Uncovering Writing

Most have already heard that Kurt Vonnegut passed away last night. I was working through my political stuff before coming across it. It kind of knocked me back a bit. Here’s one of the authors I read in high school (which I know was a long time ago), but still, to hear that someone who’d put such interesting, and sometimes twisted, ideas into my head had died kind of shakes you a bit. I think I came to appreciate Slaughterhouse V many years after I’d read it. It was a fun story but also had some deep thoughts to it, and not in a Jack Handy type of way.

While reading the NY Times obit on Mr. Vonnegut, I was struck by this paragraph, on the 2nd web page of the article:

In Chicago, Mr. Vonnegut worked as a police reporter for the Chicago City News Bureau. He also studied for a master’s degree in anthropology at the University of Chicago, writing a thesis on “The Fluctuations Between Good and Evil in Simple Tales.” It was rejected unanimously by the faculty. (The university finally awarded him a degree almost a quarter of a century later, allowing him to use his novel “Cat’s Cradle” as his thesis.)

It sounded a bit like me and what I want to do. Before World War II, Vonnegut had gone to what was to become Carnegie Mellon University to study mechanical engineering. After war service, he then turned to the above quoted part of his life. I went to school for computer science, had a career in that and then returned to school for anthropology (an MA earned in 2003) over a decade later. While in politics now, writing has always appealed to me and I still want to move in that direction. Vonnegut, even in death, may be causing me to reevaluate yet again.

This is the third book by Kenzo Kitakata that I’ve read, the first two being Ashes and Winter Sleep. Translated by Paul Warham, this book is a fitting addition to Kitakata’s works in English. The hardboiled styling of this book is more in line with 1990s Hong Kong action films rather than Japanese novels, but it makes the book a fast and enjoyable roller coaster ride.

The Cage continues in the style set up in these previous books, with the focus on two main characters, Kazuya Takino and Detective Takagi. Takino, a former Yakuza who’s gone straight, struggles with the life he’s created and the world he thought he’d left behind. By rendering this gangster as a complex human being, Kitakata can deftly explore the various levels, neighborhoods, and relationships of contemporary Japanese society. The cage is a metaphor for the world that Takino has made for himself, and that he is aware of, but the novel also explores the cages that the other main characters have built around themselves, for better or for worse and knowingly or unknowingly.

Finished reading this book Friday morning on my metro ride in to work. This was a great book for the metro since you could pick it up and put it down without losing any train of thought or end during a critical piece of analysis. Not a great book at all. It was cool, since the perspective was intriguing: French-born Moroccan adolescent girl growing up in poor suburbs around Paris with her Moroccan mother and absent father.

The timing of this book was good, given the riots last year in the suburbs of a nation that bases its national identity on liberté, egalitie, and fraternitiem, but seems to turn a blind eye on its large immigrant communities surrounding its largest cities, e.g. Paris and Marseilles. The book is also interesting due to its young author, herself a child of Algerian immigrants who grew up in the projects outside Paris.

Overall, not a great book, maybe not even a good book, but perhaps a necessary book. And, as noted above, it’s a quick read.

I just had to post this. I’m reading Faïza Guène’s Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow right now and just loved this snippet from page 38:

Nabil's a nobody, a loser. He's got acne and when he was in elementary school, almost every day at recess he got bullied into handing over his snack. A big fat victim. Me, I prefer heroes, like in the movies, the kind of guy girls dream about...Al Pacino, I'll bet you nobody could take his snacks. Straight up, he'd pull out his semiautomatic and blow your thumb off, so you couldn't suck it at night before you fell asleep. All done.

Having read Of Mice and Men in high school and The Grapes of Wrath recently, I turned with delight to one of Steinbeck’s later novels, The Winter of our Discontent. It was a slow book to start, the pace was a bit uneven and stumbled a bit, but I did finish it last night before bed. The last one hundred pages flew by.

The story is told in first person, from the perspective of a man in New Baytown in the New England region. He is a proud man, an honest man, and one who’s current situation belies his long and proud family history as whalers and important men about town. Working as a clerk in a store, he takes life as it comes, remaining honest and faithful to his principles. But with pressure inside and from his family and peers, he decideds to embark on a short detour to his integrity. The ensuing story unwinds differently than expected, but still with a great deal of introspection.

