RSS feedRSS comments

Australian Literature - Our Finest

I’ve never been too involved with Australian literature, which is unforunate because while I’ve been reading my way around the globe, our authors have produced some gems.

Take for example, He Died With a Felafel In His Hand by John Birmingham: the great book which turned into a great movie and is now what I hear, a great play, down at the ole’ Brisbane Arts Theatre. No, after my obligatory Paul Jennings/Morris Gleitzman phase (more Jennings than Glietzman), I slowly abandoned my countrymen and women’s fine literary works.

Until last night, where the oft-scatterbrained, easily distracted girl that I am rediscovered Picnic at Hanging Rock, by Joan Lindsay. I read this when I was twelve and finished half of it last night while trying to get to sleep.

Picnic At Hanging Rock

It didn’t really help.

The sexual undertones, repressed Victorian schoolgirls living in the hot Australian bushlands, all of is taking a new meaning now. And having learned since my first reading that there is far more fiction than fact in the story, it’s still as haunting as ever.

So once again my newly bought books get pushed to the side while I pick up an old treasure. I’ll get to them soon. Right after another reread which I’ve bumped up on the list (you’ll have to wait to see what it is).

So I will go back to reading my favourite Australian book of all time. What’s yours?

Tags: , , , ,

March 31st, 2009General Literary musingsRead More >6 Comments


The Dice Man - Luke Rhinehart

the_dice_man The randomised, philosophical, self-important autobiography of one Dr. Lucius (Luke) Rhinehart form the novel, The Dice Man. Luke Rhinehart made himself the protagonist of this story, designed, I’m assuming, to shock readers around the world. Except that it didn’t shock me.

Perhaps if I wasn’t already a cynic I would be converted, but I’ve read my fair share of these types of books, books that challenge humanity, and overall it was a mildly entertaining read.

Dr. Rhinehart, disillusioned psychiatrist is unhappy with his life, check that. He’s bored with his life. Of apathy is oft borne demons. Hence the Dice Man is born, assigning courses of action to rolls of the dice, never to question or disobey, no matter what the outcome. In this sense Rhinehart destroys “the self”, with enough Albert Camus references splashed around to sound like he has some philosophical standing. It’s delightfully honest, laugh-out-loud funny to begin with. But Rhinehart gets lost in his head a lot. The story becomes stagnant, and I did not smile again until page 283 (a news report detailing some mischief making involving a Broadway production of Hair and a bus full of mental patients). As Rhinehart regresses, he becomes less human, but not in a sinister way. His diabolical plans illustrate a deranged man, swamped in cartoonish villainry.

Not content with simply living his life by the Dice, Rhinehart sets out to spread his new religion, opening Diceschools. The ridiculousness of this is expressed in a letter from one dicestudent:

It was great. It was a real religious feeling, a spiritual thing. Suddenly I was free of all my hangups about raping little girls and buggering boys. I gave up the struggle and put the whole mess into the hands of the dice…It’s like being in the middle of a movie I’ve never seen before. (p259)

Beyond the obvious disturbing nature of this rapist/patient’s case, there are a couple of things in this book that don’t sit quite right. As mentioned before, the tendency to stall the story with self-indulgent soliloquy that one may find in an annoyingly zealous person of faith. Also, while dicepeople proclaim Chance as their master of life, there is a tendency to assign more than one number to an outcome, pushing odds towards a favourable outcome. This to me contradicts the very essence of dicelife.

If any of these terms are confusing, read the book. It was frustrating, entertaining, mindboggling and boring. If anything, it is true to the ever-changing, multiple personalities of Rhinehart. The climax arrives late, but it arrives, and if I’m not convincing you, please read it just so you can tell me what you think, because the jury’s out for me.

Tags: , , , , ,

March 30th, 2009ReviewsRead More >1 Comment


Currently reading…

So I’m low on funds at the moment, but this has not stopped me from splurging on books at a quaint little second hand bookshop I found near my house.

