1) "Sacrificing lives to protect a secret is not new in intelligence circles, the military or the government. The US and British government have been doing so since at least World War 1; the issue does not pose a moral dilemma to either intelligence chiefs or presidents; it doesn't even cause any real unease. The most famous example of this occurred during World War II, when the British were intercepting and decoding all of Germany's Enigma messages. Often, Churchill, Roosevelt and Eisenhower kept vital information learned through what was called the Ultra secret from field and naval commanders."
- I think that this passage is particularly provocative because of the way it starts out; James begins by saying "Sacrificing lives to protect a secret is not new in intelligence circles, the military or the government." This implies that it is possible that lives could have been saved in several terrorist attacks, including 9/11, although doing so could have alerted Bin Laden that he had a traitor in his midst. This passage would be especially alarming to those who were personally affected in some way by 9/11, or any other recent terrorist attacks for that matter, because of the possibility that something could have been done by the U.S government to prevent it.
2) "All of this could have been done without signalling to al Queda that the US had penetrated its innermost circles. For example, the government knew of Atta and at least some of the others involved in the plot by sometime in late August; the government knew that Atta and the others were inside the country. There names could have been sent to every airline flying into the U.S, and especially the large domestic carriers, including those that had "American" writ large on the side of the fuselage given bin Laden's hatred of all things American.
"No one would have noticed a thing," said a former CIA insider. "Just one more name on a list."
- In this passage, James claims that the government was aware that al Queda was planning an immediate attack using commercial airplanes, and that there was enough information to increase airport security in late August and early September. As well as this, the government was aware that Mohammad Atta and several others were already in the country by late August, and did not do anything to help the situation. The first passage discusses past government secrets that have cost human lives, but does not mention specifically the 9/11 attacks. This passage directly states that had airline security been bolstered in September 2001, not only would lives have been saved, bin Laden would have been unaware that he had been infiltrated.
3) ...it is generally acknowledged that president Bush definitely is not a deep thinker. This is not new criticism, nor is it motivated by partisan politics. People who have known bush for many years and outside of the political arena have been aware of it. For example, back in the days when he was the titular head of the Texas Rangers baseball club and attended the quarterly owner's meetings convened by Major League Baseball, Bush often interjected comments that often missed the point of the discussion going on around him at the time. He became a private joke among a handful of other owners. During one of the future president's irrelevant observations, one particular high profile owner of a much respected and successful club whispered to the man sitting next to him, "if it weren't for George (Bush), Marge (Schott) would be the dumbest guy in baseball."
- Unlike the first two passages that discuss the history of Washington's secrets and the impending terrorist attacks, this is a direct attack on George Bush. After reading other works of Charley James, it is clear that he does not miss many opportunities to insult questionable political decisions made by some of America's "slower" politicians. As a side note, James mentions the MLB owners meetings, where another teams owner compares him to Marge Schott, who was kicked out of baseball for making racist comments about black and Latino players. This adds a slightly more humourous aspect to what is a darker, cynical story.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
"Alaskans Speak" response
"Alaskans Speak (In A Frightened Whisper)" by Charley James of the LA Progressive is fairly well written and is a provocative piece, but the legitimacy is questionable. James is a democrat writing a story that claims republican John McCain’s running mate in this past election, Sarah Palin, is racist and sexist. I was glad to see that I was not the only one who questioned the sources used by Mr. James, as he was forced to write a second story after being flooded with emails from readers who were unsure of the authenticity of some of his sources. The opening line of his story is “So Sambo beat the bitch!” a phrase he claims was said by Palin after Barack Obama won the Democratic Party presidential nomination over Hillary Clinton, his source being a waitress in a small restaurant named simply “Lucille”.
I was interested to see how he explained himself in the following piece, but seemed to just reiterate the fact that he “honors the anonymity of his sources.” Beside the fact that he doesn’t mention any names, his anonymous sources are all simply Alaskan residents, none of whom have any form of high-ranking government position or any ties to Ms. Palin. It is one thing to write a piece on some of Palin’s questionable decisions as the governor of Alaska, but to claim that she is sexist, racist or vindictive without any legitimate sources is completely ridiculous. If Charley James were to publish a similar story with similar sources about Joe Biden after the Republican presidential nomination, he would be severely questioned, as I’m sure he was after writing this piece.
When actually reading the story, it does not take long to discover a hint of bias in James’ writing, as right off the start he claims that Palin made both a sexist and racist remark in the span of five words. If James had simply stuck to commenting on some of Palin’s political ideals and decisions, there would be no problem, but by bringing up the fact that she is racist and sexist, he has stirred up controversy. In the future, I would strongly recommend that if he is to write an article of this magnitude, find some legitimate sources or just don’t publish it at all.
I was interested to see how he explained himself in the following piece, but seemed to just reiterate the fact that he “honors the anonymity of his sources.” Beside the fact that he doesn’t mention any names, his anonymous sources are all simply Alaskan residents, none of whom have any form of high-ranking government position or any ties to Ms. Palin. It is one thing to write a piece on some of Palin’s questionable decisions as the governor of Alaska, but to claim that she is sexist, racist or vindictive without any legitimate sources is completely ridiculous. If Charley James were to publish a similar story with similar sources about Joe Biden after the Republican presidential nomination, he would be severely questioned, as I’m sure he was after writing this piece.
When actually reading the story, it does not take long to discover a hint of bias in James’ writing, as right off the start he claims that Palin made both a sexist and racist remark in the span of five words. If James had simply stuck to commenting on some of Palin’s political ideals and decisions, there would be no problem, but by bringing up the fact that she is racist and sexist, he has stirred up controversy. In the future, I would strongly recommend that if he is to write an article of this magnitude, find some legitimate sources or just don’t publish it at all.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Comparing Speeches
The victory speech delivered by the new president of the United States, Barrack Obama, is one that will be studied for generations to come, similar to that of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. He acknowledges his opponent, Senator McCain, and his running partner, Sarah Palin, and thanks those who helped him along the way, including his family, the new vice-president Joe Biden, and his chief strategist, David Axelrod. Obama is brief in his thanks, but swiftly moves to the more serious issues his country faces, most notably the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, as well as two wars in the Middle East. The rhetorical devices and imagery used by Obama are so vivid that it gives the 250,000 people watching in Grant Park, and millions of others watching live on television, hope for the future of the United States. Obama says things like "I will listen to you, especially when we disagree" and "The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep" to acknowledge the American people, and ensure that their voices will matter in the future. The hope and pride in Obama’s voice is something that people all over the world, not just in the United States, should be happy about.
The other speech made that night, in Phoenix, Arizona, by Obama’s opponent John McCain, was impressive for different reasons. He commends Obama for the great job that he’s done, but more importantly, makes it clear that his country is the most important thing to him, and he will support the new president to the best of his ability. McCain asks the audience to join him in support of Barrack Obama, in what is certainly a difficult time to take over the presidency. McCain mentions the “invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House” in his speech, which signifies the massive change in racial tolerance in the United States over the last century. What I found made McCain’s speech so good was how gracious he was in defeat, and the incredible thanks that he gave to all those who helped him get to where he is. The concession speech given by Senator McCain and the victory speech given by Barrack Obama are very different, although their morals and hopes for the United States are very similar. Both men, regardless of who had won this election, were committed to improving their country, as was evident in their speeches. They should both be commended for what was the most riveting election in a very long time, possibly ever, and will both certainly have a huge impact on what happens to America for years to come.
