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amdonahue"It's awfully easy to be hardboiled about everything in the day time, but at night it's quite another thing."
Reviews
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3/14/2010 6:02:01 PM
This book is a horrifying prediction of a society wracked by war and infertility. When men can't have sons and women can't be mothers people stop being human. In this future reproductive women are herded like cattle and retrained to fulfill their biblical role. To breed. A woman is abducted from her life, retrained to allow her body to be raped and used to give a general the son he "needs." Our protagonist suffers the pain of seeing her own child living with a wealthy family after she is forced into sexual slavery. The protagonist falls in with a rebellion faction, however never really does much with this. This story isn't one of rebellion but one of how women are used and are ultimately replaceable. She is taught latin by her captor general, only to discover the last handmaiden was also used in this manner. She falls under the sights of the treacherous wife who in desperation forces her to sleep with a virile guard. This is a crime punishable by death to a handmaiden. The book ends with our protagonist being taken away. It is a strange ending with no definite thesis. What happened? Does she live? Is she pregnant? It's a wonderful book that asks more questions than offers answers. -
3/14/2010 5:30:34 PM
Hemingway's strongest novel, this story follows Jake through his ambitions and frustrations with Cohn, Bill, Mike and the love of his loveless life Brett. Jake, an expatriate, traveling through France to Pamplona Spain, is a veteran still fighting his own feelings of inadequacy after an injury has left him impotent. Jake travels with his punching bag, Cohn, a jewish man who had recently published a novel and left his wife. Cohn, who spends his life looking for people to tell him how to spend his life, follows Jake as a symbol of manhood. Ironic, as Jake is figuratively castrated. They are joined by Bill, another author whom Jake respects more, even though his alcoholism makes him more of a burden than a companion. Bill takes an immediate dislike to Cohn as he notices Cohn's attitude towards Brett. Previously, Brett and Cohn had been sexually intimate. Cohn misinterpreted this as love and thought it was lasting. However Brett, being the most powerful character of the quintet cannot love a man she can dominate. Mike, Brett's fiance, uses Cohn's religion as a mocking point several times which brings up the argument of anti-semitism in the book. Many critics believe that the root of the characters' dislike for Cohn has nothing to do with his religion, however they constantly use anti-semitic terms to insult him. The tension culminates at the bullfight as Jake betrays a trust given him by Montoya (an innkeeper Jake respected highly) when he sets up Brett with Romero (a rising bullfighter based on the real life hero Pedro Romero from Spanish history). Brett leaves Romero eventually, as she can't be with a man other than Jake, but she can't be with Jake. The last scene sums up the book. Brett and Jake are alone speaking when she says "It would have been beautiful if we could have made a go of it." And Jake turns to her and says "It's pretty to think that way." OUCH! -
3/14/2010 5:19:07 PM
Noted as Austen's weakest book Northanger Abbey is still a fun read. Not necessarily as "good" as Pride and Prejudice, but this book still has it's own cute little voice and it's own message to readers which is valid and worthy. This story is centered on Catherine who is too plain and too poor (yet not poor enough) to be a heroine, but manages to be one against the odds. She is a pleasant girl who likes to read gothic novels (ala, Mrs. Radcliffe) and daydream of being in the menacing grasp of some terrible rapscallion only to be saved at the last minute. Taken to Bath on vacation by her godmother Catherine falls in with a "saucy" girl and her scheming brother. She quickly meets Mr. Right. Immediately smitten she falls in with his sister, a more mature girl who helps Catherine improve her reading. Thanks to Catherine's rumored wealth she is invited to return to Northanger Abbey with the family. At this beautiful gothic castle Catherine's overactive imagination runs wild and soon convinces her that the tyrannical father must have murdered his wife. She shares her "discovery" with her beloved who (no surprise here) is insulted that she believes murder runs in his family. When her wealth turns out to be a lie (not perpetuated by Catherine) she is turned out of the abbey instantly, proving that while he might not be a murderer the father is a tyrant and a monster. Catherine travels by post and at night (very dangerous) home to her family. After this adventure Catherine is left heartbroken convinced that she was tossed out because of her revelation to her Mr. Right, never knowing about the father's misguided misconception of her financial situation. She spends her time improving her mind and being a better sister to her multitudinous siblings. As usual, Mr Right returns, they reconcile, fall in love and marry and have lots of babies. The end. -
3/14/2010 4:48:18 PM
Once upon a time there was a young woman named Emma who knew everything and could make everyone happy if only they would do exactly what she wanted! This delightful story by Jane Austen is set to life in the latest version. Excellent! What sets this version apart is the care of the director to ask as storyteller. The beginning of the movie spends a nice time explaining the departure of Frank Churchill and Jane Farifax. Also, Jane is brought to life for the first time. Instead of the dull little maid we have a young woman with passion and a hint of jealousy that Mr Knightly sees immediately even if our dear Emma cannot! Emma's meddling in the affairs of her friends may cause momentary distress however much like all other Austen novels everything ends up alright in the end, much to everyone's pleasure! -
3/14/2010 4:36:55 PM
