Reading Round-Up
It’s been so long since I’ve read these books that I can’t quite give them a proper review. In fact, I’m not sure why I’m writing about them at all. Two reasons, really. One: I need to write. About anything. I’ve fallen out of the habit of writing and I need to force myself back in. I don’t want to lose my sense of language and its connection with my hands. (Is it strange that I find writing to be so physical?) Two: I read some really good books. If there’s anyone reading this, which I highly doubt, I know you’ve already heard of these books. But there comes a time when you read something and you just have to tell someone about them. Isn’t that why I have you, dear blog? So, here you have it, truncated notes for books that deserve much, much more.
Blue Has No South by Alex Epstein is a lovely little book. It is a collection of short shorts or flash fiction. It was an impulse loan from my library - I wanted something short and sweet - something to just get through (I’m not sure why but I think Freedom had something to do with it). This tiny collection took me at least two weeks to read. Each story, which may have been only a paragraph or even a sentence or two, was so rich, thoughtful, and lovely. I’m making them sound like a Hallmark card but I was left with a feeling from the collection: empathy, tenderness, and - most importantly - depth.
I had such a long post planned forThe Jokers by Albert Cossery. What a wonderful, wonderful library find! Of course, had I been paying attention to the Internet, I would have already known about the brilliant Cossery and his band of jokers. Set in an unnamed Middle Eastern city, The Jokers tells the story of a group of men who plot against their government through ridicule. They do this through sarcastic praise instead of traditional revolutionary tactics. The revolutionaries think they’re being mocked, the government doesn’t realize they are, and we discover how naive we all can be. Let’s just say I wish I had read this book in 2004.
Finally, The Handmaid’s Tale. What can I say about Margaret Atwood’s brilliant novel that probably hasn’t already been said before? I will say that it has become one of my favorite books - one that I will reread. I can still replay scenes in my head and my stomach still turns at the prospect of such a dystopian life. Yet, the book was beautiful. Oh, the sentences! However, reading it a few weeks after having a baby was probably not a good idea. With hormones running high, there were many nights of tears and nightmares. (I am, unfortunately, prone to literary inspired nightmares.)
