Good, not great. Some of the prose in the first half was interesting but ultimately felt a bit repetitive. The non-fiction and interviews in the second Good, not great. Some of the prose in the first half was interesting but ultimately felt a bit repetitive. The non-fiction and interviews in the second half were much more interesting and powerful for me. Did lead me to order a copy of Factotum today though......more
Another work I've been meaning to read for years and years only to finally get to it. And given much more context after reading about Rilke as a persoAnother work I've been meaning to read for years and years only to finally get to it. And given much more context after reading about Rilke as a person in Zweig's autobiography.
I described it to a friend as "incredibly pithy and dense in thought yet simply said."
There are many thoughts and sentences here that ring incredibly deep and thoughtful, so full of gentle advice and human understanding, so obviously having been lived through by the author.
I read this in a few hours but can easily see coming back to it again and again....more
Another amazing and fascinating micro-history of mid 20th century America through the lens of 3 beat artists. I do wish Tytell had expanded his BurrouAnother amazing and fascinating micro-history of mid 20th century America through the lens of 3 beat artists. I do wish Tytell had expanded his Burroughs coverage a bit more, but he does make a pretty convincing case for Kerouac's studied artistry and the way he is (or was at the time of writing) way underappreciated for the thought he put into his craft. Have never really delved into Ginsberg's writing much, but will definitely dig in after this history....more
A fascinating slice of 20th century history, and a great partner read with Phil Ford's dig. Covers a lot of ground across three main avenues of art: mA fascinating slice of 20th century history, and a great partner read with Phil Ford's dig. Covers a lot of ground across three main avenues of art: music (mostly jazz and blues), film, and literature. Delves into the relationship of mid 20th century artists and French existentialism. As with all truly great books, added many titles to my to-be-read list. And in addition to all that, was an absolute pleasure to read. Dinerstein does a fine fine job of exploring an amazing current of thought and output - not to mention showing very explicitly how it was all mostly derived from the struggles of African Americans in mid 20th century USA - and manages to do so with grace, insightfulness, and passion....more
Enjoyed this better the second time but still think it feels a bit bloated and overrated. There's some great writing in the first and last thirds. For eEnjoyed this better the second time but still think it feels a bit bloated and overrated. There's some great writing in the first and last thirds. For example:
Something, someone, some spirit was pursuing all of us across the desert of life and was bound to catch us before we reached heaven. Naturally, now that I look back on it, this is only death: death will overtake us before heaven. The one thing that we yearn for in our living days, that makes us sigh and groan and undergo sweet nauseas of all kinds, is the remembrance of some lost bliss that was probably experienced in the womb and can only be reproduced (though we hate to admit it) in death. But who wants to die?
Lacan in fictional form anyone? Also some of K's descriptions of Mexico near the end are quite lush and beautiful....more
An absolutely wonderful way to get a sense of Beckett from the people who knew him, without having to wade through the much longer biography by the saAn absolutely wonderful way to get a sense of Beckett from the people who knew him, without having to wade through the much longer biography by the same author (which still might be in my future). Recommended to anyone interested in Beckett....more
As an anthropology major and previously having read about MKULTRA I knew some of this story already, but my oh my is there so much more. A very good (As an anthropology major and previously having read about MKULTRA I knew some of this story already, but my oh my is there so much more. A very good (and extremely readable) history of the intertwining of two anthropological "greats" with the early world of psychedelic research both good and evil. Definitely never realized how much Mead and Bateson had their fingers in so many of the government's nefarious actions. Includes stories of CIA spooks and psychedelic psychiatrists, Leary, Lilly, Huxley and L Ron Hubbard. A very twisted web of influence that wound its way through the mid 20th century. Definitely a worthwhile read for anyone interested in these topics....more
Short and informative hagiography of Charlie Parker. Since my knowledge of Parker's life was shallow this felt perfect for now. The main gift of this boShort and informative hagiography of Charlie Parker. Since my knowledge of Parker's life was shallow this felt perfect for now. The main gift of this book might be all the photos contained within. Would have enjoyed a bit more explanation of the music theory behind Parker's innovations and what made them as innovative as they were, but definitely felt a worthwhile read....more
