The Vulgar Eclectic
Vulgar: of the usual, typical, or ordinary kind
definitions courtesy of Merriam-Webster
Eclectic: composed of elements drawn from various sources
recent blog posts
- Taras Bulba by Nikolai Gogol
A book jot from February, 2021:
I finished reading Taras Bulba by Nikolai Gogol, translated by Peter Constantine. This is an unusual book. It follows the titular character and his two sons, Cossacks from the historical past, in the 16th or 17th century. It reads almost like an epic folktale, with beautiful passages of descriptive language. There is much, to use an oft-repeated word from the story, carousing. And much, much violence. It is reminiscent of The Iliad, so much so in certain ways that it must be purposeful. Just as Homer punctuated dramatic scenes with drawn-out similes, Gogol uses beautiful imagistic comparisons to bring pause and attention to moments of action. He also uses name-lists in the Homeric tradition.
There is a lot to think about concerning how this tale speaks to issues today; probably too much to get into here, but it makes for a very interesting read. The action is incredible, the characters and their motivations memorable, and the writing is very beautiful. There are parts of it that are difficult to get through because of the framing of the narrative through the eyes of 16th century Cossacks. There is a great deal of very ugly prejudice.
Has anyone read this? I would be interested to hear any thoughts about it.
- Sixty years
- The Hard Switch by Owen D. Pomery
I finished reading The Hard Switch (2023), a graphic novel written and illustrated by Owen D. Pomery. It’s a science fiction tale set in a world in which interstellar travel has long been an established reality thanks to a mineral called alcanite. However, the end of such travel is fast approaching, as the finite galactic supply of alcanite is almost completely depleted.
The plot focuses on a small group of companions who scavenge alcanite from old shipwrecks amidst a world that seems to be falling apart, with everyone scrambling to get to a world they will have to stay upon once interstellar travel ceases to exist. Ada, Haika, and Mallic (an eight-limbed cephalopod) make a memorable team as they navigate a world increasingly unraveling at the seams, trying to stay alive while holding on to their humanity.
The artwork is unique, clean, and beautiful. The dialogue and characterization are solid and the plot unfolds in an unforced, graceful fashion. All the parts of this book combine to make a whole that is a very enjoyable reading experience.
- The Arctic Prairies by Ernest Thompson Seton
I just finished reading The Arctic Prairies (1911) by Ernest Thompson Seton. This memoir is an account of a six month journey by canoe Seton took into northern Canada in 1907. Seton was an artist, writer, and naturalist who undertook the trip in hopes of finding bison and caribou and, in his words, “the chances to see and be among wild life.”
The narrative details various aspects of the trip: logistics, the people he traveled with, communities encountered, and ample descriptions of the land and wildlife. It is a pleasing mix of anecdote, sublime description of the natural world, and insights on human behavior. It’s also a compelling window into another time and place.
“This was the land and these the creatures I had come to see. This was my Farthest North and this was the culmination of years of dreaming.”
***
When I was a young child, my father read aloud to me his old copy of The Biography of a Grizzly by Ernest Thompson Seton, a book from his childhood. I was completely enthralled and remember crying as my father finished the book. I have read that story to my daughter but never looked into any other books written by Seton until I stumbled across The Arctic Prairies. Soon, I felt as if I was traveling along with Seton, Preble, Billy, and Weeso deep into the northern Barrens, looking for caribou as the slim canoe glided over the river’s surface.
As seems to sometimes happen, a book that hadn’t even been on my radar ended up being a wonderful reading experience. It feels like such an unanticipated, serendipitous meeting when this happens…the reader (me, in this case) bumping into a book that carries them away to a previously unglimpsed experience. This is one of the true joys of reading.
- Alone by Megan E. Freeman
I just finished reading Alone (2021) by Megan E. Freeman, a young adult novel in free verse. It is narrated by a young girl, 12 years old in the beginning, who finds herself in a very serious survival situation after waking to find herself completely cut off from human contact.
It is an extremely compelling read; the voice of Maddie is strong and her experiences, emotions, and reactions believable. It’s a story about self-discovery, perseverance, isolation, family, and love. Freeman uses the free verse style very well to tell a powerful story that is hard to put down.
I don’t know
what might be in store
down the road
but I know I won’t
waste another day
agonizing over
what I can’t control.
I am going to make sure
my one wild and precious life
is spent living as fully and
completely as I can