Bookworms: Monthly Readings, April
Books I read in April and my humble remarks:
Truman Capote "Breakfast at Tiffany's";
Jean-Paul Sartre "Nausea";
George Martin "A Game of Thrones" and "A Clash of kings".
Truman Capote
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Country – United States
Year – 1958
Language – English
Genre – Novella
In 95 cases out of 100 I prefer books to movies based on
them. Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a rare case when, in my opinion, a movie is better
than a book. It is a fine easy to read novel which entertained and made me
smile, but it didn’t make me go crazy about it. And I absolutely adore the
movie! Audrey Hepburn’s portrayal of Holly Golightly can be compared to a
drawing which suddenly awoke and started playing, laughing and flirting. Holly
from the book is interesting enough to make a reader want to get to know her.
Holly from the movie is endearing and intriguing to the point the audience has
no choice but to fall in love with her.
The novel is anyways a great read and I would definitely
recommend it for one of those lazy weekends when you can slow down, relax, take
a bubble bath, drink some mimosas and get lost in the world of a kind, naive,
honest and free-spirited girl with ironic sense of humor, elegant outfits and careless
attitude but a strong will to always stay true to herself.
“The answer is good things only happen to you if you're good. Good? Honest is more what I mean... Be anything but a coward, a pretender, an emotional crook, a whore: I'd rather have cancer than a dishonest heart.”
Jean-Paul Sartre Nausea
Country – France
Year – 1938
Language – French
Genre – Philosophical novel
Nausea is considered to be one of the canonical works of
existentialism (philosophical theory characterized by the topics of loneliness,
meaningless and absurdity of life and irrationality of existence). Sartre
was awarded a Nobel Prize for Nausea in 1964, which he declined. It is written
in the form of a daily journal of the protagonist, Antoine Roquentin, a
historian experiencing the state of nausea that changes him, spreads into
anything he does or anything that surrounds him. He speculates about the notion of
existence of all existences including inanimate objects, any substance. In his
loneliness and frustration, he gradually becomes disgusted and nauseous with
any form of existence, including his own.
I should say this is probably one of the most exceptional
and intriguing books I’ve read in a while. It is not an easy read, but not at
all boring (as one might think considering the fact it is a philosophical
writing). On the contrary, it captivated me from the very beginning and I read
it voraciously, staying alert and intrigued throughout the book. Well, maybe
only stories about French historical figures that rang no bell to me (guilty
of being a complete ignoramus at times) were a bit difficult to read through.
If you are anything like me and enjoy the beauty of words
put together in new and unexpected ways, long and intricate (though logical)
reasoning, unthinkable metaphors, alliterations and other figurative language –
please do yourself a favor and dive into the most controversial world of
Nausea. It is worth every second of your time. Just one precaution – try not to
read if you are feeling down, depressed or dispirited, as the book might cause
slightly traumatic effect on a disturbed mind.
Here are a few excerpts to make you go and start reading Nausea right now or run away from it as far as you can :)
"...but we felt that he was shaping thoughts of crab or lobster in his head. And that terrified us, the fact that one could conjure thoughts of lobsters on the sentry-box, on our hoops, on the bushes."
There is a sunbeam on the paper napkin. In the sunbeam there is a fly, dragging himself along, stupefied, sunning himself and rubbing his antennae one against the other. I am going to do him the favour of squashing him. He does not see this giant finger advancing with the gold hairs shining in the sun.
"Don't kill it, Monsieur!" the Self-Taught Man shouted.
"I did it a favour."
"I exist. It's sweet, so sweet, so slow. And light: you'd think it floated all by itself. It stirs. It brushes by me, melts and vanishes. Gently, gently. There is bubbling water in my mouth. I swallow. It slides down my throat, it caresses me—and now it comes up again into my mouth. For ever I shall have a little pool of whitish water in my mouth—lying low—grazing my tongue. And this pool is still me. And the tongue. And the throat is me.
I see my hand spread out on the table. It lives—it is me. It opens, the fingers open and point. It is lying on its back. It shows me its fat belly. It looks like an animal turned upside down. The fingers are the paws. I amuse myself by moving them very rapidly, like the claws of a crab which has fallen on its back."
George Martin
A Song of Ice and Fire
Country – United States
Year – 1996 A Game of Thrones
Year - 1998 A Clash of kings
Year - 2000 A Storm of Swords
Year - 2005 A Feast for Crows
Year - 2011 A Dance with Dragons
Language – English
Genre – Epic fantasy
Ok, this series of epic fantasy novels probably does not
require an introduction. I mean…everybody either read it or watched it or at
least heard of it. A song of Ice and Fire is packed with adventures of all
kinds to keep you continuously entertained. Knights, dragons, wars, politics, gods,
love, sex, magic, dead creatures – you get it all. Just by the time you can
finally remember all the main characters – they start dying and you get
introduced to new ones only to say goodbye to them in a few chapters. In short
instances amid deaths they either fight or have sex. Well, I am being unfair, I
guess J. It is indeed an interesting read and I admire
George Martin’s imagination, meticulous narrations and impartial approach
toward the human’s nature, which is both disgustingly evil and amazingly good.
I have finished two books so far and have three more to go
before I can allow myself to watch a TV series. :)
“There is only one god and his name is Death. And there is only one thing we say to Death: “Not today.”
“When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives.”
“Once you’ve accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you.”
Did you read any of these books?
What did you think?
What would you suggest for me to read in May?
Thank you for stopping by! :)
I may need to add Nausea to my reading list!! Have you read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak? I thought it was great!
ReplyDeleteI watched the movie and I loved it! Thanks for reminding me of this great book - I should definitely read it. And if you didn't watch the movie - I strongly suggest you do! :)
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