Temporary time out. Thank you all who are reading, due to familial restraints we will be taking a brief time out  to conquer the pages at home. We look forward to posting in two weeks.
Jake, Matt and Ryan

The Lighthouse at the End of the World P. 158 Jake

I reccomended this boat based on a list from some mens magazine as one of the top 100 books for men. After reading approximately half of the book, I am not sure why it has made the top 100 list. That is not to say that I am bored, in fact I am enjoying the book very much. I am enjoying the simple language and the realness of the situation created. The circumstances may be over a century old, but the reality of piracy and terrorism are still a contemporary concern. The Lighthouse at the End of the World is a classic tale of good versus evil; and to that extent Verne has created an excellent arena for the battle to take place.
Vasquez, what a great man, he is a strong old salt, level headed and well liked, at least as far as we can tell. He was chosen from thousands of applicants to be the lead watcher for first three month hitch on the new lighthouse. Vasquez also had enough pull to get the two other men selected. All that being said, I feel that he is a little under-developed. I wonder if Jules Verne were to have lived longer would he have developed the characters a little more? The dreaded pirate Kongre seems to be just your run of the mill crafty pirate. The two main human characters are seemingly equal opposites. The only character that has been truly developed here is the island and the elements. I think that the detailed descriptions of Staten Island create the feeling of despair and aloneness that put me squarely in Vasquez's corner. At this point I have just discovered Davis and look forward to reading about he and Vasquez as they attempt to thwart the departure of the Maule.
I appreciate the fact that Verne has not cartoonized, not sure if that is an actual term, but I think you get the point. Both Vasquez and Kongre seem very human and the band of pirates are not all nincompoops. At this point Vasquez does not seem to have some super powers either. I do find it rather convenient Vasquez happens to speak English, not completely inconcievable, but fortunate. Verne could have just as easily had a Spanish ship crash the shores of Staten Island.
I hope you are all enjoying the story as much as I am.

Tourist Season, through the end

In response to Jake's question: Is Hiaasen Keyes? I would say no. Obviously, this novel strays fairly far from any actual events, and I would say that no one character is based entirely on any one real person. However, I would theorize that Hiaasen would more closely align himself with Wiley. I think that Wiley does some of the things that Hiaasen wishes he could do, but can't.
Wiley, like Hiaasen, is a home grown Florida native. Jake has seen the development of Maine, and I have seen the development of Nantucket, and that is but a taste of what Hiaasen has seen Florida. He has had to endure Florida being bulldozed, buried and paved for decades.
Wiley, like Hiaasen, is a fabulous and talented columnist. Both seem well cut out for the newpaper business, whereas the more sensitive Keyes is not.
Certainly, I would say that Hiaasen probably gave a little of himself to both characters, Wiley and Keyes, but I think the closer alignment is with Wiley. Whereas Hiaasen stops short of feeding tourists to crocodiles, I would guess the idea has appealled to him from time to time. While Wiley is free to commit murder and mayhem to save Florida, Hiaasen only has his writing, and he makes a compelling statement.

The Lighthouse at the End of the World

For the next novel, I have chosen something that is a little more closer to my chosen profession. Written in 1901 by Jules Verne, The Lighthouse at the End of the World, was published posthumously in 1905. Inspired by an actual lighthouse, Jules Verne spins a tale of survival. Three light keepers at the Isla de los Estados, or Staten Island Lighthouse, in Argentina are attacked by pirates, only one survives. The story centers on Vasquez, the light operator, who makes himself scarce and survives on the hidden stores of the pirates located in a cave. His only chance of survival is to wait for the return of dispatch boat which is not due for several months. Lucky for him, an american ship crashes on the island, due to the lack of an operational lighthouse, only the ships First Officer survives. The two men join forces to prevent the pirates from escaping and secure the safety of the island once again.
The Lighthouse at the end of the World is not one of Jules Verne's more popular novels, but I think we will enjoy it.
-Jake

Tourist Season, All Done- Jake

I would like to apologize for being so late to reply, I have been finished with the book for quite some time. I am also thinking of editing my bio to reflect the lack of free time that was once so abundant. Moving on, I will skip my review of the second half of Tourist Season and comment on what Matt and Ryan have said.
First, I agree with Ryan, I missed the symbolism of Viceroy meeting his maker in the end zone. I was too enthralled in the air boat action involving Tommy Tigertail, the Shriner's, and Kara Lynn. However, I don't think that there is much more than irony and it happens to be a convenient way for this character to meet his demise. I have to admit that I agree with Ryan, allowing Keyes and Garcia not to consider that the Orange Bowl Queen is to be at the football game does them a big disservice. In fact it kind of pissed me off that it was so over looked. On a side note I like how Hiaasen casually allowed Keyes to hook up with the beauty queen, I mean, I saw it coming,  but it wasn't over played. I know that being the last to post means that you two will not comment on this publicly, but do you think that Hiaasen is Keyes??
Has Carl Hiaasen done damage to his own cause?? No, I don't think so. Despite his many novels and popularity, I bet if we were to poll 100 20-35 year old only 15% would know anything about Hiaasen, and Striptease the movie does not count. I would argue that he has done more to raise awareness and increase activism than excite the greedy developers.
Despite being published more than twenty years ago, I do believe it has been the most topical novel to date. I have to admit that at times I had to agree with the desired outcome of the Nachos, although, their methods were a bit off. As a born and raised Mainiac, that is some one from Maine, I remember times when the area was not so developed and it makes me nostalgic for the past. Being that Maine has an entirely different climate zone, I know that we are in no imminent danger of turning into a megalopolis of say, Miami, but it is a habitat loss all the same. Hiaasen reminds us that our increasing population has to occupy a finite space and some of that space has been occupied by others for a much longer time than ourselves. How we chose to resolve these spacial issues will come to define us for eternity. To echo Ryan's thoughts mentioned earlier, the plot is outrageous and the characters are crazed, I find myself laughing out loud and looking around wanting to share the last line or scene with anyone who will listen. Hiaasen finely blends his politics with his comedy and what we get is a superb novel worth reading again.

