#77 - "The Golden Notebook" by Doris Lessing

What can I say about #77, The Golden Notebook? It took me nearly three months to read it, and at times I'm not even sure what I read. It's a long, complicated, and often very frustrating book. It is often described as a "feminist novel," but I wouldn't say that at all. In fact, I'm not even sure what that's supposed to mean. I would describe it is an emotional novel, exploring the deep, personal thoughts of its protagonist. I'd also say that despite moments of brilliance, I don't think I really enjoyed reading it.

Anna Wulf, a writer, records her life in four coloured notebooks, black, blue, red, and yellow, each dealing with a different part of her life. Mixed in with this, is a narrative of her real life, which helps provide some context to the diary-style of her notebooks.

The black notebook records her time in Africa before and during World War II, which led to her writing a successful novel; the royalties from which, she lives off of, and supports her daughter from a failed marriage. The blue notebook records her emotional dreams, and more often, her emotional failures and breakdown. In the red book, she chronicles her dabbling with the Communist party, while the yellow notebook deals with her struggles to write a second novel while suffering through writer's block.

A Big Ol' Pile of Books

This past Friday marked the 5th anniversary of my first book review on this blog about The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. It's hard to believe it's already been five years, as it really doesn't seem that long ago that I decided to embark on this mission.

For the longest time, I had expected to be finished after five years. In fact there was a time I thought I'd be done in four! Now that I'm older and wiser, I figure I might be done in a year and half, and that two more years is probably more realistic. I've read 76 books from the list in those five years, which is more than one a month. I've also read about 170 non-list books in that time. I guess if I had stuck to only list books, I would have been done quite some time ago, but I also might have succumb to madness. Really, I don't think my pace has been that bad when put into perspective, and 76 books really is a lot of books. 

To go out of my dialect, which you

I've slowly been making progress on my latest book from the list, Their Eyes Were Watching God. I find I always seem to go pretty slowly when I first start a book, as I just haven't gotten wrapped up in the characters or the writing, and as a result don't feel as much of an inkling to read it.

In the case of this book, I'm finding myself reading even slower, because of the dialect the Southern, African-American characters speak. This is the same problem I've had with quite a few Southern novels, like Faulkner's two books, Go Tell It on the Mountain, and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.

The Best of 2013

Somebody asked me the other night what the best book I read in 2013 was. Admittedly, I was at a loss, as I hadn't really given it any thought. And after looking back at the 38 books I did read in 2013, I'm still struggling to find an answer.

To be honest, 2013 wasn't a very good reading year. Sure, there were some great books, but they were far out numbered by the duds. This may be the reason I only read 38 books, as it obviously goes slower when you aren't enjoying them.

But enough about the bad, this is supposed to be about the good. When I think of books I've read, I divide them into two categories; list books and non-list books. The non-list books are overwhelmingly non-fiction (27-2), but not exclusively, and in 2013 I read far more non-list books than list books (29-9). To separate the two, I've divided my best of 2013 into these two categories.

Of that and all the progress, more or less,

I keep spreadsheets on pretty much everything. I really do; airports I've flown to, states and provinces I've visited/flown into/driven in. And it occurred to me, looking at my spreadsheet I use to track my reading of this list, that perhaps it isn't all my fault I've been reading a little slower these past couple of years; this year in particular.

I say this, because I noticed today, the following chart:

Year                      Pages Read            Books               Average Pages/Book

2009                         911                         3                            303.67

2010                        7,503                     23                            325.22

2011                        7,233                     22                            328.77

2012                        4,904                     13                            377.23
2013                        3,606                       7                            515.14

Well obviously I've been reading longer books this year and to a lesser extent, in 2012. Of course that doesn't change the fact that I have indeed read fewer pages this year, but it does give me a reason for why I've read so few books this year.

Of course it isn't just that the more pages a book has, the longer it takes to read; that's obvious. But what I find is that the longer a book is, the slower my reading pace. A 250 page books usually takes about 7 days to read, but a 500 page book usually takes about 25 days. Thousand-pagers, 60+ days. I think the sheer size of some books often makes it feel as if you aren't making any progress, which can be quite deflating. This leads to my reading other (read: non-list), less intimidating books.

How much I'm enjoying a book doesn't seem to play a very big role in how fast I read something. The Sot-Weed Factor, at some 800 pages, still took me seven weeks to read, and I loved it from start to finish. Same goes for Gone With the Wind. But, that's also the case for Infinite Jest, which I despised.

On the flip side, Mrs. Dalloway (212 pages) didn't really take any longer to read than Lucky Jim (242 pages).

