#31: The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy by Jacob Burckhardt

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100 books, book review, books, classics, history, Italy

After the excitement of my Jeopardy! appearance last week and a few days without my laptop (thanks to a defective power cord), I finally return to the actual mission of this blog– reading.  I am playing catch up a bit, as I finished number thirty-one last Thursday.  After a string of novels I decided to go for something more academic.  I settled on Jacob Burckhardt’s seminal work of history, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy.

Burckhardt’s Civilization of the Renaissance is a watershed moment in the treatment of the Renaissance.  Earlier books about this period tended to focus on the great individuals.  Burckhardt changed that by presenting a work of cultural history.  Rather than focusing on specific individuals and their deeds, he focused on cultural trends and societal developments.  The result is both informative and engaging.  Burckhardt explores the Italian Renaissance in a systematic way, considering the development of the state, the individual, the revival of antiquity, advances in science and literature, secular society, and the changing nature and role of religion.  Although more recent books include more depth in certain areas (particularly economics), Burckhardt remains the standard.  What Edward Gibbon is to the end of the Roman Empire, Burckhardt is to the Italian Renaissance.

The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy is a tremendously informative book.  Burckhardt presents a wealth of information to be consumed by the willing reader.  I learned a great deal and enjoyed the book very much.  That said, there are a few cautionary words I should offer.  First, go into this book prepared to look up various historical figures and facts.  Burckhardt assumes a certain depth of knowledge regarding the Italian Renaissance, and the uninformed reader can get confused.  Despite being reasonably well-studied in this era, I found it necessary to look up many things as i read.  Second, the translation used in my edition (the Modern Library edition from 2002) and every other English edition I can find is that of S.G.C. Middlemore from 1878.  While the book is very engaging, the translation is rendered in Victorian English and comes across a bit stilted at times.  A modern translation would be a welcome gift from the literary gods.  Even with these two caveats, I would highly recommend this book to any individual interested in the Italian Renaissance.  It was an era that continues to exert an influence on our own and is well worth studying.

The Current Count

31 Read, 69 To Go

#27: Discourse on Method by Rene Descartes

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100 books, book review, books, classics, Descartes, philosophy, religion

Nietzsche has dominated my philosophical readings of late, so I decided to shift gears and try a new thinker.  A quick trip to Half Price Books and I was ready to delve into Descartes.  I had some familiarity with Descartes but had never read any of his writings.  His Discourse on Method seemed like the perfect place to start.

The full title of this work is actually Discourse on the Method for Conducting One’s Reason Well and for Seeking the Truth in the Sciences.  For some reason, it is more commonly known simply as the Discourse on Method.  In this short treatise, Descartes outlines his plan to examine all of the things he held to be true and determine whether they can be known with certainty through nothing more than reason and demonstration.  He distinguishes his efforts from classical skepticism by recognizing that there are some truths that can be absolutely known.  The most basic of these is his famous “I think, therefore I am”.  He goes on to demonstrate the necessary existence and perfection of God, and then to generally discuss certain truths about man, the heavens, and the physical world. 

This book has long been considered one of the most important works in modern philosophy, and with good reason.  Descartes’ method for examining the truths of the world has had a tremendous influence on the methods of later philosophers and the methods of natural scientists.  He writes with a clarity and honesty that is refreshing compared to many other philosophers.  While I disagree with some of the logic he employs to arrive at some of his supposedly incontrovertible truths, I applaud his efforts and admire his methods.  I specifically disagree with his proof of the existence of God.  It is essentially, Anselm of Canterbury’s ontological proof restated in a slightly different formula.  While interesting and apparently sound from a logical standpoint, this method of proving the existence of God requires that the individual making the argument believe in God to begin with.  It is a bit of philosophical reverse engineering.  If you believe that God exists, then the ontological proof seems valid.  If you doubt that God exists, the ontological proof will not persuade you.  This critique is certainly not reason enough to disregard Descartes’ Discourse.  I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in philosophy.

