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more on holiday reading
Dec. 1st, 2008 11:12 amIrony abounds.
I drove back from Houston last night, sat down and finished the last few pages of A Most Wanted Man. I can amend my note of yesterday to say that there is one “chase” in the book. Note that chase is in quotes. Like some of Le Carre’s recent books, the Americans come off as the bad guys in this spy novel. I would be angry if it were not for the fact that we have been the new Imperialists lately. And not very good imperialists at that. In the novels, the old world is immoral and conflicted, but the new world is immoral and frightening sure of themselves. I would still recommend the book. Given the Russian comments after Obama’s election, Le Carre’ may live long enough to return to writing cold war novels. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
The irony lies in closing the book and turning on the last Bourne movie. Lots of chases. Lots of beatings and easy deaths. Bourne escapes to live again, even though he has now achieved his goal of learning his name. Which like the name Jason Bourne is merely a tag, of course. Not to say that it wasn’t a fun movie. Just not as devastating as one of Le Carre’s novels. Truth be told, I’m not happy being the America denizen of either movie. It’s just that I suspect that the world sees me as Le Carre’ does.
I have always said that I feel like a child on Ozymandias’ back. If I ride, am I liable for his crimes? If I get off, will I be crushed beneath his feet?
Meanwhile….we perish in India for being American or Jewish or whatever. It’s enough to be ‘other’. When there is no ‘other’, one is invented. In some places, being female is 'other' enough.
I am not as depressed as I sound here. I made headway on the short story that I mentioned. I have this one more day to get some writing done, and see! I am doing it.
I drove back from Houston last night, sat down and finished the last few pages of A Most Wanted Man. I can amend my note of yesterday to say that there is one “chase” in the book. Note that chase is in quotes. Like some of Le Carre’s recent books, the Americans come off as the bad guys in this spy novel. I would be angry if it were not for the fact that we have been the new Imperialists lately. And not very good imperialists at that. In the novels, the old world is immoral and conflicted, but the new world is immoral and frightening sure of themselves. I would still recommend the book. Given the Russian comments after Obama’s election, Le Carre’ may live long enough to return to writing cold war novels. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
The irony lies in closing the book and turning on the last Bourne movie. Lots of chases. Lots of beatings and easy deaths. Bourne escapes to live again, even though he has now achieved his goal of learning his name. Which like the name Jason Bourne is merely a tag, of course. Not to say that it wasn’t a fun movie. Just not as devastating as one of Le Carre’s novels. Truth be told, I’m not happy being the America denizen of either movie. It’s just that I suspect that the world sees me as Le Carre’ does.
I have always said that I feel like a child on Ozymandias’ back. If I ride, am I liable for his crimes? If I get off, will I be crushed beneath his feet?
Meanwhile….we perish in India for being American or Jewish or whatever. It’s enough to be ‘other’. When there is no ‘other’, one is invented. In some places, being female is 'other' enough.
I am not as depressed as I sound here. I made headway on the short story that I mentioned. I have this one more day to get some writing done, and see! I am doing it.
