All About Books discussion

Chrissie has asked me to set up this thread for you guys, to start reading in October, and now that I am opening it, I feel rather tempted to join you guys as I am really curious about the author. I will see if I can find it.

Jenny, it is available at Audible and on Kindle for only 3.25USD. Does this link work: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594... ? My, why so cheap?

We would love to have any who are interested.

My library seems to have it, so if I find the time I'll join you!

Alright, I am in. I will pick up the book from my library in the beginning of October, when are you all starting?

You've answered my question, Jenny. I'm fine any time in October.

I have it so anytime is okay for me too.

Any time is fine for me.

Should we start it the first week of October then?

That sounds good.

Good, looking forward to it.

Fun!

Has anybody started this yet? I would like to start it soon, but if no one else is maybe I should wait.

Will start tonight if everyone else is ready.

Diane, great. I really want to begin, if it is OK with others?!

Looking forward to this one.

I will start tonight too :).

I'm joining and plan on starting today

Will start later today.

I will start this weekend, but will try to catch up.

I started this on the plane but needed something a bit lighter so I will pick it up again over the weekend. It seems interesting, I just kept getting confused (I don't think it's that confusing, just very tired!)

Scrap what I said, I started this morning after my night ended at 5 am, for reasons known only to my inner clock.

Heather, I think it is not just you! My still slightly foggy brain needed lots of caffeine before the sentences started to make sense the first and not the third time that I read them. Once they do though, the book has quiet a pull to it I think (so far).

It helps to read a little bit about the history of Columbia and it's Independence from Spain in 1810.
The narrator himself is quite a chatter-box as Laura would put it. Reliable or not - I am not so sure yet.


Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[ I am a big fan of literature inside of literature and since I knew nothing of the book prior to starting to read, I hadn't been aware this was going to be about Joseph Conrad in large parts. One theme that already seems apparent is that even the smallest wink is able to irreversibly alter history, on both a global and personal scale. I am enjoying the slightly eccentric and exalted account of the narrators father's life and the beginning of this story, but I wonder whether I'll be able to stomach this tone of voice for 300 pages. We'll find out. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[
I laughed when somewhere in chapter two the narrator refers to Conrad as his twin in spirit, and then sort of sucking parallels out of his hair-roots (probably a figure of speech that doesn't exist) explains to us the obvious reasons why. The narrator writing an essay on a bumble bee while Conrad exclaims on the other side of the world 'I don't like to be stung by mosquitos' should have convinced even the hardest sceptic amongst us of their cosmic navel-connection.

Also: The 'gringo' slash 'failed writer' with the big hat asking about whales in Panama surely is Herman Melville right?
(hide spoiler)]

P.S: whenever I pretend to quote I actually translate from German, so don't be confused when my 'quotes' are in fact miles away from what your English copy is saying.

Has anyone read Conrad's Nostromo?

Jenny wrote: "Scrap what I said, I started this morning after my night ended at 5 am, for reasons known only to my inner clock.

Heather, I think it is not just you! My still slightly foggy brain needed lots of..."

I'm glad it's not just me! I've picked up Gone Girl which is a bit easier so I will try start again on Monday when I've not been travelling. I love books I can learn from so I'm looking forward to the history aspects

I have read the first three chapters, ie part one.

Oh my, thee are lots of historical facts here about Colombia's independence from Spain and then the civil wars, note the plural form of the last word. Hard to keep everything straight if you are not an expert!

So, I am simply trying my best to learn as much as my head will absorb. An awful lot is thrown at you. To make it worse I am reading an audiobook. The Spanish names don't fasten quickly in my head. It helps to write them down.

On the positive side - I like José's flippant tone and that he stops and summarizes what is important.I am learning something and it is amusingly written. I do like all the facts, but wish I could absorb more info. You have to start somewhere.

You others, what are you thinking?

I like the humor baked into the lines. In chapter five one reads: (view spoiler)[ There is something in the darkness of the nights that make you feel you could reach up a hand and grab a piece of the Great Bear. And most of all, to leave off the schmaltz, there is something very tangible in the immediacy of danger whose incarnations are not limited to a bored jaguar who decides to make an excursion out of the jungle or the occasional scorpion who sneaks into your shoe..... (hide spoiler)] I cannot help but laugh at the jaunty tone.

