The Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai

Passed the piles of purple prose, over the mountains of metaphors and through the slough of adjectives you'll find this is a story of few words and little consequence. As a reader deciding to dedicate some free time to listening to a stranger's thoughts, it is expected that the author offer at least a small amount of respect in return. Most chapters of The Inheritance of Loss begin with reminder phrases, as if the reader is returning from a commercial break - and they may as will be with this stretched out and dulled tale. Ms. Desai chooses to tell and not show most of the story, again and again both insulting the intelligence of her readers and leaving no room for her towers of imagery to enter the confines of imagination or to grow even the least bit recognizable.
The plot follows the members of a family as their lives are affected by change, racism, classicism and related social agitation. A teenage orphan who lives with her wealthy, antisocial grandfather struggles with coming of age and a failed love affair; the cook's son fails to "make it" as an illegal alien in the land of opportunity; a beloved dog goes missing; some things are stolen and some are discovered. This book might be a good read for someone who wants to waste time without thinking but has no television. It was awarded the 2006 Man Booker, which raises questions as to both the legitimacy of that prize and the sanity of their selection committee.

BOOOOOOOO!
1.5 out of 5
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McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury of Thriling Tales - Various Authors

As the introduction explains, McSweeney's editor Dave Eggers permitted fellow writer Michael Chabon to guest edit an issue of the quarterly and fill it with adventure (or otherwise thrilling) stories, which Chabon feels are regrettably underrated these days. The result - here put into book form - is a very inconsistent mix of tales, none of which are very thrilling, from a number of well known authors (Stephen King, Michael Crichton, Sherman Alexie, and both Chabon and Eggers). Most of it seems extremely uninspired, if not unfinished, as if - in response to Chabon's solicitations - the writers churned out whatever slop first came to their minds and sent it off. But within the 'treasury' are a few worthwhile pieces - namely, Dave Egger's "Up the Mountain Coming Down Slowly" (which can also be found in his book How We Are Hungry); Rick Moody's long, apocalyptic vision of drug use and memory, "The Albertine Notes"; and Chabon's "The Martian Agent, a Planetary Romance" (although it claims to be the beginning to a larger work, and thus seems incomplete). One would probably be better off seeking out these stories in other places, as the rest of the compilation is not worth reading.

BOOOOOOOO!
1.5 out of 5
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A People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present - Howard Zinn

This heavy volume is, foremost, a history book, as it says, and so it is laden with sometimes tedious examples, excerpts, facts, and dates - but it has a distinctive purpose: to counterweight the majority of our historical works, which Zinn believes tend to be too sympathetic of states and dismissive of people. In other words, it is a conscious effort to shift the perspective of American history to those who have, in the United States' approximately 230 year history (and prior), been marginalized, oppressed, forgotten, or otherwise victimized. While he devotes plenty of space to deploring the actions and attitudes of governments, Zinn mainly focuses on People's movements - rebellions, protests, strikes, dissent - the essential motivating force behind democratic change. In a sense A People's History is a compassionate history, in that it does not dismiss war and violence and oppression as necessary events in light of our present situations. But its greatest purpose, it seems, is its attempt to override the many still-common American myths, including - but not limited to - that the country's founders had pure, righteous intentions; that politicians were once honest and fair; that unjust military intervention is a recent blemish; and that, in general, our country needs to return to its old values. This book is dense and extensive; for those looking for a shorter path to cynicism, Zinn recently released an illustrated version.

IMPORTANT
4 out of 5
Buy this book: A People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present (P.S.)

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel - Susanna Clarke

Although it is a fantasy novel - a story of magic, fairies, and other unearthly themes - this book demands respect. There is an undeniable sophistication in Clarke's craft, and her language is tinged with a dry wit. Ironically, what separates her novel from just being a frivolous book about magic is precisely her treatment of magic - it is not a Disney-like, colorful phenomenon, but a suspect, gray, dangerous, uncontrollable force. Its effects are not compatible with our normal sense of reality; things shift, corrode and change imperceptibly, suddenly, compromising the reason and sanity of her characters, as well as the stability of the physical realm - in fact, the world may be better off with out it. The magic she describes could just as easily be nuclear physics. Complete with extensive footnotes that take off into intriguing side stories, the story never ceases to entertain, even as it approaches the 1,000th page.