The other speech made that night, in Phoenix, Arizona, by Obama’s opponent John McCain, was impressive for different reasons. He commends Obama for the great job that he’s done, but more importantly, makes it clear that his country is the most important thing to him, and he will support the new president to the best of his ability. McCain asks the audience to join him in support of Barrack Obama, in what is certainly a difficult time to take over the presidency. McCain mentions the “invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House” in his speech, which signifies the massive change in racial tolerance in the United States over the last century. What I found made McCain’s speech so good was how gracious he was in defeat, and the incredible thanks that he gave to all those who helped him get to where he is. The concession speech given by Senator McCain and the victory speech given by Barrack Obama are very different, although their morals and hopes for the United States are very similar. Both men, regardless of who had won this election, were committed to improving their country, as was evident in their speeches. They should both be commended for what was the most riveting election in a very long time, possibly ever, and will both certainly have a huge impact on what happens to America for years to come.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Narrative Drive
Narrative Drive
The narrative drive in the stories “Home” and “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” are different for a couple of reasons, although both still effective. “Home” is a much shorter, more concise story about returning to the town you grow up in. Since it’s so much shorter, it is easier to stay focused the whole time you’re reading it, and uses quirky characters and wild situations to keep the story flowing. The dialogue, much of it drunken or violent (or both), adds a comical aspect that makes “Home” an interesting read.
“A Perfect Day for Bananafish” is much longer, and contains much more dialogue. The first half of the story is a telephone conversation between a far too overprotective mother and her married daughter. The comedy behind the mother’s over-anxiousness and her daughters frustration helps keep the plot moving along, until the story suddenly switches to a young man playing on the beach with a little girl, Sybil Carpenter. It becomes clear that the young mans intentions with Sybil are increasingly inappropriate, and she runs away from him. The addition of these new characters after an extended phone call also contributes to the advancement of the story, which ends on a sad note with the young man shooting himself.
The narrative drive in the stories “Home” and “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” are different for a couple of reasons, although both still effective. “Home” is a much shorter, more concise story about returning to the town you grow up in. Since it’s so much shorter, it is easier to stay focused the whole time you’re reading it, and uses quirky characters and wild situations to keep the story flowing. The dialogue, much of it drunken or violent (or both), adds a comical aspect that makes “Home” an interesting read.
“A Perfect Day for Bananafish” is much longer, and contains much more dialogue. The first half of the story is a telephone conversation between a far too overprotective mother and her married daughter. The comedy behind the mother’s over-anxiousness and her daughters frustration helps keep the plot moving along, until the story suddenly switches to a young man playing on the beach with a little girl, Sybil Carpenter. It becomes clear that the young mans intentions with Sybil are increasingly inappropriate, and she runs away from him. The addition of these new characters after an extended phone call also contributes to the advancement of the story, which ends on a sad note with the young man shooting himself.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Crime Fiction
According to Ian Rankin, there are several reasons why reading crime fiction is good for you. It takes you out of your own world and into that of someone else’s, in a completely different situation. In the history of Western literature, the main ingredients of crime fiction (violence, mystery, deception, etc.) haven’t changed. However, people have been confused about the basic identity of the crime novel, which ultimately is designed to entertain. By the end of the story, the reader should know who the murderer is, why they did it and how it was achieved, although often the reader is tricked by false clues and a battery of suspects. English writer Raymond Chandler claimed that the “detective” novel (another form of crime fiction) must “baffle a reasonably intelligent reader, and the solution must seem inevitable once revealed”. Rankin claims crime fiction is capable of tackling the bigger contemporary issues in a community in its plot or themes (Rankin uses those in Great Britain as his example), and makes the reader think. In fact, his own novels are all set in Edinburgh, with an intention to show a side of the city the tourist never sees. In all, crime fiction deals with the uglier side of human nature, something Rankin says the human race has been “obsessed” with, which is why we enjoy it so much.
In regards to his story “The Hanged Man,” a lot of his points used in “Why Crime Fiction is Good for You” relate to the story in some way or another. Murder, deception and violence are all ingredients to “The Hanged Man,” seeing as how the main character is a hit man about to finish a job. If the objective of the story is to entertain, as Rankin claims that all crime novels do, this one is successful. Although it isn’t long enough to introduce a series of new suspects or false clues, there are several clever indications of what will happen in the end that Rankin is able to weave into the story. The final characteristic of crime fiction that this story directly relates to is the “uglier side of human nature”. The hit man is sent to kill a woman who works as a mind reader, who turns out to be his mother. Whether or not he completes the job is left to the imagination of the reader, however the line of work this man is in seems to support Rankin’s point.
In regards to his story “The Hanged Man,” a lot of his points used in “Why Crime Fiction is Good for You” relate to the story in some way or another. Murder, deception and violence are all ingredients to “The Hanged Man,” seeing as how the main character is a hit man about to finish a job. If the objective of the story is to entertain, as Rankin claims that all crime novels do, this one is successful. Although it isn’t long enough to introduce a series of new suspects or false clues, there are several clever indications of what will happen in the end that Rankin is able to weave into the story. The final characteristic of crime fiction that this story directly relates to is the “uglier side of human nature”. The hit man is sent to kill a woman who works as a mind reader, who turns out to be his mother. Whether or not he completes the job is left to the imagination of the reader, however the line of work this man is in seems to support Rankin’s point.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
On Writing - 32 - 38
This particular section of King's book "On Writing" deals with his severe addiction to drugs and alcohol. The problems started after his mother died, and King gave the eulogy intoxicated. The myth that mind altering substances can have an effect on ones creative endeavor seems to be completely true in this section; King is one of the most creative writers of all time, and has been able to produce some of the most brilliant horror stories ever written. In fact, King claims that his novels Misery and Tommyknockers were both written while he was incredibly intoxicated, and that The Shining was written about himself at the time. However, King also claims that drug addiction and creative endeavor being directly related is nonsense, although creative people probably do run a higher risk of falling into an alcohol or drug related downward spiral.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Too Bad About Mrs. Ferri
The short chapter entitled "Too Bad About Mrs. Ferri," in August Kleinzahler's book "Cutty, One Rock" begins with the assassinaton of a mobster named Albert Anastasia, who lived down the block from Kleinzahler. As an 8-year old living in a rough New Jersey neighbourhood, Kleinzahler recalls the events of that day vividly, still perfectly capable of running off the names of some of the more famous Jersey mobsters that lived in his town. His mother explains that Albert Anastasia had gotten "very sick," a white lie in an attempt to spare her child the gruesome details of his violent death. Kleinzahler even remembers the time of day - 10:20 a.m. - that Anastasia was killed. Gloriana, Albert's daughter, was a friend of Kleinzahler's at a young age, and the two of them would play in the sandbox together under the supervision of one of Anastasia's "gorilla-sized" bodyguards. August Kleinzahler does a brilliant job of putting himself back into his 8-year-old state of mind, especially when recalling the foul language used by the other children (even at such a young age) in his New Jersey schoolyard. The one vivid memory from his school that he mentions in this chapter is being beaten senseless by "Tommy Grumulia and Anthony Delvecchio," after calling someone a son of a bitch. What I love the most about the way this chapter is described is that it is exactly how an 8 year old would remember these events; everything from Albert Anastasia getting whacked to being beat up by some Italian-American children is explained in an innocent, childish manner, which makes everything that much more believable.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The Dog, the Family: A Household Tale
August Kleinzahler’s description of his early years, which seem to centre around his homely mutt, named Twenty Grand, or Granny for short after a famous racehorse, is as unique as anything I’ve ever heard of. The constant criticism that Kleinzahler claims he would receive from his parents and grandmother would generally be grounds for the beginning of a depressing memoir, but no. His zany descriptions of his glue sniffing brother or bookworm sister help shed a different light on what was certainly not a flattering childhood. The way he describes it, in fact, makes everything that happened seem funny. For example, the dog and children hiding in fear in the upstairs bathroom while their father went off and destroyed everything in sight. Kleinzahler claims that he was a mistake, that he was conceived while his mother was in a drunken frenzy, and that her mother (his grandmother) had an insane rule over his mom and her sisters. These are all ingredients for a disastrous childhood, but through the eyes of August Kleinzahler, it all seems almost normal. He makes it hard not to laugh at such gruesome misfortune, the way he describes the various characters in his early childhood, especially the dog. The chapter ends with the death of their increasingly fragile pooch, which somehow seems to be the only sad part in a chapter that describes an extremely depressing childhood.
