Benny Profane

The ending!

Revisado: 04-01-25

Grumpy old man here.

Yep. I found myself more sympathetic to the dad than the daughter, which made me resist the narrative swing.

But then... hmm. The ending. Maybe that's the point.

We have two upper middle class whiners. Then we have the ... final pages.

Hamya ... just maybe is making a larger point about the narcissistic, navel gazing that goes into the "me me ME!" art of today -- from both the old and young.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Need to read to understand propaganda

Revisado: 03-07-25

Let me lead with a parallel story.

When was in college in the late 1980s, early 1990s, I took a class from Edward Said, a prominent character in this book. He was charming. Brilliant. And made a strong case. I was a young liberal from a privileged background who planned to become an English professor, so I ate it up.

After a fascinating lecture, I joined a post-class chat. But I was preceded by a young law student wearing a a yarmulke. What I then witnessed was a precision intellectual takedown, and not by Said.

Essentially, Said's presentation -- like this book -- focused on Israel's attacks on Palestinians. The law student countered each assertion with, "Yes. But what happened before... in 1948, '67, '73, '82, '87...?" And the Nakba... what really happened?"

Said knew he was caught in a trap. The law student concluded, "And, Dr. Said, who would you say is the best Palestinian advocate of a peaceful two-state solution?"

Said diplomatically concluded the discussion with, "Your points are not unfair. Our leadership has failed us many times."

Of course, amid realpolitik, accurately reflecting historical reality is often not a priority, and this book is a prime example. Its entire purpose is not "history" but to superimpose a postmodern idea -- "the resistance to settler colonialism" -- onto the conflict.

Why? Because that's how you win over a progressive western audience.

How can you make the Palestinian cause seem like, say, the apartheid battle in South Africa? For starters, you don't mention what's beneath the Al-Aqsa Mosque... on, er, the Temple Mount. That might cloud the whole "history" thing about who was there first... and who actually was brutally abused by "Colonial" kingdoms.

You should, of course, note, 12,000 Palestinians fought with England in WWII... and leave out Hajj Amin Al-Husseini and Rashid Ali al-Gailani collaborating with Nazi Germany.

Any reasons Jews might have Zionist impulses in the late 1940s? And why the vast majority of the world was sympathetic?

1972 Munich Olympics? Not mentioned. The term "suicide bomber"? Not used until the final pages of the book.

There are always two perspectives -- if not more -- on historical events, with winners and losers. BUT ultimately the premise here is, "Yes, we started every conflict... but we lost. So Zionists, who won, are the bad guys."

All those college protests? Well, they've read only one book about the conflict. This one. I actually had an exchange with a protestor who didn't know that Gaza and the West Bank are two different places.

I've read 11 books about this conflict (yes, I just spent 30 minutes checking them off). My favorite isn't even directly about it, Simon Sebag Montefiore's "Jerusalem: The Biography." It is a thorough chronicle that makes sure you know about Romans, Turks, Arabs and religious intolerance that has little to do with Zionism.

I actually recommend this book (i've both read and listened). It's a part of the story. And well narrated.

But this book isn't written to inform. It's written to influence young progressives... who probably don't read many books but really, really want to get angry at a protest.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Unbiased truth: Sad many don't get it

Revisado: 04-16-24

This is a step-by-step documentation of what led up to Jan. 6, what happened on Jan. 6 and who's to blame.

It's not about right or left or democrats or republicans, though the story is told almost exclusively by republicans.

It's about a betrayal of the Constitution, betrayal of democratic principles and a betrayal of the greatest and defining tradition of our country: The peaceful transfer of power after elections.

Please read.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A romantic melodrama

Revisado: 04-20-23

Hardy is obviously a canonical writer. My personal take, though? He's sad, abbreviated Dickens.

While I've appreciated his other novels -- Mayor & Tess particularly -- this one is tough to take. For one, I didn't particularly like any character. Second, speaking of characters... Sue is insufferable.

Third, there are way too many unfortunate coincidences that push the plot forward.

About 37 million people lived in England in the 1890s. There's no way four characters who live in different towns would so consistently just happen to run into each other over a decade.

