1. “Appointment in Samarra”, 1934
Set in 1930, in the town of Gibbsville, Pennsylvania. At the center of the town’s social elite stands young couple Julian and Caroline English. But in one rash and fateful moment, Julian breaks with society and his self-destruction is rapid. Over the course of three days, Julian engages in a series of seemingly senseless impulsive acts through which he damages his reputation, relationship with his wife, his business, and himself. The title is a reference to W. Somerset Maugham's retelling of a story, which appears as an epigraph for the novel.
2. “Revolutionary Road,” 1961
Presently an Oscar candidate in several categories for its film adaptation, this was Richard Yates’ first novel. Set in 1955, this focuses on young Connecticut couple April and Frank Wheeler, who believe they can have a different fate than their neighbors, living emotionless lives in a drab suburban landscape. They decide to move to Paris to live out their dreams, but this bold decision is shortly followed by the deterioration of their relationship. They are ultimately unable to escape their banal existence, destroying each other in the process.
3. “Butterfield 8”, 1935
Set in New York City in the early 1930s, during Prohibition, this is based on a true story: the body of a beautiful young woman was found washed-up on a Long Island beach, and it was never verified whether it was an accident, she murdered or se committed suicide. In “Butterfield 8”, Gloria is a beautiful but promiscuous young woman. Often finding herself in the apartments of strange men or in local speakeasies, near the beginning of the Gloria makes a decision that leads to a chain of seemingly unstoppable events finally leading her onto a boat in the dead of the night. More importantly than the whodunit nature of the “Butterfield 8” is the underbelly of New York that is revealed, and that of a society still reeling from the effects of the Great Depression.
4. “The Easter Parade”, 1976
Set in primarily in New York City and its boroughs, between the 1930s and 1970s, this tracks the lives of sisters Emily and Sarah Grimes who share little in character but are both destined for disappointment. The novel opens: "Neither of the Grimes sisters would have a happy life…” Emily, the more intellectual sister, remains in the city after college, moving from failed love affair to failed love affair. Sarah’s trajectory, less closely tracked, takes her out of the city and into a life of abuse, during. The sisters drift together and apart over the years, with the city as a backdrop, unable to save themselves, or aid the other in their suffering.
Commentary: While O’Hara’s two novels are set during the Depression, in a world that lucks luster because the glitter is gone and the times are tough and Yates’ are set in the ‘50s, a time of stagnation and internal change for the nation, all four of these novels deal with the American Dream and its loss. All follow characters that either wrestle with the search for meaning in a banal life, or self-destruct as they act out against profound loneliness. The “country” novels, “Appointment in Samarra” and “Revolutionary Road” both deals with young couples seeking but not finding connection with each other and with a brighter future. These novels also revolve heavily around the martini hour, and certain rituals of suburban America. The “city” novels deal with young women who break. O’Hara’s Gloria is destroyed by her quests, which lead her into the speakeasies of the prohibition, and to the wrong men. In “The Easter Parade”, Emily also exhibits sexually promiscuous tendencies as she grapples with her feelings of isolation. O’Hara’s novel are more thrilling and encompass more; Yates’ are quieter and domestic, but remain harrowing. Read together, this flight offers a pairing of two great American writers and their works regarding the custom of the Country.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Dystopias
1. “Brave New World”, by Aldous Huxley, 1932
Set in London, AD 2540 (the year of our Ford 632) in this future-world babies are born in laboratories; humans are quantified as having certain capability levels, and everyone consumes daily grams of soma to fight depression. Society is divided into five castes created in reproductive centers, the highest caste is allowed to develop naturally; the lower castes are interfered with to arrest intelligence or physical growth (castes are Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons). Bernard, the protagonist, senses that something is missing from this non-violent, extremely careful world – which is highlighted when a “Savage” enters into it.