Monday, September 15, 2008
"Experience," by Martin Amis
1) Women and Love - 1. Summary: Amis’ “Women and Love” portion of the novel is an interesting one because of the incredible contrast of his luck with women during the course of his lifetime. “Experience” was written primarily in memory of Martin Amis’ father, Kingsley, who would comment on Martin’s choice in women. For instance, Kingsley was extremely fond of one of Martin’s early girlfriends, Emma Soames, and after they broke up and Martin began dating a woman named Mary Furness, Kingsley’s reaction was slightly bitter. In the early 1970’s, Martin Amis explains that he could not get a girlfriend no matter how hard he tried, something he attributed to his unattractiveness. Amis loathed himself for not being able to find a girl, but it wasn’t long before his fortune began to change. He was told by Kingsley, whose wife had just left him, that “it’s only half a life without a woman,” which really affected Martin, who four years later married his wife, Antonia Phillips.
- This is a really well written portion of the novel by Amis, possibly the best in the whole memoir. His dads involvement in his love life is something that he can recall vividly, and shows just how important his father was in all aspects of his life. During Martin's "cold streak," he describes he and his friends choice in clothing; "What can I tell you? It was the seventies. The joke decade. Clive wore denim hipsters and a poacher's jacket... I, like Rob, was almost certainly sporting a dagger-collared flower shirt and green velvet flares..." This passage goes on much longer, and is one of my favourites because it doesn't take long to figure exactly why Amis wasn't doing very well with the opposite sex. It adds a somewhat comedic aspect to this section of the novel, which for the most part is relatively serious.
2) Feasts of Friends. Summary: The majority of Martin Amis’ “Feasts of Friends” section of the book is written about one of his father’s friends, Phillip Larkin (who became friends with Martin as well, despite being many years his senior). Although Amis claims that his sense of Larkin came during his childhood, Larkin was said to have hated children, something Amis thought may have been caused by he and his brother. In the last few pages of this section, Amis says that people had told him that he took a friendship lightly, and describes a letter he had received from his friend Julian Barnes. Amis was forced to drop his agent, Pat Kavanaugh, after working together for 23 years, in favour of a new American agent. Barnes was married to Kavanaugh, and things between him and Amis took a turn for the worse after Amis fired Kavanaugh. At the very end of this passage, Amis shows the exact letter he sent to Barnes, essentially asking for forgiveness, which he claims was difficult for him to include in the book because of the emotional impact the letter had on him.
- This section of the book was slightly odd, because it might make the reader believe that Amis didn't have many friends, something I'm not sure is completely true. It is not an exceptionally long passage, and Amis doesn't mention many people - it almost entirely consists of Larkin and Barnes, both of whom had a severe emotional effect on him. "For the first time in these pages, I sense the twist of Rancour in me, and my hands, as I write, feel loath and cold," is what Amis says after he posts the letter he had written to Julian Barnes. Obviously winning back the fondness and respect of Julian Barnes was important for Amis, and selecting these two individuals to write about in a section about his friends seems appropriate.
3) The Hands of Mike Szabatura. Summary: The unique title of this part of the book seems strange at first, however makes perfect sense in only the first paragraph. Szabatura is Amis' dentist, someone who Amis admittedly hadn’t seen in 5 years, and was fretting visiting on this day in 1994. He claims that his mother had bad gums and good teeth, and his father had bad gums and good teeth – Martin, however, had bad gums and bad teeth. After being looked at by Szabatura, not only did Amis discover that he had a growth above his chin that needed to be remove, his upper teeth were to be removed as well. The weeks leading up to his operation were uncomfortable, physically and emotionally, as he reflects on the things he has used his teeth and mouth for while they’ve been there. Amis’ description of his mouth’s appearance as a “dark tunnel” provides a pretty good idea of his condition after the operation was complete.
- The way this section is written seems appropriate, because it makes Amis sound slightly crazy. He can hardly be blamed, however, most people would if their entire set of upper teeth were going to be removed. "Goodbye. Goodbye. This is goodbye. You hated me. I hated you. You hated me. Be gone. Stay!" Those are the words that Amis has for his upper teeth - he continues on like that for a few more lines. It is also well written in the sense that it brings back some of his childhood innocence, as he recalls hiding from the dentist as a young boy, possibly part of the reason he hadn't seen a dentist in 5 years. This section isn't quite as sincere as the previous two, either. Amis' describes all the bad things he had done with his mouth - drink, smoke, kiss (in one case, a woman that wasn't his girlfriend), and believed that ultimately, he was paying for it by having his upper teeth removed.
4) Rank. Summary: The reason that this particular section of the book is called “Rank” is because Amis talks about his rank, or social status, in the community with his children. The actual reading itself has very little to do with rank aside from that one conversation; he talks about everything from smoking hash, doing poorly in school and picking up girls with his friend Rob to attending an all-boys private grammar school in Cambridgeshire. In fact, the reason behind calling this section “Rank” is that in his time spent at that school, he realized how much better off those children were than him. In fact, one of his fellow students was the Earl of Caithness. After spending a reasonable amount of time at private school, Amis realized that in no way was this for him, and it was time to call it quits.
- This isn't a very long section, and is a somewhat confusing one at that. Certain conversations that he recalls are repetitive or confusing and difficult to follow. That being said, a number of the conversations are interesting, despite being somewhat hard to understand. For instance, after his time spent at private school, Martin asks his father, "Dad, are we nouveau riche?" to which his father responds, "Well, very nouveau. And not at all riche." The reason Amis brings up this conversation is because thirty years later, his son Louis asks, "Dad, what class are we?" In response, Amis claims "we aren't. We don't believe in that stuff." The questions he would ask his father as a child are similar to those his kids are asking him now, something Amis obviously wanted to include in the memoir. One thing I particularly like about this book, however, is that he always finds a good way to end a section, a pattern I've noticed throughout all the readings so far.
5) The Magics. Summary: One of the later sections of the book, entitled “The Magics,” is about two different things that Amis considers “magic,” birth and death. Death, because his father Kingsley passes away, possibly the most important moment in the whole memoir, simply because of the connection between the two and the incredible impact Kingsley had on Martin’s life and career. The other magic, birth, is included because of the birth of his children. Amis claims he had always wanted a girl, however his first two children were boys, both of whom had come dangerously early. Finally, his third child (a c-section) came, with serious complications at birth; the babies’ heart had stopped beating for a full minute at one point, although Amis believed everything would be all right. He was right, and the third baby was, as he had hoped, a girl.
- The writing in this section in particular is impressive because of how passionate Amis is about both subjects. The death of his father was a crucial moment in his life for so many reasons, with Kingsley being such an important influence not only in his professional career, but also growing up and creating what he is today. Amis is able to clearly explain what his father’s passing meant to him, as well as his keen desire to have a girl baby after having two boys. I was impressed that he could stuff so many important moments in his life into such a short section so smoothly, which he did extremely well. "Mr. Marwood parted the baby's thighs with a matador's flourish. I took this in; but what riveted me more was the lower lip, which was still trembling, as if to resist tears," is how Amis describes the day his daughter was born, and the doctors reaction. This section essentially sums up the greatest, as well as the worst, moments of his life, which he explains in a sincere manner, and truly puts perspective on the most important things in his life.
6) Existence still is the job. Summary: This section of the book begins with the suicide of Frederick West, an English serial killer who hung himself in jail. The apparent reason behind his suicide, according to his sons, is because he was terrified in jail, and was afraid that if he didn’t kill himself, someone else would. Amis runs off some of the professional and private severances that had happened to him in 1995: His dental issues, the separation with his wife and two of his children, as well as his dear friend and mentor, Saul Bellows, in the hospital breathing through a machine after a massive attack on his nervous system. To cap off his year of horror was the death of his friend Bruno Fonseca, only 36 years old, which especially bothered Amis because of a photo of a 12-year-old Bruno he had seen that reminded him of his own children.
- The writing of this section is similar to that of the other sections, although the actual content itself is much more interesting. He captures the attention of the reader immediately by discussing the suicide of a famous English murderer who commits suicide in jail. What makes this a good memoir is how many crippling emotional experiences Amis has experienced, and his ability to express them in a way that makes it easy to sympathize with him. "Additionally, alongside all of this, my friend, mentor and hero Saul Bellows was on a breathing machine in an intensive care unit..." is what Amis says about his friend Saul, AFTER describing the other tragic events that had plagued his year to that point. This section is well written because it consists entirely of the low points of his life, which he expresses in an interesting way, especially the way he relates the photo of a young Bruno Fonseca to his own children, and the fact that even though they’re of no relation, he fears the same fate for his children.
