Gentlemen of the Road

– Michael Chabon

I read this book several weeks ago, so please forgive me if my memory seems a bit strained.

I was drawn to Gentlemen of the Road, by the title, but more by the fact that Chabon’s other work appears equally popular and interesting.

Unfortunately, I was not at all impressed, and only forced myself to finish it on the second sitting, based on the fact that I had already read half the book. I do commend Chabon on his amazingly large vocabulary. I found a rarely used word on at least every other page, which is more than I can say for a lot of other contemporary authors.

As far as the plot goes, again, I was confused. Every chapter started a new scene and action such as horse fights and daring escapes filled the pages with more distraction than direction as to what is actually going on. It is a shallow (in the best sense of the term), short novel with not a lot of character development.

Despite being set in medieval times(?), where chivalry reigns, a subject that makes me weak at the knees with delight, the lack of depth and insight pretty much ruined it for me.

In the foreward, Chabon stated that while this novel is different in style from the previous, it is his favorite book thus far. Having not read any of his other works(and probably not going to), it’s hard to judge that statement, but I think I question his judgement.

The Secret Gospel of Mary Magdalene

I have finally finished reading, not only one book but two, in a relatively short period of time. I selected these books while browsing through my local public library.


THE SECRET GOSPEL OF MARY MAGDALENE - Michele Roberts

I chose this book for several reasons: the first is the obvious religious and historical relationship. I really enjoyed The Red Tent with Diamant’s ficticious, yet plausible account of the female perspective in the old testament. The book flap suggested that this novel would provide a similar account.

In, The Secret Gospel of Mary Magdalene, Roberts creates a beautiful prose that gives way to a totally unexpected history of Mary Magdalene and her time with Christ. The beginning of the text draws the reader in with compassion for Mary and with interest to see how she explains her personal relationship with the King of the Jews.

As the novel progresses Mary experiences an awakening due to the acceptance of Christ in her heart and Jesus as her savior. After that the lines between Jesus as lover and Christ are strangely twisted and disfigured to the point where I was sure what Roberts through Mary was trying to say.

Mary came to express herself through these visions or dreams that she had. The controversy arose inevitably because she was a female and a self-proclaimed disciple. While I enjoyed the prose aspect of these visions, I feel Roberts did not place enough thought into what they meant.

Also, as a Christian, I have a hard time accepting the fact that Mary and Jesus were never really married, but lovers. The beginning of the text opens the reader’s eyes to the life of a woman in such times. Compassion is immediately given to Mary for the life that befell her and ultimately, how she came to be the sole breadwinner for her immediate family.

While, I really wanted to like this book, since it contains several of the qualities that I generally like in novels, the wishy washy-ness was too much to continue my desire to read. Even though I did finish the text, it just was not a book that I couldn’t put down. Again, I complement Roberts on his fantastic writing style, but critique the direction the novel end up taking.

Dispirited Dilemma

It has happened once again. I have been lost in an alternate universe and now that the journey has ended I cannot find anything else to make up for it. I have recently finished the sixth book in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. While A Breath of Snow and Ashes will never live up to Gabaldon's freshman masterpiece, I am still feeling very dejected at finishing this latest installment. I love the world of Jamie and Claire Fraser. In a sick way I yearn for the life that they lived, the hardships 17th century America and the rest of the world required. Their's was a busy, labor enduced society with war and fighting being second nature, as was working for every luxury needed to survive. Gabaldon paints a much realer picture than is often thought of when looking back on civilization. It is through her books that I see how hard and precious life really is. Disease could take out a whole community in several days. Crops don't grow and the family starves. Drunken bandits kill a family for a few animals or possessions to trade. These are worries I have never thought of and yet, this world Gabaldon created is a part of me.

What I find equally disappointing is that I have not yet moved on. For the time being, no other books are quite as good. Nothing can hold my attention quite as well as, and I find myself day-dreaming about past Fraser adventures and checking Gabaldon's web page for more news of her next installment.

I even tried reading Gabaldon's Lord John and the Private Matter mystery in hopes that the story would be equally stimulating. But, to no avail. It just does not capture my attention the same.

So, I will keep searching for that next great book to read. Unfortunately, I might be passing up some goods one's while my temperament readjusts. In time I will move, but I will never forget Jamie Fraser.

Disgraced...

DISGRACE

J.M. Coetzee

Haunting. Yes, that is the best word to describe this Booker Award winning novel by South African - born Coetzee. This was another random selection off the reading cart one slow graveyard shift at the jail. Although, to be honest, I have heard of Coetzee and have been wanting to read some of his work for quite some time.

Bad news first: this is not a piece of fiction that will be remembered for its great storytelling ability. On the other hand, it will be recognized for its stark realization of society in post-apartheid South Africa. It is a wake up call to many who are not familiar with the terrifying political climate still alive today.

With a text that bleakly deals with rape from two different angles and the comparison between the actions of men and animals, this is not a “light” read. Like many of Coetzee’s contemporary’s, protagonist David Lurie is not an overly likeable character. His almost-rape of a student, questionable personal morals and inability to help his daughter are frightening. Coetzee analyzes not only politics but two sides of modern man; those who take by force and the weak intellectual. While this branches out on a bigger issue that Coetzee may not be trying to cover with this title, where are the dependable, honest, strong men in our society?

Overall, it was a text that left me sad. Sad of how “real” it was and how easy it is to overlook what is still happening in third world countries that do not make the news quite as much as the middle east.

Coetzee as an author has sustainability. It was a hard book to read due to content, not length or lexicon (a quick read, I think it took me two sittings). That said, it has a place in the canon of future generations primarily due the stark social and political implications.