2. “1984”, by George Orwell
Set in 1984 in London, in a totalitarian world, Winston Smith works at the Ministry of Truth. The world is separated into three entities, constantly at war or allying with each other, Oceania, Eureasia, and Eastasia. As alignments switch, so does history; in this dystopic universe, citizens are forced to accept ever-changing histories as truth as directed by Big Brother, their all-seeing, all-knowing leader: “Big Brother is always Watching You.” The Thought Police monitor the proles and Winston is in grave danger as he rebels against his government by searching for a Truth that doesn’t change, and engaging in an illicit and passionate love affair with a young woman.
3. “Never Let Me Go”, by Kazuo Ishiguro, 2005
At Hailsham, children are special – raised in a beautiful environment at a lovely boarding school. However, their fates are not theirs to decide. Narrated by Kathy H., a 31-year-old former Hailsham student, this recounts her discovery of her purpose, and the love lost along the way because of it. The Hailsham students are essentially genetic matches for naturally born people people and are intended to be used as replacement parts to elongate their originals' lives. Whether these copies can have authenticity and share love is the central topic in this novel.
Commentary: This flight reads in chronological order. Themes present in all of these books are reproduction and reproductive control; totalitarian government; and individual struggles with truth, lies, and love. “Brave New World” introduces a reproductive caste system, which is echoed by the replaceable copycats in “Never Let Me Go.” 1984’s “Big Brother”, whose government administers the most painful torture in The Ministry of Love is also echoed in “Never Let Me Go,” as the kindness with which the children are treated is only offset by the cruelty of their isolation and their knowledge that they can never control their own destinies. In all three, death is inevitable, as characters are forced through their proscriptive humanity to succumb to inhumane fates. Also, all three were written by British writers, and "Brave New World" and "1984" are set in London.
Set in London, AD 2540 (the year of our Ford 632) in this future-world babies are born in laboratories; humans are quantified as having certain capability levels, and everyone consumes daily grams of soma to fight depression. Society is divided into five castes created in reproductive centers, the highest caste is allowed to develop naturally; the lower castes are interfered with to arrest intelligence or physical growth (castes are Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons). Bernard, the protagonist, senses that something is missing from this non-violent, extremely careful world – which is highlighted when a “Savage” enters into it.
2. “1984”, by George Orwell
Set in 1984 in London, in a totalitarian world, Winston Smith works at the Ministry of Truth. The world is separated into three entities, constantly at war or allying with each other, Oceania, Eureasia, and Eastasia. As alignments switch, so does history; in this dystopic universe, citizens are forced to accept ever-changing histories as truth as directed by Big Brother, their all-seeing, all-knowing leader: “Big Brother is always Watching You.” The Thought Police monitor the proles and Winston is in grave danger as he rebels against his government by searching for a Truth that doesn’t change, and engaging in an illicit and passionate love affair with a young woman.
3. “Never Let Me Go”, by Kazuo Ishiguro, 2005
At Hailsham, children are special – raised in a beautiful environment at a lovely boarding school. However, their fates are not theirs to decide. Narrated by Kathy H., a 31-year-old former Hailsham student, this recounts her discovery of her purpose, and the love lost along the way because of it. The Hailsham students are essentially genetic matches for naturally born people people and are intended to be used as replacement parts to elongate their originals' lives. Whether these copies can have authenticity and share love is the central topic in this novel.
Commentary: This flight reads in chronological order. Themes present in all of these books are reproduction and reproductive control; totalitarian government; and individual struggles with truth, lies, and love. “Brave New World” introduces a reproductive caste system, which is echoed by the replaceable copycats in “Never Let Me Go.” 1984’s “Big Brother”, whose government administers the most painful torture in The Ministry of Love is also echoed in “Never Let Me Go,” as the kindness with which the children are treated is only offset by the cruelty of their isolation and their knowledge that they can never control their own destinies. In all three, death is inevitable, as characters are forced through their proscriptive humanity to succumb to inhumane fates. Also, all three were written by British writers, and "Brave New World" and "1984" are set in London.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Intro to F. Scott Fitzgerald
1. “This Side of Paradise,” 1920
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s debut novel describes life at Princeton among its “lost generation”—the glittering, young, and disillusioned. “This Side of Paradise” is split into three sections – in Book One, the novel centers around Amory Blaine, who attends boarding school and later Princeton; in “Interlude”, Amory is shipped to serve in World War I (but this is never described); in Book Two, Amory falls in love with a New York debutante, but this relationship is crushed as well.