The Current Count

27 Read, 73 To Go

#24: Secrets of the Heart by Khalil Gibran

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100 books, book review, books, classics, Gibran, literature, philosophy, poetry

I went with another quick read for my twenty-fourth book of the year, choosing Khalil Gibran’s Secrets of the Heart.  Based on my previous experience with Gibran, I expected a deeply philosophical book written in beautiful figurative language.  As usual, Gibran did not disappoint. 

Secrets of the Heart is a collection of poems and short stories that reflect Gibran’s general philosophy of renouncing worldly goods in favor of universal brotherhood.  He writes in language that is both wonderfully symbolic and ageless.  My favorite selections from this particular book were “Dead Are My People” and “John the Madman.”  “Dead Are My People” is a poem about the death and suffering of the people of Lebanon during World War I and Gibran’s guilt about escaping that suffering by moving with his family to America.  “John the Madman” is a short story about a young farmer in Syria who reads the New Testament in his spare time (against the orders of local priests).  His observations of the real world and the sermons preached by the priests do not align with his own scriptural readings.  When he (rightfully) speaks out against the corruption and wickedness he sees, he is dismissed as a madman and shunned.  Both of these stories are well written and very profound.  Even if the other selections offered in Secrets of the Heart had no value, I would recommend the book based on these two stories.  Fortunately, the entire book is wonderful.  Although I would recommend The Prophet or The Madman more highly, Secrets of the Heart is well worth reading.

The Current Count

24 Read, 76 To Go

#21: A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

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100 books, book review, books, classics, drama, literature, Shakespeare

Nearly a week ago I finished reading Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream but have only now found the time to sit down and write my review.  I picked this play for several reasons.  First, I love Shakespeare and am slowly working my way through all of his plays.  Second, this is one of the most frequently performed of his plays and I wanted to correct this gap in my literary knowledge.  Third, I wanted something short, quick, and entertaining.  A Midsummer Night’s Dream definitely met the last requirement.

To say that A Midsummer Night’s Dream is about relationships would be a bit of an understatement.  There are relationships piled on top of relationships in this particular play.  There is Theseus, Duke of Athens, who is engaged to Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons.  There is Hermia, and Athenian maiden whose father has pledged her to marry Demetrius but who loves Lysander.  There is Helena, who loves Demetrius but cannot sway him from his desire for Hermia.  There is Oberon, King of the Fairies and his queen, Titania.  Finally, there is Pyramus and Thisbe, the main characters in a (supposedly) tragic play-within-the-play acted out by some humble Athenian craftsmen.  These relationships frame the action throughout the play and offer many opportunities for comic misunderstanding.

These relationships form three plotlines that are woven together.  The first plotline revolves around the Athenian lovers.  Hermia wants to marry Lysander but has been pledged to Demetrius by her father.  Her father uses an ancient Athenian law to force his daughter to choose between marrying Demetrius or death.  Theseus, as duke, is forced to resolve the issue.  He gives Hermia the choice between marrying Demetrius or becoming a nun in the service of Diana.  Lysander and Hermia plot to flee Athens and get married in the woods outside of Theseus’ jurisdiction.  Helena, in a fit of jealousy, informs Demetrius of the plans of his supposed bride in the hopes that he will be so grateful that he abandons Hermia in favor of Helena.  Demetrius and Helena prepare to pursue Hermia and Lysander.  While all of this is occurring, a group of simple Athenian craftsmen makes plans to rehearse a play in honor of the impending nuptials between Theseus and Hippolyta.  Their chosen rehearsal location is the very same clearing in the woods at which Hermia and Lysander plan to wed (and Helena and Demetrius plan to confront them).  Confused yet?

The action then moves to the woods, where we encounter Oberon, King of the Fairies.  Oberon is in the middle of a dispute with Titania, Queen of the Fairies.  Oberon is angry with Titania because she refuses to give an Indian changeling who was the son of one of her followers to Oberon to act as his knight.  Oberon plots a bit of trickery to punish Titania for her obstinacy and sends his servant Puck to retrieve a magical flower whose juice can be applied to a person’s eyelids while they sleep, causing them to fall in love with whatever they see first upon awakening.  His plan is to make Titania fall in love with a woodland creature and then shame her back into obedience.  While plotting this revenge, he overhears Helena’s struggle to win Demtrius’ favor.  He tells Puck to apply the juice to Demetrius’ eyes as well so that he will return Helena’s love.  Puck accidentally applies the magic juice to Lysander’s eyes instead, who sees Helena when he awakes.  When Oberon learns of the mistake, he charms Demetrius’ eyes and sends Puck to retrieve Helena.  Demetrius falls for Helena and challenges Lysander to a duel to determine whose love is greater.  Fortunately, Puck distracts the two men until all of the lovers fall asleep and Oberon removes the charm from Lysander.  That leaves Lysander and Hermia paired, and Helena and Demetrius together. 