7) Permanent Soul. Summary: Amis explains the first time he met his friend and mentor, Saul Bellows, in Chicago. It was late October, 1983, and Amis was in Chicago to write a piece about Bellows, something that he was finding quite difficult. Bellows had revealed everything about himself, so finding something new and interesting to write was quite the task for Martin Amis. However, in this book at least, Amis reveals that Bellows was 68 at the time, had already had three wives and was on his fourth (who he would also divorce), and had three children. The piece that Amis was to write, he decided, was not going to be about Saul Bellow’s personal life; he was more interesting in the career and writing of Saul.
- As is the case in every other portion of the book, Amis relates everything back to his father. Like Bellows, his father was a nervous wreck because of his profession, and would visit Martin in the late hours of the night as a child to settle himself down, something described as a bonding experience. This is certainly not the most interesting part of the memoir, nor is it the longest. Although I found the writing slightly bland and repetitive in this particular section, Amis’ actual descriptions of Saul Bellows own personal life were rather interesting. “Saul Bellows was sixty-eight in 1983. Three wives, three sons, and now a fourth marriage. This marriage too would end. But that’s life,” is the way Amis describes Bellow’s family situation, which may be the reason for his nervous breakdown as an older man.
8) The Fact of Wounds. Summary: This part of the book is as depressing as any of the others, if not more. Lucy Partington, Martin’s cousin, was murdered by Frederick West, the famous English serial killer who was talked about in one of the other sections (West eventually hung himself in jail). Many people spoke at her funeral, about her personality and her faith, Lucy being a newly converted Roman Catholic right before she died. Amis opens this section of the book with a poem about the sun rising and setting, a metaphor he clearly used to describe the life of his beloved cousin, Lucy.
- Not a particularly long section by any means, although certainly one of the best written. Amis uses several clever metaphors to describe the life of his cousin, which was cut devastatingly short. For instance, the poem he recites about the sun rising and setting, as well as “The death of Lucy Partington represents a fantastic collision. It is what happens when darkness meets light, when experience meets innocence…” to name a couple. Amis is able to clearly express how upset he is over the brutal slaying of his cousin, and also describes the sad feelings not only of his family, but those of everyone who knew Lucy Partington.
9) The Problem of Reentry. Summary: After having his mouth operated on and upper teeth removed, Amis was to return to London with a gaping hole in his mouth. He claims to have had a clamp put it to hold everything together, something he says felt like he was at the dentists office every single day. Amis fears showing everyone what his new appearance, with a misshaped face and no upper teeth, looks like, which is why this section is called “The Problem of Reentry.” Returning to London in such a condition could lead to disastrous results.
- Amis’ gruesome descriptions of his face during this section are what make it such an entertaining thing to read. He has several colourful descriptions of his appearance in the final paragraph; “And never mind all the gagging and retching, as compulsive as a fit of hiccups, nor the sudden Niagara’s of drool. For several years I didn’t go to the dentist. Now the clamp makes me feel that I am at the dentist’s all day long.” I enjoyed reading this not only because of the style he uses to write, but also because anyone can sympathize with having to visit friends in an “ugly” state, although I certainly couldn’t imagine even leaving the house with no upper teeth!
10) It im again, Dai. Summary: Another slightly depressing section of the book, Amis talks about a number of times where he had been abused in some way or another during his childhood. His first recollection is of bullies, one who found him playing next to a sewer grate and scared him off, then found him again with a friend and punched him in the forehead. In his early high school years, he was dragged into a vacant classroom and again, beaten senseless. The final form of abuse that he describes is of a sexual nature – he claims to have been molested in his room during one of his parent’s dinner parties. Like the other incidents, Amis decided to keep quiet, and so his mother never did find out what had happened.
- Another dark-themed section, Amis does a good job of describing his state of innocence in each situation. The way he describes the time period, as well, is what makes it easy to understand; for instance, the incident at high school in Cambridgeshire was during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and every student was to “expect that their desks would save them from the end of the world.” The incident that affected him in the worst way, however, was clearly the one at his parent’s dinner party. “These are insults, these are thefts. They take something from you that you never quite get back.” I was impressed that Amis was able to include such an intense, personal memory into his memoir, and he does it in a way that truly makes the reader pity him as a young boy.
- This is a really well written portion of the novel by Amis, possibly the best in the whole memoir. His dads involvement in his love life is something that he can recall vividly, and shows just how important his father was in all aspects of his life. During Martin's "cold streak," he describes he and his friends choice in clothing; "What can I tell you? It was the seventies. The joke decade. Clive wore denim hipsters and a poacher's jacket... I, like Rob, was almost certainly sporting a dagger-collared flower shirt and green velvet flares..." This passage goes on much longer, and is one of my favourites because it doesn't take long to figure exactly why Amis wasn't doing very well with the opposite sex. It adds a somewhat comedic aspect to this section of the novel, which for the most part is relatively serious.
2) Feasts of Friends. Summary: The majority of Martin Amis’ “Feasts of Friends” section of the book is written about one of his father’s friends, Phillip Larkin (who became friends with Martin as well, despite being many years his senior). Although Amis claims that his sense of Larkin came during his childhood, Larkin was said to have hated children, something Amis thought may have been caused by he and his brother. In the last few pages of this section, Amis says that people had told him that he took a friendship lightly, and describes a letter he had received from his friend Julian Barnes. Amis was forced to drop his agent, Pat Kavanaugh, after working together for 23 years, in favour of a new American agent. Barnes was married to Kavanaugh, and things between him and Amis took a turn for the worse after Amis fired Kavanaugh. At the very end of this passage, Amis shows the exact letter he sent to Barnes, essentially asking for forgiveness, which he claims was difficult for him to include in the book because of the emotional impact the letter had on him.
- This section of the book was slightly odd, because it might make the reader believe that Amis didn't have many friends, something I'm not sure is completely true. It is not an exceptionally long passage, and Amis doesn't mention many people - it almost entirely consists of Larkin and Barnes, both of whom had a severe emotional effect on him. "For the first time in these pages, I sense the twist of Rancour in me, and my hands, as I write, feel loath and cold," is what Amis says after he posts the letter he had written to Julian Barnes. Obviously winning back the fondness and respect of Julian Barnes was important for Amis, and selecting these two individuals to write about in a section about his friends seems appropriate.
3) The Hands of Mike Szabatura. Summary: The unique title of this part of the book seems strange at first, however makes perfect sense in only the first paragraph. Szabatura is Amis' dentist, someone who Amis admittedly hadn’t seen in 5 years, and was fretting visiting on this day in 1994. He claims that his mother had bad gums and good teeth, and his father had bad gums and good teeth – Martin, however, had bad gums and bad teeth. After being looked at by Szabatura, not only did Amis discover that he had a growth above his chin that needed to be remove, his upper teeth were to be removed as well. The weeks leading up to his operation were uncomfortable, physically and emotionally, as he reflects on the things he has used his teeth and mouth for while they’ve been there. Amis’ description of his mouth’s appearance as a “dark tunnel” provides a pretty good idea of his condition after the operation was complete.
- The way this section is written seems appropriate, because it makes Amis sound slightly crazy. He can hardly be blamed, however, most people would if their entire set of upper teeth were going to be removed. "Goodbye. Goodbye. This is goodbye. You hated me. I hated you. You hated me. Be gone. Stay!" Those are the words that Amis has for his upper teeth - he continues on like that for a few more lines. It is also well written in the sense that it brings back some of his childhood innocence, as he recalls hiding from the dentist as a young boy, possibly part of the reason he hadn't seen a dentist in 5 years. This section isn't quite as sincere as the previous two, either. Amis' describes all the bad things he had done with his mouth - drink, smoke, kiss (in one case, a woman that wasn't his girlfriend), and believed that ultimately, he was paying for it by having his upper teeth removed.
