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Books I've finished the last month or so:
"The Sound of the Mountain" by Yasunari Kawabata (1949)
- Beautiful, subtle introspection and individualization of an aging Japanese businessman, Ogata Shingo, and how he sees and interacts with his family where his own memories begin to take on increased materialization in his daily life and thoughts. Longing, passion, desire, acceptance and resignation flow delicately throughout the book, which comes to life through Kawabata's intricate, but nuanced characterizations.
"The Guide" by R.K. Nayaran (1958)
- Nayaran creates a wonderful protagonist in "Railway" Raju, who quickly goes from an innocent but clever student and son of a loquacious shopkeeper to a savvy travel guide to a self-deceptive, head-over-heels in-love talent manager to a resigned but fully satisfied prison inmate to a reluctant but willing prophet. While originally written in 1958, the story, characters and scenarios are fresh and relevant.
"Lenny Bruce is Dead" by Jonathan Goldstein (2006)
- Goldstein's Freudian poetic manifesto of shticky loneristic hipness. Burgers, Rebbe's Love Lotion and a constant stream of jerking it off give an initial mirthful debasement to what is, in actuality, an introspective look into love and desire for family, friends and one's self.
Currently reading:
"The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz (2007)
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