While all of this is happening, the six craftsmen are practicing their play.  Puck changes Bottom, a weaver playing the part of Pyramus, into a man with the head of an ass (my older brother has sported that look for years).  Titania, under the influence of the magic flower, falls in love with the transformed Bottom (that would make a great name for an exercise program).  While she is thus distracted, Oberon steals the changeling.  He then transforms Bottom back to his natural state and lifts the spell from Titania.  Puck arranges for the Athenian lovers to believe that everything was only a dream. 

The action then returns to Athens, where the happy couples of Theseus and Hippolyta, Lysander and Hermia, and Demetrius and Helena are all married.  The craftsmen act out their play, the tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe.  The lack of skill and rehearsal, and hypersensitivity to the women in the audience render the tragic play laughable.  The newlyweds watch the play with glee and then retire to bed.   Oberon and Titania, now reconciled, visit the house of the duke and bless the weddings.  The play concludes with Puck apologizing to the audience for any offence and reminding them it all may have been just a dream.

I loved this play.  Shakespeare is always a pleasure to read by virtue of his language, but this play was enjoyable because it is just plain fun.  The plotline borders on the absurd and the characters are somewhat ridiculous, resulting in a play that is lighthearted and farcical.  That said, it still explores the complex nature of relationships and the importance of love.  The final act, in which the newlyweds laugh at the ridiculous tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe, is a wonderful bit of irony.  I would definitely recommend this play for anyone looking for a pleasant afternoon read.

The Current Count

21 Read, 79 To Go

#13: Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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100 books, book review, books, classics, literature

My goal for Spring Break was to read five novels in the course of this week.  I met that target last night with Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ Chronicle of a Death Foretold.  There are a lot of books out there that are very good but seem to be too long, as though the author and editor were both afraid to cut the fluff.  Marquez’ Chronicle is the perfect example of what can happen when the author is bold in his cuts.  This short novel clocks in at 143 pages, and not a word is wasted.

Chronicle of a Death Foretold reconstructs the brutal murder of Santiago Nasar at the hands of twin brothers Pedro and Pablo Vicario.  It is narrated by an anonymous character who was a friend of both Nasar and the Vicario brothers from childhood.  Decades have passed since the murder, and the narrator has decided to reconstruct the events based on evidence he has gathered in an effort to make sense of the tragic event.

Santiago Nasar is a young and wealthy man who has inherited a ranch from his father.  The novel opens with him preparing to greet the bishop, who is coming by boat to bless the marriage of a wealthy foreigner, Bayardo San Roman, and a beautiful young local woman, Angela Vicario.  Nasar is badly hungover from the wedding festivities of the previous night, which he enjoyed alongside the narrator, the Vicario twins, and a few other good friends.  Unbeknownst to this group, while they were partying Bayardo San Roman quietly returned his bride to the house of her parents after leaning that she was not a virgin.  Nasar parts with his friends to slowly return home, and the Vicarios are called home by their mother to deal with the looming family crisis.  The brothers insist that their sister reveal the man who took her virginity, and she names Santiago Nasar.  Honor demands that the brothers kill their friend.

The narrator includes an element of uncertainty, insisting that it was highly unlikely that Nasar ever had the opportunity to take Angela’s virginity, and that his friends would have known about it already.  This question is never clearly resolved.  The rumor was enough to require satisfaction, and the Vicario twins begin planning their revenge for the following morning.  They do not go about this planning in a quiet manner.  Instead, they tell everyone they meet about their intentions.  Nobody takes the necessary steps to prevent the murder, despite the apparent wish of the brothers to be prevented from completing this act.  Honor requires the murder, but the brothers do not desire it.  They even go so far as to wait outside of a door Nasar never uses to leave his home, and inform the mayor and other local notables prior to the murder.  Ultimately, nobody acts to stop them and Nasar is stabbed to death.

