Tag: books

Categories
Opinions

Note to Shelf: The Downside of Reading

There are many benefits to reading; benefits that your family, teachers, and local librarians never fail to remind you of. You become well-informed and educated, you improve your vocabulary, and you may also become a better person.

Books make you empathetic and teach you to look beyond what meets the eye. Reading deconstructs this black and white mould one is forced into throughout their life. Moral standards are no longer as simple once you become impacted by the literary world.

However, in every reader’s life, there comes a point where we are plagued with what we call a Madame Bovary syndrome. To those foreign to the concept, it is the constant longing for perfect love, the one you have only read about in books. The Madame Bovary syndrome originated from Gustave Flaubert’s infamous novel, Madame Bovary; the story is about young Emma Bovary and her many lovers. Emma is in search of the perfect romance she spent her entire life reading and dreaming about.

I have come to realize that women, more than men, have a tendency to fall prey to this syndrome. Our demise begins with the false advertisement of Romeo and Juliet, a tale of forbidden love that leads to everyone’s death. Dying for love; quite a repetitive theme authors never fail to raise in their novels.

A great example would be The Great Gatsby; one of the novels that has caused the Bovary Syndrome to manifest in my own life. Jay Gatsby, the roaring 20s’ beacon of hope, the embodiment of the American Dream, is one of the many fictional men readers lust over.

Realistically in today’s day and age, Gatsby would be deemed either a stalker or a pussy. This man quite literally shaped his entire life around his lover’s wishes. His wealth, notoriety, and fictional persona were all ploys to get the attention of Daisy, his love interest. He eventually gets shot, an unsurprising consequence of his reckless and passionate feelings for Daisy.

To a green female reader, Gatsby represents everything she dreams of finding in a man. I would love to think we outgrow such romantic notions, somehow learning from Flaubert’s characters and becoming realists.

But most of us don’t. I certainly haven’t.

Granted, I have a more realistic notion of love now than I had at the age of 15, when everything was as passionate as Wuthering Heights, and everyone as chaste as Elizabeth and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.

But that sliver of hope still remains; hope that urges me to write down heartfelt letters and send them out into the void. A kind of hope that makes me believe in grand gestures; flowers at my doorstep and candlelit dinners.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing I love more than my own independence. But sometimes, just for a split second, I wish to be swept off my feet and thrown into a Jane Austen romance.

Categories
Opinions

A plea to keep the old books

Graphic by Ana Bilokin

Why minimalism shouldn’t challenge the notion of keeping your bookshelf full

Minimalism is the latest trend sweeping us by storm. There are documentaries, podcasts and books all about the art of decluttering. For the most part, I wholeheartedly agree with the minimalist agenda. We live in a society in which our worth is based on what we own. We are constantly being pushed to consume and buy things that we absolutely do not need. So, any trend that challenges this perniciousness is one that I can get behind.

However, one thing that I will never minimize is the number of books I own. If I haven’t worn an article of clothing in the past six months, I will happily get rid of it. However, I won’t do the same with a book, even if it’s been six years since I last touched it. I am not deterred by the space they take up or the dust they collect. I see this as a small price to pay for all that they provide.

Recently, Marie Kondo, a Japanese organising consultant and author, released her Netflix special, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, and it took the internet by storm. Kondo inspired many to get rid of of anything that doesn’t spark joy. However, she received criticism after a rumour circulated that she believed in keeping only 30 books. Kondo has since dismissed these rumours, but this nevertheless got me thinking about the benefits of holding onto old books.

The books that line my bookshelf are more than a bunch of ink-blotted pages held together by glue. They are sources of boundless knowledge and adventure. They don’t go out of style or lose their value. Hence, I do not treat them as single use objects. I keep books that I loved, hated, and never finished and I encourage you to do the same.

Aside from that, I have other, more concrete reasons, as to why I keep all my books. Firstly, I firmly believe that you cannot claim to love a book until you have read it multiple times. It’s impossible to grasp every element of a book after just one reading. However, once you’ve revisited it a few times, you begin to understand the complexity and the multitude of nuances every literary work offers.

