Amazon Book Review of:
How I became Stupid
Review:
How I Became Stupid is, at best, irrevocably, an enigma. It’s charming, frustrating, playful, dark, whimsical yet damning, and – overall – difficult to sum its total without breaking down its parts. However; it is easy to define just what Stupid promises – or at least appears to: a witty read, rife with witticisms with which you can wittily impress upon your friends…in wit, of course. It is a cult hit after all. Yet, How I Became Stupid does manage to defy the many self-satisfied presumptions that the oft-elitist genre of alternative reading is so apt to fall to.
Despite the delightful cover and promise of a rather light read – Martin Page gives us anything but; the book, though short, is densely compact and wholly absorbing. Beneath its quick and sharp charm lies a more nuanced truth that reaches near apocalyptic suppositions. Yet, despite the “runaway train” effect that the acerbic story impresses, Martin Page dismisses the social pessimism that his character embraces in favor, however grudgingly, of a more optimistic outlook. By pointing out all the logical fallacies of such black thinking with spry humor – most especially when spiraling in the deepest depths of human misery – we are able to be left only amused and so then embrace the positive message written behind the (comically) dark events.
The premise of the book is that its main character, Antoine, believes that intelligence leads only to sufferance. With this conclusion, he embarks on a twisted odyssey to find happiness – by becoming stupid. This takes him everywhere from alcoholism, to suicide, to worldly success, and beyond.
It stands true that, throughout the novel, there remains a constant fracture between the author’s stance and that of his characters. Page maintains a view pitted against the banalities of idiocy even as Antoine yearns for it. It is in this way that Page celebrates most completely the intellectualism that Antoine rebels against. Yet, then again, nothing is safe from Martin Page’s exacting gaze and he is quick to point out the banality, of another sort, that intellectuals are prone to as well:
Rodolphe was a pure product of the education system and could expect to be appointed as an assistant professor within the next two years, to be promoted to university professor in about seven years, and to die in perfect obscurity some sixty years later, leaving a body of work that would influence generations of termites.
In fact the deprecation of vacuity – both of the stupid and knowledgeable kind – is a running theme of Stupid. It offers instead a celebration of true intelligence that imparts whole-hearted optimism. True optimism is Stupid’s highest exaltation in antithesis to its exploration in the pessimism and destruction of the self.
Antoine is trapped in a parable covering the plight of the common man; even as he feels most estranged from them. He loses this commonality, most ironically, when he conforms to the two-dimensional caricatures of his world, and so separates himself from us, the reader; the most three-dimensional personage involved. In this greatest contradiction Page makes his greatest conclusion: society, optimism, pessimism, are all to be accepted in their edifying, self-gratifying, vacuous, and meaningful splendor.
Review:
I wanted to like this book. Truly, I did. Art of Walt Disney promises what one could only hope would be an engaging, insightful, and yes - wholly delightful - collection and overview of the western world’s most influential pop culture icon.
However what is presented here is best described as a complete and utter disappointment. That is not to say that I didn’t derive enjoyment from the book. In its glossy pages, I marveled at the loose, expressive works of Disney’s best though these pieces cannot be attributed to the author’s direct input. It is heartening to see, as well, these works referred to as legitimate products of art - for that they are. All too often, despite the genius apparent in them, the connotation of work under the Disney label leads to dismissal as childish and therefore unworthy of any sort of legitimization. This of course does not stand true; apparent in the far-reaching effects they have had not only in the formation of this nation but in the global community’s regard. It is precisely this legitimization, though, and the subsequent failure to produce any sort of insightful analytic remark upon it, where Art of Walt Disney fails so remarkably.
After initial impression, I felt not only empty but bored - unable to read and intellectually stymied through its final thesis. Part of this is due to the rather increasingly banal commentary the author nears as the book draws to its final pages. Yet the largest problem I had with Disney was the fact that, despite its boasting of being one of the longest running recounts on the near immortal company’s visual history, it stands more as a portable gallery with neat captions than any sort of actual book. In this way it feels obsolete and cripplingly decrepit. Pictures? Oh sure, we have the internet for that now.
