Fathers and sons
I've just finished reading Gilead (by Marilynne Robinson), and I found it a meditative, insightful read. The book is an epistolary novel. In it, 77-year-old preacher John Ames is writing to his young son. Ames knows that he is at the end of his life, and he wants to write a few things down for his son, who will have to grow up fatherless.
The book is much about fathers and sons, both the mortal and the spiritual kind. Ames is a very sympathetic character, and he tries his best to relate the story of his life and what he has learned from it in a humble, self-deprecating way. Ames specifically describes his relationships with both his own father and his grandfather, and he also makes much of Jack Boughton, a Presbyterian preacher and one of his oldest friends. (For many years, Ames felt alone, as his first wife and child died. He was covetous of Boughton's bounteous family, even though he knew it was wrong to want another man's blessings.)
The book is paced slowly, thoughtfully. It is not a quick read, because it is very thought-provoking. There is little, if any plot, but I still found the book useful. Ames has a knack for recognizing the wonder in the world around us. Although he lived his entire life in Gilead, Iowa, Ames appreciates the complexity and beauty of the world. It's quite moving, and it will get you thinking. You can check out an NPR interview with the author by clicking here.
I also saw Paycheck, starring Ben Affleck and Uma Thurman, this week. Although I found the premise of the movie highly original, and the action more than adequate to keep me interested, the scenes between Thurman and Affleck fell flat. (In addition, more than a few melodramatic moments had me rolling my eyes.) Affleck plays engineer Michael Jennings, who works on highly lucrative projects for big companies, then has his memory erased so that he can't reveal any trade secrets. He's paid millions for the privilege, of course, and everything seems to sit just fine with him.
However, on a particularly well-paying gig, Jennings awakens from his memory erasure to discover that he's traded his obscenely high paycheck for an envelope full of random personal items. As the movie progresses, we learn that Jennings has risked everything to save himself, his girl (Thurman), and (of course) THE WORLD. (Insert dramatic, booming soundtrack here.)
This movie was fairly entertaining, but it just couldn't find its heart. Paul Giamatti, in a turn as Shorty, Micheal's tech-savvy friend, struck me as the most real character of the bunch, and he didn't even have much screen time. Verdict: skip it.
The book is much about fathers and sons, both the mortal and the spiritual kind. Ames is a very sympathetic character, and he tries his best to relate the story of his life and what he has learned from it in a humble, self-deprecating way. Ames specifically describes his relationships with both his own father and his grandfather, and he also makes much of Jack Boughton, a Presbyterian preacher and one of his oldest friends. (For many years, Ames felt alone, as his first wife and child died. He was covetous of Boughton's bounteous family, even though he knew it was wrong to want another man's blessings.)
The book is paced slowly, thoughtfully. It is not a quick read, because it is very thought-provoking. There is little, if any plot, but I still found the book useful. Ames has a knack for recognizing the wonder in the world around us. Although he lived his entire life in Gilead, Iowa, Ames appreciates the complexity and beauty of the world. It's quite moving, and it will get you thinking. You can check out an NPR interview with the author by clicking here.
I also saw Paycheck, starring Ben Affleck and Uma Thurman, this week. Although I found the premise of the movie highly original, and the action more than adequate to keep me interested, the scenes between Thurman and Affleck fell flat. (In addition, more than a few melodramatic moments had me rolling my eyes.) Affleck plays engineer Michael Jennings, who works on highly lucrative projects for big companies, then has his memory erased so that he can't reveal any trade secrets. He's paid millions for the privilege, of course, and everything seems to sit just fine with him.
However, on a particularly well-paying gig, Jennings awakens from his memory erasure to discover that he's traded his obscenely high paycheck for an envelope full of random personal items. As the movie progresses, we learn that Jennings has risked everything to save himself, his girl (Thurman), and (of course) THE WORLD. (Insert dramatic, booming soundtrack here.)
This movie was fairly entertaining, but it just couldn't find its heart. Paul Giamatti, in a turn as Shorty, Micheal's tech-savvy friend, struck me as the most real character of the bunch, and he didn't even have much screen time. Verdict: skip it.
Comments
This book is so like life. We all go along, trying to do the best we can, trying to be better. Even though we know we are falling short, we still keep trying. I think that is one of the beauties of human existence.
NB