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wampusreynolds's reviews
486 reviews
The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale
3.0
May be rating this low, but 3 stars is GOOD. The things I liked were its readability, and its characters. The plot for the first two-thirds is interesting and Lansdale does a good job of bringing realism to the voice of its narrator. The parts that could have been better were some plot elements were pretty apparent and the climax feels like a set piece and not a natural conclusion. It explores race all right though one's demise seemed ridonkulous and ending on the sentimentality of a dog seems beneath the aims of the book.
Moby-Dick: Or, the Whale by Herman Melville
5.0
This book is GOD.
This book is five stars; there just are 1 star, 2 star, or 3 star people looking at it and rating themselves.
Sure, there are chapters that examine a whale more than I wanted to read -the one about the skin was INSANELY aggravating. But you know what? That's my PROBLEM. This was written in the point-of-view of a lone survivor of a whale ship that was taken down by a BADASS WHITE WHALE WITH HARPOONS AND LANCES STICKING OUT OF IT! Of course he's obsessed with every aspect of the thing that rocked his world!
Sure, Melville uses the "not un-" form to the extreme. Herman, you can say "it is remarkable." You don't have to say "it is not unremarkable," we'll understand. But again, this book approaches the sublime more than other book ever, so it was meant to be.
I've never laughed more reading a book thank this one. I teared up reading Queequeg's death bed scene. I went to pre-Civil War America and maritime industry and learned something about myself.
Hast thou seen the white whale? Or did you see your own foibles and weaknesses? I saw both. And this difficult gigantic beast of a book made me see them.
This book is five stars; there just are 1 star, 2 star, or 3 star people looking at it and rating themselves.
Sure, there are chapters that examine a whale more than I wanted to read -the one about the skin was INSANELY aggravating. But you know what? That's my PROBLEM. This was written in the point-of-view of a lone survivor of a whale ship that was taken down by a BADASS WHITE WHALE WITH HARPOONS AND LANCES STICKING OUT OF IT! Of course he's obsessed with every aspect of the thing that rocked his world!
Sure, Melville uses the "not un-" form to the extreme. Herman, you can say "it is remarkable." You don't have to say "it is not unremarkable," we'll understand. But again, this book approaches the sublime more than other book ever, so it was meant to be.
I've never laughed more reading a book thank this one. I teared up reading Queequeg's death bed scene. I went to pre-Civil War America and maritime industry and learned something about myself.
Hast thou seen the white whale? Or did you see your own foibles and weaknesses? I saw both. And this difficult gigantic beast of a book made me see them.
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
4.0
Sprawling, crazy, Terry Gilliam, Tolstoy, Burroughs, Didion, DeLillo synthesized then hit with a ray in a supervillain's lab to give him superhuman qualities, Wallace has created a book that people talk more about engaging with than the actual novel itself. I sure will.
After a few days after finishing (which only took ADD me 4 months to do), I still was at a loss at how to process it, how I ultimately felt. That was until I listened to the Slate Book Club discussion of it and I became very defensive of the book and Wallace (who they, of course like the pedantic critics they are, ascribe motives and personal characteristics to that just aren't there). This is a great book.
I don't fault anyone giving up on this book. It's tough. I needed an online discussion group to help me along. But sticking with it allowed me to behold some of the sweetest, strangest and affecting passages I've ever read. I could nitpick (and I didn't give this 5 because of things that I hated but you may love) but that seems silly. I do know if and when I reread this I will lightly skim several parts.
Moby-Dick is the Great American Novel and it is a crazed mess. It's not "Moby-Dick is the Great American Novel in spite of being a crazed mess." Greatness and frustration go hand in hand in novels. So here comes the blurb on the back of the next edition...
"Frustratingly great!" - Wampus
After a few days after finishing (which only took ADD me 4 months to do), I still was at a loss at how to process it, how I ultimately felt. That was until I listened to the Slate Book Club discussion of it and I became very defensive of the book and Wallace (who they, of course like the pedantic critics they are, ascribe motives and personal characteristics to that just aren't there). This is a great book.
I don't fault anyone giving up on this book. It's tough. I needed an online discussion group to help me along. But sticking with it allowed me to behold some of the sweetest, strangest and affecting passages I've ever read. I could nitpick (and I didn't give this 5 because of things that I hated but you may love) but that seems silly. I do know if and when I reread this I will lightly skim several parts.
Moby-Dick is the Great American Novel and it is a crazed mess. It's not "Moby-Dick is the Great American Novel in spite of being a crazed mess." Greatness and frustration go hand in hand in novels. So here comes the blurb on the back of the next edition...
"Frustratingly great!" - Wampus
Open Season by Archer Mayor
2.0
This was the second book I read on Kindle Lending Library that I hadn't heard of before, but seemed popular as Amazon put it. I have learned my lesson. This was a really pedestrian mystery with a supervillain who is always popping right before or after the narrator. The scenes of negotiation between police and press, police and local government, police and other police departments, and policemen and policemen (no policewomen - the women are all secretaries, thank you very much) were tedious and not needed at all. The only local flavor Vermont provided was that it was cold and snowed. I'm hoping the series improves with far less exposition and maybe more realistic antagonists, but I won't be finding out.