Book Review: Frankenstein

Frankenstein

Although the writing is at times awkward, Shelley explores a number of interesting ideas in this book. 

Dr Frankenstein creates a monster. More like a meat puzzle than the relatively tidy later depictions. One question raised is what is life and what is it to be human? The Monster in fact is superhuman - stronger, smarter and faster than it's creator.

The Monster is driven toward murder and psychopathy by the hatred showed by the human race.

Worth reading, although there does seem to be a good deal of padding at the beginning.

Title: Frankenstein
Author: Mary Shelley
Rating: 4/5

Book Review - 2001: A Space Odyssey and Catch 22

2001: A Space Odyssey

Who would have thought that it was possible to get stranger than the movie of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Well buckle up because this book does it.

The premise of this book is that some form of alien race has left a crystal block which is capable of giving the spark of knowledge to humans.

A major theme of the book is questioning what is life and what is a mind - particularly with HAL the homicidal computer.

Title: 2001: A Space Odyssey
Author: Arthur C. Clarke
Rating: 4/5

Catch 22

This novel was the origin of the term "catch 22" relating to paradoxes. It details the descent into madness of a bomber pilot, Yossarian. The story gives a sense of being trapped, the insanity of war and the reader shares the state of confusion which Yossarian finds himself in.

The concept of catch 22 centres around the paradox that to be found unfit to fly due to insanity the pilot must request to be sent home. However requesting to be sent home - away from dangerous missions - is a sign of sanity. Thus it is not actually possible to be sent home.

An interesting literary device which the author used was to write some text that was so over the top that it throws the reader out of their imagination. Normally this is a very bad thing for writing or movies (Matrix 2 freeway seen for example) and is normally a sign of poor writing rather than a technique.

In Catch 22 however this device is used with a certain rhythm and the confusion of the reader being thrown out of the book helps the reader to share the confusion that Yossarian is facing. As the book progresses Yossarian begins to hallucinate and become paranoid.

He is at war though - so people really are trying to kill him.

An excellent novel which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Title: Catch 22
Author: Joseph Heller
Rating: 5/5

Book Review - Forward the Foundation

Forward the Foundation

Forward the foundation is an interesting look at a future where "psychohistorians" are able to make vague predictions about the future through mathematical equations. Furthermore there are a group of people who were able to "push" ideas to other people - the Foundation is an organisation founded in the end to organise all these people into "pushing" all the people of the federation into the behaviour required by psychohistory.

Psychohistory seems to be a science which parallels economics, with a mirror of the current hysteria surrounding economics - at some times hysterically positive and at other times hysterically negative.

I felt the book ended somewhat weakly with the psychics ensuring the populace followed the tenets of psychohistory. A few other elements were a somewhat unbelievable - such as how the administration of millions of planets with billions of people on each was managed.

So a book with some interesting ideas and engaging enough to see it to the end.

Title: Foward the Foundation
Author: Isaac Asimov
ISBN: 9780385269421
Rating: 3/5

Book Reviews - Medea, Man in the Dark and Beyond Good and Evil

Medea

Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy. Medea's husband leaves her for a princess. Medea is angry and bent on revenge. Furthermore she is banished from the city.

Medea poisons her husband's bride and kills the sons she bore to her husband, before fleeing to safety in another city.

It was surprising to see such a strong female character in such an ancient story, even though that strength of character was sometimes portrayed negatively. She is called a "witch". Ultimately the chorus advises her against murder but that she has the right to take vengeance.

Title: Medea
Author: Euripides, translated by Robin Robertson
ISBN: 9780099511779
Rating: 4/5

Man in the Dark

I had a strange feeling of deja vu when reading Man in the Dark - I think I have read it before and forgotten about it.

This story is about coping with loss and the urge to create stories. The entire book was missing quotation marks which was distracting. There is an entire subplot of a story that the main character is concocting in his head during the hours he can't sleep but then that story is abruptly ended close to the end of the book without any connection to the main story.

