During the course of a normal day at work, I skim the entire Pitchfork website for national music news, Radio Free Silver Lake for local music news, Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish for political and pop cultural analysis, The Volokh Conspiracy for legal news, Professorbainbridge.com for a conservative viewpoint on law, politics and culture, Slate for news, tech and cultural commentary, as well as stay on top of my facebook feed (and any links that appear). If I'm really bored, I'll skim through Boing Boing too. Or maybe any of the few friend blogs that I follow. And I use yahoo news as a home page and click on any interesting articles. I would love to know how much of my time goes into those websites, probably a lot. I don't consider it wasted time, as what I learn there is much of what fills my conversations, and helps me to at least perceive myself as moderately informed. But when you add work to this, and the occasional gym visit, there's not a whole lot of time for books.
Over the approximately 110 days of my trip, I had very limited internet access. While I admittedly probably spent about 30 minutes a day reading facebook and other websites off of my blackberry, I eliminated the hours of browsing and investigating that normally fill the empty spaces in my days. So I read the following 13 books. Sitting on trains across Europe and planes over seas and channels, lying on a bed in London, sitting at a kitchen table in Zurich, sitting on a lounge chair in Provence.
The books I read were significant to the trip, and filled much space that would otherwise have been spent staring out windows or quietly reflecting. Here's a quick blurb as to what I thought about each, as well as what I was doing at the time I was reading the book.
1. The Lost Books of the Odyssey by Zach Mason
Rating: 5/5
What did I think?: During my final days in Los Angeles, I heard the author discuss this on KCRW's Bookworm, was fascinated, and bought it at Book Soup before I left. The premise is that 40 or so additional books from the Odyssey were discovered that tell the classic stories of Odysseus, Penelope, Athena, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Helen, Paris, the Cyclops, etc. but from different perspectives, with different outcomes, different characterizations for each of the characters, etc. In one the Cyclops is presented as a lonely cave dweller tormented by a band of pirates. In another, the Greek army spends an eternity building caves of sand in Troy without ever entering the city walls. In another, Odysseus deserts the war, ends up on a ship heading back to Greece, and finds a book written by someone named Homer, telling his story. Supposedly the book had a mathematical structure that made it more complex than I could tell. While technically prose, the sentences were constructed in the extremely tight, carefully chosen style of poetry. A pleasure to read for anyone who as much as semi-enjoyed the Odyssey, and not very long, so not intimidating despite the spare, but heavy text.
Where was I?:
2. The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Rating: 3.5/5
What did I think of it?: Of those adults I know that have read the Harry Potter series, I am one of very few to have found it very poorly written, each volume unnecessarily long considering the thing characters and simplistic plot. On top of that, I don't find magic oh-so-very-fascinating most of the time (Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell being a very serious exception, but possibly because it doubled as historical fiction). The Magicians was what Harry Potter should have been, and given my predisposition against the subject matter, I thought it was really good. Essentially it tells the story of an outsider kid from the real world who is transported to a magic school in an alternate dimension, his eccentric band of friends, and the mysterious/comical professors who run the school. Sound familiar? But it avoided the cliches of Harry Potter, and told an engaging, complex story, with realistic characters who spoke more like people from the world I recognize in one volume. I hate to compare it so closely to another book, but I have trouble looking at it in any other way than a much, much, improved version of a pre-existing mediocre book. Loses some points for some painful teenagery dialogue.
Where was I?: London, early in the trip, train ride from Stansted Airport back to London, the 12 hour train ride to Zurich, very tired.
3. White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
Rating: 4/5
What did I think of it?: In my effort to read as many of the Man Booker Prize winners as possible (despite everybody telling me it is a semi-meaningless award), I picked this up at Book Soup before I left L.A.. Tells the story of an Indian chauffeur/entrepreneur who murders his boss and the events leading up to the murder. Intended I hear to present the "real" India, revealing the emptiness and hypocrisy of much of the culture, the spiritual practices, and its economic boom. The character is funny, sympathetic, hard to predict, but at the same time there is something that rubs me the wrong way about authors patting themselves on the back for accurately capturing the "voice" of the underclasses. By the end of the book, everything makes sense (the beginning raises a number of question marks answered). I liked the way the narrator walks the reader through the plot, his thoughts, and his motivations.
Where was I?: Started in Zurich, and brought on my day trips to Basel and Lucerne. I remember reading it on the tram in Basel, the tram stopping and reversing direction. Very confusing. The book got so wet from sweat and rain that the cover almost fell off completely.
4. Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis
Rating: 4.5/5
What did I think of it?: Classic tale of teenage emptiness, and a generation without morality, conscience or perspective. Some of the cruelty, both physical and psychological that makes up much of Glamorama and American Psycho are present here. Clay's month home for winter break in Los Angeles takes place in many places familiar to me, living in the Beverly Hills area, but with a crowd very unlike that with which I associated in high school and college. It was unpleasant to read about such horrible people, even occasionally feeling sympathy for them, especially when flashbacks make clear how recently they were children. I liked the spare writing style.
