22.11.2007
Marriage, a History
So I Finished this a while back and just never got around to writing up a summary. I've pre-dated my entry so that I can have a timeframe reference later, though, so don't get too confused. The following is a review of Marriage, A History by Stephanie Coontz.
What a phenomenally interesting book! As a reasonably well-eduated person, I've always been aware of the changing nature of the concept of "marriage" over the past several centuries, but never have I seen it explored in such detail with such a keen eye to trends and data analysis.
Coontz is a scholar of relationships, for lack of a better phrase; she's written a number of books on the recent history of the American Family and the potential it has for the future. In this prodigious undertaking, she goes all the way to the beginnings of man and continues forward to the present day.
It's a interesting to look at how many different types of relationships have born the title of "marriage" - initially a way of forming tribal or familial groups among early man based on the needs for survival, the idea of marriage evolved into political alliances among the upper classes and a necessary team for the division of labor in the lower classes. Although, she shows the reader that even in ancient times, there was love, intrigue, and passion in these political alliances.
As anyone with a IMSA Perspectives education can tell you, nothing in history happens in a vacuum. As people began amassing more and more resources, they became more concerned about who would get it when they were gone. Thus steps in the Church, more strictly defining what it means to be married, and beginning the tradition of church weddings that we still practice today. Despite its formalization of the relationship, the Church still considered the state of marriage a necessary evil, a runner-up behind the state of celibacy. The rise of protestantism revived the love in marriage, and a recognition of the partnership aspect of marriage.
In the Victorian era, she chronicles the rise of the single bread-winner household, an arrangement that started among the less affluent because it was often more economical to have a person at home preparing goods, watching children and running the household in what was undoubtedly an exhausting way of life. Like most things, people tend to warp a rough situation into a status symbol, and thus it became with the rise of consumerism that the man became burdened with the often overwhelming task of providing for the family and woman began to feel trapped in their own homes.
I really should stop here, or this is just going to turn into am old-fashioned book report. Suffice it to say, she's quite through in her analysis of the historical data with only a mild flavor of feminism.
I have to admit that I was a little overwhelmed by the depth of the research and data here. About a third of the text is devoted just to notes.
Nevertheless, I would highly, highly recommend this to anyone vaguely interested in the subject. It's a well-crafted work with clear and concise arguments that provide a facinating picture of how we've loved and what we think about it changes how we want to love tomorrow.
Posted by drlynn at 23:53 | Comments (0)
13.08.2007
Mirror Mirror
[I actually finished this a few days ago, but this is the first chance I've had to sit down and write about it.]
A while back, when I read Wicked, I found that I really enjoyed Gregory Maguire's writing style and looked for more of his work. One of the books I found, that unfortunately sat lonely on a shelf for almost a year because my attention has been drawn elsewhere for so long. That book was Mirror Mirror, which is to the tale of Snow White in the same way that Wicked relates to The Wizard of Oz.
I really love the way that this man writes. He has a way of making his characters complex and interesting without writing in a manner that declares "This Character is Interesting!". This otherwise wonderful trait is sometimes a fault when it comes to dealing with his main characters. If not for the fact that they take up the most time in the narrative, you might not know that they were main characters at all.
I noticed this more in Mirror than I did in Wicked. I sometimes felt, and perhaps this was intentional, that the story was more about the people living and working on the family estate than the family themselves. That's not to say that the main characters are undeveloped, but I felt that I didn't understand them nearly as well as I understood Elphelba. (One of the reasons I was luke-warm about the musical - I felt that they really neglected the core of her character.)
What I did like about Mirror was his usual blend of "science" with mysticism. The female antagonist (formally the wicked step-mother) is skilled in chemistry, specifically when it comes to making poisons, however the "dwarfs" begin their lives as entities of rock that, through the influence/presence of Bianca ("Snow White"). The evolution of these characters into self-aware beings is an interesting look into what it means to be an individual, what it means to be a person.
Ultimately, it was and enjoyable read, but there's good reason it hasn't reached the level of popularity that Wicked saw. I would recommend it if you read and enjoyed his other work, if you're into things that are a little more fantasy-oriented, but not to those that really desire epic tales on grand scales.
Posted by drlynn at 19:51 | Comments (0)
14.04.2007
I Am Charlotte Simmons
[This has been backdated to when I actually finished the book. Written April 18, 7:30pm.]
I just finished one of the longest acts of self-felating I think I've ever read.
That's not to say that it didn't have its good moments, but that the author is very-well aware of how very smart he thinks he is. The book's I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe.
Charlotte is a story about a brilliant small-town girl from the hills of South Carolina who is the first and only resident of her town to attend the prestigious Ivy-League-esque Dupont University. Upon arriving at college she suffers from a significant culture shock and disillusionment with academe.
Wolfe has his moments. He has a talent for creating complex and rich characters and environments. The plot of the novel is complex enough to be interesting, but not so complicated that you need a flowchart to keep track of it all. He has created an college atmosphere that I can sympathize with - though not identical to my experiences, I see myself in the characters and my situation in theirs.
HOWEVER, at some point in time, Mr. Wolfe must have been told quite a bit that he was talented, because he certainly let it go to his head. I'd say the books is at least 200 pages longer that it needs to be. (Coming in at 700 pages, it's long for a casual novel.) Wolfe carries an attitude of pretension through his characters and into his narration that is very off-putting. He creates a female lead who is initially a strong and independent young woman who degrades to a populist girl seemingly overnight.
Frequently the voice of the narrator is that of Charlotte, our innocent country girl. This voice swings between a realistic, if cynical, observer and a that of a pretentious, overly-critical snark. I fail to understand how this girl, this bright, innocent could develop the opinions on clothing, attitude, and status in the bosom of a lower-middle-class, isolated, mountain town. You can't possibly justify that with "well, she reads alot." This disparity is jarring and a sign of poor writing, that he can't keep his pretentious attitudes out of the minds and heads of his characters.
Initially, I identified a lot with Charlotte. She was a young, intelligent, girl with few highschool friends in an atmosphere where graduating highschool is the standard height of academic achievement. She finds herself surrounded by people obsessed with clothes, electronics, money, and who's doing whom. The title of the book stems from a sort of mantra that she develops in the face of her isolation and uncertainty, that she would be alright because "[She is] Charlotte Simmons". Within a couple of weeks on campus, she loses sight of herself and begins to lose her sense of self worth. This strong character refuses to seek out a way to co-habitate and instead starts to let herself succumb to the socials pressures in an effort to be accepted.
At the climax of the book, she "shames herself" socially and COMPLETELY BREAKS DOWN. I mean, I understand the trauma that a situation like that could bring, but as a character she loses her spine before and after. She runs to the arms of a man she admits that she doesn't like and neglects everything she used to define herself.
And then it's all over.
It all wraps up in less than a hundred pages. She almost overnight recovers her sense of identity, finds a romantic connection with a character that she previously only briefly interacts with three times in the novel, and is her happy, self-satisfied self again, with just as much of the snobby "Look at me" attitude that she hated so much in the beginning of the book.
This one's frustrating, because the man has some talent, but he's in need of an editor with significant experience in critical analysis of fiction and isn't afraid to say "Fix this". I wouldn't recommend it, and I'm certainly glad that I only paid $5 off the bargin rack for it. If I'd paid cover price for this hardcover, I'd be pissed. As it is, yeah, it was worth $5 for a couple of days of ocular distraction, but nothing more.
Posted by drlynn at 19:35 | Comments (0)
9.02.2007
The One and the Many
I've back dated this entry to when I actually finished the book. I've been a lazy bum and haven't gotten around to actually writing about it.
The book is The One and the Many by Martin E. Marty. Every year when i was in highschool, they would have the Horwitz Lecture on Ethics. A sort of "FP Lite" for the Knoxians out there. IMSA would arrange a prominent individual to come speak to the outgoing seniors. As preparation they would give us a book they wrote related to what the subject of the lecture would be. I was given this book in preparation for the lecture, and of course I never read it. Now I was wishing I had.
What an amazing book. He critically examines and analyzes the duality of the American cultural landscape. There's the traditional "American Melting Pot" ideal where everyone works toward one combined cultural norm. And there's the idea that everyone in America has the right to be an individual, that everyone's culture is equally important to everyone else's and that as Americans we have not just the privilege, but the Right to do and say what they want while living how they want.
It's an tricky and dense problem that he states right off to not be attempting to solve, merely to explore. He starts off looking at the Challenger incident, the last great national tragedy. (The book was written pre-9/11/01.) He uses the event to draw out and identify a wide range of cultures and communities within the American Landscape. It's a facinating read and, as morbid as it may seem, I wish that he had written this post-9/1//01 because I think it would prove to be that much more of a useful example.
He spends a lot of time working from the parable of the porcupines - having to stay close enough together to gain the benefits of each other's company, but staying far enough apart to not get pricked by each other's spines.
He looks at the the way that the various cultural communities interact with each other, how people define themselves as members of a community and what happens when an individual faces the conflict of identifying with more than one community.
The last few chapters are spend on faith. As one of the largest community identifiers the States today, and certainly one of the most contentious, faith in America has the enormous power to push us apart or bring us together. He basically call for what I've been saying all along, but haven't had the eloquence to work out: the faith based groups share a common set of goals based largely on the Abrahamic religions, but not exclusive to those groups. The idea of the "golden rule" and general "be nice" philosophy, but that the key difference lies in who is the one designating the authority to say so.
I wouldn't say that he "trashes" the evangelicals, but I would say that he suggests a more self-directed approach. The coming together of the one and the many relies on the acknowledgment that a common goal of cohabitation can only be accomplished by the recognition of different philosophies as valid approaches. He's certainly much more eloquent than I am, and to be honest, I'd have to go back and read the whole thing again to devise a more elaborate and accurate summary of his analysis.