I loved this book.  It is concise and engaging, with a realistic quality that puts the reader on the streets of the town as the foretold death comes to pass.  I was reminded of the classic Gary Cooper film High Noon, in which a sheriff is unable to rouse any townspeople to help him confront a band of violent gunslingers.  Just like Cooper, the Vicario brothers appeal to the people of the town for help in preventing the murder they are required to commit.  No townspeople act to prevent the tragedy, making them all somewhat complicit in Nasar’s murder.  Some even urge the brothers on, living vicariously through the Vicarios (classic pun, I know).  This is only the second Marquez book I have read, but I look forward to reading many more in the future.

The Current Count

13 Read, 87 To Go

#12: Daisy Miller by Henry James

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100 books, book review, books, classics, literature

My string of short novels continues with Henry James’ Daisy Miller.  This slender volume tells the story of Daisy Miller and Frederick Winterbourne.  Daisy is a young and beautiful American heiress touring Europe with her mother and nine-year-old brother, Randolph.  In Vevey, Switzerland, Daisy and her brother become acquainted with Winterbourne, a young American who has lived in Geneva for most of his life.  He is immediately struck by Daisy’s beauty but is confused by her free and flirtatious manner.  She agrees to visit a local castle with him unescorted, an act very much in conflict with European standards of behavior.  Despite his aunt’s disapproval, Winterbourne continues his pursuit of Daisy.  He returns to Geneva after a few days but promises to visit the Millers in Rome during the winter.  When Winterbourne next encounters Daisy, she is the talk of Rome.  Her flirtatious manner has offended the conservative society of Rome, and her association with Mr. Giovanelli, an Italian of questionable repute, has made her the target of malicious gossip.  Winterbourne tries to warn her but is rebuffed.  Winterbourne gives up on Daisy and tries to enjoy Rome alone.  One night, while visiting the Colosseum, Winterbourne finds Daisy and Giovanelli in the center of the giant stadium.  Winterbourne is furious with Giovanelli, as the atmosphere of the Colosseum is known to be highly malarial.  Daisy falls ill and dies soon thereafter.

I found this novel to be an enjoyable but inconsequential read.  At the time it was written it would have been an excellent examination of prejudices between the old and the young, as well as between Americans and Europeans.  The mindsets of both continents have changed significantly since then, however, leaving this book as a charming reminder of the way things once were.

The Current Count

12 Read, 88 To Go

#11: The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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100 books, book review, books, classics, Goethe, literature

Remember that friend from college that always seemed to have girl problems to complain about? (I’m talking about you Lance.  Thank goodness Sabrina put an end to your relationship woes, they were getting old.)  German literary giant Johann Wolfgang von Goethe offers that friend multiplied by 1,000 in The Sorrows of Young Werther. 

Werther was the novel that established Goethe as an international celebrity, and with good reason.  It tells the story of Werther, a young artist spending time in a rural German village.  The book consists of a series of letters from Werther to his friend Wilhelm that detail his stay in the village.  Soon after arriving in the village Werther becomes acquainted with a beautiful young woman named Charlotte.  Despite being warned that she is engaged to a man who will return shortly, Werther begins to fall in love.  He befriends Charlotte and becomes more smitten every day.  Eventually her fiancée, Albert, returns.  Albert and Werther also become close friends.  The triangular friendship continues for several months with Werther increasingly tormented by his love.  His despair eventually becomes so great that he leaves the village and accepts an official position with an ambassador in Weimar.  Werther suffers a great social embarrassment in Weimar and returns to the village to discover that Charlotte and Albert have married during his absence.  Werther’s love is a greater torture than before and his relationship with Albert suffers as a result.  Eventually Charlotte asks Werther not to visit so often.  Filled with an unbearable despair, Werther visits Charlotte a final time and both are overcome with emotion after he recites a piece of a poem he has translated.  They embrace and kiss, but Charlotte realizes her mistake and asks Werther to leave.  Werther returns home, pens a farewell letter, and shoots himself.

