Mid-year wrap up, 2024-07-11 My reading year started propitiously with Benjamin Lorr's The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American SMid-year wrap up, 2024-07-11 My reading year started propitiously with Benjamin Lorr's The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket, which delivers a thoughtful take on modern food production and distribution. I moved to Japan in February, so I've had more chances to read Japanese books. The first Japanese book I picked from the bookshelf was the one I didn't get to finish before returning to the U.S. last year, Abe Kinya's The Pied Piper of Hamelin: The Legend and its World. At once an investigation into the theories behind the legendary disappearance of the children of Hamelin, this is a compassionate historiography on how stories are sublimated bottom-up and distorted top-down. The anthology, Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation, became my first favorite fiction of the year. Convenience Store Woman by Murata Sayaka briefly lifted my mood about my descent to Japan. Lastly, Ono Fuyumi's Zan'e introduced me to the comforts of horror novels. Maybe this is a call to finally try Stephen King?
My pace is slower than last year, but I’m not too worried about hitting the same number. My goal for the rest of 2024 is to read one Shakespeare and finish the The Three Body Problem series in Japanese translation.
Books not in Goodreads database - 宮下規久郎著『日本の裸体芸術 ――刺青からヌードへ』 (2024) - M. ハウザー著『現代ビジネスレターの技術』（1980）...more
It didn't have enough Egyptology and archaeology to make it a 5/5 read, but Amelia Peabody is a wonderful character. While some authors really want toIt didn't have enough Egyptology and archaeology to make it a 5/5 read, but Amelia Peabody is a wonderful character. While some authors really want to put their characters in the reader's face, Elizabeth Peters mixed Amelia's personality into the narration with control. I'm so glad I found this series out through Goodreads. (By the way, how has this not been adapted live yet?)...more
Though there were one or two incongruous transitions in the plot, this book was an absolute joy to listen to. The audiobook's narrator, Soneela NankanThough there were one or two incongruous transitions in the plot, this book was an absolute joy to listen to. The audiobook's narrator, Soneela Nankani, does a great job preserving the characters' personalities during dialogue scenes. The book incorporates social discrimination and division found in villages of modern India--misogyny, the caste system, and religion. However, the depth of realism does not necessarily make the book feel heavy-handed thanks to the pertness and resilience of the women characters. Despite being a plot-driven narrative, Shroff weaves in beautiful turns of phrases like "sherbet sunset turning to ash" and expressions that feel indigenous and homegrown, like "Saloni's smile was wider than India." All in all, a remarkable novel by a first-time author, Parini Shroff. I would love to see the book made into a movie....more
I highly recommend listening to the audiobook narrated by Adepero Oduye to get the full taste of the novel with her Nigerian accent. The novel starts I highly recommend listening to the audiobook narrated by Adepero Oduye to get the full taste of the novel with her Nigerian accent. The novel starts with the sister's fourth murder, but the narrative jumps around in time, so you can see how her attitude towards killing her boyfriends has changed since her first one. Though many 1-2 star reviewers complain that the novel wasn't about the younger sister who is the serial killer and therefore didn't deliver on the promise of the title, I think the more interesting character is the enabling older sister. The ending is dark but satisfying. If you like this one, I would highly recommend The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff (audiobook narrated by Soneela Nankani) and vice versa....more
Another amazing debut novel. Before I read the book, I came across an ecstatic 5/5-stars review and a tepid 3/5-stars review, both by Goodreads revieAnother amazing debut novel. Before I read the book, I came across an ecstatic 5/5-stars review and a tepid 3/5-stars review, both by Goodreads reviewers I trust, but I'm definitely in the 5/5-stars camp. Mary is my character of the year. She reminds me of Jane Eyre, my all-time favorite literary character--they both wear chips on their shoulders and are made of strong principles of values that refuse to be pliant to societal decorum and expediencies. What makes this book so pleasurable is that Mary is unabashed about her anger. At one point she confesses she's fine if God were not good and attentive because it'd justify her exacting her revenge against Him for giving her a stillborn child. That is not to say that there aren't moments of tranquility. One of my favorite moments in the book is when Maisie makes up with Mary after a falling out over Mary's Frankensteinian experiment. At first, Maisie is horrified by Mary's recreation of Plesiosaurus but comes around after witnessing the bond between them. Some readers might say it's too convenient and cheesy, but I like this scene because one of the greatest joys in loving someone is when they come to love the thing you love. ...more
I've always regretted not taking that seminar course on political theory and science fiction during my undergraduate, so this anthology of science ficI've always regretted not taking that seminar course on political theory and science fiction during my undergraduate, so this anthology of science fiction stories thematically organized by philosophers working in the field was right up my alley. Like any anthology, there are highs and lows, but the lows don't feel too bad because the editors explain why they included the story. I also love that each story is supplied with notes by the author and that the editors include video games and visual media in their further "reading" lists. Whether you're interested in how stories can help one philosophize or a gentle guide into the genre of science fiction, this is a book for you.
