vel veeter – Page 126 – Cannonball Read 17

Fragments of an Infinite Memory – Mael Renouard (2016)

Fragments of an Infinite Memory by Mael Renouard

February 23, 2021 by vel veeter Leave a Comment

This is a series of chapters, consideration, bricolage, thoughts, ruminations, and essays within the broader book about memory in the age of internet. It’s at times a kind of meditations (and variations) on a theme, some precise thoughts on specific topics, almost a kind of autofiction, and many many referential moments. It’s the kind of book that I often myself agreeing with, but also at times asking myself, is this good? Is this anything? Over all I would say what this book sets out to […]

Styles of Radical Will – Susan Sontag (1969)

Styles of Radical Will by Susan Sontag

February 23, 2021 by vel veeter Leave a Comment

In this collection of essays, what stands out to me is that there are no stars here. Unlike both Against Interpretation (where there are two stars, plus many other good essays) and On Photography (where the whole book is a star), this book has some good essays (on silence, her response to questions about the US and Vietnam), and some essays that either feel endless repetitive or clearly of a time and place, but less relevant away from the moment. Namely, what stands out to […]

The Most Dangerous Thing – Laura Lippman (2011)

The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman

February 20, 2021 by vel veeter 1 Comment

Phew boy this novel. I know that Laura Lippman’s non-Tess books get raked over the coals a little, and sometimes this is unfair. I think the last two books are pretty good. This book, however, commits the sin of trying really hard and falling short. It’s also not a fun book remotely, and a lack of fun and especially a lack of humor (at all, here) really means your book has to nail the complicated parts because there’s nothing to cushion the firm parts at […]

The Mosquito Coast – Paul Theroux (1981)

The Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux

February 18, 2021 by vel veeter Leave a Comment

The movie version of this novel came out when I was a kid and for whatever reason we watched it as a family when it was on tape. I am not saying my dad is the same as the dad in this book (played by Harrison Ford in the movie, and by Justin Theroux, nephew of the author Paul Theroux, in an upcoming series), but they have some similarities. The dad here is officious, and maybe brilliant, clearly intelligent, seemingly a dry-drunk, paranoid, racist, some […]

Illness as Metaphor and AIDS and Its Metaphors – Susan Sontag (1989)

Illness as Metaphor by Susan Sontag

AIDS and Its Metaphor by Susan Sontag

February 17, 2021 by vel veeter Leave a Comment

Together these books are amazing for many reasons, not the least of which that she goes back to “Illness as Metaphor” and differentiates how the metaphors of cancer and AIDS differ so much based on a few key considerations: a) AIDS is an epidemic in certain countries, and a pandemic overall, depending on certain factors. b) that the language of public health (especially versus public discourse) differs wildly based on what countries you’re looking into, and c) how AIDS is so invariably talked about culturally […]

Follow me to Ground – Sue Rainsford (2020)

Follow Me to Ground by Sue Rainsford

February 16, 2021 by vel veeter Leave a Comment

While this is listed as fantasy or horror or magical realism, it read to me as a kind of fable about ignorance about technology in a kind of lost future. There’s the famous Arthur C Clarke idea about technology “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” And I think that’s at play here. In a village, which feels like a kind of post-apocalyptic (and the kind of fall is not spelled out here) we have healers working with patients to cure them of illnesses. […]

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

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