A few good books for winter reading
IRVING STONE
If you think history is boring, you've read a few too many textbooks. However, Men to Match My Mountains may change your mind. The cover calls it "the monumental saga of the winning of America's far west." Fortunately, it's not nearly that grandiose (or boring).
In fact, it's sometimes epic, sometimes tragic and often hilarious. Consider, for example, the American admiral who accidentally conquered Monterrey before the Mexican War started, then apologized and withdrew, leaving a few musical instruments for restitution.
Irving Stone is a great storyteller, and he's good at dividing what seems like an overwhelming subject into approachable chunks. For those of us from California, Nevada or Utah, Mountains is essential, but for everyone else, it's still a great read.
-- Christof Spieler, Features Editor
CHRONICLES
JEAN FROISSART
Froissart (1333 - 1401) is an old-school historian; he likes to make stuff up. And the people he writes about (like King Edward and his boys, John of Gaunt and the Black Prince) have a similar sense of duty and ethics. One time when Edward is bored, he gets all the ships he can find and attacks a bunch of Spanish merchants. Edward lays anchor in the channel to wait for them, but he gets bored. Being king, he makes Robert of Namur sing and dance for his amusement and then runs his ship into another one. So now, Edward's ship is sinking. What would you do? Edward jumps onto the other ship and throws its crew overboard. This becomes known as the Sea Battle of Winchelsea.
The king of France wasn't none too smart neither, Roscoe. One time he wanted a castle bad, but instead he gets bogged down in a siege. What would you do? This French king builds a big tower out of wood, puts some wheels on the bottom and rolls that thing right up to the castle filled with his men. Then it catches on fire, and a whole bunch of them die. Now what would you do? Well, the king passes out shovels to his men, and they spend the next few weeks trying to fill the moat with dirt.
The ruling class of the fourteenth century was corrupt and squandered their nations' treasuries on immoral wars. In 1381, the people of England rose against their government, espousing many of the principles -- equality of men, popular government, common ownership of property -- later associated with communism. And Froissart was there, describing what he saw (strangely, using modern English). If he wasn't, he'd make something up. Chronicles lets you know how life in the fourteenth century worked, through the tablet and chisel of Jean Froissart.
-- Joel Hardi, Photo Editor
THE CUCKOO'S EGG
CLIFF STOLL
Several years ago, I picked up The Cuckoo's Egg in an airport gift shop. I had hardly heard of the Internet then and neither had the country. It was an obscure network, the domain of physicists and the military.
Cliff Stoll was an unemployed astronomer maintaining computers for Lawrence Berkeley Lab. One day he found 75 cents worth of computer time unaccounted for. He started trying to track it down. By the time he was done, he'd uncovered a KGB spy ring in Germany trying to break into military computers.
The Cuckoo's Egg is Stoll's account of the search. It reads like a spy novel, not a technical work; even as a computer novice, I had no trouble following it. It's entertaining and interesting at the same time, a good read and a bit of an education in the 'net. Read this, and you'll never think of those occasional Owlnet security problems in the same way again ...
-- Christof Spieler, Features Editor
STILL LIFE WITH WOODPECKER
TOM ROBBINS
For those not familiar with Tom Robbins' writing style, be prepared: It's bizarre and actually pretty good, but definitely an acquired taste.
Still Life with Woodpecker introduces you to a wacked-out America: a place of politically-correct, Ralph Nader-worshipping exiled princesses who live in Seattle, pregnant cheerleaders and pyromaniac redheaded outlaws. Fabulously wealthy Arabs and exiled queens who don't know how to say much else besides "Oh, oh Spaghetti-Oh" also populate this world.
In a way, Still Life with Woodpecker is a love story. While Robbins preaches a little too much, his message is funny and irreverent; the random humor makes it a worthwhile read.
Actually, it's been so long since I've been able to read for fun that I've forgotten what the plot is ... oh yeah, now I remember. Think Camel cigarettes and Egyptian pyramids, and you've got it.
As in any Robbins novel, expect to find lots of weird sex, weird drugs and weird rock 'n' roll. When his characters aren't stoned out of their minds, they're having sex. When they're not having sex, they're partaking of drugs stashed inside plastic frogs. It's hard to understand exactly what motivates these characters.
Still Life with Woodpecker is Robbins at his most twisted and random best. While it doesn't have very much to do with still lifes or woodpeckers, it makes a light, refreshing alternative to heavy, dull textbooks.
-- Marty Beard, A&E Editor
THE TAO OF POOH
BENJAMIN HOFF
The Tao of Pooh is a delightful little tidbit that is not only amusing but enlightening. Author Benjamin Hoff apparently believes that Winnie the Pooh is Taoism. I thought he was a figment of Christopher Robin's imagination.
Hoff compares the natural simplicity of Taoism to Pooh's accepting and simple ways. Strangely enough, I felt at peace after reading the book.
The book is obviously not for scholars of Taoism, but it does offer an interesting interpretation for those who want the understandable basics. Moreover, it does so in a fun and enjoyable way.
