Wow! It took me nearly a month to read this dern thing, but I'm fine with that because part of me wished the story would never end anyway. I've seen a Wow! It took me nearly a month to read this dern thing, but I'm fine with that because part of me wished the story would never end anyway. I've seen a ton of reviews from my friends on this one, and I could certainly ramble on forever about how much I loved the book, but I'll leave it at this; not only is this novel one of my favorites but I am going to have to shove some book out of the way because this one is going on my Top 10 shelf. This book made my laugh (not just typing lol but literally laughing out loud) and it brought tears to my eyes. I went from thinking that this was unexpectedly a book of humor to finding myself in shock, disbelieving what I had just read. Hands down the best book I have read in quite some time. ...more
Yeah, I loved it. The closer I got to the end the harder it was to put down.
I don't need to tell you what the book is about. That's wh Wow! 5 STARS!!!
Yeah, I loved it. The closer I got to the end the harder it was to put down.
I don't need to tell you what the book is about. That's what the synopsis is for. I'll just say this; if you like a mixture of horror and fantasy, you would be hard pressed to find a better novel. Gas mask wearing serial killer, Christmas, gifted people, Triumph motorcycle, a 300 pound com-icon nerd father, children with fish-hook teeth singing noel, a covered bridge full of bats flying around Bruce Wayne and Charlie Manx in his Rolls Royce with the NOS4A2 (yeah, it does sound like 'Nosferatu') license plate. And my hero. The Brat! ...more
Some may have noticed that for some time now I have only been leaving ratings and have been thin on my reviews. Between Hurricane Irma, (I still have Some may have noticed that for some time now I have only been leaving ratings and have been thin on my reviews. Between Hurricane Irma, (I still have co-workers in Puerto Rico trying to restore power) an illness in the family, and the process of selling and buying a new house, my energy reserves have left me little interest in taking the time to pen my thoughts on the books I have read. But considering Lolita is on my 'Five Start Favorites' shelf, I feel I owe it the consideration of my opinion.
Considering the controversy and the mixed reviews on Lolita, I have tip-toed around the way I want to convey my feeling about the novel. This was a re-read for me and I didn't want any one thinking I was a pervert for having a second helping of this book. Well, actually, I am a pervert... but that's beside the point. I have been re-reading a lot of my old fav's lately, so it was inevitable that I would eventually get to a book that I consider one of my top 10 favorite novels--a favorite, not because of the plot content but because of the quality of writing. I love writing. I have self published, not with intent as a profession, but as a hobby, and reading something as masterful as Lolita is enlightening to the creative writer in me.
As for the controversy surrounding this literary masterpiece, let me share a quote with you from Oscar Wilde; “There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.”
Believe me, I can understand the reluctance to read Lolita, and the disgust from those who have. After all, this is a story about a pedophile. And this pedophile, Humbert Humbert, is a detestable monster. Not only did he take advantage of a twelve-year-old girl, but after spending some time with her, he began plotting the possibility of producing, through our poor Dolly Hayes, another offspring that he might make his new nymphet. Oh, and he didn't stop there; his mind went even farther, imagining the day he might have a Grand-Lo. There are definitely some cringe moments throughout this tale and I think that may have been the moment when Humbert took on a whole new level of monster in my mind.
Okay, so this guy Humbert is bad. He's real bad. He's a repulsive, sick monster. He has seduced an under-age girl and probably scarred her mind for life. But wait! That's the crime that stands out to the audience of Lolita, but is Dolly's molestation the worst that happens in this book? Didn't Humbert murder another human being? I know... I know, the bastard deserved it. And believe me, if someone hurt one of my daughters or granddaughters like that, Humberts actions would look like childs-play compared to what I would do. I only point it out as a segue to my next question; what is worse, molestation, or murder?
I imagine (and would surely find if I searched) there are reviewers who have bashed Nabokov for this story. They feel that to be able to come up with this story and actually write it, he must surely be a sick old pervert, while at the same time those same readers give rave reviews to the likes of Thomas Harris's, Silence of the Lambs, Bret Easton Ellis's, American Psycho, and Robert Bloch's, Psycho. In no way am I downplaying the tragedy of abused children or the pain and suffering of rape victims, but for those who slam this novel because of it's plot, let me ask you this question; what would be worse to happen to you, taken advantage of and molested at the age of twelve? or slashed in a shower by a maniac wearing his dead mothers clothes? or looking at broken fingernails on the wall of the well in which you are trapped while a serial killer above you demands you put lotion on your skin?
So here's my thought; I liked those other novels I referenced and I like many more that are similar. I like them because the writers created believable characters. Characters that are about as monstrous as they come. And this is what Nabokov has done. So, no, I don't despise him or imagine that he is a sicko. What I do think is that he was one of the most talented writers in history and that this book, Lolita, is one of the great masterpieces in literary history.
I woudn't blame a soul if they refused to read Lolita, just like I couldn't blame anyone for not wanting to read something as horrific as Silence of the Lambs, or American Psycho. But if you do, keep in mind, you are not reading an erotic letter in Hustler magazine designed for a deranged audience, you are reading a novel involving a very powerful plot with a character that has been developed like no other.
Avoid it if you want. Hate it if you will. But as for me, my opinion still stands after this second read. Lolita is a masterpiece.