But again, these are just excuses as to why I haven't read more. Bottom line is, I need to be flipping more pages. My concern is that maybe the reason the books have become longer and longer is that I've left a lot of longer ones until the end, instead of distributing them more evenly amongst all 100 reads. That could be a problem.

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From year to year, the battles, sieges, fortunes,

As we get into the new year, I've been thinking back about the year that was, 2012. The first thing that really jumps out in my mind is the failures of the year; I only completed 13 books from the list.  This hardly keeps up with my desired pace of 24 books per year, and means I have a lot of reading to do in 2013 if I want to catch up. But I do attribute this to two books in particular (read: excuses).

First was The Recognitions by William Gaddis. Coming in at 956 pages, this was a beast that took me 66 days to read. It was my most difficult read from the list so far, and really put me behind pace, so early in the year. I didn't enjoy it, I read it while I was having a difficult time in my life, and of course, it's really long. I'll always wonder if the book was better than I gave it credit, and wonder if I had been reading it under different circumstances, might I appreciated it a little more.

The second trouble book was the on-going The Lord of the Rings. It isn't even remotely as tedious as The Recognitions, but it is twice as long. Add to this my general disinterest in the genre, and I have one difficult, long read on my hands.  I'm currently 60% through the second book, and should be able to finish it sometime in 2013 (although I can't honestly guarantee this as it's already been over 100 days since I began the first one).

But that doesn't mean the year was a total loss, I was introduced to some fantastic books, which I probably wouldn't have read if not for this little project. In no particular order, here are my favorite list reads from 2012:

The Assistant. This was just an enjoyable and interesting read, that's really in my wheel house. It was probably aided by the fact that I read it between books one and two of The Lord of the Rings, a welcome diversion.

Under the Net. One of the best hidden gems I've read from the list so far. I'd never heard of it or the author, and really had no idea what the book was about. It was enjoyable and entertaining in the style of Lucky Jim.

Revolutionary Road. Much like The Assistant,this book is my kind of book; a post-war character novel.

All the King's Men. An engrossing story and dynamic characters make this one of the best I've read so far. A real page turner.

The Sot-Weed Factor. The more I think about this book, the more I begin to think it may be my favorite book through the first 61, and one of my favorite books ever. It's interesting, entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny. And I have still only met one person to date who has ever heard of the book or John Barth, the author.

Tomorrow I'll look at my favorite non-fiction reads from 2012.

At Christmas I no more desire a rose

As Christmas fast approaches, it might be a good time to look some books that would make great gifts.  The list presents a bit of a problem in this regard, as so few of the titles jump out at me as great presents to recommend.  I think it might be that so few of the books on the list appeal to a broad audience, so they require a real book lover to be the recipient. The other problem is that so many people have already read these titles, which is why people tend to gift new books instead of old. And some books on this list are so bad you'd only give them to your worst enemy, like Naked Lunch, the literary equivalent to a lump of coal.

But that doesn't mean there aren't some great gift ideas out there!

  

The Sot-Weed Factor.  This a good gift for a couple of reasons.  First off, you don't have to worry about anybody having read it already. Secondly, it's a very well written book that is able to combine slapstick comedy and literary wit. I also don't see this one being offensive to anybody like Lolita or Tropic of Cancer might. The downsides are that it is 756 pages (which intimidates a lot of people), it is obscure (people tend to prefer books they've heard of), and it's hard to find in a book store. This one is for your book loving friend (the one who reads real books, not James Patterson).

Lucky Jim. Kingsley Amis' first novel is funny, entertaining and accessible.  Plus at only 265 pages, it fits into the inside pocket of most jackets. This is a book I find appeals to both men and women, and is easy for almost any reader to get into. It's perfect for your office gift exchange.

Gone with the Wind.  It's well known I love this book, so I'm always quick to recommend it.  However, as a gift, it isn't for everybody. Because of it's size and age, many are turned off, plus they've already seen the movie and feel they don't need to read it. But, it's great for middle aged women, who remember reading it as a girl (and loving it). Don't know what to get your Mom?  Try this one. You can also pick up a replica first edition, which I think looks quite handsome on any bookshelf.

The Corrections. Like Lucky Jim, this one appeals to a very broad audience; men and women, young and old.  Plus, unlike the previous three, it is much newer. The book itself is well written, features great characters, and it's funny and depressing without going too far in either direction. People also like that Jonathan Franzen badmouthed Oprah's book club when it was a candidate.  Good for any friend or relative (except children or illiterate co-workers).

I, Claudius.  This is a good gift for men, especially men who tend to read only James Patterson, Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy.  Unlike those three, Robert Graves writes literature. It's also quite historically accurate and I find most men appreciate "historical fiction" more than just fiction.  Plus it is really entertaining, with back stabbing, gossip, murder, sex and politics. Who wouldn't love this book!? You could also pick up the beloved 12-disc 1976 BBC mini-series as a companion gift.