2. “Tender is the Night”, 1934
The last novel completed by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this is the story of the rise and fall of the glamorous couple Dick and Nicole Diver. Set primarily in the South of France, the Divers surround themselves with expatriate friends. However, various witnesses to the Diver’s life suspect that something is wrong; and throughout the novel the history of the Diver’s trouble marriage emerges. At the time, Fitzgerald’s wife, Zelda, was hospitalized in an institution in Switzerland, and there seems to be much in common between the Divers’ marriage and that of the Fitzgeralds.
1. “The Great Gatsby”, 1925
A portrait of the “Jazz Age”, young Nick Carraway, a Midwesterner, comes to the North East to stay at an inexpensive cottage in West Egg, a patrician community. There, he watches and narrates a shattering sequence of events. Nick’s extremely wealthy cousin, Daisy Buchanan and her husband Tom live there, as does Jay Gatsby who is self-made, self-invented millionaire. Gatsby’s love for Daisy (they fell in love five years before the novel began) has led him in a relentless pursuit of money, as a way to win her love. When Daisy finally appears at one of Gatsby's extravagant parties, a chain of events is set in motion that leave those who were emotionally destitute unchanged– and others seriously injured. Ending with the famous lines, "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning--", this is a beautiful, heartbreaking narrative.
Commentary: All three novels provide access to the outwardly glittering world that F. Scott Fitzgerald inhabited. “This Side of Paradise” has a young Fitzgerald writing wonderfully about a lost generation, one that was presently floating into the world. Both “Tender is the Night” and “The Great Gatsby” take up this theme, but in darker and more developed novels. While “The Great Gatsby” was written first, it is arguably Fitzgerald’s most perfect work, so it is recommended third. A primary difference between “Gatsby” and “Tender is the Night” is that in “Gatsby”, Nick Carraway separates the reader from the narrative—the reader identifies with Carraway rather than the other players, and therefore is allowed more distance. “Tender is the Night” could be argued to be the greater novel – rawer, more emotional, and often more compelling.
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s debut novel describes life at Princeton among its “lost generation”—the glittering, young, and disillusioned. “This Side of Paradise” is split into three sections – in Book One, the novel centers around Amory Blaine, who attends boarding school and later Princeton; in “Interlude”, Amory is shipped to serve in World War I (but this is never described); in Book Two, Amory falls in love with a New York debutante, but this relationship is crushed as well.
2. “Tender is the Night”, 1934
The last novel completed by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this is the story of the rise and fall of the glamorous couple Dick and Nicole Diver. Set primarily in the South of France, the Divers surround themselves with expatriate friends. However, various witnesses to the Diver’s life suspect that something is wrong; and throughout the novel the history of the Diver’s trouble marriage emerges. At the time, Fitzgerald’s wife, Zelda, was hospitalized in an institution in Switzerland, and there seems to be much in common between the Divers’ marriage and that of the Fitzgeralds.
1. “The Great Gatsby”, 1925
A portrait of the “Jazz Age”, young Nick Carraway, a Midwesterner, comes to the North East to stay at an inexpensive cottage in West Egg, a patrician community. There, he watches and narrates a shattering sequence of events. Nick’s extremely wealthy cousin, Daisy Buchanan and her husband Tom live there, as does Jay Gatsby who is self-made, self-invented millionaire. Gatsby’s love for Daisy (they fell in love five years before the novel began) has led him in a relentless pursuit of money, as a way to win her love. When Daisy finally appears at one of Gatsby's extravagant parties, a chain of events is set in motion that leave those who were emotionally destitute unchanged– and others seriously injured. Ending with the famous lines, "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning--", this is a beautiful, heartbreaking narrative.