Tourist Season - through the end - Ryan

As far as the significant's of Viceroy's demise - to be honest it didn't really dawn on me, in part because I was a bit dismayed by the fact that Hiaasen dropped the ball on the one yard line, when having Keyes and the rest of the Miami police department conveniently forget that the Orange Bowl queen made one last brief appearance during the game.  A bit far fetched for me, particularly given that both Keyes and Garcia were such compelling, competent figures, but given that it was the only minor gripe I had with the entire story, let's move on.  All in all, the ending, like the book in its entirety, had style, and I'm not trying to take anything away from that.

Hiaasen is a wonderful, inventive writer and I appreciate his environmental bent - and I'd agree that his works draws you in - although I'm not prepared to lay any blame at his doorstep in connection with the continuing exploitation of Florida...I recently spent some time in Key West (a business trip of sorts), and being that I was far more sober than during my last visit, it got me thinking about how much better Key West probably was before it became the spring break destination for coeds, but then again it wasn't all that long ago that we were the drunk coeds down there, not giving much of a thought to things like this.

I suspect that Hiaasen probably doesn't get the credit, but I'm not ready to give him the type of accolades Matt's been advocating.  I like that his novels are fun, easy to read and well-crafted, but also littered with important messages that I can get behind.  For me, that's what sets him apart from some of the other writers who you might be just as talented, but stick to some contrived who-dunnits or my current bete noire, those involving terrorists.   

Tourist Season, In its entirety- Matt

I loved it, again, as expected, from start to finish. 

Hiaasen is at once uplifting and cynical.  Keyes and Garcia are the clear good guys, and nobody wants to see the beautiful, yet equally down-to-earth, Kara Lynn Shivers come to any harm.  Bert and James are lovable too, and in the end, you are happy to see the Las Noches de Diciembre lose, but at the same time, Florida loses too.

Skip Wiley, we can assume, dies a bizarre but ultimately heroic death, trying to save a bald eagle from the dynamite of developers.  I suppose for glass is half full folks, we can assume the eagle flies, and we can assume the death of Skip Wiley brings about some more publicity to the plight of Florida.

This is the only Hiaasen book in which the bad guys are the ones fighting to protect what is left of wild Florida.  In his later efforts, the line between the good guys and the bad guys is clearer.  I have to say I like the ambiguity.  My guess is that in later efforts it was just too much for Hiaasen to kill of the people he was really rooting for.  As a home grown Florida guy, Hiaasen’s views on the development of Florida are largely the same as Wiley’s, though his views of terrorism and murder differ.

I have several questions for your consideration.

Do you attach any symbolism to Viceroy’s demise on the same football field that was home to his past glories?   It makes sense until you consider he doesn’t seem to like football or the Dolphins all that much.

Do you think Hiaasen, through his spectacular writing, has done damage to his own cause?  Every time I pick up one of his works, it makes me yearn to be in the sunshine state, no matter how insane his criminals or how random and egregious the violence.  Even through the greed and madness, Hiaasen’s love of the sunshine state is evident and contagious.  I have spent a good chunk of my life in Florida, and though that probably has more to do with the weather and the availability of gamefish, Hiaasen’s works certainly contributed.  Has Hiaasen inadvertently contributed to the demise of the Florida wild that he holds so dear?

To answer my own question, I would say no.  The allure of Florida is strong with or without Hiaasen; nothing can be done by Hiaasen or Skip Wiley to stop people from coming.  What could stop it are the developers and the greed-heads getting their hands on all of what makes it wonderful in the first place.  Hiaasen has alerted his readers to the problem, and done a significant service by influencing Florida’s citizens and visitors to behavior more appropriately and be respectful of the fragile South Florida environment.  When considering how to behave, everywhere, but particularly in Florida, everybody should ask himself or herself the following question: What would Hiaasen do?

In fact, that may be the first piece of official Guys Who Read merchandise: What would Hiaasen do? Bumper stickers, t-shirts, etc. 

Finally, I would like to hear your take on the literary merit of Tourist Season.  It is sort of a pop-literature book and genre, but with a message that is clearer, more important and more applicable than that of any of the other works the Guys Who Read have tackled so far.  In my eyes this is clearly the best book of any genre we have read, and it pains me that nobody is rolling out Pulitzers and Nobel Prizes for my man Carl Hiaasen?  What are your thoughts on that?

