This afternoon I read Richard Price's The Wanderers (1974) and really enjoyed it. It is about a gang in the North Bronx (my old neighborhood) in 1962 and how they slowly drift apart as they grow older. I enjoyed it partly because of its depiction of the Bronx, including businesses I would go to like the White Castle on Allerton Avenue and Alexander's on Fordham Road, partly because of Price's gift for description (there isn't much food in the book, but it made me hungry every time it was mentioned), and partly because Price makes the reader care about the characters even though most of them are hoodlums.
The novel depicts the desperation felt by young Americans at the beginning of the 1960s that led to the societal tumult at the end of the decade in a heartwrenching, mesmerizing way. I couldn't put the book down. I don't feel very articulate about it yet because I am still processing it in quiet awe. It put David Bowie's "Star" in my head, mostly for the understated, needy, defeated mood of the music, but also because of the lyrics: "Tony went to fight in Belfast / Rudi stayed at home to starve / I could make it all worthwhile as a rock & roll star." The characters in The Wanderers all want to do something to break out of their routine, soul-crushing lives. If they could just find that one thing to make it "worthwhile" for themselves and the ones they care about...
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Foer's Tree of Codes
I just finished reading Jonathan Safran Foer's Tree of Codes and it is amazing! To create it, he cut holes in a copy of Bruno Schulz's The Street of Crocodiles so that a new narrative is created, partly from the words remaining on each page, and partly from the resulting combination of words on the page one is reading and later pages that one can see via the holes cut in each page. It is postmodern fiction at its best: a text that questions the concept of the book itself while still being a beautiful work of art that affirms the necessity of narrative for human existence.
It is only 134 pages long, and reads more like a long poem that consists of page-long, haiku-like poems than like prose. There is a basic narrative present, but it is secondary to the physical form of the book, which is just as much a piece of plastic art as it is a piece of literature. It is more empty space than text, and some pages (e.g., 60) are virtually all open space.
Here are three of my favorite page-poems (a full list would be about a third of the book's pages):
"Apart from them, mother and I ambled, guiding our shadows over a keyboard of paving stones. we passed the chemist's large jar of pain. we passed houses," 10
"her boundaries held only loosely, ready to scatter as if smoke. all her complaints, all her worries her no purpose, her eyes reflected the garden" 17
"he spoke almost incoherently. he blinked in the light, spilled darkness at each flutter of the lids. he said he had lost the way and hardly knew how to get back. perhaps the city had ceased to exist" 106
But it is difficult to get the full power of these fragments just from reading them; their physical manifestation is just as important.
One of my favorite aspects of the book is its inclusion of various metafictional statements that reaffirm the slipperiness of what the reader experiences:
"It was a dialogue" 29
"our creations will be temporary" 51
"tree of codes suddenly appears: one can see" 94
"nothing can reach a definite conclusion" 95
"The tree of codes was better than a paper imitation" 96
"Perhaps the spaces suggested by the mind did not exist?" 107 (this one is especially true, as the book is so well-constructed that it is often difficult to discern whether what one is reading is on the current page or a following page)
"The interior formed itself into the panorama of a landscape" 117
Tree of Codes is well worth its $40 cover price (amazon.com has it for $26); it is an essential text. I can't wait to teach it sometime!
It is only 134 pages long, and reads more like a long poem that consists of page-long, haiku-like poems than like prose. There is a basic narrative present, but it is secondary to the physical form of the book, which is just as much a piece of plastic art as it is a piece of literature. It is more empty space than text, and some pages (e.g., 60) are virtually all open space.
Here are three of my favorite page-poems (a full list would be about a third of the book's pages):
"Apart from them, mother and I ambled, guiding our shadows over a keyboard of paving stones. we passed the chemist's large jar of pain. we passed houses," 10
"her boundaries held only loosely, ready to scatter as if smoke. all her complaints, all her worries her no purpose, her eyes reflected the garden" 17
"he spoke almost incoherently. he blinked in the light, spilled darkness at each flutter of the lids. he said he had lost the way and hardly knew how to get back. perhaps the city had ceased to exist" 106
But it is difficult to get the full power of these fragments just from reading them; their physical manifestation is just as important.