So I will soon be publishing a list of the best second-hand bookshops in Brisbane (although, considering there’s not much here, I might have to include regular book shops).

Usually when I leave the house I check how many pages are left in my book and take a second one if it looks like I’m going to finish it. Today I underestimated the intense captivation of The Road by Cormac McCarthy, the dude who wrote No Country for Old Men. I probably shouldn’t refer to him as ‘dude considering he won the 2007 Pulitzer prize for The Road. So yes possibly a review of that to come soon.

So back to the original idea for this post: Currently reading:
- The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
- Strange Rain by Venero Armanno
- The Dice Man by Luke Rhinehart
- Thank You Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse (I know! Exciting right?)
- Gridlock by Ben Elton (keep getting distracted by other books unfortunately)

So this means I’ll either be back in a couple of days with my brand-spanking new verdict on one of the above, or you wont hear from me while I bury myself in words and books and hardcovers and that musty book smell……

Tags: , , ,

March 26th, 2009GeneralRead More >2 Comments


Piercing- Ryu Murakami

murakami-ryu-piercing

When a book is so bad it compels you to finish it (akin to a car crash), it definitely warrants a mention on this blog. Murakami’s novel, set in Japan, surrounds the disturbing thoughts and related events of one Kawashima Masayuki and his thinly veiled desire to stab his newborn baby with an icepick. Through a series of bizarre, but wholly unsurprising events, he faces of with a petite S&M prostitute who has her own demons.

The story however, invokes no real emotion. Murakami’s detatched, almost comical Tarantino-style approach to violence is unconvincing and unemotional. For a book that touches on those most terrible themes and childhood suffering, I cringe as the term “emo” comes to mind. That being said, a queasy stomach may force you to fumble blindly through the last few pages hoping that you can successfully skim over the gory, graphic details.

Each twist in the story is foreshadowed with a spectacular lack of subtlety and, invoking no sympathy or understanding for Masayuki or his bondage girl, the experience of reading is lessened, especially if, like me, you laugh out loud over the ending.

It’s not all bad news for Piercing though. There is a crispness to the translated Japanese prose that contains some pristine imagery. It’s a shame it was wasted on a character-driven story and I’m ever so slightly curious as to what Murakami’s In the Miso Soup is like. The problem with bad first impressions is that they last.

A quick and easy read that doesn’t challenge morals, if you’re looking for a bit of schizophrenia, incest, murder, rape and icepicks, check out Piercing. Otherwise, there’s always the more famous Haruki Murakami. Enjoy if you can stomach it.

Tags: , , , ,

March 24th, 2009ReviewsRead More >No Comments


Why I’ve been so quiet….

I just thought I’d check in with a book update. Was reading about five books, up until I finished I Am Legend by Richard Matheson and Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. Now I’m down to three.

“Elena what are you thinking? Both those books have been made into massive movies! How terribly mainstream of you.”

Yes, but you must understand, I take recommendations very seriously, and when people with good taste recommend books, I will usually read them. (If this was you, pat yourself on the back!)

And so, while I contemplate what I will review next — I am open to suggestions — I will in the mean time tell you all to read both Jurassic Park and I Am Legend.

Unless big long science-y words scare you of course….(or vampires, or dinosaurs, or genetic- eh you get the idea)

Almost finished with Ryu Murukami’s Piercing so you’ve got something to look forward to.

Spent a week in Sydney, and most memorably walked down King Street exploring all the great second-hand bookshops, where I’ve picked up some little gems. Much more successfull than the Dymocks store (note to self: cute bookstore assistant does NOT equal good taste in literature).

I might have to do a spin-off science fiction blog, what with my Crichton obsession and what not. Dare to dream.

New review will be up soon! Stay tuned. Peace

Tags: , , , , , ,

March 23rd, 2009GeneralRead More >No Comments


« Older Entries