4) Rank. Summary: The reason that this particular section of the book is called “Rank” is because Amis talks about his rank, or social status, in the community with his children. The actual reading itself has very little to do with rank aside from that one conversation; he talks about everything from smoking hash, doing poorly in school and picking up girls with his friend Rob to attending an all-boys private grammar school in Cambridgeshire. In fact, the reason behind calling this section “Rank” is that in his time spent at that school, he realized how much better off those children were than him. In fact, one of his fellow students was the Earl of Caithness. After spending a reasonable amount of time at private school, Amis realized that in no way was this for him, and it was time to call it quits.
- This isn't a very long section, and is a somewhat confusing one at that. Certain conversations that he recalls are repetitive or confusing and difficult to follow. That being said, a number of the conversations are interesting, despite being somewhat hard to understand. For instance, after his time spent at private school, Martin asks his father, "Dad, are we nouveau riche?" to which his father responds, "Well, very nouveau. And not at all riche." The reason Amis brings up this conversation is because thirty years later, his son Louis asks, "Dad, what class are we?" In response, Amis claims "we aren't. We don't believe in that stuff." The questions he would ask his father as a child are similar to those his kids are asking him now, something Amis obviously wanted to include in the memoir. One thing I particularly like about this book, however, is that he always finds a good way to end a section, a pattern I've noticed throughout all the readings so far.
5) The Magics. Summary: One of the later sections of the book, entitled “The Magics,” is about two different things that Amis considers “magic,” birth and death. Death, because his father Kingsley passes away, possibly the most important moment in the whole memoir, simply because of the connection between the two and the incredible impact Kingsley had on Martin’s life and career. The other magic, birth, is included because of the birth of his children. Amis claims he had always wanted a girl, however his first two children were boys, both of whom had come dangerously early. Finally, his third child (a c-section) came, with serious complications at birth; the babies’ heart had stopped beating for a full minute at one point, although Amis believed everything would be all right. He was right, and the third baby was, as he had hoped, a girl.
- The writing in this section in particular is impressive because of how passionate Amis is about both subjects. The death of his father was a crucial moment in his life for so many reasons, with Kingsley being such an important influence not only in his professional career, but also growing up and creating what he is today. Amis is able to clearly explain what his father’s passing meant to him, as well as his keen desire to have a girl baby after having two boys. I was impressed that he could stuff so many important moments in his life into such a short section so smoothly, which he did extremely well. "Mr. Marwood parted the baby's thighs with a matador's flourish. I took this in; but what riveted me more was the lower lip, which was still trembling, as if to resist tears," is how Amis describes the day his daughter was born, and the doctors reaction. This section essentially sums up the greatest, as well as the worst, moments of his life, which he explains in a sincere manner, and truly puts perspective on the most important things in his life.
6) Existence still is the job. Summary: This section of the book begins with the suicide of Frederick West, an English serial killer who hung himself in jail. The apparent reason behind his suicide, according to his sons, is because he was terrified in jail, and was afraid that if he didn’t kill himself, someone else would. Amis runs off some of the professional and private severances that had happened to him in 1995: His dental issues, the separation with his wife and two of his children, as well as his dear friend and mentor, Saul Bellows, in the hospital breathing through a machine after a massive attack on his nervous system. To cap off his year of horror was the death of his friend Bruno Fonseca, only 36 years old, which especially bothered Amis because of a photo of a 12-year-old Bruno he had seen that reminded him of his own children.
- The writing of this section is similar to that of the other sections, although the actual content itself is much more interesting. He captures the attention of the reader immediately by discussing the suicide of a famous English murderer who commits suicide in jail. What makes this a good memoir is how many crippling emotional experiences Amis has experienced, and his ability to express them in a way that makes it easy to sympathize with him. "Additionally, alongside all of this, my friend, mentor and hero Saul Bellows was on a breathing machine in an intensive care unit..." is what Amis says about his friend Saul, AFTER describing the other tragic events that had plagued his year to that point. This section is well written because it consists entirely of the low points of his life, which he expresses in an interesting way, especially the way he relates the photo of a young Bruno Fonseca to his own children, and the fact that even though they’re of no relation, he fears the same fate for his children.
7) Permanent Soul. Summary: Amis explains the first time he met his friend and mentor, Saul Bellows, in Chicago. It was late October, 1983, and Amis was in Chicago to write a piece about Bellows, something that he was finding quite difficult. Bellows had revealed everything about himself, so finding something new and interesting to write was quite the task for Martin Amis. However, in this book at least, Amis reveals that Bellows was 68 at the time, had already had three wives and was on his fourth (who he would also divorce), and had three children. The piece that Amis was to write, he decided, was not going to be about Saul Bellow’s personal life; he was more interesting in the career and writing of Saul.
- As is the case in every other portion of the book, Amis relates everything back to his father. Like Bellows, his father was a nervous wreck because of his profession, and would visit Martin in the late hours of the night as a child to settle himself down, something described as a bonding experience. This is certainly not the most interesting part of the memoir, nor is it the longest. Although I found the writing slightly bland and repetitive in this particular section, Amis’ actual descriptions of Saul Bellows own personal life were rather interesting. “Saul Bellows was sixty-eight in 1983. Three wives, three sons, and now a fourth marriage. This marriage too would end. But that’s life,” is the way Amis describes Bellow’s family situation, which may be the reason for his nervous breakdown as an older man.
8) The Fact of Wounds. Summary: This part of the book is as depressing as any of the others, if not more. Lucy Partington, Martin’s cousin, was murdered by Frederick West, the famous English serial killer who was talked about in one of the other sections (West eventually hung himself in jail). Many people spoke at her funeral, about her personality and her faith, Lucy being a newly converted Roman Catholic right before she died. Amis opens this section of the book with a poem about the sun rising and setting, a metaphor he clearly used to describe the life of his beloved cousin, Lucy.
- Not a particularly long section by any means, although certainly one of the best written. Amis uses several clever metaphors to describe the life of his cousin, which was cut devastatingly short. For instance, the poem he recites about the sun rising and setting, as well as “The death of Lucy Partington represents a fantastic collision. It is what happens when darkness meets light, when experience meets innocence…” to name a couple. Amis is able to clearly express how upset he is over the brutal slaying of his cousin, and also describes the sad feelings not only of his family, but those of everyone who knew Lucy Partington.
9) The Problem of Reentry. Summary: After having his mouth operated on and upper teeth removed, Amis was to return to London with a gaping hole in his mouth. He claims to have had a clamp put it to hold everything together, something he says felt like he was at the dentists office every single day. Amis fears showing everyone what his new appearance, with a misshaped face and no upper teeth, looks like, which is why this section is called “The Problem of Reentry.” Returning to London in such a condition could lead to disastrous results.
- Amis’ gruesome descriptions of his face during this section are what make it such an entertaining thing to read. He has several colourful descriptions of his appearance in the final paragraph; “And never mind all the gagging and retching, as compulsive as a fit of hiccups, nor the sudden Niagara’s of drool. For several years I didn’t go to the dentist. Now the clamp makes me feel that I am at the dentist’s all day long.” I enjoyed reading this not only because of the style he uses to write, but also because anyone can sympathize with having to visit friends in an “ugly” state, although I certainly couldn’t imagine even leaving the house with no upper teeth!
10) It im again, Dai. Summary: Another slightly depressing section of the book, Amis talks about a number of times where he had been abused in some way or another during his childhood. His first recollection is of bullies, one who found him playing next to a sewer grate and scared him off, then found him again with a friend and punched him in the forehead. In his early high school years, he was dragged into a vacant classroom and again, beaten senseless. The final form of abuse that he describes is of a sexual nature – he claims to have been molested in his room during one of his parent’s dinner parties. Like the other incidents, Amis decided to keep quiet, and so his mother never did find out what had happened.