One of my favorite aspects of the book is its inclusion of various metafictional statements that reaffirm the slipperiness of what the reader experiences:
"It was a dialogue" 29
"our creations will be temporary" 51
"tree of codes suddenly appears: one can see" 94
"nothing can reach a definite conclusion" 95
"The tree of codes was better than a paper imitation" 96
"Perhaps the spaces suggested by the mind did not exist?" 107 (this one is especially true, as the book is so well-constructed that it is often difficult to discern whether what one is reading is on the current page or a following page)
"The interior formed itself into the panorama of a landscape" 117
Tree of Codes is well worth its $40 cover price (amazon.com has it for $26); it is an essential text. I can't wait to teach it sometime!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The Bearded Doctor Sports Blog
Today I began a new blog, The Bearded Doctor Sports Blog, that will be devoted to posts about sports. As a result, A New Yorker in Exile will no longer include sports-related content, and the frequency of its posts will diminish, though I will still try to post on one of the blogs on a (nearly) daily basis. This frequency has lessened lately due to some traveling and move-related work I've been doing, but will go back to normal now.
I have decided to split my blogging between two fora because I find myself shying away from writing about sports on A New Yorker in Exile despite a frequent desire to do so. I worry about my audience's lack of interest in sports. My academic colleagues are frequently surprised when they find out that I am a passionate sports fan because they equate sports with the uneducated working class (i.e., they equate all sports fans with stereotypical NASCAR fans). This close-mindedness always annoys me, though it also makes me feel smug that I am not as elitist as they are. Just because an activity is enjoyed by millions does not automatically make it lowbrow, and of course the lowbrow can become highbrow, anyway (e.g., Shakespeare). As a friend of mine who likes pro wrestling says, "Whenever someone says to me, 'You know it's fake, right?', I say 'So what? So is theatre.'"
I believe that sports fandom has a place within intellectual life because it is not just about following the standings and worshipping idols, it is about the deeper issue of belonging to a cross-cultural community, which deserves rigorous contemplation. And, of course, fandom is enhanced by intellectual analysis, as the example of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) shows. The New Yorker's frequent sports articles illustrate that fandom and thinking are meant for each other. The Bearded Doctor Sports Blog tries to foster this connection.
I have decided to split my blogging between two fora because I find myself shying away from writing about sports on A New Yorker in Exile despite a frequent desire to do so. I worry about my audience's lack of interest in sports. My academic colleagues are frequently surprised when they find out that I am a passionate sports fan because they equate sports with the uneducated working class (i.e., they equate all sports fans with stereotypical NASCAR fans). This close-mindedness always annoys me, though it also makes me feel smug that I am not as elitist as they are. Just because an activity is enjoyed by millions does not automatically make it lowbrow, and of course the lowbrow can become highbrow, anyway (e.g., Shakespeare). As a friend of mine who likes pro wrestling says, "Whenever someone says to me, 'You know it's fake, right?', I say 'So what? So is theatre.'"
I believe that sports fandom has a place within intellectual life because it is not just about following the standings and worshipping idols, it is about the deeper issue of belonging to a cross-cultural community, which deserves rigorous contemplation. And, of course, fandom is enhanced by intellectual analysis, as the example of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) shows. The New Yorker's frequent sports articles illustrate that fandom and thinking are meant for each other. The Bearded Doctor Sports Blog tries to foster this connection.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Books Acquired Recently
Books Acquired Recently
Bannon, Ann. The Beebo Brinker Chronicles. New York: Quality Paperback Book Club, 1995.
I found this used at Better World Books in Goshen, Indiana. It includes four of Bannon's Beebo Brinker novels: Odd Girl Out (1957), I Am A Woman (1959), Women in the Shadows (1959), and Beebo Brinker (1962). I've read Beebo Brinker before and really enjoyed it because it gives a non-condemning view of lesbianism and is thus an essential early text in LGBT literature. I am a total sucker for omnibus volumes like this one, and it was only $5.98, so I had to buy it even though I am trying not to buy more books before I move at the end of July.
Foer, Jonathan Safran. Tree of Codes. 2nd ed. London: Visual Editions, 2011.
I am so excited to finally get this book! I ordered it in January when I first heard about it, and amazon claimed to have it in stock, but didn't because the first printing (called the first edition by the publisher, and the copy I have is labelled the "second edition" on the copyright page, but as far as I know it is the same text as the first; that is, it should be labelled the "second printing," not "edition") had already sold out. Copies of it were selling for hundreds of dollars. Once the second printing came out amazon fulfilled my order at their original price, $26, which is a great deal since the cover price is $40. I love Foer's work, and I love postmodern fiction, including his, so I am super-excited to see what he does with Tree of Codes, which has cut-outs on every page so that the words from other pages become part of the story of the page one is reading at the moment. It is as much an art object as it is a novel.
Bannon, Ann. The Beebo Brinker Chronicles. New York: Quality Paperback Book Club, 1995.
