Monthly Archives: February 2020

Death in the Afternoon by Ernest Hemingway

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Death In The Afternoon by Ernest Hemingway - Penguin Books Australia

“Death in the Afternoon” is a nonfiction novel written by Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s. It is a rather long article on bullfighting in Spain. The novel takes the Spanish bullfighting culture as the background, tells the origin of the bullfighting culture and the cruel and bloody bullring scenes. In the book, he made a very detailed and in-depth introduction and discussion of bullfighting, pointing out that the life and death performance of bullfighters in the bullring has a strong appeal. In “Death in the Afternoon”, through the introduction of bullfighting, the author expounds the problems in literary creation. In the book, in addition to the free and flexible use of narrative, description, discussion, lyric and other expression techniques, he also added terminology annotation, news interview, etc., forming a unique stylistic phenomenon: cross-style writing.

A bullfight is divided into three stages: the first act is the trial, in which the lancer on horseback enters the arena together with the sword killer on foot. The bull first attacks the lancer and kills the horse that the lancer is riding, while the sword killer coacts with the fallen lancer and draws the bull’s attention with a red cloak to protect the lancer, and then the lancer leaves. This scene is designed to fully express the character of the bull, allowing the audience to identify the strength of the bull and fatigue the neck muscles of the bull.The bulls, though superficially intimidating, were only superficially victorious. In the second act, the matador attacks with a short javelin, throwing three or four pairs of short javelins, which are either inserted into the muscles of the bull’s neck to weaken it, or hooked onto one side of the bull’s neck, forcing the bull to always attack that side. The bull is sluggish because of fatigue and injuries, making it easier for the matador to focus on his target.

In the third act, the sword killer performs the muletta act with his red cloak and sword, lowering the bull’s head, and then, taking the opportunity, bending over the bull’s horns, thrusting his sword between the bull’s shoulder blades and killing the bull. From the above three acts, we can see that there is only one theme of this tragedy, which is life and death.”Death in the Afternoon” is a cross-genre novel, which makes extensive use of the achievements of all disciplines including natural science. It takes literary interest and literary aesthetic value as the core and embraces as many language functions as possible.

-Coreen C.

The Roar by Emma Clayton

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The Roar by Emma Clayton is a dystopian science fiction book that re-examines what it really means to be human.

In the (not so) distant future, the entire human population is squeezed into a third of the land that it once occupied, behind an impenetrable gray wall. Society’s distinctions are more emphasized than ever, with all the rich living in the Golden Turrets, and those not so fortunate shoved underneath, deprived of sun and water, into the Shadows. An animal plague has destroyed the rest of the Earth. 

So they think.

Hybrid Mika Smith has his doubts about everything, even about his sister Ellie’s suspicious death. But when a mysterious dream, a podship competition, and The Roar come into play, Mika must prepare to rethink everything he has ever known about the dying and corrupted world he lives in. 

One quote from the book really struck me: “A few people started riding bicycles and others reused their plastic bags and meanwhile Earth was gasping its last, desperate breath.” This quote really summarizes what the main idea of this book is. In this book, the Earth has been polluted beyond recognition, and humanity is desperately warring against nature, believing that only one can survive. This quote is gripping on an intrinsic level, making us question the validity of our motives, however well-intentioned they may be, and raises an inquiry into the basic human nature of greed and power. It stresses the need for substantial action and unity against some of the pressing problems facing our world.

The Roar by Emma Clayton is one of the best books I have ever read. The plot is just interesting enough to not be boring but suspenseful enough to be a nail-biting thriller. Although the plot is a bit too slow at times, the book still remains an excellent read. Emma Clayton has created a fictional masterpiece but added perfect undercurrents of real issues like climate change that pressure us all today.

-Vaidehi B.

 

True at First Light by Ernest Hemingway

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True at First Light eBook by Ernest Hemingway | Official Publisher ...

True at First Light: a novel written by Ernest Hemingway after a trip to Italy and his return from hunting in 1949. It reflects the author’s abhorrence of war, his concern for the future of mankind, and his reflections on the value of life, love, and death. The book’s title, taken from the dying words of Confederate General Thomas Jackson during the American Civil War, shows Hemingway’s tough-guy character — and that of himself — facing death. Although the novel is not his most famous work, it reflects the personal life of the writer incisively and vividly from one side, so that readers can have a comprehensive understanding of Hemingway.

