Rocco Maiolo's Ramblings and Musings

Last year I tried to read On the Road by Jack Kerouac, the beat poet. I made this decision after: a) reading Gabrielle Marquez's A Hundred Years of Solitude and being absolutely blown away by it, and b) reading the Penguin Great Books of the Twentieth Century List on the first page of this special edition text. I read about 30 or 40 pages of On the Road and gave up. That far in the book, it was about a narrator/college kid who writes and lives with his aunt. He meets and becomes obsessed with a character named Dean. I appreciated the richness of the language -- at times, it reads like vintage Kerouac poetry -- but I kept waiting for a plot. And the characters... well, they were a bunch of beatniks who all got along. No conflict. I just took the book out of the library again. I'm going to give it another chance. There are other books on that list which I've read and, clearly, I'd consider them classics. I've found them, powerfully moving and incredibly well written. ...

I was talking to someone about tragedy the other day -- tragedy in the classical and/or Shakespearean sense, not as in its modern-useage sense. We came to the conclusions that: a) artistically, esp. in film and in literature, tragedy is far more moving and impacting than comedy or drama is, and b) it's not so popular with modern audience (esp. film-goers) because we'd rather not think/feel too deeply; we just want to feel good -- hence, the "feel-good" movie. We also defined tragedy as the story of someone doing something dumb and the devestating consequences it has. I guess, from a classical point of view, you'd add "when the stars line up just so" or, since we're doing Tragedy for Dummies, when fate lines up all its ducks in a row. We went on to talk about modern dystopic stories in which the protagonist lives to win the day with the leading lady on his arm knowing that tomorrow will see the dawning of a new utopia. Contrast this to classic dysto...

I think I've just found a new favourite Canadian writer. Speaking of which, Guy Vanderhaeghe has gotta be due for a new book! I just finished reading David Adams Richards' The Friends of Meager Fortune (which is the name of a character in the novel, by the way). Great book. Here are a few quotes: "The idea that failed men lose their wives is partially true -- many drive them away, feeling unworthy." "You cannot love the soil where your soul was mocked by lesser men." "...men have rid themselves of God and are famished, and therefore do terrible things to make such famine go away."

Quite the book. I liked it, but a lot of people out there disagree with me. Here are some quotes from reviews and plain old reader responses: This allegorical dichotomy teaches us nothing new about the Holocaust, nor gives us useful tools for deciphering and understanding its complex socio-historic causes. (wow -- harsh!) I literally just finished Yann Martel's new book Beatrice and Virgil... about 10 minutes ago. I am shaken with rage as the book is one of the most hateful and ghastly jumble of horrors I have ever finished. At least it is mercifully short. (again: harsh. And "literally" just finished? As opposed to what? "Figuratively finished?) a sophomoric piece of Beckett-lite [work] (ouch! And does the write mean "lite" or "like"?) First of all, I wonder what people would be saying if this wasn't a Yann Marlel book. You've gotta think that it's being judged against the success of The Life of Pi . Also, okay, it's aut...

Should I get one? I’m not a luddite — far from it, so I’m not opposed to having one because I like the feel of a book and I like turning pages (although I do like all of the above). Here’s the thing: I get almsost all the books I need from the library. I rareley buy books, so I don’t need a Kindle or a Kobo or a Sony Reader — not really, but since when do these things have anything to do with need. Okay, here’s some justification for having one: 1) it’s green! No paper 2) I can use it at the library 3) When you go on vacation and you can’t decide what book to take and you take six books and you only end up reading one and the other five just take up space… PROBLEM SOLVED 4) They look cool

Every summer I go to the school library where I work and loot it for summer reads. I make out like a bandit. Last year, I brought home Les Miserable and Love in the Time of Cholera — among 10 other titles — neither of which I read. This summer I once again scooped Love in a Time of Cholera, which I’m determined to read and a bunch of Kenneth Oppel books. That’s quite the contrast, huh? Currently I’m reading Conan Doyle’s Sing of Four and I’m going to pick up Yann Martel’s latest, Beatrice and Virgil. I think I’ll also go to chapters and do the buy 3 get the 4th free sale. Oh and then there’s the book depot sale! Crazy.

from http://www.pmptoday.com/2009/04/26/iphone-sad-scale-app-will-assess-your-depression/ “Are you feeling kind of depressed lately or know someone who does? Here is a nifty little iPhone app that could be useful in your situation. The Sad Scale iPhone app from the Deep Pocket Series is a handy tool in assessing your present emotional state and is now available at the App Store. By answering a series of standardized questions, thisiPhone app will then score your present state of mind giving you an initial assessment of what your condition is.” From the sublime to the ridiculous: there’s also an iFart app for your phone. Oh, and let’s not forgot the iRack Youtube.