silasgreen
A lover of Jesus and of fantastical fiction, Silas Green talks books and Christian living on Geeks Under Grace. He spends the rest of his free time trying to write stories and exploring the paradise island in the Pacific on which he is stranded.
Pale Fire is awesome, and the Jdat sequel too. All around good choices for books that will make you think and change some points of view you have of things. I have’nt read the life of “… Life of Oscar Wao” and Winesburg, Ohio” though. I suggest you consider reading bizarro fiction, mainly Carlton Mellick III, he with his books make fiction like no other, using metaphors and really subtle social commentary in bizarre and strange situations (Crab Town is the best of his work to me). It changed a lot of my perspectives over the years, and let me tell you, there is nothing more thought provoking than reading about post apocaliptic towns and his residents hijacking a bank while talking about the government, satan owning a burger shop and the apathy and desperation of the future and the soul of mankind, ten feet brains that are a for some people art and erotic material from where one can draw inspiration, a society of people living in rubber giant balls and how everything is disconected from one an other person, and one of the best (altough not recognized by the author) social comentary about the industry of porn showed through a short story involving actors, the ocean, madness and jellyfishes.
Overall, good list and I got here cause “This book if full of spiders”, but it also made me realize that the most fucked up thing you read is often the most insightfull sometimes.
Thanks for the recommendation. I’ve never heard of Mellick before. I’m looking at those book covers and some of them are creeping me out! But… if there is something valuable within the pages of “I Knocked Up Satan’s Daughter” I may try to find it sometime. xD
The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao changed my life alright. It made me second-guess if a career in academia was for me. The casualness of the book dripping with sex had me confused if this was erotica or a Pulitzer Prize winner. After all, the surface plotline of the novel concerns if Yunior can ever get Oscar laid, since Oscar is Dominican and it would be paradoxical for him to not be a womanizer. Then there are all these sub-plots concerning the women and the development of their sexuality, especially Lola, Oscar’s sister (and Yunior’s fling). Prostitution and rape not withstanding, the novel drips with sex…which is probably why it’s popular. Not because Diaz writes about how Oscar gets beat up and takes damage like a critical hit roll in D&D.
I was least interested in the fuku. And its euphemisms…and the crass language of the novel in general. The novel takes the tone as if it’s audience is YA.
From an academic standpoint, however, the sub-text/notes are fascinating and an entirely unique narrative in and of themselves. The historiography of Rafael Trujillo serves to inform readers of a character who was actually a real-life person, and sets the tone as to why the De Leons want to flee the Dominican republic.
Pretty good commentary on intra-racial relations as well.
Yeah, there’s questionable content. My writing group read this, and I think I enjoyed it the most out of all of them. The young women in the group basically thought the entire book was just about Oscar’s quest to lose his virginity, and were turned off by the character. I had a young friend who adored the novel (post-colonial literary theory was his entire world), and would defend it whenever people criticized Yunior’s character, explaining how suffering as a victim of generational post-traumatic stress was responsible for his inability to be faithful to Lola, or engage with Oscar over his geek pursuits.
I loved the intertextual stuff (I’m also a huge fan of Magical Realism in fiction), but It was how the author tied everything together thematically, from the Geek references, to the family history under Trujillo, to Oscar’s character arc as he transformed from a person who had given up on life to finally finding himself and risking his life for love at the end. I was really impressed with the way Diaz handled the idea of the fuku, suggesting a real curse while also suggesting that what was hurting the family was nothing more supernatural than deep generational racial oppression. I thought it was a layered work, and while I can’t say I totally identified with Oscar’s personal quest (despite being perpetually single myself), I still thought the character was something special. 🙂
11/10 mentioned Les Miserables.
Okay, but in all seriousness, it’s great. The pastor at my church showed it to us.
I haven’t seen the movie yet (or watched the famous stage musical). The book is really long, but so worth it. I really loved the character of Javert, even though he’s the antagonist. There is so much about faith and compassion in that story.
I liked PWOT back in the day. Nowadays, Cracked is just “Five Reasons Blah Blah.” I’ve had just about enough of that lazy format in….everything.
Might look into picking up John Dies in the End.
D
Yeah, Cracked really sticks to that format, but I’ve noticed even here that when I put articles in list form, more people click on them, so I understand why they do it.
John Dies at the End is worth your time. I’m a fan of David Wong’s writing, whether its his novels or his articles on Cracked. His newest novel, “Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits,” is going to come out soon. I’m excited. =P
I suppose I’m more frustrated that we as a culture are more interested in sound bites and punchy quotes than with…well, anything substantial.
I of course state this as someone who spent the past six years essentially being a professional reader.
Wong’s “George Lucas Interview” is to this day one of the funniest things I’ve ever read, and a definite inspiration for my own musings in the sci-fi/humor genre.
D