White Noise, by Don DeLillo

White Noise
Don DeLillo

I've heard a lot about White Noise. It won the National Book Award in 1985, but I've been hearing a lot about it over the past few months. Seeing as it's such an "important" book full of "postmodern" ideas about "media saturation in the modern age" I thought I might give it a try.

As you might have guessed by my numerous amount of air quotes (ok, air quotes only exist in conversation, but I feel that the above qualify because I say so), White Noise annoyed the shit out of me. "Waaahh," says DeLillo. "Media's everywhere. True silence doesn't exist anymore because of the ubiquity of technology. We are ruining the environment. Did I mention technology is everywhere? What about advertising? That's everywhere, too."

Why, thanks, Don. I hadn't noticed.

It didn't help that my interest in the book was sparked by viewing the movie White Noise, which you might have seen. Probably not -- it wasn't that good. It was quasi-scary, and involved dead people communicating through -- you guessed it -- THE MEDIA. Well, specifically, television. Oh, that damned, evil technology. Gets you every time. Well, that's about the only connection between the book and the movie. Not that I was bothered by a loose adaptation -- I fully expect a movie to royally mangle a novel; thus, I felt fairly assured of a good read, based on the movie being somewhat bearable and based on the fact that so many critics rave about it.

I was snookered.

First, it's so LONG. Why? There's no need. Jack Gladney is on his fourth? fifth? (somehow, it's never quite clear) wife. He and his wife Babette (which is uncomfortably close to Baboon) have a Brady-Bunch-esque combined family of, oh I don't know I'll take a guess here, five kids? It might be more. Near the end of the book ANOTHER child was introduced. I mean, really, Don? Must we go that route?

Anyway, Jack is a professor of Hitler studies at his college, and

No. You know what? I don't even care enough to finish the plot. He's afraid to die. Technology is everywhere. Nature is getting the shaft.

Bibliolatry Scale: 1 out of 6 stars

We Have Always Lived in the Castle, by Shirley Jackson

We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Shirley Jackson

Most everyone has read "The Lottery," Jackson's most famous work in which an unthinking mob follows an old tradition. She continues exploring mob mentality in We Have Always Lived in the Castle, what Jonathan Lethem calls "her masterpiece."

We Have Always Lived in the Castle has much the same feel as "The Lottery": a small-town setting that has all the appearance of total normalcy, except tinged with an ever-increasing sense of doom. However, where "The Lottery" is limited to its bizarre plot, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is driven more by its bizarre characters.

Merricat (Mary Katherine Blackwood) lives with her older sister, Constance, and their eccentric Uncle Julian. They are shunned by the rest of the community, for theirs is a home of a murderess, albeit an acquitted one. Six years before, Constance was accused of poisoning their family, leaving their family mostly dead and Uncle Julian, the only survivor, an invalid. Constance, although proven innocent by a court of law, has not been acquitted by the members of their community. As a result, Constance is a recluse, never leaving the large property that contains their home. Mary Katherine is the only one to leave the safety of her home, entering the town twice a week to buy groceries and other necessities. During these visits, she is mocked and ridiculed, taunted, and repelled.

So the small family of survivors lives alone in their house, until a cousin comes to visit. Needless to say, his visit upsets the pattern of days that they have established in the wake of the murders. What happens as a result is, needless to say, disturbing, but it's classic Jackson.

I am not sure, however, that I could agree with Lethem that We Have Always Lived in the Castle is Jackson's masterpiece. Certain elements were quite predictable, and I would have liked more explanation in terms of character motivation. Nevertheless, these are minor quibbles, and I found myself tearing through the book in one sitting, anxious to reach the end.

In a nutshell: A great, fast read that explores the bizarre world of some crazy people.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4.5 out of 6 stars

For One More Day, by Mitch Albom

For One More Day
Mitch Albom

Perhaps it is the cloying way in which Albom so blatantly tugs at one's heartstrings. Perhaps it's the overly sentimental, soul-searching, uplifting "cumbaya" feel to his books. But whatever it is, there's something about this guy that I just can't like. Thankfully, I have some nice students, including one who lent me her copy of For One More Day; otherwise, I'd never actually pay to read it.