And the tragic plot point that sends things spiraling is the highly intelligent (if insufferable) Sue spilling her guts to a random stranger (don't think that's a spoiler but... )

The lesson in this tale? While some want to talk about the unfair economics that prevent Jude from attending university, it's really about not being stupid when choosing a spouse. I kid you not... don't choose an incompatible, slightly nutty or unethical person to marry. Trust me on this.

And, really, Jude is kinda... lazy? As in: He writes some elders at the University asking for advice on how to get in and gets just one response which says, "Give it up." And he does. He made no real effort and showed no tenacity for pursuing his dream of academia. And he repeatedly abandons his work over and over because... he's sad?

I read this to check another box on my "Great Books" list. But unlike most of those, I finished with relief rather than intellectual or emotional elevation.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Inspires contradictory reactions

Revisado: 04-06-22

This is an interesting, quick listen, written by a talented and erudite writer.

And as a liberal, middle-aged white male I... well... wonder if my voice is even allowed to critique aspects of this short story/novel, particularly realizing some of my other reviews have dwelled on similar issues.

But... I get hung up on parts of this novel and parts of the bio of the writer.

Here is her description in "Assembly" of a white male co-worker who takes pride in his elevating himself from a working class background:

“He rarely shows up before 11. As if each morning, fresh mediocrity slides out of the ocean, slimes its way over mossy rocks and sand, then sprouts skittering appendages that stretch and morph and twist into limbs as it forges on inland until finally, fully formed.”

First, it's mean and funny and well-done.

Second, however, there exist no mid-level person of any gender or race who "rarely shows up before 11" who works in banking/finance. Period. It's an entirely false character, created only to cast scorn upon a type -- entitled white male.

Here's a quote from Brown about this book:

"Nothing bad happens to any of the characters, none are subjected to harsh criticism or even unkind dialogue. Instead, the narrator emphasizes how much she understands the people around her. "

Hmm.

The central idea of the narrative is the narrator/main character has followed the rules, excelled, overcome overt and subtle institutional racism that slams into her daily and now stands at the brink -- an upperclass white collar, just promoted worker who is apparently about to be invited by marriage into the gentry of English society. (There's a existential twist I'll not spoil).

And she's incredibly ambivalent about it. She doesn't like her work. Assimilation into a culture she finds ugly and duplicitous vexes her. She feels like all she sees is hypocrisy, though one might argue she's using racism as a blanket term to describe her depressive solipsism.

What is she to do?

Well... she could break up with a boyfriend she doesn't seem to like or even respect, quit her job and pursue something more fulfilling, knowing she has a great nest egg to sustain her during the transition.

Or ... she could do as the author, who worked 10 years in finance before taking a break, winning a significant writing grant without having published anything previously and then earned six figure advances for this very book.

She's 31. Rich. Celebrated. And, please forgive me, really, really good looking.

I know. Just because she's on top of the world in every respect doesn't eliminate the racial aggressions -- micro and macro, which are vividly shown in the novel -- that do damage, even to the strong.

I guess what I always seem to want is us to fight racism, celebrate incremental societal improvement and not go off the rails with the "tear it all down" "math is racist" "punctuality is racist" "capitalism is racist" super-left woke stuff.

But, hey, what do I know.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Moving, powerful and, yes, sometimes excruciating

Revisado: 12-09-21

First, full disclosure. I worked with Ivan at ESPN and have known him for decades. I was probably part of the group of co-workers who fell short when it came to providing support.

Why? Because as a father of two young boys, I can't even imagine the pain of losing a child to suicide. And don't want to. Even contemplating it creates an anxiety I'd rather avoid entirely. I didn't know what a father in his position would want. And I was too afraid -- no, cowardly -- to ask.

Multiple times I lingered over purchasing this book. Something resisted. Then I finally did.

So as I listened to a familiar voice tell me his excruciating story, I struggled with my own emotions -- starting with guilt... and then guilt over thinking about how this was making ME feel, instead of reaching out emotionally and intellectually toward empathy.

What I began to see as I became immersed in Ivan's profoundly honest narrative was that we all fall short. Frequently. Maybe every day. We're all human. And the only thing we can do is try to do better tomorrow. And if we don't, then try again the next day.

It's tragic that Max was riddled with the horrors of depression. It's tragic that Ivan and his family won't get to see him become a fully developed adult, with interests and relationships and moments of joy and, yes, sadness, just like themselves.