Tourist Season - through 256 Ryan

So in a few hours here, a few there, I've blown through about three quarters of the book.  This is my second go round with Hiaasen; I read 'Nature Girl" awhile back, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  This is no different.  The characters are crazied, the plot is outrageous, and I too have found myself giggling out loud.

Keyes is very cool customer.  You can't help but love him.  Wiley is clinically insane, and yet despite his murderous rampage, you kinda feel drawn to him too.  Truth be told, there is not one character that Hiaasen doesn't draw you to in some way - even a sap like Richard Lancelot Bloodworth has me pulling for him in a weird so of way - particularly once his fries his little member in the one and only bombing Jesus doesn't royally screw up (even if the intended target Garcia escapes unharmed).

But nobody beats Daniel "Viceroy" Wilson - what a contradiction!  Former pro football player, sexual gladiator, junkie, philosopher, petty thief, burgeoning terrorist and car enthusiast.  I assume he won't get his own spinoff, as Keyes will ultimately end up getting the best of him and his gang, but I can't wait to see how it plays out.  I'm pulling for a big finish from him.

I had to check back to see when this was originally penned - 1986 as it turns out - because Hiaasen is killing me with all these comical Cold War references about commies, right wing Cubans, and the like.  He makes the Florida of yesteryear sounds like quite a concoction...I can't imagine what the cocaine filled 80's were like down there.

I've got just over a 100 pages yet, and there are a lot of plot lines hanging out there - can't wait to see how weaves these together.  Kudos to Matt on the selection
     

Tourist Season Page 141- Jake

I love it!!! This has been a complete 180 degree turn from the last book. Being born and raised in a tourist town, I can easily relate to the relationship developing with the locals and the tourists, not to the extent that our Nachos de Deciembre feel. Keyes on the other hand is a character that I am fully behind. I appreciate the way that Hiaasen has slowly and craftily developed each character, giving you enough relevant information and loosely weaving each of them together. I must admit that I have laughed out loud several times and I am especially tickled by the Darmouth educated bomber, who can't seem to get his timing down. WTF? I am also finding the boggling of the case by the Miami PD true to form. Not that I have much experience with the Miami PD, it just seems fitting.
I am not so sure that Matt is correct on the topic of Jenna, I think she may just be torn between two lovers and is trying to end up on the winning side. I understand that she makes a very sexy nurse.
I have read many Carl Hiaasen novels and I have enjoyed them all very much, but what I remember the most is how he manages to pair dissimilar criminals and force them to work together. I enjoyed the last interaction between Wilson and Jesus on the way to apply for the security detail for the parade. I can see the destruction of this duo in the near future.
For now, one page at a time.

Tourist Season through page 95

I opened it last night, and what an absolute pleasure it has been.  The only difficult thing about this book is having to put it down to share my thoughts here.  It has been quite some time since I read Tourist Season, and the much of the plot has become a mystery again.  I believe I remember the ending, but the possibility that I have remembered it wrong is enough to keep me racing through the pages.

As is my usual with Hiaasen, I am often laughing out load.  If you plan to read in bed, next to snoozing significant other, keep that in mind.  It will be difficult to keep silent.

I have no recollection of Jenna and her role.  To this point, I think it fairly obvious that she set up Keyes, and is in cahoots with Wiley to some degree more than she is letting on, but I feel she also stops short of a full and knowing acomplice.

The interesting thing about Tourist Season is that the bad guys are good guys.  Our protagonist Keyes is a good guy, certainly a compassionate, honest, and of sound morals.  Stabbing the public defender with a shrimp fork is great, and Hiaasen’s way of divulging that information to us via newspaper report is masterful.

Keyes is beyond reproach, but Las Noches do Diciembre, especially Skip Wiley and Tommy Tigertail, are fighting the good fight as well.  Obviously, their methods go a little beyond the pail.  Feeding board of commerce directors, Shriners, Canadians, and retirees to a massive American crocodile is brutal, though you can see the beauty of Wiley’s logic.  It will be interesting to see if some of the bad guys with good causes come out alright.

I am going to get back to reading, and I look forward to hearing from you.  I wonder if my absolute adoration of Hiaasen and his works will be adopted by all the Guys Who Read, or whether you will find fault where I have found none.

Until Next Time,

Matt

The epic failure of 'City of God' - through the end Ryan

I've been caught up with some issues that required attention, and so my posting on this book with be short and to the point, particularly given that it was obviously NOT a fan favorite, as both my fellow travelers barely made it through the entire read.  Personally I was impressed with the Doctorow was trying to accomplish with this novel - although I will grant you that the varied tracts and voices made it challenging to say the least.

With simultaneous voices offering contemporaneous as well as historical perspectives, Doctorow spoke to the varied impact of life, death and religion on the trajectory of the characters of Pem - a confused minister, and Sarah , a female rabbi who he meets under peculiar circumstances.  Overall I found it to be ambitious and unique...that much would be tough to argue.  As far as its merit, I enjoyed the read - others did not.  Given my inattentiveness on this one, we'll leave it at that.  From what I gather, the guys are moving on to some much needed lighter fare, per Matt.  Moving on...