I also keep the books that I didn’t like or never finished. Not to sound like an insufferable hippy, but I believe that sometimes the reason for not liking a book is less a content problem and more so a problem of time. There are certain books that will appeal to you less depending on where you are in your life. So, the reason you “hated” a book could be because you read it at the wrong time.

This has proven to be true multiple times with books that I have revisited. When I first tried to read Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, I had a hard time grappling with the heart-breaking stories that were being told and was never able to finish it. At the time, I was too immature to understand the plight of the women in this book. However, when I returned to it a few years later, I was able to appreciate all it had to offer.

Thus, I will hold on to Virginia Woolf’s To The Lighthouse, no matter how much I claim to despise it, so that I can reread it at a later point in my life. Maybe by then, Woolf’s stream of consciousness technique might actually stir joy inside of me instead of irrational rage.

I know that there is the possibility that I may never return to the books I so vehemently hold on to. It is possible that I will never do anything more than dust or rearrange them, but this doesn’t change my stance. I’d rather have the opportunities that keeping old books provides than the peace of mind minimalism claims to produce.

Graphic by Ana Bilokin

Categories
Student Life

Textbooks down, summer reads up!

Press photo

Concordia students recommend some good summer reads

Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw: Travels in Search of Canada by Will Ferguson
Press photo

This book is part humorous travelogue, part personal memoir, part cultural history—and overall, undeniably Canadian. Based on three years of cross-country travel and a lifetime of exploring his native country, author and travel writer Will Ferguson showcases Canada’s deeply-ingrained diversity and uncovers dozens of tales that have slipped through the cracks of Canadian history textbooks. The author’s undeniable passion and respect for history is infused in his historical accounts, which are given colour and intrigue by his witty narrative voice and travel anecdotes. History has never been more entertaining and digestible. Each chapter in this book could be its own short story, which makes this book ideal for stop-and-go readers, and allowed Ferguson to pack a wide variety of content into 332 pages.

Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw is a fitting read heading into the summer of Canada’s 150th anniversary—it is nostalgic, amusing and emanates a feeling of unity. “Canada is more than just a country,” Ferguson writes. “It is a sum of its stories.”

By Katya Teague (head copy editor)

Best in Travel 2017  by Lonely Planet

Yes, you read correctly. I am reviewing a Lonely Planet book. That can only mean one thing—it’s really, really good. I was still trying to overcome a severe case of wanderlust when I stumbled upon this book. Twenty bucks later, it was mine. I devoured it—and not just the food porn and the listicles. The whole, entire thing. With summer fast approaching, this book is perfect if you’re planning on jetting off, but have no clue where to. The book offers up unique ideas for up-and-coming destinations that aren’t (yet) overcome by tourism and over-priced expeditions. The book is divided into sections, going in-depth on 10 countries, 10 regions and finally, 10 cities that are must-sees in 2017. Supported by beautiful photographs, maps, itineraries and snippets of history, the detail and honesty in the guide is impressive.

By Danielle Gasher (life editor)

Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín
Press photo

Set in the 1950s, Tóibín’s novel follows Eilis Lacey’s journey to America from Ireland. With no job or marital prospect for her in her hometown, the young woman accepts an offer to move to Brooklyn, New York. There, a department store job and bookkeeping classes keep her busy. With so many stories about emigrating to America, Tóibín does nothing to sensationalize the experience. Although she does meet a love interest along the way, Eilis has an independence and strong spark to her throughout the novel that is charming and empowering. This is part of what makes her such a realistic and relatable character. Brooklyn gives insight on the reluctance and the struggles of moving away from home. Brooklyn is a slow-paced yet emotional coming-of-age story that explores Eilis’ move into womanhood and simultaneous move to a new country. Tóibín does not waste words—the story is simple, but with profound emotion.

By Mehanaz Yakub (staff writer)

Categories
Student Life

Some reading week reads reviewed

A touching war story, an inspiring self-love book and a guide to not giving a f*ck

L’Orangeraie- Larry Tremblay

Press photo

Larry Tremblay’s French-language book is more than just a novel about war and terrorism–L’Orangeraie is a story about faith and commitment.