For the real literary nerd of course, any title from the list would do, so how about picking up a first edition? Check out the Manhattan Rare Book Company, but check you bank account before you click "Buy."  These also make great gifts for you favorite book blogger...


Later this week, I'll take a look at non-fiction as well as books not on the list!

#58 - 'Under the Net' by Iris Murdoch

I finished Under the Net a couple of days ago, my 58th book from the list.  It was a fun, entertaining read, featuring at times a complex story with some interesting characters.  As I've mentioned before, it very much reminds me of Lucky Jim and The Sot-Weed Factor for its sympathetic and perhaps socially clumsy main character, as well as its comedic value.

Jake Donaghue is a failed writers, sometimes translator, and general bum, loafing around 1950's London, mooching off friends for money, food and lodgings.  After being dismissed from his most recent residence, he calls on old friend and former flame, Anna.  While she doesn't take him in, she does help him out by sending him to her sister, star of stage and screen, Sadie, who is only too happy to help a man down on his luck.

But it turns out, Jake might have received more than he bargained for, and soon finds himself in a fiendish plot involving an aging movie dog (Mister Mars), a stolen manuscript for one of the world's worst books and a love 'square' involving his long estranged friend Hugo.

Under the Net is successful because it doesn't really strive to be anything more than a light-hearted comedy.  Despite Jake struggling to find a place to live, and never really having any decent prospects, the novel doesn't chronicle a man in a desperate situation.  Nor does it ever try to take it's self too seriously, even at moments where there is a bit of a serious undertone to the rather absurd happenings.

The best part, at least for me, was the characters, specifically Jake Donaghue.  Obviously the man is not without is faults, in fact he has more faults than virtues, but he is a lovable character because of this.  Almost bumbling through his adventures, Jake finds himself in awkward situations only because he has made poor decisions which have put him there.  But through it all, he always has a laid-back, almost care-free attitude, which for whatever reason, I found quite comforting.

After having become so attached to the protagonist, there was a time, near the end, where I feared things would not work out for him. I worried that a novel that had been so fun and funny, would end on a sour note. Well not necessarily a sour note, but a less than ideal note. I always contend that all the good books are depressing in a way, but I suppose there are always exceptions. This would be one of them.

The writing itself is entertaining and at times I even laughed out loud.  I think Catch-22 and The Sot-Weed Factor  are the only other books from the list to have accomplished this.  While I know it was a funny book, I wonder how much my laughs were the result of having just finished Things Fall Apart, which didn't feature anything close to a laugh.

Next I'll be reading Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates, which I know little about and have not seen the movie.  However, I was advised to have a cyanide pill with me at all time whilst reading, so I can kill myself when it becomes too depressing.  Comforting.    

And yet you halt not.

To say that I've been a rut would be an understatement.  The chasm I currently find myself in is without equal.  Well, maybe when I was reading To the Lighthouse two summers ago would be comparable, but my progress on The Recognitions has come to a complete standstill.

It isn't that it's a bad book, it is readable, but it just isn't that gripping.  With the weather starting to turn nice, my attention seems to have moved elsewhere, and I find myself sometimes not picking up Gaddis' rather lengthy book for days at a time.  In fact I currently haven't read a page in four days.  Not a single word.

I have to admit I have been doing some other reading; a few non-fiction books that I normally consider temporary diversions, but have now become my only reading.  I suppose I just find it easier to pick up the lighter (both physically and mentally) Kitchen Confidential, than I do The Recognitions.  But of course, this cannot continue, or I'll never finish reading the remaining 46 books.

My next step, which I am about to do as soon as I am finished writing this, is to finish that "other book."  Currently that would be Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson.  I have about fifteen pages to go, and I then vow to not pick up another book until The Recognitions is complete, which might be awhile if for no other reason than I still have 350 pages to go.


Some good news, or rather some interesting news (for me anyway), is I have finally met somebody who has heard of The Sot-Weed Factor. Not only had he heard of it, he'd read it, he loved it, and he is a fan of John Barth's other works.  I was over-joyed to discuss the book with somebody else, which I have of course been unable to do, as I've never come across anybody who had even heard of it.  Unfortunately since it had been over 40 years since he had read it, his recollection wasn't as fresh as mine, but I'm hoping my enthusiasm for it, and eagerness to talk about it, was still appreciated.

Now back to my reading, and this time I'm serious.