Ultimately, the book is quietly optimistic. We have the ability in ourselves to work together toward a common goal without losing our individuality, but we're ways from that. There's a lot of cultural "baggage" (all of the "isms" for example) that we have to move past before we can successfully acknowledge each other.
I found this book fascinating. i wish that I had read it in time for his lecture, but to be honest with you I know i didn't have the time. Even now, in my post-college laziness, I was unable to finish it in less than a month. Not mention that it's a work of very, very broad scope at times and my studies since high school have certainly given me tools to better understand the statements he makes.
In short - If you're an IMSA c/o 2002 grad who hasn't read your copy of The One and the Many yet, it's high time you dug it out of the basement and started reading.
Posted by drlynn at 11:33 | Comments (0)
26.12.2006
Naked Pictures of Famous People
I have to say that I *do* have more intellectual reading material on my list, but the first thing that I've gotten myself to finish lately is John Stewart's Naked Pictures of Famous People. I've only in the past year or so become a "Daily Show" viewer. I watched it many, many years ago, and not understanding much of politics and why the show's even supposed to be funny, I panned it. That said, I still usually fast-forward through the people that aren't JS. They just tend to annoy the piss out of me.
I've flipped through "America" and found it kinda, well, dumb to be honest. Maybe I didn't find the "meat" of it. I added Naked Pictures to my reading list, curious as to what it would contain.
Having read it, I have to say it was a lot like the "Daily Show". The book is a series of short essays, fake transcripts, and assorted brain spewing. There are parts that are pointed commentary on an issue or situation, and there are parts that are "fluff satire" that really are just silly for the sake of being silly, without much substance.
Overall, it was a great distraction, something to keep the brain busy during particularly boring shows at work. ;) If you're a fan of the "Daily Show" you'll enjoy this incarnation of Stewart's humor.
Posted by drlynn at 22:29 | Comments (1)
31.10.2006
A Wicked Entry
I classify this as "Reading List" for lack of a better place to put it. As you may or may not know, last week was the two year anniversary of my dearest and I, and to celebrate we went to see the new musical Wicked downtown. Being theatre types, it was nice to see the show and be uninvolved, although that couldn't stop us from talking shop about it. ;)
To prepare myself for the show, I decided to re-read the Maguire book on which the musical is based. Halfway through my second (and more enlightened) reading of the novel, I decided that I needed to find and read the original "wondertale" on which the movie, and then Wicked was based.
It's interesting to read and watch the different versions of the same essential story; each one is targeted for a different audience at a different time, a fact of which is evident in the details.
The original L. Frank Baum story is a significantly longer than the movie would have you believe. True to most books-turned-movies, they cut out a lot of the details and substories that really flesh out the world that Dorothy drops into. In the afterward, the editor talks about how this children's tale was one of the first to lead children by example, as opposed to the frighting gore and violence of the tales of Grimm and Andersen. As Dorothy wanders though the four corners of Oz, she and her four companions encounter talking Animals, people of all design and stature, and some pretty creepy beasts.
Unlike a lot of the film versions of novels made today, The Wizard of Oz doesn't seem to have an agenda. Even the trick they employed to show off the new Technicolor film has a basis in the book. What they left out, the obviously did so for time. Of course it cuts down on the complexity of the story, but it doesn't deviate from the simple messages of character and the desire to find and be home.
Wicked (the novel) takes a lot more from the original Baum tale than the movie. In fact, the novel makes a lot more sense when you've read the original tale. There are details in the original that are drawn on and elaborated on in Wicked that add a lot more dimension to the story. In Wicked you see the characters grow to what they become. Wicked, unlike its inspiration, does have an agenda and complexity of character that makes it such a compelling read. The conflict of religion, both internally and externally echos comtemporary issues and the struggles of the Animals, oppressed to near extinction. I'm older and wiser (I think) than when I read it first, and I certainly saw a lot more to it than I remembered from before.
The musical, however, in some respects seems only related to the novel in name. It completely guts all of the religious aspects, and greatly minimalizes the Animals role in the play, including eliminating the years Elphaba lived in the Emerald City, much of her relationship with Fiyero, and all of her relationship with his family, including her attempts to seek forgiveness for his death. Oh, and it completely changes the origins of the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, leaving only the Lion.
I have to admit that I was pretty frustrated with these changes. There were also significant changes to some of the background of the story, including the nature of the sister's relationship with their parents and each other. These changes don't change the nature of the story too much, but they I don't think that they had to be made. There are also a bunch of changes made for logisics purposes that I can't really blame them for, needing something stageable and all. Overall, it was soft on the issues - hitting them just enough for a little plot meat.
Those who know me, know that I am no friend of the musical. Wicked had all the usual elements: random singing, big chorus numbers, and the happy ending (that was COMPLETELY different from the book.) Despite my adversion to the musical, the production values of the show were astounding, the flight sequences were cool, and the production was overall pretty tight. The sound (to my ear-in-training) was pretty off, however, including a missed mute cue and some less-than-phenomonal engineering. There was a lot of talent on- and off-stage there and it shows. I can see why it's been so popular, although I don't know that it will run forever like they seem to want it to. I feel that it's something everyone should see once, especially the theatre types, but I don't know that it's worth it to see it over and over again.
Ultimately it was interesting to see how two different versions of the same story can be so different. While The Wizard of Oz was true to the original themes of the novel, it lacked complexity. While Wicked (the novel) stayed true to the details of the original, it embellished on the themes, making them more adult and contemporary. And then there's the musical. Almost, I would say, a blend of the two others.
Recently, Mcguire wrote a novel about Liir, "The Son of the Witch" which I'm tempted to pick up. These recent readings have reignited my interest in the storyline and I want to see where it goes from here.
[For more reading on the subject, see The Oz Project on Wikipedia.]
Posted by drlynn at 19:10 | Comments (0)
13.09.2006
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
Good heavens, how does one sum up 700 pages in only a few hundred words? Shortly after I started reading this, an acquaintence of mine described it as "Harry Potter for adults" and while I refute the implication that Harry Potter is not also for adults, I understand and agree with the meaning.
It takes place in England, in a world where magic is very real, but has only fallen into disuse for hundreds of years. It follows two newly-minted practical magicians, as well as a host of other characters whose stories weave together into a quite complicated pattern with one interesting characteristic: the title characters have little to no direct interaction with the biggest players in the book. It's an interesting structure that I expected to change in some great climax at the end, but it didn't. While the stories of these non-title characters are all concluded nicely, the title characters are left with a very open ended (though not bothersome) ending.
The language initially struck me as that of Jane Austin and the like (as would make sense for the peroid of the novel), but while old-fashioned, nothing is extraneous in the way that Austin often was. Where Austin would go on at great length over a table cloth and never mention it again, Clarke might do so, but you would quickly understand why and not be bored to death in the meantime. It took a little getting used to, but once you have a feeling for the rhythm and conventions, you don't think about it again. Which I have to say is a talent, when you're 500 pages in and not bored yet.
What's interesting to note is that, as one might expect in a book so long, it doesn't really get going until a couple hundred pages in. In the past, I've complained a lot about expansive exposition, but that's not the case here. There's a short novel-with-a-novel that, while not advancing directly the overall plot, does play an important role in shaping one of the title characters, and thus I'm hard-pressed to just throw it away.
Through the language, this exposition, and a skillful way with words, Clarke creates a rich, distinct, yet all too familar world for her characters. From dingy London inns to the moors and woods of Farie, each scene has an almost tangible atmosphere. In discussing the magic, she doesn't stop at sights and sounds, but continues on to describe in a very viceral way the feeling of the world around one turned on end.
I've heard rumors that they're thinking of making this into a movie, which has me a bit concerned for the integrity of the story. Plain and simple, 700 pages is a lot to cover in two hours. There is some material, some sub-plot that they can cut out, but I'm afriad that they will be unable to retain the complexity of the novel that lends it the "for adults" part of my opening analogy. We shall see.
So I come to the end and ask the same question as always, "Would I recommend it?" I say of course. But not for the faint of heart. You have to be really interested in some aspect of this novel to make it all the way through. Whether it's period fiction, fantasy, magic, mysteries, or what have you, you definately need some sort of motivation to keep you turning pages. It's length does not lend itself to the casual reader. (Hell, it took me almost a month to read it, and that was almost too long to keep track of it all.)
Next up for me to tackle will be one of the many books that have been sitting on my shelf for entirely too long. There seems to be a dirth of interesting fiction at my disposal as of late, so I'll switch back into non-fiction for a while. I've started reading both the 9/11 Report and A History of God (as mentioned before) but at the moment I'm not inclined to finish either. Perhaps it will be Martin E. Marty's The One and the Many that's been on my shelf since senior year of highschool. That's about the longest one. That and the biography of Benedict Arnold. But that's big too, and I think I'm up for a shorter book right now...
Posted by drlynn at 19:56 | Comments (1)
22.05.2006
The DaVinci Code
So my mother read The DaVinci Code a while back and spoke very highly of it long before it became the omnipresent phenom that it seems to lately. The subject matter of the book caught my eye, and so with mom's review and my own interest in mind, it joined the ranks of many on my "to-read" list.
Well, a bunch of time went by. I got wind of the movie and decided that maybe it was time I actually read the book that garnered such high reviews and stirred up such a controversy. I figured, at least, if I saw the movie, I could be the typical snob and walk out with snarky comment about how it related to the book. So what did I think?
I can see why a lot of people liked this novel. It's written in a manner that attempts to make the audience feel smart. There's a lot of exposition to catch the audience up on the Grail lore, and by making its main character an incrediably well-educated scholar, the audience is led to believe they are one too.
