C. B. Murphy » Books

BOYS ADRIFT mini review

C.B.Murphy — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 18:04:34 +0000

For me one of the problems with this book is that it’s too broad a complaint. It dilutes energy. For starters, I have my doubts about the video game demonization (that’s a whole other discussion that includes how comic books, rock music and once upon a time novels were considered serious social problems). Two of the five bullet points, the ADHD drug discussion and the more exotic “endocrine disrupters,” locate the author in the somewhat fringey environmental movement. On the drugs, it could be true, but it’s an issue that parents and doctors, etc. have to monitor very closely. It’s typical of this kind of “expert” that he falls himself into the devaluation of parents–they’re not all Homer Simpsons. He could also be “right” about the endocrine thing, but it’s exotic, and distracting, and global. More apocalyptic than helpful. I do FULLY AGREE with him on devaluation of masculinity and feminization of education, though even here there is a “South Park” backlash in play where the boys are insulating themselves from the most deleterious effects by tribalizing around video games (!), sports and yes, defensive cynicism. Watch “Knocked Up” and “Superbad” for evidence of this reaction. But if Mr. Leonard Sax concentrated on the education thing and the devaluation of masculinity, my sense is he could be much more effective.

pans & links, Books, Boys Adrift, devaluation of masculinity, feminization of education, Knocked Up, Leonard Sax, picks, Superbad

The heart of the “Heart of the Matter”

C.B.Murphy — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 14:55:32 +0000

The biggest issue I had with the book was the author’s relationship to the “literal” Catholicism of his main character, Scobie. Was Scobie a true believer or was he already so deeply wounded (by the loss of his child, I suspect) that his religion is a legalistic “shell” he lives inside of. In this sense he “believes” the Church’s teachings but not so much with his HEART (title reference) but with this HEAD.
In his head Scobie is a depressed (dare I say?), fairly hopeless fellow that gets what little pleasure he can from following rules (including promises). But then his “depression” (for lack of a better word, perhaps spiritual crisis?) has eaten away at his resolve to truly abide by the rules. For example, when he meets Helen he’s remarkably unconflicted (at first anyway) about moving into the affair. We were not privvy to his discussions with himself (or God) about should he have an affair, should he sin? Of course, he should or perhaps cannot stop himself from sinning. So too it is with the (sacred?) rules of his job. He breaks his own rules to help the pathetic Portugese boat captain trying to write a letter to his daughter in Germany.
It’s as if Scobie is two people, the “head” part (the rule follower) inevitably loses out to the “heart” part as in the game Rock, Scissors, Paper. If Scobie really loves God the most (as implied in the end) then is it really the God of the Catholic Church or some unknowable God? When he actually talks to God (a pretty amazing scene in any “modern” book) God doesn’t really want him to kill himself because that is hopeless and there is “always hope if one is alive.” So in the end Scobie is playing by his own rules, not God’s or man’s.
What are his rules that make his suicide inevitable? One might say that he’s doing it out of “love” for Helen and Louise to make their lives more comfortable by his absence. But for Helen’s new lover to kill himself when she’s just lost her husband–this is a gift? And what of Louise? The kindest thing he could have done for Louise is to look the other way while she plays with Wilson, a pattern they’d already somewhat established. I found that curious, too–how did this Catholic couple come to be so urbane and sophisticated about something like Louise kissing Wilson, and Wilson loving her? They were acting like post-Christian sophisticates in how little it bothered them that they each had another lover. Wouldn’t the logical ending be merely to continue this pattern, though much less dramatic.
Was Scobie playing some kind of dangerous game where he “believed” (in England and the Church) and “disbelieved” (illegal activities, affair-tolerance) at the same time? Was it a form of self disgust that he couldn’t sustain this two-faced-ness that led him to suicide, more as an existentialist (Camus said the only real question is suicide) than a fallen-away Catholic sure he would be going to a literal hell. I don’t think Scobie really believed he was going to hell. It was more that he challenged God, let’s see what you do with THIS rule-breaking: I’ll kill myself and throw myself on your mercy. Let’s see you (God) decide Heart or Head, see how you like the quandry you’ve put us in!

pans & links, Books, essays, Graham Greene, picks, The Heart of The Matter

J.G. Ballard // Super Cannes

C.B.Murphy — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 19:41:06 +0000

He could be Bowles’ twin. I can’t say evil twin because the two of them are Nietszche-boys: showing us a world beyond good and evil. Makes you want to stay home and pet your rabbit. J G Ballard // Super Cannes

Books, fiction, futurism, J.G. Ballard, literary science fiction, Nietszche

Melissa Bank // The Wonder Spot

C.B.Murphy — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 02:56:20 +0000

I took her class at Southampton. She’s very funny and a great storyteller. I have the sense she could just talk out these stories all night and they’d all be clever and funny and never repeat. Melissa Bank // The Wonder Spot

Books, Melissa Bank, The Wonder Spot

Chuck Palahniuk // Fight Club

C.B.Murphy — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 02:55:13 +0000

If the man wrote one book and then became a food writer for the Portland Monitor or Portland Inquirer (or whatever they call their paper) he could still die happy. But he wouldn’t of course because, dammit, he’s mad as hell and…no, not that. Yes, that. He’s mad as hell and gonna take all of us with him. Chuck Palaniuk // Fight Club

Books, Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club

John Fowles // The Magus

C.B.Murphy — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 02:52:27 +0000

This island: I want to go. Even though it would mean death and madness, I still want to go there. Fowles knows something most people don’t, and you could read this over and over and you’d never really understand what he’s trying to say. If you had one book to take to a desert island… stop me now! Fowles // The Magus

Books, John Fowles, The Magus

Nick Hornby // About a Boy

C.B.Murphy — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 02:50:20 +0000

He seems to know a lot about contemporary men, and don’t despair, there’s a tiny slice of hope somewhere in there. And he seems to believe men can change, get better, and despite the urban myth that this is a marketing ploy to get women to read his books, so what? Be brave, read them anyway. Nick Hornby // About a Boy

About A Boy, Badly Drawn Boy, Books, Nick Hornby

Annie Proulx // Wyoming Stories

C.B.Murphy — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 02:49:05 +0000

Some great stories BESIDES the famous one. Anniee Proulx // Wyoming Stories

Annie Proulx, Books, Wyoming Stories

J.M. Coetzee // Disgrace

C.B.Murphy — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 02:48:08 +0000

Disgrace is so clear it feels like it happened to me, but it’s not a good memory. But it’s so clear it crowds out all the other bad memories and that’s a sort of good thing. J.M. Coetzee // Disgrace

Books, Disgrace, J. M. Coetzee

Charles Baxter // The Feast of Love

C.B.Murphy — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 02:47:16 +0000

I don’t use the word “celebration” often and I won’t use it here. Quick, what’s another word for celebrate? When Baxter walks down a street he really can get into anyone’s life and make them a character. That’s a bit scary if you think about it like a rogue psychic. Charles Baxter // The Feast of Love

Books, Charles Baxter, The Feast of Love