Review: There Is No Antimemetics Division

There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is no doubt that this is an excellent book, but it also highlights my aversion to Sci-fi in general.

On the one hand it's a mind-boggling scary point of view of entities that hide themselves by erasing any memory anyone had of them, as well as odd, fantastical, gross snippets thrown in and philosophical questions about how/why you combat such entities. All of which, quite frankly, confused me not a little.

But on the other hand, once again I can't help thinking you can just invent your way into and out of any situation with sci-fi/fantasy. When layers of unknowns and oddities get stacked upon each other, it starts feeling too simulated.

Or maybe my brain just isn't equipped to handle it.

Still, 5 stars because it is definitely unique.

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Review: Voyage Around My Room: Selected Works of Xavier de Maistre

Voyage Around My Room: Selected Works of Xavier de Maistre by Xavier de Maistre
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a delightful book to read. Under house arrest, he decided to write a book that is literally about a voyage around his room, with musings, memories and other tidbits.

Read this if you come across it.




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Review: The Third Love

The Third Love by Hiromi Kawakami
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After being let down by "Under the Eye of the Big Bird", this was a breath of fresh air, and more like the Kiromi Kawakami I remembered. Very insightful, slightly surrealistic and an interesting story.


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Review: Three Uses of the Knife: On the Nature and Purpose of Drama

Three Uses of the Knife: On the Nature and Purpose of Drama by David Mamet
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a very enlightening and interesting book for people who have nothing to do with drama, theater or film, since the ideas are refreshing and new, and from a different point of view.

It reads like three stream of thought essays.


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Review: Arid Dreams

Arid Dreams by Duanwad Pimwana
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The word that comes to mind for these short stories is "refreshing". Not so much due to the stories themselves, since many of them are a tad depressing and oppressive. More so because they are a glimpse into lives and points of view that, as far as I know, aren't really discussed all that often in translation. Everyday lives, especially of women, in Thailand.


My favorite was "The way of the moon", followed by Kanda's eyebrows and The Second Book.


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Review: The Odyssey

The Odyssey by Homer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Extremely enjoyable edition, reading more like a modern historical novel than ancient verse. There are the usual repetitions (like many rosy-fingered dawns), but that's inevitable.

Also, did Odysseus really strip naked to fight the suitors in his house? I didn't remember that at all.

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Review: Italy Reborn: From Fascism to Democracy

Italy Reborn: From Fascism to Democracy by Mark Gilbert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A tour de force covering the founding of the Republic of Italy, picking up from the ashes after the war (also obviously covering prior to and during the war).

This was incredibly well-researched and does a great job explaining the inner workings of Italy, including how, despite being derided for having had some many governments over the years, this is actually one of its strengths; in setting up a system wherein the strength is not the government, but the system itself, so anytime the government falls, it is not “an earthquake”, but just “a tremor”.

Also fascinating details about how Italians reacted to events during the war, including realizing Mussolini was a puppet, and the partisan’s role in denouncing fascism during and after the war. Also fascinating to see how the communist party became strong after the war, and it was thanks to the various coalitions (and the church) that it did not actually take power.


I now want to read a biography on Alcide de Gasperi.





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Review: Rashōmon and Seventeen Other Stories

Rashōmon and Seventeen Other Stories by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An excellent collection of interesting stories, almost all of them with a unique and/or whimsical twist or angle.

My favorites were "Rashomon", "The Story of a Head that Fell off" and "Green Onions". But this was purely personal taste.

The last one was haunting, although I'm not sure I understood it entirely.

He is now one of my favorite authors.

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Review: The Christmas Box

The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very cute and touching short story. Good for the Christmas season.


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