Masterful Tale

Of Human Bondage 

    Somerset Maugham

Of Human Bondage is one of my favorite books, even though I've enjoyed reading a lot of Maugham's stories and novels. Strangely, though, I find it hard to comprehend the thoughts and deeds of Philip Carey, the hero (or anti-hero?) of this book. He won this reader over early in his story, if only because of his reading habit, which is mentioned in the aforementioned quote.

Like the author, Philip is raised by his uncle after becoming an orphan. He is mistreated, has intellectual and physical limitations, a clubfoot, and a tendency to take advantage of opportunities by making poor decisions and/or lacking skill. The death of Philip's mother and the cruel treatment he receives from his self-centered and hypocritical uncle while being tortured by his classmates and teachers at King's School in Tercanbury mark the start of the first half of the book. The Victorian style of this first section of the book is somewhat evocative of Dickens' Great Expectations.

Written in the style of a bildungsroman, the book explores the protagonist's intellectual and emotional development as it follows his education and takes him to Germany, Paris, and London. This makes me think of Flaubert's book A Sentimental Education, which may have had an impact on Maugham. Philip settles into a sort of life in London as he gets older, but he keeps making poor decisions. By doing this, he starts a destructive relationship with Mildred, a crude and self-centered Cockney waitress. Despite all of his poor decisions and the challenges that follow, Philip eventually finds the right woman. Maugham presents a Schopenhauerian philosophical view of man in servitude to his will, but the book succeeds with its pleasant ending and clear prose, just as Philip triumphs over his passions. Because Maugham's story is so masterfully told, I have found myself returning to it time and time again over the years.

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A Search and a Journey

Travels with Epicurus: A Journey to a Greek Island in Search of a Fulfilled Life 

by Daniel Klein

Daniel Klein's Travels with Epicurus: A Journey to a Greek Island in Search of a Fulfilled Life is a humorous, approachable, and perceptive reflection on how to age well. The book is part travelogue, part memoir, and part philosophical exploration, all centered on the theme of finding fulfillment and authenticity in one's later years.

Klein's personal struggle in his early seventies—deciding between a more straightforward denture plate that represented his acceptance of aging and costly, uncomfortable dental implants to preserve a youthful appearance—served as the inspiration for the book. Because of this, he decides to travel to the Greek island of Hydra, which he had visited as a young man, in pursuit of "authentic old age."

Klein challenges the Western preoccupation with staying "forever young" and the desire to prolong one's prime indefinitely. He contends that doing so deprives people of the unique, worthwhile, and introspective stage of life known as old age. With a suitcase full of philosophy books, Klein consults philosophers such as Sartre, Aristotle, Seneca, and Epicurus, who serves as the book's main character. He frames his thoughts on aging, happiness, and mortality with their concepts.

The idea that Epicureanism equates to excessive hedonism is debunked by Klein. He instead emphasizes Epicurus's core beliefs, which include appreciating life's basic, timeless joys, being free from pain—particularly that which results from needless striving—and enjoying the company of others (philia). The elderly residents of Hydra, whom the author observes and befriends, provide an inspiring contrast to the fast-paced modern world with their laid-back, unhurried lifestyle and acceptance of their advanced age.

The book's lighthearted tone, humor, and light touch make academic philosophy approachable and applicable to the common human experience of aging. Inspiring readers to value their own life stages, lessen anxiety, and acknowledge the special pleasures accessible to an adult mind, it is a delightful and upbeat manual on living well in old age. It is an interesting read, particularly for people who are thinking about entering their later years.



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The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable 

by Amitav Ghosh

This is an exhortation to think apocalyptically from a writer of several outstanding books. I know the author as a novelist, but he offers a literary perspective on one of the most significant existential issues of our time. He does this effectively in a captivating extended essay.

He contends that the bourgeois experience is the foundation of the modern novel, which emphasizes linear time, individual moral journeys, and the predictable rhythms of everyday life. Climate events (such as superstorms or sharp sea level rise) are abrupt, extreme, and collective; they just seem too unlikely or "unrealistic" for the prevailing literary genre. According to Ghosh, this emphasis on the individual has led to a more widespread cultural exile of the concept of the collective, which is exactly what is required to solve a collective problem such as global warming.

Ghosh examines the historical factors that contributed to the current crisis, highlighting the ways in which colonialism, empire, and the emergence of the carbon economy are all intertwined. The book emphasizes that Asia, with its population and rapid industrialization, is central to both the causes and potential solutions of the climate crisis, but also faces the most devastating human consequences. He draws attention to the historical injustice that allowed the West to develop through carbon-intensive industrialization while limiting similar paths for countries in the Global South.

The book argues that contemporary political systems are inadequate in addressing the issue, pointing out that political discourse has shifted too much toward individual moral reckoning as opposed to systemic, group action. According to Ghosh, the self-interested nation-states that make up the current global political structure are essentially unable to coordinate the required worldwide response. He points out that the planet just cannot support the same high-consumption, resource-intensive lifestyle, challenging the Western-promoted idea that all countries can and should strive for it. He points to figures like Gandhi as having provided an alternate, low-carbon path that was ultimately rejected.

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Trends in Modern Thought

Escape from reason 

by Francis A. Schaeffer

First published in 1968, this is a foundational work of Christian philosophy and apologetics by Francis A. Schaeffer. It provides a succinct yet thorough examination of Western philosophical and cultural history, charting the emergence of secular humanism and the fall of reason.

Schaeffer's main argument is that Western thought split into a fatal dichotomy, resulting in a "two-story" view of reality. Lower Story (Nature/Reason): The domain of science, particulars, rationality, and objective knowledge. The domain of faith, meaning, value, universals, and the non-rational is the Upper Story (Grace/Freedom).