- Another dark-themed section, Amis does a good job of describing his state of innocence in each situation. The way he describes the time period, as well, is what makes it easy to understand; for instance, the incident at high school in Cambridgeshire was during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and every student was to “expect that their desks would save them from the end of the world.” The incident that affected him in the worst way, however, was clearly the one at his parent’s dinner party. “These are insults, these are thefts. They take something from you that you never quite get back.” I was impressed that Amis was able to include such an intense, personal memory into his memoir, and he does it in a way that truly makes the reader pity him as a young boy.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
The Glass Castle
The style that Jeannette Walls uses in "The Glass Castle," is interesting because of the way she describes her parents lifestyle. She uses short, concise sentences to emphasize how serious she was about the way her parents lived with so little. For instance, her parents telling her and her siblings not to believe in Christmas because they could not afford the same luxurious presents that the other children were receiving from "Santa Claus". She also uses a very serious tone in her dialogue with her mother, especially when they are at lunch together and Jeannette tells her mother that she had seen her sorting through a dumpster the night before. She makes it clear that she is embarassed by her mother and offers to help, because she now had more money than she ever did growing up. I really liked the way the memoir is written because you can sense the embarassment and seriousness in Walls' writing style, and it cheers the reader up to know that she has come from such a feeble background to become such a great success.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Ash Garden
The following three quotes are ones that I think were really important to the rest of the novel in "The Ash Garden."
"Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce Major Thomas Ferebee, United States Air Force, the man who released the first atomic bomb over Japan.’ He stepped out from behind the curtain amid thunderous applause, grinning and walked stiffly across the stage floor and embraced Tanabe Yasaka with long, nervous arms. I saw the pained smile fall away from the reverend’s face and the sweat form on his forehead. He returned the embrace, and as he did so, arms only half raised, half raised, it looked as though he was going to be sick.”
This quote is from one of the most important parts of the book, where Tanabe Yasaka is forced to confront the man that dropped and atomic bomb on Japan on national television. For Yasaka to remain calm while standing face to face with a man that was responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths of his people and mass destruction within his country is a ridiculous request, let alone on television in front of an audience.
"This is Heisenberg's principle of insanity. It is the same with particle and neutron fields and it is the same with human beings. Tolerance is necessary to reconcile the man washing his underwear with the crying boy, and the man who destroys the world."
This quote is from Anton thinking back to what the scientist Leo Szilard, who had a large part in creating the atomic bomb, had said to him. Szilard realizes the damage that he has helped to create, and is telling Anton to learn tolerance, even to those who do something as terrible as dropping an atomic bomb.
"When the doctors conferred over him, I was able to see only their legs and shoes, because i could not lift my head. But my ears were among the few things that had not been damaged. I listened to their voices, and soon began to hate how they spoke when they discussed my brother. They said he was a lost case and that he would die. They wondered aloud what kept him alive. Every morning they seemed surprised that he had survived the night. There was no hope for him, they said.
This quote is taken from right after the bomb has been dropped and Emiko is lying in her hospital bed next to her brother. He has been injured far worse then she has, although both have sustained terrible, life-threatening injuries. The reason I chose this quote was because it was probably a similar situation to thousands of Japanese people who were affected by the bomb, and how terrible it must have felt for those who had to lie next to family members while they suffered and (in this case) eventually died.
Questions for Dennis Bock:
1) How many Hiroshima/Nagasaki survivors have you ever met (if any)?
2) Did writing this book require a lot of historical research for you?
3) Did you ever meet anyone involved in the making/dropping of the atomic bomb?
"Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce Major Thomas Ferebee, United States Air Force, the man who released the first atomic bomb over Japan.’ He stepped out from behind the curtain amid thunderous applause, grinning and walked stiffly across the stage floor and embraced Tanabe Yasaka with long, nervous arms. I saw the pained smile fall away from the reverend’s face and the sweat form on his forehead. He returned the embrace, and as he did so, arms only half raised, half raised, it looked as though he was going to be sick.”
This quote is from one of the most important parts of the book, where Tanabe Yasaka is forced to confront the man that dropped and atomic bomb on Japan on national television. For Yasaka to remain calm while standing face to face with a man that was responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths of his people and mass destruction within his country is a ridiculous request, let alone on television in front of an audience.
"This is Heisenberg's principle of insanity. It is the same with particle and neutron fields and it is the same with human beings. Tolerance is necessary to reconcile the man washing his underwear with the crying boy, and the man who destroys the world."
This quote is from Anton thinking back to what the scientist Leo Szilard, who had a large part in creating the atomic bomb, had said to him. Szilard realizes the damage that he has helped to create, and is telling Anton to learn tolerance, even to those who do something as terrible as dropping an atomic bomb.
"When the doctors conferred over him, I was able to see only their legs and shoes, because i could not lift my head. But my ears were among the few things that had not been damaged. I listened to their voices, and soon began to hate how they spoke when they discussed my brother. They said he was a lost case and that he would die. They wondered aloud what kept him alive. Every morning they seemed surprised that he had survived the night. There was no hope for him, they said.
This quote is taken from right after the bomb has been dropped and Emiko is lying in her hospital bed next to her brother. He has been injured far worse then she has, although both have sustained terrible, life-threatening injuries. The reason I chose this quote was because it was probably a similar situation to thousands of Japanese people who were affected by the bomb, and how terrible it must have felt for those who had to lie next to family members while they suffered and (in this case) eventually died.
Questions for Dennis Bock:
1) How many Hiroshima/Nagasaki survivors have you ever met (if any)?
2) Did writing this book require a lot of historical research for you?
3) Did you ever meet anyone involved in the making/dropping of the atomic bomb?
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
We Are the Weathermakers
Chapter 4: Ice ages and Sunspots
Why doesn't the Earth retain all the heat it receives from the sun? On the other hand, why doesn't all the heat escape into space? The sun does not warm the atmosphere, however the reflections of darker objects do. Many scientists wonder what causes the Earth to heat and cool, although in 1941 Russian scientist Milutin Milankovich published what he believed to be the cause of ice ages. Milankovich stated that there are 3 cycles that determine the Earth's climate. The first is the planet's orbit around the sun, which is more so the shape of an oval than a perfect circle, whose shape changes every 100,000 years or so. The second cycle has to do with the tilt of the Earth's axis, which determines where most of the radiation is located. This cycle takes about 42,000 years to complete. Finally, the third cycle takes about 22,000 years to run its course and deals with the wobble of the Earth's axis, which determines the intensity of the seasons. Although these cycles only alter the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth annually by .1 of a percent, that can cause the Earth's temperature to change up to 5 degrees celsius. According to Milankovich's cycles, the Earth should be getting colder, although human pollution has caused the Earth's temperature to increase. With the help of these cycles, climatologists have continued to study why the Earth's climate has varied over time. In the early 1600's, Italian astronomer Galileo, with the help of one of the first ever telescopes, noticed dark spots on the sun. Although these sunspots are slightly cooler than the sun's surface, the Earth seems to warm up when there are more sunspots. The impact on the entire climate of the Earth may be too small to measure, although the variations of solar radiation and greenhouse gasses do have a large effect. Solar radiation affects the upper stratosphere, while greenhouse gasses warm the troposphere at the bottom where the concentration is highest. The stratospheric cooling and tropospheric warming are caused by the ozone hole and greenhouse gasses, respectively, as sunspots can not be responsible for either phenomenon. Finally, fossils can help us determine climate change. Due to the shift of steady climatic conditions, scientists have determined that these shifts have moved entire species from one side of a continent to another.
Questions:
1) What effect can sunspots have on Canada's climate?
2) Which of Milutin Milankovich's cycles has the greatest effect on climate change?
3) Since the Earth should be getting colder, what effect has human pollution really had on the Earth's temperature?