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#49 - "The Sot-Weed Factor" by John Barth

It's finally finished.  After 48 days, I have finished John Barth's epic, The Sot-Weed Factor.  As I've mentioned before, I'm not exactly sure as to why this took me so long to read, other than the 800 pages of course, but I suppose it no longer matters.

For those who don't know, and that seems to be everybody I've ever met (and myself before having read this book), sot-weed is tobacco plant, and a factor is somebody, a middle man, who trades on another's behalf.  Ebenezer Cooke, the book's protagonist, is sort of a dim-wit, living in 17th Century London, who is banished to the New World by his father, to look after the family's tobacco plantation.

During his journey Ebenezer, or Eben as his sister calls him, seems to run into every problem imaginable; he meets pirates, is left to drowned, is swindled of everything he owns, is drugged, is used by everybody he knows, and generally mocked by all those who cross paths with him.  If he isn't being taken advantage of by pirates, it's his man-servant. If it isn't his man-servant, it may be his only friend, Henry Burlingame, who not only deceives Ebenezer more times than anyone cares to remember, he also swindled his father, slept with his sister, forged important documents, sided with the family's enemies, and fed lowly Eben his first dose of opium.  We spend our time following his problems, following his potential solutions, and generally having a good time doing so.

But really, the plot is secondary to the satire that makes this one of the best books of the first half.  Every exchange that poor Ebenezer seems to have is funny.  And it usually isn't just a subtle smile where one's lips turn up slightly at the corners, but actually laughing out loud.  The Sot-Weed Factor is without a doubt the funniest book I've read from The List so far.  Although I have found that whenever I try to explain to somebody why it's funny, I realize that without having read the previous forty pages, the jokes don't really make any sense, and my stories usually fall pretty flat.  It really can't be discussed without having read it.

There are so many scenes that are so ridiculous, it would be impossible to take this book seriously as anything other than an outlandish tale of absurdity.  It truly is the "Airplane" of the literary world.  Take for example, Henry Burlingame's ability to assume almost any role he chooses.  Seemingly more talented than Odo, Henry is able to fool fathers into thinking he is their son, pirates that he is their Captain, and employer's that he is not their former employee.  Or how at almost every moment, Eben experiences the worst possible outcome, usually the result of the the biggest coincidence the world has ever seen.  Never before has one man been so unlucky, so helpless, or found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time so often.

But despite the absolutely unbelievable events, the outrageous dialogue, and the silly characters, it works so well, as this is what Barth has set out to create.

I'm heading to the library this afternoon to see what I can read next.  I think I need something on the quick side, to make up for the past seven weeks.  But it will also be my midway point read.  Perhaps I should make it something a little monumental.

Notes: This is easily the most unknown book from the list so far.  I have yet to run into anybody who has heard of the book or the author; it's a complete mystery to everybody.  I would never have read it either, had it not been for this list.

That hath contrived this woful tragedy!

Here I write, not quite halfway through The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosinski, wondering what is taking so long.  I look at this book and its' modest 234 pages, and figure I should finish it quite quickly.  But here I am, a week in, not having reached the halfway mark.  The book itself isn't a difficult read, and I always feel as if I am making good progress.

When I first starting reading this, I had thought it was 'about the Holocaust,' a general statement if ever there was one.  This only really came from having once seen the book described as 'Holocaust literature' though, not from having read any details about plot or theme.  I now know, that while it may have taken place during the Holocaust, it is about a boy, alone, struggling to survive.  He roams from village to village, staying with whoever will take him in, trying to avoid death.  But each encounter seems to end in some sort of horrible tragedy.

It occurred to me yesterday that it is these tragedies that are slowing me down.  Each chapter seems to begin relatively calmly, as the boy finds a new home, and while life isn't all peaches and cream, it could be much worse.  But as the chapter develops, things begin to unravel, as each chapter crescendos into a roar of horror and tragedy.  At the end of each, I feel as if I need to put the book down and allow the things I just read to soak in, like the pause one experiences after witnessing a horrible car accident.

But the tragedies in this book, despite being depressing as hell, aren't stopping me from enjoying the read.  The only problem is they may be stopping me from picking up the book.  While it sits on the coffee table, I can think of a million things to do instead of reading it, but once I do pick it up, it's quite enjoyable, despite being so horrific.

I would like to finish it sometime before the weekend, and have stopped reading any non-fiction on the side until it is finished.  I also need to start thinking about what books I'm going to read as I approach the halfway point.  I have often said I would read Lord of the Rings as my 50th book, and that still may be the case.  But what to read for number 49?  I currently have Native Son, All the King's Men, The Sot-Weed Factor and White Teeth out from the library.  Having read that The Sot-Weed Factor is as funny as Catch-22, it may be a nice fit after this less than funny read.