Many reviews I've heard use the phrase "fast-paced" in their descriptions. It's only "fast-paced" because no chapter is longer than 5 pages (there are 103 of them in the book's 450 pages). Brown has this absolutely infruriating way of getting into a scene and then suddenly cutting you off. It's not unrelated to the fast-edit film techniques that commercial producers use to maintain people's attention. It's a cheap trick that drove this reader CRAZY.
The question I'm lead to ask is "would this book work with longer scenes?" and I'm not sure the answer is "yes" - I think it's more along the lines of "not for everybody". The frequent cutting does have the benefit of breaking up some of the longer exposition scenes into more managable chunks, but the "cut scenes" so to speak, aren't always necessary to the advancement of the plot, and I was sometimes left feeling that they were more "flavor text" to set a scene. That, in and of itself isn't a bad thing, but the whole thing wound up feeling a lot like the novelization of a screen play.
As I mentioned earlier, there is A LOT of exposition. And a lot of just "talking" in general. Early on in the novel, he spends an entire paragraph talking about a guy's tie-tack for heaven's sake. At times frustrating, this talking is what makes me think that maybe the book wouldn't work so well if all that cutting back and forth wasn't there. It would probably just get too boring for some people.
So I've used the word "plot" a couple of times so far, but haven't actually talked about it. Personally, I can see that herein lies Brown's talent as a story-teller. His plot, while not incrediably complex, is detailed and very well thought out. There's a couple of mystery novel cliche's (such as the mysterious "Teacher", ie leader of the bad guys, but it's interesting enough to keep me reading, anyway.
I found myself wishing I was reading the illustrated edition, because I wanted to see for myself the paintings and places that they were talking about.
I can see why people were upset by the theme of the novel, but I am willing to bet that a lot of people that have complaints never actually read (or finished) the novel. One of the big conversations that they have in the novel revolves around how the facts can only say so much, but that it's ones faith that really fills in the meaning of the Christ story. The novel does make the point that history is written by the winners, and does make one wonder whatever happened to the sacred feminine in society, but in the end, IT'S FICTION PEOPLE.
Anyway, my brain wanderings aside, I found The DaVinci Code to be a pretty decent read. I got my mother a copy of Angels and Demons a while back, maybe if I find myself at the bottom of the bookshelf, I'll pick it up. And the big question, "Would I recommend it to people?" Yeah, why not. If you've got an open mind about history and like mysteries and/or scavenger hunts, you should like this book.
Posted by drlynn at 12:35 | Comments (0)
30.04.2006
The Time Traveler's Wife
Holy crap, was this a good book. For Audrey Niffenegger's first foray into novel-writing, The Time Traveler's Wife is a hell of a good way to start.
The novel follows the wife of a man who travels through time (duh). What's interesting is that he does so involuntarily, though somehow guided by his subconscious. He tends to "pop out" in times of high stress, and tends to go to times and places that are emotionally significant. She meets him in her childhood, but meets her in his life AFTER they've met in real life. (So when they meet in real time, for the first time, she knows him but he doesn't know her.) I know all of this seems like it would quickly get confusing, but part of the beauty of this novel is that it doesn't.
The novel uses Clare's (the wife's) life as the order of events, so we're still moving along in linear time, even as Henry (our traveler) doesn't. Well, for the most part; there are a couple of instances that jump out, but they're never unwarranted.
The jumping around in time works out as a chronological mirror of the emotional and physical ways a couple's lives can intertwine. Clare's and Henry's history's are wound together, they are part of each other in such a way that you don't know whether they're together because of his traveling, or he's traveling because they're together. It changes the nature of their relationship; you do question whether such very different people would come together on their own.
It's not Henry that's supposed to catch our attention, and for me, at least, that's true. I found myself incrediably interested in Clare as a person. Because she knew, from such a young age, who should would marry (though not many more of the details of their lives) there seems to be a possibility that she wound up defining herself through her relationship with Henry before it even began. She spends much of her life (often years between his appearances) waiting. Waiting for him to show up. Waiting to grow up and reach the future she knew was coming. The last line of the book, at the age of 82, she says "But I have no choice> He is coming, and I am here."
Similarly, there's much mention in the book of Henry's evolution as a person. The young Henry is rough and immature, and the older, not so much. Because Clare meets him in his older incarnation, there's a sense that she's waiting, during the early parts of their relationship, for him to become the man she wants him to be, the man she met. Is she really in love with the man infront of her? There's allusions to the fact that perhaps she is manipulating him, moulding him into the man she met. And here we revist the causality loop, is he the way he is because she wants him to be or because that's the way he was supposed to be anyway?
This of course leads us into an interesting discussion on fate and free will. With all of his dropping in on the past, you'd think Henry would want to change things, to prevent bad things etc etc. Well, he does, but he can't. He tries, but things happen anyway. Free will is a stronger force that his potentially chaotic bouncing through time, and thus he cannot alter the past. The remains that he does know what will happen, and people pester him for that information constantly. Henry only selectively reveals information, willfilly restraining or restrained by some other force, we're no sure.
Henry doesn't only travel backwards, but forwards as well. They do take advantage of the fact that he can have this foreknowledge by using some select insight into stocks and lottery numbers, but not to excess. In the end, Henry and Clare are Good People. Not to mention, if they suddenly started making millions, someone would get suspucious.
If this book has one fault, it's how it dealt with the mechanics of time travel. I don't think I'm giving anything away when I say that it's framed as a genetic disorder- the genes controlling the body's perception/management of time are screwed up. This of course opens up questions as to whether Henry's just a mistake or some sort of evolutionary step, but these are quietly dismissed, as they aren't the point of the story after all. (If you want that, read Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear.) In the end, the genetics bit winds up feeling a little clunky, but necessary, as it would be significantly harder to relate to, were there not some identifiable cause to battle valiantly and question whether it's right to battle valiantly.
Altogether, I REALLY like this book. It's one I'm going to keep, and maybe read again someday, I like it that much. It's an engaging story about the relationships of people, framed with a scifi touch that lets us examine and challenge from a different angle. Lots to think about (What would you say if you could talk to yourself ten years ago? etc) Who would I recommend this for? Well, for starters, anyone with patience; at 537 pages, it's not a quick read, but worth it. It is a fairly easy read. If you're into anything a little fantastic, a little willing suspension of disbelief. It also wouldn't hurt if you're a little bit of a romantic, after all it is a bit of a love story.
Posted by drlynn at 20:31
23.04.2006
Autobiography of a Geisha
This one's depressing. I read Autobiography of a Geisha at my roommate's insistance after I read Memoirs of a Geisha (Yes, I know it took a long time.) As opposed to Memoirs which is based on a retelling of the life of a geisha, Autobiography is the life of Sayo Masuda in her own words, translated by G. G. Rowley. She originally wrote a short version to enter in a contest because she needed the prize money. When contacted by a publisher, she wrote a longer version to help supplement her meger income.
The way that Masuda relates the story of her life is very simple, and matter of fact. Some of this stems from her small amount of education, and some from the simple look she has on life. Either way, her language is simple and plain; the text itself is short, at only 170 pages or so.
While Memoirs spends a lot of time talking about the details of everyday life, dress, and custom, Autobiography relates events and reactions in a much more narriative style. She frankly accounts her grinding poverty, physical abuse, and emotional hardship. It's incrediably moving and frank portrayal of an old and often mis-understood custom.
If you've read Memoirs, you should read this. If you haven't, you probably should read Memoirs first, just to get an understanding of the lifestyle, the details that help flesh out Masuda's story. It'll give you an incrediable case of middle-class guilt, but it's good to have that experience occasionally to keep things in perspective.
Posted by drlynn at 02:20
18.04.2006
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs
Back from a long haitus, lately added to the reading list is Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman. This book is a collection of essays forming a self-proclaimed "low-culture manifesto". Basically, they paid this guy to ramble about what he thought about a wide variety of ramndom stuff, from indie music no one's ever heard of and how that's why people like it, to America's race relations as examined through the lens of NBA basketball.
Obviously, they probably wouldn't pay this guy to write for them unless he had some interesting things to say. Most of the time, he doesn't let you down. He's obsessed with music and basketball, so they show up a lot, but we do get some interesting insights into what the media industry looks like from the inside, the cultural significance of Saved by the Bell, and what our porn says about us.
If you're looking for deep, meaningful, life-changing philosophy, this isn't the place to go. It was a good during-school read, however, because the essays were generally short enough to read in one sitting and more intellectually stimulating than staring at a wall. His writing style is very coloqual and easy to read. Overall, I rate this favorably. Not sure that it'll be something I hang on to forever, but well worth the time and effort. ;)
Posted by drlynn at 00:30
27.08.2005
How I Learned to Drive
I took a break from my current reading to read the play How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel. It's a short play that chronicles the relationship between a girl and her uncle and her coming of age.
I don't particularly care for the "greek chorus" performing all the characters besides Lil'bit and Uncle Peck; I feel that in performance this would be akward and confusing. Honestly, I felt it to be a bit of useless obfuscation anyway, since these chorus members are almost always the same character each time they appear. In performance I would eliminate this layer of abstraction and cast actors for each of the principle individual roles.
Initially I was a bit turned off by the spoken 'titles' that divide the play, but I feel that, done well, they would help facilitate the transistions between scenes.
Otherwise, I liked the play. It was about the right length, with about the right amount of character development. If anything, I would have liked to have known a little more about Lil'bit, but I can't think of a good way to do that, so I certainly can't hold it against Ms. Vogel.
Posted by drlynn at 13:40
18.08.2005
Memoirs of a Geisha
I recently finished reading Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. It was one of those books that I'd heard about a while ago, and thought, "I should read that," but never did. I had occasion to pick it up a few weeks ago and finally gave it a read.