Charley "Chick" Benetto has a crappy life. He's a divorced alcoholic who is estranged from his daughter and hates his life. Feeling life isn't worth living, he decides to end it all, which, of course, leads to some life-affirming sentimentality from Mitch Albom. Chick, because of his actions, is able to spend "one more day" with his deceased mother. During this day, we learn about this mother-son relationship, and in the process are reminded to cherish our own important relationships and, of course, our very lives. Crazy! That's unlike any Mitch Albom book I've ever heard of! Hey--if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

And yet, there is something that I liked about it. Well, more specifically, I didn't hate it. That's not to say it wasn't overly sentimental, utterly predictable, and not even that well written. But I was able to read it in a couple hours, and it was touching, and it reminded me to be nice to and spend time with the people who matter. It's nice to have such a reminder every once in awhile.

In a nutshell: If you've read one Albom book, you've pretty much read them all. Enjoy your life. Make time for those you love. Cherish every moment. Yadda yadda yadda. And yet, there's something enjoyable about it.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3 out of 6 stars

Sinners Welcome, by Mary Karr

Sinners Welcome
Mary Karr

I'm usually not good at reviewing books of poetry, because unless I discuss a few poems in-depth (which I really don't have time for), there isn't much for me to say. Thus, this will be a short review, but at least it will be a postive one.

Mary Karr is another poet I admire. Her poetry is thought-provoking, yet not obscure to the point of confusion. Her latest book of poetry, Sinners Welcome, tackles some difficult subjects (mainly death and other forms of loss), yet the work doesn't come across as depressing or morbid.

In a nutshell: Some good, contemporary poetry that doesn't give cause for complaint. Not every poem is a perfect gem, but a few (like "Pathetic Fallacy" and "The Ice Fisherman") were absolutely wonderful.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

Severance, by Robert Olen Butler

Severance
Robert Olen Butler

According to some researcher, the human head can retain consciousness for about a minute and a half after it is severed from its body. According to some other researcher, a person in an emotional state can speak about 160 words per minute. Put the two together and you have Severance, a collection of very short (160 words) stories narrated by the severed heads of some pretty famous people.

The premise is intriguing. What did Marie Antoinette think as her head fell to the earth? What about Anne Boleyn? What about John Martin, a boy decapitated by the subway in a freak accident in 1921? Intriguing, indeed.

Unfortunately, the stories don't always make sense to me. With the exception of those whose deaths came suddenly, many of the people being decapitated were prepared for it. Wouldn't, then, their final thoughts be something along the lines of OH MY GOD MY HEAD IS CUT OFF instead of "and I touched my father's hand, it was soft and my mother is so kind" or something else totally off-topic.

For example, I imagined my head was about to be severed from my body. Again, assuming I was prepared for such a stroke, I believe my final thoughts would go a little something like this:

Please don’t let this hurt please don’t let this hurt dear Jesus I can’t believe this is how I’m going to go please take care of me I’m so so so sorry for all the shitty stuff I’ve done, just please take pity on me and help me get through this but with my eyes closed shut tight how will I know when it’s actually happened? how will I know? will I be able to feel it? I’m so scared I really didn’t want my head to get cut off I hope that he’s gentle and that the blade is sharp oh god what if the blade isn’t sharp and they have to try a couple times oh dear Jesus I can’t believe this is happening to me I can’t even handle going to the dentist and now I’m getting my head cut off I have to think of something pleasant, ok cookies yes I like cookies they are nice

See? The point is, I wouldn't be thinking of having sex or anything at all other than the fact that I was about to get MY FRIGGIN HEAD CUT OFF.

And so, while I think a lot of his "stories" are quite lovely and poetic, the majority of them seem to be just a bit silly. There were a few real gems (Anne Boleyn's was quite beautiful, for example) but some seemed overly obscure and stuffy.