The ending has a definite Hollywood feel about it, perhaps reflecting on Steinbeck’s time in the film industry. The book also contains lots of stereotypes and cardboard characters that was certainly not his style in the first two books I mentioned at the beginning of this entry. One could say it was a sign of the times, but this book was written in 1962 (and situated in 1960) and Steinbeck’s prior works from 20-30 years earlier didn’t have such limitations. The only fully drawn character is Ethan Allen Hawley, the narrator. Perhaps as a study in male psychology this novel excels, but as a piece of literature, it falls far short of his earlier works.

It’s customary to find the second novel of an acclaimed writer to be wanting. The highs of the first are seldom reached in the second work. In Melissa P’s case, this axiom rings true. While her first book, 100 Strokes of the Brush Before Bed, was an emotional burst and breath of reality, her second attempt is hardly worth the nice paper it’s printed on. It’s as though she went to a writing school after her first book and learned all the tricks of the trade and reproduced them without feeling, emotion, or talent. She vainly centers the book on herself and her own perception of fame that grew out of her first book. Sadly, the acknowledgments at the end of the story were the only part of the book that felt real, that conveyed any sort of emotion.

I just finished reading Washingtonienne, a fictionalized account of Jessica’s experiences working in Senator Mike DeWine’s (R-OH) office. I was at work when this story broke in the DC, then national, press. It chronicles the life of a young woman who blogs about her sexcapades while working on the Hill. I picked up the book since I’m a political junkie; however, I was left wanting, just as a high wears off and you’re looking for your next fix. The book was enjoyable just for the “I’ve been there” moments, especially as she drinks caffeinated beverages at Murky Coffee off of 7th Street in SE. I’ve spent plenty of time and money in this exact coffee shop. But, the location dropping, like name dropping in many books, seems more an afterthought than an attempt to build atmosphere. The book is like a blog, but one that doesn’t have much content. I wouldn’t recommend buying this book, but I would say browse through it at the bookstore or library to take in the wonk-sites of DC.

I picked up Kellaway’s book since it seemed like a fun read for the summer. It’s a very quick read, even though it’s about 350 pages long. It’s quick because the whole text is a series of email messages sent to and received by the main character, Martin Lukes. It’s a novel, no pun intended, way of telling a first-person story. Martin starts off as the director of marketing for a multinational company and the narrative winds its way through the year, January to December. This seemingly personal approach shows us Martin’s ego, vanity, and selfishness, echoed through his own dim-witted emails and the responses back to him. Many of you may have worked with or for a Martin in your careers, but this guy is really over the top. I didn’t overly enjoy this book, but that might be partly due to my distaste for the main character, who was the only fully-drawn person in the novel. If you’re interested in a unique way of telling a story, check this book out for its technical escapades. If you’re in the mood for something else, give this book a second thought before picking it up.

Dipping yet again into the Japanese noir fiction I’ve been drawn to ever since I read Natsuo Kirino’s Out, I just finished In the Miso Soup while at the beach this past week. Ryu Murakami tells the dark story of a few days in the life of an unlicensed Japanese tour guide. Kenji, the narrator, is hired to show people the seedier, red-light districts of Tokyo. In the short time-span of the book, Kenji meets and starts working with his newest client, Frank. Frank is almost indescribable, in how he looks and what he does. Through Kenji, the reader explores the darker sides of humanity.

Murakami explores the logo-based, consumer-driven, and short-term focus of modern day Tokyo. I’d offer that his analysis equally applies to contemporary Americans and probably many other groups across the globe. Technology, markets, and globalization have brought us together as a brand-based world society, but we aren’t any closer to our core humanity. In some sense, we’ve become more isolated as we’ve ensnared ourselves in this global network. This novel explores some of that isolation, albeit in an overly ghastly way. The shock factor is a bit much, even for me. But, the ideas are worth considering. I’m interested to look at some of his other books to see what he’s tried to do in those pages.

Syrup is another extremely quick read and a fabulous first book by Maxx Barry. He reverted to using “Max” as his first name for this other two books: Jennifer Government and Company. This book covers the story of Scat, a marketing graduate living in LA who believes in finding a million dollar idea, and 6, the woman of his dreams, and at times, nightmares. The novel propels you through the advertising and marketing hallways of Coca-Cola LA, Hollywood movies, and young people looking to make it big, make a friend, and have a good time. The plot is rich is sarcasm, romance, treachery, and flat-out humor. It’s also a page turner and I found myself urging my eyelids to stay open as I read another section before bed each night.