The geisha culture is something that's always intrigued me. Knowing that they're not prostitutes, at least, not in such a vulgar way, what is it then that they're all about? This read was certainly a crash course in Japanese culture, and an interesting look into the world of the geisha and WWII-era Japan.
Memoirs is a carefully researched and well crafted work of fiction. It tells the tale of Sayuri, a well-known geisha in the Kyoto district of Gion. Sold to an okiya at a young age, she deals with the loss of her whole family and gradual inclusion into a new one.
I found this book to be a great read. At moments I felt completely enthralled by it, in that wonderful sort of way. As Sayuri struggles to find her place as a geisha and find the man of her dreams, she comes head to head with several formidable women and is taken under the wing of one of the most famous geisha in the city. The descriptions and explainations of the unfamilar culture are plentiful without being expository or dull. Because it's written as a memoir, Sayuri speaks easily and freely, stopping only to reflect on her story and explain little nuiances of everyday life and Japanise terms.
I really liked this book. It's supposed to be made into a movie sometime in the near future and, for once, I'm excited about that possibility. The descriptions of the clothing and environments, customs and people will lead to a gorgeous film if it's done right. The story should translate well to film, as long as they avoid the cliche cutting back and forth from past to present a la Titanic. p
My verdict? A good read, by far. I thank the Borders 3 for 2 deal and E's zeal for zombies (don't ask) that brought it to me.
EDIT: After doing some research into this film business, it's looking to be quite good. I'm getting excited. Release date's set for Dec 9, music by none other than John Williams himself, performed by Yo-Yo Ma.... I am so there. -C
Posted by drlynn at 23:55 | Comments (1)
6.08.2005
Federation
I just finished reading what is probably the best StarTrek novel ever written. Federation by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens. I read it for the first time a good while a go, I was probably in 8th grade or so. I knew then that it was a book I would probably re-read someday, but since I'd borrowed it from the library, I couldn't exactly keep it. Recently, I found a copy for less than a buck in the Amazon Marketplace, and acquired it. Now, about a year later, I've finally gotten around to reading it.
It's hard to describe much of what transpires in the book without giving it all away. What I will say, however, is that it was written before the First Contact movie and portrays a much more realistic first contact scenario, and a much more realistic Zephram Cochrane.
What I like most about this book is that, while acknowleding and confronting the ugliest side of humanity, it's still optimistic about us and the progress that we will make. Much like the rest of the StarTrek universe, but with less of the blind allegiance and abject supidity that often crops up.
That said, it's also a great space romp, and will bend your brain thinking about time, space, and space-time. If you let it, anyway.
Honestly, it's stories like this that keep my faith in modern culture, we're still thinking, questioning, exploring, just in different backdrops. As I'm learning to be open to them, I can only hope that others are too.
Posted by drlynn at 17:04
25.07.2005
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
(entry has been postdated to reflect approximate time of actual book completion. -C)
I honestly wasn't intending on buying and reading this book right away. It just sort of... happened. I won't waste many bits rambling about it, because I'm sure that those of you who care have already read it, and those of you who don't, don't want to read about it here, either.
Honestly, I think I liked this one more than several of the past few. It was worth the extra time that Rowling put into it. Her writing style is maturing along with the behavior of her characters. Although, it's hard for me to tell if her portrayal of these various teenagers is accurate, as my own experiences at that age were not quite "normal" and I would naturally be a little biased.
I'm glad to see that she's not afraid to take some big steps and have her characters do the same. I'm also glad to see plots get a little more complex. What I'm a little concerned about is all this 'shipping that's going on - I don't know how much I agree with a couple of the pairings; I'm be interested to see where they go. I think the same can be said for the whole of it, if anything, I wait for the next installment, very interested indeed with what she does with this "kid's" series.
Posted by drlynn at 15:23
23.06.2005
The Little Friend
Perhaps my expectations were too high. It's possible that over time, my memory has been clouded and The Secret History was not nearly as good as I remember it being, but boy is this a far cry from Tartt's previous work.
Frankly, The Little Friend is boring. It wasn't 'til the last 150 or so of this book's 624 pages that I actually wanted to keep reading. (Why did I? you ask. Well. I'm just the kind of person who can't stand not finishing a book. While reminds me... Maybe I can make it through The Corrections now.) The seemingly never-ending descriptions of the people and surrounds actually gave way to a little plot and things got more interesting. I floated along alright on the first couple hundred pages, chalking it up to establishing setting and foundation, enjoying the complex characters and detail she put into her language. After a while, however, it just wore thin. There wasn't much there beyond description and the behaviors and misbehaviors of a couple of 12 year old kids.
I hate to say it, but this is not a book I'd recommend. I'm sure that people liked it, as it claims to be a national bestseller, but I'm not sure why...
Posted by drlynn at 11:21
10.06.2005
Good Omens
I've pre-dated this entry so that it lines up with about the time I actually finished this book. Yes. I've been that bad in getting things taken care of. The good news is, I'm actually reading again. With any luck, by the end of the week I'll have another one read.
As a combination of the talents of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, I had reason to expect good things from this book. (Not to mention it came to me highly recommended. Thanks, R!) Good Omens is the telling of the end of the world. Or what could have been the end of the world if things had gone as planned. The New York Times calle it "a direct descendant of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". While I wouldn't go that far, I will say that it has a lot of the same tone and sense of humor, of which I happen to be particularly fond.
I don't really have much to say about this, so I'll try to keep this short. It's refreshing to see people not taking religion so seriously. The story's well-crafted, unique and quick enough to keep you interested even when you think you know what's supposed to happen. The characters are dynamic and interesting (well, most of them, anyway) and the dialogue didn't make me want to hit my head against things.
My recommendation? If you're looking for a light 'beach read' have at it. It's worth the read.
Posted by drlynn at 01:29
27.03.2005
The High Price of Materialism
So I've been reading this one for about 6 months? Yeah, that seems about right. I'd picked up The High Price of Materialism by Tim Kasser (one of Knox's own :), started reading, and then never got a chance to actually sit down and read again. Crazy terms'll do that to you. I finally got to read in earnest over spring break and managed to find some time to finish up last night.
The points that the book makes are sort of obvious, but it goes into even futher detail, supporting each one and elaborating on the effects and ramifications. I was absolutely amazed by the amount of research that clearly went into this book. The variety of subjects and approaches used serves to validate the conclusions made and drive home the immediacy of the problems.
The basic gist is that materialistic goals and motivations (defined by the aspiration for money, status, and things) have a negative impact on the over-all well-bring of a person. People have basic psycological needs, Kasser says, and if they are lacking one, they can often seek to overcompensate in the others, usually reverting to materialistic means.
It's absolitely facinating how interrelated these factors are. He discusses materialism's affect on one's sense of security, of self-worth, relationships with others, as well as personal feelings of happiness and satisfaction. In all cases, materialistic tendencies caused a decreased quality in these other areas, as they interfere with socialization, choice of occupation (and not just jobs, but leisure activites as well), and the standard by which people judge themselves and each other.
One of the sections that struck me most was just a short passage in a larger section dealing with people's choices of activities and work. He talks about the idea of 'flow' - of doing something purely for the sake of doing it, getting wrapped up in it, "losing yourself if the work." Flow is the ideal, it's psycologically satisfying and rewarding for its own merit.
I found myself thinking critically about my own motivations and aspirations as I read along. I think I'm in a fairly heathly place, according to Kasser, although I do need to be careful to find that necessary balance between 'flow' and what's materially necessary for comfort. I realized that I actually experience 'flow' in a lot of what I do. Often when I'm working on webpages, drafting, hanging or fixing lights, I often fall into that 'flow' state. I'm lucky that I've managed to find my passion in something that I can get paid for.
I don't really have anything else to say, because I don't think I can do the work justice. So, as usual, I'm going to recommend you read it for yourself. The book itself is written in a narritive form, not the dense style you'd expect of psycological research, so it's actually pretty easy to read.
Posted by drlynn at 13:44
25.03.2005
Flowers for Algernon
I'll admit, I didn't know much about this book before I read it. I was walking through Barnes and Noble last week, and it caught my eye, sitting quietly on the shelf. I had heard of it before, and at some point it might even have been on my "to read" list (when I still bothered to keep one) but it had since faded from memory.
The book, Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, is not a new one, but it's stood the test of time for a good reason. The basic story is that Charlie Gordon is a man of extremely low IQ. He's used as a test subject for an experimental procedure to increase his intelligence. It works. Too well. And then it fails, regressing him back to where he used to be, but changed.
It's a facinating look into the nature of intelligence and how it defines who we are as people, as well as how we relate to other people. Running through the book is the idea that intelligence is a difining characteristic that often carries with it certain personality traits. The first Charlie, pre-experiment, is often reffered to as sweet, kind, gentle, eger to please. All very positive characteristics. After he changes, the tone of reference changes to neutral, and then cooly negative. Yes, he's smart, but he's a real ass-hole sometimes too.
It also brings a caste-like system, ruling the relationships between people of varying intelligence. When Charlie climbs the ladder and then decends back down, he no longer fits anywhere within the relationships he already has. Originally, he's humored, tolerated, and generally over-looked. At his peak, he's completely unable to communicate with the people around him in a manner that's constructive for any party. His thinking is structured so differently that it impedes productive communication and leads to misunderstandings and animosity all around. Only as he passes people on the way up and the way down can he communicate with them.
Mingled in with all of this is the construction of two Charlies - the 'original' Charlie, as the world first knew him, and the new Charlie, the smart Charlie. The former ends up haunting and manipulating the latter as the two parts struggle for control of one body. As the effects wear off, the latter is resistant to return control and fights, resulting in a chaotic Charlie that fits nowhere and gets along with noone, the result being a Charlie ultimately aware of where he used to be, but unable to understand it.