And I always thought Pooh was just a hungry, silly bear. Silly me, tiddley dum, tiddley dee .
-- Felisa Yang, Asst. News Editor
THE TWELFTH ANGEL
OG MANDINO
The Twelfth Angel is a wonderful, inspiring piece. It is simply enjoyable, short and easy to read. The book is the story of a man who had it all until his wife and child are tragically killed in an automobile accident. You will discover his new love for life in this book. I highly recommend The Twelfth Angel for an instant "lift" and as a feel-good story about life.
-- Robin Davidson
LOVE MEDICINE, TRACKS,
THE BINGO PALACE
LOUISE ERDRICH
Love Medicine is shorter then Dostoyevsky and perhaps a more pleasant read. The chapters were previously published individually as short stories and are all self-contained. Together, though, they form a well-integrated and downright lovely novel.
The story is about the relationships of several families and individuals who live on the Chippewa Indian Reservation in North Dakota. The novel flips back and forth between the past and present, and each chapter is written in the voice of a different character.
The book is a gathering of personalities, and each story furthers the interaction and connections between the various characters.
If Love Medicine interests you, check out Tracks and The Bingo Palace , which involve the same characters. Tracks deals mainly with the changes in Indian ways of life at the turn of the century as white settlers encroach on Chippewa land holdings in the Dakotas. The events predate those in Love Medicine and explain much of the socio-political and family history of the characters in Love Medicine .
The Bingo Palace describes events that happen after Love Medicine . All three books are stylistically similar. Louise Erdrich creates strong female characters, who are often interesting to many people. This trilogy also affords an opportunity to read outside of the strictly "western" literary tradition.
-- Liz Cole
THE SIRENS OF TITAN
KURT VONNEGUT
With a month-long winter break's worth of free time, you might be looking for a good page-turner to curl up on the couch with. Try Sirens of Titan , a futuristic novel by Kurt Vonnegut that is both leisurely and thought-provoking.
The premise of the book is that all of human history was designed for aliens to get a needed spaceship component to a stranded colleague. In other words, human existence is demoted to the alien equivalent of UPS.
Although the reader would like to believe the human race is on a linear path toward perfection, Vonnegut's wrinkle in time prompts the rhetorical question, "What makes you think you're going anywhere important?"
Vonnegut has developed a unique style. Blessed with the ability to startle readers into questioning commonly held beliefs while still making his audience chuckle, he has earned respect through his work. Sirens is among his greatest.
-- Summer Durham, Calendar Editor
THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV
FYDOR DOSTOYEVSKY
The Brothers Karamazov is good for those who like to undertake grand endeavors. It is massive, but if you stick with it, you'll most likely be glad you did. It'll probably take you most of break to read, but it makes a good companion. I can't give you any one compelling plot to encourage you to pick this one up, but it does have a lot of everything in it: patricide, illegitimate children, madness, love, drunken fits, harebrained fundraising schemes -- the works. However, it is not a soap-opera epic.
This is primarily a wonderful book about life, passion, faith, religion, forgiveness, justice, desperation, redemption and resolution -- all those big, important things encountered in life. Arguably, it is one of the greatest works of Western literature. I would say that it contains almost everything you need to know, and that's an understatement.
-- Liz Cole
DARK ANGEL
SALLY BEAUMAN
For Christmas reading, nothing goes better with cold days and cider than Sally Beauman's Dark Angel . While the novel is rather long (upwards of 800 pages), it makes a compelling read and study in human psychology. Behind a romance novel facade rests a story of the lies we weave and believe, of how nothing can be taken for granted in our history and of the foundations of our existence.
Beginning in high-society England at the turn of the century and continuing into modern America, the novel follows Constance Shawcross and the society she ultimately symbolizes and embodies. It gets a definite five stars for its analysis of the blurred line between good and evil.
-- Anita Raman, Staff Writer
THE WINE OF ASTONISHMENT
EARL LOVELACE
For those looking for a decent beach read on the opposite side of the spectrum from Dark Angel , pick up Earl Lovelace's The Wine of Astonishment , which relates native life in the modern Caribbean.
As much a political statement as a personal one, the novel analyzes the impact of modernization on the psyche of native cultures. With brutal honesty, it traces the despair of native cultures caused by the loss of their youth to violence and pregnancy.
However, it is a novel of hope as well, ending with the ultimate triumph of faith over the pain of change and adjustment, the joy of tradition retained.
-- Anita Raman, Staff Writer
This item appeared in the Features section of the December 8, 1995 issue.
Copyright © 1996 The Rice Thresher. All Rights
Reserved.
This document may be distributed
electronically, provided that it is distributed in its
entirety and includes this notice. However, it cannot be reprinted
without the express written permission of:
The Rice Thresher, Rice University, 6100 Main, Houston, TX 77005-1892, USA.
The Thresher Online Project -- ethresh@listserv.rice.edu