October 12, 2006

Time for more books...

I have been doing more studying for my graduate finals lately, so book reading has been a little slower, but here are two I have finished in the last few weeks...

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"Notice: Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot. - By order of the Author" - Mark Twain (at the beginning of the book)

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a book that I had on the shelf for a few years and never read. It is considered the first true American novel. I have to admit that some of its greatness was lost on me. I would like to say that I saw why it was everything that people say it is... I was more amazed at Huck's incredible ability to lie and create complex stories at the drop of a hat that were quite believable. I laughed numerous times at Huck's reactions to Tom Sawyer's insane ideas for springing Jim from the jail. I would have had the exact same reactions... I found the Duke and Prince very tiresome characters... not because Twain had created them poorly, but because he had created them perfectly... it was not his manner of creation that tired me, but the believe-ability of the characters themselves... I will end with two quotes...

"All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn." - Ernest Hemingway

Three Act Tragedy is the latest Hercule Poirot novel that I have read by Dame Christie. I did not know anything about the story except that it was the next one on the list that I wanted to read. It was good... there were a couple of things that gave away some clues to me (maybe I am starting to understand how she writes)... so I actually had guessed the murderer, and I even was close to the motive... but alas, she is a great and tricky writer... so she fooled me there, but one of the murders in the book I did get correctly (as far as the motive), which was a pleasant surprise... it even has a revelation from Poirot how he may have been the victim by pure chance... well done...

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