A good solid primer on Beckett's thoughts and philosophies as portrayed in his works of fiction, poetry and plays. Very easy to read and digest. Goes A good solid primer on Beckett's thoughts and philosophies as portrayed in his works of fiction, poetry and plays. Very easy to read and digest. Goes into enough detail about specific works that you feel you are gaining something that can be used when reading them, and yet also general enough to apply to all of Beckett's works across the board. Very glad I picked this up and will almost certainly move on to Calder's other Beckett book on his theological beliefs....more
A beautiful and engaging read. Fun, smart, and wonderfully written. A genre novel that far exceeds its genre constraints. Looking forward to reading the A beautiful and engaging read. Fun, smart, and wonderfully written. A genre novel that far exceeds its genre constraints. Looking forward to reading the next novel in the series....more
When I finally read On the Road in my late 30's or early 40's I remember thinking to myself, "Damn, I came to this one too late." I could sense what eWhen I finally read On the Road in my late 30's or early 40's I remember thinking to myself, "Damn, I came to this one too late." I could sense what everyone thought special about it, but where I was in my life was a bit too late to really connect with the material. I had grown out of my idealistic 20's and had arrived at a more cynical, or at least jaded, field of vision. In fact, Kerouac describes it well enough in the beginning chapters of The Dharma Bums when he writes:
I was very devout in those days and was practicing my religious devotions almost to perfection. Since then I've become a little hypocritical about my lip-service and a little tired and cynical. Because now I am grown so old and neutral. But then I really believed in the reality of charity and kindness and humility and zeal and neutral tranquillity and wisdom and ecstasy, and I believed that I was an oldtime bhikku in modern clothes wandering the world ... in order to turn the wheel of the True Meaning, or Dharma, and gain merit for myself as a future Buddha (Awakener) and as a future Hero in Paradise.
And as I began reading The Dharma Bums I was worried I might find the same experience. At first the language and the mood was not quite hitting. But then, through some combination of Kerouac's writing and maybe me now being in my 50's and so ready to again feel something fresh and promising, things really started to click. Kerouac's prose started to weave a spell on my mind, luring and enticing me to revisit and re-experience those youthful and optimistic thoughts of my younger self - including my interest in spirituality and Buddhism.
There is just something about the rolling enthusiasm of Ray Smith (the Kerouac stand-in) as it interacts and bounces off of the words and deeds of Japhy Ryder (Gary Snyder stand-in) that really managed to get under my skin and enliven something that has felt dormant for a long long time. Maybe it was the endless variety of references to Buddhist thought shuffled with the joy of the "great outdoors" that reminded me of all I had felt vital when I was driving cross country in my 20's, camping with the barest of essentials, egged on by my own Japhy in the figure of one of my best friends of the time who was always leading the way into the great unknown.
By the time I flipped the last page of The Dharma Bums I had not only felt my interest in Buddhism renewed, but indeed interest in everyday life itself. Years and years of jaded moss fell away as my mind traveled up Cold Mountain to experience things fresh and not already filled with disappointment.
Is this in some sense hyperbole? Yes, and no. I truly felt changed when I finished The Dharma Bums. And that change has stayed with me in the days since finishing.
I now plan to read On the Road again to see if I can finally grok with fresh eyes what I should have groked those years ago....more
Another fine book brought to my attention by the always wonderful Weird Studies podcast. In fact, been reading this alongside Phil Ford's Dig and theyAnother fine book brought to my attention by the always wonderful Weird Studies podcast. In fact, been reading this alongside Phil Ford's Dig and they have been working very well together covering similar ground from different angles.
This is one of those 5 star ratings given not necessarily for the writing (although the writing really is special in its own way) but also for just how excited it got me for its story and atmosphere. Truly upset that it's such a short work. I could have read 100-200 pages more about Broyard's Greenwich Village.
As for the writing, I found it deceptively simple and concise. I say deceptive because even though the sentences were in general short and without much flowery embellishment, the sentences still seemed to ring out with lyricism and poetry. There is a matter of fact tone that reminded me of perhaps the source tone of writers like Brautigan and early Burroughs, and yet I had to keep reminding myself that Broyard wrote this memoir late in his life in the 1990's. If this memoir had indeed been written in the time it took place I'm sure it would have been banned for indecency. Not that anything seems wild by today's standards, but the descriptions of non-marital sex and other activities would not have been able to pass public judgement in the late 40's or 50's imo.
