Haunting and Evocative

Le Grand Meaulnes 

by Alain-Fournier

I thought too, that our youth was over and we had failed to find happiness.” ― Alain-Fournier, Le Grand Meaulnes

Henri-Alban Fournier, writing under the pseudonym Alain-Fournier, penned only one novel, but it was a work that would secure his place in the pantheon of French literature. "Le Grand Meaulnes," published in 1913 and often translated as "The Lost Estate," is a haunting and evocative tale of adolescence, love, and the elusive nature of memory.

François Seurel, the quiet and perceptive son of a rural French schoolmaster, tells the tale. The introduction of a new, gregarious student, Augustin Meaulnes, who is soon dubbed "Le Grand Meaulnes" (The Great Meaulnes) by his peers, permanently changes his peaceful life. Meaulnes is mysterious and daring, with a captivating personality that both captivates and terrifies the more sober François.

The novel's turning point is when Meaulnes, while traveling on a whim, discovers a mysterious, run-down estate where an odd and enchanted costume party is taking place. He meets the stunning and ethereal Yvonne de Galais there, amid the celebrations, and he falls madly in love with her in that brief instant. Meaulnes will spend the remainder of the book frantically attempting to rediscover the "lost estate," which, with its aura of enchantment and diminished grandeur, becomes a symbol of a perfect, almost dreamlike happiness.

The story is a gripping combination of fairy tale elements and realism; however one that is rooted in a concrete reality thanks to the realistic portrayal of the French countryside's rustic simplicity. Nonetheless, the novel is given a sense of the fantastical by the main scene at the enigmatic fête, complete with children in costume and an atmosphere of unearthly revelry. The book's timeless appeal stems from this duality, which illustrates how young imagination can elevate the commonplace to the extraordinary.

Fundamentally, "The Lost Estate" is a profound reflection on what adolescence is all about. It captures exactly the strong feelings, the passionate friendships, and the desire for adventure that characterize this developmental stage. The universal search for a lost paradise—a period of unadulterated potential that can never be fully reclaimed—is powerfully symbolized by Meaulnes's quest for the lost estate and his romanticized love for Yvonne.

Riddle of Mozart

Mozart 

by Wolfgang Hildesheimer

"The riddle of Mozart is precisely that 'the man' refuses to be a key for solving it. In death, as in life, he conceals himself behind his work."  - Wolfgang Hildesheimer






The 1977 biography of Wolfgang Hildesheimer, "Mozart," is a noteworthy and frequently contentious addition to our knowledge of the renowned composer. A complex, difficult, and profoundly human portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is presented by Hildesheimer, who avoids an unduly romanticized or hagiographic approach. Decades after its publication, this portrait still sparks debate and reexamination.

Hildesheimer's work is fundamentally a demythologization. He removes the façade of the carefree genius who creates masterpieces with ease, the porcelain prodigy. Rather, he explores Mozart's imperfections, fears, and eccentricities by using a psychoanalytical lens to delve into the composer's mind. As demonstrated by the biography's candid discussion of Mozart's notorious scatological humor in his letters, this "Mozart" is not always a comfortable character; at times, he can come across as perplexing, aloof, and even uncivilized.

One of the most unique aspects of the book is that it is a "meta-biography." Hildesheimer is not satisfied with merely narrating Mozart's life story. He actively participates in and critiques the biographical writing process itself, especially the customs that have molded Mozart's reputation over the ages. He criticizes earlier biographers for projecting their own ideals onto their subject, being sentimental, and having wishful thinking. This critical attitude includes challenging long-held beliefs and conducting a thorough analysis of sources.

It is a theme-based biographical analysis of Mozart's life. Using excerpts from Mozart's letters, the author creates an engaging, though never hagiographic, account of his life and music. Mozart fans will enjoy this entertaining and well-written biography.

Living Well

Music at Midnight: 

The Life and Poetry of George Herbert 

by John Drury

“Living well is the best revenge.” ― George Herbert






Widely regarded as an important and perceptive biography, John Drury's "Music at Midnight: The Life and Poetry of George Herbert" provides a thorough and captivating examination of the 17th-century metaphysical poet. Instead of presenting a simple cradle-to-grave account, Drury skillfully combines Herbert's life story with insightful criticism of his poetry, showing how his enduring verse was significantly influenced by his own experiences, spiritual challenges, and the sociopolitical climate of early 17th-century England.

Without compromising academic rigor, Drury does a commendable job of making Herbert and his world understandable to modern readers. Both seasoned Herbert scholars and those unfamiliar with his work will find his prose appealing, often characterized as eloquent and devoid of complex academic jargon. Drury's insightful analysis of Herbert's poems, exploring their formal and stylistic mastery, theological profundity, and emotional resonance, is one of the book's main strengths. The book effectively reveals the "autobiographical implications" of Herbert's poetry, demonstrating how his poems "obviously and confessedly arise from his life experiences."

The main accomplishment of the book is the way it skillfully blends incisive literary criticism with Herbert's biography. By deftly situating readings of the poems within Herbert's life story, Drury enables readers to understand the background from which they were taken. Drury finds a balance between making the content understandable and offering an informed, in-depth account. He breaks down difficult theological concepts in an understandable way, clarifies historical context, and explains archaic language. The end product is an excellent read.