Commentary: All three novels provide access to the outwardly glittering world that F. Scott Fitzgerald inhabited. “This Side of Paradise” has a young Fitzgerald writing wonderfully about a lost generation, one that was presently floating into the world. Both “Tender is the Night” and “The Great Gatsby” take up this theme, but in darker and more developed novels. While “The Great Gatsby” was written first, it is arguably Fitzgerald’s most perfect work, so it is recommended third. A primary difference between “Gatsby” and “Tender is the Night” is that in “Gatsby”, Nick Carraway separates the reader from the narrative—the reader identifies with Carraway rather than the other players, and therefore is allowed more distance. “Tender is the Night” could be argued to be the greater novel – rawer, more emotional, and often more compelling.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Publishing Today: Articles About the Book Industry
In recent months, many main stream periodicals, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and New York Magazine have published some very insightful articles about the state of the book business today. Two main themes are the importance of best-sellers and the effect of the digital age. The Traveling Chair is deviating from its normal Book Flights, to present a very relevant Flight: Publishing Today.
1. "Blockbuster or Bust: Why Struggling Publishers Will Keep Placing Outrageous Bids on New Books", by Anita Elberse, pub. New York Times, January 3, 2009
Beginning with the example of Sarah Silverman being paid 2.5 million dollars for her upcoming book, while the industry is in a slump, Elberse examines why its necessary for publishers to pay big money even in dark economic times.
Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123093737793850127.html
2. "The End: The Book Business as we Know it Will Not be Living Happily Ever After", by Boris Kachka, pub. New York Magazine, September 14, 2008
Addresses the history of the publishing industry, assessing the role of the best-seller, the threat (or hope) that technology poses, and reviews the biggest hits and busts of the past year. This is a very comprehensive article about the current book industry, although it was published before the recession truly began.
Link: http://nymag.com/news/media/50279/
3. "Book Publishers: Learn From Digg, Yelp—Even Gawker", by Sarah Lacey, pub. Business Week, August 21, 2008
Urges book publishers to adopt a new model in order to have continued success. Posits that without internet-awareness writers will be lost. And uses the example of the Kindle's success to demonstrate the importance of changing the structure of publishing, and book campaigns.
Link: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/aug2008/tc20080820_194967.htm
4. "An Autopsy of the Book Business", by Jason Epstein, pub. The Daily Beast, January 8, 2009
Epstein believes that the major downturn in book publishing and readership can only be addressed by turning all of publishing digital -- he believes the internet and all its tools (the Kindle, the potential for a Universal Library) is today's equivalent of the Gutenberg printing press.
Link: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-01-08/an-autopsy-of-the-book-business/2/
5. "How to Publish Without Perishing", by James Gleick, pub. New York Times, November 30th, 2008
Addresses Google's new agreement to create World Books -- an enormous universal library. Gleick claims that some see this, along with other digital advancements, as the death knell for the book. Instead, he states that the book is itself perfect (pointing out that he believes that informational books, like encyclopedias, are on their way to extinction) -- and that publishers should keep publishing them.
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/opinion/30gleick.html?pagewanted=1
Commentary: All five of these articles address the current state of publishing. The New York Magazine article is the most comprehensive, taking a look at the history of the book as well as its current, changing status. Elberse's article may be read within the context of our current economic condition: what choices do publishers have when they're losing money but still need to make money? Its terrifically well-written. The final three articles address the information age and its effect on book publishing. Lacey's article urges publishers to change their model, while Epstein's more strongly states the necessity of abandoning the printed page. Gleick's Op-Ed refutes these, stating that a book will always be treasured by those who love to read.