In case the title and that summary weren’t clear, this is not a happy book.  It is, however, an excellent book.  The unbridled passions of Werther established this novel as a precursor and source of inspiration for the Romantic movement that would follow.  Goethe crafts a story in which we agonize alongside Werther, and his ultimate demise serves as a cautionary tale for all passionate young men.  The novel’s impact was so great that it inspired “Werther-Fieber” (Werther Fever), which saw young men across Europe dressing in the style described as Werther’s, and also led to a rash of copycat suicides by forlorn young lovers.  Even with the risk of Werther-Fieber, this novel is worth a read.

The Current Count

11 Read, 89 To Go

#10: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

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100 books, book review, books, classics, Kafka, literature

The week of the (short) novel continues, this time with The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.  The Metamorphosis is one of the most studied works of fiction from the past century and is widely regarded as a must-read.  It is also a very strange little book.

“When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.”  So begins Kafka’s unusual tale.  Gregor Samsa is a traveling salesman supporting his mother, father, and younger sister.  His life is changed dramatically when he wakes up to find he has become a massive insect.  He is late for work, which alarms his family and causes his boss to drop by to check on him.  When he unlocks his bedroom door and reveals his new form, all are horrified.  Gregor is unable to work in his condition, forcing his family members to take jobs to support him.  He is a tremendous burden on them all, and even his formerly affection sister comes to resent his presence.  After months of neglect and abuse, Gregor is weak and depressed.  He eats little and has been seriously injured in a squabble with his father.  When he accidentally reveals himself to the boarders his parents have taken in order to make more money, his sister insists that his parents get rid of him.  Hearing this, Gregor scrambles back to his room.  The exertion proves too much in his weakened condition and he dies.  His family is relieved, and reexamining their situation realize that it is not as dire as they had believed.  They take a trolley to the countryside and consider their now hopeful future.

The Metamorphosis is remarkable for several reasons.  The detail that stood out to me the most was the fact that Gregor Samsa accepts his transformation without question.  He does not consider whether such a transformation has occurred, but simply accepts that it has.  One possible explanation is that the transformation has occurred only in his mind.  He has lived the life of an insect for years, toiling away for the good of the hive (his family) with no regard for personal pleasure.  As soon as he took on financial responsibility for the family, he stopped being an ordinary son and became instead a drone.  The only real transformation that has occurred is his realization that his life has been that of an insect.  This (mental) transformation leaves him unable to work, forcing the other family members to regain their independence.  They are angry at this turn of events and resent the loss of their drone.  Upon his death, however, they realize that they are now in a position to provide a better life for themselves than Gregor ever could have offered.

That is one very brief and underdeveloped interpretation of the story.  Many more are possible.  Despite its brevity, Kafka’s Metamorphosis offers a wealth of material to ponder.  For that reason, I offer my recommendation.

The Current Count:

10 Read, 90 To Go

#74: The Nick Adams Stories by Ernest Hemingway

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100 books, book review, books, classics, Hemingway, literature, short stories

Ernest Hemingway is the Tupac Shakur of English literature, with a significant body of work coming out after his death.  The Nick Adams Stories is one of those posthumous works.  It gathers all of Hemingway’s short stories that feature his famous character Nick Adams.  Eight of the stories were never published by Hemingway, and the others appeared in many different formats throughout Hemingway’s career.  This volume collects them all and rearranges them in an order that follows the life of Nick Adams chronologically.

Many of these stories are classic examples of Hemingway at the top of his game.  My personal favorites are “Big Two-Hearted River” and “Fathers and Sons”.  The previously unpublished stories are enjoyable as they shed light on the development of one of Hemingway’s signature characters, but are clearly below Hemingway’s exacting standards for publication.  The book is good, but is not my favorite Hemingway volume.  Stick to the works that Hem wanted published and you will be much better off.