The story follows two children, Ahmed and Aziz.  For the twins, the same religion that taught them how to love, will tear them apart. While their native land is being bombarded, a mysterious man approaches the family with an uncanny decision: one brother will have to sacrifice his life for Allah.

This book is an amazing reflection on war from a child’s perspective. The author addresses timely topics such as terrorism, suicide bombers and love with nuance and delicacy. Tremblay does so without falling into heavy melancholy. L’Orangeraie is the kind of book that leaves you speechless. This ethic drama will easily tear at the core of your morality.

While this book is available in English, I recommend reading it in French. This fictitious story takes place in the Middle East, in a region with a French colonial background. Reading the novel in French will make you feel closer to the characters, while giving the whole story more realism.

By Sandrine Pelletier

The Mastery of Love– Don Miguel Ruiz

Press photo

The Mastery of Love, by Don Miguel Ruiz, is a self-help book that centres on human relationships. The book explores how humans possess certain fears and assumptions that undermine their ability to love themselves and those around them.

When my friend lent me this book, I was skeptical and unsure about the insight it would give me. I was wrong—I completely adored this book. The author really knows how to convey his message through a personalized vocabulary that made me feel comfortable and serene. Ruiz’s writing is straight-forward and educational. He has this ability to show compassion and love towards the reader. His analogies were helpful, enabling me to reflect on my life and surroundings.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. It alleviated some of my personal fears about self-consciousness, social pressure, love and expectations. Ruiz is excellent at making you look at yourself and your loved ones throughout a brighter lens.

By Mina Mazumder

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck– Mark Manson

Press photo

This gem is the antihero of the self-help section. In a charmingly crude manner, Mark Manson sheds light on something he believes is holding us all back in life: giving too many f*cks about the wrong things. Manson breaks down certain life situations, social constructs and behaviours people get wrapped up in, to show us how toxic we can be to ourselves. The writing style of the book is concise, raw and humourous. In just under 200 pages, Manson reminds you to pick your battles, that you’re not special and that mortality is inevitable. This book is the perfect light read to help you keep yourself in check. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is a tough-love friend that you can conveniently carry around in your bag.

By Danielle Gasher

Categories
Student Life

“Read any good books over the holidays?”

courtesy of press

Concordians recommend their favourite winter reads to students

  • Utopia for Realists– Rutger Bregman
courtesy of press

By following mainstream media on a daily basis, we aren’t given the impression the world is doing too well. In a lot of ways, it isn’t. However, in this book, young European theorist and journalist Rutger Bregman argues the world has also come a long way in many ways. He talks about “two centuries of stupendous progress,” where the world saw a decline in warfare and a spike in technological advancements in the 19th and 20th centuries. He writes: “What would have been miraculous in the Middle Ages is now commonplace.” His book is a well-researched, detailed and refreshing exploration of modern-day society and the new dystopia we face today. He discusses problems within the food industry, advertising and how societies have lost their sense of leisure. He argues that a lot of the world has become pessimistic, and many refuse to believe another utopia could be around the corner. Bregman thinks what is lacking, most of all, is the will to believe in an upcoming utopia, complete with 15-hour work weeks and long, healthy lives. This nonfiction book makes you think and forces you to reflect on the modern world—how things have evolved and how they will continue to evolve.

By Danielle Gasher

The Hidden Life of Trees– Peter Wohlleben

courtesy of press

Spending more time looking at screens than the sky has been normalized in North American culture. This is why Peter Wohlleben’s The Hidden Life of Trees is a refreshing, interesting read.  Wohlleben spent more than 20 years studying, working and writing about trees. His admiration for trees is obvious in his writing. He writes about them with the same affectionate tone pet owners use towards their animal companions, which helps him direct the reader’s’ attention to the many similarities between animals and trees. Once you enter the intricate world of forests—a world perhaps you didn’t know existed—you won’t want to leave. Wohlleben is adept at translating complicated scientific concepts into an easy-to-understand and engaging story, featuring trees as the main characters. Life tends to be busy and fast-paced, especially for students.  This book is a striking reminder there is so much going on in the natural world we are unaware of, and we should pay more attention to these things.