He links this division to Thomas Aquinas's differentiation between Nature and Grace, contending that a humanistic component was added by allowing the intellect to function independently in the "Nature" realm. A sense of meaninglessness and despair resulted from the lower story of autonomous reason's gradual reduction of everything, including humanity, to mere mechanics and mathematics as time went on (through the Renaissance, Enlightenment, and philosophers like Kant, Rousseau, and Hegel). His "line of despair" is the place where reason is unable to give meaning.

The "Leap" to the Upper Story: Today's people must make an irrational "leap of faith" into the upper story because they are unable to find objective meaning or purpose in the logical lower story. This "leap" need not be religious; it could be into existentialism, a subjective interpretation of faith that is divorced from logic and objective reality, or a manufactured personal meaning.
By analyzing patterns in popular culture, music, literature, and the arts, Schaeffer demonstrates this philosophical evolution and demonstrates how this dichotomy materialized as a widespread feeling of hopelessness and fragmentation in Western society.

Schaeffer argues that the Bible offers a singular, cohesive explanation for all of reality, drawing a comparison between the secular and Christian worldviews. The infinite-personal Creator God of the Bible unifies the lower (objective knowledge) and upper (meaning and value) narratives and serves as the basis for both reason and faith.

Particularly among evangelicals, Escape From Reason is regarded as a highly influential work that shaped a generation's perspective on Christian apologetics and cultural engagement. Schaeffer's observations were incredibly foresighted, foreshadowing themes that would later be linked to relativism, postmodernism, and the preference for emotionalism over objective reality.


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Capitalist Critics

Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI 

by John Cassidy

"An extra hundred pounds is worth a lot more to a poor person than to a rich one because the poor person’s need is far greater. This idea, which economists today refer to as the diminishing marginal utility of income,”

― John Cassidy, Capitalism and Its Critics: From the East India Company to AI


As a staff writer for The New Yorker, Cassidy profiles dozens of the most vocal and powerful critics of capitalism, documenting its history from the East India Company to the era of artificial intelligence. The fundamental criticisms of capitalism, according to Cassidy, have not changed much over the centuries: it is "soulless, exploitative, inequitable, unstable, and destructive," but it is also "all-conquering and overwhelming."

In addition to well-known figures like Thomas Piketty, John Maynard Keynes, Rosa Luxemburg, and Karl Marx, the story also discusses lesser-known but equally important critics like the Luddites, Irish proto-socialist William Thompson, French unionist Flora Tristan, conservative Thomas Carlyle, and Indian economist J. C. Kumarappa.

Capitalism's "remarkable knack for reinventing itself" and its astounding "powers of self-regeneration and survivability," which have enabled it to weather multiple crises and evade the ultimate collapse that some of its detractors had predicted, are fundamental themes.

Since growing inequality, climate change, and artificial intelligence raise serious concerns about the viability and ethics of the current economic system, the book is positioned as a work that is relevant to the times. According to Cassidy, the prevailing ideologies of free-market neoliberalism and Keynesian social democracy are "running aground," so it is critical to find alternatives.
According to reviews, the book humanizes what is sometimes a dry subject matter by combining a lively examination of economic theories, a comprehensive history, and a rich biography.

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Episodes in a Texan Life

The Boy Kings of Texas: A Memoir 

by Domingo Martinez

“The first was to expect crushing disappointment in life, the second was the absolute reliability of loss, and finally, the utter futility of faith”  ― Domingo Martinez, The Boy Kings of Texas: A Memoir

Martinez's childhood and adolescence in the Brownsville barrio, where poverty is pervasive and cultures frequently clash on the banks of the Rio Grande, are chronicled in the memoir. The prevalence of machismo and the challenge of navigating a challenging life that involves violence, drug abuse, and a lack of economic opportunity are major themes.

Martinez presents a cast of enduring and nuanced family members while exposing his inner and outer worlds. In his early years, he is a bright and sensitive boy who frequently feels like an outsider because of his light skin and intellectual nature, which go against the dominant macho culture.

The "enduring, complex bond" with his severely flawed but fiercely protective older brother is the main focus of the book. Gramma, a strong, gun-wielding former farmhand who occasionally acts as the family's witch doctor, is another member of the family. His older sisters, the Mimis, make an effort to "transform themselves from poor Latina adolescents into upper-class white girls" for a while.
Although the family's life is unvarnished and difficult, the story is told with unwavering honesty and is regularly peppered with wit and humor. When Martinez tells stories, he favors wisdom and humor over tragedy. The book, in my opinion, read less like a chronological narrative and more like a collection of colorful, occasionally tangential short stories.

The memoir follows Martinez through his years of substance abuse and eventually culminates in his move away from Brownsville to Seattle as a young adult, reflecting on how his Texas upbringing continues to impact his life. I found most of the episodes fascinating, making the book hard to put down.

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Abrupt Disappearance

Into the Blue 

by Robert Goddard

“The dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.”  --- Robert Goddard

The protagonist of the story is Harry Barnett, a middle-aged, run-down Englishman who looks after a friend's villa on the Greek island of Rhodes and leads a somewhat unsuccessful life. He is frequently characterized as a flawed but tenacious "underdog" who finds meaning in his pursuit. The abrupt and unexplained disappearance of Heather Mallender, a young visitor to the villa, while out on a mountain hike serves as the plot's impetus. Harry turns into the main suspect.

Harry, who is obsessed with the mystery and determined to clear his name, starts tracking Heather's whereabouts, which brings him back to England and makes him face a previous scandal involving the Mallender family. Heather takes a series of photos that contain clues that help with the investigation.