1. "Blockbuster or Bust: Why Struggling Publishers Will Keep Placing Outrageous Bids on New Books", by Anita Elberse, pub. New York Times, January 3, 2009
Beginning with the example of Sarah Silverman being paid 2.5 million dollars for her upcoming book, while the industry is in a slump, Elberse examines why its necessary for publishers to pay big money even in dark economic times.
Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123093737793850127.html
2. "The End: The Book Business as we Know it Will Not be Living Happily Ever After", by Boris Kachka, pub. New York Magazine, September 14, 2008
Addresses the history of the publishing industry, assessing the role of the best-seller, the threat (or hope) that technology poses, and reviews the biggest hits and busts of the past year. This is a very comprehensive article about the current book industry, although it was published before the recession truly began.
Link: http://nymag.com/news/media/50279/
3. "Book Publishers: Learn From Digg, Yelp—Even Gawker", by Sarah Lacey, pub. Business Week, August 21, 2008
Urges book publishers to adopt a new model in order to have continued success. Posits that without internet-awareness writers will be lost. And uses the example of the Kindle's success to demonstrate the importance of changing the structure of publishing, and book campaigns.
Link: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/aug2008/tc20080820_194967.htm
4. "An Autopsy of the Book Business", by Jason Epstein, pub. The Daily Beast, January 8, 2009
Epstein believes that the major downturn in book publishing and readership can only be addressed by turning all of publishing digital -- he believes the internet and all its tools (the Kindle, the potential for a Universal Library) is today's equivalent of the Gutenberg printing press.
Link: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-01-08/an-autopsy-of-the-book-business/2/
5. "How to Publish Without Perishing", by James Gleick, pub. New York Times, November 30th, 2008
Addresses Google's new agreement to create World Books -- an enormous universal library. Gleick claims that some see this, along with other digital advancements, as the death knell for the book. Instead, he states that the book is itself perfect (pointing out that he believes that informational books, like encyclopedias, are on their way to extinction) -- and that publishers should keep publishing them.
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/opinion/30gleick.html?pagewanted=1
Commentary: All five of these articles address the current state of publishing. The New York Magazine article is the most comprehensive, taking a look at the history of the book as well as its current, changing status. Elberse's article may be read within the context of our current economic condition: what choices do publishers have when they're losing money but still need to make money? Its terrifically well-written. The final three articles address the information age and its effect on book publishing. Lacey's article urges publishers to change their model, while Epstein's more strongly states the necessity of abandoning the printed page. Gleick's Op-Ed refutes these, stating that a book will always be treasured by those who love to read.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Intro to Ernest Hemingway
1. “In Our Time”, 1925
This collection of short stories was Hemingway’s American debut and contains some of his most well known stories, including the Nick Adams stories. At the time of publication, this collection was recognized as innovative and significant for its use of spare, simple language while depicting complex emotions; among its admirers were Ford Madox Ford and F. Scott Fitzgerald. The title comes from the English Book of Common Prayer: "give us peace in our time, O Lord". This origin was first suggested by Ezra Pound and then later confirmed by Hemingway.
2. “The Sun Also Rises”, 1926
This novel explores the lives of several members the “Lost Generation”, those who survived World War I. Jake Barnes battles his attraction to the beautiful Lady Brett Ashley. Weary of Paris cafes, Jake and Brett, along with Brett’s fiancé and several others travel to Pamplona for a bullfight. This is a lean, brutal, and beautiful novel.
1. “The Old Man and the Sea”, 1952
This novella was written in Cuba and is the last major work of fiction to be published in Hemingway’s lifetime. In it, Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman relentlessly, agonizingly battles a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. His epic struggle ends in failure, as his prize is eaten by a school of sharks. “The Old Man and the Sea” led directly to Hemingway’s receipt of the Nobel Prize in 1954.