In a nutshell: An interesting premise but not for the ages.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3 out of 6 stars

The Bridge of San Luis Rey, by Thornton Wilder

The Bridge of San Luis Rey
Thornton Wilder

In Peru, a bridge collapses. Five people are killed. Tragedies such as this happen everyday. Are such accidents the result of a random, chaotic world? Or is there a greater order at work, one which plans and does nothing at random? One man seeks to prove that this is not a random accident.

Brother Juniper sees the collapse of the famous bridge as a way to unite the world of theology and the world of science. Taking a scientific approach, he delves into his investigation to prove that these five, seemingly random people, were somehow connected, proving that God is at work.

Does he find the evidence he so earnestly seeks? I won't spoil it for you, but those who are looking for a clear, unambiguous ending will be disappointed. The Bridge of San Luis Rey will leave you thinking and questioning you own thoughts on the subject.

The novel is short, and the prose is simple and bare, although poetic at times. However, it is also a book that must be consumed slowly. Its message is ultimately less about God and more about the individual's effect on others.

The Bridge of San Luis Rey is divided into parts, as Juniper investigates each person who died in the accident. As he tells the story of each's life as he has learned it, we begin to see how these victims were similar, and, of course, entirely different. In some parts the narration of each's specifics became a bit tedious, although the novel was short enough (about 108 pages) that this dryness quickly ended and so didn't really matter.

In a nutshell: A short, but not a fast, read, The Bridge of San Luis Rey will have you pondering your own place in the world. True, it's dry in spots, but the message is intriguing.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins

The Woman in White
Wilkie Collins

My lack of posting recently has been due to the behemoth called The Woman in White. At first I was daunted by the novel's 600+ pages, and I feard that its length presaged a boring work. I needn't have feared. The Woman in White is not only a classic of literature, but also the most impressive, satisfying "mystery thriller" I've ever read. DaVinci Code, indeed.

Admittedly, The Woman in White began somewhat slowly, but by page 50, I was hooked. The story mainly involves, not surprisingly, a woman in white encountered by the first narrator at the novel's onset. Who is she? Why does she only wear white? What is her terrible secret? The first two questions are answered fairly early in the novel, but don't expect an answer to the last until nearly the end.

The novel has many strengths, and not many weaknesses. The structure of the novel is particularly compelling; our first narrator is Walter Hartright, who narrates the story until he can no longer narrate it. Marian Halcombe continues it, until she no longer can, and so on. This technique advances the plot while maintaining a high level of suspense. I soon found myself reading for hours on end, despite having more pressing concerns, just to find out what would happen next to these fascinating characters.

These characters are, in my mind, the other great strength of the novel. What reader doesn't feel admiration for the ugly, manly Marian Halcombe? Who isn't utterly enchanted by the gallant, the obese, the utterly villainous Count Fosco? The world needs more Count Foscos, regardless of his lack of morality. I think I will name something Fosco. Maybe my next dog.

The only weakness I could find in the novel is a minor weakness at that. The "falling action" if you will, drags on a bit, and in an effort to tie up some loose ends, some elements seem a bit contrived. However, such is often the case when it comes to the genre, and it wasn't contrived enough to warrant an indignant outburst on my part. I finished The Woman in White content and pleased in my reading.

In a nutshell: If you enjoy a good mystery, you owe it to yourself to read The Woman in White. Who doesn't love a big, fat Count who loves his white mice and cream puffs?

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

Flash Fiction Forward

Flash Fiction Forward

How short can a story be and still truly be a story? This is the question pondered by James Thomas and Robert Shapard, the editors of this anthology. They decided that one shouldn't have to turn the page more than once, a rule I particularly liked, although I'm not sure why. The result is this collection of "flash" fiction, a collection of 80 very short stories by such writers as Amy Hempel, Dave Eggers, Paul Theroux, John Updike, and others of their ilk.

Some stories were very good; others kinda sucked, but because they were short, I didn't really mind. In fact, I was able to read a story here, a story there, and finish the collection in about a day. There's a second collection coming out in January 2007, and I plan on purchasing that one as well.

In a nutshell: A good, quick read, although all-too-emblematic of our ADD, hyperactive times.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars