Freedom

Book #9
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen



So clearly, I've fallen behind in this blog. However, I have read lots of books and I would still like to write tidbits on what I've read, so at least I can remember.

I was looking forward to Jonathan Franzen's latest novel. His last book, The Corrections, was great. I highly recommend it. It's a novel with a great sense of humor and an interesting perspective on American life.

However, I am not as big a fan of Freedom. It's about one unlikeable family. Bleh.

Franzen just loves writing for the now, as if the audience will relate more when they recognize the name of a certain celebrity. He drops names of brands, websites, pop culture, like none other. Really, Franzen, must we mention Twitter? I found this quite annoying and this has the effect of already making the book seem a bit dated. It can only be written and read within a certain time period for all the cultural name-droppings to be relevant.

I really hated the portrayal of women in this book as well; either bitter hags or mysterious nymphs. Patty, the wife, is stupid and mean. The girlfriend of the son is just so mysterious! She's so mysterious no adjectives exist in this language to describe her besides her mystery! Oh, and there's another brown exotic woman. She's just so exotic and mysterious too!

The only relate-able character is Walter, while the others seem quite one-sided. His best friend hates women. The women have no personalities. His son is a Republican. I mean, really, what is there to like?

Overall, it did have some interesting perspectives on modern life. Do we have too much freedom? Is too much freedom a good or bad thing?

But then I was just annoyed by other things. Like, can you please try to distinguish narrators? Patty writes a memoir and it sounds exactly like the rest of the book.

So, if you have lots of spare time and someone lends you this book, read it. If not, don't buy it from the airport for 30 dollars, like I did.

Barcelona

Shadow of the Wind got me thinking. Here are other books I love about Barcelona:

Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell


This book is why I decided to study abroad in Barcelona. Orwell writes about his time fighting in the Spanish Civil War, stationed in Barcelona. It explains the Civil War extremely well, which can be particularly confusing, and the Catalan spirit that raged during the war, as well as survived the Franco years.


Barcelona by Robert Hughes

Uh yeah, I never actually finished this book, but it provides the most extensive and readable history of the city. I highly recommend it to anyone who will actually be living or visiting the city. I think it would just make me sad reading it now.

Visca Barca!

Also, if you just want to read about Spain, Hemingway has some pretty bomb books about the country. He was a reporter during the Spanish Civil War. He also liked bull fighting! Neat-o!

                      

One of his most famous short stories is "Hills like White Elephants," also set in Spain. Google it!

Hasta luego!

The Shadow of the Wind

Book #8: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón 





Few books are so enthralling, so well written as to keep me up all night and to fill my eyes with tears once finished. This book is a love letter: to literature, to writing, to Barcelona. If you are in love with any of these things, you will love this book. It was hard to read at times because I would become so sentimental thinking of Barcelona and how much I missed the Great Enchantress. Ruiz Zafón describes the many neighborhoods and streets of Barcelona so vividly that at times I would have to stop and look at photos to remember the alleyways I had forgotten. 


When I first arrived home in California from Barcelona, I had one of the most vivid dreams of my life. I saw the city of Barcelona, and the waves of the Mediterranean slowly rising. The tides rose across the city and water began to overfill the streets. I saw the entire city flood, covered deep in water. A voice told me that the city was my memories; the water, time. 


I felt a number of emotions reading this book, ranging from joy to melancholy to utter sadness. I miss Barcelona and this book took me back there. It was a difficult journey, but I certainly do not regret it. 

Alice Walker

Be sure to check out the interview with Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple. It's wonderful and I love this woman! Also, be sure to check out her blog.

A Softer World

A Softer World is an arty comic I love. I thought I would share their recent and relevant comic.

Please check them out! A Softer World

Never Be Late Again

Book #7: Never Be Late Again: 7 Cures for the Punctually Challenged



Yeah, that's right - Sometimes I like to read self-help books!

Sometimes I do have the little problem of running late for things. This book was actually quite helpful in laying out some of the reasons why I'm late and how I can change that. For example, I thrive on deadlines, which are great motivators, but I often lose sleep staying up all night working. I recommend this book for anyone trying to get out of their running late habits.

And yeah - self-help books DO help!

Lies My Teacher Told Me

Book #6: Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong



It wasn't until I took college courses in history that I actually began to enjoy the subject. For a short while, I wanted to major in history. This book clarified why I HATED history as a subject in high school.

Loewen points out a number of outright lies that plague the teaching of American history. Did you know Helen Keller was a socialist? I didn't! Christopher Columbus was a scum bag? Well, he was. I think this book is especially relevant considering all that's been going on in Texas recently. The truth is, American history rarely teaches what students should really be learning, such as critical thinking, while students spend hours learning lists of facts and dates.

Please read this book if you've ever taken an American history class in the U.S., and especially read it if that was your last history class. There are so many things we are not taught about or glossed over or censored, it's truly embarrassing. At least Texas is doing all of this openly.

"Only in history is accuracy so political" (333).