Why doesn't the Earth retain all the heat it receives from the sun? On the other hand, why doesn't all the heat escape into space? The sun does not warm the atmosphere, however the reflections of darker objects do. Many scientists wonder what causes the Earth to heat and cool, although in 1941 Russian scientist Milutin Milankovich published what he believed to be the cause of ice ages. Milankovich stated that there are 3 cycles that determine the Earth's climate. The first is the planet's orbit around the sun, which is more so the shape of an oval than a perfect circle, whose shape changes every 100,000 years or so. The second cycle has to do with the tilt of the Earth's axis, which determines where most of the radiation is located. This cycle takes about 42,000 years to complete. Finally, the third cycle takes about 22,000 years to run its course and deals with the wobble of the Earth's axis, which determines the intensity of the seasons. Although these cycles only alter the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth annually by .1 of a percent, that can cause the Earth's temperature to change up to 5 degrees celsius. According to Milankovich's cycles, the Earth should be getting colder, although human pollution has caused the Earth's temperature to increase. With the help of these cycles, climatologists have continued to study why the Earth's climate has varied over time. In the early 1600's, Italian astronomer Galileo, with the help of one of the first ever telescopes, noticed dark spots on the sun. Although these sunspots are slightly cooler than the sun's surface, the Earth seems to warm up when there are more sunspots. The impact on the entire climate of the Earth may be too small to measure, although the variations of solar radiation and greenhouse gasses do have a large effect. Solar radiation affects the upper stratosphere, while greenhouse gasses warm the troposphere at the bottom where the concentration is highest. The stratospheric cooling and tropospheric warming are caused by the ozone hole and greenhouse gasses, respectively, as sunspots can not be responsible for either phenomenon. Finally, fossils can help us determine climate change. Due to the shift of steady climatic conditions, scientists have determined that these shifts have moved entire species from one side of a continent to another.
Questions:
1) What effect can sunspots have on Canada's climate?
2) Which of Milutin Milankovich's cycles has the greatest effect on climate change?
3) Since the Earth should be getting colder, what effect has human pollution really had on the Earth's temperature?
Gratitude Fan Letter
Dear Mr. Kertes,
I am writing this to compliment you on “Gratitude,” a book that my entire school just finished or are currently reading. It was good to hear your thoughts on the book, as it was obviously a difficult topic to write about. Your descriptions of Lili and her family seemed to portray those of many Hungarian Jews during the end of the Holocaust.
Obviously a lot has been written about the Holocaust and World War 2, although I’ve never read a book like this one that tells the story of a family and what those who were forced to hide from the Nazi’s had to endure. I also liked how the book talked about what others did to help the Jews that were trying to hide from the German forces. Lili, being the only survivor the day that her family is suddenly taken away by the Nazi’s, is a good character because she probably had the same sad story as many other children during the Holocaust.
I am glad that the book was written by someone who was so close to the Holocaust, and that you were able to effectively portray the lives of those trying to escape the German forces. The book is long and very detailed, so those who read it have an easy time understanding the characters and the situations which I found very useful. You were able to write the book in a dramatic and powerful way, and obviously knew what you were talking about when it came to this topic which is something that not everyone can say.
I have been taught a lot about the Holocaust at school, and find it very interesting, which is why I’m thankful to read a book that details the horror that some of the victims had to deal with upon capture or in hiding. I think that you are doing the world a favour by publishing works about the Holocaust, because it’s important that people understand what happen and that it should never happen again.
Sincerely,
Charlie Deacon
I am writing this to compliment you on “Gratitude,” a book that my entire school just finished or are currently reading. It was good to hear your thoughts on the book, as it was obviously a difficult topic to write about. Your descriptions of Lili and her family seemed to portray those of many Hungarian Jews during the end of the Holocaust.
Obviously a lot has been written about the Holocaust and World War 2, although I’ve never read a book like this one that tells the story of a family and what those who were forced to hide from the Nazi’s had to endure. I also liked how the book talked about what others did to help the Jews that were trying to hide from the German forces. Lili, being the only survivor the day that her family is suddenly taken away by the Nazi’s, is a good character because she probably had the same sad story as many other children during the Holocaust.
I am glad that the book was written by someone who was so close to the Holocaust, and that you were able to effectively portray the lives of those trying to escape the German forces. The book is long and very detailed, so those who read it have an easy time understanding the characters and the situations which I found very useful. You were able to write the book in a dramatic and powerful way, and obviously knew what you were talking about when it came to this topic which is something that not everyone can say.
I have been taught a lot about the Holocaust at school, and find it very interesting, which is why I’m thankful to read a book that details the horror that some of the victims had to deal with upon capture or in hiding. I think that you are doing the world a favour by publishing works about the Holocaust, because it’s important that people understand what happen and that it should never happen again.
Sincerely,
Charlie Deacon
Monday, February 18, 2008
Woman Novelist Blog - Blood Sports
There are a few things I found worked well in Eden Robinson's novel, "Blood Sports." She does a good job describing the lives of the different characters, especially those of Tom, Paulie and Mel. Tom and his girlfriend Paulie, both with a history of drugs and other sorts of crime, live in a messy apartment in a bad neighbourhood with their daughter Melody, or Mel. Tom's has a bad history with his cousin, Jeremy, who is a terrible influence on Tom's life. There is a lot of direct dialogue between the characters, which I found made it easier to follow what was happening and where everything is taking place. In particular, I especially liked when she wrote about Tom and Jeremy which was described in detail and easy to understand.
There were a few things, however, that I didn't like about the book. I would have preferred that the author include more about Tom's brother, Jeremy, at the beginning of the book. The majority of the opening pages of the book revolve primarily around Tom, Paulie and Mel, and there is no mention of Jeremy until well into the story. I would also liked to have learned more about Jeremy and Tom's relationships with their mother and father, although there are some points of the book that do discuss their past and what their parents are like. For example, Jeremy paying nearly $40,000 to put his mother into a rehabilitation clinic as a Christmas present.
"Tom checked the clock above the front doors. Two more hours until the morning shift showed. The security buzzer bleated as a young guy in a baseball cap walked in. Behind the man, Tom noticed the black van cruising into the empty parking lot. The distance from the shop blurred the Crime-Stoppers worthy details like the license plate, model, and make, but he was sure that it was the same van that had been through the lot twice before.
Tom ignored the urge to lock the front doors. There were lots of non-robbing reasons people would wait in a deserted parking lot with their van's headlights off and he engine running. Maybe this was a lost tourist who kept stopping to check his map. Maybe this was some horndog picking up women. Maybe this was just some dealer waiting for a drop. The van disappeared out of the lot and down the deserted street. Tom massaged his temples. Or maybe sleep deprivation was making him bug-eyed."
The reason I liked these particular two paragraphs is because they provide a good example of what this book is about. Tom is working late and sees a van which he believes is stalking him, which is something that he should be concerned with as his brother always seems to be watching him. The paragraph's also provide an example of how insecure Tom feels wherever he goes, which is something else he is forced to deal with throughout the story.
There were a few things, however, that I didn't like about the book. I would have preferred that the author include more about Tom's brother, Jeremy, at the beginning of the book. The majority of the opening pages of the book revolve primarily around Tom, Paulie and Mel, and there is no mention of Jeremy until well into the story. I would also liked to have learned more about Jeremy and Tom's relationships with their mother and father, although there are some points of the book that do discuss their past and what their parents are like. For example, Jeremy paying nearly $40,000 to put his mother into a rehabilitation clinic as a Christmas present.
"Tom checked the clock above the front doors. Two more hours until the morning shift showed. The security buzzer bleated as a young guy in a baseball cap walked in. Behind the man, Tom noticed the black van cruising into the empty parking lot. The distance from the shop blurred the Crime-Stoppers worthy details like the license plate, model, and make, but he was sure that it was the same van that had been through the lot twice before.
Tom ignored the urge to lock the front doors. There were lots of non-robbing reasons people would wait in a deserted parking lot with their van's headlights off and he engine running. Maybe this was a lost tourist who kept stopping to check his map. Maybe this was some horndog picking up women. Maybe this was just some dealer waiting for a drop. The van disappeared out of the lot and down the deserted street. Tom massaged his temples. Or maybe sleep deprivation was making him bug-eyed."
The reason I liked these particular two paragraphs is because they provide a good example of what this book is about. Tom is working late and sees a van which he believes is stalking him, which is something that he should be concerned with as his brother always seems to be watching him. The paragraph's also provide an example of how insecure Tom feels wherever he goes, which is something else he is forced to deal with throughout the story.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Letter to Rick Reilly
Dear Mr. Reilly,
First of all, I would like to say I am a huge fan of all of your work, especially with the Sports Illustrated magazine, and some of my favourite articles that I have ever read have been by you. It’s a shame that you won’t be writing for SI anymore, I am sure that they will miss what you bring to the magazine every week.
