Christopher Caldwell > Recent Status Updates

cracking pace

Absolutely incredibe piece of work, takes a huge amount of concentration and if you are reading it before going to sleep, expect gritty, murky, threatening dreams. Once you are in the speak of the book it flows much more naturally - in the way that Peter Carey's 'True history of the Kelly Gang' does. I have read nothing like this and it really does feel like a complete world with its own mythology and understanding.

Very interesting and good characters but finding the writing a bit jarring.

still hugely enjoyable

Getting better!

Had thought that this was aimed at a younger audience, but already there's been a gruesome murder, prostitutes, destitutes, corrupt members of the clergy and all wrapped up in prose that climbs through your mind like vines up a tree, creeping and spiraling in it's own peculiar form.

Bought this of the back of a very interesting interview the author did on a podcast called The Hive with Natalie Nahai where she shared some very interesting ideas - mostly folkloric but with a heavily female angle. It’s the men who done messed us up all the way back to Plato and the separation of being and interpretation

Fabulous book with many great insights over a wide range of referernces and ideas and certainly one I will be re-reading and making notes on to get the most out of it.

One issue I have with it is that because this is a series of lectures and essays there are quite a few themes and ideas that get revisited, from slightly different angles but it might run the risk of becoming repetitive.