Saturday, January 23, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Cat's Cradle review
So I'm trying out goodreads. Blogging some of my reviews. Most of my web presence recently has been twitter or goodreads reviews, hoping to change that, but in the meantime at least I can add those things to my blog.
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am unsure how I arrived at the ripe old age of 33 without ever having read this book. Or even heard of it. I believe was deprived for the lack. Ignatius J. Reilly may be the most interesting and entertaining protagonist I've ever encountered in a novel. He is both right and decent and introduced me to all that is proper in theology and geometry as well as the importance of being in touch with one's valve. Actually he's awful, but in the most entertaining way possible. And it's not just him, the whole book is full of extremely unique characters with plot threads that dance around ignatius as he stumbles around town in search of employment. Gah, my meager words don't even begin to do it justice. If you like great dialogue, if you like interesting and crazy protagonists, then read this book immediately. And then hug it. and love it. And keep it. It's so good.
As a side note, in the character of Ignatius John Kennedy Toole manages to lampoon just about every arrogant internet nerd with absolutely no self-awareness wallowing in online forums that I've ever come across. Either he is a mad prophet of the future, or he distills a personality type that probably always exists in the male population in some percentage, just in the 60's all they had were big chief notebooks with which to scrawl their grandiose ideas in between masturbation sessions. Read the book, you'll see what I mean.
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy TooleMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am unsure how I arrived at the ripe old age of 33 without ever having read this book. Or even heard of it. I believe was deprived for the lack. Ignatius J. Reilly may be the most interesting and entertaining protagonist I've ever encountered in a novel. He is both right and decent and introduced me to all that is proper in theology and geometry as well as the importance of being in touch with one's valve. Actually he's awful, but in the most entertaining way possible. And it's not just him, the whole book is full of extremely unique characters with plot threads that dance around ignatius as he stumbles around town in search of employment. Gah, my meager words don't even begin to do it justice. If you like great dialogue, if you like interesting and crazy protagonists, then read this book immediately. And then hug it. and love it. And keep it. It's so good.
As a side note, in the character of Ignatius John Kennedy Toole manages to lampoon just about every arrogant internet nerd with absolutely no self-awareness wallowing in online forums that I've ever come across. Either he is a mad prophet of the future, or he distills a personality type that probably always exists in the male population in some percentage, just in the 60's all they had were big chief notebooks with which to scrawl their grandiose ideas in between masturbation sessions. Read the book, you'll see what I mean.
goodreads
Cat's Cradle by Kurt VonnegutMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Again, I'm not sure how I got to be 33 without reading Kurt Vonnegut. I think I've been living under a rock. This was a great book, kinda weird, well written, in a sub-genre I have an affinity for. Who could have thought that the people who are acclaimed as great writers are actually great writers?
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
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