One of the finest stories about American life written and presented not as a criticism but a commentary. Fitzgerald gives us an account of decadence, revenge, love, and the unfulfilled American promise in this witty account of a young man's summer with his cousin. While this book has been doubtlessly beaten to death by many an English teacher before me looking to find one possible symbol her compatriots might have chanced to overlook (fat chance!) what annoys me is that the main thesis is often ignored in many classes. Fitzgerald's commentary on American is not that we aren't a great nation, nor that we are a weak nation. To the contrary he commends us as one of the greatest nations, inhabited by possible gods. However these gods have fallen into decadence appreciated only by the finest Roman Mythologies. These American Gods (see, see what I did there?) are lazy, selfish and vain. They are guided by a heathen existence of lax morals, emotional despondency and left culturally bankrupt. They are easily compared to the culture of 1950s America. The culture that came back from fighting a horrible yet necessary war and quickly decided to stick its head in the sand when faced with change. Please do yourself the favor and READ THIS BOOK! -
3/14/2010 4:19:42 PM
Wonderful film! An inspired tale about finding passion in the world around. Trying to go further, reach more and to become part of a larger world. Robin Williams is excellent in this role which he plays in a welcomed understated manner. This is a nice jumping off point for his later role in Good Will Hunting. His heartbreak over the death of student Neil Perry is genuine and sincere in his performance. Neil, played by Robert Sean Leonard, gives a solid performance as a young man too easily incited to rebellion by a teacher. While I appreciate the character is just seemed a little too quick of a change from "goodie two shoes does what daddy says" to "let's go into the woods and read poems and then I can try out for a play". Think Anakan Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith... "I'm not bad (pause) Okay, I'm a bad." Ethan Hawke gives a wonderful performance as the shy Todd Anderson, a transfer student who takes the Carpe Deim attitude to heart and allows it to help him find his voice. What makes this movie wonderful is its ability to inspire students of today. In today's classroom where passing that ONE TEST has become paramount even over talent and intellectual curiosity, helping students discover their voice as writers, speakers and young adults is becoming harder and harder. This movie is a fun watch, a good story and a nice piece of film. -
3/14/2010 4:06:55 PM
A priest learns of a plot to overthrow the king and decides to intervene. This one act sets in motion some of the most devastating heartbreak in the book. Motivated by altruistic means the priest and his brother prior of Kingsbridge work to improve the lives of the people in their domain. However, Follett writes to suggest that as well-intended mother church may be it would best serve man to stay out of politics. An interesting statement in 2010, blashemy in the setting of the book! Follett, famous for his thrillers, has created a epic narration following the lives of a young girl robbed of her father's land, a mason who dreams of building a cathedral that will make England kneel, a woman who stands up to man, god and church, and her son who will finish the legacy set before him. All of these characters and many more are tied together during England's bitter civil war between Steven I and Maude to put her son Henry II on the throne. An elementary level education allows the reader to make a prediction of who will win this argument! Well written, however one criticism I have is that Lehane paints his characters with a very binary brush. Bad guys are Bad, and good guys are good. While there are people who are "doing the best they can" many are motivated by nothing more than the need to be evil, which is our contemporary times could ring too true. Wonderful summer read for a senior looking to fulfill the summer reading requirement. -
3/14/2010 3:56:36 PM
Wonderful book focusing on an Irish Catholic family in the turn of the century Boston. This family is held together by intrigue, molded by the molasses flood, joined in their hatred of anarchists and eventually defeated by their own ambitions. In their wake of destructive decisions they almost destroy a beautiful young immigrant trying to escape an abusive husband in Ireland, a young man running from gang crime in Chicago, and their own sons. Historically mentioned is Babe Ruth, The Great Molasses Flood, the Flu Pandemic of 1919. What impresses the most is Lehane uses his incredible story telling style to write this epic of a novel covering everything from the Boston Police Strike to the smallest interpersonal problem with equal intensity. Fans of his mysteries will not be disappointed with this latest novel. While there is no mystery to unravel the reader is satisfied watching the characters emotionally twist and turn their way out of the frying pan and into the fire. As a Bostonian I can only thank Lehane for finally delivering the "Manhattan" love story dedicated to a city that deserved it for a long time.
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3/14/2010 12:24:37 PM
A wonderful book with an honest voice. This book will turn your emotions with each page. One page you are weeping with Janie (the protagonist) over her lonely and isolated marrige to Logan, the next page you will laugh like a crazy person as she clumsily flirts with Jody Starks. This book is one of the sweetest song to come out of the Harlem Renaissance. Hurston uses her hometown of Eatonville as the stage for Janie's coming into her self story. I can't call it a coming of age because it's not an appropriate term, she isn't magically smarter at any age, but rather comes to understand herself as she travels and meets others. Janie dutifully lives the life her grandmother handpicked for her until the elderly woman's death. At this point Janie leaves the world of disappointment and journeys with Jody Sparks to Florida to start an all African American town. There Hurston's voice comes through as narrator, and folklorist. Her work collecting folklore appears as little beautiful stories which make the characters all the more compelling and heartbreaking. One of the best books of American Literature and an excellent read for students going to college.