“The horror! The horror!”

Being perpetually unemployed has given me a lot of time to catch up on my reading. By way of a November roundup, here are some brief reviews and thoughts:

The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs – Some trash journalist decides to spend a year following the ritualistic and moralistic guidelines of the Bible as literally as possible. Hilarity ensues. He has to separate his milk plate from his meat, wear a white robe, grow a beard, observe the Sabbath, and avoid unclean women. And the list goes on and on. Take a look, it's in the Book. The best part was probably his trip to visit some very friendly and devout snake handlers in Tennessee. Think crazy, yet oddly uplifting. He even runs across a group of gay evangelical Christians. Try to figure that one out. In all seriousness though, his book is an entertaining read, with many laugh out loud stories. It is also appropriate for anyone contemplating their own spiritual progression. He starts out as an agnostic, and ends up…well, go find out for yourself.

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle – I normally avoid books like this one. Think new age guru with a system to sell, and you wouldn’t be far off from what Tolle is expounding. But my sister recommended it, so I dutifully gave it a read. Although the book has many flaws, including unsupported claims, logic faults, and poor editing, Tolle’s central message is actually quite intriguing. Basically, he believes that our ego, the voice inside our head, runs and ruins our life by preventing our true state of Being from manifesting itself. I know, I know, total crap, right? But if you give Tolle’s ideas a fair hearing, you’ll realize there is some truth to them. Our ego prevents us from living happily in the moment. If we deny our ego, which he characterizes as an almost alien force living within us, then we will no longer be upset about the past or anxious over the future. Denying the ego means you will suffer less, because you have fewer desires. You’ll most likely treat yourself and others better, because you’ll be less angry, fearful, stressed, and unfulfilled. I’m not saying you will like this book, but if you are in a receptive frame of mind, you’ll find something worthwhile here.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck – A truly uplifting tale of George and Lennie, two losers humping the American dream during the Great Depression. They wander around, they eat beans, they argue, they work, and they hope for a better future. There’s also something about dead mice and raising rabbits in there. Lennie, the delightful comic relief of the story, is desperate to raise some rabbits. Too bad he accidentally kills every animal he touches. Not to ruin the surprise, but George blows Lennie’s brains out at the end. Best thing for him, really. I’m eagerly awaiting the illustrated version.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad – Christ Almighty, what a train wreck. I think Kurtz’s final words, “The horror, the horror!” were describing Conrad’s narrative stylings. I can’t believe this book is so popular. The climatic meeting between Marlow and Kurtz is one big letdown that barely takes place and is described in some sort of extended acid flashback fashion. Not even Kurtz’s memorable last words can redeem this dreck. Just go watch Apocalypse Now instead.