Brief Book Reviews

Man in the Dark - Paul Auster

The story is told over one night, maybe its for that reason it feels so much like a dream I've had instead of a book I've read. It's how a house of insomniacs passes the evening. In particular the grandfather. He tells a story to himself to keep his own world at bay, while bringing himself into the story. I'm a sucker for characters and this is definitely a character driven story. I find myself relating so well to the mind of this man, identifying with him while he pushes and pulls bits of his life apart, pushes and pulls fragments of his own world into fiction, pushes and pulls a history of relationships and events around sorting out his own life. It's as if the whole of his world hinges on this night.

If I had to rate the book I'd give it a four out of five. While I really enjoy the things of Auster that I've read parts of me always feel a little like I've been there before. He has no moments in which I find myself compelled to rest in the story and ponder ideas, no words that force me to slow and admire their beauty or truth. Instead he wanders through dark streets that always remind me of a black and white film. He feels like a friend at night. So I like this story (and the New York Trilogy) and I'd certainly recommend them, but I won't change my favorite facebook book list to add him.

The Stranger- Albert Camus

When you read frequently you'll notice authors are sometimes like reading lists themselves. They often reference other books, authors, or topics. In fact if you start working your way through one book you and you deeply wish to understand it, if it has any great merit, you could probably spend your whole life just working through the secondary works of one whole book. That's why I picked Camus. First and foremost because he shows up in all the books I read as a reference (including the one I'm reading now) and second because he's published philosophical works. I'm a snob. I feel like I should know about all philosophers and while I don't always enjoy reading their stuff if they've published a fictional piece I really should read it.

So I picked up Camus. And yes, I decided which book to take home based on how many we are modeled for in the store. Modeling is determined by what we sell, therefore, in my own way I picked a "best seller".

The story is about a man who goes to his mothers funeral, meets some people, and kills a man. Maybe I just gave away the plot. Maybe I just told you the whole book. There isn't much to it. I guess I wasn't a huge fan because the main character has almost no emotions. Which is the point of the story, I understand how objectively it's told, I understand, hell even enjoy the structure (written very much in an american fashion) but there is no way for me to connect with the story because there are so few real emotions or even ideas to reach out and hold.

I left the story feeling like "That's it?" Maybe I should try another one. They're short stories, it's almost no work to get through one, maybe if I lower my expectations I'll see what all the fuss is about. Maybe you can explain it to me. I feel like if I was to sit and talk with someone about it maybe I could "see the light".

The Hellbound Heart- Clive Barker

Have I mentioned how much I enjoy recommendations? I do. I thrive on them. Music, movies, shows, ideas, television, activities. You name it. But books are my favorite. I love having someone hand me a book and say "You should read this." Not a James Patterson novel or Nora Roberts or even Shakespear. I like it when its one of theirs. Like a secret fantsy or a hidden mystery of the self. One of my coworkers from the store suggested this.

Interesting. Dark. To the point. I was impressed with how well the characters were painted in such a short time. I understood them, all of the very different personalities, so well. Identifying with the darkest needs and hungers while simulaniously retaining the innocence of the gentle contrasting parts. Humanity itself was well characterized in such a short summary.

I was a little disappointed, I'll admit, by the lack of grey areas. There was black and white by the end. No struggling to overcome tension within, no inner termoil I like to see so much in my stories. All of the drama and action was outside the characters. They dealt with them in a rather character static way without much real arch for any of them.

Maybe a three in five? Ratings are a lot harder to give, and ideas a lot harder to have, when there is no one to talk with books about. I wish I knew people I could trust to give feed back about books, what makes a good book, what elements they like to see, what writing skills mark different authors. The ease is definiately greater when in the company of others.