My ratings of individual stories Part 1, "Expanding the Human" - "Excerpt from Theuth, an Oral History of Work in the Age of Machine-Assisted Cognition" by Ken Liu: 15/10. My First Ken Liu and he did not disappoint. Fun to read, but the effects of the neural enhancement implant eerily reminded me of the cumulative insidious effects of using ChatGPT. - "Adjoiners" by Lisa Schoenberg: 4/5. I love the transhumanist questions it explored--how a choice to self-transform oneself through a piece of technology could lead to committing a crime against one's future self. The writing felt jagged and disjointed, but now that I think of it, it fits the story. - "The Intended" by David John Baker: 1/5. I can't remember anything about this story. - "The New Book of the Dead" by Sofia Samatar: 3/5. I need to read the text of The Egyptian Book of the Dead to fully appreciate it.
Part 2, "What We Owe to Ourselves and Others" - "Out of the Dagon's Womb" by Aliette de Bodard: 2/5. This is my problem: I'm not a good fantasy reader, so I was immediately thrown off by unfamiliar world mechanisms and Vietnamese names. - "Whale Fall" by Wendy Nikel: 20/5. My favorite story in the whole anthology. - "Monsters and Soldiers" by Mark Silcox: 4/5. There will always be fascists.
Part 3, "Gods and Families" - "I, Player in a Demon Tale" by Hud Hudson: 2/5. I can't tell if the writing style is part of the gimmick or if this is the only way Hudson can write. There's substance in the story, but the ending is underwhelming. - "The Eye of the Needle" by Frances Howard-Snyder: 7/5. A chillingly good story about the limits of empathy. - "God on a Bad Night" by Christopher Mark Rose: 18/5. My second favorite story in the anthology. It reminds me a lot of Ye Wenjie from Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem--how "a fallible and limited human" can be the agent in initiating a new world and how her suffering can be linked to the act of creation. - "Hell is the Absence of God" by Ted Chiang: 2/5. Doesn't work for me....more
A tightly written Gothic and environmental horror story. T. Kingfisher is a writer worth her salt. She starts with this visceral description:
The mush
A tightly written Gothic and environmental horror story. T. Kingfisher is a writer worth her salt. She starts with this visceral description:
The mushroom’s gills were the deep-red color of severed muscle, the almost-violet shade that contrasts so dreadfully with the pale pink of viscera.
Later, there's a memorable phrasing where the echoes reverberate through an empty room "like birds." It goes to show you that you don't always need a lengthy, floral passage to deliver vivid imagery to readers.
