literature
Geek literature from the New York Times or the recesses of online. Our favorite stories showcase geeks.
Book Review: "The Woman in the Dunes" by Kōbō Abe
“The Woman in the Dunes” by Kobo Abe is often described as one of the most important, moving and existential Japanese novels of its century and honestly, I have to agree. Not since Mary Shelley has man felt as powerless yet believes himself still to be powerful in the grander scale of things. And though this is not Sci-Fi, it tells a tale of a man forced to monster himself in order to survive. A man forced to exist rather than live and through this, we get the survival - which is absolutely shocking in some respects. From being enslaved and trapped to eating bugs and the sorts, Kobo Abe makes it clear that this man will refuse to perish in the dust. He simply refuses to die. This hits the very essence of man itself - someone who exists believing in their own existence as important or if more so, than everyone else’s on the planet. In reality, it is one person out of millions and would it really matter? In the narrative it does, but how do we know the same thing is not going on right now somewhere deep in the deserts? We never will.
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Geeks
Tails From The Void
Desmond sat focusing on the words of the elders as they regaled the children with stories of great and terrible beasts. How they stalked the forests preying on anyone ignorant of the dangers. “Once there was a hero known as Suriku,” Leth said. “He had a wandering spirit unable to remain in one village for too long. He sought only glory through battle. One night while sleeping under the stars he had a vision of all the tribes standing together, which at the time were all separated and fighting amongst themselves.”
By Nathan Cleve Durham5 years ago in Geeks
Recent Reads: 6-10
I have been putting off writing this post for a bit now. Mostly due to the fact that I had no idea how to review some of these reads but have decided to start writing in hopes that the words would come to me in the process. In this segment of Recent Reads there were a ton of three star rated books that I would really just call a "hit or miss" even though they were not all five stars or two stars. I ended up rating most of them three stars for a number of reasons that I plan on getting into later.
By Liv Atterson5 years ago in Geeks
A Battle Short.
We stand in line, the evening fog playing tricks with my vision. I can't see what stands before me. A line of the dead. A wall of horror. Those sent to destroy and slaughter. Like shadows they move in the dim light, odd sparks of silver as the failing light beams off a sword. But we stand before them. A force sent to silence the screams. To end the pain they have beheld on so many of our people. We join and meet on the field, a few acres of lush green. A green soon to be slick with the blood of hundreds. Ours and theirs. Perhaps mine. I stand in line my shoulder touching those beside me. Our shields locked in an essential bond between warriors. I look beside me to a face I know only in passing. A helmet covers his face, all but his mouth and teeth which he bares in aggression. Hot air like dragon’s breath circles above us as war rage slowly crackles in our veins. I look to my other side to her face, her blonde hair braided back to halo kohl eyes. Like my own, the black has run rivers down her cheeks. In war we appear to cry tears of the darkest blood. A hellish nightmare, the shield-maidens of our land. I look to the enemy again. The last of the golden evening light dancing through the trees; such a beautiful thing. A stark contrast to what will soon be unleashed beneath its beauty. Finally but always, I look to him. Standing at the front of us all; his mighty army. Standing ahead of the shield wall he holds nothing but his sword, a perfect extension of his warrior soul. His worn leather armour is strong about his body, promising protection should he need it. He's counting those he can see. He's calculating those we can kill. He will win this war. This war that could end thousands of deaths. We know what this means. He knows what he must do. He is our leader, our general and my love. He turns then, clearly decided on our plan of attack. He glares along the front row, looking each soldier in the eye. A silent request, will you die for me? Will you die for your people? Will you fight with every fibre of your being for the ones you love? And always, a silent yes. A nod of every man and woman. Until he reaches me. As I gaze into those honeyed eyes that before seemed so full of battle rage; I see only love. The honey softens to liquid as he looks to me, at his warrior love. His request was already asked the night before. I would die for him, as he would me and so I smile at him. In the middle of a war but before the bloodshed can begin; I smile at the love of my life. His eyes light up, the darkness banished for just a moment. He raises his hand to his heart, that which belongs to me, for the briefest touch before taking a breath in. A deep breath before the plunge. Or the fall. We will know soon enough.
By Ellie Larrard5 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Key" by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki
I have read quite a few of Tanizaki's novels in the past. These include books such as: "The Makioka Sisters", "Some Prefer Nettles" and even "In Praise of Shadows". So I imagine I have a good holding on what to expect from this author and yet, I am still rather surprised. In a style more befitting to DH Lawrence's novels such as "Lady Chatterley's Lover" and "Women in Love" - this book seems to, more than others by Tanizaki, cover the aspects of traditionalist love that leads to almost this mental breakdown of the main characters involved in it. An almost Battle Royale of superiority and getting what they want out of a seemingly loveless and rather strange marriage dynamic, Tanizaki tells us a story through first person diary entries about how one tries to take down the other through manipulation. The character of Ikuko is one of Tanizaki's greatest since the time I read "The Makioka Sisters" as she too, struggles with the morality of a woman and the argument around what she should and shouldn't do - believing in some respects that her modesty is for her own good without very much reasoning behind it. This book is a total invasion of deep, personal secrets that prove that this marriage was not built on love, but instead on the management of society and its views of a married woman with a child in comparison to an unmarried and childless one. But can you say the ending is happy? This is the question I will continue to ask myself until I can properly decide for what cause these acts were committed.
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "My Life" by Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall, artist and innovator, writes his life story in a naturally artistic way. Including images of vast history and modernism, it has often been considered one of his most endearing pieces of art and to this day, many people still read, review and study the book in hoping to find some more understandings between Marc Chagall and the wondrous artworks he created. When I read this, I already knew who Marc Chagall was but I had no idea that this book was going to be so intense and incredible in its attempt to link man and art by this historical setting that is completely dismembered by war and has been put together in a story that is so harmonious that you could never think he was not a writer by trade initially.
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Mythologies" by Roland Barthes
Roland Barthes has always been a favourite critic of mine to read because his philosophies are so out there and yet, they are perfectly explained through everyday things. These things include everything from Ancient Romans to Margarine to Children’s Novels and more - Roland Barthes analysis them all in some weird and strange perspective. In this particular book of “Mythologies” - Roland Barthes takes seemingly normal situations and hyper-analysis why they remain a part of people’s lives. This book is a brilliant part of the Roland Barthes is something incredible of the philosophies and though I do not agree with all of the stuff he says, but there are always things that are so well written that I cannot resist but read them.
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Transit" by Anna Seghers
This book may be better written than others, but there is a real lack of philosophical reflection passages for a book that claims to be most about the existential. When it does happen, it is well written. But it just does not do it enough nor does it go in-depth enough about the philosophical viewpoint of the narrator. I think that this is because the character has no real traits that match up or associate with the author and so the author finds it difficult to assume the existential points in his head without being reductive. It is played safe, but research could have made the character a lot more well-built and thoroughly examined. I feel like we just get one thing after another and there is no real time to stop and stand, just admiring the characters and their inner beings. This obviously makes the relationships between characters suffer as we do not feel like we know them enough to care about them properly.
By Annie Kapur5 years ago in Geeks
5-Star Books From 2020
It’s impossible to keep up with the amazing books published every year! I have a couple of go-to sites and reviewers to help me. You probably know many of them: Book Riot, Goodreads and, of course, here on Medium. My library subscribes to NoveList Plus, which breaks down books by appeal factors and other criteria. If you have access to it, I highly recommend it for searching for a specific plot type or sub-genre.
By Erica Ball5 years ago in Geeks