But grief is love. And this honest recounting about coming to terms with grief as much as it is possible is a loving tribute to Max, a memorial that is great because it is so purely, wonderfully, terribly human.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

A canonical classic

Revisado: 10-23-21

A powerful American story. And a tragic one. Profoundly and powerfully written. A bit of a feminist Faulkner retelling of King Lear. I first read this in my 20s, and the Audible version connected with me differently... perhaps as a "true" adult, I better understand the idea of connection/pain between Land & Family & Family Secrets....

Don't understand the criticism of the narrator. She was perfect for this book.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Wonderful reader makes inspiring story work

Revisado: 06-19-21

Is this book sentimental? Yes. Does it stretch imagination that a 10-year old would become "best friends" with two unrelated octogenarians? Yes.

But... I loved this book, in large part because Nicolette McKenzie is one of the best readers I've listened to in a decade or so with Audible.

I also think the story's focus -- a lonely old woman who's had a tough life and feels invisible -- is underrepresented and therefore more than worthy of a novel (or two or 100).

Several times I almost teared up. And I definitely laughed out loud a few times.

Definitely worth a listen, particularly if you're looking for something positive and uplifting, which all of us need at times.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

Good insights into challenging subject

Revisado: 06-01-21

Spoiler alert!

It's amazing that SDI played such a significant -- and ultimately positive -- role in history. As one of the people who mocked the idea of "Star Wars" when Reagan his gang spoke of it, you'll learn here it played a critical part in bringing Gorbachev to the table... and breaking him down in negotiations. Even if, perhaps, sacrificing it could have led to an even better outcome.

Second, I've noticed some folks claiming "bias" by the author. My guess is these are purists on the right wing who don't want to know anything bad about their hero. Brands is a pro (see his list of biographies). This is a well-wrought picture of a challenging subject.

The best take-away you'll get is that Reagan was to the right of the mainstream BUT he also was a pragmatist. He got stuff done. He also fit perfectly with his time. We needed an optimist in the 1980s. His, "Mr. Gorbachev, Tear down this wall!" speech came from him, not a speech writer. He deserves significant credit for the fall of Soviet communism. For real. It probably would have happened without him... but it did happen with him.

Reagan's life trajectory was always interesting -- second-tier actor to president -- but it's also clear that his affable remoteness made him a difficult subject to psychoanalyze. He didn't have many close friends. His first marriage possessed about a quarter inch of depth. Nancy is a piece of work, from her aggressive pursuit of Reagan, to her astrology, to her clashing with cabinet members, most notably Don Regan.

And Iran–Contra was a real mess, though I think Brands does a pretty thorough job of showing that Reagan's hands-off management style allowed the scandal to happen without Reagan's knowledge. You get a full picture of how Poindexter and North were truly criminal actors and not "heroes" as some have pretended.

I'm a left-of-center guy but I think we need to respect honest ideological opponents. Reagan was far from perfect, far for the super hero as many on the right portray, but he certainly was a successful, important president. I think Brands' parallel with FDR, whom Reagan voted for three times, makes sense, as ideological opposites but fully aligned in style, talents and love of country.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Fascinating, scary, no easy answers

Revisado: 01-18-20

My guess is many will agree with this: Book and Movie are both outstanding and worth seeing/reading back-to-back.
Flaws? It's a bit wordy at the beginning, but that's a clear set up: Our narrator is a smart, super-successful business woman, who's also judgmental and a wee big arrogant (just as many super-successful people are). Yes, she's flawed (her ranting about her new mc-mansion home vs. her preference for a quirky old mansion is the sort of pretentious, self-important crap you hear from pseudo intellectuals at cocktail parties). We need to remember, however, that just because she entirely owns the narrative voice that doesn't mean she's always right interpreting events. I note that because the husband -- as is often the case now in our fictive productions these days -- is comically incompetent in terms of recognizing Kevin's sociopathy. It's a trope that boosts the narrative but doesn't feel real.

Kevin can fake being a normal kid with one parent and reveal himself as disturbed to another only so much over 16 years.

Still, this book is riveting, in large part because Kevin is a larger than life sociopath who does reveal how a real-life school shooter might develop, beyond the bullied-kid-explodes character study.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas