A slight haitus

Sorry for the lack of posts. It seems that my har drive decided to fail me at a crucial time, holiday. But rather than serving as another nuisance of which I hate to take care, it actually helped me regain some focus.

This previous break was the first time in a while I read for pure pleasure. An act which always seems to escape me anymore. However, over the course of the break, without the fear of impending deadlines (though some did exist as they often do) I partook in reading books that I really wanted. To begin as one always should, with the trivial.

Kitchen Confidential. A friend gave it to me, knowing that I love to cook and often do. It is a book by the chef Anthony Bourdain, made famous by his stint on the travel channel as the host of No Reservations. I read it and found it to be great. A great deal of useful tips and years of cooking experience mixed with underworld ties, copious amounts of drugs and alcohol and probably a lot of bullshit story telling. It was a great story and a quick read.

Freud and the Non-European. By Edward Said. Well this one wasn't totally pleasure, I always have a means, but critical theory is my life, so it was rather fun. Basic premise is that the Jewish identity is at its center a fractured core. This is no anti-Semitic, so please don't accuse me of such beliefs. I think it does say something interesting. Moses was an Egyptian, yes we all can agree, thus he is isolated both from Europe (pre and post european ideals [pre WWII aka Hitler]) Thus at the center of the Jewish identity is this double outsiderness. Fascinating outlook in the wake of the current events going on over there, no?

A Book of French short stories. Various authors, though it appears that the unnamed editor selectively choose from 19th century authors, which has something to say coming out of 1840s and the memories of Napoleon no doubt. My favourite, about a young journalist who interviews an author (posing as a fellow author/poet) who soon realises what the Age of Love is. The article soon becomes that interview in a final twist. Another, a story of a Corsican child who betrays a theif for a watch. The father then executes his child for his treachery to the theif. Very poignant to say the least. Does it say something about the culture and tha author? Perhaps. There is something to celebrate about loyalty though and this is to the extreme.Did learn what a maquis is.

Paul Celan. Brilliant poet. I would read him if I were you.

Borges. Where to begin. I love the man, so this break I took the time to read through his fiction again. The stories all centering around some twilight zone-esque twist. The richness of the narrative and the (sur)reality of the characters and setting is breathtaking. My favourite? I do not know. A cross/tie between Funes the Memorious (the man who can remember everything perfectly to the point that thought becomes a distraction from his seeing and knowing everything) and The Library of Bable. A labyrith of books, every book written including the books that explain life and tell the future and the librarians who read them. They always have a story to tell.

I also sprinkled in some Derrida, just for good measure.

Addendum
Breakfast at Tiffany's and other shorts by Capote. I liked the movie...I always felt people missed the message though. Everyone was drawn to Hepburn's good looks and fashion (which I understand) but I always thought there was some deeper meaning behind the story. A slightly more cynical and harsher look to reality and society. Well in the book there is. Novella I should say. Favourite line "It should take you eight seconds to get from here to the door. You have two."


I am sorry that this post isn't all that interesting, but I have to get back into the swing of things. It is always nice to remove oneself from technology every once and a while, just to remember what life is. Which is to say that life and technology and life are not tied, which they are, but to see what things are as distance increases, how the attractive forces diminish (porportional to 1/r^2...kidding, but seriously) .