I first read the Exorcist in 1974 when I was only twelve years old. At that time the film had already hit the theat What a thrilling, frightening ride!
I first read the Exorcist in 1974 when I was only twelve years old. At that time the film had already hit the theaters and for those who lived during that era you will remember what a huge controversy the movie caused. My mother would not allow me to see the movie but she gave me the okay to read the book.
The Exorcist has always held a special place in my heart because it is what I consider to be the first adult novel I ever read. I remember reading at night while at home alone and there were moments when I thought I was hearing noises outside and the sound of someone trying to open the backdoor. I know the term, frozen stiff, is real because I was so terrified that I wanted to run and hide but could not move. I went on from there discovering a world of literature and my love for reading just grew even more.
I could be wrong, but I believe that The Exorcist will find itself in the annuls of history as a classic. Over the years there has been a myriad of movies and books dealing with the subject of possession and there can be no denying that The Exorcist is the foundation of all those tales.
I am 53 now and was a little nervous when I started reading this one again. Like I said, the book has always been special and I was afraid that maybe it only seemed so good because I had only been twelve when I last read it...41 years ago! Well, like I said when I started this review, this was a thrilling and frightening ride. The book is still scary as hell.
I can see where some readers might think that there are a lot of moments in the beginning that drag. There is an extensive section where Reagan is taken through a series of tests from doctors and psychiatrists to try and diagnose what is ailing her. Personally, I think this is what makes this story so powerful. It tries to prove from every angle possible that there has to be some kind of explanation for this girls illness, and even when possession is hinted at and a priest enters the picture, there is great skepticism on his part that this little girl is actually possessed by the devil.
I had to smile inwardly several times while reading and wonder to myself, how the hell did I manage to get through this when I was twelve? Ah well, I did, and I am thankful for the experience and I have thoroughly enjoyed this re-read. I would recommend this book without pause, but I would do so with a warning. If you don't like to be frightened, this book is not for you. ...more
I was born and raised in California, in and around the city of Bakersfield California, and though I am native Californian, I know what it is like to b I was born and raised in California, in and around the city of Bakersfield California, and though I am native Californian, I know what it is like to be called "Okie". Why? because I was the grandchild of Oklahoma immigrants; people who had fled their native state because of severe drought during the dustbowl years and sought a better life, a life like that shown on colorful flyers that were distributed to the people, depicting California as a paradise where there was plenty of work and delicious fruit ripe for the picking. I'm not sure what those pictures really looked like, but I do know that when I look at my grandparents old pictures, it sure aint no paradise.
One of my grandparents, my grandma Viola White, is still living. She is 96 years old now, and with her mind still all there I have been able to glean some incredible stories from her over the years. She has a treasure trove of old pictures, and some of them clearly show her and the family in camps where you can see lines of little white shacks with other people in the background enduring a life that most of us could never comprehend.
I didn't read The Grapes of Wrath for the first time until I was in my 30's, and by then I was mature enough and had a better understanding of my family history that the story really shook me. It instantly became very personal to me. Just imagine, if you have read it, the scene where the Joads drive through Tehachapi on HWY 58 and come over a rise where they can see into the valley below. I grew up in a little town outside Bakersfield called Arvin and it sets on the foothills as you come down that very road. On the spot where Ma Joad reveals to the family that grandma has died, is just about the area where I sprinkled my fathers ashes. So, yeah, this story became very personal to me.
Obviously I knew my family came from Oklahoma and I had heard of the Dustbowl, but reading this novel made me realize how little I knew about that particular history in our country. John Steinbeck has revealed a part of that history in what I consider to be one of the greatest American novels ever written. Not only is the book masterfully written, but because of the personal connection I have to it, this book is one of my top 10 favorites. I have to admit that even on my second reading, this story brought tears to my eyes on a couple of occasions. And I believe that the ending of this book is one of the most powerful scenes I have ever experienced in literature.
I'm sure that the mocking title of "Okie" was never directed at me with quite the venom it was probably directed at my family before me, but even 2 generations after my grandparents moved to California, it was still a distinct insult directed at a particular class; and I was from that class, easily identified because of my accent. I remember when I joined the Navy in 1980 and when I would tell people I was from California they always seemed confused because they said I sounded like I was from the deep south. I live in Florida now and over the years my accent has smoothed out and is not nearly as strong as it used to be. But the old twang is still there. I still have people, sometimes complete strangers, who ask me where I am from because of my accent and they are still surprised when I say I am from California. My wife, an Orange County/LA woman, still teases me sometimes, but her teasing isn't insulting. She knows where I have come from and is proud of me. Hey, I am proud of me. Yeah, I grew up poor, I won't beat that drum, but whereas there were times when I was embarrassed about my social status, I am now proud of my family and our history. I am proud of my 96 year old grandmother for what she endured to get her family where they are now. Like Ma Joad when she admonished her son, Tom, about them being a strong people, I don't dwell on the bad side of where I come from. I look at where I have come and I do feel a strong sense of pride. I have a very good life now and I believe my children and grandchildren are on their way to an even better life. So, I am not ashamed. As a matter of fact, let me introduce myself again in case I haven't been clear. I am an Okie... and I am damn proud of it!...more
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