96. Brave New World – Aldous Huxley Tuesday, Jun 30 2009 

Books , , , pkhansen 6:31 pm

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is a chilling tale of a future utopia that has perhaps turned into a dystopia. In a somewhat distant future, members of society are allocated into classes at birth, unable to move between them later in life. Sex and relationships are not related, or rather, relationships are frowned upon. Sex is a means of recreation, as is the consumption of drugs.

The book brings up the issue of identity, of who we are and if who we are is related to our society. In a way it romanticizes the “savage” or natural man, and demonizes the man made of modern society. One of the main characters is John, a savage that is more similar to us in modern society in his worldview, at least similar in his distaste for the empty society which he is exposed to. The character of Bernard, for which the focus of the book lies, is a modern man, but an outcast and weak.

Why is this work so powerful? It is a commentary on technology and progress, which we all can relate to. Each passing generation seems to be equally if not more alienated than the one that came before it. In the words of what is referred to as Clarke’s Third Law: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. We are disconnected from technology, knowing how it works, but not knowing how it is made to work.

One of the most interesting themes for me in the book is the lack of meaning in society, or rather the absence of real meaning. It is somewhat ironic that one is looking for so much meaning in a work that proclaims there is none. One of the first realizations one has while reading this book is that interestingly, a slew of characters have names derived from actual social and political persons. Huxley was a satirist and there are numerous little whimsical touches throughout the novel.

The case can be made, looking at historical tendencies, that it is a commentary on the United States, and a warning about the “Americanization” of the world. Now in a shifting world, perhaps it is a commentary on what can come to pass if an emerging society seeks to emulate the United States, and getting it wrong.

Look up Brave New World (P.S.) at amazon.com.

 

97. The Alchemist – Paolo Coelho Friday, Sep 26 2008 

Books , , pkhansen 11:44 am

Very simply, if you liked or loved the Little Prince, you will like or love this book. Similar in themes, setting and a somewhat naive form (neither book is simplistic, I assure you), these two books delighted me some ten years apart.

The book details a boy named Santiago and his search for a treasure, for which he has to go to the Pyramids of Egypt. The treasure he is searching is known as his soul’s desire, and during the search, it becomes apparent that this may be an allegory. Part of the appeal of the book is the fact that the reader is left to make meaning of what it is that Coelho is describing in symbols. A wide number of equally correct interpretations have been made, and it is a book that has the power to speak to you from your own experiences, a very rare feat indeed.

I understand that not everyone will be at that place where they will enjoy this wondrous book. Sometimes it can be just to darn happy and “go follow your dream”-ish for some. However, it is one of the most read and celebrated books ever for a reason. While it might not present you with things you didn’t know about, it will highlight some things you knew about, but perhaps forgot. It is a quick and delightful little read, and it makes a great gift too.

The Alchemist at Amazon.com

 

98. The little prince – Antoine de Saint Exupéry Monday, Jul 14 2008 

Books , , , pkhansen 5:32 pm

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry is one of the most wonderful books I have read. A book that can be easily read by children, but not merely a children’s book.

The story details how the author meets the little prince in the desert of Sahara, and how the little prince reveals easy to understand, but still profound, bits of knowledge. The prince is a child in most ways, and speaks and thinks in ways like a child. However, from his experience he tells stories and facts that illuminate and seem somehow forgotten to the adult mind.

It is not merely a good book for positive people around the world, or for those who are somewhere between childhood and adulthood (something that has described me for the last 20 years). It is merely a good book. It is a book that will make you want to laugh and to cry, and for me the ultimate test for the quality of any art is the way it draws out emotion in you.

You can get The Little Prince at amazon.com, or somewhere else. Just make sure you get it and share it with everyone you love, or like even.

 

99. Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card Saturday, Jul 5 2008 

Books , , , , pkhansen 1:53 pm

Ender’s game by Orson Scott Card is a story of morality and adversity that is certain to grip any adolescent male that picks it up. The main character, Andrew “Ender” Wiggins, is faced with torment and bullying throughout the book as he is perceived as superior to other children. All sympathetic figures such as his parents and his loving sister are removed from him, and he is isolated to complete his training as the savior of the human race.

In the encounters with adversity, Ender meets them with force and brutality, but portrayed as a means of last resort. His actions are explained and rationalized along the way, as are the trials and duress he is put under. Ultimately, he is indeed the unwilling and unwitting savior of the human race, but with chilling consequences.

‘Ender’s Game’ is one of the most read science fiction novels, and is lauded and criticized for many of the same points. The concept of the leader as apart and superior to others, the morality and consequences of actions paired with the desire and intention of aforementioned, the suppression and hatred of those who are superior or recognized as such. All in all, it is a book that can be gripping for a young male in the formative years, exploring the themes of alienation and bullying.

I prefer not to pass any judgement on the moral virtues of this book, but have to say I found it a good read, and I can wholeheartedly recommend it to others.

Ender’s Game at amazon.com

 

100. The Great Gatsby Tuesday, Jul 1 2008 

Books , , , pkhansen 4:32 pm

The 100 best books. In no particular order. Clocking in at number 100: The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzgerald makes the cut in most lists of this sort, but why?

Is it the imagery and symbolism? Well, yes, it certainly makes it easier to use the book in an English class. In itself, the book wasn’t very popular at the time of release, gathering moment as time passed. Nowadays, it is hard to consider yourself well read without having thumbed through the pages. And it must be said that Fitzgerald uses his symbolism throughout the book, dispersing meaning and possible interpretations at every chapter.

Is it the age old tale of smalltown values vs. the bigtown lack of the same? Nick Carraway is the narrator, and the book starts with him declaring that he avoids judging people, laying the foundation for the conflict between him and other characters. In a sense, the book is a description of the age and values of that particular point in time, but the references can be applied to other periods, even todays society.

Is it the aforementioned description of the Jazz Age? The book describes an interesting and exciting part of US history, and the reader has every right to be drawn into the book. More than the actual happenings and settings of this age, the reader is exposed to the values and ambiance that reigned in this period after WWI.

All this and more; it is a tale of love, a tale of deceit, and it is a gripping and well written book to boot. All in all it is a wholehearted recommendation from me, even if it means pulling out the old high school copy from storage. Good reading!

And if you don’t own a copy of this great book, you can get one here from amazon.com: The Great Gatsby.