One Book And One Week : كتاب واحد وأسب

Sun. July 3, 2011

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 22:36:22 -0400

Week Six: City of Thieves by Dave Benioff

36.8 pages per day

Week Five: The Plague by Albert Camus (7/10)

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 19:02:52 -0400

Nobel Prize winning author Albert Camus wrote ‘The Plague’ as an allegory to France’s suffering under the occupation of the German Nazis, and was published in 1947. His second novel (after the much more well-known story The Stranger), it was published a mere 5 years later.

Although it is not the first Camus book I have ever read, it was largely in part my favorite: Camus, even under the veil of an existentialist philosophy, managed to champion for humanity and human resistance in a relatively short, but also very powerful book. As usual, his prose was simply written, yet complex in thought. It was not, however, ‘easy’ to read-I found myself doubling back several times in an effort to digest the story’s whole meaning.

I gave this book a seven out of ten, but if the reader isn’t a big fan of heavy philosophical themes, they probably wouldn’t enjoy it nearly as much.

(Addendum: sorry for the brevity and lateness of this review…we were out of town and without internet for the fourth of July. It seems as though a lot of my quotes did not go through, so sorry to all the Camus fans! Eventually, I will get my tumblr issues sorted out. Until then, happy reading!)

Yes, on Mister Camus. I was adding his thoughts on despair this morning very early (a painting was not going well), but I prefer your choices.

Be well.

MC

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 20:08:27 -0400

Albert is quite the enigma, and often quite depressing. Don’t be too dismal, though, and good luck on your painting.

Thanks for the message, and the well-wishes!

Happy Reading/Painting/Quoting/Pondering!

Logan

"All we may regret is the town’s being so disposed that it turns its back on the bay, with the..."

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:34:55 -0400

“All we may regret is the town’s being so disposed that it turns its back on the bay, with the result that it’s impossible to see the sea, you always have to go look for it.”

- The Plague

"Certainly nothing is commoner nowadays than to see people working from morn til night and then..."

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:23:48 -0400

“Certainly nothing is commoner nowadays than to see people working from morn til night and then proceeding to fritter away at card-tables, in cafes, and in small-talk what time is left for living.”

- The Plague

"Perhaps the easiest way of making a town’s acquaintance is to ascertain how the people in it..."

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:21:00 -0400

“Perhaps the easiest way of making a town’s acquaintance is to ascertain how the people in it work, how they love, and how they die.”

- The Plague

Suggestions!

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:13:29 -0400

Dear Readers:

I’m having a hard time picking out books already. There are just so many good ones to chose from, I would really love some reader submissions and suggestions. What’s your favorite book? What’s a book you think I should read? What’s a book you’d recommend to ANYONE? What’s a book you absolutely hate? (I’d love to write a scathing review.)

Send them in, please, and remember, as always-

Happy Reading!

Sun. June 19, 2011

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:40:44 -0400

(Sorry guys, I accidentally queued this post instead of posting it yesterday. My bad!)

Now Beginning: The Plague by Albert Camus

44 pages a day

Week Four: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard [6/10]

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 14:16:00 -0400

Week Four: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard [6/10]

Knighted British playwright Tom Stoppard’s fourth play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, was three acts long and took me roughly three days to complete. I purposefully picked this play as a lighter work to read for week four, but though slender in size, this play is big in message.

As a general rule, I (as a reader) have a hard time finding plays as engrossing as novels. For one, often times there is less to interpret in a novel. The author reveals much more in description than a playwright would. Alternatively, in a play, so much is left to the interpretation of the actors, the director, and the viewer, it’s almost as if it’s a shell to be filled by the reader. When I was reading Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, there was no majesty to get lost in, no engrossing world. But maybe that’s part of the charm of the play itself.

An existentialist play with an absurdist design, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is designed to cause the spectator to question life, death, and the meaning of existence. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern themselves are bit characters in Shakespeare’s infamous tragedy, Hamlet, and Stoppard elected to give them a story of their own. Throughout the play, the characters of Hamlet weave in and out, affecting the destiny of these two characters-a destiny they have virtually no control over. They have no free will, no control, and can make virtually no choices.

The play was done well, and it achieved its ends almost perfectly. However, I give it a 6/10 purely based on enjoyability. It caused me to think, and it was speculative, but it echoed a lot of other plays I have already read (Waiting For Godot, for one), and novels such as The Stranger achieve the same end in a way that I, personally, find easier to read. Honestly, I’m of the opinion that plays should be watched, and not read, which is part of the reason for the lower rating.

Happy reading!

"Audiences know what to expect, and that is all they are prepared to believe in."

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 12:35:00 -0400

“Audiences know what to expect, and that is all they are prepared to believe in.”

- Player, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

"No…no…not for us, not like that. Dying is not romantic, and death is not a game which will soon be..."