The narrative delves into themes of identity, confronting the past, hypocrisy, and how long-forgotten events can still impact the present. The plot involves a web of betrayal, political connections, and long-buried secrets. I would recommend this novel as an excellent, literate, and engrossing mystery/thriller that highlights a character study of a flawed hero with its expertly constructed, twisting plot

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Hard Blows

Headshot 

by Rita Bullwinkel

"It's a hard blow that the judges call a hit immediately. The score is yelled loud enough so everyone can hear it. This is a point hitting game after all." - Rita Bullwinkel, Headshot

The absence of dialogue in this book is noteworthy. The "omniscient narrator" of the story immerses the reader in the thoughts of the competitors, their coaches, and onlookers. The story alternates between elegant depictions of the physical combat and in-depth examinations of the characters' motivations, histories, and even prospective futures throughout the book. In keeping with the fast-paced, exhilarating nature of the boxing matches themselves, the writing is frequently muscular and sharp. The boxing ring serves as the setting for nearly the whole book, which creates a tense, enclosed atmosphere.

Although the book is about boxing, the eight young women's inner lives are its main focus. It looks at their traumas, desires, and fears as well as why they chose this cruel and private sport. The author's ability to highlight the notable psychological distinctions among the competitors—all of whom were pursuing the same objective—impressed me. The book explores themes of self-discovery, sacrifice, and the fight for acceptance in a world dominated by men as it explains what it means to be a female athlete.

Each character is driven by a different purpose, such as dealing with a personal tragedy, proving themselves to family, or just trying to fit in. The "madness and sheer physical pleasure" that can spur young women to fight are examined in the book. Overall, the book offers a "dignified and critical treatment" of boxing while addressing its brutality in a novel way, emphasizing its "artistry, strategy, and brutality."

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An Unfinished Life

Weir of Hermiston 

by Robert Louis Stevenson

"and he went on through life with a mechanical movement, as of the unconscious, that was almost august." - Robert Louis Stevenson, Weir of Hermiston

The book's plot revolves around the long-standing conflict between a sensitive, idealistic son and his strict, unforgiving father. Because of his brutal application of the law, the father, Lord Justice-Clerk Adam Weir, is infamously known as the "hanging judge" or "Weir of Hermiston." Young law student Archibald "Archie" Weir, his son, is appalled by his father's ruthlessness, especially when he finds a man guilty and sentences him to death.

Archie is banished to the family's Hermiston estate in the moorland after openly denouncing his father's actions. In this isolated location, Archie finds comfort and develops feelings for Christina "Kirstie" Elliott, a local. Although their growing bond is essential to the story, the fragment ends suddenly.

The psychological study, Weir of Hermiston, is different from Stevenson's adventure novels. It is a foray into a more realistic style of writing that influenced later authors like Joseph Conrad. The novel, as I read it, presented strong characterization and a nuanced portrayal of the moral and social landscape of 19th-century Scotland.


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Modernist Gothic

Light in August 

by William Faulkner

“a fellow is more afraid of the trouble he might have than he ever is of the trouble he's already got. He'll cling to trouble he's used to before he'll risk a change. Yes. A man will talk about how he'd like to escape from living folks. But it's the dead folks that do him the damage. It's the dead ones that lay quiet in one place and dont try to hold him, that he cant escape from.”   ― William Faulkner, Light in August

Light in August, written by William Faulkner in 1932, is a difficult yet important piece of Southern Gothic and modernist literature. Faulkner's writing is characterized by a disjointed structure and an intricate prose style, which address weighty subjects like racism, identity, and the lasting effects of the American South.

Through the character of Joe Christmas, a man of ambiguous racial heritage who is shunned because of what others believe to be his Black ancestry, the book examines the terrible effects of racism. It also delves into themes of identity, the struggle between fate and free will, religious fanaticism, and the past's persistent influence on the present. A key point is made by contrasting Lena Grove's unwavering, nearly transcendent journey for her child's father with Joe Christmas's tragic journey.

Faulkner's writing is frequently characterized as dense and challenging, with lengthy, convoluted sentences and a non-linear narrative. Using a technique known as stream-of-consciousness, he alternates between the viewpoints of various characters and time periods. The reader must gradually piece together the story's mosaic of events, which are told in multiple voices and through flashbacks. If you succeed in this process, the rewards from reading and rereading Faulkner are immense.


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Freshness was Gone

The Dry Heart 

by Natalia Ginzburg

“How easy life is,” I thought, “for women who are not afraid of a man. I stared for a long time at my face in the mirror. It had never been very pretty, and now it seemed to me that every trace of youth and freshness was gone.” 

 ― Natalia Ginzburg, The Dry Heart







Natalia Ginzburg's brief, impactful novella, The Dry Heart, which explores themes of loneliness, desperation, and the intricate dynamics of unhappy relationships, is acclaimed for its spare, straightforward, and eerie prose. It was a prose style that demanded my attention with its flat directness. The narrator tells the story of a loveless marriage that ends in murder. The narrator's carefree admission that "I shot him between the eyes" sets the stage for a taut examination of marriage's realities, turning an ordinary, uninteresting story into a psychological thriller. I appreciated the work's psychological depth, unexpected power, and feminist undertones. Throughout, the writing is white-hot, unmannered, elegant, and masterfully understated, with a deceptive simplicity.

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Exquisite Memoir

The Snows of Yesteryear 

by Gregor von Rezzori

“To recognize what is absurd and to accept it need not dim the eye for the tragic side of existence; quite on the contrary, in the end it may perhaps help in gaining a more tolerant view of the world.”― Gregor von Rezzori, The Snows of Yesteryear

This is one of the most exquisite and profound memoirs I have ever read. Gregor Von Rezzori has a remarkable talent for crafting exquisite metaphors that evoke a feeling of location and history. This is what distinguishes his memoir from others. A subtitle for the memoir reads, "Portraits for an Autobiography." As a result, Von Rezzori organizes his memoir around his family, dedicating chapters to "The Mother," "The Father," and "The Sister." These are his portraits, and he only gave them the names "Cassandra" and "Bunchy," which were their childhood nicknames, when he wrote two chapters about people who were close to him but not related. This arrangement by family portrait creates a chronological mosaic composed of short stories that are connected by his recollections.