Commentary:
“In Our Time” is a collection of short stories that established Hemingway’s voice – his sparse use of language and his ability for shattering psychological and emotional portraits. “The Sun Also Rises”, written soon after, reflects his own experiences as part of the Lost Generation. Both of these novels relate to war, as do so many of Hemingway’s works, including “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “A Farewell to Arms”. “The Sun Also Rises” is beautiful and gut-wrenching, a doomed, gin-soaked masterpiece. “The Old Man and The Sea”, a novella, fulfills the promise of “In Our Time”. 84-year-old Santiago struggles for two days and two nights, and then for a third day, catching his fish but unable to return with his prize because it is eaten by sharks. Here is a depiction of both the bravery and the futility of the individual. Read together, these three provide a way to understand Hemingway’s literary significance and concerns: these are war, the individual, personal failure, relationships between men and women, suffering and bravery, and a desire to express all these complexities in the tersest language possible, allowing an exceptional amount of emotional resonance.
This collection of short stories was Hemingway’s American debut and contains some of his most well known stories, including the Nick Adams stories. At the time of publication, this collection was recognized as innovative and significant for its use of spare, simple language while depicting complex emotions; among its admirers were Ford Madox Ford and F. Scott Fitzgerald. The title comes from the English Book of Common Prayer: "give us peace in our time, O Lord". This origin was first suggested by Ezra Pound and then later confirmed by Hemingway.
2. “The Sun Also Rises”, 1926
This novel explores the lives of several members the “Lost Generation”, those who survived World War I. Jake Barnes battles his attraction to the beautiful Lady Brett Ashley. Weary of Paris cafes, Jake and Brett, along with Brett’s fiancé and several others travel to Pamplona for a bullfight. This is a lean, brutal, and beautiful novel.
1. “The Old Man and the Sea”, 1952
This novella was written in Cuba and is the last major work of fiction to be published in Hemingway’s lifetime. In it, Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman relentlessly, agonizingly battles a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. His epic struggle ends in failure, as his prize is eaten by a school of sharks. “The Old Man and the Sea” led directly to Hemingway’s receipt of the Nobel Prize in 1954.
Commentary:
“In Our Time” is a collection of short stories that established Hemingway’s voice – his sparse use of language and his ability for shattering psychological and emotional portraits. “The Sun Also Rises”, written soon after, reflects his own experiences as part of the Lost Generation. Both of these novels relate to war, as do so many of Hemingway’s works, including “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “A Farewell to Arms”. “The Sun Also Rises” is beautiful and gut-wrenching, a doomed, gin-soaked masterpiece. “The Old Man and The Sea”, a novella, fulfills the promise of “In Our Time”. 84-year-old Santiago struggles for two days and two nights, and then for a third day, catching his fish but unable to return with his prize because it is eaten by sharks. Here is a depiction of both the bravery and the futility of the individual. Read together, these three provide a way to understand Hemingway’s literary significance and concerns: these are war, the individual, personal failure, relationships between men and women, suffering and bravery, and a desire to express all these complexities in the tersest language possible, allowing an exceptional amount of emotional resonance.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Fantastic Fantasy
1. Wheel of Time Series: Book One, “The Eye of the World”, by Robert Jordan, 1990
This first book is the story of teenage hero Rand al’Thor and his companions from the village of Two Rivers. Each of them have unique abilities, which will ultimately be crucial to saving the world they inhabit. As the Dark One rises, Rand comes into his destiny as The Dragon Reborn. In the books that follow, the original characters are often split into different groups, and pursue different missions as prophecies fulfill themselves and enemies arise. This is a richly detailed and compelling fantasy series. Over 44 million books have been sold world wide, and books 8-11 were #1 on the NY Times best seller list.
2. The Kingkiller Chronicles: Day One, “The Name of the Wind”, by Patrick Rothfuss, 2007
This first book of the trilogy is an autobiography of Kvothe, a famous musician and adventurer…and the hero and villain of thousands of tales in the fantasy world he inhabits. He is presumed dead, but actually living as the proprietor of an inn. When a visitor, the Chronicler recognizes him, he is compelled to tell his story. This has won the Quill Award (2007) for best science fiction/fantasy/horror; been named one of the best books of the year (2007) by Publishers Weekly. To quote Publisher’s Weekly, “The fantasy world has a new star.”