I found this used at Better World Books in Goshen, Indiana. It includes four of Bannon's Beebo Brinker novels: Odd Girl Out (1957), I Am A Woman (1959), Women in the Shadows (1959), and Beebo Brinker (1962). I've read Beebo Brinker before and really enjoyed it because it gives a non-condemning view of lesbianism and is thus an essential early text in LGBT literature. I am a total sucker for omnibus volumes like this one, and it was only $5.98, so I had to buy it even though I am trying not to buy more books before I move at the end of July.
Foer, Jonathan Safran. Tree of Codes. 2nd ed. London: Visual Editions, 2011.
I am so excited to finally get this book! I ordered it in January when I first heard about it, and amazon claimed to have it in stock, but didn't because the first printing (called the first edition by the publisher, and the copy I have is labelled the "second edition" on the copyright page, but as far as I know it is the same text as the first; that is, it should be labelled the "second printing," not "edition") had already sold out. Copies of it were selling for hundreds of dollars. Once the second printing came out amazon fulfilled my order at their original price, $26, which is a great deal since the cover price is $40. I love Foer's work, and I love postmodern fiction, including his, so I am super-excited to see what he does with Tree of Codes, which has cut-outs on every page so that the words from other pages become part of the story of the page one is reading at the moment. It is as much an art object as it is a novel.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
"Is it better to burn out or fade away?"
The title of this post is from Jack Black's character in High Fidelity as he's considering Stevie Wonder's legacy after rejecting a customer who is looking for a copy of "I Just Called to Say I Love You."
It is a difficult question, one that I have been thinking about the past few days while reading William S. Burroughs's Naked Lunch. I ended up liking the book and would recommend it as a thought-provoking read and enjoyable aesthetic experience, but during the first quarter of it was feeling that it wasn't very good and was another example of a text that is revolutionary when it is published, but loses its power outside of its original context (two filmic examples that immediately come to mind are 2001: A Space Odyssey and Midnight Cowboy). It just seemed like a bad prose rewriting of Allen Ginsberg's Howl (which makes sense because Ginsberg played a large role in editing it); it takes a little while to find its unique voice. Anyway, it was nice not to be disappointed by the novel's end.
It is a difficult question, one that I have been thinking about the past few days while reading William S. Burroughs's Naked Lunch. I ended up liking the book and would recommend it as a thought-provoking read and enjoyable aesthetic experience, but during the first quarter of it was feeling that it wasn't very good and was another example of a text that is revolutionary when it is published, but loses its power outside of its original context (two filmic examples that immediately come to mind are 2001: A Space Odyssey and Midnight Cowboy). It just seemed like a bad prose rewriting of Allen Ginsberg's Howl (which makes sense because Ginsberg played a large role in editing it); it takes a little while to find its unique voice. Anyway, it was nice not to be disappointed by the novel's end.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Books Acquired Recently
Books Acquired Recently
Beachy, Kirsten Eve, ed. Tongue Screws and Testimonies: Poems Stories, and Essays Inspired by the Martyrs Mirror. Scottdale: Herald, 2010.
I've been meaning to buy this for a while. The Martyrs Mirror is a compilation of Anabaptist martyr stories first published in 1660. It is traditionally given as a wedding or graduation gift by Mennonites as a way of passing down Mennonite values to younger generations. I received it as a Christmas present when I was 16 and read my way through it over several years (it is 1300 folio-sized pages long). I have always been fascinated by it; I think an anthology of literature inspired by people's interactions with it is an excellent idea, and I know several of the contributors, so I am very excited to read it.
Brandt, Di. Walking to Mojacar. Winnipeg: Turnstone, 2010.
Brandt is one of my favorite poets. Her language crackles with energy, and her poems are unashamedly activist while at the same time being beautifully crafted. Unfortunately, as a Canadian, she is not well-known in the U.S., which is a failing of the American English teaching community. There is generally not an institutional space for Canadian literature to get taught in the U.S. because most departments are too small to offer courses in it (and there might not be student interest, but it is our job as teachers/critics to build this interest), and Canadian writers tend to get ignored in postcolonial literature courses. As a result, it is virtually impossible for Canadian writers to gain any traction in the U.S. unless they are lucky enough to be published in high-profile venues such as the New Yorker, as is the case with Margaret Atwood and Alice Munro.
Schakel, Peter, and Jack Ridl, eds. 250 Poems: A Portable Anthology. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009.
I ordered this as a desk copy because I will be using it in my Introduction to Literature course this coming semester. It has a nice selection of poems from the Renaissance throught the twenty-first century, a range that is difficult to find. Incidentally, Jack Ridl gave a reading at my alma mater, Goshen College, my last year there. I enjoyed his work.