By Aysha White

 

Born a Crime– Trevor Noah

courtesy of press

A lot of us know Trevor Noah as the funny and smart new face of The Daily Show. But upon reading his compelling, humorous and sometimes heartbreaking memoir, the South-African-born comedian and television host became so much more to me. This maturely-written book has made me care about The Daily Show and Noah’s commentary more than I already did. In his book, Born a Crime, Noah shares extremely personal experiences—bringing us into his childhood of troubled households, poverty and life within a politically unstable country. His memoir recounts unexpected and intimate aspects of his upbringing, such as his trouble-making habits as a boy and his complex relationship with his mother and grandmother. Through humour and poignant storytelling, Noah transports us to Johannesburg in the 90s. This book is an important one—a thought-provoking read recounting the life of an important and admirable public figure.

By Danielle Gasher

Categories
Student Life

“Read any good books this summer?”

The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney Press

Zombie apocalypses, dysfunctional families, some horror and a really old guy

World War Z- Max Brooks

World War Z, written by Max Brooks, documents the events of “The Crisis,” a virus outbreak that kills victims and then reanimates them as destructive and murderous zombies.  What makes this book so unique is the style in which it is written.  Brooks divides the book into sections, starting with the warning signs of the outbreak and ending with the rebuilding the world as it becomes livable again. Brooks shows how the world and different countries handle themselves in crisis, how people fight back, how they survive and move forward.  The entire book is told through  interviews conducted by a nameless narrator, as survivors of “The Crisis” from all over the world recollect their personal experiences. The stories told are by different people, from all around the world and all walks of life. No two stories are the same. It is a fascinating read that will leave you uncomfortable, emotional and wondering what you would do if zombies took over the planet.

By Rebecca Luger

 

The Nest- Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s debut novel, “The Nest,” tells the story of a wealthy and dysfunctional New York family. The story follows the four Plumb siblings as they anxiously wait to receive their inheritance, referred to as “the nest”.  The Plumb family consists of Leo Plumb, the former millionaire playboy whose upcoming divorce and list of legal woes has him down to his last dollar; Jack Plumb, who is married to a successful New York lawyer, but can’t seem to become successful through any of his own financial investments; Melody Plumb, who devotes her life to her twin daughters and ensures that they are received as the wealthy socialites she wishes them to be; and Beatrice Plumb, the once-successful author-turned-shut-in. Together, these siblings turn lying into an art. You root for them, yet are repulsed and embarrassed by many of their decisions.

By Krystal Carty

 

Lisey’s Story- Stephen King

This book is the perfect blend of horror, unexpected romance, family tension and other worldly fantasies that only Stephen King could conjure up. The story follows a widow and her struggle to finally put her late husband’s memory to rest. Her journey takes her through intense physical and mental strain. The book doesn’t focus just on the horror side of the story, or on the more personal family side of it—both elements balanced well. Drawing from stories of the past to decorate and enhance the intensity of the present, King solidifies Lisey’s Story as one of his most captivating books I’ve yet read. King should also be praised for flawlessly sewing a fantasy world into the story in a way that, surprisingly, seems effortless. I’d highly recommend this book as one of King’s crowned jewels.

By Sarah Jesmer

 

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Jumped Out the Window and Disappeared- Jonas Jonasson

This book was a bit more of a drag than the title spells out, but a pleasant read all the same. The main storyline of the 100-year-old man, Allan, is interesting enough. It’s a well-written, detailed and fast-paced adventure that features running from gang members and accidentally becoming a wanted fugitive. The story captivates readers by switching back and forth between the present and the past to tell the story of Allan’s life, and how he ends up witnessing historically significant events seemingly by accident. This book is good reading material to break out on the subway when you need a bit of a distraction.