I like it.

One thing I hadn't realized till looking at a bit to do with Columbia's history, is that Panama used to be part of Columbia, until the 20th century.

I've not read much of this yet, but now I've read a bit about the history, I'm going to go back and start the book again.

I knew a bit because of David McCullough's The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914. McCullough is always good.

Oh, here is another great book that has a beginning section on the crossing of the Panama isthmus: Fanny Stevenson: A Romance of Destiny . Quite amazing. Maybe it helps to have read other books about the canal before tackling this one. The facts seem all there but they are sort of thrown at you in a haphazard manner. For example, I am thinking of the brief discussion of the Nicaraguan solution.

In any case, Alexandra Lapierre's book is worth reading and she has other good books too.

I have read through part 2, chapter 6. I am thinking that too much is told rather than shown! Very little dialog. It seems to me the historical facts both about the canal and Conrad are correct but they are thrown at one without depth. So many names and the speed is rapid.

The victims of war are so indiscriminately chosen...that is what I am thinking as I finish chapter seven. I am very moved. There are many characters but the large number leave a message. Same thing with all the generals and presidents and uprisings year after year after year. This goes back to how the author spoke of the conservatives and the liberals as being two children of the same parents. The conservative was the calmer child and the liberal the whinier one. We are not talking about specific people. I don't remember what chapter this was from but somewhere in the beginning. I think the writing is well done.

I wish others would say what they are thinking.

I am only partway through chapter two. I do like the humor and am liking this section. His father sure had a varied life, looking forward to reading on. Did know about the Panama Canal, but I am not sure from what book. He seems to move things on rather quickly, a bit here a bit there, not sure how that will play out for me as the book continues.

Chrissie wrote: "The victims of war are so indiscriminately chosen...that is what I am thinking as I finish chapter seven. I am very moved. There are many characters but the large number leave a message. Same thing..."
I'll comment tomorrow, Chrissie, once I've reread the start.

Diane, yeah, the tempo is fast. Poooof, lots of facts get dumped on your head. I am glad that you too like the humor.

That is great, Gill. I am just curious to know how others are reacting.

You won't believe this but I finished it.... I am so bad. I read a lot so always when I read with others I should start after everyone else.

I gave it three stars.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I hid whatever could possibly be considered a spoiler.

I finished Chapter 1 and am halfway through Chapter 2. But it's easier for me to take things one chapter at a time, if that's ok.

So first - I love the writing. I enjoy when the author "talks" to me, as long as it's done well. Stephen King does it well. So does Vasquez. It makes me feel as if we were all sitting around a camp fire, or on bunk beds at summer camp, listening to the storyteller. There's a rhythm and cadence to the prose that draws me in...when it's done well.

Several things I appreciated. I like the sardonic humor. It really works and never becomes grating or annoying. It isn't heavy-handed and it avoids that grating cynicism that can become hard to read after a while.

Another thing I liked a lot - the way Vasquez sprinkles other literary/media references within the story. Take for example:

"You don't want to know everything at the beginning; do not investigate, do not ask, for this narrator...will gradually provide the necessary information as the tale proceeds.... In other words, leave it all in my hands. I'll decide when and how to tell what I want to tell, when to hide, when to reveal, when to lose myself in the nooks and crannies...".

This is so reminiscent of the Intro from that old sci-fi tv show (I'm dating myself) "The Outer Limits":

"There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: there is nothing wrong with your television set. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to — The Outer Limits."

Then there is the operatic reference in the following:

"its political constitution is as mobile as a donna...", which reminded me of the aria "La Donna e Mobile" (a woman is fickle) from Rigoletto.

And this one: "...this is not one of those books where the dead speak or where beautiful women ascend to the sky...", which recalls to me the dead - and also Beatrice - from Dante's The Divine Comedy. As well as the Biblical reference...it seeming to rain for forty days and forty nights.

I think the most moving part of the chapter for me was the "voice" of the dead Chinaman, who said he did not kill himself, it was the sadness, and the malaria and watching his ill workmates killing themselves, that killed him.