The Current Count:

74 Read, 26 To Go

#67: On the Genealogy of Morals by Friedrich Nietzsche

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100 books, book review, books, classics, Nietzsche, philosophy

Wow, it is November 30th.  Eleven months down, and I just limped through book sixty-seven.  Gone is the energy of January and February.  Vanished is the optimism of July.  All that remains is the harsh reality of December.  I am thirty-three books short of my goal, with thirty-one days remaining in the year.  The odds don’t look great.  That said, I intend to soldier on and try to make my final count as respectable as possible.

Book sixty-seven should help in that regard.  I returned to Nietzsche, this time choosing his polemic On the Genealogy of Morals.  This book is primarily concerned with issues surrounding the origin of our moral prejudices, and builds off of his earlier thoughts as expressed in Human, All Too Human and Beyond Good and Evil.  Genealogy consists of a preface explaining why Nietzsche felt compelled to produce this particular work and three essays exploring different aspects of historical morality.

The first essay is entitled “Good and Evil, Good and Bad”.  In it, Nietzsche explores the origin of the terms comprising the title.  He locates the origin of ‘Good and Bad’ in the distinction between the nobility and the commoners.  The nobility began by calling themselves ‘good’, and by association their actions were deemed ‘good’.  In contrast, the commoners and their respective actions were ‘bad’.  The distinction here is not explicitly moral.  Instead it is a purely social dichotomy, with bad merely indicating a low-born status.  The terms ‘Good and Evil’ have a much different origin.  According to Nietzsche, ‘good and evil’ developed from a slave morality, where the individuals lacking all power came to resent the powerful.  These weaker individuals viewed themselves as good, and therefore designated the powerful (and their respective attributes) as evil.  This is a moral distinction, and contributed to the development of Judaism (and subsequently Christianity).  Nietzsche vehemently disagrees with equating strength to evil.  The actions of the strong, in his opinion, stem only from their inherent power, not from malice.  For this reason, it is a mistake to condemn them by virtue of their strength alone.

The second essay bears the title “Guilt, Bad Conscience, and the Like.”  Nietzsche first explores the origins of punishment, which he locates in the creditor/debtor relationship.  Man recognized the ability to harm another as a form of payment for a broken promise.  There are a variety of uses for punishment, but inspiring remorse in the offender is not a realistic one.  Instead, the bad conscience is created from the imposition of community standards and expectations that limit the freedom of the individual will.  The feeling of remorse that accompanies violations of those standards is the repressed instinct for freedom.  It is therefore a self-destructive tendency that Nietzsche opposes.

The final essay is titled “What is the meaning of ascetic ideals?”  This essay explores the urge to asceticism as it exists in a variety of groups, including artists, philosophers, and priests.  The artist is always beholden to some ideology to serve a framework for his products, and is therefore not a significant concern.  Instead, one must look to the philosopher’s relationship to the ascetic ideal.  The philosopher is attracted to asceticism as the best possible environment to maintain an independence of thought and spirit.  Originally the philosopher disguised himself as the ascetic priest in order to avoid suspicion.  The remnants of that identification are still evident as philosophers tend to embrace the chastity, poverty, and humility of the priest.  The true ascetic priest, by contrast, uses the ascetic ideal as license to minister to and save the deformed and the damned.  By excusing himself from the pleasures of the world, the priest places himself below the powerful.  At the same time, the fact that this is a willing subjugation grants him a superiority to the lower castes, who are weak without any choice.  The priest uses this position to attempt to deaden the continuous pain of living as one of the weak among society.  As a result, the priest (and his religion) gained a tremendous amount of power and influence.  Society has thus embraced the will to truth represented by the priest (who equates truth with God, or with ultimate being).  Neither science nor history have questioned the value of truth, instead predicating their respective views of the world on that very assumption.  Nietzsche concludes by calling for an examination of the value of truth itself.

As you might have guessed, this book is quite an undertaking.  The relative brevity lures you in, and then the sheer power of Nietzsche’s intellect bludgeons you.  I am a long way from offering my own thoughts on this book.  It demands rumination.  I know that I don’t agree with everything Nietzsche says, but it will be a while before I am ready to articulate what and why.  If you are interested in a book that calls for that kind of contemplation, give this one a try.

The Current Count:

67 Read, 33 To Go