- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
- Hits: 1721
Now it is of the period - 1719 - 1720, and adheres to almost all of the ridiculous conventions of the time - disguises, secret rendezvous, the replacing of one party with another in bed, coincidences and mistaken identities, in terms of plot it is not even slightly plausible - not even for the period.
But such is the time.
On the other hand Eliza Haywood was the first novelist to endow her female characters with the same motives and desires as the male ones. Which makes it exceptional. And, add to that her way of putting the most eloquent speeches in their mouths and you have some curious speeches indeed:
"And are you that dull, cold Platonist, which can prefer the visionary pleasures of an absent mistress, to the warm transports of the substantial present?" The Count was pretty much surprized at these words, coming from the mouth of a woman of honour, and began now to perceive what her aim was...
Curious. File next to Chesterfield, Laclos and Casanova...
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
- Hits: 1933
OK, I've already mentioned it but thought I'd mention it again. "The True Story of the Kelly Gang" is a great book. But, doing a slight bit of research, it's almost entirely true and Peter Carey had to make surprisingly little up. It was an damned interesting subject before he tackled it.
Now if you want to read more about Ned Kelly, Australian bushranger and folk hero, start here. If you'd like to read Ned as spoken by Ned read The Jerilderie Letter. Neither of which articles are as long as the book, but the facts and testimony are remarkably consistent.
Or just pick up the Peter Carey book.
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
- Hits: 2004
Now this is great. This is travel literature. For a variety of reasons, which I'll illuminate below:
1) She's speaking of a place that has disappeared. The Tibet she has traveled was razed to the ground by the Chinese in the 1950's, what we have left are only travelers accounts, myths and cheap reproductions.
2) She talks of the miracles she witnesses - the thought projection, creation of doppelgangers, telepathy, internal combustion and other mysteries with some skepticism and common sense. And she reports many of these things as first hand experiences, not just relaying stories.
3) She interprets what she sees without prejudice and with (for the time) a fine balance of common sense skepticism and open-mindedness. You can't ask for more.
4) She illuminates you as to the 99% of Tibetan Buddhist dark magic and beliefs that somehow escaped export to a gullible western public. It's worth knowing, if only so that you can laugh in the face of the next "enlightened" white yogi who tries it on with his chanting of the "on-no-ma-ne-pad-me-ohm..".
And if she's somehow exaggerated or embellished her tales and interpretation of the events, who can blame her? It makes for a far far better story.
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
- Hits: 1890
I can't add to the praise this book has justly received, laughing out loud frequently and reading the entire novel in a sitting, all the while thinking of who I could lend it to...
The Boy. He's probably, almost-not-quite ready but he really should read this.
And unlike "Absurdistan" it has depth and resonance. Undoubtedly you've heard of it, probably you've already read it (and I'm dying to give spoilers, like how the attorney is the best depiction of a lawyer I've seen since Barry Zuckerman in "Arrested Development" or quote from the novel...), but if you haven't pick it up. A light but rewarding read.
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
- Hits: 1987
Highly amusing, but light. Very light. Some of the observations - about "Golly Burton" (Halliburton) are doubtless both damning and true, as are numerous of the observations about Post-Communist Russia and it's various splinter states. But somehow - well, somehow I felt that it lacked an enduring quality. Not a keeper, not one to put on the shelf and reread again at a later date, straight to the bookstore for credit.
I find it hard to believe that it was a "Book of the Year" nominee, but maybe it was a light year.
You can read more about it (spoilers, be warned) at the Wiki here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absurdistan_%28novel%29