The comments are the equivalent to literary potato chips. Quick, easy to digest, but ultimately unsatisfying and - upon reflection - a most probable waste of one’s time. Christopher Finch refers to the company’s history often but only half-heartedly, as if unsure of just what else to say. However there is quite a lot that could be remarked upon the subject. Disney, the company, was made great by the extensive vision of Disney, the man, that not only highlighted the intellectual appeal and humanity of those involved in the process but reciprocated this unto its audience. In its formulative stages, the works produced where not the fodder of Saturday morning cartoon programming but an experiment in the surreal landscape of what must surely have been seen as an equally surreal medium of the day; film. Artists that could now make their creatures dance, sing, breath, and live in front of the audience’s eyes had an intent with what they did. This new approach was Shakespeare modernized - perhaps surpassed. For where Shakespeare’s characters existed behind black ink to animate only within the reader’s mind, here Disney’s creatures came to have a life of their own. Autonomous, thinking, real; they existed in our dimensional world through their two-dimensional plane. Surely Finch would have perceived some of this and allowed at least a passing reference in the name of this vision. Unfortunately, however, in memory of these works, we - the audience - are pandered to and given instead only a dry summary of film’s (and it’s art) background.
I applaud Art of Disney for attempting a stab at artistic celebration in an oft overlooked and dismissed medium. However it falls short of any such true artistic analysis, critique, or even celebration of these works to instead replace it with dry commentary -however well intentioned - that remains flat. Perhaps the greatest irony of all is that where it attempts legitimization of it’s subject, Art of Disney itself falls short of such a goal in pandering to it’s where the true art of Disney - the realization of visionary intellect - stands tall.
Amazon Book Review of: All the Shah's Men
Review:
All the Shah’s Men attempts something seen but rarely accomplished in such an insightfully brilliant composition. Covering the events of the Anglo-Iranian oil embroilment, Stephen Kinzer attempts to take a neutral position on the ordeal but careful juxtaposition of events and seemingly minor inadvertent details hints otherwise. It must be realized that there is nothing in this text that is thrown casually together or without cause; the subject material is intrinsically complex: the very thought of organizing a tale as historically convoluted as this one seems a near incomprehensible act. It leaves only the conclusion, then, that every clause is carefully chosen and every concept lent an overarching purpose. Stephen Kinzer has taken to the high hills of neutrality while also subtly imparting his own thoughts from its grounds.
However that is not to say that he implants a wholly biased view. No, in fact there is a masterful genius in the way that he presents both sides of the issue without asking the audience outright to make judgement on either side. It should be noted that this is hard not to: one would find it difficult to read on the roots of what has amounted to a country’s centuries old struggle for stable government and national unity. But, fortunately, it is not required of the reader to take any such stance. Indeed, it is not until the very end that any sort of analysis is even attempted. Then, too, Kinzer remains aloof behind the analysis of other historians of which he quotes extensively and interjects only to raise possible quandaries that they - not he - expose.
It is difficult to describe just who Kinzer is trying to reach here but it stands apparent that the man is passionate about his subject and wishes to get word out. At its core, All the Shah’s Men is a tale of misunderstandings, stubborn actions, and lost opportunities. The novel details the U.S.’s involvement in a coup overthrowing Iran’s revolutionary, progressive leader at the time Mohammad Mossadegh. While popular in his home country for nationalizing the oil industry, he ran afoul British (and consequently American) interests with his actions. Replacing him was Reza Shah who was seen mostly as the U.S.’s puppet government. Needless to say, this has caused what can only be understated as constant strife in the region and involved countries’ relations. Kinzer ties this tale into coherency with an air of moralistic impassivity. What passes in his book is intriguing, disheartening, and as he is quick to remind - above all historically accurate. One feels that, upon closing the final chapters they have uncovered a great virtuosity and reached a profound understanding of often muddy governmental policies. If anything, one knows that they have definitely been handed a guide on how not to run foreign policy.
There is the implied concession on the advantages of hindsight, but then again, there is too that implied (however not always limited to such subtlety) concept that pigheadedness - easily identifiable during the run of its course - was, too, a large contributing factor.
All the Shah’s Men succeeds not only because of its well accomplished attempts to organize often baffling quandries of political events, but also because of its effective use of what can best be described as stratification. While it would have been easy to cop to dividing the social castes inherent in the Anglo-Iranian crisis (and a major fuel to the lasting bitterness) Kinzer instead identifies the many overlaying sociological strata of the issue. We are given an overview of the issues highly charged history rife with symbols of religious martyrdom and political tension. The apparent psychological epidermis of the crisis is tilled handily before delving more into the heart of the issue in an effort of attaining an all-encompassing understanding. Without pandering to superficial conclusions or extraneous events, he gives us the breadth of the situation with a vision of multi-layered depth often gone unseen with such wells of temperance.