Where was I?: I was reading it more or less around the same time I started Infinite Jest in Zurich, but much of it was read sitting on a bed in the guesthouse in Heimaey during the Thjodhatid festival Iceland. During the day, the group of 10 or so Icelandics with whom I was associating would sit outside in the sun drinking beer and listening to music off of iPhones, telling dirty jokes in Icelandic, and discussing the all-important concept of "sleikur". I was there for much of this, but I'd often return to my shared bedroom with a canteen bottle full of vodka and juice and read Less Than Zero. I started it on the Laugavegurinn hike (which took place right before Thjodhatid) at the third hut, while sitting next to Canadians Morgan and Becca who were reading something else. The three of us sat silently reading, deep in the Icelandic wilderness, cold air, salmon grilled on a BBQ by the guides. Reading about teenagers in the early 80s partying in L.A. was jarring under these circumstances.
5. Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
Rating: 6/5
What did I think of it?: I've been afraid of this book for as long as I've known about it. 1100 pages, over 300 endnotes (100 pages worth), small print, heavy to carry. The few people I have known to read it described it as unmissable, and DFW as a genius, but my fear of "not getting it", stopping half way, or just not liking it kept me away. Now with almost 4 months to travel, it was my time to give it a try. To be honest, it took a while to get the hang of. There are so many details, long lectures on tennis strategy, various types of prescription and non-prescription drugs, the layout of a fictional Boston tennis academy, and various fictional Quebecois terrorist organizations to keep track of. And it is hard to know what was "important." I think I started to "get" it around 300-400 pages into the book, and the last 300-400 pages went by almost too quickly. As I suspected, the long, rambling sentences, the pages and pages and pages describing the inherent contradictions involved in Alcoholics Anonymous, the tennis racket sponsorships for each of a group of characters, etc. do not necessarily need to be absorbed for detail -- it's the experience of being flooded with these words that the book is effecting. Sometimes a brilliant observation about life, human nature, etc. is buried in one of these lectures. Some of the jokes were truly LOL. Some long portions were just plain boring. But it's a fantastic book. And if you make it through (sometimes a chore), it's rewarding. I highly recommend to anyone with an extended illness, time off work, a long vacation, or spending time at the international space station.
Where was I?: It took me approximately a month to read, which given the length, was much better than what I projected. I started it sitting in the botanical gardens in Zurich, read it on the plane on the way to Finland, occasionally read it while in Finland, didn't touch it at all in Iceland, bars in Amsterdam, Groningen (the Irish Bar and the beer bar, and Wagamama), Maastricht, Texel (and the trains in between), the train to Copenhagen, the train to Paris, the train to San Sebastian, on the beach, in bed sick in Provence, finished on the train to Cinqueterre near Genoa. I carried it in my backpack, making my backpack always very heavy and bulky. I couldn't carry it anywhere without looking like a dick. I don't think I met anyone who recognized it. I was happy to leave it with my brother in Zurich when I was done.
6. My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D.
Rating: 2/5
What did I think of it?: Jill Taylor is a brain scientist who had a major stroke in her mid-30s, and due to her training, was able to understand the brain processes taking place in her head, while they were happening. There's a great TED lecture (20 minutes long) where she explains the experience. I recommend watching it -- it gave me a lot of insight into certain of my own brain related experiences. But this 200 pageish book is completely unnecessary. The long description of her recovery, her advice that people be positive and enjoy life, etc, while true, are better found somewhere else. The real gem of her story was the story of the actual stroke, and she tells it very well in the video. The book came off as preachy, and kind of condescending. I didn't hate it though, because I find what happened to her, and the underlying story to be so good. And I kind of like her goofy personality too.
Where was I?: After I finished Infinite Jest, I wanted something short and easy. I read it while sitting at Bar Central in Riomaggiore, alternating with reading articles on my Blackberry. It didn't take long to get through, and then I was left with nothing for a while.
7. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
Rating: 4/5
What did I think of it?: Great mystery novel, great exploration of the problem of violence against women, great exploration of the evils of the finance industry. And suspenseful. I had trouble putting it down. It's popular for a reason.
Where was I?: Bought it at a student bookstore in Florence (where I got yelled at by the lady working there for holding a smoothie). Read it very quickly in Zurich because it was so much fun, much of it at Le Pain Quotidian near my brother's apartment, trying to save money by reading instead of fancy activities.
8. The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell
Rating: 5/5
What did I think of it?: David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas is one of my favorite books of all time, and Black Swan Green was very good, so my expectations were high. Tells the story of Dejima, the small island next to Nagasaki used by the Dutch East India Company around the turn of the 19th century, and a fictional clerk living there working for the company. Mitchell's use of dialect by the Dutch (and other foreigners) on the island, as well as the semi-fluent Japanese interpreters is brilliant because...he's writing in English of course, but giving the "sense" of what the Dutch, Japanese, German, or whatever would have sounded like, without being too archaic about it. Funny verbal exchanges, attention to historical detail, exciting plot, lots of tension, but still not so hard to follow. What a relief that I loved this one.
