Travels with Charley | John Steinbeck

When I purchased this novel in Prince Edward Island, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting. I had just finished “The Winter of Discontent” by Steinbeck and needed to something to read to round out my vacation (there was no anticipation of needing more than two books on a two week trip). So in the midst of my travels, while in Charlottetown, I saw a book entitled “Travels with Charley” by the same author, which was a fitting end to my first unchartered journey since 2004.

This work of non-fiction is filled with tons of accurate realizations about travelling (I can confirm the accuracy based on just experiencing them). The one I like the most is, “you don’t take a journey, it takes you.” You can do all the planning that you want, but as soon as you get in the car, you are not the one in control. The trip is quite clearly a living organism and you are at its whim. The sooner you accept that, the more delightful trip you’re going to have.

Another theme is that no two trips are the same. As the trip takes on a life, gives you feeling and evokes an experience, it will never be completely comparable to someone else’s experience. In addition, you could take the exact same trip twice, and it would be a completely different experience, especially after the elapsing of time. Part of the experience is in your head as well, the mind wanderings experienced when viewing miles and miles of countryside.

Steinbeck talks about concepts such as “you can never go home”, the majesty of the American landscape, the different points of view of the American people and the difficulty and absurdity of painting an entire country of people with the same brush. The journey is completely timeless, which is to say that it is still applicable today. The detailing of the deep south in the middle of the desegregation (which existed in the time of this journey, in 1962) seemed completely disjointed from present day. This book is a testament to Steinbeck’s writing, that he can make you feel as if the journey is happening in present time… but this event is completely out of the ordinary and presents very interesting perspectives on the difficulty of changing mindsets.

So far I have neglected to mention the identity of Charley, which is in fact, Steinbeck’s poodle. There is a lot of discussion on the complexity of the canine, which you will either really appreciate or get really bored of. A lot of Steinbeck’s philosophies on his pooch I would agree with, based on my limited experiences with dogs. However, Steinbeck does do a lot of projecting and playful bantering which is tiring at times.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed this book. Steinbeck’s objective was to discover America. While reaching no definitive conclusions and stressing that his experiences were in no way a microcosm of life in America, the journey is very enjoyable to be on… the imagery of the countryside, the tales of characters and the mind of John Steinbeck.

QUOTATIONS:

"We have in the past been forced into reluctant change by the weather, calamity, and plague. Now the pressure comes from our biologic success as a species. We have overcome all enemies but ourselves." 175

"If the most versatile of living forms, the human, now fights for survival as it always has, it can eliminate not only itself but all other life." 192

"The ancients placed love and war in the hands of closely related gods. That was no accident. That, sir, was a profound knowledge of man." 233

The Winter of Our Discontent | John Steinbeck

Steinbeck NEVER ceases to amaze me. He has such a masterful way of storytelling that you fall for the characters he presents and he entrances you with ideas that you never really thought you would be interested in. I've read "The Red Pony", "Of Mice and Men", "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Cannery Row" and I've only felt like the latter really fell short. "The Winter of Our Discontent" did not disappoint.

This novel was written very much like a mystery novel which was anything but formulaic. I was guessing at every turn, but the themes explored throughout the novel were very relevant in terms of the nature of human beings, and even more so in the 21st century. Steinbeck explores the effect on the local of immigration policies, the trade-off of morality and money in business, and the corruption that exists in the heart of politics. But this book is really about a family's desire to uphold their heads and their historic names.

Steinbeck's protagonist, Ethan Allen Hawley, is a moral individual who has always done the right thing. However, he has failed in business and is now a broke grocery store clerk, working for an Italian who attempts to teach him what makes a good businessman. Mr. Baker, the banker, tries to teach him how to be a good investor. Everyone has an opinion on how Ethan Hawley can bring his family name back into the respectable circle.

Ethan Hawley has to choose between his current morals and adapting the definition of his morality. This book was a roller coaster, and the ride is worthy of great praise. This book is a must read.

Note: This novel is written without any fat. I would believe that the editing job by Steinbeck was instrumental in shaping the way this text eventually came out. The book was like watching someone create a sculpture, and not unlike my comparison to Thomas Hardy's chessboard, where every move is very calculated.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time | Mark Haddon

I've been away on vacation, for just under two weeks and I've managed to get through two books... and half way through another. Book reviews aren't fresh in my head, but I remember Steinbeck saying that he always needed to wait for his ideas to stew before writing... maybe this will work out in my favour.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is about an autistic child who discovers a dead dog with a pitch-fork in his body. He decides to play a detective, trying to solve who committed the murder. However, when the mystery is solved, the book takes on a different theme. This revolves around the boy's journey, both physical and emotional.