The ball is missed in a few spots, though. His straight-line recount of events feels empty at times as the mechanical linkage of occurrences leads to a concise - however dry - tale. As aforementioned, the balance of fact and opinion however much implied by Kinzer or falsely placed by the reader, is an unbalanced mix that somewhat detracts from the ruminative insights that he is oft to make.
However these moments stand of a minor importance in the larger, venturous message of Shah’s Men. Nor do they slow down the rathe
r fast-paced events of international spy intrigue permeating the Anglo-Iranian crisis. To this effect, Kinzer has drafted a book that will appeal not only to history buffs and political enthusiasts, but to those who would most usually find such subjects to be rather a boring and stuffy read. Kinzer is sure to make the matter of the past an engrossing issue of the now and foreign policy not only a matter of moralistic integrity of government but also one of personal responsibility. As indicated by All the Shah’s Men’s bestseller status, the people - people of the government - are clearly willing to listen. And, perhaps, that is all Kinzer really wants.
Amazon Book Review of: On the Road with Hillary: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Journey from Arkansas to the U.S. Senate
Amazon Description: None
Review:
Alright, I’ll be the first to admit that as a die-hard political news junkie, I had a hard time passing On the Road with Hillary one up. When I’m looking to get the latest bit of political gossip (all the better to meticulously pick apart with a fine toothed comb and later blanch about in a heated blog post) I want it to be a clear cut, unimpassioned view of the issues. I apologize to editors everywhere but; opinions - especially political ones - are just far too messy. And, no, I don’t miss the irony in that statement regarding the type of essay I’m currently writing. But as we all know, books are stuffy subjects and, upon picking this book up, I felt a bit of inflammatory rhetoric couldn’t hurt, right?
Immediately, I could tell this one would be a doozy; and it wasn’t the bright pink and neon yellow color scheme. No, a book on either of the Clintons was bound to be a wholly impassioned one. There was the chance of either a right-wing rail against the very fundamentals of the Clinton machine or a reproachful decry of the news media’s special hate for the ex-presidential family and undying loyal support that Clinton activists are famous for. Despite the cover sporting a look best described as “embarrassing”, this book falls in the latter camp.
For many, this reading would be a bit of an outdated one. Published before recent political events, this book misses the time line entirely of Hillary: presidential nominee to instead trace the path of Hillary: presidential wife. This is apparent in the books subtitle: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Journey from Arkansas to the U.S. Senate. Told by one of Hillary’s best advance men Patrick S. Halley, it becomes readily apparent that this would be for the most part a feel-good novel. And I’m not ashamed to confess that, putting aside all personal political stances, I felt good reading this.
Quick, with writing balanced by a rather well-paced, good-sized read, On the Road knows how to tell and entertaining story. And that is no small feat. Despite the rather frantic, heady life of those in the political arena - the work itself can be boring, monotonous and - well - make for a less than exciting tale. That however is not the issue here. Far less likely than this, you’ll probably noticed instead the almost single-minded liberal slant that Hillary adopts. There is an attempt to make this seem like a natural outgrowth of years dedicated to the former first lady. Of course, one must realize that it would be hard to be around such company and not be caught in the excitement of their cause; but we are only ever given a sneering commentary of the right that edges on domineering.
The humor in On the Road with Hillary is dished out a mile a minute. At its best he reaches nuanced conclusions hitting on the ironies of the distressed political world. At its worst, well, you be the judge of such quaint jabs such as one chapter entitled “Cookie Monster” in regards to, of course, a certain line said by Hillary that certainly offended a large demography of stay at home moms. Its hard to come off hating the man though; he is just as quick to make a self deprecating joke after faulting on the opposing party’s line. It doesn’t hurt that his tone stays consistently affable and unabashedly his own throughout. He is quick to remind and the reader (should) know; the book is nothing more than an extended anecdote (along with a surprisingly enjoyable process analysis of the work involved in advancing) that takes on an unrelenting unashamed view exclusively from the left side of the camp.
His devotion with the stance, the Clinton campaign, and Hillary herself never falters and borders on more than one occasion with outright adoration. It is to be suspected that working personally with Hillary in a highly emotional, stressed environment would lead to more than just a professionally based connection. As he constantly shows: there will be sweat, blood, and tears. There is a certain level of discomfort placed upon the reader, however, as we are left to speculate upon just how closely he feels with the former first lady. Yes, he’s worked with the woman for a good number of years and most likely receded his hair line back a few goo inches with the amount of stress involved; but we are given no mention of his wife back home after such sentimental remunerations of Hillary or even if he has a wife back home to mention. Off-putting as this may be, we are only subjected to endure this a few times throughout the entire course of the text and doesn’t prove to be too bothersome.