I found this memoir to be rich in detail, inspiring, creative and creativity-inspiring, and enjoyable on a page-to-page, nay sentence-to-sentence level. It was my first real exposure to this pre-Beat world of Greenwich Village, and after this and Dig I'll definitely be hunting for other books from this era....more
Damn you Weird Studies guys and your magical ability to create enlightening and addictive CONTENT that fills my time with wonder and keeps me from doiDamn you Weird Studies guys and your magical ability to create enlightening and addictive CONTENT that fills my time with wonder and keeps me from doing all the other things I think to myself I should be doing! Why must your ideas be so sticky? Your voices (whether heard or read) so entrancing and informative? Why do you both have to be so damn good at what you do?!
BTW - Only four written reviews of this book seems like an absolute crime.
Let's consider the whole book minus the last chapter (for a very good reason I will explain in a bit). For most of the book, Phil - and I hope it's OK that I call him by his first name but after listening to him on so many of his podcasts at this point it would feel odd personally to refer to him as Mr. Ford - Phil does the amazingly complete job you would expect him to do in taking what seems like a narrow subject - the idea or concept or experience of hipness - and delving into its contours to better understand its many variations and nuances from the inside out. But of course, since this is being written by the erudite Mr. Ford (in that instance I suppose it seemed right to use his last name) this seldom remains merely a spirited and insightful retelling of a history of hipness (roughly from the late 40's to the late 60's) nor does it remain only within Phil's chosen art form of music (poetry, prose, art, theater and other forms are more than covered) but also spins with an energy that continually reaches out to other philosophies, thinkers, disciplines, and conceptual frameworks across the centuries. I suppose I could go into detail about what is included in this book, but that seems less important than how it makes you feel - excited, inspired, entertained, and illuminated. Additionally, rather than being the normal tiring experience of "corroborating facts," the footnotes to his references are fountains of further knowledge and amusing asides, and I found my future reading list growing longer and longer as each marvelous page went by.
And if the book would have ended at the end of his penultimate chapter I would have found myself delighted and satisfied.
But then, Phil does as Phil does, and he took everything that came in the previous pages, every thought and seemingly idle digression, bundled it all up, and using a very-respected-by-his-peers but almost-completely-forgotten-by-everyone-else-now musician from the time - John Benson Brooks - takes the book from philosophical-historical overview to someplace completely magical and IN THIS MOMENT NOW (exactly practicing in this manner everything the hip sensibility has taught us for the last however many pages). By circling around Brooks' lost work Avant Slant along with discussing the working practice and artistic-magical-occult beliefs of Brooks, Phil not only takes us through a quick history of magical thought (a known personal interest of his) but also details a theory of "amateur practice" that can be instituted in each of our lives. Our attention to "personal signification" and "objects with saturation value" can enliven our experience in ways that everyday rationality is unable to, not that the latter is bad per se, but that life becomes so much richer and more dense with attention to and inclusion of the former.
Phil's example of listening to a stranger who is an "amateur" cellist (as an example) working their way through a classical piece as opposed to listening to a professional play is key. And it hit a very personal note with me that resonated deeply. The point Phil makes is that listening to an "amateur" stranger playing the piece "not perfectly" I might be very aware of all the mistakes they make. This experience as a listener might not be fulfilling. However, for the person who has been practicing this piece and is totally in the moment of playing it, the experience might be transcendent and transformative. That person's first hand experience is not my experience, and the better value of the whole experience should be found in the player's person. What's more - and this is really where it hit home for me - if I happened to be friends with this "amateur" player, and we knew each other for years, years in which we had experienced each other's trials and tribulations as we each attempted to practice and perfect our art, then this experience for me would suddenly be much different. In addition to the player's experience of being within the art moment, I too would be transported there through my knowledge of my friend and my sympathetic experiencing of the performance through their lens of being. Their wrong notes or timing would be meaningless next to my appreciation of their effort and joy in playing the piece. Any artist who has had a long time friend who is also an artist, where you have shared new works back and forth, even if only "amateur" works, knows this feeling through and through. Might you be the most "objective" judge of this friend's art? Who knows? Who cares? The much larger, more special, and indeed more important aspect is that you get to experience their art through your relationship to them and everything you know and have known about them. What a richer and much more full engagement that truly is. And the lesson here when looked at from the other side is that perhaps the best we can do with our lives and energies is to each find some artistic practice that we can work at, for this may be the truest way to experience experience.
