BOOK REPORT- Austen, Buffet, Eggers and Twain

At long last, after much interruption and difficulty, I finished reading, 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen. I had picked it up after hearing that two movies in the US were being released based on the book, so I figured maybe it had some modern significance from which I could benefit. It was similar to the other recent "classic" I completed, 'The Sound and the Fury' in that I can see how multiple readings would increase the enjoyment of the book, but I still enjoyed it the first time through. I'm not sure I would say its on of the best books of the English language, as the back cover of my copy claimed, but it was quite interesting and certainly gave an insight into early 19th century English life. I could almost imagine I was there, and at times wished I were. As they say, "Life was so much simpler when..." In the end, it was not a life-changing experience, but interesting and enjoyable nonetheless. And as for books of that period, certainly one of the best I've read.

While I was in Buea around Christmas, I didn't have 'Pride and Prejudice' with me, and since we were heading for a day at the beach, I needed a beach book. And what better beach book than, 'Where is Joe Merchant?' by the king of beaches and summers, Jimmy Buffet. Nan, the volunteer hosting us for Christmas, had recently finished it and recommended it as a fun read. If you've only got one eye and half a mind to read a book (just keeping a look out for anything else interesting going on, or your own life is a bit too distracting to get lost in a book), I would recommend this one. That's really all it takes since devoting both eyes and the whole brain will leave you disappointed. Its one part adventure-romance and another part mystical-cartoon. If it ever gets made into a movie, the movie will be better, but it still won't be worth the ten dollars to see it.

One of the few books I read in the years preceding my Peace Corps service was, 'A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius', that I thoroughly enjoyed. It took a few years for Dave Eggers to finish another one, but 'You Shall Know Our Velocity' was worth it. Its the unique writing style that I enjoy most that includes the usage of photos, drawings, asides, internal dialogues and other changes which makes the story more interesting and somehow more "real". Its certainly written from a "Generation X" perspective, but describes a trip two friends take as they try to make it around the world in one week while finding needy people and giving them stacks of money. It sounds like an unusual pretext for a book, which makes it all the more valuable. Read it.

Of all of the books I've read, most were lent or passed on to me by other volunteers. 'North and South' by John Jakes is one that I brought with me, after having purchased it in an "antique" shop in Richmond, Virginia. Many of you probably saw the mini-series in the 80's based on the book, and while I don't remember it, I'm sure it was terrific. This epic novel (having read a few of them now, I've decided the qualification for this name is 800 pages and a minimum of fifteen main characters) is written with all the drama, action, and romance necessary for a successful television mini-series. I hope I can find it on DVD when I return. The book follows two families, one from Pennsylvania and the other from South Carolina, as they experience life leading up to the fall of Fort Sumpter in Charleston Harbor. If you're a fan of historical novels, this one is fantastic. Now if I can just find the next volume...'Love and War'.

Its been many years since I have read anything by that great American author, Mark Twain. I think I was forced to read 'Huck Finn' in senior english in high school. When 'Letters from the Earth' showed up on my bookshelf, I was determined to read it. 'Letters' is a collection of thoughts and short stories written by Mr. Clemens around the turn of the 20th century. Several of the stories were apparently not published until well after his death due to their controversial nature. Even today, his thoughts on religion would burn the ears of any devout conservative of any religion. He takes away much of the credit for all things good from God and equally removes much of the blame for sin (especially 'Original Sin') from Satan. His analysis of the old testament (up to and including Noah), is cynical, refreshing, and/or even enlightning. Unfortunately, much of the rest of the stories don't hold up. They are notated by the editor as being unfinished in some cases and are mostly just curiosities for the hard-core Twain scholar. One of the more hilarious non-biblical discussions is a deconstruction of James Fenimore Cooper's 'Last of the Mohicans'. If you've ever had trouble getting through that or any book of its era, you'll truly appreciate Twain's short essay on the matter. Overall, it was uneven (I blame this on the editor) but the readable parts were highly enjoyable.

in progress: 'The Partner' by John Grisham