Keyes emphasized the dichotomy between emotional intelligence and intellect - Charlie's IQ rises quickly, but he only grows emotionally much as we all do, through experience and time. This leaves him set up to be unable to deal with the problems of communication presented earlier, as well as the changing dynamic of the social situations that used to be so comfortable. This seperation is, I feel, valid, and something I see often in every-day life.
It's an interesting way of personifying the nature of human personality. I hesitate to say it, but it might make a good addition to the FP program here at Knox. What are we without our book learning? Are we as Hobbes says? Rousseau?
The whole business with memory is absolutely facinating - as his intelligence rises, he is increasingly capable of recalling memories and making new ones. What does this combined with his changing personality say about the relationship between who we are and what we know about where we came from. Can we exist without reliving the past? What was the present a second ago is the this second's memory - where does the idea of the perpetual present fit into all of this?
The more I think about it, the more I feel I could ramble here. I'll stop now, and spare your eyes. If you can, pick this one up. It's a pretty easy and quick read. I have to warn you, it's a little depressing, but definately worth-while.
Posted by drlynn at 01:09 | Comments (1)
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Yes, it really has been a while since I've done one of these. It's honestly been that long since I've finished a book (that I've read for pleasure.) Sad, isn't it? This entrie's book is The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albon. I actually finished this one a few weeks ago; shame on me for not getting to it 'til now. Here goes...
I didn't know what to expect when reading this book. My mother had acquired a copy somehow, I was bored, it's short, and I was curious as to what all the hype was about. I knew that it had been made into a TV movie, and that made me a little wary, but gave me faith that it wouldn't been too steeped in religous evangelism. I can say that I was pleasantly surprised.
The narritive picks up with the death of the main character, Eddie. We see Eddie move along his journey to whatever after-life there may be. In doing so, he's told that everyone who dies meets with 5 people who have something to tell him about life, the universe, and everything. The idea is that, as you are transported to various places from your past, meeting with these people you may or may not know, that you gain insight into the "why" questions that life raises.
It's suprisingly insightful, the way in which Eddie's people bring meaning to his life. Each person has a piece of the puzzle that at once bring clarity and closure to him.
On the one hand, it relates an absolutely facinating philosophy that I tend to subscribe a bit to myself. The story's rooted in the idea that everything is connected and that everything happens for a reason. It just might not be for us to know or understand "why" until we can objectively see the big picture. Which, for Albom, apparently comes about when we're dead.
One the other hand, it sometimes feels too neat, too packaged. There's not much room left for any chaotic element to life. Which is blandly reassuring to some, I know, but sets the phiolsophy down a slippery slope toward being dependant on a Designer, an idea of which I'm not terribly fond.
I was pleased to see the prose take the middle ground - it neither rejects nor embraces any specific cosmology. I'm also glad to see that Americans have been interested in a book that's thought-provoking and meaningful beyond the crime and courtroom dramas that seem to live on the best-seller lists these days.
Structurally, I have no problems with the book. I actually quite like it's episodic nature - it allows the reader more than one perspective on the action, jumoing back and forth in time. While not a style I usually like, Albom manages to make it work here. His prose is a little simple, but it's graceous and appropriate to the nature of the characters it protrays.
All-in-all, I'm glad I read it. Not only because I was in desprate need of reading something, but because it was reassuring to find someone professing a sense of purpose to the universe that didn't revolve around someone putting it that way. Of course, you can read more into it than just that, but I'd rather not go there, and appreciate it for the touching (yes, I said it) and straight-forward work it is.
Posted by drlynn at 00:41
6.01.2005
Advice for the Next Cyber Cazr
Sometimes I hate Bruce Sterling, sometimes I like him. This month I like him.
Read: "Advice for the Cyber Chump, er, Czar"
Posted by drlynn at 23:54
13.12.2004
Darwin's Children
Hey, look! A Reading List post! Yes, I am still literate!)
It's taken me longer than it used to, to read this type of novel. Lack of excercise and excessive exposure to difficult material has dwindled my reading skills to a shadow of their former glory. Ah well. At least I can still BS with the best of them sometimes. Shame I can't do it when I need to. Anyway... to the book:
Darwin's Children is the second in the "Darwin" series by Greg Bear. The man has clearly done his research. The first book, Darwin's Radio, (which I have not written about previously) introduces us to the next step in the evolution of man, brought about by the activation of previously dormant sections of DNA resulting in a generation of children unlike those that came before. It's very science-heavy. Close enough to what might actually be possible to stay believable while being exciting enough to keep you reading.
The second, then, deals with the role that these new children play/ are forced into in the world and how the world copes with them. It's much more about the relationships between people: familial, political, social, etc. It's very good and VERY frustrating. Bear describes the political and social frenzy with which this children are recieved in a chillingly realistic (if not idealistic or optimistic) manner that had me, at points, quite angry at the world for reacting in such a way.
In falling back form the scientific detail of the first book, I did feel at moments a little... uneducated... which, I suppose, was not entirely unintentional. There were moments when descibing the new children, he left me wanting more detail about how they saw the world, how they interacted. In a sense, though, he was just taking me along for the ride that the rest of the characters in the story were on; and in the end, we find out enough to make me happy, at least.
It dabbles a bit in theology this time around, a fact with which I'm not entirely comfortable. It feels almost out of place, the way it's suddenly brought about so late in the game. And even then, it's not dealt with very well, if at all, beyond a sense of "well, shit. this book is about evolution; I should mention God at some point." I'd honestly rather not seen it mentioned at all, than fill a couple chapters and only play a minor role in the plot and development of the characters. I guess it just left me feeling a little disappointed.
Despite this, I'd still classify it as a good book. There was a little too much time between reading the first and the second installments for me, and I found it a little hard to jump back into this world (several "Who the hell is this person, again?" moments) and I would definately not recommend it to someone who hasn't read the first one. If you're at all interested in evolution and The Next Step, it's worth a look. Or, you know, you just like a good near-future sci-fi read.
Posted by drlynn at 01:02
26.08.2004
"The New American Idol"
I was more than a little surprised with the cover of September’s issue of
Wired when it arrived in the mail. AH-nold is not one of the first people
that comes to mind when I think of the magazine’s focus, and his likeness
staring back at me was more than just a little creepy.
The text of the article can be found href="http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.09/idol.html">here.
The article to which the cover art belongs is part of a set of articles headed
“alt.politics,” discussing the slowly changing face of politics and the
alternative ways of campaigning and working that politicians and activists alike
have begun to employ. In the cover story titled “The New American Idol,” Jill
Stewart discusses the famous California governor and how he’s doing so far. I
have to say, I was, at best, ambivalent to his election. I probably fell right
in line with most of the country, not thinking past “he’s an actor, he’s
a Republican, this can’t be good!” I did a bad thing by doing
nothing (it was California, why should I care?) and left myself open, an
ignorant.
Apparently things have been going much better in the sunshine state, now that
Schwarzenegger’s at the helm. He’s been well known for a while as a strong
businessman and it seems to be helping him lead one of the largest business
centers in the world onto stronger footing. His politics are referred to in the
article as part of a “radical center” defying classification in either of the
major parties - surprisingly close to my own. I’m amazed and uplifted to see
that someone with moderate politics can be successful in office. I’m sure that
his celebrity status encouraged interest in his campaign, but I can’t help but
hope that it was his position that made the voters stay.
Initially, I knew enough about him as a politician to know that, as he was
campaigning, he refused large donations from special interest groups. At the
time, I saw it as an egotistical move rather than a practical one. Now that he’s
in office, he’s not beholden to parties that could stand in the way of what has
to happen for the state to improve. He pissed off a lot of people on both sides
and rarely has he resorted to “democrat bashing.” I can’t help but think that’s
the way it should be. It’s a shame that you have to be a self-made millionaire
to get it that way.
The article is quick to admit that California is hardly a good example of what
could happen elsewhere in the country, but it is providing a strong example of
what we can lean to in the years to come. I’ve heard talk of people desiring to
change the Constitution to allow non-naturalized citizens to run for President.
How do I feel about that in light of AH-nold? Well, it’s hard to say. Unless the
new legislation is carefully written, it could open the door for people from
overseas who might not have a vested interest in the states to walk right into
office, but at the same time, what effect does having been born here have?
Would American have the sense to reject a non-naturalized candidate who didn’t
have America’s best interests at heart? I dunno. It’s a sticky situation that I
think that, for right now, we’re better off staying out of. There’s enough
craziness born here to deal with for now. As a corollary, then, would I be
willing to see President Schwarzenegger? Let’s see how he does in California
first.
Posted by drlynn at 21:37
7.08.2004
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
My latest conquest is the retelling of the Cinderalla story by Gregory Maguire.
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is told from the point of view of one
of the stepsisters of the "cinder-girl". While not my favorite of his books, it
certainly had its moments.
The novel's set in 16th century (iirc) Holland (not my favorite historical time
peroid,) and the plot varies widely from the typical Disney-esque telling (which
is to be expected.) Unlike Wicked (his retelling of "The Wizard of Oz"
story) the plot was somewhat predictable and, I felt, the characters a little
less rich. Despite that, I remained engaged through the whole book and was even
mildly suprised by a twist at the end.
I would say that this is a book that makes for great summer reading. His writing
style is often conversational, easy to read, although he does occasionally use a
vocabulary I'm not familar with, usually relating to the myths or customs of the
time peroid. This book is one that in hindsight I would rather have borrowed
from a library than bought, as I don't think I'll pick it up again soon.
Posted by drlynn at 12:59
1.08.2004
Nickel and Dimed
Alright, so I'm a bad girl. I finished reading this one a few days ago, and I've
been putting off writing about it because I've been a little busy with other
matters. (entry dated to reflect when I finished it.)