The most interesting thing about this book was in fact a movie that it referenced Tokyo Story by the director Ozu.

Title: Man in the Dark
Author: Paul Auster
ISBN: 9780571240920

Beyond Good and Evil

Nietzsche is a towering figure in the exploration of nihilism. A major part of his philosophy rails against the church and its monopoly on ethics.

Although Nietzsche's work influenced Hitler the content of this book at least did not support Hitler's abhorrent views, although I must admit it had a great deal of material that could be misinterpreted or misrepresented. It is possible that Hitler selectively used Nietzsche to suit his own beliefs. Just as Hitler misappropriated other elements of philosophy, culture and science to suit his own ends.

Ricky Gervais portrays this relationship very accurately.

Title: Beyond Good and Evil
Author: Friedrich Nietzsche
ISBN: not available
Publisher: Penguin Classics

Book Review - Tao Te Ching

I was a little disappointed in the translation of this book. I can see the brilliance that is in the original but it is burdened by a fairly unpoetic translation. The positive side is that this translation is very accessible. The introduction gave an example of an "academic" translation and Star's-style of translation. Although the academic translation was harder to read, it showed the poetry of the original much more accurately.

What I would like to read is an annotated version of the academic translation.


Title: Tao Te Ching
ISBN: 9781585426188
Author: Laozi. Translated by Jonathon Star
Rating: 3/5

Book Reviews - The Illiad and The Odyssey

The Illiad

The Illiad is a war epic set during the final year of the siege of Troy. Following the story of Hektor (fighting for the Trojans), with story threads of Achilles and Odysseus.

This story is the 3BC equivalent of an action movie. There is loads of hacking and slashing and kicking arse. If you like that kind of thing you may like this book.

The translation was easy to read and not pompous.

Title: The Illiad

Author: Homer. Edited by: Lattimore

ISBN: 9780226469409

Rating: 3/5

The Odyssey

Unlucky Odysseus is stuck away from home for ten long years after the end of the Trojan war. Meanwhile numerous ill-mannered, brutish suitors pursue Odysseus' wife, while Odysseus' nearly adult son is powerless to act. Finally Odysseus returns to kick some arse.

This is a story of Odysseus' cunning, wisdom and strength. His courage when even the gods seem against him.

The translation was clear, easy to read and not pompous.

Title: The Odyssey

Author: Homer. Edited by: Rieu

ISBN: 9780140449112

Rating: 4/5

Book Review - The Theban Plays (Oedipus)

Well known to sniggering psychology students, Oedipus is the fictional king of Thebes who famously kills his father and marries his mother.

Oedipus spends his life trying to escape his fate. His true parents even cast him into the wilderness when he is a child to prevent his destiny. However destiny conspires against Oedipus and he cannot prevent his fate.

Oedipus is appalled by his own accidental actions and resigns himself to exile. His daughter Antigone accompanies Oedipus. Antigone's care and protection for her (now blind) father Oedipus shows that from dishonour and despair; honour may spring forth.

Title: The Theban plays : Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone

Author: Sophocles. Edited by: Lattimore, Grene

ISBN: 978-1-85715-093-3

Rating: 4/5

Book Review - Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker

I read this trilogy after finding it at my local library. I thought it would be a bit of a daggy read, so I took it home.

I was impressed with the general quality of the writing. I was a little less impressed with the lack of political correctness.

There is some degree of misogyny and poor race relations (e.g. the chapter N****r Heaven in Live and Let Die). Having said that the presentation of woman in particular is much more positive and capable than most Bond movies.

Casino Royale

When a communist leader attempts to gamble himself and his organisation out of debt, the powers that be decide to send their best gambler. Of course their best gambler is Bond that we all know and love.

It is quite refreshing that the villains are quite happy to shoot our hero or beat him up, rather than selecting some over the top method of doing him in.

I was surprised how good this book was and it was not at all "over the top".