On the subject of your book, however, I have all the same praises for “Who’s Your Caddy?” The comedic aspect of your writing that I enjoy so much from your magazine articles is certainly not missing from your book. Each chapter, which features a new personality in each one, has a fantastic story behind it. I am sure the time that you spent with all of these PGA Tour pros was quite an adventure, and the idea behind this book is brilliant. I felt like I learned something new and interesting about a new person each chapter. In fact, even the titles of the chapters are funny.
My favourite chapter, by a wide margin, is the one you wrote on John Daly. One of the greatest characters in all of sports, Daly is everything that you see on T.V and then some. Although most of the things that you describe aren’t appropriate to repeat, I had a really good time reading about Big John. The way that you describe his life is extremely funny, and it really allows people to realize how insane his life really is.
Another thing I enjoyed about the book was the differentiation between chapters, and the type of people you wrote about. For instance, it was not just professional golfers that were used; for example, the chapter on Donald Trump was really funny and interesting, and really expresses what kind of person Trump is behind the scenes. Obviously, there is a great difference between what people see on “The Apprentice,” and what he is like behind closed doors. I’m sure caddying for him was as wild as it sounds.
Anyways, I would like to congratulate you on a fine piece of literature, and look forward to hopefully reading more of your work in the future.
First of all, I would like to say I am a huge fan of all of your work, especially with the Sports Illustrated magazine, and some of my favourite articles that I have ever read have been by you. It’s a shame that you won’t be writing for SI anymore, I am sure that they will miss what you bring to the magazine every week.
On the subject of your book, however, I have all the same praises for “Who’s Your Caddy?” The comedic aspect of your writing that I enjoy so much from your magazine articles is certainly not missing from your book. Each chapter, which features a new personality in each one, has a fantastic story behind it. I am sure the time that you spent with all of these PGA Tour pros was quite an adventure, and the idea behind this book is brilliant. I felt like I learned something new and interesting about a new person each chapter. In fact, even the titles of the chapters are funny.
My favourite chapter, by a wide margin, is the one you wrote on John Daly. One of the greatest characters in all of sports, Daly is everything that you see on T.V and then some. Although most of the things that you describe aren’t appropriate to repeat, I had a really good time reading about Big John. The way that you describe his life is extremely funny, and it really allows people to realize how insane his life really is.
Another thing I enjoyed about the book was the differentiation between chapters, and the type of people you wrote about. For instance, it was not just professional golfers that were used; for example, the chapter on Donald Trump was really funny and interesting, and really expresses what kind of person Trump is behind the scenes. Obviously, there is a great difference between what people see on “The Apprentice,” and what he is like behind closed doors. I’m sure caddying for him was as wild as it sounds.
Anyways, I would like to congratulate you on a fine piece of literature, and look forward to hopefully reading more of your work in the future.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
"Skin Tight" Carl Hiaasen
"Timmy Gavigan had looked like death for most of his adult life. Now he had an excuse. His coppery hair had fallen out in thickets, revealing patches of pale freckled scalp. His face, once round and florid, looked like someone had let the air out."
This quotation reveals that the character, Timmy Gavigan, has had a history of making poor decisions throughout the course of his life, and is sitting in a hospital bed because he allowed a juice company to experiment on him with their latest product. Among other things, this proves that Timmy isn't a very intelligent character and doesn't seem to have any intention of taking care of his body.
"Stranahan had purchased his house dirt-cheap at a government auction. The previous owner was a Venezuelan cocaine courier who had been shot 13 times in a serious business dispute, then indicted posthumously."
Mick Stranahan, the main character of the novel who has a killer after him, is clearly not a very rich man. Purchasing a cheap house that had been previously owned by a deceased cocaine courier definetly proves this, and that Stranahan may not always understand what he is getting himself into. Mick spends most of his time running away from a killer, and he is clearly not helping his own cause.
"Stranahan watched the pudgy little man wheeze back and forth behind the baseline and marveled at the atrociousness of his hairpeice. It was one of those synthetic jobs, the kind you're supposed to be able to wear in the shower. In Dr. George Gingers case, the thing on his head looked like fresh roadkill."
Dr. George Ginger is a potential threat to Mick Stranahan, and is a surgeon. Stranahan is meeting him to ask a few questions, and the physical description is fitting for what the doctor is like. Dr. Ginger is clearly making a fool of himself, most likely without even knowing it, and doesn't receive much respect from any of his friends or patients.
"As best he could, Reynaldo Flemm made mental notes of Whispering Palms during the tour. He was posing as a male exotic dancer who needed a blemish removed from his right buttock. For the purpose of disguise, Flemm had dyed his hair and greased it right back; that was all he could do to bear to alter his appearance. Secretly, he loved it when people stared because they recognized him from television."
Reynaldo Flemm is a bad actor who is under disguise visiting a hospital. Flemm hopes to be seen by people who watched his show, although the show is not very popular and he isn't recognized by anyone. Flemm believes he is more important than he actually is, although is very good at working undercover.
"'Chloe Simpkins Stranahan was up and pacing now, arms folded across her chest, heels clicking on the Spanish title. :So you see," she said, "this is why I hate my ex-husband so much.'
'Chemo said, "So you want to get even?'
'Boy are you swifty. Yes, I want to get even'"
This is a conversation between Chemo, a hitman, and Chloe Stranahan, Micks ex-wife. She is angry because of a situation that occurred between Mick and another man, and she is trying to get him killed. Obviously, she is an angry woman, and probably a bit crazy for hiring someone to kill her husband for something so minor.
This quotation reveals that the character, Timmy Gavigan, has had a history of making poor decisions throughout the course of his life, and is sitting in a hospital bed because he allowed a juice company to experiment on him with their latest product. Among other things, this proves that Timmy isn't a very intelligent character and doesn't seem to have any intention of taking care of his body.
"Stranahan had purchased his house dirt-cheap at a government auction. The previous owner was a Venezuelan cocaine courier who had been shot 13 times in a serious business dispute, then indicted posthumously."
Mick Stranahan, the main character of the novel who has a killer after him, is clearly not a very rich man. Purchasing a cheap house that had been previously owned by a deceased cocaine courier definetly proves this, and that Stranahan may not always understand what he is getting himself into. Mick spends most of his time running away from a killer, and he is clearly not helping his own cause.
"Stranahan watched the pudgy little man wheeze back and forth behind the baseline and marveled at the atrociousness of his hairpeice. It was one of those synthetic jobs, the kind you're supposed to be able to wear in the shower. In Dr. George Gingers case, the thing on his head looked like fresh roadkill."
Dr. George Ginger is a potential threat to Mick Stranahan, and is a surgeon. Stranahan is meeting him to ask a few questions, and the physical description is fitting for what the doctor is like. Dr. Ginger is clearly making a fool of himself, most likely without even knowing it, and doesn't receive much respect from any of his friends or patients.
"As best he could, Reynaldo Flemm made mental notes of Whispering Palms during the tour. He was posing as a male exotic dancer who needed a blemish removed from his right buttock. For the purpose of disguise, Flemm had dyed his hair and greased it right back; that was all he could do to bear to alter his appearance. Secretly, he loved it when people stared because they recognized him from television."
Reynaldo Flemm is a bad actor who is under disguise visiting a hospital. Flemm hopes to be seen by people who watched his show, although the show is not very popular and he isn't recognized by anyone. Flemm believes he is more important than he actually is, although is very good at working undercover.
"'Chloe Simpkins Stranahan was up and pacing now, arms folded across her chest, heels clicking on the Spanish title. :So you see," she said, "this is why I hate my ex-husband so much.'
'Chemo said, "So you want to get even?'
'Boy are you swifty. Yes, I want to get even'"
This is a conversation between Chemo, a hitman, and Chloe Stranahan, Micks ex-wife. She is angry because of a situation that occurred between Mick and another man, and she is trying to get him killed. Obviously, she is an angry woman, and probably a bit crazy for hiring someone to kill her husband for something so minor.
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