Beachy, Kirsten Eve, ed. Tongue Screws and Testimonies: Poems Stories, and Essays Inspired by the Martyrs Mirror. Scottdale: Herald, 2010.
I've been meaning to buy this for a while. The Martyrs Mirror is a compilation of Anabaptist martyr stories first published in 1660. It is traditionally given as a wedding or graduation gift by Mennonites as a way of passing down Mennonite values to younger generations. I received it as a Christmas present when I was 16 and read my way through it over several years (it is 1300 folio-sized pages long). I have always been fascinated by it; I think an anthology of literature inspired by people's interactions with it is an excellent idea, and I know several of the contributors, so I am very excited to read it.
Brandt, Di. Walking to Mojacar. Winnipeg: Turnstone, 2010.
Brandt is one of my favorite poets. Her language crackles with energy, and her poems are unashamedly activist while at the same time being beautifully crafted. Unfortunately, as a Canadian, she is not well-known in the U.S., which is a failing of the American English teaching community. There is generally not an institutional space for Canadian literature to get taught in the U.S. because most departments are too small to offer courses in it (and there might not be student interest, but it is our job as teachers/critics to build this interest), and Canadian writers tend to get ignored in postcolonial literature courses. As a result, it is virtually impossible for Canadian writers to gain any traction in the U.S. unless they are lucky enough to be published in high-profile venues such as the New Yorker, as is the case with Margaret Atwood and Alice Munro.
Schakel, Peter, and Jack Ridl, eds. 250 Poems: A Portable Anthology. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009.
I ordered this as a desk copy because I will be using it in my Introduction to Literature course this coming semester. It has a nice selection of poems from the Renaissance throught the twenty-first century, a range that is difficult to find. Incidentally, Jack Ridl gave a reading at my alma mater, Goshen College, my last year there. I enjoyed his work.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Manchester United and the European Cup
On Saturday, Manchester United plays Barcelona at Wembley in an attempt to win the European Cup (now called the Champions League, but the trophy itself is still the European Cup, which is what the competition was called until the 1994-95 season) for the fourth time. It will be the fifth time that United plays in a European Cup final, and though they have won three of the previous four, one could argue that they should have lost all of them, not just in 2009 to Barcelona.
In 1968 versus Benfica, also at Wembley, the match was drawn 1-1 in second-half stoppage time when Eusebio had a clear path to goal and should have scored for the Portuguese, but shot right at the goalkeeper instead. United went on to win 4-1 after extra time.
In 1999, United were losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich in the 91st minute and scored two goals off of corner kicks one after the other to win. Here is a link to video of the goals. I watch this whenever I feel depressed and it always cheers me up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mf8SC_UASg
In 2008 against Chelsea, John Terry had a chance to win the penalty kick shootout after the match had ended 1-1, but missed the goal, and United went onto win when Ryan Giggs scored on his kick and Nicolas Anelka's kick was saved.
But that's why each of the 90 (or 120) minutes count equally. The trophy goes to the team that has scored more goals in that span, not to the team that has played more dominantly or "deserves" to win, because the fundamental basis of the game is that the team who scores more goals deserves to win. That's why Manchester United is the greatest football/soccer club in the world, because they score more goals than the other team much more often than not, and they never believe it is impossible to do so until the final whistle sounds. WE ARE UNITED, WE DO WHAT WE WANT!
In 1968 versus Benfica, also at Wembley, the match was drawn 1-1 in second-half stoppage time when Eusebio had a clear path to goal and should have scored for the Portuguese, but shot right at the goalkeeper instead. United went on to win 4-1 after extra time.
In 1999, United were losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich in the 91st minute and scored two goals off of corner kicks one after the other to win. Here is a link to video of the goals. I watch this whenever I feel depressed and it always cheers me up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mf8SC_UASg
In 2008 against Chelsea, John Terry had a chance to win the penalty kick shootout after the match had ended 1-1, but missed the goal, and United went onto win when Ryan Giggs scored on his kick and Nicolas Anelka's kick was saved.
But that's why each of the 90 (or 120) minutes count equally. The trophy goes to the team that has scored more goals in that span, not to the team that has played more dominantly or "deserves" to win, because the fundamental basis of the game is that the team who scores more goals deserves to win. That's why Manchester United is the greatest football/soccer club in the world, because they score more goals than the other team much more often than not, and they never believe it is impossible to do so until the final whistle sounds. WE ARE UNITED, WE DO WHAT WE WANT!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)