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joelogsliterature's reviews
91 reviews
Sappho: A New Translation of the Complete Works (2nd edition) by Sappho
4.0
A fantastic collection of scholarly and popular appeal. The translations are brilliant finished products (I must simply trust their veracity). Sappho has very little extant verse, and the vast majority of it is either fragmentary or else only attested. I expected the fragments to be of little interest, solely there for the historical record, but the commentary helped bring together their connections to Grecian society, their bearing on scholarship (the speaker, the audience, etc.), and their meaning. Several poems were funny; others still were familiar in their classical hyperbole; some of the more complete ones will stay with me. The ode to Aphrodite is by far the most famous but not my favorite.
I only wish there were more. Why not include the attested fragments? Excluding dozens of potential Sapphos seems unnecessary when one can warn against too strongly attributing them, especially when already included are a few potentially due to Alkaios. What’s more, additional context could have opened this up more to a broader audience. As it stands, this is really only for professionals and those like me who have at least read a lot of original Greek works to have broad familiarity with myth and practices, at least enough to pick up on the blatant references without having to research everything. The professional-first attitude is fine and is exemplified by the structure of introduction-Sapphos-notes (rather than providing notes beside the poems), but I feel it was a missed opportunity to stretch a bit and add more about the society Sapphos belonged to and perhaps even some (clearly delineated!) speculation about where Sapphos might have fit into that world.
Still, I’m glad I picked this up from my university library display shelf on a whim. I knew barely the name Sapphos before this, and now I have some appreciation for why she was so revered by the ancients.
I only wish there were more. Why not include the attested fragments? Excluding dozens of potential Sapphos seems unnecessary when one can warn against too strongly attributing them, especially when already included are a few potentially due to Alkaios. What’s more, additional context could have opened this up more to a broader audience. As it stands, this is really only for professionals and those like me who have at least read a lot of original Greek works to have broad familiarity with myth and practices, at least enough to pick up on the blatant references without having to research everything. The professional-first attitude is fine and is exemplified by the structure of introduction-Sapphos-notes (rather than providing notes beside the poems), but I feel it was a missed opportunity to stretch a bit and add more about the society Sapphos belonged to and perhaps even some (clearly delineated!) speculation about where Sapphos might have fit into that world.
Still, I’m glad I picked this up from my university library display shelf on a whim. I knew barely the name Sapphos before this, and now I have some appreciation for why she was so revered by the ancients.
The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
1.0
milk & honey 2.0. Unfortunately, that is not a compliment. The topics are gripping but the language, structure, and actual poetry are not. Platitudes abound. She tries to go longer more often but unfortunately does not much succeed.
Trace Evidence by Charif Shanahan
3.0
A reflection worth reading if you feel you don't belong is the gist of a review featured in this collection, and I think that about sums it up. Shanahan guides us through his struggles being black but also Moroccan, of how silly our ideas of race are. This was the most stimulating subject to me in the collection. A terrible accident he survived also plays a major role, as does his queer identity. The presentation and language were unfortunately lacking for me.
Looking for Alaska by John Green
4.0
I’ve read this book three times now. I reread it last about a year ago. It’s certainly John Green’s best book in my estimation. For its rough edges, it remains earnest and vulnerable while establishing his now-trademark characterization and personal injection. It’s a fantastic story full of thoroughly unrealistic but fun characters. The ending is brilliant.
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
4.0
I’ve read this book twice. Once when it released and then about a month ago after watching the (solid) HBO adaptation. Probably my second favorite work of John Green. Deeply personal, while it can be tirelessly repetitive, sometimes that hits a chord; of course, the repetition is required for a realistic depiction. This book is full of John Green’s flat-plus characters and little references.
The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr
5.0
This book was important a decade ago. It feels essential now. (Counter to that, whether you read the original or updated version is mostly irrelevant. The ways in which smartphones have bolstered the problematic aspects of the normalized internet are mostly apparent.)
I want to write more later.
I want to write more later.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
5.0
Despite lackluster prose and dialogue that could only be produced by a nerdy author of the twenty-first century—not to mention a frequently annoying main character—this book is dangerously exciting and absolutely delightful. I loved it because it made me feel, and that is an achievement. I just had to give it a chance.
The scientific aspects evoke wonder while also urging the interested party to work out the details for themselves. A cynic might call Weir naïvely optimistic. I disagree. While saccharine, I was moved by this book’s ceaseless urging that we hold out hope: that humanity is fundamentally capable of productive cooperation when needed; that we have some basic good in us; that boundless is our capacity to connect.
*Project Hail Mary* is chocked full of imaginative science fiction without ever devolving into the realm of impossibility or woo. Weir knows where to put the breaks on and leave things unexplained, rather than try to delve deeper and invariably contradicting well-established theory. My impression is his research on scientific matters is among the strongest in the business because he does not strike me himself as an expert, as confirmed by a brief perusal of his Wikipedia page. In any case, the science is really what makes the book special. It is hard sci-fi without feeling demanding. It is thoroughly integral to the story, yet one can certainly maintain interest while failing to grasp some part. For those with interest and training, almost independent of discipline, the ideas presented are just novel enough to demand pondering.
As for the story, it feels logically entailed entirely by the science, but the feeling it affects is anything but coldly rational. Having seen the film adaptation of *The Martian*, I reckon this is common amongst his writings. It is touching to see, even in spite of the anthropic isolation. The thematic overtones are somehow more important to me than the variable ups and downs of the plot, but the story is gripping in the standard ways, providing great momentum to beckon you turn the page and with several curveballs to keep you up at night. It is very well done in the contemporary style. As for the broader plot, I will not say much.