Ryan

On the Selection of Tourist Season

For our next selection, I have chosen Carl Hiaasen's Tourist Season.  It will be the first time I am rereading a book for the Guys Who Read, and I am looking forward to it.  When I finish a great book, I often wish I had somebody to talk it over with, and one of the key reasons we started this was to revisit personal favorites and this time around be able to talk about it.  I am a Hiaasen fan of the first order, and I would imagine that in the coming years Guys Who Read will select all of his titles at some point, and that being the case, I thought we would start at the beginning with Hiaasen's first solo effort.

Many years ago I received Tourist Season as a Christmas gift from my Uncle Bob, and though I do not recall how old I was at the time, I do recall that I was not old enough to be excited about receiving a book for Christmas.  It languished on the shelf for a number of months or years, and I finally removed it when I needed a book to travel with, I believe to Florida.  Within a few pages, I was hooked.  After finishing Tourist Season, I read all of his published works in succession and immediately bought his new books when they came out, usually refusing to wait for the paperback and buying the hardcover.  The book is still my most retroactively excellent gift.

On the spectrum of literature versus popular fiction, this is selection is our furthest toward the popular fiction side.  This is not entirely coincidental, as I thought we needed something lighter after the "City of God Awful" incident.  However, I intended from day one to make Hiaasen’s works a staple of Guys Who Read. I would also argue that Hiaasen's work contains a message and social commentary that is both relevant and important.

That original from Uncle Bob is no longer on my bookshelves and I have ordered a used hardcover to add to my collection.  As soon as it arrives I am going to dive in, and I will post shortly after.  Hiaasen’s books are real page-turners, and I do not anticipate this book lasting long for anybody.

I look forward to rereading one of my favorites with everybody, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Until Next Time,

Matt

City of God End -Jake

I have finally, with much effort and a few skipped pages finished what is possibly the worst book published in 2001. I am not sure what it was really about. I have to agree with Matt that good writing is clear, this cloudy drivel, focusing only slightly on Pem and Sarah, the Holocaust, Cinema, a washed up writer? Has close to no point. I am truly disappointed that the only information about the heist was a cross was stolen and found, its only importance is that it was a vehicle to loosely spark a fire to tell multiple unrelated stories. In my opinion, each of these stories would have made a fine novel in its own right, some of which I may have chose to read.
Some final thoughts. If anyone has stumbled upon this blog and has ignored our advice to put this waste of paper back on the shelf. Who is the Ex-times guy? Everett? Why the Mid- blah blah Jazz thing? Who is that? Why are we comparing the evolution of man to the cinema? I am also confused as to why Pem and Sarah are not really friends with Everett? What happened? They seemed to be getting along so well. Lastly, after finishing the book, I get the point E.L. Doctorow was trying to make, maybe. God is all seeing, all knowing and perhaps the expansion of the universe was his design as was the evolution of human thought and understanding of such and ever expanding and eventually shinking universe. Additionally, that all of that could have been so that I could write about it here? At any rate, to make his point, he seems to have taken the scenic route for no good reason.

looking forward to the next book.

City of God through p.64 - Matt

This book is terrible.  If you are considering buying and reading this book, I advise you in no uncertain terms that you should not.  This is the first book that I am reading on the Nook, and for several pages until I touched base with Jake and Ryan, I was under the impression I did something wrong or the download malfunctioned and I only received portions of the book, or a parts of couple different books, or something along those lines.  That is how disjointed and nonsensical this novel is.

There are several competing plot lines that on their own are difficult to follow, and they have no connection at this point.  There are seemingly many different narrators, though they are all the work of one author, who is the real narrator, which is difficult to understand even when stated here, never mind when tossed into the already dense, unclear and disconnected prose.  Doctorow offers no guidance or clarification as to what is happening, and most of what I know about the plot I read online or from Ryan’s original post.

There seems to be a promising examination of modern man’s relationship with God and religion in here somewhere, but it is totally lost under piles of nonsense and bad writing.  Doctorow offers no clues on who is talking, what is happened, and to what end we are working through his drivel.

Doctorow should be embarrassed, as should the publisher and everybody else involved, that this pile of verbose gibberish is being passed off as literature.  Amongst some books of supposed “literary merit” ambiguity and confusion are permitted to run rampant, masquerading as complex subtleties or questions for contemplation, and suffice to say that I am not a fan of it.  Good writing is clear writing, and that goes for literature as well as anything else.

I have struggled through 63 pages, and I could forgive a slow start, but this is too much.  After reading Jake’s review through 140, and seeing that Doctorow has still not produced anything concrete or understandable to that point, I am throwing in the towel on this one.  I am not one to give up on books; I have finished countless bad and marginal books just because I started them.  In that regard, Doctorow has performed quite a feat, writing a book that is bad enough that I refuse to go on.

I understand that Doctorow is quite old, and if not for that, I would very much like to punch him in the head.

City of God p. 140

Ugh, this is not getting any more interesting.

Not sure what to make of this Midrash Jazz quartet, to be honest, after skimming it this last time I have decided to skip it entirely the next time it appears. Who it is suppose to be representing? In fact I am quite confused as to who is speaking most of the time, except when it is very obvious.