By Sarah Jesmer

 

Categories
Arts

Experiencing and shaping art together

New creative project showing how solo art can become collective

Have you ever felt like your understanding of art can sometimes be very different from other people’s? When examining and interpreting a piece of art, our reception tends to be influenced by our past experiences, personal inclinations and preconceived notions.

Fernando Pessoa’s book, The Book of Disquiet, is a compilation of unfinished works put together after his death in 1935. It is surrounded with a continuous discourse concerning how it should be compiled and arranged. The piece’s unfinished qualities leave an interpretive and creative door open. PME-ART, along with the Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery, have decided to use this to their artistic advantage with their new performative rewriting exhibit, Adventures can be found anywhere, même dans la mélancholie.

Fernando Pessoa’s book was assembled posthumously from various unfinished works. Photo by Lydia Anderson

To put it simply, the writers partnering with PME-ART are continuing the editing process. By rewording, cutting up, adding to, or shifting emotional connotations, these writers are adding pieces of themselves into Pessoa’s work. Gallery-goers are able to observe the process as it happens, interact with the writers and the text and observe the work that’s been produced thus far. Although acts of writing and reading are not usually practices paired with performance, this exhibit facilitates audience interaction and observation of an activity that can be said to be practiced, to an extent, by everyone.

A work creates a subjective experience for its reader because of what each reader emphasizes or brings to it. This concept is taken further by the performers implementing pieces of their own identities and subjectivities into the text. This project allows for a solitary activity to expand into a group experience. With no immediate, visual emphasis as the focus of the exhibit, the richness lies in the concept behind this activity. Its simplicity is what speaks to the audience, provoking thought about how we experience works of art all together.

According to Claudia Fancello, one of the performers at this exhibit, the presentation gives a rich experience to her as well. The silence of reading, the reading of passages aloud, and the sound of writing, are all elements which make her feel like she’s in conversation with her fellow performers, the page, and the text. As an author, Pessoa wrote behind a multitude of heteronyms; more than alibis, these were different voices with which the author could express himself. This fact, along with the unfinished nature of the compilation, allows the concept of authorship to be played with and expansion of the work to be creatively fruitful and tantalizing.

This performance looks at Pessoa’s work and sees something partly unfinished, but sees it as an asset with a potential to be celebrated. The goal is not so much to improve upon this work, but to perform it and to perform the concept of reading as an act of rewriting. It’s not to dishonour an artist’s piece, but to celebrate it by joining in the conversation and translating the text into our time and experiences. This activity provokes thought about how we experience art in what we bring to it and also about the potential of our art culture: how fading our individualistic practices holds the possibility of richer experiences and results.

The creative project is taking place at the Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery until Nov. 1. For more information on the Adventure can be found anywhere, même dans la mélancholie project, visit ellengallery.concordia.ca.

Categories
Student Life

From writer to author – how words bloom

Photo by Maryann Hayatian.

Flower Publishing will get your name in print

Almost all members of the Kardashian-Jenner household have one. Snookie’s got four. Lauren Conrad, inexplicably, has eight of them. A counterintuitive trend is clear: celebrity begets book deals.

If you’ve ever had hopes of publishing a book, you must have heard that you should make yourself at least somewhat famous. Start a blog and gather a following, pull a public stunt, or just do something newsworthy. First create your celebrity, and publications — with guaranteed sales from your fan-base — will follow.

This makes sense to publishers; not all publishers are created equal, however. Flower Publishing Press operates with a refreshing, almost idealistic, philosophy.

Photo by Maryann Hayatian.

“It’s not about how much you will be paid, it’s about people reading your art,” explained Maryann Hayatian. A Concordia creative writing graduate, Hayatian grew frustrated with publishing houses and the typical wave of rejections that first-time authors usually ride.

“I’m a Montrealer; imagine being rejected from the place you were born and raised in. I [even] wanted to work at a publishing company. They didn’t hire me, even [though] I have the education and experience. So I told myself ‘who needs people that are like this. I will open my own publishing company.’”