I get the feeling from reading this book that Haddon really understood autistic children. I even think that he did a very good job of encapsulating some of the behaviours, actions and emotions of an autistic child, coping with the complex world around them. However, I just do not have the feeling he completely nailed the experience on the head. I don't have much backing as to why I believe this (as I didn't write down quotes this time), but certain things he says and I'm paraphrasing "and then I groaned to drown out the noise," just don't seem to be in a state that I would believe an autistic mind is in. This may be what the autistic child is DOING, but I doubt that this is what he is THINKING.

However, the book was written in a way that makes the reader think differently about the world. The prose is very simple, but the ideas are very complex. Certain things you would not explore on a regular basis or give any second thoughts to, are explained in a wonderful way that really shows you how unique a perspective some of these autistic individuals have. It is in this perspective that Haddon shines, and makes this book a very enjoyable read.

The Return | Joseph Conrad

Since I'm going on vacation on next Saturday (for about 2 weeks), I figured I would read August's book club selection. At only 74 pages, this wasn't a daunting task... but the read was not something that could be easily accomplished without complete silence. So while "Freakonomics" was read by the lake, "The Return" was read in the condo. Let me take this opportunity to say that the lake was noisier due to an obnoxious dog owner, which I will speak no further about.

"The Return" is about a man who comes home to find a note from his wife, stating that she has left him for another man. In the midst of his head-spinning turmoil, she returns... and then the heart of darkness unfolds (note: drastically forced pun-intended).

This story is all about the mental trials and tribulations one goes through when they receive one of these Dear John letters. However, in the midst of this, Conrad pokes fun of English society and people who are concerned with appearances more than with love. Conrad's protagonist (if you can call him that), Alvan Hervey, is unfeeling - and likes it that way. However, he continually tries to convince himself that he is in love with his wife, and has been throughout the course of their 5-year marriage. Hervey continually asks himself if he could live the rest of his life with a person that he feels he no longer knows. This question is answered, at the end of the book.

Conrad portrays women to be mysterious, and not a lot is uncovered as to Herveys wife's motives (although based on the thoughts and opinions of Hervey, you could probably deduce with a strong probability of being correct). From what I read, Conrad is notorious for not delving into the minds of his female characters. I'm not sure if the point of view of the wife would have aided the story or not.

Conrad does have an amazing vocabulary. That being said, except for the use of dialogue, he tries too hard. While I understood what was happening, it seemed to me that in his attempt to dazzle me with his artistic skills, he also had the effect of throwing me into quicksand to watch my reaction to it. I made it through, despite the wriggling, and continued my efforts through the next 50 pages or so.

Conrad himself did not know what to make of this book, and I must be honest, I don't really know yet either. While he did a commendable job detailing the thoughts of someone on the verge of losing everything he ever knew, I think that others have done it better. "Notes from Underground" by Dostoevsky accomplished much more, with much less.

I found I was not that interested in the story as a whole, but that I liked the ending and the details of some of Hervey's thoughts. Overall, I'd give the story a 3 out of 5. This being the third book I've read by Conrad (the other's being "The Secret Sharer" and "The Heart of Darkness"), I have yet to find anything transcendent. However, all are fairly enjoyable books... but it was obvious that in "The Return", Conrad was taken away from his passion... which is, the sea.

While I commend Conrad's attempt at new subject matter, I feel he could have done a lot more with this story.

Note: I have a feeling that a book club discussion on this one will be very interesting, and the book was full of symbolism and ideals which are ripe for debate. Thoughts and opinions on morality, could prove interesting.

Freakonomics | Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

I'm going to quote from the epilogue, because it precisely gives you my impression of the book:

"And now, with all these pages behind us, an early promise has been confirmed: this book indeed has no 'unifying theme.'

But if there is no unifying theme to Freakonomics, there is at least a common thread running through the everyday application of Freakonomics. It has to do with thinking sensibly about how people behave in the real world. All it requires is a novel way of looking, of discerning, of measuring. This isn't necessarily a difficult task, nor does it require supersophisticated thinking."

"Will the ability to think such thoughts improve your life materially? Probably not. Perhaps you'll put up a sturdy gate around your swimming pool or push your real-estate agent to work a little harder. But the net effect is likely to be more subtle than that. You might become more skeptical of the conventional wisdom..."

And the other thing that I think will give you a good understanding of the book, and maybe lead you to read it, is a list of the chapter headings:

1. What do Schoolteachers and Sumo Wrestlers Have in Common?

2. How is the Ku Klux Klan Like a Group of Real-Estate Agents?

3. Why Do Drug Dealers Still Live with Their Moms?

4. Where Have All the Criminals Gone?

5. What Makes a Perfect Parent?

6. Perfect Parenting Part II or Would a Roshanda by Any Other Name Smell as Sweet?

This book clearly exhibits people's laziness in society, when proving why certain things happen (in addition to a self-serving bias). Steven Levitt makes unpopular questions and statements in an effort to find the TRUTH in life. This is the closest to a theme that this work exhibits. However, be sure to take Levitt's advice to heart even as you read this: treat the information presented with a grain of salt. It's hard to take anything at face value, these days. Make sure to always ask the right questions, and seek the true answers.