I am enjoying the story of Sarah's father, I am not sure how it is going to tie into the Heist. Perhaps this story is more concerned with the existence of God. I can say that it was also enjoyable to hear the story of Pem's father, again not sure how or why it is a part of the book. As I am reading more and more, I am not sure what is really going on, with 140 pages left I am not sure if I am halfway in or at just the tip of the iceberg.

In summary thus far I can say that the book is not entirely awful, but as Ryan suggested in his introduction, this is an ambitious and involved novel. I feel that at this point ambition is over running accomplishments. Doctorow is attempting to neatly package a subject that is too large, he has addressed the problems with science and religion, two studies that are fundamentally at odds with each other. I am not sure that he will be able to come to any useful conclusion. The introduction of personal accounts from the Holocaust and the war give way to the argument of if God exists, then why does he allow such horrible acts to take place? Again, not sure how this will be concluded. I hope that this whole novel is not going to be an exploratory novel where at its conclusion the reader will have to realize their own conclusion about the existence of God. If this is the case, I feel that story is not strong enough and I am wasting my time. If Doctorow had chose one aspect of the great God debate this novel might be a little more compelling. I would also offer the opinion that the detective genre is not the best forum for this topic. In fact, the stories from WW2 are a much better background for the argument for and against the existence of a God. In fact, where is the initial plot? The act of thievery has alluded  me thus far. 


Summary, at this point I understand that there has been a heist, to the extent that a cross has been stolen and recovered. The motives of the heist are still unknown, but it does appear that the mastermind(s) was caught. Also, it appears that the motives and capture of the perpetrator(s) is book worthy. So why have we not been clued in?? I am confused. Anyone else in this boat?

City of God p. 70 - Jake

It was a rough start, after reading the first 10 pages or so I thought about reading a review online and passing it for my own. The repeated references to complicated physics, not my favorite subject, was beginning to wear on me. I am glad I pushed past it. The switching between the detective, the Priest and the female Rabbi area a bit much at first, this is not a book to read before going to bed. It requires a slightly more active brain. After 70 pages each of the three main characters have been developed enough to make them believable, and I can say that I am no longer interested in getting the Reader’s Digest condensed version of this novel. At this point the ‘Heist’, has not fully revealed it self; yes, a cross has been stolen and found. It seems that the theft of the cross had intent, that is to say that it had to be that cross from that church. Why? To be discovered.

I had mentioned earlier that I do not really like the detective genre, however I do enjoyed the fatally flawed characters that a detective novel invites. E.L. Doctorow’s detective is flawed just so; I want to hate him for being the adulterer, yet I secretly hope he succeeds, then again I hate him for his detached ruthlessness in attempting to rewire this woman’s life. It is like watching a butterfly get tangled in a spider’s web. I would like to make it clear, I am not cheering this detective on, but I am enjoying his twisted story.

What’s the deal with Pem? Is he just a pleasantly chubby Priest who is questioning his faith? Or has he done something or seen something that is making him a target. I hope to find out more soon. 

Sarah B, at this point we know more of her background, not of her present¸ I think she will be a driving force in this investigation. Her husband, I do not expect to be of much use.

I look forward to the next 70 pages.

On the selection of E.L. Doctorow's 'City of God' - Ryan

Well we are on to our third book, E.L. Doctorow's 'City of God.'  This novel takes place in contemporary New York City - a detective story of sorts - about an Episcopal priest from the lower east side who teams up with a female rabbi from upper west side to uncover a mystery surrounding the desecration of the church's cross.  Written in a broken style from the perspective of the priest, it twists and turns in a most unique fashion, while telling the story of a God and man in the modern era.  It is ambitious and involved, albeit a challenging read, though I have it on good information that the reward is worth it.  We'll begin posting shortly.  Enjoy!

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay in its entirety- Matt

Unfortunately life has gotten in the way a little bit and there has been a gap in my reading and posting.  I find myself usually unable to put down a book I am engrossed in, and it is life that takes a backseat until I am finished, and there was no exception when it came to this novel.  I finished it a while ago and have gone some time without posting. I enjoyed it very much, and agree with all of Ryan’s final comments.

Although it has been a while since I put the book down, I will touch on one thing that particularly resonates with me.

When Joe gets sent to the Antarctic, it certainly seemed to be a bizarre, and perhaps anti-climactic turn of events.  I did not know what to expect, but I quickly grew to love it.  Joe’s desire and need for revenge drove him to enlist in the first place, and it was with revenge in mind that he ended up being sent to the bleak and lonely Antarctic.  He quickly finds himself even more alone with the deaths of all his companions, save the pilot and the dog Oyster.  Chabon is conveying the theme, with the most basic of symbolism, that revenge is cold and lonely.  While I think subtlety has a place in literature, I that themes and symbols are often too obscure, and I enjoy being treated to some very obvious symbolism from time to time, and I believe Chabon has done that beautifully.  I had mixed thoughts about it at first but upon more reflection I think the slaying of Oyster is an excellent statement on how destructive revenge can be.  Joe stands nonchalantly by while by while his friend and companion is killed, all in the name of revenge.