I think this is a fantastic first novel and its pace and format explain why Jennifer Government, his second novel, had the same format and style. But, I didn’t like his second novel as much, for while it had the fast pace and snarky commentary, it never developed the characters like they are fleshed out in Syrup. Company, his third novel, gets back to the mastery of character development that he had in Syrup. I read his novels in a weird order, first his second, then his third, then his first one. I highly recommend Syrup and Company, and if you want to read everything he’s got out there now, delve into Jennifer Government.

I finished reading Max Barry’s latest book, Company, while I was at the gym on Wednesday. I usually don’t read books while I work out, only magazines or newspapers. But, I simply couldn’t put this book down. Whether I was nodding my head in understanding or laughing my butt off, I loved this book from the first to the last page. I’d read Jennifer Government, his second novel, last year. I liked that book a lot but felt it was a bit rushed and Hollywood-y at the end. His new book didn’t suffer from a lackluster denouement.

A recent business school grad named Jones gets hired at Zephyr, a Seattle-based holding company. Eager to start using all his fresh academic knowledge, Jones jumps headfirst into his first corporate experience, only to discover that what he read in his books doesn’t always match what happens day to day in corporate cube farms. Illuminated by fluorescent lighting, Jones starts to work his way around this strange company. He’s unwilling to just be a corporate monkey, repeating task after worthless task in the monotonous grind of 9-5.

For anyone who’s worked in a cube farm, or worked for a large company, this book is a must read. The caustic views of human resources, senior management, administrative assistants, and front-line managers will have you laughing constantly. You might also shed a tear, knowing that you too have been in many of the situations where Jones finds himself.

Having thoroughly enjoyed his previous book, Ashes, I was thrilled to start reading the latest translation of his work. Winter Sleep, translated by Mark Schilling, is a first-person psychological study of a complicated and lonely abstract artist spending his winter in a cabin near Nagano, Japan. Having been a promising artist who accidentally kills someone during a fight, he has left jail and continued his painting. Working to perfect his art while ensuring that it can be enjoyed and understood by others, he settles into a routine in his winter abode. Three characters routinely enter and exit the his path over the course of the novel: a middle-aged woman who has a passion for his art and selling it; a young female art student who is seeking a teacher, and a young man who is on the run from the police after committing a murder.

Winter Sleep couldn’t be a better title. You really do feel as though you’ve almost gone into hibernation or a cocoon, waiting to see how you change, develop, and emerge in the spring. This book is fabulous for the ride it takes the reader on. Like Ashes, it’s pacing is rhythmic and fluid. It’s not a thriller but it is a page-turner. You are both pushing and being propelled through the story. I highly recommend picking up this book. My only caveat is that the translation isn’t totally up to par. Sometimes there’s an “A” where there should be a “THE”. Less than conscientious editing pops up every dozen or so pages. But, it’s not enough to derail the story, so get out there and grab a copy! Maybe start with Ashes which will give you an appreciation for Kitakata’s prose and psychology.

I literally just finished reading Dog Days by Ana Marie Cox, the creator of Wonkette and original contributor to that must-read sassy political blog. The book received a lot of fanfare prior to its release and really hasn’t fulfilled all the hype and excitement. That is, if you listed to the DC political community which reads Wonkette religiously but feigns disinterest whenever the topic comes up. I’m willing to say that I loved the book. In some ways, I totally understood where the main Melanie character was coming from. I felt in the know while reading the tidbits that occurred in her life as she pinballs around campaign life, cocktail party life, and oh-so-infrequent social life.

This novel begins in the crazy post-Democratic convention period of August, and how a staffer in the Democratic campaigns careens from high to low and everywhere in-between. She’s trying to deal with the crazy right wing attacks on her candidate and her discrete but insane personal life. When the two are played together, the novel kicks into high gear. I flew through the book, though felt the ending was a bit rushed. Another 20-30 pages could have cleaned up the various plot lines with a little more depth and nuance that were very evident in the first few chapters.

I have to say, I put down the book a few nights ago, about half-way through it, so I could google up price plans for a BlackBerry! Get this book and read it, especially if you’re a political hack. Players should read it too, but I’m okay with you pretending that you wouldn’t deign to read such prattle. Read it, learn it, live it!