When the Second World War broke out, his cherished homeland vanished, marking the end of the memoir. Originating in the years following World War I, this gives his personal narrative a historical backdrop. As a result, the memoir's themes are based on the idea of a world that has been destroyed, collapsed, and faded into what is now his "yesteryear." In "The Mother"'s opening, von Rezzori uses a metaphor to explain them: "The mermaid is blind; her world has turned to rubbish." The tinsel from a long-forgotten carnival is inside the chest. Additionally, the mermaid is decaying.(p 55)

The "golden mists" of the past are the expectations that were so bold and vivid when he was younger. Nevertheless, there is a lot of humor and beautiful detail in this tale of decline because the author captured the Rabelaisian joy of spending time with his father, the pride he took in learning to hunt, and the rare but sweet times when his mother lavished him with all the love she had kept hidden from him due to her habitual neglect of her family. "I envied her for being our father's favorite; she despised the blind infatuation my mother showed me, suffered maternal injustices with mute pride, and devalued her mother's preference in my own eyes," he says, describing his sister and himself sharing intimate moments. When I was a little oaf, she was a graceful girl; when I was still a lout, she was an exceptionally good young woman." (p 204)

The memoir ends with a short epilogue where, among other things, the adult Gregor Von Rezzori (who became an accomplished journalist, media personality, and author) shares his personal return to his birthplace of Czernowitz and found that "it wasn't the Czernowitz whose vision I had carried in me for half a century." He found, like so many who grow up and leave their home of birth, that you literally cannot go home again, for the place you left is different than the myth your mind has created and hidden by the mists of time. The story told in this memoir is ultimately one of dissolution of both an idea and an ideal. It is memorable for the beauty and love that was experienced by this often lonely man. It is this that shines through and creates a glowing memoir of a yesterday that will remain forever impressed upon all who read it.

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Island, Boy, Innocence

Arturo's Island 

by Elsa Morante

“You’ll always return, yes; but I would add: you’ll never stay long. About that, dear little master, I have no illusions. Men like you, who have two different kinds of blood in their veins, never find peace or happiness: when they’re there, they want to be here, and as soon as they return here immediately want to flee." - Elsa Morante, Arturo's Island

A boy, an island, innocence, and more is found in this brilliant evocation of a utopia that develops cracks. A haunting coming-of-age story: This bildungsroman follows Arturo, the main character, as he transitions from his happy and lonely upbringing into the difficult realities of puberty. The story, which is set in the Bay of Naples on the remote island of Procida, depicts the confusion and tumultuous feelings of youth, especially as Arturo's utopian world is upended.

Arturo's vivid imagination, which is stoked by his reading of chivalric romances and his heroic fantasies about his frequently absent father, Wilhelm, shapes his early years. The central theme of the book is Arturo's slow and cruel disenchantment as he learns the unpleasant realities of his father and the intricacies of interpersonal relationships, especially after his young stepmother, Nunziata, moves in.

The book is more of a psychological analysis of a lonely, unloved child, despite its seemingly straightforward plot. In-depth examination of Arturo's inner life by Morante reveals his fears, his desire for affection and acceptance, and his battle to balance his idealized dreams with the harsh realities of life.

Arturo's Island is written in a unique, frequently "operatic" style. Despite the fact that some critics consider Morante's writing to be "baroque" or "overwritten," I found it to be lyrical, intuitive, and incredibly insightful. The epic feelings of the teenage narrator are frequently perfectly matched with the book's style.

Several authors have translated the book into English, including Isabel Quigly and Ann Goldstein, who is best known for translating Elena Ferrante's writings. The merits of the various translations have been debated among literary critics; some have praised Goldstein's version for capturing the novel's original beauty and power, while others have criticized it for being "overly literal."

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Unlikely Friendship

The Fortress of Solitude 

by Jonathan Lethem

“You could grow up in the city where history was made and still miss it all.”― Jonathan Lethem, The Fortress of Solitude





This ambitious and expansive work is organized as a semi-autobiographical epic about memory, race, and class. The unlikely friendship between two boys, Dylan Ebdus, who is white and Jewish, and Mingus Rude, who is Black, is the main focus of the book. They are neighbors growing up in a gentrifying area of Brooklyn in the 1970s.

The intricate and changing friendship between Dylan and Mingus serves as the main plot point. Their bond successfully negotiates the racial tensions of their neighborhood and the larger social landscape of the late 20th century, and Lethem is commended for his nuanced and genuine depiction of their relationship. The self-assured and culturally aware Mingus provides Dylan, a "funky white boy" who feels alienated, with a sense of belonging.

There are two major sections to the novel. The first, which centers on the boys' early and teenage years, is superb because it tells a story in great detail and with a lot of emotion. Nonetheless, the book's second half, which centers on Dylan as an adult and his attempts to understand his past, shows a decline. This section is frequently characterized as feeling hurried, less coherent, and lacking the earlier section's momentum.

It is a "big, personal, sometimes breathtaking" book that deftly and nuancedly addresses difficult and significant subjects. The novel's strengths are its sensitive examination of friendship and race, its skillful evocation of a time and place, and its potent use of language.



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Memoir in War

The Past Is Myself 

by Christabel Bielenberg

This captivating memoir was written by Christabel Bielenberg, an Englishwoman who married a German lawyer and lived in Germany during World War II. The book offers a unique perspective on life in the Third Reich from the viewpoint of a civilian just trying to survive, not a Nazi or a victim of a concentration camp. It is often praised for its depiction of the "other Germany" and how ordinary citizens, such as Bielenberg and her family, coped with an increasingly difficult and paranoid world.

The memoir is noteworthy because it provides a close-up look at German society during the war, highlighting the struggles endured by both regular citizens and anti-Nazis who opposed the government. Bielenberg shows that not all Germans supported Hitler by describing the subtle and not-so-subtle ways people resisted.

