The Annotated Lolita
Vladimir Nabokov
Lolita. Light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lolita. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta. She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita.
Undoubtedly, Lolita is the best book I have ever read. What a beautiful, beautiful novel, despite the fact that it’s about a middle-aged man in love with a child. This is my second time reading this novel, and I’m more convinced than ever that Nabokov is the author I’d most want to be. I know I’ll have to read Lolita about two more times before I even come close to understanding all of it.
Side note: I was inspired to reread the novel after recently hearing Elefant’s song “Lolita.” I don’t know much about Elefant, but I’ve been listening to the music channels on Comcast digital cable, and “Lolita” is often played on their Alternative channel. It’s a really catchy tune, and, obviously, about Lolita. The song reminded me of how much I loved reading this book a few years ago, so I picked it up again.
My first reaction upon rereading the book was one of wonder. I read the book as an undergrad about 6 years ago, and I was either grossly naïve or else I barely read it, because it seemed as if I had missed a world of meaning. I read Lolita with brand new eyes. I missed so much the first time around, it was as if I hadn’t read it at all. What, in six more years, will I find during my next read?
I can’t imagine anyone is unfamiliar with the book, but if you happen to be one of the few, it is not a pornographic work, despite our modern associations with it. Due to its multitude of allusions, puns, doubles and mirrors, it is often compared to Joyce, whom Nabokov admired; it is a comparison I don’t like, hating Joyce as I do. But the complexity of this work cannot be denied; for this reason, if you’re going to read Lolita, only the annotated version will do, and I’ve linked to it above. The almost 200 pages of notes at the end of the book help you understand the breadth of Nabokov’s references, which only the most learned person has a shot of recognizing.
In a nutshell: Simply put, if you haven’t read this book, you must. If you’ve only read it once, read it again. And then maybe again. And listen to Elefant’s song. Is it wrong that I love this book so much I’ve considered naming a daughter (should I ever have one) Lola?
Bibliolatry Scale: 10 out of 6 stars (it’s that good)
Friday, March 24, 2006
Saturday, March 18, 2006
The African Safari Papers, by Robert Sedlack
The African Safari Papers
Robert Sedlack
The African Safari Papers is yet another one of those books that I have been steadily ignoring for years. I finally picked it up, and it actually wasn’t half bad and I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would.
The book centers on Richard Clark, who is nineteen and on safari with his parents. An African safari is interesting in itself, but Sedlack throws a suicidal mother and alcoholic father into the mix. Oh, and Richard is constantly on lots of drugs, too. Looks like a great family vacation is in store for them all.
The story is told through Richard’s travel journal. He recounts their adventures and animal sightings, but the real focus is on the complete disintegration of each of them as their safari progresses. The family’s problems are certainly unique, and, although each faces a lot of pain throughout the novel, I couldn’t sympathize with any of them. I felt oddly detached from them, even the narrator, who really began to grate on my nerves after awhile. Perhaps it was due to the Richard’s acerbic and witty voice that sorta reminded me of Dave Eggers (which may or may not be a good thing). Unfortunately, this style became a bit much at times, especially when Richard entered one of his quasi-philosophical rants that were generally insightful but a mostly just too preachy and annoying.
My other beef with the book was its ending. I can’t call it trite, because it’s certainly unique. And while I can’t think of an ending quite like it, it still seemed a bit too crazy for the book, although I guess it is the most fitting ending possible for a family of lunatics. Still, I would have preferred something a little more subtle.
In a nutshell: At times Sedlack tries too hard to be a modern prophet in the way of Hunter S. Thompson. The African Safari Papers doesn’t present any new ideas but it does try to provide some depth. Unfortunately, not much insight is possible from a 19-yr-old junkie who might be the most selfish bastard ever to have lived. The book is still a good read, though, and it is one hell of an ending.
Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars.
Robert Sedlack
The African Safari Papers is yet another one of those books that I have been steadily ignoring for years. I finally picked it up, and it actually wasn’t half bad and I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would.
The book centers on Richard Clark, who is nineteen and on safari with his parents. An African safari is interesting in itself, but Sedlack throws a suicidal mother and alcoholic father into the mix. Oh, and Richard is constantly on lots of drugs, too. Looks like a great family vacation is in store for them all.
The story is told through Richard’s travel journal. He recounts their adventures and animal sightings, but the real focus is on the complete disintegration of each of them as their safari progresses. The family’s problems are certainly unique, and, although each faces a lot of pain throughout the novel, I couldn’t sympathize with any of them. I felt oddly detached from them, even the narrator, who really began to grate on my nerves after awhile. Perhaps it was due to the Richard’s acerbic and witty voice that sorta reminded me of Dave Eggers (which may or may not be a good thing). Unfortunately, this style became a bit much at times, especially when Richard entered one of his quasi-philosophical rants that were generally insightful but a mostly just too preachy and annoying.