If you’re looking for a great modern Japanese piece of mystery/crime noir, check out Miyabe’s Shadow Family. I had read her other book, All She Was Worth awhile back and wasn’t overly happy with how the story ended. That wasn’t the case this time around. Shadow Family is a fabulous novel whose action revolves around a small cast of characters. Most of the action takes place inside a police interrogation room, although what is going on isn’t what you’d expect. This relatively short novel (~ 190 pages) only covers a few hours in the police station, but effective flashback techniques fill in the missing pieces. The characters are well-developed and the emotions run high. The action involves a former desk jockey who stands in to help investigate two murders, which originally seemed unrelated but become connected through an the internet. Four unrelated characters, including one of the murder victims, formed a cyber-family on the internet. The interactions of these family members online and off drives the novel.

I’ve really been caught up in Japanese mystery and crime fiction lately. I’d been looking for something new to read and picked up Kirino’s book. Now, I’m hooked. For those interested, Kirino has her own website.

I started reading this book in Jamaica and just finished it. I’d read her other two books, 32AA and Call Waiting, awhile ago and picked up her latest a few months ago. This book is from the chick-lit genre, and I really enjoyed her light and fast-paced style of writing in her first book. I didn’t really like the second one that much, it seemed like she just had to write it to follow up on the success of her first book. Her most recent book draws on a different set of characters and takes place in London. I don’t think she developed the characters as best as she could, but the prose was flowing and fast-paced. I could read a chapter in no time flat and then put it down for a day or so and pick right back up. The book covers the dating/relationship life of Rosie Mayford and her close group of friends. There are nefarious relatives, close friends, and a host of boyfriends to keep the book from ever being dull. But, in the end, I’d have to recommend her first book over the next two.

While in Jamaica, I started and finished reading Melissa P’s book 100 Strokes of the Brush Before Bed. This international bestseller was something I picked up many months ago with a Borders Gift Card and finally got around to reading. It uses a diary entry style and gives the reader the point of view of a teenage girl’s sexual/romantic development in a town in Italy. The book’s shocking pieces could be offset by the vivid and scarce language, but the almost Hollywood ending doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the story. In some ways, it’s like Brass, that I wrote about before. If you have nothing else to read, pick this up. But, don’t interrupt your regularly scheduled reading list to pick this one up.

I finished reading In the Pond, by Ha Jin, on Wednesday night. This was my introduction to his writing, although I’ve bought several of his books for Diane, including Waiting. She really loved that book. I fell in love with the simple prose and fantastic story of In the Pond. It’s part Sisyphus and part car crash. You watch the main character struggle against the system, manifested at increasingly higher hierarchical levels in himself, his family, his work unit, his factory, his town, his province, and his country, China. You see the external battle he’s fighting, but you also see how he sometimes is his own worst enemy. But, he’s struggling to be a true and full person, and the foibles he lands in may be, in part, self-generated, but they’re also realistic situations that we often find ourselves in on a daily basis. Definitely read this book!

I just finished reading Kenzo Kitakata’s Ashes. It was a really intriguing read about a middle-aged Japanese yakuza. The book sounded so intriguing before I bought it. I have been on a Japanese novel kick ever since I read Out by Natsuo Kirino. But, the first couple of dozen pages seems really boring and slow. It was told in two parts, one from the outside, with the main character, Tanaka, being seen in third person. The second part of the book was told from Tanaka’s internal perspective. The staccato pace of the sentences and thoughts seemed disconnected at the beginning of the book; however, it developed into a solid rhythm as the book progressed. I’d highly recommend this book to read.

Interesting “things fall apart” plot that really lacked a reason for the blatant sexual content. This book has been compared to Trainspotting, by Irvine Welsh, but it lacks the moral arc of that story. A reviewer on Amazon said it reminded her of Catcher in the Rye. Again, there’s no real underlying story. While I like literature that doesn’t necessarily have a main story arc, it needs to have some grounded philosophical point to make. You want to sympathize with Millie, but I just can’t. It has a Hollywood ending, too.

I just finished reading Out by Natsuo Kirino. This is a fabulous, if devious and visceral, book. It tells the story of four Japanese women who get embroiled in a deepening spiral of violence that both brings them together and forever renders them alone in the world. A tour-de-force (wow, I rarely use such words) that will have you turning page after page long after you should be asleep. It’s like a waking dream. Ms. Kirino does a fabulous job crafting multiple plot lines that intersect at random and inevitably. Check it out!