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And the book reports just keep on coming.
I’m not sure how many times I’ve had more than one five-star review in a single month, but it doesn’t happen often. It happened this month. So you might want to put this in yr Memories list, is what I’m saying.
Just Kids by Patti Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I don’t usually read memoirs or autobios, but I’m a fan of Smith’s music and I felt confident that she was capable of not only writing it herself (as opposed to hiring a ghostwriter), but writing it well. I wasn’t wrong. This is her account of her lifelong relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe and their subsequent development as artists in New York City during the late 60s and early 70s. Smith’s descriptions of the NYC art scene and the Chelsea Hotel are vivid and vibrant, and her times with Mapplethorpe funny, tender and ultimately sad. If there’s anything negative to say about it, it’s that sometimes I found myself wishing she would talk more about her music career and share more anecdotes about the people she befriended along the way (William Burroughs comes to mind). But that’s not the story she’s telling here – it’s about her and Mapplethorpe, and she tells it brilliantly. And as they say in show biz, the secret is to leave them wanting more. Obviously this is recommended for fans of Smith, Mapplethorpe and the NYC art/punk scene, but by any standard this is an engrossing and moving book.
Jesus Made in America: A Cultural History from the Puritans to the Passion of the Christ by Stephen J. Nichols
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
As someone who has weathered the Moral Majority, the Christian Coalition WWJD and the general politicization of Christianity in America – to include endless arguments over the religious beliefs and intentions of the Founding Fathers – I thought this sounded interesting: a cultural history of American Christianity with a focus on how Jesus has been interpreted (and re-interpreted) by Christians in different historical contexts through the years, though not always necessarily for the better. The book gives a good overview of how the Founding Fathers viewed Christianity, and how Jesus has evolved since then, from Frontier Jesus and Meek Mild Baby Jesus to Capitalism Jesus, Boyfriend Jesus, Music Industry Jesus, Hollywood Jesus, Political Jesus and Buddy Christ. It’s not an anti-Christian book – far from it, as Nichols is an evangelical theologian – so much as a historical reality check and the potential consequences of reducing Jesus to a bumper sticker slogan or a national mascot. On the downside, Nichols’ observations are rooted in his own theological POV – as such, he occasionally gets distracted either by (1) arguing with other theologians who have covered similar ground in the past or (2) spending time explaining why various trends are theologically flawed, and what evangelical Christian leaders should be doing to reverse them. The former may be of interest to other academics or theologians, but maybe not so much for the rest of us. The latter may be useful to Christians (or at least the ones who agree with Nichols), but is arguably out of place in what is supposed be a cultural history (albeit one written by an evangelical and aimed at a Christian audience, so maybe that comes with the territory). Overall, though, there’s enough interesting information here to warrant three stars.
Roomanitarian by Henry Rollins
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I should preface this by noting that I’ve been a fan of Rollins since I heard my first Black Flag album in the 1980s. I especially liked his spoken-word material, and I started reading his books in the early 90s when Tower Records started carrying them. It’s safe to say he was instrumental in getting me through my college years. I haven't read him for awhile now, and reading this book from 2005, it’s striking how much my outlook has changed, while Rollins is essentially still Rollins – unfiltered and unedited free-form negative prose that taps into the deepest darkest feelings of hate, loathing and loneliness we all harbor inside, with a healthy dose of ironic juvenile macho sex banter. Which is my way of saying I had a hard time getting into this – much of it doesn’t really resonate with me at 49 as it did when I was 24. Even the more focused politically-oriented material – including his fake love affair with Ann Coulter and his general hatred of the Bush II admin and everything it represented – is too over-the-top for me at times. Still, there’s some good stuff here that reminds me why his writing meant so much to me 25 years ago. Also, it’s fair to say that even back then, some of his stuff (Solipsist comes to mind) was too heavy for me. So while I’m only giving it two stars, that says more about me than it does about Rollins.
Market Forces by Richard K. Morgan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I’ve read Morgan’s Altered Carbon and liked it, so I was keen to try this tale of future corporate dystopia, in which financial corporations run the West and control the wealth. They make their money financing small wars in Third World countries, and executives compete for contracts (and promotions) via sanctioned and deadly car duels. The story follows Chris Faulkner, who makes the big time after being recruited to the Conflict Investments division of Shorn Associates, and the impact of Shorn’s corporate culture on his professional and personal life. In many ways this is a hard novel to like. There are few good guys, and Faulkner is not really one of them, unless you think ruthless ambition is more acceptable if it’s motivated by rage rather than greed. The constant rows with his wife Carla get tedious after awhile. Moreover, the basic premise requires a hell of a lot of suspension of disbelief, though it helps if you take it more as an allegory that follows the corporate ethics of select companies like (say) Halliburton and Enron to their extreme conclusions than a literal future prediction. That said, once you buy into the premise, Morgan does a good job making the daily details of a Conflict Investments business pretty convincing as well as compelling, with a well-paced storyline propelled by crackling dialogue. It may be too grim for some and too hard to swallow for others, but Market Forces is pretty good if yr prepared to meet the novel on its own terms.