London itself

Under the Net 

by Iris Murdoch

"...I like the women in novels by James and Conrad who are so peculiarly flower-like and who are described as 'guileless, profound, confident, and trustful.' That 'profound' is good: fluttering white hands and as deep as the sea..." (p. 28)

Despite its wonderful cast of writers, eccentrics, and a glamorous actress, Iris Murdoch's debut novel, Under the Net, has a distinct feel that comes from London itself. The book has a picaresque format, with James Donaghue (Jake) narrating a series of events in the first person. Furthermore, the main character's adventures are primarily set in London, particularly in the financial districts and Holborn. Paris, another great and enigmatic city, is the setting for a few important but short scenes. Philosophical contexts are among the many other contexts in which London is depicted. She wrote, "Some parts of London are necessary, while others are contingent."

 But Murdoch's book centers on her writer-hero, Jake Donaghue, and it tells the story of London as a whole. The dedication was given to Raymond Queneau. Jake mentions taking two books in Chapter 1 when he leaves Madge's apartment: Murphy by Samuel Beckett and Pierrot mon Ami by Queneau, both of which are mentioned again in this story. Hugo Belfounder, another character, is largely based on Yorick Smythies, a student of Wittgenstein's. The epigraph from Secular Masque by John Dryden explains how the protagonist's misunderstandings cause him to relocate. Angus Wilson summed it up as "wine, women, and Wittgenstein." When all is said and done, the book is an exciting beginning to what would become a successful writing career.

Woman or a Man?

Orlando 

by Virginia Woolf

“As long as she thinks of a man, nobody objects to a woman thinking.”  ― Virginia Woolf, Orlando

One of Virginia Woolf's most creative and lighthearted books is Orlando, a stunning fusion of historical fiction, fantasy, and biography. The novel, which spans more than three centuries, centers on Orlando, a young aristocrat in Elizabethan England who, midway through the narrative, mysteriously changes into a woman and survives into the 20th century with little sign of aging. Woolf uses wit and poetic genius to explore themes of gender, identity, time, and the nature of art through this premise.

Orlando is a 16-year-old poet and courtier in Queen Elizabeth I's court at the start of the book. His travels, romantic relationships, and literary endeavors lead him to, in a fantastical turn of events, awaken as a woman in the eighteenth century. From there, Orlando struggles with the limitations placed on women, negotiates changing social roles, and develops as a writer. The story is presented as a parody of a biography, complete with a lighthearted narrator who offers commentary on both the story and the writing process. The fluidity of Orlando's identity and the passage of time are reflected in the book's structure.

Woolf explores the performative nature of gender roles and the fluidity of identity through Orlando's gender transformation. Orlando enjoys freedom and privilege as a man; as a woman, she encounters limitations but also learns new things. Woolf's examination of gender feels remarkably contemporary, questioning social norms and binary ideas. The novel also explores the elasticity of time, as Woolf uses Orlando's long life to make observations about historical shifts from Victorian repression to the modern era to Renaissance exuberance.

Disillusionment

Lost in the Meritocracy: 

The Undereducation of an Overachiever 

by Walter Kirn

"'I won a nice fellowship, Uncle Admiral. To Oxford. I know you always loved London'."






"Lost in the Meritocracy: The Undereducation of an Overachiever," Walter Kirn's 2009 memoir, is a scathing and frequently comical indictment of the American educational system and the concept of a merit-based society in general. Kirn's journey from a rural Minnesota upbringing to Princeton University's esteemed halls is chronicled in the book; this path was supposedly paved by academic ambition and high test scores. Kirn's experience, however, exposes a system that, in his opinion, places more value on the unrelenting pursuit of credentials and points than on sincere intellectual curiosity and personal development.

"Lost in the Meritocracy" is fundamentally an examination of disillusionment. Kirn describes how he felt empty and "under-educated" despite being an "overachiever" because of his unwavering pursuit of success within the conventional parameters of academic achievement. The tyranny of credentials and testing, the "undereducation" of an overachiever, the critique of elite institutions, social class and belonging, and the price of conformity are some of the major themes.

Walter Kirn is one of my favorite writers, and this book, like his satirical novel Thumbsucker, was fun to read.

Extravagant Love

A Fairly Honourable Defeat 

by Iris Murdoch

“You are preserving your dignity by refusing to show your feelings. But there are moments when love ought to be undignified, extravagant, even violent.”

― Iris Murdoch, A Fairly Honourable Defeat

Hilda and Rupert are a perfect match. Their only concerns are Morgan, Hilda's unstable sister who recently returned from America, and their son, who dropped out. Morgan's ex-lover, Julius, arrives with the intention of mildly upending Rupert and Hilda's seemingly unbreakable marriage. His opponent, Tallis, Morgan's husband, is surprisingly spirited. The conflict between two demonic creatures—one good and one evil—is the subject of this story. It is a fairly honorable defeat for the good, but the evil one prevails. 

I was introduced to Iris Murdoch's writing for the first time through this book when it was published in the 1970s. However, I will not go into too much detail about it here other than to say that my youthful impression has been confirmed again and again over the decades. I just say that it is a really gripping, sinister tale that I really liked. Each of the characters was incredibly interesting in their own unique way, and the tense relationships that resulted maintained the level of interest.