Hemingway went on his second safari in 1953-1954 with his fourth wife, Mary Welsh. The couple, along with several locals who were working with them as their helpers, hunted a vicious lion. They also shot some gazelles, leopards, and sand hens on the way, which reflected the author’s pure and friendly sense of loyalty to the ignorant and loyal African indigenous people, Mary’s positive attitude towards learning shooting and training courage, and the happy atmosphere of their life together. Hemingway’s local girlfriend, Debba, is described in the book as “his fiancee” by Mary.

This girl was quite close to Hemingway, but she did not affect the relationship between the couple, showing a precious spirit of mutual consideration between people. An intricate counterpoint of alternating fiction and truth forms the heart of this memoir. In many passages, the author makes extensive use of this polyphonic tone, which will no doubt please any reader who enjoys this kind of music. True at First Light is a manuscript by Ernest Hemingway. The original was published in July 1999, just in time for the writer’s centenary.

What sets this book apart from many of his other novels is that it is an autobiographical novel written in the first person, so it feels intimate to read. It is a detailed and vivid account of the author’s second safari in Africa from 1953 to 1954 with his fourth wife, Mary Welsh, and reflects Hemingway’s affection for the uncomplicated natives.The book is permeated with a cheerful atmosphere, and appreciating this work is like tasting a cup of fragrant coffee which makes people have a sense of clarity and cheerfulness. In a way, this book is not so much a novel as a colorful travelogue or memoir, and many of its passages are beautiful prose pieces that add to Hemingway’s many works.

-Coreen C.

Islands in the Stream by Ernest Hemingway

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Islands in the Stream: A Novel - Kindle edition by Hemingway ...

Islands in the Stream is a novel by American writer Ernest Hemingway. Published in 1970, it is one of Hemingway’s last works. It tells the story of painter Thomas’s rough experience of life. Painter Thomas went through ups and downs, had two marriage changes, the three children born after marriage were raised by his ex-wife. He loved his career and his children and often went fishing with them. There is a deep bond between father and son. Unfortunately, two of his sons were killed in a car accident, and the only remaining son was killed in World War II. In the end, Thomas decided to throw his personal sorrows and joys behind the tide of the anti-fascist war. In 1942, as the war in Europe raged, Hemingway commanded a submarine in Cuba to gather intelligence on the Nazis on the island, substituting espionage for writing and personal military adventures for brutal warfare. Although opinions vary on Hemingway’s adventures, this serious military action provided valuable material for his writing, based on which he wrote Islands in the Stream. In July 1944, Hemingway fought ground battles against allied troops in Normandy. For more than 20 days, he was in the midst of a bloody struggle.

The severity and danger of this war have never been greater. The terrible memory of the war pained him greatly. Hemingway, who experienced the cruelty of war, was awarded a medal. But the war made him more conscious. His experience of war was written into his series of war novels. In Islands in the Stream, Hemingway, by portraying the image of painter Thomas, once again emphasized the tough man spirit advocated by him, which is unyielding and indomitable. Thomas, the main character of the book, likes painting and fishing. He has been to the America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. But in middle age he chose to live in the Bahamas, rather than on the islands of Cuba which lies in the Gulf Stream. Through the crucible of his mind and body, Thomas persevered and dealt doggedly with his enemies. He embodies the characteristics of the tough guy that Hemingway often describes, and is a very successful artistic model.

-Coreen C.

Authors We Love: Roald Dahl

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Roald Dahl is the author of many fictional books for children.  Most of his books were illustrated by Quentin Blake.  I have always enjoyed these books as well as the illustrations.  Dahl uses very inventive language, including interesting words such as “gnazzle,” “knid” and “snozzcumber.”  His books are very funny and full of entertaining nonsense.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is about a boy named Charlie who lives in a small home with his poor family.  Willy Wonka, the owner of a famous chocolate factory, announces that five lucky children will be invited to tour his factory.  The children would be selected by finding one of five golden tickets hidden inside the wrappers of chocolate bars.  By sheer luck, Charlie receives one of the five golden tickets.  As the story unfolds, we discover the wild and zany rooms in Willy Wonka’s factory, and finally we learn the real reason why Mr. Wonka invited the children to his factory.