"I who in life have built the Panama Railroad, in death shall help to finance it, as will the other nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight dead workers, Chinese, blacks, and Irish, who are visiting the universities and hospitals of the world right now. Oh, how a body travels..."

"This place is hell, but it is a watery hell." "Dead men and mules back to back in the green river mud."

I've read of "hell" of this crossing during the Gold Rush, but this one page of prose brought it home to me in such a powerful way.

Paula, the sardonic humor definitely worked for me too. It is SO hard to capture the humor if one just quotes a line, you have to see that one line in conjunction with the lines before and after. I liked the quotes you chose. This one:

"You don't want to know everything at the beginning; do not investigate, do not ask, for this narrator...will gradually provide the necessary information as the tale proceeds.... In other words, leave it all in my hands. I'll decide when and how to tell what I want to tell, when to hide, when to reveal, when to lose myself in the nooks and crannies...".

sets the whole mood for how the story will be told. What a great way of telling us. It is all in the words and how the author strings them together.

It is fun hearing how you are thinking!!!!

I've just finished chapter 1. I enjoyed it far more now I've read a little bit about Columbian history.

Here are a few comments:
(view spoiler)[
I liked the following quote, thought it and the next couple of sentences were a good introduction to what is to come 'Readers: have patience. You don’t want to know everything at the beginning; do not investigate, do not ask, for this narrator, like a benevolent father, will gradually provide the necessary information as the tale proceeds . .'
A great way of getting reader's attention.,and yes author plays with us through narrator.


'I had been tempted to make it coincide with independence, ' I think this is a reference to Midnight's Children


'this is not one of those books where the dead speak, or where beautiful women ascend to the sky, or priests rise above the ground' And is this a reference to the novels of Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez?

'ends up developing that curious defence mechanism of predicting things many years after they’d happened. ' I thought this was a glorious turn of phrase.
(hide spoiler)]
I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

Paula, interesting re reference to Dante. In my post I've referred it to elsewhere!

It seems like we've all homed in on, and enjoyed, the same introductory section. 'You don't want to know etc'

Jenny, do you remember the scene in Midnight's Children where the boy riding his bicycle down the hill sparks the language riots?

Ok on to chapter 2. I reckon if we make it clear which chapter we're commenting on, we're ok without spoilers now. What do others think?

Gill wrote: "I've just finished chapter 1. I enjoyed it far more now I've read a little bit about Columbian history.

Here are a few comments:

I liked the following quote, thought it and the next couple of sen..."

I highlighted that defense mechanism phrase as well :). And the one about Columbia being a five act play. So much good stuff.

I agree with you, I'm not worried about spoilers.

I finished it today. Brilliant idea very well executed, though I have to admit that sometimes I liked the idea slightly better than the execution of it, merely because personally I could have used a bit more space to breath if that makes sense. The density of this coupled with the pace sometimes got in the way of me enjoying it.

Beautiful ending, and one I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on once we've all finished.

Diane, I think you've asked whether anyone had read Nostromos? I haven't, but certainly will, preferably soon. Has anyone else?

Gill, I haven't read Midnight's children, but it is on my list!

I would love to write some more, but there's a huge suitcase sitting here waiting to be packed, but I am hoping to have some time this week to come back to it.

I know there is just so much constantly packed into every chapter.

Chapter two. I had to laugh at his descriptions of his conception and all his sardonic comments relating to this event. Liked this quote, "dear lady, there is a conspiracy of fate that prevents my forgetting, for I am constantly crossing paths with messengers of memory."

Reminded me of Vertigo by Sebald.

Yes I am fine with spoilers now.

We are all seem to be hit by the huge amount of historical data thrown at us. On the other hand, the historical content is balanced by the jocular tone of José, so it doesn't feel to heavy.

Nope, I have not read Nostromo. The thing is, I have the feeling I will like it less than this one, since it has the history so accurately presented. I seriously doubt Conrad did that as well. I am not into fantasy as much as most other people. I have read Heart of Darkness and Other Tales. Although I also gave that one 3 stars, still, I think I prefer how Vásquez writes, his language.