Rather than include spoilers to mention some of those curveballs, I will leave them alone. I often write these more for my own memory and closure than anything, but I don’t think I’ll be forgetting these points, and if I do, then I’d be happy to re-read.
The scientific aspects evoke wonder while also urging the interested party to work out the details for themselves. A cynic might call Weir naïvely optimistic. I disagree. While saccharine, I was moved by this book’s ceaseless urging that we hold out hope: that humanity is fundamentally capable of productive cooperation when needed; that we have some basic good in us; that boundless is our capacity to connect.
*Project Hail Mary* is chocked full of imaginative science fiction without ever devolving into the realm of impossibility or woo. Weir knows where to put the breaks on and leave things unexplained, rather than try to delve deeper and invariably contradicting well-established theory. My impression is his research on scientific matters is among the strongest in the business because he does not strike me himself as an expert, as confirmed by a brief perusal of his Wikipedia page. In any case, the science is really what makes the book special. It is hard sci-fi without feeling demanding. It is thoroughly integral to the story, yet one can certainly maintain interest while failing to grasp some part. For those with interest and training, almost independent of discipline, the ideas presented are just novel enough to demand pondering.
As for the story, it feels logically entailed entirely by the science, but the feeling it affects is anything but coldly rational. Having seen the film adaptation of *The Martian*, I reckon this is common amongst his writings. It is touching to see, even in spite of the anthropic isolation. The thematic overtones are somehow more important to me than the variable ups and downs of the plot, but the story is gripping in the standard ways, providing great momentum to beckon you turn the page and with several curveballs to keep you up at night. It is very well done in the contemporary style. As for the broader plot, I will not say much.
Rather than include spoilers to mention some of those curveballs, I will leave them alone. I often write these more for my own memory and closure than anything, but I don’t think I’ll be forgetting these points, and if I do, then I’d be happy to re-read.
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
1.0
I remember when Kaur debuted with this. It was a sensation. From this, I decided I’d give it a try at some point. Obviously, I’m late to the party, but I didn’t know what I was getting myself into either. I’ve since learned this kind of poetry is still trendy, often associated with TikTok. (Aside: While there’s good stuff there, the least common denominator sensations of booktok and apparently poetrytok too are decidedly bad.) I came in bright-eyed and bushy-tailed only to be disappointed.
I have great empathy for the author. It’s clear she’s suffered a lot. She’s experienced abuse, discrimination, and other deep hurt. I hope her writing helps with coping some. Unfortunately, this does nothing to improve the quality. It’s totally OK to write for yourself. I’ve written some really shitty stuff for my own enjoyment or self-reflection. It’s another thing for that to be released to the public as a finished product, published by a traditional house, put forth as your best, and rake into millions. The public ate it up initially, but seemingly people have since come to their senses. I’m glad it did something for so many. I suspect however that it did so for reasons either juvenile (trendy youngsters flock to faux-deep descriptions of sexual matters, doubly so if they can imagine themselves in traumatic or adult circumstances) or else tragically personal.
In any case, this collection is just bad. Or maybe I have bad taste. I suppose you could argue that. But it really seems technically poor form throughout. To the extent that judging poetry is even a sensible thing to do, it seems bad. Stylistic decisions seem to be made without thought, explaining briefly the point of a poem with a sign-off, for example, even when it should already be obvious. Generally, it’s just filled with platitudes and third-grade diction, which make for a frustratingly eye-rolling combination. There are some powerful stories behind some poems while others have a reasonable idea or even a solid line, but they never follow through. Most are more like ideas for a poem than an actual poem. The ones that try to go beyond two lines unfortunately fumble due to lack of fundamentals.
Anyway, I think none of this surface-level reviewing is at all new. I have some highlights on my Kindle and some notes exclaiming my frustration, but I doubt I ever return to this author. (I read her second collection immediately after to extend my pain and see if she evolved. She did not, at least not much.)
I have great empathy for the author. It’s clear she’s suffered a lot. She’s experienced abuse, discrimination, and other deep hurt. I hope her writing helps with coping some. Unfortunately, this does nothing to improve the quality. It’s totally OK to write for yourself. I’ve written some really shitty stuff for my own enjoyment or self-reflection. It’s another thing for that to be released to the public as a finished product, published by a traditional house, put forth as your best, and rake into millions. The public ate it up initially, but seemingly people have since come to their senses. I’m glad it did something for so many. I suspect however that it did so for reasons either juvenile (trendy youngsters flock to faux-deep descriptions of sexual matters, doubly so if they can imagine themselves in traumatic or adult circumstances) or else tragically personal.
In any case, this collection is just bad. Or maybe I have bad taste. I suppose you could argue that. But it really seems technically poor form throughout. To the extent that judging poetry is even a sensible thing to do, it seems bad. Stylistic decisions seem to be made without thought, explaining briefly the point of a poem with a sign-off, for example, even when it should already be obvious. Generally, it’s just filled with platitudes and third-grade diction, which make for a frustratingly eye-rolling combination. There are some powerful stories behind some poems while others have a reasonable idea or even a solid line, but they never follow through. Most are more like ideas for a poem than an actual poem. The ones that try to go beyond two lines unfortunately fumble due to lack of fundamentals.
Anyway, I think none of this surface-level reviewing is at all new. I have some highlights on my Kindle and some notes exclaiming my frustration, but I doubt I ever return to this author. (I read her second collection immediately after to extend my pain and see if she evolved. She did not, at least not much.)