House of Leaves

House of Leaves

By: Mark Danielewski

Copyright: 2000

Pantheon Books

5 Bookmarks out of 5

I learned about this book while working at my undergraduate alma mater one summer. I worked with a woman who had this book with her constantly. Her and another man I worked with would chat about the book together. Being a nosy person, especially when it comes to books, I asked what the book was about and if it was worth buying. The two of them immediately said yes it was worth reading and it was a crazy book to read. Much to my delight - and horror - I found out that House of Leaves is a book which is about a book which is about a movie. If that's not enough to entice you in, then maybe you should know that it centers around a house which is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.

Now, I'm not one for horror books or films. I rarely watch or read them because usually it gives me nightmares for a month afterwards. But this book is just sane enough to keep me going. If you're prone to nightmares, then maybe this book isn't for you. The house is aware of its own existence - growing and contracting at its own will and having the rooms be completely and utterly black inside. But - then again - the house is just the film part of the book. The book that is being written about the movie was written by a character named Zampano who dies and Johnny Truant ends up editing the book while informing the reader what is actually happening in his own life while the actual editors of the book who brought it to publication are commenting on Johnny's comments on Zampano's comments about the book which is about the movie which is about the house.

Sound confusing? There are points in time which it is utterly confusing to figure out what is going on. The best way to keep track of all it is by the different fonts used for different characters and the different colors of the words in the book. But this book doesn't just settle there. Danielewski wants the reader to emerge himself or herself into the book. The words grow closer and closer together to demonstrate to the reader the claustrophobia a certain character is feeling and the words spin in circles so that way you also feel just as confused as the character in the book. It's extremely post-modern but in a way that drags you along for the crazy ride.

What I found most disappointing about the book is that it reads like non-fiction at certain points in time and then reads like fiction at other parts. The non-fiction parts bored me and I found myself just wanting to skip over certain technical descriptions to figure out how the plot moves along. But the nice part about the non-fiction parts is that you, the reader, get to immerse yourself in this world and suspend disbelief for a short while. There are times when you wonder if Ash Tree Lane might actually exist and you begin to feel a shiver run up your spine as you wonder if the house being described could be any house - maybe even your own house. Maybe you will be the one to open a door in your own house and find a long, pitch black hallway.

Would I consider this a 'must-read'? It depends on who is doing the reading. This is not a casual novel you pick up and thumb through to pass the time. The book demands the reader to constantly be engaged in what is happening. And in the end, it's very possible that you may have more questions than answers about what actually happened in the book. But is it worth your time to read? Absolutely. The creepiness combined with the passion of the characters combined with the question-raising Johnny Truant makes this a memorable read and one I will certainly tackle again to see if any of my questions are answered by a second-go-round.

Jihad vs. McWorld

Jihad vs. McWorld: Terrorism's Challenge to Democracy
By: Benjamin Barber
Copyright: 1995
Ballantine Books

3 Bookmarks out of 5

So, it's been awhile since I've posted on here. Real life has once again taken over - I'm solidifying some things for a move I will be making, I took a wonderful vacation to New England, and some family issues took over my time for reading. I still was trucking away at this book though - no matter how slowly. I first heard about this book in college. Since I was a social science major, this book popped up a lot in certain readings for class. When walking through Barnes & Noble one day, I decided that it was time for me to pick it up and actually read the book in its entirety.

Unfortunately, I'm a little sad that I forced myself through this entire book. It took me two months to read because the writing was not meant for the lay person. If you're looking to digest the theory in this book, it would be better just to read a summary of the argument that Barber makes - which is essentially that neither McWorld nor Jihad is democratic and we're all in big trouble if either one wins out. If you're looking for an easy read on the current state of world affairs, this is not that book. However, if you're looking for a book with deep analysis of how the world works, then I would encourage you to read it.

The book is slightly dated - it was published in 1995 and the version I read was re-published in 2001 with a new introduction which reminds readers that the theory still holds true today. Even eleven years later, though, Barber's book still holds true. Replace cassette tapes with blu-ray DVDs and it's easy to see how it is applicable to today. It would be interesting to see an even more updated version which speaks to the current fad of social media and how consumers are willingly giving McWorld unlimited access to personal information.

I can also see how people could be offended by the title of this book. I went into it thinking that Barber would focus solely on fundamental Islam and how it has no place in the modern world. Barber instead focuses on extreme conservatism everywhere - from the Middle East to Germany and even the extreme Christian right in the United States of America. Barber seems to use the term 'jihad' as an over-arching theme although 'jihad' is almost always associated solely on Islam. Barber knows, though, that in America the term 'jihad' sells. It looks as if Barber was swept up in the McWorld that he is arguing against in an attempt to sell this book.

Overall the book is organized in easy to digest parts. If it was written in long-winded chapters, I doubt that I would have mustered the strength to finish this book. But the easy to find stopping places allows you to digest what you just read and take a break before you continue on. Some of the examples felt drawn out when I understood the point he was trying to make from the get-go. But over-all Barber does try to make his book easy to understand.

I guess in the end the book left me uninspired. I didn't feel like the way I looked at the world changed after reading - and I attribute that to the fact that I was already extremely familiar with the theory presented in the book before I even started reading it. It took me so long to read it because it was not written in an exciting way. The book is geared towards academics who are already interested in this subject and not necessarily the weekend reader. Pick it up if you're interested - steer clear if you're just looking for a book to keep you occupied while you ride the bus or train.