Hayatian did just that. In 2011 she started Flower Publishing, and started printing. “[The] first book I published … I stayed up late at nights … It was a children’s Christmas book and ready for Christmas. It was successful. The authors [Pierre Fiset and Damiano Ferraro] were on CTV with Mitsumi Takahashi. They were at Chapters, at school readings … Everyone wanted to know who Flower Publishing was.”

This publishing house doesn’t concern itself with who the writer is, nor what language they write in, just as long as they believe in their art. Additionally, Hayatian’s arms are open to any writer that wants to hone their craft.

“[As a] writer myself, I understand what we go through to publish our writing … I opened my publishing company because I want to help writers out there get their writings published. I want to mentor them.”

Hayatian has taken it upon herself to do her utmost to see things through from beginning to end. She reiterates, impassioned with conviction: “I want to mentor my writers … They need support … [I want] to show them the right way to [evolve] from a writer to an author.”

Flower Publishing doesn’t turn first-time, inexperienced authors away, for Hayatian does not believe that any writer’s voice should be quelled. Instead, she fosters their talents. “When I see a … manuscript [with] so much potential but still needs more work to publish, I don’t reject them. I tell them what … to correct,” said Hayatian. “I make sure they learn … and when their manuscript is ready, I publish. I don’t reject … I know how it feels.”

To know more about Flower Publishing, visit flowerpublishing.ca or facebook.com/flowerpublisher.

 

Categories
Student Life

Keep Geekin’ on the cheap

Indie bundles keep your geek on, and your wallet full.

Gaming, comic books and even digital copies of novels can get pretty hefty as a hobby. Let’s be honest, the average high-end game release usually runs for $60, comic books can be $10 an issue and books, well, that’s all over the place really. Either way, keeping up with those hobbies can be pretty taxing on your wallet, especially if you’re always looking for something new.

If the previous paragraph got your attention, you’re in luck! There’s a handful of ways to keep your geek on, on the cheap, with the help of some great websites. For starters, the most prominent of the bunch is HumbleBundle. The site features weekly sales in the shop, with deals on games for PC and Mac going all the way down to 75 per cent, and bundles for games, books and comics going up every week or two for a “pay what you want” price. Better yet, you can divvy up whatever you’ve decided to pay between charity, developers and the site itself.

If you’re into indie games, then sites like Indiegala, Bundlestars and BlinkBundle might be right up your alley. Often throwing in five to 10 games together for under $10. Another great resource is isthereanydeal.com, a site that can keep track of specific titles and whatever sales they might be involved in. Either way, you’ve got plenty of opportunities to get some games on the cheap to sandwich between some study sessions.

Fancy yourself as more of a book person? Well, check out the StoryBundle site, which usually rotate a handful of books per bundle on specific categories like mystery, horror, cyberpunk, and what have you.

There are literally hundreds of amazing sites like these that can keep your hobbies on the cheap. Having grabbed hundreds of issues of comics from Valiant and Dynamite publishing off of humble bundle, and over a hundred steam games from other bundle sites. I’ve accumulated well over a lifetime’s worth of stuff. Bundles are great, and there’s so many around that it’s impossible to cover them all in just one short article, but if you keep your finger on the trigger, and use a bit of Google magic, you can keep geekin’ on without resorting to eating ramen for the rest of the month.

Categories
Student Life

Concordia hosts annual bibliophile’s delight

Photo by Milos Kovacevic.

Annual Antiquarian Book Fair brings rare items and collector’a knowledge to university.

I’m holding a $15,000 book in my hands. It’s a one-of-a-kind piece of 1870s French fiction extolling the pastoral life. Its owner half-jokingly introduces it as the very first treehugger novel. I asked if I could open it, hopeful because it wasn’t under lock and key or behind glass, but surprised all the same when the request is accepted – if it was mine, I’d demand latex gloves. The touch, the smell, the hand-drawn pictures and binding all speak of a craft inimitable by electronics. Next to it is a self-published sliver of a book by a young and completely unknown Margaret Atwood. Further down along the tables are musty bibles from the 1700s; religious and political tracts hailing from the Glorious Revolution; limited edition lithographs from famed artists; old maps showing how far Montreal has evolved, yet how little it’s changed.