I recommend the book to anybody, and if you have a fondness for comic books, I would image this book would become an instant favorite.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay through the end - Ryan

It took me almost the same amount of time to get through the last two hundred pages or so as it took for the first four hundred, but that is in no way a reflection on how the novel progressed.  I say again - the accolades are well deserved.  I must admit that I was a bit concerned as I plowed through to the end that, given all of the story lines Chabon had begun, would he have trouble tying them all off to my satisfaction.  I was wrong.  In no time, he began to answer all of the questions I was fumbling around with in my head:  

Would Kavalier coming to grips with his demons and finally come home to New York?  Yes, after a bizarre trip to the arctic in the service of the US Army - a somewhat cathartic yet humbling experience - he reunites with Rosa and Clay after his self-imposed exile and following his return, he takes up with them as if they didn’t miss a beat.

What’s been the result of Clay’s suppression of his true sexual feelings for all these years?  In a word - sadness.  The nasty business of homosexual prejudices rears its ugly head again during the comic book show trial…Clay thinks back with mixed emotions to his last days spent with Bacon; but this development also gives him the courage to break free from all those suppressed feelings.

As for the Golem?  Well that mystical creature makes its return – in more ways than one.  We see Kavalier’s impending creation of a dark comic featuring the Golem (his life’s work all that time he was holed up in the Empire State building) - which helped him come to grips with all he'd been through...but later the actual Golem makes an appearance, arriving in Long Island after a long circuitous journey.  But now the mythical figure is just a pile of Prague river mud and clothes inside a container.  The significance?  Well, I’m not sure, but my guess is that, as we everything else in this book, it ties in to that story of escape and rebirth.

My take - the emergence of the never forgotten Golem gives Kavalier some closure; the ability to move on - to escape from the torture of his brother's death - and start over with Rosa, and his son; a life he abandoned years and years ago. 

And speaking of escape and rebirth, Chabon closes the novel with Clay heading off to Los Angeles as he intended to all those many years ago with Bacon, only now feeling more free than he ever as after being exposed during the comic book show trial.

So just to recap, I really like this book.  Very entertaining; the recurring themes made for an opportunity to constantly view developments on another level, which I enjoyed.  It made me think about the story in a broader context, which I liked.  I’ll keep an eye out for Chabon in the future, and probably get around to reading some of his other novels down the road.  It’s was lot to take in, and I wish I didn’t have so many interruptions along the way so I could have concentrated a bit more on the novel, but all in all a very creative, enjoyable story, beautifully interwoven into the events of the day.    

-Ryan

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay through p. 421- Matt

 I finished up the novel this morning, but I will confine my post to a small section after Ryan’s last post.

As Ryan and others suspected, there was a little more left in the Ebling sub-plot.  While his dealings with Joe are done, in a butterfly effect sort of way, it was these dealings that send law enforcement to the New Jersey beach house to, as it is put, “flush a fairy nest,” and have dire consequences for Sammy. 

On a related historical note, I have never heard of this type of persecution before, but I assume it has a basis in fact.  I never really thought about it, but I guess had no idea that homosexuality was actively targeted by law enforcement.  I am happy that is no longer the case, and while certainly the struggle for gay rights is not over, I am happy to know it has come quite far.  Having law enforcement trying to snuff out gay people persecute them is a nasty, unsavory business that I am happy to not have run across.

The fortunes of Sammy and Joe take a dramatic downturn in the space of few pages.  Sammy abandons his plan to move to Los Angeles, and with it, his hopes for romantic contentment.  Joe’s fervent aspiration, to which he dedicated himself fully, of delivering his family to safety and comfort is dashed when his brother is killed during his transit to America.

Until now, we have seen repeated victories and successes for both Sammy and Joe, but in the last few pages, all of there dreams have been reduced to rubble.  Now we will see what they manage to rebuild.

Until Next Time-

Matt

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay – through pg. 395

So over the last couple hundred pages, I’ve really changed my tune about Clay.  My earlier statement about him being selfish was largely unfair in hindsight.  Now that I’ve put his life into a broader context, I really feel for the guy.  Between the self-consciousness he must feel over his withered legs, to the difficult process he must be going through with his own sexual self-discovery, it’s really quite amazing that he has been able to achieve so much professionally, probably due to the state of his personal life.

You get a sense about how little Clay values himself during one pointed exchange he had with Bacon, the actor playing the Escapist on the radio serial, and his mutual love interest: “It’s not comic books that you think are inferior, it’s you.”  I hope he finds happiness; maybe together with Bacon out in Los Angeles.  I guess we’ll see.

One thing I was a bit disappointed in was the way in which the tit-for-tat between Ebling and Kavalier has seemingly ended with Ebling’s arrest after the failed attempt on Kavalier’s life.  I expected more of a running exchange between these two – a bit more of a back and forth akin to the interplay between the typical comic book hero and foil, with Kavalier always getting the best of Ebling, yet somehow the bungling Ebling escaping justice to fight another day.  I must say I thought the Nazi sympathizer would remain in the story for a lot longer.

And after several months of delays, Kavalier’s brother Thomas should be arriving in New York any day…I’m looking forward to see what transpires. 

Ryan

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay p. ???

Gentlemen, I applaud you eager reading, I am a little behind in both the book and the posting. We are redoing the living room at this time and as a part-time father and husband I have my hands full. I will be posting in the next few days as up to the page as you are. . . I hope.
-Jake

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay – through pg. 301 Ryan

After reading Matt’s post and giving my comments some more consideration, perhaps my earlier assessment of Clay was a bit harsh.  But I’m not going to dwell on it as a lot has happened in the one hundred some-odd pages since my last post.