Rating: 4/5

Live and Let Die

Bond is out for revenge against SMERSH, so he is chasing a shadowy figure called Mr Big.

Although Mr Big does go for the slightly complicated method of dispatching Mr Bond it is somewhat justified - he doesn't want to leave a mess after all.

Rating: 3/5

Moonraker

Moonraker is a more typical Bond story. A mysterious multi-millionaire offers to build a ballistic missile on behalf of Great Britain - what could possibly go wrong?

From the strange, diabolical attempts on Bond's life to the incredible way he saves all Brittania and his own skin, this story is pure Bond.

Yes Moonraker is well written and exciting but it is also a little over the top.

Rating: 3/5


Title: Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker
Author: Ian Fleming
ISBN: 9780141187419

Book Review - True Believers

True Believers is an accessible history of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party, however the narrative is a little dull.

As a political tragic I found the book compelling, however True Believers is not particularly effective at presenting an interesting narrative. I believe this is due to the lack of linkage to the impact on Australian society. Most of the book is "Caucus this and Cabinet that". Perhaps an outsider would have been better at focusing on the Australian public's perspective.

The book The Great Crash by Sexton is proof that political history does not need to have a dull narrative.

Rating: 3/5

Title: True Believers: The Story of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party
Author: Faulkner and Macintyre
ISBN: 9871865085272

Book Review - Company Man

Company Man

Company Man is an exciting thriller, which explores the moral ambiguity of the modern age. Nick, a CEO of a company in a rustbelt town, sacks half the workforce in order to save the rest. In the aftermath he shoots a stalker that he believes is coming for his family.

Choices are made. Layoffs or close the whole factory. Call the cops or clean up the body.

The alternating views of the police were also interesting. The cops were lazy slobs during the stalking phase, progressing to formidable opponents while covering up the shooting. Meanwhile Nick's own conscience was catching up with him.

The twist in the end was interesting. Although I had thought of the ending as a possibility, there were so many threads and possibilities it was not predictable.

Company Man held my interest throughout the whole book, was an exciting thriller and presented a few interesting moral choices, without judging the choice in itself - it simply presented  the consequences. Finder managed to make it possible to connect to most of the characters. In many ways all the characters were victims and all the characters were villains.



Rating: 4/5

Joseph Finder. Company Man
ISBN: 9780752868882

Book Reviews - Revolutionary Rd, Iron House and Zero History

Revolutionary Rd

Revolutionary Road explores the emptiness, loneliness and hopelessness of working and suburban life.

The Wheelers have the makings of the middle class American dream: a steady job and a nice house in the suburbs. However they have a sense of unease at the situation in which they find themselves - they are trapped. They are aloof from their children, constantly grating against the social façade they present for their tedious workmates and acquaintances.

In order to escape they decide to move to Paris and their lives are renewed. Nothing can be that simple though and the move to Paris precipitates a series of events that lead to the Wheeler's total destruction.

Rating: 4/5
Yates, Richard. Revolutionary Road
ISBN 0-8371-6221-1

Iron House

Michael has a lot at stake. He is on the run from the mob, after he left for a woman. His mentor is dead and his brother is under the care of a senator's wife, who's motivations are unclear.

Iron House is an exciting ride confronting change, lies, death and childhood demons.

Rating: 4/5
Hart, John. Iron House
ISBN13 978-0312380342

Zero History

You would think a story that was about industrial espionage against an arms dealer would be anything but boring. Unfortunately Zero History manages it. Gibson spends a huge portion of the book "setting the scene" in the same way that the appalling Sleeping Beauty movie spends the entire movie setting the scene.

Add to this a healthy dose of techno babble and motivations that simply do not make any sense. This results in a tiresome book that I could barely manage to read to the end. I did not care about the characters, whatever happened to these characters took altogether too long to happen and I did not care about the stupid jeans they were trying to track down!

Rating: 2/5
Gibson, William. Zero History
0670919527