To sum up, I will now be boring and predictable for anyone that bothers to regularly read my reviews... If you are not listening to the Weird Studies podcast and/or reading the books by Phil Ford and J.F. Martel, you are truly missing out on two of the great thinkers and creators of not only The Weird, but of the wider world of art, philosophy, literature, music, and straight up consciousness. You've been warned. Again....more
I tried. I really did. There are some great concepts here and I was so hopeful. But ultimately, the writing just didn't rise to the level it needed to beI tried. I really did. There are some great concepts here and I was so hopeful. But ultimately, the writing just didn't rise to the level it needed to be to be engaging or even enjoyable, so ultimately, life being short, I am dropping this without finishing it.
Which I can feel bad about saying because it's not like I have ever written and published a book (let alone three). But I have read plenty, and I can recognize good writing from writing that feels like an extended master's thesis. When I found myself continually getting bored from repetition or lack of spark I knew it was time to put it down.
Like I said, it's a shame. These ideas have a lot of potential (for instance, if the Weird Studies guys covered the same topic).
Or maybe this is just meant for someone much younger at the beginning of their philosophical journey. Someone in their early 20's who hasn't read much along these lines....more
DeLillo has always expressed himself as a reader of signs both banal and majestic. A seeker of meaning in objects and events. Weather, a woman's clothDeLillo has always expressed himself as a reader of signs both banal and majestic. A seeker of meaning in objects and events. Weather, a woman's clothes, the flight of birds, assassinations and baseball games, the collection of risk analysis data, the tics of a person's face while in thought, cloud as event...
I believe this is my sixth or seventh DeLillo novel read, and to be honest, for the first 100 pages or so I remained a bit unconvinced, and even guiltily admitted to a good friend that I was thinking of dropping it. There was a tiring sameness to the pages. What little plot was provided seemed to be starting to repeat with little change. And while the writing was beautiful on a sentence by sentence basis, I couldn't get a sense of what it was building to, or even if it had the ability to build to something.
And then the "click" happened.
Maybe some part of my inner reader truly did feel guilty for threatening to abandon the book and so unconsciously threw out its widest net to try and identify more fully with what was going on here. And that's when I started snagging all sorts of catches large and small. That's when I struck upon the "reader of signs" metaphor. I mean, I already believed this about DeLillo. But slowly I could feel how that was specifically playing in this story. These clouds of verbal descriptions, people, sights, weather and city, travel banalities, endless facts and conversations with no seeming import. All a symbol, a direct representation - in fact, almost a magical incantation made in order to force the reader to experience what he was trying to describe - all there to show the utter impossibility of every truly understanding anything. All there to show how humans keep trying anyway. And how every search for meaning is ultimately a flat experience of digging a trench to look for pottery shards that will never add up to any real information, or tracking down a murderous cult only to discover no deeper belief by their members than the random coincidence of letters and names. This is the world when vacated by God, a world made up of empty holes, of spiderwebs with no centers. It is the world of people unable to stop looking for greater meanings. Indeed, of making them up, or simply latching their desire to believe and feel to empty, flat actions.
And in that sense this strikes me as an incredibly modern work of fiction....more
I guess this is my season to read famous author's debut novels, as I just finished DeLillo's Americana.
Considering this was le Carré's debut novel, anI guess this is my season to read famous author's debut novels, as I just finished DeLillo's Americana.
Considering this was le Carré's debut novel, and his first to center on George Smiley, I have to say that everything we would grow to love about these stories is already in place. I had already read most of the Smiley novels years ago and loved them. Then I found this wonderful condition first edition hardback in a used bookstore and was thrilled. True, there might be a simplicity to the plot when compared to some of le Carré's masterpieces, but all of Smiley's character is there firmly and clearly on the page. Although later Smiley novels might contain more "excitement," the true beauty of Smiley is his almost invisible professionalism and intelligence. He might just be the British Columbo. LOL. Everyone almost always underestimates him, he's really nothing much to look at or admire physically, in many ways he is a beaten down man, however time after time his almost subterranean thinking puzzles through all the disparate facts and eventually comes across the only solution that can possibly be true. So... probably not the first Smiley novel I would recommend to someone coming in cold, but certainly a worthwhile read for fans....more
Bejees, this is one dark and morbid play. O'Neill's dialogue can feel a bit clunky at times, but his stage direction and character development are incrBejees, this is one dark and morbid play. O'Neill's dialogue can feel a bit clunky at times, but his stage direction and character development are incredibly poetic. A sad sad tale showing folks left trying to choose between the best of two evils......more
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