Literature
- Native Son By Richard Wright
?Violence is a personal necessity for the oppressed...It is not a strategy consciously devised. It is the deep, instinctive expression of a human being denied individuality.? A piercing sociological and psychological character study, very few novels...
- Neglected Review #5: To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee
?I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks.? This will be less of a formal review and more of a short personal reaction to the novel, which will probably not earn me any brownie points. I understand that To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those...
- My Top 10 Books Tbr This Fall!
This is the first time that I am participating in the Top Ten Tuesday meme held by The Broke and the Bookish. I've decided to go back to school in September and with the heavy course load, it is doubtful that I will have the time to enjoy some leisurely...
- Franny And Zooey By J.d. Salinger
"An artist's only concern is to shoot for some kind of perfection, and on his own terms, not anyone else's." J.D. Salinger is one of those authors who just "gets me" with his intelligent and philosophical discourse. This novel is overflowing...
- The End Of The Affair By Graham Greene
"I had to touch you with my hands, I had to taste you with my tongue; one can't love and do nothing." Well, Mr. Greene, you've surely written another masterpiece. I'm struck with an ineffable sensation of awe after finishing this book which...
Literature
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
"People pay for what they do, and still more for what they have allowed themselves to become. And they pay for it very simply; by the lives they lead."
First things first: Baldwin can write his ass off. He just has a way with words that are imperceptibly profound and flow beautifully. This is a deeply religious novel and while I tend to me ambivalent towards such subject matter, I found myself challenged and also captivated by the influence Christianity has on the lives of these characters and the complex way religion drives the story about the Grimes family as each member struggles with their faith in seeking salvation. An engrossing coming-of-age story as well as an expansive African American family saga with shifting narrative perspectives that alternates between different places in time -- from the deep south during slavery all the way to 1930's Harlem, where most of the novel takes place. Although the heated racial tensions between blacks and whites is present in the novel, Baldwin is rather subtle in his approach; refraining from taking sides and placing the blame solely on the white man. He just simply paints an accurately objective picture of the social and political struggles of race, class, sexuality and violence throughout a particular time in American history. The novel is split into three sections and each has its own merits and by the end, I was deeply moved. As a cynical non-believer, Baldwin made me question my faith (or lack thereof) so there is definitely something to be said about the spiritual power of this novel.
Read from May 07 to 10, 2011
- Native Son By Richard Wright
?Violence is a personal necessity for the oppressed...It is not a strategy consciously devised. It is the deep, instinctive expression of a human being denied individuality.? A piercing sociological and psychological character study, very few novels...
- Neglected Review #5: To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee
?I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks.? This will be less of a formal review and more of a short personal reaction to the novel, which will probably not earn me any brownie points. I understand that To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those...
- My Top 10 Books Tbr This Fall!
This is the first time that I am participating in the Top Ten Tuesday meme held by The Broke and the Bookish. I've decided to go back to school in September and with the heavy course load, it is doubtful that I will have the time to enjoy some leisurely...
- Franny And Zooey By J.d. Salinger
"An artist's only concern is to shoot for some kind of perfection, and on his own terms, not anyone else's." J.D. Salinger is one of those authors who just "gets me" with his intelligent and philosophical discourse. This novel is overflowing...
- The End Of The Affair By Graham Greene
"I had to touch you with my hands, I had to taste you with my tongue; one can't love and do nothing." Well, Mr. Greene, you've surely written another masterpiece. I'm struck with an ineffable sensation of awe after finishing this book which...