvellous high fantasy.
So? I think I've finally figured out Ende: his father was one of the early Surrealist painters. M. Ende blends archetype, dream and allegory with an almost frightening facility. Momo is a beautifully written fairy tale that's half allegory and half children's fantasy. Plus, he gets to say some very smart things about modern life in the context of the evil grey time bankers. I feel personally enriched for having read it, which is rare. Read it if you can find it!
Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny
Where I found it: I saw it for sale at the Odd Book a couple of weeks ago.
Why I wanted to read it: It was recommended in a Spider Robinson story ("Involuntary Man's Laughter"). And, it's a Hugo winner! (I'm just a sf snob.)
What it's about: A planet is colonized. The original settlers amplify their psychic powers to emulate Hindu gods, and let their descendents regress into savagery and worship. Then comes the Buddha to overthrow the gods and bring technology to the people.
Style: Science fiction with a touch of heroic Romance and mythology.
So? Somehow I've never figured out how to find good sf, so I'm continually surprised when I stumble across quality imaginative fiction. This is very imaginative stuff, well-crafted and thoughtful and clever. He has done his Hindu research, or so I assume (a Hindu might be able to answer that better than I). I loved the departure from European myth-structure. Unfortunately, the plot is occasionally hard to follow. I think the book really needs a glossary - much like the Pern books, it's easy to get lost in names and attributes, especially during the long flashback sequence. It's a thinking adventure: no profound truths, but interesting and satisfying (despite the relatively small role played by Kali - go Destroyer!)
The Blind Assassin, Margaret Atwood
Why I wanted to read it: Um. I actually wanted the new Timothy Findley book, so I was kind of lukewarm about it at first. But the great thing about living in a place where nothing happens is that you have a chance to catch up on your reading.
What it's about: an elderly woman (Iris) reminisces about a wealthy childhood, destitute teenage years, a loveless arranged marriage with a man named Richard, a brief affair with a communist named Alex and her sister Laura.
Style: Comprehensible post-modern.
So? Very interesting at first though things change when the different storylines start to fit together. The novel weaves together society clippings from the 30's, the story of 2 unidentified lovers, a pulp scifi story and Iris' cranky autobiography. The tale is gripping for the first ¾ of the novel (I saw each new tale as a tragic interruption, then was absorbed until the end of that instalment), but unfortunately this novel contains a rare example of characters who become more unpleasant as the story progresses (ironically, the new Findley book is another). Iris is cranky and self-serving, Laura is spacey and inscrutable, their father is a sexist philandering drunk, Alex is mean, Winnie (the sister-in-law) is a caricature, even Richard is a little too boring to be pure evil (this despite the child molestation). Everyone is unexamined and petty, everyone relentlessly serves their own agenda and everyone seems unaware of their own role in hurting the other characters. The use of pulp scifi was excellent, though, and I don't regret reading it. I just regret that the characters could not rise above themselves for one bloody instant and make me content to be a fellow human being.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Pirsig
Where I found it: my co-operating teacher has a shelf full of this book, which he inherited from his predecessor. When I needed something to read during practicum, I picked it up, took it home, and never gave it back.
Why I wanted to read it: because everyone else has. Because it has 'this book is significant!!' written all over it. I suppose that makes me a tool.
What it's about: A man on a motorcycle tour with his son reminisces about his life before he became clinically insane and had his first personality destroyed in the interests of mental health. More to the point, this book details the philosophy of Quality that drove him bonkers.
Style: Philosophy/fiction (but is it a true story? Only Mark Kingswell knows for sure...)
So? This book took me forever to read. I started it in the third week of April, and I was still hauling it around in May when we went to Edmonton to see Poet get married. I finally finished it in June, which is a really long time to keep something in my brain. I think it might have gone faster if I hadn't left it at work for so many weeks, meaning that I only picked it up during lunch break. In terms of philosophy, this book is an interesting discussion of the difference between an efficient life and a good life. I didn't find it earth shattering or profoundly moving because it confirmed things that I have always felt intuitively: quality is better than quantity, joy is better than pleasure, etc. But I suppose that was the point.
movies
Moulin Rouge
The newly-minted, already-classic story of Beauty, Truth, Freedom and Love that mixes authentic costume with bone-crunching techno. Recently I saw this for the second time, and I can safely report that it only gets better on repeat viewings. It's a wonderful, wonderful movie, full of heroes, heroines, villains and villainesses, but it's not a black and white cutout of a story. One of the tiny details I love is that they let the Sparkling Diamond's makeup smudge and dry up; she perfectly walks the line between vulnerable courtesan and otherworldly goddess. And I also love the part where Christian throws money at Satine's feet, living out his own script, and Toulouse mutters frantically, 'I can't remember my line!' Everything is story. Everything is truth. It was wholly absorbing and tremendously exciting.
music
"Rebuild the Wall: part 1," Luther Wright and the Wrongs
I'm not sure if I ever thought about bluegrass before Stan Fest. Last weekend I found myself judiciously weighing the merits of one bluegrass band over another; then I saw Luther Wright and the Wrongs and everything changed forever. This band is in the process of re-recording Pink Floyd's prog-rock titan "The Wall" as a bluegrass album, and the really fucked up part is that its seamless. When Jaymz Bee covers canuck rock as cockail music, it's fun...but there's still a part of you that holds back and compares the new song with the original. Listening to "Rebuild the Wall: part 1" is like listening in on an alternative universe, one in which lines like "I need you to beat to a pulp on a Saturday night" take on a whole new redneck meaning. This album transcends the bloated excess of Roger Waters. It puts these songs on a whole-wheat diet and emerges lean, drunk & mean. I cannot recommend this album more.
"The Jive Kings with Measha Brüggergrosman," ditto.
We found these guys early Saturday morning, playing the smallest, farthest tent in Stan Fest. They are amazing, a very straight up swing band that has the chops to carry off their big band pretensions. Of the 2 CDs available, this one had the originals that we liked the best. The CD itself is very very good, very solid and well produced, but I would have preferred a live off the floor recording...there's something about seeing these guys live that just blows away any canned performance. The lost-at-sea song "Tugboat" worked especially well in an outdoor venue during an Atlantic squall (at one point the tent poles started swinging in the gale and we wondered if we were about to witness a folk-festival-related fatality. I hate those.) Also good: the Tom Waits cover "Telephone Call From Istanbul" and the tuba-and-banjo-inflected "Mr Magic" (which made me want to pull out my Squirrel Nut Zippers albums right away.)
stuck in my brain
"Magic, that ankle will have to be taped." - the Simpsons |
Where I found it: a Christmas gift from the Boy