Another post in the series
(1)
The Baron in the Trees
My first Calvino book. Italo Calvino is arguably the most famous contemporary Italian author.
I had been planning on reading Invisible Cities due to a recommendation from my favorite video game creator and personality Jonathan Blow. However, just like with Murakami, here I am reading another book than the one I originally intended to read.
The plot of this book is about a noble family during the 1700s? 1800s? More specifically the POV is the younger brother writing about the older brother who decides to live his entire life in the trees. He forsakes living a classic lifestyle in a castle and normality and instead chooses for himself decades of adventure in the trees, never coming down.
It's beautifully written but in terms of excitement and plot peaks and valleys it is very muted and normalized. I was expecting some twist or grand plot unfolding but it's simply a well-written story retelling of a man's life in the trees.
It is a wonderful book but I find myself looking for something more shiny.
6/10
(2)
A Psalm for the Wild-Built
An extremely quick and delightful read.
Very high level – a great book club read because it's rife with themes and philosophy and ideas that are worth discussion and debate.
You're thrown into a mythical world that reminds me of a sci-fi Howl's Moving Castle that is more realistic.
There's a giver-esque writing on the protagonist and their view on the world and moving through it against all the other characters who are completely background and insignificant.
The beauty of the book is in the delightful prose and human themes. It advocates for the author's perspective of meaning, purpose, and what it means to be human. I found it very enjoyable, very relatable, and even insightful. And most of all – it's an incredibly short read. That said, I understand criticisms as it is overwhelmingly positive, happy, naive, seemingly to take place in a post-greed society.
8/10
(3)
The 99% Invisible City
Not to be confused with Invisible Cities by Calvino.
I've followed 99PI on and off for years. I haven't listened to them recently but a few years ago when I heard they were releasing a book – I ordered two copies which are signed as part of the first order.
It's a coffee table book – it can be perused casually in an entertaining manner in small bits. It's exactly as expected.
9/10
(4)
Bojack Horseman
It's a coffee table book – it can be perused casually in an entertaining manner in small bits.
For fans of the incredible TV show, Bojack Horseman, I'd highly recommend it.
It talks about the backstory and all the behind the scenes with creating the world and art designing the character, the process of animation and writing, etc, the creation of the Netflix series and renewals, etc.
8/10
(5)
Logicomix
An entertaining retelling of the Boolean Logic creator personality.
Very charming in terms of illustration and manga.
The story itself and plotline is not that exciting or notable. The artistic value carries this book much more than the writing.
7/10
(6)
Everfair
I struggled to complete this for book club. Further, it was confusing from the very start. My initial thoughts are that perhaps I did not devote enough attention to follow the storyline, but no – it's just a confusing, poorly structured book.
There's a reasonably interesting plot line and character development and drama but the pacing is completely amateur.
I could talk more about this book, but it's not worth the time. For the author's first attempt, well done but overall
2/10
(7)
Closer Baby Closer
A poetry book by an enjoyable poet/youtuber/writer.
I enjoyed this one much more than their previous work. Pretty delightful, and as always I enjoy a quick read.
8/10
(8)
Watership Down
A lighthearted book about rabbits for my club. An enjoyable, straightforward book about the adventuring journey of rabbits.
I heard from others about the darkness and how it's a traumatic book for children so I was expecting a much darker and a sinister ending, but I'm happy that it never came.
I grew up reading the Red Wall series religiously (seriously talk to me about it) and I appreciate this book because almost all stories about animals are anthropomorphic and just people under the guise of being an 'animal'. However Watership Down does not do this – they are very much rabbits with rabbit characteristics, dangers, and opinions.
The most interesting part of the book is the world-building and intricacies in unfolding the world – there are rabbit threats and each warren has their own solution to the rabbit problem.
I mostly enjoyed the first warren and the mystery surrounding understanding it.
Overall it's a very positive and optimistic book. I hope to watch the Movie or Netflix series soon (I've heard bad things).
8/10
(9)
Invisible Cities
Calvino's Invisible Cities is right next to Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow on my reading bucket list and I've chosen to intentionally start completing my list.
My first foray into Italian classics was Calvino's other title listed above which came into my hands by chance, and this one I picked up at a bookstore after attending their poetry reading (yes, i know…).
Invisible Cities is a complicated nonsensical book where Marco Polo describes cities and their essence and form to Kublai Khan.
I didn't have any conceptualization of what type of book it would be but it is more abstract and poetic than one would expect.
Calvino's style isn't my taste as I'm looking for more meat but that said it's undeniably well written and a delight – I'd say it's too high brow for my taste, or perhaps more accurately, not the abstract writing that I'm fond of (as I'd like to think I'm into p high brow arts and absurd literature).
6/10
(10)
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
This book is right next to The Brothers Karamazov and 1Q84 on my bucket list and I've intentionally chosen to knock them out this year.
I adored the beginning and that would most likely be my highlight of the entire book. I also enjoyed the ending where it talked about dolphins and mice overlords.
The beginning was well executed where we follow the storyline of a character who is upset their house is being torn down ostensibly without proper notice or approval. There's slight charm and hilarity at the absurdity of solutions but it isn't overdone just yet. And then of course we zoom out one level of abstraction and the same theme happens but on the scale of the planet Earth.
It's an incredible book, very well executed and consistent. I can see why it's so popular and well-received. My criticism would be I found it too clever and enamored with itself for my taste after some time but that said it would be perfect for my high school self and is well suited for YA. It's an incredibly quick read and is hilarious, charming, and most of all imaginative.
8/10
If you only read books everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bc7xYy9EV4
Yeek - Solstice