HIGHLY ENTERTAINING
4 out of 5

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The Gate - Francois Bizot

Maybe it's a translation issue, but this meandering tale of the only imprisoned Westerner to survive the Khmer Rouge is definitively lacking. An account of the French author's capture and three month internment in the early 1970s followed by a confinement to the grounds of the French Embassy and eventual expulsion from the country is made somewhat interesting by his interactions with Douche (Duch), who is currently being tried for his later role as the director of Tuol Sleng detention center. Bizot's story is long and insipid. Though his experience was not one I'd like to have, millions of Cambodians probably would have begged for it when compared to their outcomes. Between seemingly unrelated tangents and a writing style that constantly detaches the reader from the story, this is a book worth skipping. Instead consider reading one of the Cambodians' stories.

BOOOOOOOO!
1.5 out of 5

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Oracle Night - Paul Auster

Paul Auster's Oracle Night is the story of a writer with writer's block who finds a mysterious blue notebook that leads him off into a series of misadventures that are not so much adventurous as irresponsible. The premise is almost too ironic considering the content, which suggests to me that the author knew he was writing a bunch of nonsense, as though it was really just an exercise to get stagnant ideas flowing. The writing is oppressive; Auster seems to assume his audience isn't intelligent enough, so he provides unnecessary defining clauses for all his "big" words. Had it not been so lauded, at least on its covers, it may not have been so disappointing; but it is this sort of novel that encourages my skepticism of any praised contemporary fiction.

BOOOOOOOO!
1.5 out of 5
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Absurdistan - Gary Shteyngart

Absurdistan naturally draws comparisons to two satirical masterpieces, A Confederacy of Dunces and Catch-22, as it is the story of a massively obese young rich man caught amidst the international insanity of corporate globalization and war. But lined up against those two works, it simply cannot compare. It is, at times, a highly descriptive, lively, and amusing novel, but not much more - after all, what could a modern novel about the absurdity of war and the military-industrial complex possibly add to what was given to us by Joseph Heller back in 1961? As if aware of this, Shteyngart relies too heavily on the details of today's world theater - oil, the Soviet bloc, hip-hop, McDonald's, Halliburton - as if to gain validity, but its use of all-too familiar, already stigmatized names only limit its power. It seems to be a criticism of specific companies rather than of the underlying system that allows for their operation. His parodies are so obvious that they may make one think they are in on something without actually having to think, and its mockery of American culture is too easy - the protagonist, a mammoth Russian brat, enjoys quoting the Notorious BIG, as if the late rapper wasn't ridiculous enough on his own. Whereas the mysterious Syndicate and painful circular logic of Catch-22 boost that novel to the timeless universal, Absurdistan remains no more than a sometimes entertaining, but mostly annoying, comment on the current age.

Um?
2 out of 5
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The Firecracker Boys - Dan O'Neill

More than a story of unethical government scientists attempting to deceive the citizens of their country, The Firecracker Boys illustrates the decisively split interests that occur so commonly throughout American history, creating both well-defined heroes and unmistakable villains.

Edward Teller and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) spent years attempting to push through an unprecedentedly large nuclear test in northwestern Alaska. Ground zero of Project Chariot was to be on Native land about 30 miles from the ancient village of Point Hope. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence indicating the opposite, the scientists maintained that no damage would be done to food chains, land, or humans of the proposed area. The AEC and their Alaskan business supporters demonstrated extreme racism and disregard for the concerned local Eskimo communities, advocating partiality in the press, academic censorship, and blacklisting of scientists who tried to reveal the truth. The Firecracker Boys shows greed, carelessness, and selfishness on behalf of the government stopped only by the compassion, dedication and selflessness of a small group of citizens. At once inspiring and horrifying, the story makes you question why this behavior was tolerated in public employees, as well as how the American people can continue to trust such a corrupt institution as their own leadership. Dan O'Neill has collected and organized an amazing amount of previously classified information as well as conducted original interviews. The book is well written and captivating; a must read for anyone who considers themselves to be an environmentalist, patriot, or human being.

IMPORTANT!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Buy this book: The Firecracker Boys: H-bombs, Inupiat Eskimos, and the Roots of the Environmental Movement

Decline of the Lawrence Welk Empire - Poe Ballantine

What it may lack in depth and originality of plot, Ballantine makes up for in unrelenting charm and refreshing narrative flair. The narrator, Edgar Donahoe, is rich and real (regardless of having read the prequel, God Clobbers Us All), a quirky, flawed and idealistic young man, too smart to stay in the rat race of America, but too American to escape it. Whereas the domestically-set prequel focused more on the madness of American life, this followup is a first rate adventure story, complete with voodoo men, pirate gold, jumbies, crazy jungle dwellers and a femme fatale. But despite its obvious formulaic tendencies, it all seems almost tongue-in-cheek as it comes from Edgar's bitter yet hopeful voice.

WORTH THE READ
Rating: 3 out of 5
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