Where was I?: Bought it in Zurich at a great English language bookstore, took it with me to Interlachen, Zermatt, Lausanne. My main memory is reading it outdoors at the Balmer's hostel during the 6-7 p.m. happy hour, two large Swiss beers in front of me, eavesdropping on a miserable conversation between some American girls and Australian guys.
9. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
Rating: 5/5
What did I think of it?: While the official reviews seem mostly glowing, almost everyone I meet found this book to be overrated. Why did I love it so much? The dialogue flowed like real dialogue. Franzen gets passive aggression better than almost any other author. And understands what motivates people. And lives in the world as I know it to exist. I actually laughed and cried.
Where was I?: Bought it in Zurich, read it at the airport, on the beach in Tel-Aviv, in cafes all over Tel-Aviv, in the hot Tel-Aviv hostel while lying on the top bunk bed, sitting on the balcony at the hostel. It was difficult for me to put down.
10. Amsterdam by Ian McEwan
Rating: 4/5
What did I think of it?: Morality tale about two London middle aged male friends. At first it annoyed me a little. I wasn't so interested in the thought process behind Clive's musical compositions, nor the newsroom drama at Vernon's newspaper. The problems of these two high class guys didn't concern me. About halfway through the book, the moral issues raised became much clearer, and the ending shocked me. The first half I could hardly get into, but starting around the time of Clive's hike in the north, I couldn't put it down.
Where was I?: I took some time in London to relax, lie in bed, read. I think most of this was finished from bed.
11. Exodus by Leon Uris
Rating: 3.5/5
What did I think of it?: After visiting Israel, and having many questions about it, and having been recommended this book by several people, I read it for the purpose of educating myself about Israel's history, and maybe enjoying a story as well. And that's what I got. It reads a bit like Israeli propaganda, but isn't entirely one-sided. And, if even most of the historical facts in there are true, it makes a fairly solid case for Israel's existence, and even for the manner in which it was created. What I'd love to read would be an annotated version where someone from the other side explained their disagreement with the factual statements or implications. Exodus tells the stories of European refugees to Palestine (from various parts of Europe), Palestinian Jews, Americans, and British, what brought them to Palestine, and their roles in building the young country. I liked the book, I just felt at times it took some cheap shots, overused exclamation marks, read slightly trashily, had a dated tone, and did not adequately explain why, given the facts presented in the book, the Palestinian Arabs were so intent on attacking Israeli settlements. Moved very quickly for a semi-long book.
Where was I?: Started it late at night in London, soon before leaving for Ireland. Read a lot of it in the Dublin Airport, sitting in the parking lot near Gap of Dunloe, waiting for Irish AAA to arrive to fix my car, in Irish pubs and restaurants, trying to avoid people seeing the cover and starting uncomfortable conversations.
12. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis
Rating: 3/5
What did I think of it?: Sequel to Less Than Zero, takes place in the present day, 25 years after the events of the previous book, in the same geographic location. The book was full of references to places I frequent, or with which I am at least familiar (major scene at Bristol Farms, Equinox Gym, Cafe Primo next door, the Beverly Hills Hotel, Sunset Plaza, Apple Store in Century City, Comme Ca, Chateau Marmont, Barney's, and a cafe that was probably Le Conversacion). At times even more gruesome than Less Than Zero, the characters are possibly even more rotten. My big BEE fan friend hated it, but I couldn't quite see why, besides that the writing wasn't quite as "neat" as that in LTZ. One thing I enjoyed about this was the narrator's acknowledgment of the existence of LTZ and of BEE as the author, before explaining what BEE got right and wrong. Maybe the fact that this book contained more "answers" than LTZ made it worse, I don't know.
Where was I?: I was locked out of Joe and Natalia's apartment for 3.5 hours, so I walked down the street to Waterstones, bought the book, and read it while drinking coffee at Apostrophe.
13. Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre
Rating: 3.5/5
What did I think of it?: Another Booker Prize winner on list. Like White Tiger, I was annoyed by the narrator's carefully crafted small town Texas dialect, oh isn't that just precious. VGL is also supposedly funny, or at least according to the critics. I suspect it is funny in the same way Confederacy of Dunces was funny -- the madcap adventures of a flawed narrator through a cruel world full of silly, hypocritical people, narrow escapes, mockery of how foolish people in town are, but then revealing some sort of commonality shared by all by the end. Eh. But yes, it was admittedly skillfully written, and I got into the plot about halfway through. And the ending was surprisingly satisfying.
Where was I?: On the plane to Iceland for the Airwaves Festival, the plane back and the plane back to the U.S. I had almost no time to read it in Iceland, nor was I particularly tempted to do so.
The Smiths -- Handsome Devil
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