Today's spiel is about Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich. I liked it
quite a lot. Certainly not in the "curl up and feel all fuzzy" way, but for its
honesty. The book chronicles and discusses several months of the author's life,
in which she (temporarily) leaves behind her life as a writer, her house, her
doctorate, and her salary. She hunts for entry level positions in several
different occupations and does her best to pay rent, feed herself, and continue
to work in several cities around the country.
Alright, so I'm a bad girl. I finished reading this one a few days ago, and I've
been putting off writing about it because I've been a little busy with other
matters.
Today's spiel is about Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich. I liked it
quite a lot. Certainly not in the "curl up and feel all fuzzy" way, but for its
honesty. The book chronicles and discusses several months of the author's life,
in which she (temporarily) leaves behind her life as a writer, her house, her
doctorate, and her salary. She hunts for entry level positions in several
different occupations and does her best to pay rent, feed herself, and continue
to work in several cities around the country.
She's quick to admit that she's certainly not the typical lower-class, poverty-
level citizen. She imposes on herself some limits: that she won't let herself
starve, she won't put herself in dangerous situations and she allows herself her
computer for recording purposes. Right off the bat she has a distinct advantage
over many of her new-found peers: her car. This allows her much more mobility
than most. Not having children, she didn't have to worry about finding childcare
while she was at work, but caring for herself was difficult enough. What she
learns, even with such advantages, is amazing.
This isn't a tirade for increase of minimum wage. It�s not a call for increased
welfare spending. It's just an honest account of what she went through. She
reported only a few of her years of college education. The jobs she found were
all entry-level positions in the most accessible of careers, earning between 6
and 8 dollars an hour. Earnings which put her well above the poverty level. Yet,
her life was anything but easy. She found that she needed two jobs to make ends
meet, but found the logistics and stamina needed next to impossible.
The most amazing aspect of her story is how difficult it was for her to find
decent housing. When she had a place to live, more than half of her wages went
towards rent. That is, when she could find it. When she couldn't find a room
that wasn't any better than just sleeping in her car, she was forced to stay in
a hotel, spending roughly what she made each day to provide her bed at night.
Her later research shows that the price of housing has risen much faster than
inflation and wages, running people out of house and home, into multiple jobs,
and into sub-standard housing.
Her experiences are moving, her relationships (or lack of relationships) with
her co-workers. Her life-style changes included after-work and week-end
activities (what time she could afford to spend on them.) She still maintains,
however, an educated eye and occasional cynicism. In Maine, seeking an evening
diversion, she stops at a tent revival of a nearby church.
"... Jesus makes his appearance here only as a corpse; the living man, the wine- guzzling vagrant and precocious socialist, is never once mentioned, nor anything he ever had to say. Christ crucified rules, and it may be that the true business of modern Christianity is to crucify him again and again so that he can never get a word out of his mouth."
Now, I don't think this is true in all cases, but it certainly is in a lot. But
this is not a discussion to be had here, so we move on. While working for a maid
service, she observes,
"Maybe there's been some secret division of the world's women into breeders and drones, and those at the maid level are no longer supposed to be reproducing at all. Maybe this is why our office manager, Tammy, who was once a maid herself, wears inch-long fake nails and tarty little outfits - to show she's advanced to the breeder class and can't be sent out to clean anymore."
While an interesting turn of words, she's hopelessly off the mark. Though
popular culture may not want to see the poor with kids, it's the sad truth that
circumstances, poor education, and health care lead to growing families who
can't afford to continue growing. Here, she might have let her true position
show through, being of the "breeder class" and all.
Working at Wal-Mart, she develops resentment for the customers after whom she
cleans up daily. "So the great thing about shopping, for most of these women, is
that here they get to behave like brats, ignoring the bawling brats in
their carts, tossing things around for someone else to pick up." And that, I
think, is true. How else do you explain the behavior of some people in public?
For most of the book, she refrains from being preachy and her experiences are
truly eye-opening. Only in the end does she step back and comment on what she's
been through and what millions of America's working poor have been through. Even
then, she's open and heartfelt. She has no solutions to support, no agenda to
follow. Her language is clean, but not heavy. It flows nicely enough, easy to
read, taking me only about a day.
I recommend this book to anyone, left or right, concerned about or interested in
the state of so many Americans. It truly makes you appreciate all that you have,
every warm meal and soft bed. Every leisurely evening and enjoyable day at work.
Posted by drlynn at 14:07
25.07.2004
Priestess of Avalon
Continuing in the light summer reading thread, I just finished a book that's
been sitting on my shelf for a few years now (I believe it was acquired from T.)
For the first real fantasy book I think I've ever read, The Priestess of
Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley was a good read.
Elian's world is rich and wonderful, the story itself based on the real-world
changes in the Roman Empire in the first centuries AD. Elian observes the
growing new religion of Christianity and is otherwise known as Saint Helena,
mother to Emperor Constitine. I've never been one for historical fiction, but
between not knowing much about the period and having the story been so well
written, I wasn't bothered at all by the inaccuries.
Not once did I feel myself seriously disagreeing wth the main character; I was
content to sit back and come along with her in journies. I found her touching
and undeniably beautiful in sprit. The dose of philosophy that came along with
the story was only at moments heavy-handed, when Elian's own frustrations with
the event unraveling around her were showing through, making the book slighty
more than just a mindless summer read. I certainly would recommend it to anyone
who might need a little thoughtful something to read in the summer sun.
Posted by drlynn at 15:32
18.07.2004
Feed
Ok, so this latest one hasn't been the most thought-provoking read I've had in a
while but it's summer and it looked interesting.
The hardest part of reading this book was getting a feel for the slang and
speech patterns of its cast. The less than fruitful language still manages to
compel, in its innocence. I still don't really feel for Titus, in the end, being
a spoon- and feed-fed kid his whole life, he fails to appreciate the natural
world, nor express curiosity or genuine realization of his love for this girl.
The writing finds itself in a need of a little more subtlety, however, and the
actions of some of the characters are more than just a little extreme. (Please,
I find it hard to believe that giant skin lesions will ever be a fasion
statement, even in the most absurd of futures.)
Besides my disconnect with the characters, and some occasionally soft plot
points, it was a scarily compelling picture of the future. American society is
so permiated with commercialism and materialism that the Earth is literally
dying under their feet and the rest of the world is threatening to distroy them
for their actions. The idea of the feed itself is not too far off from where we
are now, with media and electronic devices permiating our everyday lives.
In the end, I declare it worth reading for the thought provoking factor, but
probably something I won't read again, just because there are so many other
things to read.
Posted by drlynn at 23:15
15.07.2004
How to Be Alone
Honestly, I have been reading!
I just finished How to Be Alone by Jonathan Franzen.
I really, really liked this book, well, collection of essays. It's something
that I picked up for Chris
for Christmas (he posted a brief review but I can't find it) as well as for
myself at the same time, it looked so interesting. The title, I've found, is a
little misleading, it's not so much about how to achive the state of alone-ness
as it is about how to spend that alone time. But even then, it's makes no
directives, merely puts forth ideas for you to ponder at your leisure. And
ponder I did. So much, in fact, that it took me literally months to finish. The
essays rang in topic from the nature of fiction, to the state of the US Postal
Service, to sex self-help books. Some are stronger than others, but all are at
least worth a read.
Of the dozen or so essays, I found "Why Bother?" (otherwise known as "The
Harper's Essay") to be probably the most thought provoking, but I don't feel
right talking about it here until I've gotten a chance to read it again, when my
brain's a bit less rusty, and I can take notes. In this essay he writes about
reading, what it means to be a reader, what people are reading, and the state of
fiction (good fiction) in today's digital, drive-thru age. I will leave
you with the following quote:
Last summer... as I talked to readers and writers and and pondered the Heathian "social isolate," there was growing inside me a realuization that my condition was not a disease but a nature. How could I not feel estranged? I was a reader. My nature has been waiting for me all along, and now it welcomed me... How could I have thought I needed to cure myself in order to fit into the "real" world? I didn't need curing, and the world didn't either; the only thing that did need curing was my understanding of my place in it.
The next quote I have for you is a thing of beauty. An example of why I love his
writing style. It's from an essay titled "Sifting the Ashes" (about smoking and
the tobacco industy.)
When I see an actress or actor drag deeply in a movie, I imagine the pyrenes and phenols ravaging the tender epithelial cells and hardworking cilia of their bronchai, the monoxide and cyanide binding to theirr hemoglobin, the heaving and straining of their chemically panicked hearts. Cigarettes are a distillation of a more general paranoia that besets our culture, the awful knowledge of our bodies' fragility in a world of molecular hazards. They scare the hell out of me.
In addition to discussion his own history with smoking and his thoughts on the
habit, he talks at length about the tobacco industry and its development over
the years. He shifts the guilt in poisoning millions of people from the CEOs and
CFOs of the mega-million dollar corporations to the lawyers representing said
organizations. The management, he says, have wanted to make their products
safer and have spent money developing safer products, but the lawyers convinced
them that in releasing something branded as "safe" they're acknowledging that
they are indeed not safe. While true, I still say that these men (and they are
for the most part men) retain the free will with which they were born. If they,
as companies, hadn't dug themselves a hole in the first place, refusing to admit
when they were beginning to get defintive information about the health risks
associated with smoking. At the same time, I can't believe that the American
legal system continues to grant large sums of money to winners in civil suits
against the manufacturers of products that are clearly labeled and well known to
be dangerous. It just blows my mind. Like "duh. if you supersize every time you
eat at McDonald's, yes, you are going to get fat."
This is one essay in particular for which I would have liked to have seen an
extended bibliography and some more formal citation. It's clear that he's done
a lot of research, I would just like to know where it was he's drawing all of
these conclusions from.