The book is a first-person survival story that focuses on daily life under the Nazi government and during the Allied bombings. It portrays the brief moments of humanity and hope that allowed people to endure the horrors of war. This entails learning to laugh, building relationships with neighbors, and valuing the little pleasures that were "blown out of all proportion" during a time of scarcity.

Nature by a Poet

The Immense Journey 

by Loren Eiseley

“While wandering a deserted beach at dawn, stagnant in my work, I saw a man in the distance bending and throwing as he walked the endless stretch toward me. As he came near, I could see that he was throwing starfish, abandoned on the sand by the tide, back into the sea. When he was close enough I asked him why he was working so hard at this strange task. He said that the sun would dry the starfish and they would die. I said to him that I thought he was foolish. There were thousands of starfish on miles and miles of beach. One man alone could never make a difference. He smiled as he picked up the next starfish. Hurling it far into the sea he said, "It makes a difference for this one." I abandoned my writing and spent the morning throwing starfish.” ― Loren Eiseley




Simply the most beautiful science writing I have ever read. An “imaginative naturalist,” according to the cover of his book, The Immense Journey. An anthropologist, a scholar, a poet, a genius. Eiseley wears all of these hats. He observes the story of life unfolding throughout history, recounting some of it to us in his own story. “Forward and backward I have gone, and for me it has been an immense journey” (p 13). By the time we read these words, we have come to realize that Eiseley is not just talking about his own life’s journey. Eiseley’s narrator is a metaphor for the journey of all humankind through the vast dimension of time and space—a journey filled with perplexity, delight, and impermanence. Eiseley might refute that if he were alive today. He claims he does not pretend to speak for anyone but himself.


“I have given the record of what one man thought as he pursued research and pressed his hands against the confining walls of scientific method in his time. But men see differently. I can at best report only from my own wilderness” (p 13).


This book is science and philosophy presented in lucid, beautiful prose - a reader's delight.

Optimistic Idealism

The Joke 

by Milan Kundera

“and when nobody wakes you up in the morning, and when nobody waits for you at night, and when you can do whatever you want. what do you call it, freedom or loneliness?”  -  Milan Kundera

Ludvik Jahn, a youthful and idealistic student in Communist Czechoslovakia in the 1950s, is the protagonist of the book. "Optimism is the opium of the people!" he writes on a politically provocative postcard to his girlfriend in a moment of youthful exuberance and sarcasm. A healthy environment is a stench of folly! "Long live Trotsky!" Ludvik's life is forever altered when his girlfriend, Marketa, takes it to a party tribunal. He is sent to work in a military labor brigade in the mines after being expelled from both the university and the Communist Party.

Years later, a resentful and jaded Ludvik makes his way back to his hometown. He plans to seduce Helena, Pavel Zemanek's wife, in order to exact revenge on Zemanek, the man who oversaw his expulsion. Ludvik, Helena, his old friend Jaroslav, and a Christian acquaintance named Kostka all provide a different perspective on the past and present, and their perspectives alternate throughout the book.

 While the book is often analyzed for its political critique, Kundera himself insisted that it should be read as a personal story, a "love story" about the human experience. It has a complex narrative structure, philosophical depth, and an incisive portrayal of life under a suffocating regime. Some have found the male characters' views of women to be misogynistic, arguing that they lack depth and are defined by their relationships with men. However, I view this as a deliberate choice by the author to reveal the flaws and limited perspectives of his characters.

Overall, The Joke is a dark, tragic, and often satirical novel that solidified Milan Kundera's place as a major literary voice. It remains a timeless and essential read for its powerful exploration of fate, memory, and the enduring human search for meaning in a world that is, in many ways, a joke itself.

Looking and Facing Love

What Belongs to You 

by Garth Greenwell

“Love isn’t just a matter of looking at someone, I think now, but also of looking with them, of facing what they face.”  ― Garth Greenwell, What Belongs to You

This short, three-part book tells the story of an unnamed American teacher who lives in Sofia, Bulgaria. The narrator's intricate and transactional relationship with Mitko, a young male hustler, is the main topic of the first and third sections. Their interactions are motivated by a complex power dynamic, loneliness, and desire.

The narrator considers his traumatic upbringing in the American South, his tense relationship with his father, and the causes of his internalized shame and trauma in the middle section, which is a lengthy, continuous paragraph that serves as a potent confessional interlude. The narrator's current fears and obsessions are crucially contextualized in this section. The book has a focused, intense feel because of its brief length and divided structure.

Greenwell's masterful prose is both lyrical and intellectual. His sentences are often long and intricate, but they are not merely ornamental. They are dense with meaning, emotion, and philosophical reflection, creating a sense of a mind in motion. The book demonstrates bravery and honesty, particularly in its depiction of sex and the less-than-ideal aspects of human connection. Greenwell doesn't shy away from depicting the messy, conflicted, and sometimes painful realities of desire.

The consciousness on exhibit pierces your heart; it is a novel of eroticism and desire. Seldom have I come across such a powerful, lean story.

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Overcoming Life's Challenges

Thus Spoke Zarathustra 

by Friedrich Nietzsche

“I am a forest, and a night of dark trees: but he who is not afraid of my darkness, will find banks full of roses under my cypresses.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra

How do you overcome life's challenges? Maybe by reading Friedrich Nietzsche or Schopenhauer, or even better, both. Thus, Nietzsche is a poet and philosopher who spoke Zarathustra. The chapter "Thousand and One Goals" presents Zarathustra, the book's protagonist and title character, as "the creator" (p. 58). His travels, speeches, and particularly his reflective monologues provide us with discourse on the nature of spirit, language, judgment, consciousness, and knowledge (gnosis). Some of Nietzsche's most important concepts are elaborated in this work, including "eternal recurrence" and the "death of god." Since Nietzsche disagrees with the conventional wisdom that morality originates from God above, the latter signifies a change in the foundation of morality. Nietzsche was a precursor, if not one of the founders, of existentialist philosophy because he substituted a morality grounded in the individual's existence for this viewpoint.