I also want to give huge props to the audiobook narrator, Avi Roque, because they do an outstanding job of portraying the protagonist's gender fluidity--which is a cultural norm of her home country, Gallacia--while still distinguishing the gender-regular characters. It's a pity that this gender aspect wasn't incorporated into the story, even though the characters make a fuss about it in the beginning. I hear that the sequel goes more into the protagonist's Gallacian heritage....more
The description of the Slough House building in chapter one is my favorite writing in the whole book. I’m actually upset that there probably won’t be The description of the Slough House building in chapter one is my favorite writing in the whole book. I’m actually upset that there probably won’t be any more of this in the sequels. ...more
DNF-ed at 75%. I was looking forward to this after seeing it recommended on Biblioracle's "work" book list. The story starts out really well, but towaDNF-ed at 75%. I was looking forward to this after seeing it recommended on Biblioracle's "work" book list. The story starts out really well, but towards the 40% mark, it starts to show its flaws. It's too long—the audiobook is over 10 hours long—for characters that I cannot develop any feelings for, and the few characters that I could sympathize with have no authority. I wanted to keep going, hoping that William Dufris's wonderful dramatized narration would carry me through to the end, but, alas, it felt like watching a prolonged sketch comedy that relies on the same physical comedy for laughs....more
One of my top 2024 reads. As a science poetry lover--30 Days by Tilsley Joanna and Elle Cordova's shorts-- this plucked my heartstrings. It also reminOne of my top 2024 reads. As a science poetry lover--30 Days by Tilsley Joanna and Elle Cordova's shorts-- this plucked my heartstrings. It also reminds me of the main title sequence of Netflix's 3 Body Problem except that Bauer scales down from the universe to the Earth. I thought the studio was smart for doing the main title sequence in grayscale to keep things subdued while letting Ramin Djawadi's music do the heavy work, but Holmes's marbled illustrations are heavenly....more
Sometimes, children's books can surprise you by depicting abstract things like the loss of language to young readers in a way that's memorable. There'Sometimes, children's books can surprise you by depicting abstract things like the loss of language to young readers in a way that's memorable. There's this one page where Gabrielle Grimand represents the Indigenous children's native language with birds being engaged by a white missionary. I thought the ending was a little simplistic, but I suppose it's good enough for a children's book....more
Instead of writing about the original novel, I want to briefly mention the wonderful reinterpretation of the novel appearing in a manga series called Instead of writing about the original novel, I want to briefly mention the wonderful reinterpretation of the novel appearing in a manga series called Matinée and Soirée by Osuga Megumi. Volumes 9 and 10 feature a steam-punk (!) rendition of the novel where the protagonist plays the part of Moroto Michio and his genius brother Minoura on stage. On the one hand, the interpretation of Minoura's character as someone like Dorian Gray is a little bit of a stretch because, in Edogawa Ranpo's text, he is merely a pretty boy-stand-in for the reader. Of course, just because a character narrates his tale doesn't mean there aren't more layers to him--the narrator's volubility can be misleading--but I just don't see it in the text. On the other hand, the reading on Moroto's character--where his obsession with Miura comes from and what that obsession actually is--is, I think, spot on.
Back to the original. The use of disability and disfigurement as horror props is of the times and regrettable; the ending where Miura becomes the noble savior is on the nose. On the other hand, Moroto's adoration for Miura--for why I hesitate to call it love, see Matinée and Soirée volume 10--is depicted with the kind of nuance that Gothic literature can deliver (sometimes). Also, how cool is Jo Chen's cover art for the Libre edition of Ranpo collection? ...more
I want a little gingerbread man riding on my shoulder so that he finally finishes the story about the muffin man. But seriously though, there's no reaI want a little gingerbread man riding on my shoulder so that he finally finishes the story about the muffin man. But seriously though, there's no reason to rate this book less than five out of five stars. It's not a grim book, but Kingfisher still inserts sharp social commentaries, such as that heroes are often made because of negligence and incompetence of others and the painful difference between being an enemy in war and a target of persecution....more
I'm happy to report that you're not missing much from watching the Netflix show without reading the book. You can enjoy both on their own terms, but, I'm happy to report that you're not missing much from watching the Netflix show without reading the book. You can enjoy both on their own terms, but, except for a few things, I prefer the audiovisual medium slightly more.
