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This is probably my least favourite book of Vonnegut's that I have read to date. Although it makes the usual dry, sarcastic observations about humanity, it just does not have the same quirk and brilliance as some others. I am thinking here of Cat's Cradle, Slaughterhouse Five and my personal favourite Bluebeard. The entire way through this book I expected some sort of twist as the ending was made clear several times throughout the book. The twist never came, the pictures drawn to 'aid' the reader were great though.
Some of the book also seemed like an attempt by Vonnegut to expose his philisophical background. Of course, he had probably reached the stage of infamy by then that many of his fans probably loved this part of the book but it just struck me as self-centred and well, sort of lame. Maybe I'm missing the point.
As usual the satire was to a high standard and the humour was forthcoming. As with many of his books the view of human nature was bleak and I was excited to learn more about one of his main characters throughout the books: Kilgore Trout; the largely failing little-known sci-fi writer. His view of humans as machines is also telling.
Not a great read but an interesting, humourous one nonetheless.
There are few things in the world that compare to a Russian novel. Although this book was a marathon to read (despite its small appearance), it was well worth the read. It tells the story of Raskolnikov, a young student who commits a murder out of desperation and more or less feels guilty, sick and paranoid about it for the rest of the book.
This is the first of Dostoyevsky's books that I've read and the main thing that struck me was the intricate makings of all the characters he described which built up not so much a picture as an innate psychological description of many of the characters. It also offers an interesting description of the concept of an "extraordinary man" and uses Napoleon as an example - this is a person who can breach the moral standards of society in the pursuit of a great thing. Although the philosophy of this doesn't quite work in my reading of it, it was an interesting aside if not plea to be found to be still a human being.
One of the more interesting characters was Sonia who becomes a deep friend of Raskolnikov's. She is a prostitute driven to her profession by a need to help her family. There were also some interesting asides to what constitutes a crime such as Svidrigailov who dreams of pursuing small children. The uncertainty and darkness of this entire book will leave the reader thinking long after the last page is turned.
This book which was written in the beginning of a new era for Nietzsche is made up of a collection of aphorisms or statements separated into sections and subtitled almost like a book of reference. Obviously, the book was originally written in German and was translated with footnotes for better understanding. Firstly, I have to say that the footnotes were terrifically done, any Latin (or occasionally French) phrases were translated into footnotes when used by Nietzsche, and historical framework was also offered where necessary.
Human, All Too Human was written when Nietzsche was beginning to experience health problems. It attacks religion, moral feelings, human nature and how art and literature affects the human condition. There are several things I don't quite agree with obviously. Firstly, this book is overly pessimistic especially about the greater facets of human nature, but this also illustrates the break-up in friendships Nietzsche was experiencing at the time and was perhaps one of the founding documents of his nihilist doctrine. Some of the aphorisms did ring true to me though, and were definitely amazing opinions to have at the time.
This book was difficult to read, mainly because it's not a novel as some of his earlier works are. The index in this edition would be helpful as a quick resource - in a sort of "What would Nietzsche do" capacity.
This book leaves me flawed; an absolutely amazing, astonishing, confusing and frightening book. I didn't know what to expect from the title, a lot of books I have read lately have been about "Zen" when really this book had not much to do with it at all, except maybe an overlying love.
As Pirsig says in the introduction, this book has nothing to do with either the concept of Zen Buddhism or Motorcycle Maintenance. It has more to do with art, philosophy, travelling and the science of understanding. The book covers a journey, on a motorcycle across North America with the author and his son. In between the journey are facets of a past self "Phaedrus" who seems at once interested and depressed by philosophy. His teachings at universities leave him disappointed by the apparent refusal of the other academics to explore Philosophy and most of all the concept of quality in what at first seem new and original ways but are later linked back to the teachings of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. The explorations Phaedrus undertakes link the objective and the subjective, the scientific and the artistic under the concept of quality itself. His findings both distress him and encourage him to dig more deeply into the exploration of philosophy, of science and widely of humanity.
The other self, the author is plagued by memories of his former self when he goes to visit Chicago where he was once a teacher before the inevitable breakdown. It is difficult not to ruin the plot here. His relationship with his son is the most important throughout the book. His son who has been diagnosed as possible mentally ill seeks the adoration of his father, who he knew as Phaedrus. His continual confusion at the way his father treats him is merely a sign of the personality change he has seen in childhood. The book also refers back to the idea of motorcycle maintenance and links the philosophies of the pages to this concept. The interesting thing is Pirsig's outlook on Phaedrus' philosophies, he openly admits not agreeing with many of them but whether this is a protection of his mental state or something else is not obvious. The philosophy (of course) greatly interested me, especially the links back to scientists' and philosophers' ideas, some of which I was not even aware of.
Unlike most books of its kind, this does not seek to explain life, but rather follows the journey of one who does and one who is determined not to be stuck too far in the cycle again. Psychologically, it is unsure exactly what has happened to the author in the duration of his life. Something that seems less than the psychiatric disorders which the symptoms would suggest, but something that the author explains well, with the breakdown of philosophic ideas, and the rejection of more modern philosophy to see through his idea. Seen metaphorically as a breakdown, running into a brick wall, discovering that there is no more to discover, the array of impossibilities placed before Phaedrus which lead to the breakdown of his senses.
I highly recommend this book, I am keen to get the less popular sequel Lila for a further explanation of the ideas presented.
This author is genius, the one thing you can be sure of in his books is that they will never ever be predictable. The twists and turns of the book come out of nowhere and seem completely unlikely but they contribute something to the plot as well. The underlying theme of religion was what kept this book going, and it did so very well.
The book details the lives firstly of Amanda and John Paul Ziller, a young couple living in the sixties in the USA. Several other characters are introduced throughout but mainly Marx Marvelous, a scientist gone astray and Plucky Purcell, an ex-athlete joining in on the spectacular.
There's not much to say about this book that won't give it away. It deals primarily with the concepts of spirituality and philosophy and each character contributes in his/her own way. There is a convergence of ideas showing the similarities between religion and science collecting an interesting philosophy throughout the entire book that not so much combines the two as it debates and settles with neither one nor the other. And when I say debates, it is not debating...
Definitely more scandalous than The Da Vinci Code but less read. Mainly because a lot of people just can't see where the hell Tom Robbins is coming from but personally I can and I think his writing borders on excellent.