This work's literary quality is marked by its mythic poetical style, which also gives it a spiritual reading. Aphoristic elements are also present in Nietzsche's writing. It is a challenging book to read, but for those who want a more literary approach to philosophy, the issues it poses make the effort worthwhile.

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Picturing the Cosmos

What Galileo Saw: Imagining the Scientific Revolution 

by Lawrence Lipking

The concept that artistic imagination and inventiveness influenced the Scientific Revolution of the 17th century just as much as logical reasoning is examined in What Galileo Saw: Imagining the Scientific Revolution. The conventional understanding of the time as a purely logical and forward-thinking advance toward modern science is called into question by the book. According to Lipking, scientists had to rethink the universe and their role in it as a result of the new discoveries of the time, such as Hooke's microscope and Galileo's telescope.

Lipking's central thesis is that the Scientific Revolution bridged the divide between science and art. He shows how figures like Galileo had to "picture a cosmos" that could account for what they saw, blending observation with creative visualization. This perspective brings together scientific pioneers with contemporary literary figures like John Milton and John Donne to show how these new scientific ideas were not just discovered but also conceived and articulated within a broader cultural and imaginative context.

The book delves into how key figures of the revolution, such as Galileo, Kepler, and Newton, used imagination to make sense of their findings. For example, Kepler used geometry to "open a window into the mind of God," and Descartes imagined a "Book of Nature" to explain how the universe was constructed. Lipking demonstrates that the Scientific Revolution wasn't just about collecting data but also about inventing new ways of seeing and storytelling to make sense of that data.

According to Lipking, the Scientific Revolution itself has been "re-imagined" over time, with new generations narrating the advancements in science. He emphasizes that the road to modern science wasn't a straight line because many of the renowned scientists of the time continued to hold views that are now regarded as superstitions (such as Newton's interest in alchemy). The book's essays, which can be read independently, emphasize how different individuals and communities perceived and reacted to these new discoveries.

Facets of Grief

Lives Other Than My Own: A Memoir 

by Emmanuel Carrère

“A visit always brings pleasure-- if not when it begins, then when it ends.” 
― Emmanuel Carrère, Lives Other than My Own: A Memoir

Lives Other Than My Own is a deeply moving and unconventional book that blurs the lines between memoir, reportage, and philosophical inquiry. It's a challenging yet rewarding read that confronts the raw realities of grief and loss through personal experiences and observations. Carrère's book is an unflinching look at how catastrophe and personal tragedy impact individuals and families. The narrative is primarily divided into two seemingly distinct sections that, together, explore the breadth of human suffering and resilience.

A central theme is the exploration of different facets of grief—the sudden, overwhelming shock of accidental death versus the prolonged, agonizing process of losing someone to illness. Carrère's prose is often praised for its honesty and sensitivity, allowing readers to connect deeply with the emotions of those he portrays.

Evil Onset

⁣

The Darkest Dawn: 

Lincoln, Booth, and the Great American Tragedy

 

by Thomas Goodrich

 

The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln is chronicled in Thomas Goodrich's book The Darkest Dawn: Lincoln, Booth, and the Great American Tragedy. The book's intricate and captivating story is praised by many; it stands out for fusing the "care of the historian and the flair of the fiction writer.

From the moments inside Ford's Theatre to the ensuing manhunt and national mourning, the book's narrative immediacy allows the reader to be immersed in the events leading up to the assassination. An account as detailed and up-to-date as today's news is given by the writing. It discusses the tragedy, the hunt for the culprits, and the response of the country.
I respect its historical significance, and this is a remarkable book among the Civil War novels I have read.

One of the most tragic incidents in American history, its effects on the country, and the eventual prosecution of the conspirators are all covered in the book. It is important to note that Thomas Goodrich is a writer who has authored other books about the Civil War and related subjects. I found this book to be one I would recommend due to its detailed and vivid account of the Lincoln assassination.

Harrrowing Memoir

I, Pierre Seel, Deported Homosexual: 

A Memoir of Nazi Terror 

by Pierre Seel

“I had to bear witness in order to protect the future, bear witness in order to overcome the amnesia of my contemporaries.” ― Pierre Seel, I, Pierre Seel, Deported Homosexual: A Memoir of Nazi Terror

Seel describes his experiences in this compelling memoir, including his arrest in Nazi-occupied Strasbourg in 1941 at the age of 17, his stay in the Schirmeck-Vorbruch concentration camp, and the horrifying crimes he saw, such as the murder of his lover. His candor, bravery, and dignified restraint in describing such extreme suffering are frequently praised by reviewers.

Because of the persistent discrimination against homosexuals in society, even in post-war France, Seel lived in shame and terror for almost forty years after the war, keeping his experiences a secret. His choice to speak out in 1981 is regarded as a great act of bravery and evidence of his resolve to pursue justice and recognition for the gay victims of the Nazis. His decision was frequently spurred by outrage at the persistence of homophobia.

Seel's life after the camps is also covered in the book, including his challenging marriage, his attempts to hide his homosexuality, and the psychological effects of his trauma that persisted for a long time. This demonstrates that for many gay survivors, persecution and humiliation persisted even after their "liberation" from the camps.

The book is an important piece of history. It serves as a reminder of what happens when groups are dehumanized and a warning against all forms of prejudice by offering a first-hand account of the Nazi persecution of homosexuals and their treatment in concentration camps.

Winter Mystery

Elegy for April 

by Benjamin Black

"It was the worst of winter weather, and April Latimer was missing." - Benjamin Black







The novel is less of a conventional whodunit and more of an atmospheric character study, with a focus on the relationships between the characters, particularly the fragile one between the protagonist, Dr. Quirke, and his recently discovered daughter, Phoebe.

