Steven Pressfield, jumps (at the time 21 years; now 8 years) into the future to examine a mercenary world that resembles both 2024 and imperials Rome;Steven Pressfield, jumps (at the time 21 years; now 8 years) into the future to examine a mercenary world that resembles both 2024 and imperials Rome; a pretty good tale....more
I watched the movie when it first came out. It was my first exposure the Nicole Kidman and I thought she was amazing in it. Like is often the case, thI watched the movie when it first came out. It was my first exposure the Nicole Kidman and I thought she was amazing in it. Like is often the case, the book is actually better (except for missing Nicole Kidman) with a more nuanced plot. The characters were interesting, bordering on Patricia Highsmith intensity. I liked the story, the narrative drive, and the characters. Nearly perfect. No wonder even Orson Wells considered making a movie out of it....more
I had four roommates (and friends) my senior year in college. The other three all took an honors course that required them to read Ellul's Propaganda I had four roommates (and friends) my senior year in college. The other three all took an honors course that required them to read Ellul's Propaganda and the Technological Society. Not wanting to be left out of our late night conversations, I bought and read the books. They felt prescient 24 years ago. Now, after FB, Twitter, TikTok, FoxNews, MSNBC, etc., it feels that Ellul really stuck the landing. If anything he may have underestimated the scale of communications (phones and social media) that would dominate our 21st century. We have been encircled by technology, technique, and propaganda. I would love to have seen his take on AI and social media....more
The last of Vidal's three Edgar Box mysteries. Interesting. None of these novels was great fiction or even a great mystery, but all were fun. InterestThe last of Vidal's three Edgar Box mysteries. Interesting. None of these novels was great fiction or even a great mystery, but all were fun. Interesting to see Vidal's early playfulness and nonconformity, mixed with status....more
I read this about 27 years ago in college. Reading it again. Amazing at how relevant this is to the Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, FoxNews worlI read this about 27 years ago in college. Reading it again. Amazing at how relevant this is to the Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, FoxNews world we live in. I'd love to see him reincarnated to update his thoughts about social media. I think I have a pretty good idea of the things he would focus on isolation, group propaganda, anxiety, inability for Churches to keep up. He would probably be able to write a whole damn book on it. Who knows? Maybe someone has already done the work....more
My sister gave this to me a few months ago. I don't normally read YA fiction, not my jam, but my sister is a middle school librarian, so I gave it a sMy sister gave this to me a few months ago. I don't normally read YA fiction, not my jam, but my sister is a middle school librarian, so I gave it a shot. Not bad. Great characters and now I might have to look for a Snake Handling Church shelf (my first book about Appalachia with some Snake churches thrown into the mix). ...more
Baldwin uses a review of films relating to race to deconstruct the current race situation (in the early 1970s). This is a fantastic book and not just Baldwin uses a review of films relating to race to deconstruct the current race situation (in the early 1970s). This is a fantastic book and not just for hyper fans of Baldwin. God this man is a treasure....more
An interesting take on the crime novel. Gives it a bit of a family history and family trauma aspect that isn't usually around. One of the better Alex An interesting take on the crime novel. Gives it a bit of a family history and family trauma aspect that isn't usually around. One of the better Alex McKnight novels. My biggest complaint about these novels is the amplitude of the narrative never emotionally goes super high or super low. There are moments that are horrible (beatings, shootings, breakups) that are horrible, but Hamilton writes them almost surgically. The humanity is partially there. I can feel the pain of Alex in recovery, but he just doesn't dip deep enough into the well that say a Matt Bell or a Brian Evenson can evoke. The despair that exists in a pit, constantly gets shielded from the reader. Minor issue, but I keep wondering why I both like these books at one level, but never LOVE any of them....more
If I examine this book without considering the author's life, it becomes a different review. If I examine this book in the context of the author's deaIf I examine this book without considering the author's life, it becomes a different review. If I examine this book in the context of the author's death it explains certain things and also complicates my eventual review of it. I like it, mostly. But clearly, this wasn't an abstract philosophy or ideology for Mishima. The book didn't end with the last four lines of the poem Icarus at the end of the essay/memoir:
"For wanting to fly off to the unknown Or the known: Both of them a single, blue speck of an idea?"
No. In man ways this book theme, ideas, ideology ended on 25 November 1970 when Mishima committed seppuku after a failed nationalist coup. The final act. The final sad, red period/speck/stain on his philosophy....more
When I was growing up in Utah as a bookish kid, I used to make the comment that Mormons couldn't write good literature (for the most part still true*)When I was growing up in Utah as a bookish kid, I used to make the comment that Mormons couldn't write good literature (for the most part still true*) because they aren't comfortable writing about, living in the shadows and the dark. Great art needs shadows and light. Not every piece of art needs to be a Dutch Masters, but in literature one needs to be able to deal with the whole man, the ambiguities of morality and human experience. Tanizaki takes the spirit of this youthful thought of mine and delves into the Japanese aesthetic of darkness and shadows. It really is a nice, small book. Elegant and to the point. The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 was I wanted more. Like a delicious and expensive meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant, I found the meal delicious and the portion frustratingly small.
* the exceptions are usually the ones who have either left (Evenson), exist on the fringe (Udall), or are comfortable in dealing with the ambiguities of the human experience (Peck)....more
The longer I sat with this the better I liked it. I prefer his fiction to his political writings. That said I’ve read less interesting, less compellinThe longer I sat with this the better I liked it. I prefer his fiction to his political writings. That said I’ve read less interesting, less compelling, insider writing coming from some libertarians, open-market capitalists, Mormons, Buddhists and Christians. It is impossible to be neutral, so Miéville, doesn’t even pretend to. Liked it better than his book on the October Revolution.
(Later thoughts: Miéville does a good job in pointing out some of Marx/Engels blind spots- feminism/nationalism/globalism/imperialism/race)....more
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