Shortly after I first became a professor, I read Nabokov’s novel, Pnin. (No, sorry, I have absolutely no idea how to pronounce that name.) I had fond memories, very fond memories, of the book. In a fit of nostalgia, I decided to reread it. A stunning experience. Either I have changed a lot since I first read the book or the book has changed a lot. (The latter possibility is tempting to embrace. Imagine a world in which books really do change between readings. You … [Read more...] about Pnin, Portrait of a Professor?
Great Books
Is This My Autobiography?
From Dorothy Sayers’ The Mind of the Maker: “But the writing of autobiography is a dangerous business; it is a mark either of great insensitiveness to danger or of an almost supernatural courage. Nobody but a god can pass unscathed through the searching ordeal of incarnation.” Sayers is using that observation as the conclusion of a chapter discussing the writing of autobiography, a particular form of art which has obvious relevance to a rather noteworthy Creative Act of … [Read more...] about Is This My Autobiography?
A Real Horrorshow Book
In the category of violent books: Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange. O my brothers, Your Humble Narrator would like to tell you it is a real horrorshow book, the kind thou ought to recommend to all thy droogs. But, it’s not really all that amazing. It’s good, to be sure. It is fun to read. But it is not nearly as deserving as the praise it receives would suggest. As for the movie—just stay away. Part of the problem this book has is that it spawned a … [Read more...] about A Real Horrorshow Book
Recommending Mario Vargas Llosa
Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa. This is the seventh novel by Llosa I have read. I have also read a collection of his non-fiction work. I am thus reasonably certain that I enjoy reading Llosa. (Well, it’s either a) I enjoy reading his work or b) I am supremely masochistic when it comes to reading. I am fairly confident that it is the former, but would entertain arguments that the latter is more accurate.) So, having now finished eight books by … [Read more...] about Recommending Mario Vargas Llosa
Losing Your Dharma
“It’s impossible to fall off mountains you fool.” If your response to the preceding is “Wow, man. That’s deep. Really deep,” then I have a book for you. If you respond like any sane person and say “Uh, not only is that untrue, it’s a rather stupid mantra,” then sorry, No Book for You. The Book: Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac. The bit above is the high point of the tale. It occurs when Kerouac’s alter ego is climbing a mountain and gets scared he will fall off, and then … [Read more...] about Losing Your Dharma
Does Life Have Meaning?
A history of human stupidity. I am not about to write such a thing, but the idea is amusing. Sadly, the book would be too long to read in a lifetime—and that is assuming you were just reading the abridged version. But, we have the next best thing: Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle. It’s nominally fiction, but fiction of the sort that says something truer than non-fiction. This is Vonnegut’s fourth novel. Insofar as there is a thesis in this book it is … [Read more...] about Does Life Have Meaning?