The author has an ability to evoke the mood of 1950s Dublin, with its foggy streets, repressed society, and underlying tensions. His writing is elegant, precise, and beautiful, elevating the book beyond a typical crime novel. While the characters, especially Quirke, are complex and well-developed. The novel delves into Quirke's personal struggles with alcoholism and his difficult relationship with Phoebe, which adds a powerful emotional layer to the story.

Overall, I recommend "Elegy for April" for its literary quality and its atmospheric portrayal of a city and its people.

How Many Times

The Sheltering Sky 

by Paul Bowles

“Death is always on the way, but the fact that you don't know when it will arrive seems to take away from the finiteness of life. It's that terrible precision that we hate so much. But because we don't know, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens a certain number of times, and a very small number, really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, some afternoon that's so deeply a part of your being that you can't even conceive of your life without it? Perhaps four or five times more. Perhaps not even. How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless.” - Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky


The narrative tracks affluent Americans Port and Kit Moresby and their companion Tunner as they travel across the North African desert following World War II. They are "travelers" as opposed to "tourists," looking to escape the monotony of their lives and fully immerse themselves in a new culture. However, the harsh realities of the desert, their own internal conflicts, and their encounters with the unfamiliar quickly undo their attempts to rediscover themselves and rekindle their strained marriage. The story devolves into an unsettling examination of human frailty in the face of the Sahara's immense, merciless emptiness.

The inherent meaninglessness of life and the struggle of the individual to find meaning in a world devoid of intrinsic values are major themes. This existential emptiness is powerfully metaphorically represented by the vast, uncaring desert. While Kit attempts to avoid meaninglessness in a number of ways, characters such as Port struggle with the "infinite sadness" at the center of consciousness.

The conflict between Western sensibilities and the strange North African culture is portrayed by Bowles in a striking manner. Despite their desire to be "travelers," the Americans eventually fall short of truly understanding or connecting with the locals and their customs. Tragic outcomes from their ignorance underscore the perils of cultural conceit and unsophisticated exploration.

A common theme is the contrast between "tourists" who are looking for familiarity and comfort and "travelers" who welcome the unknown. Although Port considers himself a true traveler, the book challenges ideas of identity and purpose by implying that true self-discovery frequently comes at a terrifying cost. The characters feel incredibly alone, even in their own relationships. Distance and a lack of genuine intimacy plague Port and Kit's marriage. They become even more estranged from one another as well as from any feeling of home or belonging as a result of their journey.

Bowles contrasts the untamed, unadulterated forces of nature and human impulse in the desert with the ostensible order and reason of Western civilization. "The Sheltering Sky" is a difficult but unquestionably influential piece of writing. Although it's not an easy read, its examination of important existential issues and its realistic, frequently disturbing portrayal of human nature under pressure make an impression. This book compels readers to face difficult realities about who they are and the state of humanity.

Inspiring Erudition

Religio Medici / Urne-Buriall 

by Thomas Browne

 

“We carry within us the wonders we seek without us.” ― Sir Thomas Browne, 

Two of the most renowned and enduring pieces of prose from the 17th century in England are Religio Medici and Urne-Buriall, written by Sir Thomas Browne. These works demonstrate Browne's singular intelligence, mastery of style, and profound reflections on faith, life, death, and the human condition. Together, these pieces provide a striking window into the thoughts of a Renaissance man pondering the eternal questions of life and the scientific discoveries of his era. 

Religio Medici is a profoundly intimate and reflective work that was first circulated in manuscript form before being published in an authorized edition in 1643. It functions as Browne's spiritual autobiography, an open examination of his Christian beliefs as they relate to his work as a doctor. This was a radical undertaking in a century marked by severe religious conflict because it dared to offer a complex, accepting, and frequently contradictory understanding of belief.

Urne-Buriall is a meditation that was published in 1658.ion on mortality, memory, and the futility of human attempts to defy oblivion. The work was prompted by the discovery of ancient burial urns in Norfolk, near Browne's home, leading him to explore diverse funerary customs across history and cultures.

Reading Religio Medici and Urne-Buriall together provides a comprehensive experience of Thomas Browne's unique genius. Both works highlight his eclectic knowledge, his deeply introspective nature, and his unparalleled command of the English language. They are not easy reads, requiring patience and an appreciation for the baroque style and dense allusions. However, the reward is an encounter with a mind that effortlessly traverses the realms of science, philosophy, theology, and poetry, offering timeless insights into the human condition.

For those interested in 17th-century literature, the history of ideas, or simply magnificent prose, these two essays are indispensable. They remain a testament to Browne's enduring legacy as a singular figure in English letters. This is an inspiring work for all who love words and appreciate erudition. That does not take away from the imaginative largesse of Browne's prose. The glossary and notes included in this edition are helpful to all who are not scholars of the history of literature.

A Complex Life

The Invisible Man: 

The Life and Liberties 

of H.G. Wells 

by Michael Coren

"the literate teenager ... was free to read whatever happened to catch his interest." - Michael Coren, The Invisible Man.





Michael Coren's "The Invisible Man: The Life and Liberties of H. G. Wells" offers a provocative and often critical look at the complex life of the renowned author. Unlike many earlier biographies that tended to gloss over Wells's less admirable traits, Coren aims to present a "warts and all" portrait, challenging the perception of Wells as an unblemished utopian visionary.

Coren brings an intention to provide a more balanced, if not overtly critical, account of Wells. He aims to expose aspects of Wells's life and views that previous biographers might have omitted or downplayed. In doing so the book delves into Wells's personal life, including his numerous affairs and his often difficult relationships with women, portraying him as a "misogynistic womanizer." More significantly, Coren brings to light Wells's disturbing views on social engineering, eugenics, and, most notably, his alleged anti-Semitism, which Wells apparently defended even into the 1930s. This is a point of considerable debate and interest for many readers, as it often contradicts the commonly held image of Wells as a champion of liberal tolerance.