New Taboos by John Shirley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Another installment from PM Press’ Outspoken Authors series, this from one of the godfathers of cyberpunk, John Shirley, who I like. This volume includes a new novella, “A State Of Imprisonment”, which imagines a future where unregulated private prisons are the norm and just being in debt can get you locked up – or, in this case, being a nosy reporter. Shirley – never one to be shy about his political views – really sinks his teeth into the premise, which is mostly believable (though I’m not sure how or why a private prison would take up most of Arizona), and tells a pretty good tale. His essay “New Taboos” continues with the theme of corporate greed and general malfeasance, and suggests social ostracism as a solution. Also included is a nice Q&A, and a condensed version of a 2011 TED talk on his vision of the “Real Singularity” over the next 40 to 50 years. You may not agree with his political views, but Shirley is very good at connecting the socioeconomic/political dots, and throws some thought-provoking ideas out there on the grim future that awaits us, and what we might do about it.
Why We Can't Wait by Martin Luther King Jr.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I read a section of this before (“Letter From A Birmingham Jail”) in a different collection of MLK’s writings, and of course I’ve heard a few of his speeches, so I was keen to read this book, which doubles as both an account of the direct-action campaign in Birmingham and a manifesto explaining why the civil rights movement was suddenly gaining steam in the early 1960s and why African Americans could no longer wait around for white people to put a stop to institutional racism. It’s a short read but one that demands your attention – King is a brilliant and compelling writer whose every word seems to matter. What’s also striking is how relevant this book still is, 50+ years after its publication, especially given current events. Which is not to say that the situation is the same, but that we’re hearing arguments on both sides these days that sound similar to what was being argued in 1963. This book shows how far America has come, and how far it has to go. Obviously, yr own opinion of this book may depend on yr political views, but for me, I think it should be required reading if you really want to try and understand why America’s race problem is so complicated.
View all my reviews
Don’t dream it’s over,
This is dF
I’m not sure how many times I’ve had more than one five-star review in a single month, but it doesn’t happen often. It happened this month. So you might want to put this in yr Memories list, is what I’m saying.
Just Kids by Patti SmithMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I don’t usually read memoirs or autobios, but I’m a fan of Smith’s music and I felt confident that she was capable of not only writing it herself (as opposed to hiring a ghostwriter), but writing it well. I wasn’t wrong. This is her account of her lifelong relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe and their subsequent development as artists in New York City during the late 60s and early 70s. Smith’s descriptions of the NYC art scene and the Chelsea Hotel are vivid and vibrant, and her times with Mapplethorpe funny, tender and ultimately sad. If there’s anything negative to say about it, it’s that sometimes I found myself wishing she would talk more about her music career and share more anecdotes about the people she befriended along the way (William Burroughs comes to mind). But that’s not the story she’s telling here – it’s about her and Mapplethorpe, and she tells it brilliantly. And as they say in show biz, the secret is to leave them wanting more. Obviously this is recommended for fans of Smith, Mapplethorpe and the NYC art/punk scene, but by any standard this is an engrossing and moving book.
Jesus Made in America: A Cultural History from the Puritans to the Passion of the Christ by Stephen J. NicholsMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
As someone who has weathered the Moral Majority, the Christian Coalition WWJD and the general politicization of Christianity in America – to include endless arguments over the religious beliefs and intentions of the Founding Fathers – I thought this sounded interesting: a cultural history of American Christianity with a focus on how Jesus has been interpreted (and re-interpreted) by Christians in different historical contexts through the years, though not always necessarily for the better. The book gives a good overview of how the Founding Fathers viewed Christianity, and how Jesus has evolved since then, from Frontier Jesus and Meek Mild Baby Jesus to Capitalism Jesus, Boyfriend Jesus, Music Industry Jesus, Hollywood Jesus, Political Jesus and Buddy Christ. It’s not an anti-Christian book – far from it, as Nichols is an evangelical theologian – so much as a historical reality check and the potential consequences of reducing Jesus to a bumper sticker slogan or a national mascot. On the downside, Nichols’ observations are rooted in his own theological POV – as such, he occasionally gets distracted either by (1) arguing with other theologians who have covered similar ground in the past or (2) spending time explaining why various trends are theologically flawed, and what evangelical Christian leaders should be doing to reverse them. The former may be of interest to other academics or theologians, but maybe not so much for the rest of us. The latter may be useful to Christians (or at least the ones who agree with Nichols), but is arguably out of place in what is supposed be a cultural history (albeit one written by an evangelical and aimed at a Christian audience, so maybe that comes with the territory). Overall, though, there’s enough interesting information here to warrant three stars.