The BFG tells of a little girl named Sophie who lives in an orphanage.  Sophie is captured by a twenty-four-feet-tall giant, who takes her to a cave in a faraway land called “Giant Country.”  There she learns that the giant’s name is the “Big Friendly Giant,” or the “BFG,” for short.  The BFG is actually the runt of nine other giants, who are about fifty feet tall and are very wicked, unlike the BFG.  The other nine giants like to gallop off to different countries to gobble up about two to six people at a time.  Sophie and the BFG come up with a plan to put a stop to the other giants’ evil deeds.

In Matilda, a girl named Matilda learns how to read at a very young age, but her parents mistreat her and hardly even notice her talents.  When she starts school, Matilda encounters the giant, nasty headmistress named Miss Trunchbull.  The headmistress terrorizes the entire school until Matilda discovers special powers within herself.  This is my favorite of Roald Dahl’s books because of the charming characters and wonderful story.

Most of Roald Dahl’s books are about ordinary children who discover extraordinary things.  Dahl usually includes fantastical characters, such as man-sized insects and little people known as “Oompa Loompas.”  It is for good reason that his books are very popular and are considered classics for young readers.  I highly recommend these books to people of all ages.

-Oliver H.

The works of Roald Dahl are available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. They can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

Across the River and Into the Trees by Ernest Hemingway

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Across the River and Into the Trees eBook by Ernest Hemingway ...

“Across the River and Into the Trees” is a novel written by Ernest Hemingway after a trip to Italy and his return from hunting in 1949. The protagonist Colonel Cantwell has something of the author in him. As he grew older and more depressed, Colonel Cantwell went duck hunting in Venice and to northern Italy to pay his last visit to the battlefields of the past. He thought of past love, thought of death, and felt lonely and hopeless. Shortly after the war, the hero of the two world wars goes to Fossalta di Piave, Italy, to revisit the spot where he was wounded in battle. The hero, Colonel Cantwell, hunts wild ducks with his friends and focuses on the pure love between him and the beautiful Italian girl Renata, which has no utilitarian purpose.

It reflects the author’s aversion to war, his concern for the future of human beings, and his thoughts on the value of life, love, and death. Though this novel may not be the most classic work of Hemingway, its profound themes and traumatized account of the war shock the reader. Its rich background gives the reader knowledge and its unique way of writing left an unforgettable impression on people. The book’s title, taken from the dying words of Confederate General Thomas Jackson during the American Civil War, shows Hemingway’s “tough guy” theme similar to himself, who faced down death.

-Coreen C.

To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway

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To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway

To Have and Have Not is a novel set in Key West, Havana, and the Gulf of Mexico by American writer Ernest Hemingway. It depicts the failed life of individualist Harry Morgan. The author combines harry Morgan’s personal experience with social life, which is a new attempt in the writing technique. This work is Hemingway’s most creative and experimental novel. The book is divided into three parts: Spring, Autumn, and Winter, which vividly depict the failed life of Harry Morgan as an individualist. In “Spring,” Morgan rents fishing boats and is forced to make a living transporting “live” goods (stowaways) for others. In order to protect himself, he did not hesitate to take the law into his own hands and was sued for human life. In Autumn, Morgan traded smuggled liquor. By Winter, Morgan is so desperate to make money that he even agrees to accept an offer to ship back a gang of Cuban terrorists who rob banks. Although he killed the terrorists on the yacht, he was also shot and killed.

This is one of Hemingway’s works that has aroused strong controversy among critics. Hemingway published his novel To Have and Have Not in 1937 which pointed out that the gap between the rich and the poor in The United States led some people to take risks. The novel has a tragic and strong ending. The death of Captain Harry Morgan makes one feel that he is just an ordinary man who earns a decent living in Hemingway’s hands. He had been in the warm Caribbean sun, hoping for an easy life for his family. In the first Spring, Captain Harry Morgan is clearly a man in his own right, even able to take care of Eddie like a brother. Eddie is in some ways a shadow of Harry Morgan. Harry sees his future in Eddie and reminds himself of the principles he should follow to survive. But that didn’t last long after Mr. Johnson defaulted. “I’ve got a family,” he said, and something had to be done to make the money back.