We see the introduction of several new characters of perceived importance: Carl Ebling, the fascist director of the Arayan-American League (AAL) and a closeted aficionado of the Escapist, and Rosa Saks, a bohemian artist who takes up with Kavalier as his exquisite love interest.

I suspect Kavalier’s break-in at the AAL and Ebling’s faux bombing of Empire Records is only the first in a series of tit-for-tat exchanges between these two men, a microcosm of the larger struggle at hand.  Something tells me that things will not end well between these two.  And I like the introduction of Rosa.  She seems to be quite a remarkable woman.  And more importantly, I like that Kavalier did not dismiss her advances out of hand due to feelings of guilt over his family’s predicament.  Every good story needs a romantic entanglement.

What I did not expect is Clay’s apparent homosexual tendencies, or so we are led to believe thus far.  A perfunctory “not that there is anything wrong with that” goes without saying; I just didn’t see it coming.  

Aside from this development, there is an ever-increasing number of more important story threads developing, including Kavalier’s efforts to secure his brother Thomas’ rescue from Prague, the new introduction of the luna moth-butterfly comic book character Judy Dark (based loosely on Rosa, incorporating another strand of the recurring rebirth motif I’ve come to welcome from Chabon), and the Kavalier-Ebling entanglement.  With about half the story left, I’m interested to see how these numerous plot lines will play out.

Finally, on a side note, what do you guys make of Chabon’s continued happenstance interactions between the boys and a variety of historical figures, of late Al Smith and Salvador Dali.  I’m not sure what to make of this – on one level it keeps me on my toes, but at the same time, it smacks of absurdity – Kavalier and Clay continually bumping into the elite of their day in a series of random encounters…a bit far-fetched. 

Ryan 

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay through p. 196 - Matt

I would disagree and take the position that Sammy is a good guy, and a true friend to Joe.  I would agree with you that sympathy for what Joe is going through with his family seems to be lacking, but I think showing the appropriate level of would be impossible.  By no means do I pretend to understand the feeling associated with the holocaust, but I think to some degree we have all experienced this: when somebody we know is going through a personal tragedy and we want to be more compassionate, and we try to be more understanding, but whatever the person going through is so terrible and severe that no matter what attempts we make to sympathize, they seem insignificant.  In light of what is happening to Joe, I do not think there is anything that Sammy can do that will seem appropriate.

When Joe wants to do what he can to sway public opinion against Germany in the pages of the comic books, Sammy is his devout ally.  When Anapol and Ashkenazy are hesitant to have the Escapist openly declare war on Germany long before the United States gets involved, Sammy never hesitates of waivers and is happy to risk his own job and fortune to make stand with Joe, threatening to quit if their personal attacks on the Third Reich are not allowed to continue.

I would also point out that Sammy and Joe seem to be profiting equally from their comics.  Anapol and Ashkenazy were in a position to take advantage of them, and they did so, but Sammy was in a position take advantage of Joe, and he never did.  As the one making the negotiations, the one with some knowledge of American business, and the one with his finger on the pulse of the comic books, Sammy could have gotten himself the lion’s share of whatever Anapol and Ashkenazy were passing down to them, but he always ensures that his cousin is profiting as much as himself.

It could be said that Joe was the more talented of the two, and his artistic ability is what makes the comics and by profiting equally Sammy was in fact taking advantage of him, but I would argue that Sammy’s genius in crafting the stories and building the characters, and general comic book editing ability is equally important.

Until Next Time- Matt

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay – through pg. 196 Ryan

So the Escapist seems to mean something different to each kid at this point.  For Clay, it’s a way to make money, make it big, and then make it out of Brooklyn.  For Kavalier, it’s a way to make it big, but for the purpose of freeing his family and bringing them to America.  You get the sense that they are both desperate in a way, but for Kavalier the stakes are that much higher.  But what we haven’t seen yet is Clay really identify in a compelling way with Kavalier in terms of what he is going through because of what is family is facing. 

Which brings me to the relationship between Kavalier and Clay.  What do you guys make of it at this point?

Frankly, I’m starting to find Clay to be a bit of a shit, who is only slightly more sympathetic than Anapol – the very shrewd, very fat one-time peddler of cheap novelty gags who is becoming rich off the comic trade thanks to the efforts of these young men.  For instance, take this exchange between Kavalier and Clay, which occurs after Kavalier learns of his father’s death:

   

“Could there be some mistake?” Sammy said.

“Such things are always possible,” Joe said bitterly.

“Oh, Jesus,” Sammy said”  ...I hate to tell my mother this.”  (pg. 190)

Maybe I’m reading too much into this, but hell – that’s a pretty self-centered thing to say to a guy who just lost his father, and is likely facing the prospect of having his entire family wiped out.  Generally speaking, Clay doesn't seem to be a terribly likable guy.  So what do you guys make of Clay, and their relationship?  Is he a clueless, self- absorbed manipulator, or just someone who means well despite his general loutish behavior? 