My other beef with the book was its ending. I can’t call it trite, because it’s certainly unique. And while I can’t think of an ending quite like it, it still seemed a bit too crazy for the book, although I guess it is the most fitting ending possible for a family of lunatics. Still, I would have preferred something a little more subtle.
In a nutshell: At times Sedlack tries too hard to be a modern prophet in the way of Hunter S. Thompson. The African Safari Papers doesn’t present any new ideas but it does try to provide some depth. Unfortunately, not much insight is possible from a 19-yr-old junkie who might be the most selfish bastard ever to have lived. The book is still a good read, though, and it is one hell of an ending.
Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Kafka on the Shore, by Haruki Murakami
Kafka on the Shore
Haruki Murakami
Wow. What a crazy book. I was immediately taken with Kafka on the Shore, and, despite its length of almost 500 pages, I tore though it. In fact, I even brought the book to work and read it at every opportunity, ignoring the mounds of grading growing around me.
Kafka involves a young runaway struggling to avoid his father’s curse. At the same time, he is seeking his long-lost mother and sister. This search draws him into a maze of complexities—animals talk, the past moves into the present, and ghost appear while their bodies are still alive.
After finishing, I was somewhat displeased with the book. First, the ending. The various loose ends were tied up but not all were satisfactorily explained. If they even were explained. Kafka’s plot is, at times, surreal and other-worldly; in a world like this, a clearer resolution is necessary, especially because it seems that Murakami does intend a satisfactory explanation. This lack of explanation is especially annoying because Murakami nicely explains several other crazy plot points. I estimate there are about six plot “quirks” that need to be in some way cleared up by the end. Of those, I would say two are explained satisfactorily. I could fudge another two if I had to. The remaining two? No clue. Of course, I admit that this is a book that requires more than one read to sound its depths. One other small complaint: the dialogue. At times, the dialogue seemed a bit stilted and unnatural, but it is impossible to tell whether this is the fault of Murakami or of the translator.
Despite these annoyances, I enjoyed the book overall. The likeable (though somewhat bizarre) characters felt real, even if the dialogue wasn’t always perfect. Kafka has inspired me to read more Murakami, which indicates how engrossing the book is.
In a nutshell: A great book even with a few flaws; it is both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars.
Haruki Murakami
Wow. What a crazy book. I was immediately taken with Kafka on the Shore, and, despite its length of almost 500 pages, I tore though it. In fact, I even brought the book to work and read it at every opportunity, ignoring the mounds of grading growing around me.
Kafka involves a young runaway struggling to avoid his father’s curse. At the same time, he is seeking his long-lost mother and sister. This search draws him into a maze of complexities—animals talk, the past moves into the present, and ghost appear while their bodies are still alive.
After finishing, I was somewhat displeased with the book. First, the ending. The various loose ends were tied up but not all were satisfactorily explained. If they even were explained. Kafka’s plot is, at times, surreal and other-worldly; in a world like this, a clearer resolution is necessary, especially because it seems that Murakami does intend a satisfactory explanation. This lack of explanation is especially annoying because Murakami nicely explains several other crazy plot points. I estimate there are about six plot “quirks” that need to be in some way cleared up by the end. Of those, I would say two are explained satisfactorily. I could fudge another two if I had to. The remaining two? No clue. Of course, I admit that this is a book that requires more than one read to sound its depths. One other small complaint: the dialogue. At times, the dialogue seemed a bit stilted and unnatural, but it is impossible to tell whether this is the fault of Murakami or of the translator.
Despite these annoyances, I enjoyed the book overall. The likeable (though somewhat bizarre) characters felt real, even if the dialogue wasn’t always perfect. Kafka has inspired me to read more Murakami, which indicates how engrossing the book is.
In a nutshell: A great book even with a few flaws; it is both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
A Long Way Down, by Nick Hornby
A Long Way Down
Nick Hornby
I read this book after much debate; months ago, I came across several pretty bad reviews of it, and they were harsh enough to dissuade me from purchasing the book earlier. Fortunately I can say I disagree with them—I really enjoyed A Long Way Down.
I didn’t find the characters impossible to like; in fact, I rather enjoyed them. They are four would-be suicides, who all planned to die at midnight on New Years’. Coincidentally, they all choose the same place, and so the plot begins. Admittedly, they do seem rather unlikable: there’s Martin, an ex-morning-show host who has lost everything due to his stupid actions; Maureen, an older woman with no life whatsoever; JJ, an American who has lost his band and his girlfriend; and Jess, a crazy eighteen-year-old girl. Martin is extremely self-absorbed; actually, they all are, except for Maureen, who seems to be the only sympathetic one. The book shifts from one point of view to another; they take turns narrating each chapter, and I have to credit Hornby for truly making each character seem real. It didn’t seem like the same person was obviously behind each one.