I'm now halfway through. A few thoughts:

Chapter 2

I like the author/narrator's wry sense of humour and lovely turn of phrase

Eg
.....Whereupon Colón became Colón for Colombians and Aspinwall for the Gringos, and Colón-Aspinwall for the rest of the world (the spirit of conciliation has never been lacking in Latin America).

....with that capacity progressives have to find great personalities and praiseworthy causes where there are neither the former nor the latter,

......everyone’s entitled to one moment of kitsch in this life, and this is mine . .


Btw The list of the coincidences with Conrad seem a bit forced, but presumably this is actually the point.


Chapter 3
I diverted to look at Nostromo when I read the following:

...I’m the man who didn’t see. I’m the man who didn’t know. I’m the man who wasn’t there. Yes, that’s me: the anti-witness. The list of things I didn’t see ....

There were so many sentences I enjoyed eg:

....Chronology is an untamed beast; the reader doesn’t know what inhuman labours I’ve gone through to give my tale a more or less organized appearance (I don’t rule out having failed in the attempt).

(I especially liked This one)
.......that stories in the world, all the stories that are known and told and remembered, all those little stories that for some reason matter to us and which gradually fit together without us noticing to compose the fearful fresco of Great History, they are juxtaposed, touching, intersecting: none of them exists on their own.

....The important thing is not who that man was, but rather what version I am prepared to give of his life, what role I want him to play in this tale of mine.


.....calmer of the two would be given the name Conservative. The other (who cried a little more) was called Liberal

I liked the other literary references eg Dostoyevsky, Thomas Mann.

Re Chapters 4 and 5:

I was extremely moved by this:

......She reached out her hand and felt a wave of relief at finding the fever had gone down. And then she tried, without success, to wake Julien up.

I liked this simile:
.......like a heavy wool poncho coming down through the air

And a couple more examples of what I like about Vasquez' writing:


....the sun of the dry season – which had returned with that strange December talent of making us forget past rains, making us believe that in reality Panama is like this – shone over


......father felt at the back of his neck the unsubtle blow of the Flattery of the Powerful, that which in other places is known under different aliases: sweetener or bribe, enticement or kickback.


I suppose the only issue I have, which is me rather than the book, is that the construction of the Panama Canal and the issues surrounding this doesn't rank very highly in the list of things I'd like to know more about!

Found it difficult following that gun around. Did like his viewpoint on history and hi attempt to clarify the history of Columbia. Do like all the literary references sprinkled here and there.

Had to laugh at the part with the pre-glued envelop and his reactions to it. That was in Chapter three.

Chrissie wrote: "I have read through part 2, chapter 6. I am thinking that too much is told rather than shown! Very little dialog. It seems to me the historical facts both about the canal and Conrad are correct but..."

That's interesting, Chrissie. I've just finished chapter 6, and liked how the year's events were set out. I thought tHe matter of fact style made the final section about the father most moving.

I wasn't going to post again until I finished. But just to say that I am partway through Chapter 8, and I think the writing here is excellent.

Gill wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have read through part 2, chapter 6. I am thinking that too much is told rather than shown! Very little dialog. It seems to me the historical facts both about the canal and Conra..."

Gill, well for me, although I found the facts interesting, I found the speed with which they are thrown at one to be too rapid AND I would have liked more dialog.

I finished last night. I meant to post as I went but then got on a roll. I'm traveling but will try to post more tonight. Overall, I'm grateful to you guys because this author was not at all on my radar!!

Gill wrote: "I'm now halfway through. A few thoughts:

Chapter 2

I like the author/narrator's wry sense of humour and lovely turn of phrase

Eg
.....Whereupon Colón became Colón for Colombians and Aspinwall ..."

Regarding the forced nature of the ties to Conrad, I think that was probably deliberate. Did it remind anyone of a similar kind of perseverating that went on in Pale Fire?

I'm just back from an interesting talk about Mary Seacole
. Appertaining to this book, it turns out that she was in Panama in 1850.

Her brother had set up a store in the Isthmus of Panama to provide facilities for people who were crossing over from the east coast to the west coast of the United States for the gold rush. She also set up some facilities for this. She set up a hotel which she named the British Hotel in the isthmus. When the cholera outbreak came she provided the nursing services for the people who were ill and helped a lot of them recover. She stayed in Panama until 1852.