What a totally phenomenal book. I loved this book. Salman Rushdie is an amazing artist. I said several times while I was reading this book that I felt like a tragic ending was absolutely inevitable and necessary in order for this book to be true to itself and I'm not a big fan of tragedy and yet, I couldn't put this book down. That's a powerful statement from me. I really like a book that teaches me something and gives me some insight and is empathetic and moving and descriptive and this was one of those books. I have read one other book by Salman Rushdie--The Jaguar Smile, which is a nonfiction work about Nicaragua. I read it shortly before I went to Nicaragua and really appreciated the insight that it gave me on my travels there. I knew I liked Salman Rushdie, but I didn't know how much. I decided that I wanted to read this book last year when I went to San Francisco with Brian. I was driving around one day and heard an interview with Salman Rushdie on Talk of the Nation. I can't remember the details of the interview but I knew that I wanted to read this book after that. And it took me some time to remember that at a time when I was at the bookstore and needing a new book to read. But it finally happenede. and I'm happy that he has written many other books so that I can continue to enjoy his writing.
Shalimar the Clown has inspired me to learn more about the Middle East and Afghanistan and other parts of the world that I am terribly ignorant of. It has given me a better sense of the complexity and history of current events in that part of the world. And again, it was an incredibly empathetic portrayal of characters. Rushdie tells these stories in a way that allows the reader to develop compassion for each character. I REALLY liked it.
I think it would make it on my top 10 list of all time favorites. I'd love to hear what you think about it.
Shalimar the Clown has inspired me to learn more about the Middle East and Afghanistan and other parts of the world that I am terribly ignorant of. It has given me a better sense of the complexity and history of current events in that part of the world. And again, it was an incredibly empathetic portrayal of characters. Rushdie tells these stories in a way that allows the reader to develop compassion for each character. I REALLY liked it.
I think it would make it on my top 10 list of all time favorites. I'd love to hear what you think about it.
4 comments:
Wow. That's some recommendation. I haven't read the book (as my most attentive blog fans know), and didn't have it at the top of my Rushdie-to-reads (clowns, you know), but this review just put it up there.
Well I'm worried about my reviews of anything swaying you in any significant way. I think I've already mentioned that my taste in books is like brian's taste in movies. I think I'm a book whore at least for the books I finish. If I finish it, I love it. I think. And I recently read a review of this book that made me wonder if I was a complete idiot for liking it. Here's the link to that review, which you may have already read and if not, which may temper your desire to put it anywhere on your list--http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20051003&s=siegel
At any rate I think there's some comment here in my bashful embarrassed comment about your critics blog. I'm still working on it though.
Midnight's Children is certainly in my top five all-time, and, without actually creating a Top Five All-Time, I can imagine its being at the top. Rushdie is the best! I imagining that my recommendation will prevent you from ever reading it (as an unmentionable other candidate for the top spot suggests), but there, I've done it. You might enjoy The Ground Beneath Her Feet more than I did, but no one could choose it over M'sC except a child of mine to whom I have lavishly praised the latter.
I picked up M's C because you recommended it and I made it much farther than in another unmentioned Top 5 of yours. But I still have plans to read both of them at some point. Shall I put them on the To Do list here?
Post a Comment