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 12:05:06 -0400

“No…no…not for us, not like that. Dying is not romantic, and death is not a game which will soon be over…Death is not anything…Death is not…It’s the absence of presence, nothing more…the endless time of never coming back…a gap you can’t see, and when the wind blows through it, it makes no sound.”

- Guildenstern, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

"But no one gets up after death – there is no applause – there is only silence and some second-hand..."

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 11:01:06 -0400

“But no one gets up after death – there is no applause – there is only silence and some second-hand clothes, and that’s – death.”

- Guildenstern, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

"Our names shouted in a certain dawn…a message…a summons…There must have been a moment, at the..."

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 10:00:00 -0400

“Our names shouted in a certain dawn…a message…a summons…There must have been a moment, at the beginning, where we could have said no. But somehow we missed it.”

- Guildenstern, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

"Where we went wrong was getting on a boat. We can move, of course, change direction, rattle about,..."

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 09:00:06 -0400

“Where we went wrong was getting on a boat. We can move, of course, change direction, rattle about, but our movement is contained within a larger one that carries us along as inexorably as the wind and current…”

- Guildenstern, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

"No boundaries have been defined, no inhibitions imposed. We have, for the while, secured, or..."

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 08:05:06 -0400

“No boundaries have been defined, no inhibitions imposed. We have, for the while, secured, or blundered into, our release, for the while. Spontaneity and whim are the order of the day. Other wheels are turning but they are not our concern. We can breathe. We can relax. We can do what we like and say what we like to whomever we like, without restriction.”

- Guildenstern, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

"We are little men, we don’t know the ins and outs of the matter, there are wheels within..."

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 07:00:06 -0400

“We are little men, we don’t know the ins and outs of the matter, there are wheels within wheel, etcetera – it would be presumptuous of us to interfere with the designs of fate or even of kings. All in all, I think we’d be well advised to leave well alone.”

- Guildenstern, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

"A compulsion towards philosophical introspection is his chief characteristic, if I may put it like..."

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 06:00:06 -0400

“A compulsion towards philosophical introspection is his chief characteristic, if I may put it like that. It does not mean he is mad. It does not mean he isn’t. Very often, it does not mean anything at all. Which may or may not be a kind of madness.”

- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

"‘Not even England. I don’t believe in it anyway.’..."

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 05:00:06 -0400

“‘Not even England. I don’t believe in it anyway.’ (Rosencrantz)
‘What?’ (Guildenstern)
‘England.’ (Rosencrantz)
‘Just a conspiracy of cartographers, you mean.’ (Guildenstern)”

- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

"‘I wish I was dead. (Considers the drop.) I could jump over the side. That would put a spoke..."

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 05:00:06 -0400

“‘I wish I was dead. (Considers the drop.) I could jump over the side. That would put a spoke in their wheel.’ (Rosencrantz)
‘Unless they’re counting on it.’ (Guildenstern)
‘I shall remain on board. That’ll put a spoke in their wheel.’ (Rosencrantz)”

- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

"So there’s an end to that – it’s commonplace: light goes with life, and in the winter of..."

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 04:00:06 -0400

“So there’s an end to that – it’s commonplace: light goes with life, and in the winter of your years the dark comes early.”

- Player, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

One Book And One Week : كتاب واحد وأسب

Sun. July 3, 2011

Week Five: The Plague by Albert Camus (7/10)

Yes, on Mister Camus. I was adding his thoughts on despair this morning very early (a painting was not going well), but I prefer your choices. Be well. MC

"All we may regret is the town’s being so disposed that it turns its back on the bay, with the..."

"Certainly nothing is commoner nowadays than to see people working from morn til night and then..."

"Perhaps the easiest way of making a town’s acquaintance is to ascertain how the people in it..."

Suggestions!

Sun. June 19, 2011

Week Four: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard [6/10]

"Audiences know what to expect, and that is all they are prepared to believe in."

"No…no…not for us, not like that. Dying is not romantic, and death is not a game which will soon be..."

"But no one gets up after death – there is no applause – there is only silence and some second-hand..."

"Our names shouted in a certain dawn…a message…a summons…There must have been a moment, at the..."

"Where we went wrong was getting on a boat. We can move, of course, change direction, rattle about,..."

"No boundaries have been defined, no inhibitions imposed. We have, for the while, secured, or..."

"We are little men, we don’t know the ins and outs of the matter, there are wheels within..."

"A compulsion towards philosophical introspection is his chief characteristic, if I may put it like..."

"‘Not even England. I don’t believe in it anyway.’..."

"‘I wish I was dead. (Considers the drop.) I could jump over the side. That would put a spoke..."

"So there’s an end to that – it’s commonplace: light goes with life, and in the winter of..."

Yes, on Mister Camus. I was adding his thoughts on despair this morning very early (a painting was not going well), but I prefer your choices.

Be well.

MC