3. The Sword of Truth Series: Book One, “Wizard’s First Rule”, by Terry Goodkind, 1994
In this first book in a series of eleven fantasy novels, the world is divided into three regions, protected by magical barriers: Westland, Midland, and D’hara. Magic does not exist in Westland. However, the evil D’haran Lord, Darken Rahl, has found a way to enter the underworld and bring down the borders, in an attempt to rule the entire world. At the same time, Richard Cypher, a young man from Westland, discovers that his destiny is to defeat Darken Rahl and save the world – he is the Seeker, the only one who can command the Sword of Truth. With the assistance of Kahlan Amnell, his love interest but also the holder of powerful magic in her own right, and the Wizard Zeddicus, Richard begins his quest to save the people of all three lands.
Commentary: All three of these are excellent contemporary fantasy, rich with detail. The Wheel of Time series and The Sword of Truth series resemble each other more, in the lengthiness of books, and the total immersion available to the reader, as each series contains 11 books. Tracking Patrick Rothfuss’ career should be fun, and readers will be eager for his second book, which will be published in spring 2009. Also, Robert Jordan died before finishing his 12th book, and writer Brandon Sanderson is currently completing that for publication in 2009.
This first book is the story of teenage hero Rand al’Thor and his companions from the village of Two Rivers. Each of them have unique abilities, which will ultimately be crucial to saving the world they inhabit. As the Dark One rises, Rand comes into his destiny as The Dragon Reborn. In the books that follow, the original characters are often split into different groups, and pursue different missions as prophecies fulfill themselves and enemies arise. This is a richly detailed and compelling fantasy series. Over 44 million books have been sold world wide, and books 8-11 were #1 on the NY Times best seller list.
2. The Kingkiller Chronicles: Day One, “The Name of the Wind”, by Patrick Rothfuss, 2007
This first book of the trilogy is an autobiography of Kvothe, a famous musician and adventurer…and the hero and villain of thousands of tales in the fantasy world he inhabits. He is presumed dead, but actually living as the proprietor of an inn. When a visitor, the Chronicler recognizes him, he is compelled to tell his story. This has won the Quill Award (2007) for best science fiction/fantasy/horror; been named one of the best books of the year (2007) by Publishers Weekly. To quote Publisher’s Weekly, “The fantasy world has a new star.”
3. The Sword of Truth Series: Book One, “Wizard’s First Rule”, by Terry Goodkind, 1994
In this first book in a series of eleven fantasy novels, the world is divided into three regions, protected by magical barriers: Westland, Midland, and D’hara. Magic does not exist in Westland. However, the evil D’haran Lord, Darken Rahl, has found a way to enter the underworld and bring down the borders, in an attempt to rule the entire world. At the same time, Richard Cypher, a young man from Westland, discovers that his destiny is to defeat Darken Rahl and save the world – he is the Seeker, the only one who can command the Sword of Truth. With the assistance of Kahlan Amnell, his love interest but also the holder of powerful magic in her own right, and the Wizard Zeddicus, Richard begins his quest to save the people of all three lands.
Commentary: All three of these are excellent contemporary fantasy, rich with detail. The Wheel of Time series and The Sword of Truth series resemble each other more, in the lengthiness of books, and the total immersion available to the reader, as each series contains 11 books. Tracking Patrick Rothfuss’ career should be fun, and readers will be eager for his second book, which will be published in spring 2009. Also, Robert Jordan died before finishing his 12th book, and writer Brandon Sanderson is currently completing that for publication in 2009.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Best Business Stories of the 1980s and 1990s (non-fiction flight), contributed by a reader of The Traveling Chair
1. “Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco”, by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar, 1990
One of the bestselling books of all time, “Barbarians at the Gate” tells the fascinating story of the fight to control RJR Nabisco. It was, at the time, the largest takeover in Wall Street history and exemplified an age of greed and hubris, characteristics of which are all still apparent today.
