Creative Meanderings

While staying at the beach house during my visit to the Oregon Coast with my family, I finished reading Cormac McCarthy’s _The Road_. He is the author of other books such as _No Country for Old Men_, _All the Pretty Horses_, etc. R had borrowed this book from the library before the summer holidays and said it was really well-written. So, when I saw it on the bookshelf at the house, I thought I’d give it a try.

The story follows the journey of a father and son as they try to survive in a desolate and forsaken version of the world. Neither character bears a name other than Papa and the boy. Nothing is really known about the world they are trying to make it in, but through flashbacks, dreams and memories the reader gets a sense of an old world, like the one we know today.

McCarthy’s descriptions of the land, feelings of conflict and building of suspense in the encounters between the father and son and the “bad” guys keeps the reader engaged. However, while the story may lead the reader to expect progress in the journey itself, the reality is that the progress is found in the survival of the boy when his father is no longer able to care for and protect him.

Generally-speaking, as I progressed through the novel, I kept thinking how it must be written for a male-audience. The sentences were definitely descriptive, but the emotions described were stilted and difficult to decipher. The relationship between the father and boy felt like how I have observed men communicate with one another – not knowing how emotional to be or how many words are required to express themselves.

It’s not a story for those who would like a happily ever after-ending, but those who are optimists and Dostoevsky lovers will appreciate the need to imagine a more hopeful future despite dismal circumstances. 🙂

More to come…

-T

_The Lost Symbol_

The past few books I’ve read have been read on my iPhone through an application called Stanza. It’s really great for traveling because I don’t need to pack a bunch of heavy books – with weight and luggage being such an issue these days – and it’s convenient when I have to wait in lines at the doctor’s, car wash, wherever! However, I did find when reading this book that I missed the ability to turn a page quickly as I read it leisure in bed on the weekends.
Like the other Robert Langdon-based books, Dan Brown does a decent enough job of creating suspense and creating a viable historical mystery. However, I found the explanations a bit cumbersome to get through and a bit too preachy as the ending started to become clear. Also, sadly, I was able to figure out the ending before I got there and that for me is always a bit of a downer in any mystery novel.
Still, I did enjoy it and would recommend it as an enjoyable book to get through while traveling. 😀

More books to come…

-T

_I, Alex Cross_

Well, when you read a couple of heavy books, especially when traveling, it’s always a relief to read something light. I’ve become a huge fan of the electronic books, despite a bit of pain at the costs. Still, when I’m traveling, it’s so much easier and lighter to carry around my little iPhone than to pack a bunch of books to keep myself busy.
So, one of the books I’ve downloaded in the contemporary category is another James Patterson novel with the Alex Cross character.
It’s a fairly engaging story with the mystery of a serial killer who has ties to the White House. Through the sub-characters and of course continuing development of the main characters, I was entertained enough throughout the story. Though, I may have to stop reading crime thrillers as I had already guessed who the killer was by mid-way in the story….
Anyway, a good light read to distract the brain for a few hours! 😀

More books to come…

-T

_Dreams From My Father_

Some time ago, my friend said that she was reading this book and that she thought I might like it. When the Presidential elections were happening, I found myself frustrated by President Obama’s ticket as representative of the African-Americans. Of course, I admit that I didn’t really know much about anything related to the candidates except that I wanted to see a woman make it and was more of a Senator Clinton (now Secretary of State Clinton) fan than an Obama one.
Time passed and I became more interested in knowing who this man is whom Oprah Winfrey actively chose to support and whom the country of my nationality was putting so much hope and faith into.
So, what better time to read than whilst traveling?
It took me a bit of time to make it through the book, but I found it overall very interesting and eye-opening. I feel as if I know President Obama a little bit better and yet even less at the same time.
Still, I related to his struggle to find himself having grown up in a white community, but not really belonging. Then, finding himself not really belonging to the African-American community either until he went back to his roots and learned his heritage and culture. While I envied his long years of history that as an African-American, I also found that I was felt inspired to start bringing out the adopted Asian-American history so that others can also find a way to relate and connect as I was with this memoir.
Of course, our struggles and realm of understanding greatly differ. I will never be the President of the United States, but there is also a struggle that unites us whether or not I ever meet the man of the book.
So, overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it as a good read. Not because he’s the President of my country and not because he’s an African-American man. But, because it speaks to those who have mixed identities and struggle to find themselves in this crazy world.

More books to come…

-T