Well, flipping back through the pages that I dog-eared to note they contained
passages of interest, I realized that without really really long quotes, they
would make no sense out context. I well leave them, then, to you to discover on
your own. I will close by saying again that this is a fantastic collection of
essays. At times, I can't help but feeling that Franzen is more than just a
little full of himself (something which he'll readily admit in certain contexts)
then again, it's hard to make such strong assertions without at least a strong
foot to stand on. His ruminations can sometimes be self-centered, but usually
in such an intro-spective way that the reader can come along for the ride,
thinking for themselves how they would stand in the same situation.
Posted by drlynn at 23:43
4.07.2004
overview of late
The cubbies are doing well. This a happy Chelsea makes.
I can't believe I let a whole week go by, most of which spent at home on my butt, go by with bending your eyes/ears about something or another.
I have been reading lately, just not finishing anything of major interest. As of late:
Wired: While a couple of the articles caught my interest, there are only a few items that I recall well enough to feel noteworthy. The first was an article that had only a small teaser headline at the top of the cover: "The Linux Killer". The article was about Darl McBride and really, what an asshole.
It appears to me that the only thing he can do and do well is spend lots and lots of money and be a giant asshole. From what I can tell the author of the article was trying to maintain a balanced perspective, while knowing what the majority of their readership already thinks of this man, but honestly, there doesn't appear to be a lot of hope of redeeming him. It seems to me that, when failing to make any business seriously take off, he discovered that he can get
attention and money by suing everyone in sight. And that he's done. Christ. His entire argument on the SCO v. Linux case is that there was no accountability (i.e. red tape) for the authors of the Linux source, so there's bound to be pirated code in there, so let's sue the pants off them and everyone who uses Linux, like it's their fault or something, like they had a hand it in. *sigh* He talks a bit about how he sees the bazaar development method working and it sounds so horribly mired in red tape that it would be the death of the open-
source movement, and he seems like just the kind of capitalistic asshole to want that. (Disclaimer: I feel capitalism's a GOOD thing, encouraging development and improvement, but not THIS kind.) Yeah, so that left me wanting to kick something.
The second that caught my eye was the "Artifact From the Future" at the end of the issue. This edition spotlighted a health club where the energy expended on workout equipment (cycles in particular) was used to generate electricity and patrons were paid for the electricity they generated. Now this sort of thing hit me over the head immediately as a BRILLANT idea. Think about all the people that pay loads of money every year to health clubs. Lots of people talk about how they want to help the energy situation but can't afford to or don't know how:
here's the way! We can't, of course, launch right into something like this, the tech would take time to develop and mature, but you could start small, taking facilities off the grid, one at a time, becoming self-sustaining, and then, especially in metropolitan centers, where it would be needed most, they can be added back as givers instead of receivers. Of course, we wouldn't be able to pay people to work out, at least, not to begin with, but it could be free. (Assuming the electric companies pay the facility for the power generated
to subsidize further development.) Wow. The potential here is just crazy-awesome.
The Chicago Tribune: I am constantly amazed by the irresponsibility of people and their apparent lack of desire to be a parent to their children. Today in "Perspective" they ran an article detailing responses to a survey they took on the current state of First Amendment rights and changes they would or wouldn't make to freedom of speech. It seems to me that people polled, for the
most part, expect the government to either push their morals onto everyone else in the country ("I think talking about sex is bad, so I'm going to ban you from doing it") or do the parenting of their children for them ("This stuff on TV is ad and I don't want my kid to watch it, so take it off, rather than me turning it off or explaining it to my children").
Something like 64% of respondents advocated the removal of any "sexual" content from the airwaves. I'm amazed by how quickly we forget our roots - when our sexual education came from our barnyard animals and sharing the same sleeping quarters with our parents instead of the neatly packaged "sex-ed" of today. If you don't think your children are ready to hear nasty jokes about bodily functions, then TURN IT OFF. Explain to your children what you think is right,
how things work, and then when they're old enough, let them decide for
themselves whether they think it's disgusting or hilarious. A full 55% percent thought that cable TV should be regulated the same way as broadcast. That, I say, is silly. Cable customers are PAYING for that service, if they don't want it, they don't have to pay for it and/or they can use parental controls to lock it away.
Same thing goes for the internet. I'm glad that the motion to ban pornography on American servers just got turned down. The beauty and strength of the internet is that it�s global. So it's not hosted in America anymore, it'll still be there. Learn how to use the parental controls available to you! Banning it just will not work.
I was also dismayed to read what people had to say about media coverage of the government and war. A whole third of people polled indicated that they believed that restrictions should be placed on coverage of Iraq, regardless of whether it endangers lives. Now I'll be the first to say that news agencies such as CNN went too far in their coverage of the active combat days. While it might have been passed through a cursory censor, I don't think you should be dwelling on specific locations of any sort or specs of the equipment being used. Yes, it might be known, but I don't think it's the smartest thing to do. I was pleased to see that 60% of people responded felt that it should go unrestricted as long as the information revealed doesn't "endanger lives" (whatever that means....) Amazingly enough, 41% thought that the Patriot Act had gone too far! (yay!) But still, 38% said it was "about right". Respondents were resoundingly open to the idea of those against the government's actions voicing their opinions (76% said people should be able to write and broadcast negative opinions on how the war is being handled,) methinks people don't see the ramifications of the PA.
The other thing that I read in the Trib' that got me thinking was an editorial comparing a rat problem to America's terrorist problem. Just as the best way to get rid of a rat problem is to take away the food that brings them there in the first place, so should we address the terrorists by addressing what brings them bomb-bearing to our shores and overseas stations. Villages that see the benefits of American aid are not going to be as willing to harbor these men as villages who see nothing but a war-mongering, loose-lipped Bush calling them "evil" and appearing to have no consideration for their cause. We're not everyone's big buddy anymore and we can't deny that. We can't keep walking all over the planet like we own it. We need to lead by example, not force. There are always going to be people who don't like you. Rather than trying to hunt them all down, we should address why and see what we can do to make it better.
I think that's really what it's come down to lately. People see something bad, and rather than seek the source of the problem, like an unknowing gardener, they cut off the leaves, leaving the roots to continuing growing, spreading, and only getting worse. Well, that doesn't hold completely, but do you see what I mean?
Posted by drlynn at 15:10 | Comments (1)
28.03.2004
Jennifer Government
This book was one of those impulse buys where you're standing around in the
store and something about the cover just jumps out at you. I certainly don't
regret this purchase. I took a break from my serious non-fiction to read some
serious fiction.
The story takes place in the near future, but there's nothing fantastic about
the technology or culture. Well, except one little thing: capitalism has run
rampant, companies are ganging up against each other like warring states and the
government has been reduced to a largely ignored institution that must beg for
money from victims before crimes can be investigated. Author Max Barry has
developed a globe mostly consumed by the United States and its territories.
Only a few "socialist" European nations still have any sort of taxes and social
support structures. Where you work and how much money you make has become of
such importance that employees now take their company names as thier sirname. So
our title character, Jennifer Government, is a government agent.
The scary thing about this book is the reality of how close to this sort of
society we could quite possibly come. (Minus the sirname thing, I think.) I see
elements of the behaviors of characters and companies described in this book in
the news everyday. It's certainly an eerie read.
As for the story itself: I liked it. It's a fast-paced and well-written cop
story, really. The characters are generally well developed (you know they're
good when you want to shake them and/or scream at them) and I think that, for
the most part, their interactions are true to their characters and to the story.
There were only a few plot elements that were a little predicatable and a few
moments that were pretty clear set-ups. It makes up for those easily with some
clever twists that I certainly didn't see coming. The author mentions in the
acknowlegements at the end of the story that there was another major character
that he decided to cut and I can't help but wonder who and how they fit into the
story.
In conclusion, I would recommend it to anyone. Not to mention the cover art is
just damn cool.
Posted by drlynn at 23:43 | Comments (1)
27.03.2004
party of one
For a self-proclaimed loner, Anneli Rufus seems to care an awful lot about what
other people seem to think of herself and her fellow loners. Beyond the
introduction, however, she offers a thoughtful insight into the lives of people
that just don't care to spend lots of time with other people. "Groupthink" she
calls it, evolved as a survival mechanism, when it really did take a village;
hunting, gathering, and child-rearing couldn't all be done by one person - the
help of all was needed. Now we are very self-suffienct, but artifacts of that
ancient lifestyle remain, leading to the misunderstanding, distain, and pity of
those that don't want to be part of the group anymore.
She is careful to make the distinction between a true loner who prefers
solitary endevors to the outcasts forcefully alone because of their
rejection by their peers. She bristles rightly when discussing how, when
discovered to have uncomfortable mannerisms or to have done something terrible,
one is branding a loner as a means of isolating that person from "the rest of
us." Understandably she's bothered by the fact that it is no longer acceptable
to laugh at the physical differences of others, but common place to redicule,
talk-about and otherwise degenerate those that stand outside of society.
In discussing the broader themes, each chapter deals individually with a
different aspect of moden culture (not just western) and how these solitary
individuals are percieved and what affect they have on that field. Popular
culture, community, film, literature, advertising, friendship, love and sex,
technology, religion, sanity, crine, colthes and environment are some of the
many areas she touches on. Her discussion of art and the process of the artist
was in particular very interesting; herself an artist, she muses on the act of
creating and the isolation that such a personal and intense experience brings on
the creator.
In reading about her life, and the lives of people like her, I felt comforted,
realizing that I really am OK. That my disinclination to spend all of my free
time with others may not be the norm, but that it's no less valid and that I'm
certainly in good company. She has a good understanding that loners are
different. Not better. Not worse. Just different. I truely thoughtful read.
