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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
This was just one of those books-on-a-list reads. I'd seen the movie, of course. I knew the story. But the writing was a pleasant surprise. Warren grabs the reader and never lets go. Every one of the characters is interesting and flawed.
The writing was beautiful, absolutely gorgeous, but I wasn't really attached to any of the characters--which is, I assume, maybe part of the point. I also had to rush through it so it became an obligation. Overall: eh.
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Interesting character portrait of a well known historical figure.
This was a beast to get through. I had to read spark notes after the first couple of chapters to make sure I understood everything- there are a lot of jumps in time and a lot of descriptions that don't seem to be important. But as the story goes on, everything starts coming together through Jack Burden's narrative.
Once Willie has power as governor of Louisiana, the story got really interesting and tangled up. I loved the setting of the depression-era south. I loved and hated all the main characters. They all seemed very real- they're all bad, but some wallow in the bad and some try to pull themselves up and do good. And in the end, all that bad stuff that people chose to do comes back to ruin them in one way or another.
Once Willie has power as governor of Louisiana, the story got really interesting and tangled up. I loved the setting of the depression-era south. I loved and hated all the main characters. They all seemed very real- they're all bad, but some wallow in the bad and some try to pull themselves up and do good. And in the end, all that bad stuff that people chose to do comes back to ruin them in one way or another.
4.75
I read this book for Southern lit, because it's a favorite of my professor and everyone told me it would be a favorite of mine. They weren't wrong! Though due to my *wonderful* time management, I had to cram 609 pages into <2 days, I was still totally engaged in the world in and fascinated by the characters. This book is very much a product of its time (seriously though the sexism and racism), but it also has a lot of elements that ring true today.
I read this book for Southern lit, because it's a favorite of my professor and everyone told me it would be a favorite of mine. They weren't wrong! Though due to my *wonderful* time management, I had to cram 609 pages into <2 days, I was still totally engaged in the world in and fascinated by the characters. This book is very much a product of its time (seriously though the sexism and racism), but it also has a lot of elements that ring true today.
Книжка как сериал Netflix — против воли захватывает и развлекает, я всё время забывала, что это про 30-е годы ХХ века в США — написано очень современно.
⠀
Но. Ничего нового, штампы, абзацы с претензией на философские рассуждения, которые по сути тоже штампы. Стандартные сюжетные ходы, стандартно показан мир политики — как бескрайняя размытая серость, где нет добра и нет зла. Вот если с Филипом Ротом сразу понятно, за что Пулитцеровская премия, то здесь, честно, не очень.
⠀
В сети в основном восторженные отзывы. Я не могу к ним присоединиться. Кто-то сравнивает с Драйзером. Его «Трилогия желания» тоже была основана на реальных событиях, как и «Вся королевская рать» Роберта Пенна Уоррена. Но у Драйзера я почему-то верила каждому слову, поражалась глубине и не могла спать, пока не дочитала, а здесь я постоянно думала: «ну да, ну да, отличный сценарий для рейтингового сериала». И это не плохо. Просто я не это ищу сейчас в книгах.
⠀
Прости, Роберт.
⠀
Но. Ничего нового, штампы, абзацы с претензией на философские рассуждения, которые по сути тоже штампы. Стандартные сюжетные ходы, стандартно показан мир политики — как бескрайняя размытая серость, где нет добра и нет зла. Вот если с Филипом Ротом сразу понятно, за что Пулитцеровская премия, то здесь, честно, не очень.
⠀
В сети в основном восторженные отзывы. Я не могу к ним присоединиться. Кто-то сравнивает с Драйзером. Его «Трилогия желания» тоже была основана на реальных событиях, как и «Вся королевская рать» Роберта Пенна Уоррена. Но у Драйзера я почему-то верила каждому слову, поражалась глубине и не могла спать, пока не дочитала, а здесь я постоянно думала: «ну да, ну да, отличный сценарий для рейтингового сериала». И это не плохо. Просто я не это ищу сейчас в книгах.
⠀
Прости, Роберт.
About half of All the King's Men could've been edited out. I understand that Robert Penn Warren probably really wanted all of that imagery and background knowledge, but it was extremely boring to read. Otherwise, I enjoyed the main plot. I find politics very facinating--especially when power corrupts. I don't like it when it happens, but I like learning about it and thinking about why it happened. The characters were all very interesting.
All the King's Men is an American classic. First published in 1946 the novel details the life of Jack Burden and his relationship with the meteoric politician, Willie Stark. Set in the 1930s American South the novel is a non-linear retelling of Burden's life, from his boyhood growing up in Burden's Landing to his first meeting with Stark and the conclusion of their relationship. While definitively a piece of political fiction the story, like most political stories, is about the personal relationships of the people at the heart of the drama. Warren's small cast are all connected to one another and their actions damage and ricochet ending in unexpected outcomes.