Though not a typical experience, this is what you would find if you attended last weekend’s 31st annual Antiquarian Book Fair, held at the ground floor of the McConnell Library building.

Photo by Milos Kovacevic.

The books (and maps) were wide-ranging and multinational in character, and their keepers a colourful bunch. The older books were kept quite in the open, which was unusual. Some were falling apart, but perhaps that was the reason for their display – you keep your real valuables safe and keep a few shiny ones for display. After all, students won’t routinely spend a few hundred dollars on a hard cover.

More interesting and rewarding than the literature on display was the chance to speak to their owners and gain insight into a specialized industry. A relatively modest event of some two dozen participants ranging from as far as Ottawa and Toronto, they were nonetheless friendly and informative. Any bibliophile would find pleasure in discussing literature with them. After a few tables, one gains the barest of footholds in their world. Patterns emerge and similarities became apparent. Cartographers are a political bunch, dealing in visual representations of dominions and empires; the book antiquarians are a patient folk – more than once, I was told it took several decades of diligent service before clients offered their loyalty and the chance at seeing or handling the real treasures. All are ultimately salesmen, eager to cultivate connections but not necessarily open to discussing the tricks of their trade or the specifics of margins and sources. Judging from the median age of the book sellers, it’s not a business easily broken into.

“You need about $2 million in stock to get $200,000 in [yearly] income,” said Wesley Begg of Toronto’s Contract Editions, which specializes in rare books. Despite prohibitive entry costs – or perhaps because of, as those able to sink such resources have substantial sums to fall back upon – Begg thinks the future of the rare and unusual book trade will always exist to cater to a wide array of budgets, from rich patrons to bibliophile student collectors. Not so for regular used book stores, which Begg declares a moribund industry. More nuanced is the opinion on the book industry as a whole: some see highs, others continue to experience tough times.

Montreal isn’t Europe or New York when it comes to antique books. We’re not a major stopping point, and the offerings (and prices, which can hit millions of dollars) reflect this, but it’s nice to know Concordia’s library serves and will continue to serve as a gathering place for dusty tomes and their fans.

Categories
Arts

A hologram of success amidst desert sands

Set in the Saudi Arabian desert, the novel explores the theme of the need to succeed. Press photo.

In the heat of a desert country, an American businessman is desperately trying to succeed in a new venture, or risk going home empty handed.

Set in the Saudi Arabian desert, the novel explores the theme of the need to succeed. Press photo.

Dave Eggers sketches a portrait of a character struggling with the economic effects of globalization and the emotional roller coaster of a mid-life crisis in his novel, A Hologram for the King.

Alan Clay is lost, his confidence is shaken and he is slightly paranoid. He has to pitch an IT project to Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah or he will be unable to pay off his debts and his daughter’s tuition.

Clay is hired by an IT company, called Reliant, to pitch its services to the King, in an attempt to provide technology to the new developing “King Abdullah Economic City.” Clay arrives in Jeddah to find that his team was designated a tent to prepare for their pitch and are seemingly isolated from the other business employees.

The air is hot and the people around him don’t seem to fit the images in his guidebook. He expects the natives to be conservative and reserved, however he finds a few that are liberal and go against cultural norms.

He tries to prove himself to the three young people working with him by pushing for better air conditioning and Wi-Fi reception. Meanwhile they shuffle back and forth between the tent and the hotel, lazily waiting for the King to arrive. The plot centers around the time spent on the preparation of the hologram, where he befriends his driver, his colleagues and his doctor.

We learn through short, thoughtful prose the emotional difficulties of Clay’s failed career and failed marriage. Clay is divorced from his wife Ruby and feels close to his daughter Kit. However, he only communicates with Kit in the form of email drafts he never sends.

Clay had tried to start his own bike manufacturing business in the United States, but was unsuccessful because most production projects were overseas. Reliant is a possible remedy to that failure.