The characters were all so individual and interesting that the book’s 330 pages flew by; the only downside to the book is that, after finishing it, I didn’t necessarily feel I had read a great work of literature. The characters don’t commit suicide (I’m not ruining anything here; that is made clear from the beginning, as they are clearly narrating about something that has ended rather than still occurring), but I’m not sure what the message is. Live, because there is beauty in life? Nah, I don’t think that message came through. However, I think there is a message in the book, although I’m not sure it’s terribly clear or profound. That said, I did enjoy the book, having no familiarity with Hornby before.
In a nutshell: A fast, fun read that won’t leave you understanding the purpose of life, but will leave you entertained and laughing out loud.
Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars.
Nick Hornby
I read this book after much debate; months ago, I came across several pretty bad reviews of it, and they were harsh enough to dissuade me from purchasing the book earlier. Fortunately I can say I disagree with them—I really enjoyed A Long Way Down.
I didn’t find the characters impossible to like; in fact, I rather enjoyed them. They are four would-be suicides, who all planned to die at midnight on New Years’. Coincidentally, they all choose the same place, and so the plot begins. Admittedly, they do seem rather unlikable: there’s Martin, an ex-morning-show host who has lost everything due to his stupid actions; Maureen, an older woman with no life whatsoever; JJ, an American who has lost his band and his girlfriend; and Jess, a crazy eighteen-year-old girl. Martin is extremely self-absorbed; actually, they all are, except for Maureen, who seems to be the only sympathetic one. The book shifts from one point of view to another; they take turns narrating each chapter, and I have to credit Hornby for truly making each character seem real. It didn’t seem like the same person was obviously behind each one.
The characters were all so individual and interesting that the book’s 330 pages flew by; the only downside to the book is that, after finishing it, I didn’t necessarily feel I had read a great work of literature. The characters don’t commit suicide (I’m not ruining anything here; that is made clear from the beginning, as they are clearly narrating about something that has ended rather than still occurring), but I’m not sure what the message is. Live, because there is beauty in life? Nah, I don’t think that message came through. However, I think there is a message in the book, although I’m not sure it’s terribly clear or profound. That said, I did enjoy the book, having no familiarity with Hornby before.
In a nutshell: A fast, fun read that won’t leave you understanding the purpose of life, but will leave you entertained and laughing out loud.
Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
The Cave, by Jose Saramago
The Cave
Jose Saramago
Two things have prevented me from updating sooner: I have been incredibly busy, and The Cave was something that didn’t sweep me away.
Having read Saramago’s Blindness, I thought I’d try The Cave. Unfortunately, this book did not have the same power on me. It was about 300 pages long, and I felt every single one of them. If the book were 100 pages less, I think I’d like it better.
In this allegory, Saramago uses Plato’s Allegory of the Cave to express the idea that we must not be passive viewers of our world; we must participate in them fully. I’m sure I’m missing some key ideas and oversimplifying things, but the truth of the matter is that I had to skim the last 50 pages of the book in order to keep my sanity.
The book’s main character is Cipriano Algor, an old potter who finds himself out of work. His nemesis is “The Center,” a huge complex that is part mall, part residential area, part everything that is constantly expanding. (Did anyone see the South Park in which Walmart takes over the world? The Center was like that.) When the Center no longer buys his pottery, Algor finds himself without purpose.
It was a good book, but overly philosophical in places. Also, Saramago’s trademark style of no paragraphs, no quotation marks was not as easy to endure in this book, unlike in Blindness.
In a nutshell: An ok book, but read Blindness if you want some good Saramago.
Bibliolatry Scale: 3 out of 6 stars.
Jose Saramago
Two things have prevented me from updating sooner: I have been incredibly busy, and The Cave was something that didn’t sweep me away.
Having read Saramago’s Blindness, I thought I’d try The Cave. Unfortunately, this book did not have the same power on me. It was about 300 pages long, and I felt every single one of them. If the book were 100 pages less, I think I’d like it better.
In this allegory, Saramago uses Plato’s Allegory of the Cave to express the idea that we must not be passive viewers of our world; we must participate in them fully. I’m sure I’m missing some key ideas and oversimplifying things, but the truth of the matter is that I had to skim the last 50 pages of the book in order to keep my sanity.
The book’s main character is Cipriano Algor, an old potter who finds himself out of work. His nemesis is “The Center,” a huge complex that is part mall, part residential area, part everything that is constantly expanding. (Did anyone see the South Park in which Walmart takes over the world? The Center was like that.) When the Center no longer buys his pottery, Algor finds himself without purpose.
It was a good book, but overly philosophical in places. Also, Saramago’s trademark style of no paragraphs, no quotation marks was not as easy to endure in this book, unlike in Blindness.
In a nutshell: An ok book, but read Blindness if you want some good Saramago.
Bibliolatry Scale: 3 out of 6 stars.
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