April's Literary Book Reviews

Milan Kundera is this month’s celebrated author, born on April 1, 1929.  He lived in Czechoslovakia until 1975, when at that time he sought asylum in France.  Kundera has since become a naturalized French citizen and writes in French.  After learning that he was originally from Czechoslovakia, now referred to as Czechia, I wondered more about struggles of his homeland.  My paternal ancestors emigrated from Czechia during wartime in the early 1900s.  Although Kundera is no longer a citizen of Czechia he is still recognized as one of the Czech Republic’s most notable writers.  In study about Kundera, I also discovered that he has a minor planet (asteroid) named after him.  Actually I didn’t even know there were ‘minor’ planets, which are really small bodies in the Solar System (with exception of comets).  

Four of Kundera’s books are included on the international list, “1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die.”  Since they are ‘must reads’ I will list them chronologically by copy write date with a brief description. The first is entitled The Joke – published in 1967.  Characters in The Joke reflect, sarcastically, about repression in the Communist era. Considering the subject of this book, which later became banned, one can understand what led to Kundera's exile.  The Book of Laughter and Forgetting was published in 1979, two years after he left Czechia and contains stories about Czechoslovak citizens and how they all have different ways of opposing the communist regime. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, published in 1984 is Kundera’s most famous work and was also adapted to film.  It follows the progression of several characters throughout their lifetime, and how these individual destinies are brought together and how their fates will reoccur infinitely … a sort of philosophical novel.

Lastly the recognized book Ignorance, published in 2000 was my book club’s choice.  This book begins with an examination of the word ‘nostalgia.’  Kundera dissected the word into two Greek words: nostos, meaning return and algos, meaning suffering.  Together these words represent nostalgia, “a suffering caused by an unappeased yearning to return.”  I suppose we all feel the homesickness or longing for days of yore from time to time.  Years, months, and days pass faster than we sometimes notice. In this novel Irene is an opening character who has been away from her homeland for nearly twenty years. Like Kundera, this character left Prague for France and now has an opportunity to go back … to visit family.   She coincidentally meets an old lover while there but their reunion is disappointing to say the least.  Other characters try in ways to regain what was lost in their youth by revisiting the past in present time.  Each one finds it difficult to go back and fit in, or rekindle lost relationships. 

At our recent book club gathering we indulged on French Bordeaux wine and petite fours (brought  from France by Irene to share with her old friends).  Another character's story ends with her eating a cheese sandwich alone, so of course pimento cheese sandwiches were also a part of our 'discussion food.'  And, included as a taste of culture, were  Czech meat patties on pumpernickel, known as Karbanátky.  These can be compared to hamburgers, but they are breaded and deliciously seasoned.  We also enjoyed listening to Schoenburg's music, referred to several times throughout the novel.  I would describe Schoenburg as a melancholy classical/jazz pianist.  This sound fits the theme for Ignorance rather well.  Later I learned that Kundera himself is a pianist as was his father, who directed the Janáček Music Academy (a university level school in Czechia) for many years.

We’ve all heard the saying “ignorance is bliss.”  This was discussed in reference to the title and how sometimes there are things we would rather not know about.  Too much information can cause worry, which doesn’t help change anything.  Or look it like this … is it really going to matter years later about something that happened in the past.  Here’s a quote from the novel that spells out the gist of Kundera’s ideological musings behind the concept of ignorance.

“An irreparable mistake committed at the age (20 years) of ignorance … That's the age people marry, have their first child, choose a profession. Eventually we come to know and understand a lot of things, but it's too late, because a whole life has already been determined at a stage when we didn't know a thing.”

I certainly can relate to this when reminded of ‘if I only knew then what I know now.’  This was a deep-thinking sort of book which I had to dwell on and mentally process, even though isn't too long and the chapters are short.  If you want to dive beneath the surface, there are mentions of things, such as the Prague Spring Revolution, several European 'patriot' poets, and even a literary comparison to the Greek classic Homer's Odyssey.  I do enjoy books that inspire wonder and curiosity along the way!