2. “When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Managment”, by Roger Lowenstein, 2000
The fascinating story of the collapse of Long-Term Capital Management, founded by successful Wall Street trader John Meriwether and staffed by two nobel-prize winners, Myron Scholes and Robert C. Merton. Their beliefs that mathematics could be used to acheive high returns with no risk led to one of the biggest bailouts in history. Despite this epic failure, the rise of quantitative finance continued unabated.
3. “Den of Thieves,” by James B. Stewart, 1992
Den of Thieves tells the story of the 1980s insider-trading scandal that nearly destroyed Wall Street, the men who pulled it off, and the chase that finally brought them to justice. Pulitzer Prize winner James B. Stewart shows for the first time how four of the biggest names on Wall Street -- Michael Milken, Ivan Boesky, Martin Siegel, and Dennis Levine -- created the greatest insider-trading ring in financial history and almost walked away with billions, until a team of downtrodden detectives triumphed over some of America's most expensive lawyers to bring this powerful quartet to justice. “Den of Thieves” is a portrait of human nature, big business, and crime of unparalleled proportions.
Commentary:
These three non-fiction books tell the greatest stories of the financial successes and failings of both 1980s and 1990s Wall Street. Read together, both the genius and the fatal flaws of the men who led the American financial world can be seen. These three books provide a terrific portrait of Wall Street culture in both its bravado and failings (see “Wall Street”, the movie). In particular, “Barbarians at the Gates” and “Den of Thieves” depict the massive greed present in the American financial market in the 1980s. “When Genius Fails”, a book about the 1990s, traces the emergence of "smart" money and the idea that math and computers could reduce risk and increase returns, which would ultimately prove a disaster (proven even more with recent financial events).
One of the bestselling books of all time, “Barbarians at the Gate” tells the fascinating story of the fight to control RJR Nabisco. It was, at the time, the largest takeover in Wall Street history and exemplified an age of greed and hubris, characteristics of which are all still apparent today.
2. “When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Managment”, by Roger Lowenstein, 2000
The fascinating story of the collapse of Long-Term Capital Management, founded by successful Wall Street trader John Meriwether and staffed by two nobel-prize winners, Myron Scholes and Robert C. Merton. Their beliefs that mathematics could be used to acheive high returns with no risk led to one of the biggest bailouts in history. Despite this epic failure, the rise of quantitative finance continued unabated.
3. “Den of Thieves,” by James B. Stewart, 1992
Den of Thieves tells the story of the 1980s insider-trading scandal that nearly destroyed Wall Street, the men who pulled it off, and the chase that finally brought them to justice. Pulitzer Prize winner James B. Stewart shows for the first time how four of the biggest names on Wall Street -- Michael Milken, Ivan Boesky, Martin Siegel, and Dennis Levine -- created the greatest insider-trading ring in financial history and almost walked away with billions, until a team of downtrodden detectives triumphed over some of America's most expensive lawyers to bring this powerful quartet to justice. “Den of Thieves” is a portrait of human nature, big business, and crime of unparalleled proportions.
Commentary:
These three non-fiction books tell the greatest stories of the financial successes and failings of both 1980s and 1990s Wall Street. Read together, both the genius and the fatal flaws of the men who led the American financial world can be seen. These three books provide a terrific portrait of Wall Street culture in both its bravado and failings (see “Wall Street”, the movie). In particular, “Barbarians at the Gates” and “Den of Thieves” depict the massive greed present in the American financial market in the 1980s. “When Genius Fails”, a book about the 1990s, traces the emergence of "smart" money and the idea that math and computers could reduce risk and increase returns, which would ultimately prove a disaster (proven even more with recent financial events).
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