Books I've Read Part 4.5

So it's not that I've stopped reading. I've just been reading at a slower pace (only on the subway to and from work). But in the last few months since November I've read these books/novels. Here are my unsolicited thoughts.

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Yosarian may indeed still live but I was already tired of the novel in the first few pages. There were some parts that I laughed at but for the most part it was a labor to get through the prose. In the forward, Heller even stated a review said that the book seemed to have been shouted and not written. That's a pretty apt description. Beyond that there was very little that moved me to be interested in the characters. But if I was still in school it would be a great book to search do a report on. Thing is I'm not in school , so while the novel may indeed describe dislocation and madness of war but it was long and by the end a huge pain in the ass to get through.

River Town by Peter Hessler

My mom sent me this book for Christmas. While I have an avowed distaste for English teachers I immediately forgave Hessler on account of his being in the Peace Corps and being an excellent writer. For you reading this the book may be interesting, but for me it was engrossing. Hessler spent 2 years in rural (BFE) China teaching. He went through many experiences as a foreigner that I have (to a much lesser degree in Beijing and far less degree here in Taiwan) also experienced. That said, his was much more intense. The interesting thing for me is that as a Chinese speaking foreigner I completely understood him when he stated that you start to carve out your own little world over here and that you don't like other foreigners intruding on it. I recommend the book but I hate to say many of you may not get the same enjoyment from reading it as I do since the book in many ways mirrors some of my experiences.

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Who am I to pass criticism on someone who survived the firebombing of Dresden and then cleaned up the bodies afterward? So I'll keep this light. I understood how and why the book was constructed. But I thought that it would have been more effective to pay more attention to the actual events that occurred in Dresden.

The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria

Read. This. Book. If you want to know how the world is moving this is the book to read. Zakaria is a smart man and the book was scary in a way. It discusses the diffusion of American power and move from a unipolar world that is now having to accomodate the BRIC countries. I see this every day here in Asia. Those of you who are in the U.S., believe me, you can hardly believe what is coming your direction from China and India. Get ready. There is nothing else to say--this book is a must read to understand the changing international system.

There should be more reviews soon. I'm getting close to being done with the last book I had for Christmas and I just spent $60 today to get 5 more new books at the best English bookstore in Taipei.