Ryan            

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay through p. 85 - Matt

I returned a couple days ago from a little trip to Miami, and between a few plane rides, airport delays (which seem almost inevitable these days, but I still feel JetBlue owes me something), and leisurely vacation reading time, I am on page 473.  Rather trying to condense my thoughts to this point, or trying to remember back for piece mail posts, my plan is to respond to your posts as they come along.

Ryan, thank you for illuminating the rebirth motif that continually surfaces with escapes, magic acts, Houdini, and its relation to personal rebirths and large-scale rebirths.  It is certainly interesting to think about and keep in our minds as we continue on.  I wonder if the Escapist undergoes a rebirth, and if so, how is it significant?

As for the Golem, I too did a little research but turned up nothing more than you.  It seems this figure was sculpted from river mud, became animate for a time and helped the Jews of Prague, and now is inanimate again.  Perhaps this will play into the rebirth motif.

I am certainly enjoying the book.  At times, I have found it a little slow, but then I ask myself how slow could it really be for me to plow through 500 pages in a few days?  Chabon’s style is detailed and expansive, but (unlike McCarthy) I never find myself at the end of a paragraph wondering what was just said or why.

It goes without saying that the subject matter of a book will probably go a long way toward deciding whether you like it or not, regardless of the quality of the writing.  For instance, anglers are much more likely than non-anglers to find Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea a remarkable and exciting book (the non-anglers are foolish and wrong, but that is not the point).  Jake and I may like a novel because the characters are fly fisherman, even if the writing is not fantastic.  The Brothers K by David James Duncan will absolutely blow the mind of a baseball fan, whereas other just may regard it more casually.

If you are comic book fan, and especially if you are a true connoisseur, I would guess that you would enjoy this novel about as much as it is possible for somebody to enjoy a book.  As I mentioned in the introduction, I am not a comic book aficionado, but Chabon's descriptions of their history and their development are very interesting.  While I still do not anticipate getting into comic books after I finish this book, in my eyes Chabon has validated them as an art form.

Until Next Time-

Matt

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay through p. 85 - Ryan

I’ll start by giving Jake kudos for the selection.  So far I am hooked.  Now on to my scanty attempt at a little critical analysis: Chabon’s early use of the rebirth metaphor as seen through Kavalier’s worship of Houdini and his own pursuit of the fabled escapist’s endevors – is a nice hook on an individual level.  I find myself instantly routing for this kid, and hoping he hits it big in America.  Not bad...

At the same time, the notion of a rebirth – on a macro level – is a bit eerie when one considers the backdrop of what’s going on in Europe right now, given that we all know (with the benefit of hindsight) that the rest of the Jews of Europe will be facing down death in the not too distant future.  It was chilling for me to think of rebirth on this level (in terms of say the future founding of the Israel) because between the two events there is a level of death and destruction, particularly of a sophisticated nature, that makes me, for one, embarrassed to be a human being.  Rebirth indeed.

I suspect that we’ll see this notion of rebirth continue; Chabon already alludes to it briefly when mentioning Clay’s “caterpillar schemes," and at this point I’m wondering if we’ll see several births and rebirths between these two main characters as they face up to what is going on at this moment in history.

Enough with my attempts at discerning intent; now on to the Golem.  Frankly, I was determined to see if I could figure out what they were talking about.  My best friend growing up was a secular Jew, and I was exposed to some elements of his more faithful relatives at times, so I felt I would be able to draw upon some recessed memories from my youth to somehow figure out what the hell there were talking about.  I was wrong.

And so after finishing Part I, I immediately went to the world wide internets for a quick tutorial.  What I found was unsatisfying, if not more confusing.  From what I gathered the story of the Golem of Prague is about a mystical being created from local river clay in order help the Jews defend them against Christian persecution.    

Question – can either of you, or perhaps one of our loyal followers with a better understanding derived from a source more respected than Wikipedia shed some light on this topic?  I feel like the Golem might come back into play down the road, and if that’s the case I’d like to be armed with a better understanding the second go round.

On the Selection of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay- Matt

Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is a book I have made my way to in the aisles of bookstores on more than one occasion, and for one reason or another, always put it back on the shelf. 

I took a look at it the first time because of the Pulitzer Prize and the good buzz surrounding it.  Somebody gave me The Yiddish Policeman's Union as a gift, and for one reason or another, I figured I would read Kavalier and Clay first.  As it turns out, I have still not read either.

I again made my way to Michael Chabon after watching and loving the movie Wonderboys and learning that it was based on a book of his.  While I was not in the mood to read Wonderboys, having just seen the movie, I took another look at The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay.

I think I put it back once because I was not in mood for a historical novel; I was looking for something present day.  I put it back another time because it seemed the setting was New York and Europe, and I prefer locales a little wilder, and another time because comic books seemed be involved and I am not much of a comic book guy.  In the past though, when, for one reason or another, I read something that I normally would put back on the shelf, I often enjoy it and a few are among my favorite books.  I am glad Jake has finally forced my hand into reading this one.

As a book that has been on my radar for a number of years, I am looking forward to it, but as a book that I have put back on the shelf a number of times, I have reasonable expectations.  It is possible that McCarthy being compared to McMurtry before I ever flipped a page may have doomed him from the start.

I am going to dive in.

Until Next Time- Matt