Upon finishing On the Road, one is most likely to be left with a feeling of new appreciation (if not unguarded hate if you’re the type of person that Halley likes to poke so much fun at) for the type of work involved, gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings of the political life, breathe a sigh of relief along with Halley after a particularly stressful advance job, or feel the heady rush of achievement upon success in the political campaign; for as in all campaigns, sweet victory is a battle won but it remains only a battle in the more far-reaching war.
On the Road with Hillary is not only a celebration of the Clinton family, a look into what really goes on behind the scenes, and a poke - however lighthearted and fun - at the right, but is, at times, an insightful piece too. There is a constant pervading sense that Patrick S. Halley is always on the cusp of some deeper realization. That is, when he puts aside the left or right-wing rhetoric and makes larger extrapolations on politics itself, his ideas are made substantial. However these moments are too far and few between and become obscured just as quickly as they appear by a self-deprecating jab; almost as if he feels uncomfortable when departing from tired ground to make his own view.
An interesting read but certainly not a running candidate amongst the echelons of great political writings, On the Road with Hillary should not be entirely dismissed. It is not for everyone to be sure, relying almost exclusively on opinion as its fueling force. But perhaps it is up to the reader to put aside their own opinions, here, and look at a side they may not have seen with a measured nuanced view where he does not. Perhaps there is no greater task asked of the reader than to share along with Halley in his sunny eyed recounts of politics in a celebration of its best, worst, and funniest moments.
Amazon book
review of D.F. Whipple's second novel: Snooker Glen.
Amazon description:
- D. F. Whipple's second novel Snooker Glen is set in rural Kentucky against the backdrop of a community's division over a mine strike and the contentious issues surrounding immigration and mine safety.
Review:
I must admit, as a high school student greatly interested in the literary arts, I am left with a feeling hardly assessable after reading a Whipple book. The characters, ideas; the tale itself seems unable to lie contently within the pages that Whipple has so masterfully filled. There is not a word that appears haphazardly thrown in or written in as "padding". The characters lives don't end by the time one has read through to the back cover. Nor were they started on the first page; instead one gets the feeling that we are merely the observers of these people's lives who we can only begin to grasp. As in his previous novel, the story is never brought to a conclusive end. This comes not through any lack of lucidity on the author's part: no, indeed this arises more to the fact that what Whipple has constructed within the three-hundred odd pages is a large, allegorical mirror upon which we are to view ourselves.
Yes, there are the more universal themes here dealing with immigration that never fall to bland assumptions, conclusions, or otherwise clichéd and stereotyped ends. However, where some readers may not connect to such global themes (which remains unlikely - Whipple allows no connection, large or small, communal or individual to remain insignificant; we as readers are shown the impact of our moral obligations through his characters on a both a restricted and wide scale) he sticks to situations on which we all can connect: what mother has not fretted over the well-being of her own children? When have people not been incited to anger when an outside threat closes in?
It is interesting to note, though, that the truth becomes most clear in the character's greatest struggles. These "scenes" - if you will - usually involve an almost dream-like, hallucinatory sequence of events. It appears that Whipple is trying to tell us that we (as human creatures) have known the truth all along but do not reach realization until our doubts, our self-imposed trials, choke out all other knowns and only the ultimatum - that thing which we so try to ignore - becomes clear even (or especially) as all else falls apart.
Any of those who have read Whipple's first novel, Shadow Fields, will recognize such masterful tactics. You will not be disappointed with this great selection; not only does it display a wide range of interests (the setting is almost completely removed from the large corporations dominating his early novel) but it also documents a maturing style of this author who so far has only demonstrated genuine enthusiasm and skill for his art. Not to discredit his early work by any means, but I left this one feeling more satisfied with the depth with which he explored his world. If any of you are to recall my previous review, you would find this to be a nit-pick of mine (I wouldn't call it a complaint, I enjoyed that book far too much to have a complaint). This time around, however, I left a very satisfied, very thoughtful reader.
And I left, perhaps, just a little bit more interested and compassionate about my fellow man. When a book can do that to you, you most certainly know you have something a little bit more than a "fireside read" on your hands.
I highly recommend this book to any and all interested. I even recommend it to any who may not be interested; you will be surprised at how easily you will slip into the world of Snooker Glen and how very hard it is to leave it.