I absolutely love the main title sequence--it's a shame that Netflix doesn't start every episode with the full version. Benedict Wong has been a revelation, and Liam Cunningham, who plays the boss of Benedict Wong's character, adds meat to his skeletal counterpart in the book. In the show, the "You are bugs" scene is executed with a climatic oomph whereas the book's version is so underwhelming that they don't compare--and one could argue that they're not really the same.
The book has the upper hand regarding the VR game and gives a fuller picture of the San Ti's plight; I didn't fully understand the scale of their existential suffering until I read Chapter 19. Liu Cixin's writing in this book doesn't shine as brightly as in his short story compiled in Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation, but he's really good at incorporating landscape into painting characters' emotions....more
One day, the YouTube algorithm god randomly recommended a video of the USSR national anthem. Swept up with emotions during the "Partiya Lenina" part--One day, the YouTube algorithm god randomly recommended a video of the USSR national anthem. Swept up with emotions during the "Partiya Lenina" part--I know, cringe at me--I took this as a sign to read this book, which, befittingly, I had found in a Cambridge secondhand bookstore right after a day of soul-draining, on-site, back-to-back meetings.
Pretty much every story mentions prisons and salamis. (What is up with salamis and Russians?) More surprisingly, though, was the frequent mentions of books. Surely, a case of some sampling bias, but still. Under centralized socialism, though the people were poor materially, they were intellectually well-fed--Pushkin, Chekhov, Gorky, Solzhenitsyn. Life, however, becomes feral under capitalism. (BTW There’s a book that is making a splash in Japan as I’m writing this that investigates why people read less when they work nine-to-five.)
Usually, the narrators interrupt the flow and speak directly to Alexievich--"Is it all right that I keep talking about myself, telling you my life story?", "You're still writing?"--as if they can't stay immersed for too long in the past and need to get back up to the surface. Alexievich keeps these textual wrinkles when removing them would have made for a smoother narrative.
I became a lot more concerned about Alexievich's historiography this time than when I read The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II precisely because some of these stories had me sobbing. While getting my heart wrenched, in some corner of my brain, I demurred. What if these accounts are fabricated or had been padded? What if these were all made up by Alexievich? The New Republic's critical review, titled "Witness Tampering," raises valid points about Alexievich's craft. However, my unpopular opinion is that stories about experiences are inherently fluid, and whether words were arranged or details were altered does not really matter to me, the third wheel to Alexievich and her witness's relationship. In that sense, even if all the accounts in this book were to have been fabricated, I don't think the reader would have lost anything....more
Starting 2024 strong with a book published in 2020. I feel bad about not reading this book and posting my review sooner. Solid investigative journalisStarting 2024 strong with a book published in 2020. I feel bad about not reading this book and posting my review sooner. Solid investigative journalism, but also virtuosic writing that reminds me a bit of David Foster Wallace. Like Wallace, Benjamin Lorr uses footnotes for robust commentary, and has the self-assured narrative control and the wry humor of a writer comfortable with his ability. His pen is versatile, ranging from the horrific imagery of fish suffocating and getting grounded into pieces in trawl nets to character profiles sketched with indelible and comical details such as an all-pink truck interior or how a person can laugh in a way that makes you concerned for her.
The things you learn in this book can be gross and depressing. Still, Lorr's agenda is not to shock you into becoming a self-sufficient farmer who only eats the food she grows and/or kills. Like the best writers on industrialized agriculture and commerce, he's sympathetic to the conundrums of a regular consumer trapped in a matrix of dependencies and good intentions. Life before the modern food abundance was nasty, short, and brutish. But the brave new world nurtured its own flavor of sickness: "We decided that caught between two awesome external forces--nature everlasting, and these new tools of our own creation--the one piece in the whole operation that was most malleable was us. Ourselves." One of the endorsements on the back cover dumbly calls this book hopeful. It is not. There is no good news or absolution here. As Lorr puts it, "we have got the food system we deserve."
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