Paula Fox (b. April 22, 1923) was an American writer of Cuban descent and also happens to be Courtney Love's grandmother!  Being Courtney Love's grandmother might not mean anything to you, but to my son, who is a less than occasional reader, this is a pretty cool fact.  Courtney is a controversial musician and widow of Kurt Cobain who gave name to grunge style music when fronting the band Nirvana. I never would have imagined that my review of Fox's junior novel, The Slave Dancer would have a connection to Cobain in a 'sixth degree of separation' sort of way.  More important than making connections with celebrities, this novel is recognized as winner of the 1974 Newbery Medal. 

Although this novel is classified as fiction, it is based on the history of slave trade and deserves to be read … to comfort the past.     The details of this book tell a harsh truth that is necessary to be seen and heard.  It is important to never forget.  The Slave Dancer is important to read, reread, and talk about as long as prejudice of any kind exists in the world. 

The Slave Dancer takes place in 1840, mostly aboard a ship called “The Moonlight.”  Before leaving the port of New Orleans to pick up human cargo in Africa, several rough crewmen snag Jesse who is on the street playing his fife for a few coins.  It is his music they are after and he is required to make it in order to “dance the slaves,” on the ship's return voyage.  Slaves were brought out of the ship's dark hold onto the deck for sunlight and exercise, in efforts to keep them as healthy as possible under the circumstances of their confinement. I imagine how hard it was to dance while longing to be back home, and having to wear heavy leg-irons.  The story is told through Jesse's eyes and what he sees is the worst of man.  He is on board against his will and like the slaves who struggle to dance, Jesse has sadness when forced to blow tunes that once brought him joy.  Looking back on this experience, Jesse never listened to or played music again.

This book goes in deep detail about actual slave voyages and recognizes the length man will go to for greed.  Even though The Moonlight's voyage to trade slaves was forbidden by Congress with the Slave Act of 1820, the Captain and crew risked their lives to profit in this horrendous way.  The law against African slave trade stated that participation in this business was considered the most heinous crime on the high seas – piracy – to be punished by death. 

As The Moonlight nears its voyage end an American ship is seen advancing and the crew panics about being caught with slaves.  At the same time a huge storm breaks out and while the ship is being dashed about, slaves are thrown overboard.  Jesse and Raz, a young African boy, somehow miraculously survive and are washed ashore on the coast of Cuba.  It is a long journey home for Jesse and a strange new life for Raz.  I hope my cliffhanger summary encourages you to read this book! Fox tackles far more serious issues than most kid's books ever attempt to do.  I would recommend it to ages twelve and up with no hesitation.

Abandoned by her mother, Paula Fox lived with her maternal grandmother.  They moved frequently around Florida, Cuba, and the United States until finally her grandmother knew she couldn't care for her properly and left her to be raised by Rev. Elwood Corning and his bedridden mother in New York.  Before she was recognized as a writer, she taught school and tutored students.  It wasn't until she was in her 40s that she began publishing novels.  In 2011, six years before she died, Fox was inducted into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame.  When speaking about her craft she mentions, “Dialogue is hard labor, but a long and descriptive sentence is something I enjoy thinking about.”  

This may not be as long as some of her sentences, but it is a favorite one of mine from The Slave Dancer.  It is very descriptive and I do like thinking about it too … A few lanterns were strung up to give us light. They made a mystery of the ship -- we floated like a live ember in a great bowl of darkness. 

The selection for May's Literary Book Review is a book by Henryk Sienkiewicz … also adapted into film.  Please join us at Blue Ridge Movie Lounge for a complimentary viewing of Quo Vadis.   Quo Vadis is Latin for “Where are you going?”  This epic blockbuster starring Robert Taylor and Deborah Kerr is a historical romance taking place during the time of Nero, Emperor of Rome.  Showtime is Friday, May 3 at 10:30 a.m.  Since the extended forecast is calling for rain, as usual … what other better way can you think of to spend a Friday morning?