With Harry Morgan’s ruthless approach, his life cycle seems to start working as it did at the beginning of the book. In this 1937 novel, it is more or less felt that Hemingway’s Harry Morgan is still in the fog of individualism and that he still has a long way to go before he can reach new heights. It’s worth noting that In Hemingway’s eyes, Harry Morgan is not a hero at all, he’s just a tough guy.

-Coreen C.

Scat by Carl Hiaasen

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Scat, written by Carl Hiaasen, is a humorous but insightful novel about family, forgiveness, and the power of love.

In this book, Hiaasen expertly crafts a twisting, turning, crooked plot that captivates you until the very end. The main characters excellently portray the simultaneous confusion and excitement of ignorance, and the book itself holds great relevance to our world today.

The theme and motifs paint both a fantastical and realistic portrait of forgiveness, our earth, and the innate humanity in each and every one of us. The seriousness of the lesson is tempered well by the simplistic, yet effective humor of the characters. Using suspense and mystery in strange ways, this book will draw you in and keep you laughing until its conclusion.

-Vaidehi B.

The Torrents of Spring by Ernest Hemingway

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The Torrents of Spring - Kindle edition by Hemingway, Ernest ...

The wife and daughter of American young writer Scripps O ‘Neill left one after another. He left home on snowy nights to find work and met middle-aged waitresses in small restaurants. In a small restaurant, he meets Diana, a middle-aged waitress and literary English. They hit it off and got married in a flash. As a result, he became a worker in the city’s water pump factory. But Mandy, Diana’s replacement waitress at the little restaurant, charmed Scripps with her literary wit and eloquent speech. Yogi Johnson, Scripps’ fellow factory worker, wanted no women after an affair in Paris during the First World War. However, a naked Indian woman broke into the small restaurant and was kicked out. Yogi, wandering the streets in a daze, followed her and walked with her into the night.

This novel is a parody of Hemingway’s. It has both romantic and naturalistic styles and belongs to alternative works. From the perspective of the narrator, it is of great value. In the way of narration, Hemingway likes to show and tell, usually presented in a conversational manner. The narration is generally a description, and the characters do not speak. But in “The Torrents of Spring,” Hemingway employs repetition, stream of consciousness, and meta-narrative in addition to presentation and dialogues.

-Coreen C.

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

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The Sun Also Rises: The Hemingway Library Edition - Kindle edition ...

The Sun Also Rises is a novel written by American writer Ernest Hemingway. The novel takes the historical period from 1924 to 1925 and the famous city of Paris as the background revolves around a group of British and American young men and women who have suffered serious trauma in affection or love or left serious psychological or physiological dysfunction in the war and the unrestrained life and the emotional dispute between them. It reflects the painful and sad state of mind of this generation after the awakening of consciousness, but they feel no way out. The author thus became the voice of the “lost generation” and created a unique style of writing with this book. In this novel, Hemingway not only focuses on the “lost generation” in the loss and despair of the unrestrained but also describes a state of mind that seeks stimulation and solace from the intoxicating, impetuous and noisy way of life. At the same time, it quietly annotates the efforts made by these arrogant, negating, and cynical “wastelanders” to find a new way out in the difficult situation and reveals the spiritual essence of their pursuit of freedom, justice, individual liberation, and independence.

The novel condenses and gathers young Hemingway’s own thoughts, emotions, reason, pain, and his glimpse into the future, which is a deep extension of Hemingway’s own life experience and philosophical thinking. The young American Barnes suffered a spinal injury during World War I and became sexually incapacitated. After the war, when he was a journalist in Paris, he fell in love with Lady Ashley, an Englishman. His wife went after pleasure, and he drank to drown his sorrows. The two went to Spain with a group of male and female friends to attend a bullfighting festival for spiritual stimulation. She rejected the Jewish young Cohn’s pursuit but fell in love with Romero, a matador who was only nineteen years old. However, after a period of time together, because of the age gap between the two sides, and Mrs. Ashley did not have the heart to destroy the prospects of a pure youth, the relationship ended in the gloom. She eventually returns to Barnes, though both know they will never be truly united.

-Coreen C.