Coren emphasizes the paradoxes within Wells's character: a brilliant mind who could envision incredible futures and advocate for social progress (like women's suffrage), yet simultaneously held deeply problematic and intolerant personal views. I found the book to be well-researched, informative, and engaging, providing a concise yet thorough biography. It offers a fresh perspective by focusing on areas often overlooked. This is not a hagiography. It's a biography that seeks to unmask the "invisible" darker sides of H. G. Wells, prompting readers to confront the complexities and contradictions of a truly influential, yet deeply flawed, literary and social figure. I recommend it for those who want a more critical and nuanced understanding of Wells's life beyond his celebrated literary achievements.

Know Your Organism

Time, Love, Memory: 

A Great Biologist and 

His Quest for the 

Origins of Behavior 

by Jonathan Weiner

“To know your organism, you must eat it.’ Not just the flies: the pupae. And not just to horrify people, but to know.”
― Jonathan Weiner, Time, Love , Memory: A Great Biologist and His Quest for the Origins of Behavior

This book is a highly regarded examination of the state-of-the-art in genetics and its discoveries regarding the biological foundations of behavior. It won the 1999 American National Book Critics Circle Award for General Nonfiction, highlighting the life and contributions of pioneering scientist Seymour Benzer and his groundbreaking studies of fruit flies (*Drosophila*).

It serves as an engaging biography of Seymour Benzer, a gifted and somewhat eccentric scientist who invented the use of fruit flies to investigate behavior's genetic foundation. Weiner details eloquently Benzer's path from physics to phage genetics and finally to the study of *Drosophila*, demonstrating his distinct method of scientific investigation. The book focuses on the "Fly Rooms" at Caltech, where thousands of mutant fruit flies were carefully examined to learn how genes affect intricate behaviors like learning and recall (memory), courtship rituals (love), and circadian rhythms (time). Tiny creatures, with their relatively simple genetic makeup, became invaluable models for understanding fundamental biological processes that have counterparts in humans.

Beyond Benzer's individual story, "Time, Love, Memory" provides a broader historical context for the field of genetics, tracing its evolution from Gregor Mendel's pea plants to the revolutionary discoveries of DNA by Watson and Crick and the subsequent explosion of molecular biology. Weiner adeptly connects Benzer's work to these larger scientific narratives.

Weiner excels at humanizing the scientific process, offering "you-are-there" descriptions of lab life and portraying the personalities of the scientists involved. He reveals the humor, quirks, frustrations, and triumphs that are inherent to scientific discovery, making complex ideas accessible and engaging for a wide audience. He also weaves in allusions to philosophy, literature, and popular culture, enriching the narrative.

Raw and Unfiltered

The Air-Conditioned Nightmare 

by Henry Miller

“To be joyous is to be a madman in a world of sad ghosts.”
― Henry Miller








Henry Miller's The Air-Conditioned Nightmare is a provocative and often scathing critique of American society, born from his return to the United States in 1939 after a decade of self-imposed exile in Paris. Disillusioned by what he perceived as the shallow, materialistic, and culturally barren landscape of his homeland, Miller embarked on a three-year cross-country road trip, the observations from which form the basis of this memoir, first published in 1945.

Miller's central complaint is America's overwhelming obsession with material possessions and relentless pursuit of "progress" at the expense of genuine human connection, artistic expression, and spiritual fulfillment. He sees a nation "cluttered with useless objects" and a people exploited and degraded by being taught to desire these things.

Having thrived in the vibrant intellectual and artistic scene of Paris, Miller found America largely indifferent, if not hostile, to creative pursuits. He argues that artists are viewed as "moral lepers" and "economic misfits," and anything that cannot be bought or sold is debarred.

The Air-Conditioned Nightmare is not a conventional travelogue but a raw, unfiltered expression of Henry Miller's disillusionment with his homeland. While some readers may find his criticisms overly harsh or his perspectives self-indulgent, the book remains a powerful and prescient indictment of aspects of American culture that resonate even today. For fans of Miller's unique voice and unflinching social commentary, it offers a fascinating, albeit often uncomfortable, journey into the "nightmare" he perceived beneath the polished surface of America. It's often recommended for those already familiar with his other works, such as *Tropic of Cancer* and *The Colossus of Maroussi*, as it continues his exploration of the artist's struggle in a consumer-driven world.

Unique Narrative

The Late George Apley 

by John P. Marquand

“Distrust the book that reads too easily because such writing appeals more to the senses than to the intellect. Hard reading exercises the mind.”
― John P. Marquand, The Late George Apley

John P. Marquand won the Pulitzer Prize in 1938 for his brilliant work of social satire, *The Late George Apley*. Through the life of its title character, George Apley, the book provides a complex and frequently humorous look into the inflexible world of Boston Brahmin society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The novel's unique narrative structure is one of its most notable features. After George Apley passed away, a rather haughty and well-meaning family friend named Horatio Willing put together what is presented as a fictional biography. Using a variety of letters, diaries, and other private records, it seeks to paint a respectable and admiring picture of Apley. Willing's well-meaning but frequently misguided remarks are masterfully used by Marquand to subtly expose a more nuanced and occasionally tragic reality beneath the surface. The very limitations and setbacks of Apley's life are frequently brought to light by Willing's attempts to cleanse or justify Apley's early defiances or moments of true emotion. This semi-epistolary approach allows for layers of irony and subtle critique.

Marquand's genius lies in his ability to be both gently satirical and deeply sympathetic towards his characters. While he pokes fun at the pretensions and absurdities of Boston's elite, he also allows the reader to feel a profound sense of understanding and even pity for George Apley. Apley is not a villain but rather a man trapped by the very circumstances of his birth and the rigid expectations he inherited. 

The Late George Apley is a witty, incisive, and ultimately poignant character study. It offers a fascinating glimpse into a specific time and place while also exploring universal themes of identity, legacy, and the complex interplay between individual desires and societal pressures. It remains a relevant and highly regarded work of American literature for its sharp observations and its blend of humor and pathos.