However far I stray from this blog, I always come back for the 20 Books of Summer reading challenge hosted by Cathy at 746 Books. It’s a habit now, and somehow it’s easier to read in the summer than the winter. read more
The idea of dreams changing reality isn’t unique, but its presentation in Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Lathe of Heaven is inventive and disquieting. The Lathe of Heaven follows George Orr as he seeks treatment for a sleep disorder. Some of Orr’s dreams impact the real world, so he has been abusing medication to alternately stay awake or sleep dreamlessly. His drug use lands him in “Voluntary Therapeutic Treatment,” which becomes less voluntary when his doctor, William Haber, finds a way to control Orr’s dreams to his own benefit. read more
All-in-all, this wasn’t my worst attempt at the 20 Books of Summer reading challenge hosted by Cathy at 746 Books. read more
20 Books of Summer 2022: Book 7
Most of my affection for Ernest Hemingway’s writing comes from his short fiction. I remember being assigned “Hills Like White Elephants” in college. I read it quickly, too quickly, and was stunned when the in-class conversation turned to abortion. In my quest to finish my homework as fast as possible, I’d read past the topic discussed by the two main characters—the only thing happening in the story. The more we discussed it, the more the story opened up and the sparse, concise language conveyed more than I’d realized. When you come to admire an author for their concision, it doesn’t necessarily follow that you’ll like their full-length novels. When I picked up The Sun Also Rises, I was intrigued by the idea of more Hemingway. (The Frasier quote comes to mind: “Ah, but if less is more, just think of how much more more will be!”) read more
20 Books of Summer 2022: Book 6
I’m split on how to feel about Frank Herbert’s Dune. I attempted to read it a few times over the years, but it never pulled me in. I only finished it now because I was impressed by the film. Arguably, the book ends on an even bigger cliffhanger, but I’m not curious enough about this world or its characters to read further. It’s a classic and I’m glad to have read it, but it wasn’t as entertaining or engaging as expected. read more