Roomanitarian by Henry RollinsMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
I should preface this by noting that I’ve been a fan of Rollins since I heard my first Black Flag album in the 1980s. I especially liked his spoken-word material, and I started reading his books in the early 90s when Tower Records started carrying them. It’s safe to say he was instrumental in getting me through my college years. I haven't read him for awhile now, and reading this book from 2005, it’s striking how much my outlook has changed, while Rollins is essentially still Rollins – unfiltered and unedited free-form negative prose that taps into the deepest darkest feelings of hate, loathing and loneliness we all harbor inside, with a healthy dose of ironic juvenile macho sex banter. Which is my way of saying I had a hard time getting into this – much of it doesn’t really resonate with me at 49 as it did when I was 24. Even the more focused politically-oriented material – including his fake love affair with Ann Coulter and his general hatred of the Bush II admin and everything it represented – is too over-the-top for me at times. Still, there’s some good stuff here that reminds me why his writing meant so much to me 25 years ago. Also, it’s fair to say that even back then, some of his stuff (Solipsist comes to mind) was too heavy for me. So while I’m only giving it two stars, that says more about me than it does about Rollins.
Market Forces by Richard K. MorganMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I’ve read Morgan’s Altered Carbon and liked it, so I was keen to try this tale of future corporate dystopia, in which financial corporations run the West and control the wealth. They make their money financing small wars in Third World countries, and executives compete for contracts (and promotions) via sanctioned and deadly car duels. The story follows Chris Faulkner, who makes the big time after being recruited to the Conflict Investments division of Shorn Associates, and the impact of Shorn’s corporate culture on his professional and personal life. In many ways this is a hard novel to like. There are few good guys, and Faulkner is not really one of them, unless you think ruthless ambition is more acceptable if it’s motivated by rage rather than greed. The constant rows with his wife Carla get tedious after awhile. Moreover, the basic premise requires a hell of a lot of suspension of disbelief, though it helps if you take it more as an allegory that follows the corporate ethics of select companies like (say) Halliburton and Enron to their extreme conclusions than a literal future prediction. That said, once you buy into the premise, Morgan does a good job making the daily details of a Conflict Investments business pretty convincing as well as compelling, with a well-paced storyline propelled by crackling dialogue. It may be too grim for some and too hard to swallow for others, but Market Forces is pretty good if yr prepared to meet the novel on its own terms.
New Taboos by John ShirleyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Another installment from PM Press’ Outspoken Authors series, this from one of the godfathers of cyberpunk, John Shirley, who I like. This volume includes a new novella, “A State Of Imprisonment”, which imagines a future where unregulated private prisons are the norm and just being in debt can get you locked up – or, in this case, being a nosy reporter. Shirley – never one to be shy about his political views – really sinks his teeth into the premise, which is mostly believable (though I’m not sure how or why a private prison would take up most of Arizona), and tells a pretty good tale. His essay “New Taboos” continues with the theme of corporate greed and general malfeasance, and suggests social ostracism as a solution. Also included is a nice Q&A, and a condensed version of a 2011 TED talk on his vision of the “Real Singularity” over the next 40 to 50 years. You may not agree with his political views, but Shirley is very good at connecting the socioeconomic/political dots, and throws some thought-provoking ideas out there on the grim future that awaits us, and what we might do about it.
Why We Can't Wait by Martin Luther King Jr.My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I read a section of this before (“Letter From A Birmingham Jail”) in a different collection of MLK’s writings, and of course I’ve heard a few of his speeches, so I was keen to read this book, which doubles as both an account of the direct-action campaign in Birmingham and a manifesto explaining why the civil rights movement was suddenly gaining steam in the early 1960s and why African Americans could no longer wait around for white people to put a stop to institutional racism. It’s a short read but one that demands your attention – King is a brilliant and compelling writer whose every word seems to matter. What’s also striking is how relevant this book still is, 50+ years after its publication, especially given current events. Which is not to say that the situation is the same, but that we’re hearing arguments on both sides these days that sound similar to what was being argued in 1963. This book shows how far America has come, and how far it has to go. Obviously, yr own opinion of this book may depend on yr political views, but for me, I think it should be required reading if you really want to try and understand why America’s race problem is so complicated.
View all my reviews
Don’t dream it’s over,
This is dF