Posted by drlynn at 21:44
17.03.2004
Faster
I just finished reading Faster: The Accelleration of Just About
Everything by James Gleick. (Ironically enough, not a quick read.) The basic
thesis of the book is that our modern culture is obsessed with the notion of
speed and the acceleration of everyday actions is a driving force in our
technological and even political developments. Each chapter takes an aspect,
object or idea and examines its development in context. Elevators, watches, cars,
commercials, almost everything is touched on. He discusses our perception of
passing time, what we do with our time, the development of a concept of time and
the concept of "free" time, and what "time" really means. While exploring these
things, he refrains from judgement on their development, offering only examples
on which you can base your own decisions.
While he has a sort of rambling, conversation style, his voice is much clearer
and stronger than that of Stoll. He speaks with concise and clear language and
adaquately supports his descriptions. Though containing ancidotes and small
diversions, they are clearly linked to the topic at hand.
In summary, I found this to be a great read (and a great buy at $5 off the
bargin rack.) It really opens your eyes to the little speed and time-related
idiosyncracies of everyday life and interactions. It's short and
compartmentalized chapters lend themselves to good bed-time reading.
Posted by drlynn at 21:57
16.03.2004
Too much talk, not enough review
This is a bit of a rant about what I thought about the Rep Term reviews in href="http://deptorg.knox.edu/tks/">The Knox Student. I'm afraid the text of the articles in question is not online and I'm too lazy to type them up (not to mention that would mean reading them for the umpteenth time) so unless you have access to a copy, you're SOL. Sorry.
In the theatre world, beyond the applause or boos of the audience there is very rarely formal feedback on the hard work that we put into our art. One of these precious few is the theatre review. Recently, after ten weeks of hard work and dedication by the students of Rep Term, The Knox Student ran reviews of the plays that were the culmination of this hard work. These reviews were unprofessionally done and, to be completely blunt, poorly written.
My number one discontent with the reviews, written by Gina Salamone and Topher Ridgway, is that neither one of the authors appears to have approached the plays with an open mind and an understanding of the conventions of theatre.
Both authors express disappointment with the shows, but as a reviewer, they're not supposed to go into a show with expectations. If they do have expectations, they're not supposed to write about them, they're supposed to weigh the merits of the presentation of the show and discuss them. A good reviewer should consider, or at least mention, each aspect of the design of a production. Each principle designer should be mentioned and their work and contribution considered as part of the production. Neither writer did this. Most importantly, the review should be a review of the production, not a review of the script. unfortunately, both of the articles dwells on it, becoming much less a review and much more a literary criticism.
Oh, and when you mention the name of a play, you italicize it.
The review for Lysistrata has one redeeming feature: the author, Gina Salamone, admits that she is not a typical audience member and that her opinion seems to be unique among them. This begs the question, then, if she is not the typical audience member, what is it that set her apart (and apparently above) the rest? Why is it that she seems to notice what everyone else fails to see? I would like to know.
She mentions the admirable performances of several actors in the company, expressing dismay that one of them wasn't cast in a more prominent part. It seems to fail her that they were cast in those roles for just that reason - that they could do them and do them well. Casting at this level should be just like that, finding the best fit for everyone, not just showing off certain people.
Additionally, if you mention a good performance, your statement should be supported by a thought or two, just like any other statement.
I was primarily concerned with the comments she made about the theme of the show. She felt that the anti-war message of the play was not made clear enough in our production and criticized the anachronistic elements of the show. The fact of the matter is, without these elements, the show would have been one preachy rant. The comedy adds a lighthearted element that helps increase the impact of the show's message. Without the anachronistic elements, the text of the show would have been completely inaccessible; did you honestly understand all of the play the first time you read it? Additionally, if the message of the play was not loud enough, what stood in the way? It seriously underestimates the intelligence of your average audience member if you think that they would be so easily distracted by a song and dance routine. Personally, I'm insulted to read that she thinks we, spending ten weeks on this production, constructing our term
around its anti-war message, were capable of ignoring it. I would hope that, being familiar with three translations of Lysistrata, she's familiar with other works by Aristophanes, and can recognize it as indicative of his dramatic style.
The review for the The Trojan Women puzzled me as much as the
Lysistrata review frustrated me. It honestly reads to me like the author, Topher Ridgeway, didn't even see the show. The end of the article contains a credit to Sam Veague as a contributor and I can't help think that he's the one who saw the show and gave Mr. Ridgeway some facts to talk about. Several spelling and factual errors were made the article that could have been easily verified by the printed program (or a quick look at the website,) if he'd had one. Additionally, the repetitive language, made it hard for me to read all the way through it. ("Depressing," anyone?) He fails to mention any of the design work and apparently failed to understand the true meaning of the play.
Speaking of depression, I have to point out the fact that depression/dispair is kind of the point of the show. He seems to lack an understanding of the conventions and style of ancient Greek theatre. Nothing happens, he complains, but in fact, a lot happens. It just doesn't happen in the bloody, graphical manner that his review of The Passion of Christ indicates he prefers.
Cassandra is channeling prophesies of a god right in front of you and you say nothing happens? He criticizes the play as overdramatic - nothing but crying and hand gestures - even though these women have plenty to cry about. He claims to sympathize with the trials these women have been through and he even complements the acting, but he continues to dwell on how distasteful it was. The play is not about action; it is about what happens after the action, when further action will do no good.
These reviews, to borrow a phrase, were disappointing. The center section about Rep Term was very well done, and the articles run in TKS are generally of much higher quality. This isn't the first theatre review that I've been disappointed with, but it's understandable to a point. It would be hard for someone associated with the theatre department to write a review and remain objective.
The excellent work of Bill Mayeroff leads me to believe he is capable of writing appropriate reviews. I would, but I'm afraid that it would be hard for me to be objective, being so involved.
Posted by drlynn at 22:40 | Comments (3)
13.03.2004
A Low Tech Heresy?
I just finished reading High Tech Heretic by Clifford Stoll. Stoll, an
apparently famous technology writer who's written two novels that I've never
heard of before, is knowledgable about the computer industry. In his book he
attempts to argue against the increasing use of computers in the classroom. I'll
be the first to admit that he has several very strong points that are not to be
ignored. He discusses the lack of rigor and human interaction in the classroom.
He's correct in his analysis that computer equipment will fall into oblescence a
lot faster than good textbooks will and I feel that his dismay at the misguided
direction of inordinate amounts of funds into computer equipment over books is
correctly placed. The proliferation of computers and the internet into schools
and classrooms is no excuse for the depletion of libraries and the failure of
students to master basic reading and mental math skills. In his zeal to combant
what he sees as a plague of computers, he denys the benefits that computers can
have and the applications they can find in the classroom.
This is a novel in serious need of an experienced editor. It reads like the
first draft rant of a college student on the rampage; it would make a great 50
page essay, but his cynicism leads him on a 200 page ramble. The first half of
the book is what is billed as the subject of the book. The second half of the
book is a more general discussion on the state of technology today that's only
indirectly related to his thesis. Beyond that loose classification, the text is
pretty unorganized. He bounces between repeating over and over again his main
points (and could probably have used a good thesaurus.) Frequently referencing
studies, discussions, and software, he never cites a single thing, only
providing casual credit. Interspersed with his text are stories and acedotes
that I had trouble connecting to the general point of the book. They just didn't
fit. His footnotes are usually semi-related factiods or comments. One's a
recipe for banana bread.
Summarily, he doesn't appear to know much about teaching as an art or skill. He
has set in his mind an idea of what a "great teacher" is that just can't include
computers. Ever. Although he discusses the merits of the internet he considers
them far inferior to his idealized "actual thing." Every time he mentions money,
he only compares the price of computers and their support to textbooks. He
advocates many field trips and excellent teachers, not once mentioning the fact
that field trips cost money on several fronts, or that excellent teachers
usually want passable, livable (and would be lucky to find excellent) salaries.
In terms of field trips: buses have to be rented, drivers paid, teachers paid,
vollunteers recruited and the entire thing has to be planned with somebody's
time. After all that, straining over the bar at the zoo, the students happen to
catch the snakes when they're sleeping and rain cuts everything short. His field
trip has just been ruined and in his classroom, the teacher can't turn to the
computer to show the students a video of a snake eating or pictures of the birds
that were hiding from the rain. It's true that the computers and the internet
are a sometimes unreliable resource, but they can be used with extreme
effectiveness in moderation. It does take a little effort, research, to know
what you're doing and how to find what you're looking for. They can provide
alternate means of experiencing the material to students who don't take the
"teacher at the chalkboard" approach. I feel that in his reaction, he's missing
the oppertunities that having a few computers around can actually be a good
thing.
It's a shame that this book wasn't better written; an excellent treatment of the
subject matter would be a compelling must-read for every teacher and
administrator. It's true that all around us we see technology touted as the
harbinger of a future utopia and that it's sometimes hard to resist the idea
that it could be the end-all solution to our problems. The fact of the matter is
that they just haven't reached the "total information technology" level (to
steal a quote from Robin Willams,) that we see them offering. Take them with the
understanding that not every website is gospel and you can go far.
Posted by drlynn at 15:32
22.01.2004
Art and Design
I just finished reading (on a whim, really,) the copy of Art by Yasmina
Reza. Very cool script. Thank you, J, for giving it to me, making me read it
again. It's shows like this that really throw me for a loop. Just when I start
getting complacient, thinking that I don't really want to design, that I would
be content as a TD/ME somewhere, minding my own business, a show like this comes
along. A show that I just have to design someday. Both set and lights.
Ideas are swimming through my head. I want to play, I want to be part of that
creative process.
I wonder if I could get someone to direct it for me, like, senior year and I
could do Honors with
it or something. That would be fabulous.
I think maybe that's it. Maybe I can't design unless I can find something about
it that's truely intriguing and challenging for me. I have to be compelled.
Damn.
Posted by drlynn at 03:25