Given the non-linear nature of the story any sort of summary is difficult, but I will do my best. Jack Burden is a capable but idle man, born of privilege but without ambition. He has wiled away his youth and in college spent some time studying history and the law before dropping out. He worked odd jobs in journalism and politics finding not much satisfaction in either. A cynical, weary Burden meets Willie Stark, then a minor official from a poor, backcountry county.
William Stark enters the story as a teetotaling, straight-edged minor figure. He seeks bond money to build a new school for the county and works hard to keep graft out of the process. He fails and the contract is awarded to a construction outfit with poor performance. The school collapses and Stark is hailed as a hero for warning the community of the problem. Years later Stark's notoriety is parlayed by the rival political machines to turn him into a dummy candidate to steal votes away from a rival. Burden reveals the nature of the scam to Stark, he gets roaring drunk and delivers a firebrand populist speech to the waiting crowd, far different from his normal dull, policy wonk lectures. Stark uses his leverage to sway the election to his opponent and when he fails successfully runs for the governorship himself. Jack Burden is by his side for the journey.
Most associate Willie Stark as an interpretation of Huey Long and the unnamed state as Louisiana. Stark is a cynical populist with a left-wing agenda. Given Stark and Huey Long's reputation I expected to hate Willie when I began with the book, but I found myself incredibly sympathetic to his point of view. Perhaps that is the nature of the opposition to Stark. Warren doesn't criticize Stark through liberal characters, but instead those with a vested interests to maintain the status quo. Jack Burden is a man of privilege and his family and friends find Stark's rough demeanour and treatment of business and the upper-class deplorable. I cannot help but think that many modern leftist readers would end up feeling great sympathy for Stark who in my eyes transformed from assumed villain to tragic hero brought down by his own flaws.
Politics is about relationships and the dynamics between a small group of people. This is ultimately what destroys Willie and, to a lesser extent, Jack Burden. I appreciate that the novel showed how intimately all these people were connected to one another. Another aspect of the story is reconciling one's past. Burden's central mission in the first half of the novel is to investigate the past of a family friend and mentor, Judge Irwin. In the process he explores his own past, his mother's, and Stark's. The theme of the burden of the past is ever-present in the story. Secrets, betrayals and decisions haunt people on and on forever and return as ghosts to those it impacts indirectly.
Reading this novel in 2017 raised some interesting questions. It was a very different form of populism than we are currently used to. At the same time, Stark's strong-arm political methods are becoming increasingly familiar. In light of recent events it is perhaps worthwhile to explore this novel now if you have not already. Regardless it offers a fascinating snapshot into America's past and politics.
Given the non-linear nature of the story any sort of summary is difficult, but I will do my best. Jack Burden is a capable but idle man, born of privilege but without ambition. He has wiled away his youth and in college spent some time studying history and the law before dropping out. He worked odd jobs in journalism and politics finding not much satisfaction in either. A cynical, weary Burden meets Willie Stark, then a minor official from a poor, backcountry county.
William Stark enters the story as a teetotaling, straight-edged minor figure. He seeks bond money to build a new school for the county and works hard to keep graft out of the process. He fails and the contract is awarded to a construction outfit with poor performance. The school collapses and Stark is hailed as a hero for warning the community of the problem. Years later Stark's notoriety is parlayed by the rival political machines to turn him into a dummy candidate to steal votes away from a rival. Burden reveals the nature of the scam to Stark, he gets roaring drunk and delivers a firebrand populist speech to the waiting crowd, far different from his normal dull, policy wonk lectures. Stark uses his leverage to sway the election to his opponent and when he fails successfully runs for the governorship himself. Jack Burden is by his side for the journey.
Most associate Willie Stark as an interpretation of Huey Long and the unnamed state as Louisiana. Stark is a cynical populist with a left-wing agenda. Given Stark and Huey Long's reputation I expected to hate Willie when I began with the book, but I found myself incredibly sympathetic to his point of view. Perhaps that is the nature of the opposition to Stark. Warren doesn't criticize Stark through liberal characters, but instead those with a vested interests to maintain the status quo. Jack Burden is a man of privilege and his family and friends find Stark's rough demeanour and treatment of business and the upper-class deplorable. I cannot help but think that many modern leftist readers would end up feeling great sympathy for Stark who in my eyes transformed from assumed villain to tragic hero brought down by his own flaws.
Politics is about relationships and the dynamics between a small group of people. This is ultimately what destroys Willie and, to a lesser extent, Jack Burden. I appreciate that the novel showed how intimately all these people were connected to one another. Another aspect of the story is reconciling one's past. Burden's central mission in the first half of the novel is to investigate the past of a family friend and mentor, Judge Irwin. In the process he explores his own past, his mother's, and Stark's. The theme of the burden of the past is ever-present in the story. Secrets, betrayals and decisions haunt people on and on forever and return as ghosts to those it impacts indirectly.
Reading this novel in 2017 raised some interesting questions. It was a very different form of populism than we are currently used to. At the same time, Stark's strong-arm political methods are becoming increasingly familiar. In light of recent events it is perhaps worthwhile to explore this novel now if you have not already. Regardless it offers a fascinating snapshot into America's past and politics.