by Sam Tackeff | Mar 2, 2014 | Books, Books in 2014
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#8. If on a winter’s night a traveler by Italo Calvino
Translated by William Weaver
Paperback, 260 pages
First published 1979
Read on Kindle
“Reading is going toward something that is about to be, and no one yet knows what it will be.”
— Italo Calvino, If on a winter’s night a traveler
I’m not sure that I can really describe Calvino’s novel – a puzzle, a challenge for the reader, an essay on reading itself. Calvino made me think, and laugh, and smile through this entire book. This was a joy to read.
” How can you keep up with her, this woman who is always reading another book besides the one before her eyes, a book that does not yet exist, but which, since she wants it, cannot fail to exist?
— Italo Calvino, If on a winter’s night a traveler
A large part of the novel deals with language, translation, and the evolution of text which I read with deep fascination. One part of my day job is leading globalization and making an experience that was devised and created for one language, feel fluid and just as relevant in ten different languages. It requires careful choices, flexibility, and ingenuity to get the feeling just so. On that note, I haven’t read a work of translated fiction in a while, and I found William Weaver’s translation to be impeccable. After finishing the novel, I read this interview with Weaver and Calvino published in the Paris Review. It’s a great piece.
“Your house, being the place in which you read, can tell us the position books occupy in your life, if they are a defense you set up to keep the outside world at a distance, if they area dream into which you sink as if into a drug, or bridges you cast toward the outside, toward the world that interests you so much that you want to multiply and extend its dimensions through books.”
― Italo Calvino, If on a winter’s night a traveler
I’m sure I’ll find myself re-reading this novel in the future, and I’ll definitely be reading more of Calvino’s writing. The man is prolific. Next on my list is Why Read the Classics, a series of essays, summarized recently by Maria Popova of Brainpickings here: 14 Definitions of What Makes a Classic.
Do pick up this book!
by Sam Tackeff | Feb 23, 2014 | Books, Books in 2014
#7. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Paperback, 447 pages (Vintage)
First published October 17th, 2002 by Crown
Borrowed from A.S.
I’ve been meaning to update my reading list over here. I’ve managed to make a large dent in my book stacks in February, and I’m up to my 13th book for the year. Number seven was a book that’s been sitting in the house for months, borrowed from a friend. Feeling like it had overstayed it’s welcome in the house, I finally picked it up and read it in a weekend, barely surfacing from the pages to eat.
Made up of several (non-fiction) sub-plots, the book revolves around the World’s Columbian Exposition (the Chicago World’s Fair). A substantial portion of the book is devoted to architectural history – the outstanding feat of Daniel Burnham, Frederick Law Olmsted, and the veritable who’s who of architects of the day – building the shining White City on a timeframe that seems impossible even now to imagine. The other half of the book is devoted to a deliciously evil serial killer – making it a poor choice of reading for the evenings that I was alone in the house. Weeks later I’ve been thinking about this book almost daily. Loved it!
by Sam Tackeff | Feb 1, 2014 | Books in 2014
January, part two. It was a good month for reading – which is to say, very cold, and I didn’t want to do much other than sit on my couch curled up with a book.
#4. I will teach you to be rich by Ramit Sethi
Paperback, 266 pages
Published March 23rd 2009 by Workman
Borrowed from library
This past year, I’ve been working to tighten up my personal finances in a more meaningful way. A month ago I became a “real adult” and got myself a credit card that gives me 6% cash back on groceries. I got over my “I don’t want give money to the man”, and chose a card that would work for me, given my main spending category every month, and the fact that I’ll pay in full at the end of each billing period – specifically to continue building credit.
About the time I got my card, I picked up Sethi’s book. While the tone of the book may not be for everyone, and it’s geared towards the 20-35 crowd, the financial information covered hits all the basics. Except for the dated piece about savings accounts – sorry, you won’t see 4% returns anywhere these days – this book covers paying down debt, credit cards, saving strategies, retirement investments, automating cash flow, budgeting, etc. This book isn’t about getting rich quickly, but about learning the basics of financial literacy.
#5. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim
234 pages
First published 1923 by Doubleday, Page & Co.
Read on Kindle (link is to the *free* Kindle book)
I’ve been reading The Enchanted April for nearly a year now. Every week or so I’d pick it up and read just a few pages, hoping to savor it as much as possible – it was just the charming escapism that I needed. Four women, strangers to each other, escaping their daily lives to converge together in a villa in Italy – this is the original Eat Pray Love/Under the Tuscan Sun/etc. except I didn’t feel like screaming at any of the characters. A lovely, enchanting (sorry) read. Highly recommended!
#6. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
259 pages
Published June 18th 2013 by William Morrow
Listened to audiobook, read by author HarperAudio
Sometimes I seek out books that I know will be better read to me by the author, and this was one of them. Neil Gaiman, aside from being a wonderful writer, is a phenomenal storyteller. This wasn’t my favorite of his books, but listening to him read it made it special. Perfect walk commute book! (Plus, he’s married to Amanda Palmer, so that’s a thing I find interesting.)
by Sam Tackeff | Jan 13, 2014 | Books, Books in 2014
If we’re going to discuss life resolutions, as one is wont to do around this time of year, I’d say that one of my top resolutions in life right now is simply to laugh more. Deep belly laughter is shockingly restorative, and as adults, we do much too little of it.
The first three books I read this year were written by people who are funny for a living. Now, I should say that reading memoirs by people who are funny for a living is not the same as reading/watching/listening to their comedic work. These books were all funny, certainly, but they were also moving, thought provoking, and introspective. In some sections they were painful, dark, and sad. In each, the most fascinating parts were the stories from childhood, anecdotes about family, first jobs, awkward relationships, and weird career trajectories. Two of them featured bedwetting as a prominent plot point (Rob, Sarah). One, puberty quite early (Tina), another, quite late (Sarah). All three featured excessive body hair. The low points, I think, for all three books, were the bits about present day or recent history, specifically revolving around their current shows, or how they got the book deal, or what may be up next – these sections all felt like weird filler, without the passage of time necessary for true introspection.
Each had moments that I’ll continue to think about for quite some time – Rob Delaney’s honest discourse about both his depression and alcoholism, Tina Fey’s thoughts about management style, with examples of both her own, and Lorne Michaels’, and Sarah Silverman, on the absurdity of sexism in censorship.
I quite enjoyed all three.
#1. Rob Delaney: Mother. Wife. Sister. Human. Warrior. Falcon. Yardstick. Turban. Cabbage. by Rob Delaney
Hardcover, 208 pages
Published November 5th 2013 by Spiegel & Grau
Listened to audiobook – Random House Audio
#2. Bossypants by Tina Fey
Paperback, 275 pages
First published January 3rd, 2012 by Back Bay Books
Read paperback, as well as listened on audio read by author
#3. The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee by Sarah Silverman
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published April 20th 2010 by HarperCollins
Listened to audiobook, read by author