A Hologram for the King delves into Clay’s head with short, rich details. He floats back and forth between his memories and his observations of Jeddah. Clay doesn’t plan on staying in Saudi Arabia forever, yet he feels a pull to it. The complexity of wanting to succeed, to prove that you are worthy is an echoing sentiment in this story.

When he has a cyst removed from his neck in Jeddah, Clay is sorry it is not cancerous. At least then, he would not have had to worry about paying Kit’s tuition fees.

The writing style is simple, yet aims to be provocative throughout most of the novel.

“They were married in a breathless hurry,” writes Eggers on Clay’s former marriage, “but Alan felt early on that she was looking through him. Who was he? He sold bicycles. They were mismatched. He was limited. He tried to rise to her level, to broaden his mind and see things as she did, but he was working with crude tools.” Eggers writes in short sentences, sometimes repeating his pronouns to highlight emotions.

Life is a complex web of people, who carry their past and their present with them. A Hologram for the King takes us on a journey, wandering in a middle eastern country, trying to find a way to mold the flawed past into a new beginning, or to simply survive.

 

Categories
Arts

Signoras of Siena: a literary Journey of poetry and politics

Sixteenth century Siena is not exactly a period most people are accustomed to hearing about, especially when it involves young revolutionary women.

It was a period of political turmoil, economic decline and unknown art production. However, this was the period that professor Konrad Eisenbichler found himself emerged in during his translation of Agnolo Firenzuola’s On the Beauty of Women.

A professor in the Renaissance studies program and in the department of Italian studies at the University of Toronto, Eisenbichler is also the current president of the Canadian Society for Italian Studies and has published several works that focus on the Italian Renaissance.

Last Wednesday, he gave a public lecture at Concordia to discuss his latest publication, “The Sword and the Pen: Women, Poetry and Politics in Sixteenth-Century Siena,” a work that took him 15 years to write.

Eisenbichler’s interest in these unusual Italian women began when he was working on On the Beauty of Women and came across an intriguing female activist, Laudomia Forteguerri. Researching this particular lady, he found that she was not the only activist in 16th century Siena. Actually, there were many other Sienese women engaged in politics and poetry. Suddenly, he had himself another project to work on.

Although his book is filled with strong young ladies, he focuses on three women and their sonnets and poems.

Laudomia Forteguerri, was nonconformist and unafraid of breaking conventions. Her first appearance was in Marcantonio Piccolomini’s dialogues published in 1538, where she is depicted as someone skeptical of God’s leading role in human’s lives. This was especially dangerous because Siena was, during this period, ground for religious issues.

Her poetic production was also daring since the beloved referred to in her poetry was also a feminine figure, suggesting same-sex attraction. This was not clear in the poem itself, as she was careful with her choice of words. However, Piccolomini later revealed her sexual orientation and affection for Margaret of Austria in his book Lettura.

Another bold figure was Aurelia Petrucci, who died at the early age of 31. She was a beautiful signora, a savvy observer of politics and well engaged in society. Her sonnets describe with grief the political situation in Siena as well as the inability of the Sienese citizens to get along with each other. Her work was still sparking attention 150 years later, showing the longevity of her production. The most interesting aspect of Petrucci is that, although it was unusual for women to be political, she evaded public scandal because she was part of a noble family and dutifully followed her social obligations.

Finally, Eisenbichler’s book presents Virginia Martini Salvi, a patriotic woman very much engaged in pro-French movements who was even arrested for producing poems that criticized the Sienese government. Completely against Spanish rulers, she wrote a poem thanking Henry II, King of France, for liberating Siena from Habsburg domination and asked him to take the entire peninsula. Salvi was also a gifted Petrarchist poet with impressive technical skills, prompting Italian musicians to later turn some of her poems into songs.

Professor Eisenbichler’s lecture was an inspiring overview of women who left an indubious mark on Siena’s literary establishment. Petrarchist tradition gave them the opportunity to be in the literary scene but they molded it in a completely new way, due to their particular political perspicacity. Their participation opened a new window in the literary, social and political sphere of 16th century Siena.

 

Exit mobile version