ABOUT THIS BLOG

This blog contains the literature reviews, political rants, and literary doings of Steven Wittenberg Gordon, the Editor-in-Chief of Songs of Eretz Poetry Review.

Monday, September 2, 2019

Review of Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees

Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees (first published under the author’s name in 1926, now available in trade paperback from Wildside Press for $8.99, 217 pages) is a sleepy, old school British fairytale, a proto-fantasy novel whose publication pre-dates The Hobbit by over a decade.  Neil Gaiman in The View from the Cheap Seats cites it and Dunsany’s The King of Elfland’s Daughter among the books that most influenced his own writing in general and his best selling novel Stardust in particular. 

The titular Lud-in-the-Mist is the name of the city in which almost all of the action of the novel takes place.  It is a fantasy, agrarian, seaside, late 18thCentury-like community located between the rivers Dapple and Dawl and on the border of the forbidden Fairyland from which, once entered, one does not ever return.  The Luddites of this world do not eschew technology as did the Luddites of our world, but they do eschew the consumption of “fairy fruit” which hallucinogen was the vice of the aristocratic class before the revolution which overthrew them.  However, as with illegal drugs in our world, there is a black market for this forbidden fruit in Lud-in-the-Mist as well as unscrupulous characters, particularly the aptly if obviously named “Willy Wisp,” that enjoy wreaking havoc by slipping some of the mind-altering substance into unsuspecting people’s food.

The novel may be read as a straightforward fantasy/fairytale which, as one might predict, provides an excuse for the protagonist, the somewhat inept but loveable Master Nathaniel Chanticleer, to venture (albeit painfully slowly by today’s standards) into the mysterious Fairyland on a quest.  Woven into the story is the investigation of a “cold case” murder that occurred about two generations prior.  The novel may also be read as a satirical commentary on the arbitrary and artificial aspects of the British legal system.

Every fairytale has a moral, and this one is no exception.  The moral of the story of Lud-in-the-Mist is provided directly by the omniscient narrator (the author) as, 

“The Written Word is a Fairy, as mocking and elusive as Willy Wisp, speaking lying words to us in a feigned voice.  So let all readers of books take warning!”

Add “consumers of the media” to “readers of books” and one has a lesson that is just as relevant and valuable today as it was when Lud-in-the-Mist was published almost a century ago.

Friday, January 25, 2019

A Call To All Gentlemen in Response to Those Who View Masculinity As "Toxic"

Gallantry.  Chivalry.  Husbandry.  Nobility.  Humility.  Generosity.  Bravery.  Honorability.  Sobriety.  Reliability.  Loyalty.  These are just a taste of some of the manly virtues.  Few men emulate all of them all of the time, but most men emulate at least some of them some of the time.  Even the worst criminals among men may still have a strong sense of honor and loyalty.  

Within every man, there is a knight waiting to be born or already errant.  Be proud of this heritage, gentlemen!  The daughters of Morgana and sons of Mordred may mock you, but you must show them through your deeds and your demeanor that you know otherwise. 

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Review of Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

I finally found the time to read Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (Henry Holt & Co, 2016), the sequel to and conclusion of the story that began in Six of Crows (reviewed in Steves of Grass July 22, 2018).  The story picks right up where the adventures in Six of Crows ended.

Each chapter is narrated from the point-of-view of a single character, a device Bardugo wisely chose to continue.  However, this time the characters have already been introduced to the reader in Crows, so the author is able to add considerable depth of development to each of them.  Since the reader cannot help but care about these characters, even the morally dubious anti-hero Kaz Brekker, this makes for some interesting reading--an entertaining study in and of itself.

The plot, which I will not spoil here, does not disappoint either.  It is paced well with many intricate twists and surprises, narrow escapes, epic fights, a bit of romance of the homosexual variety (that I did not see coming), and even a sprinkling of humor.  

One disappointment was that there was no further world-building.  I would have liked to have learned more about some of the countries and cultures of Bardugo’s Grisha universe.  Perhaps future books set in the same universe, such as the forthcoming King of Scars, will remedy this.

The YA rating of the duology notwithstanding, the faint of heart should beware!  While the volume of outright graphic violence is much lower in Kingdom vs Crows, the threat of violence, including psychologically scarring imprisonment and torture of children, is part of the fabric of Kingdom.  Without spoiling too much, the death of a beloved character also pushes this book into the adult realm.

Kingdom cannot stand-alone any more than The Two Towers could, so if you plan to read Kingdom, plan to read Crows first.  There is no doubt that Kingdom is a must-read if you enjoyed Crows and are intrigued by Bardugo’s Grisha universe.  

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Review of Adirondack Reflections Edited by Neal Burdick & Maurice Kenny

I recently took a trip to Saranac Lake, New York, located in the heart of the Adirondacks.  Hypnotized by the mountains that I have missed so much since moving to Kansas more than a decade past, and with my lungs filled with the famously clean, crisp, cool mountain air noted for its curative effect on tuberculosis suffers (before antimycobacterial drugs were discovered), and with my feet toasty warm in my old winter jumper boots despite the foot-and-a-half of snow on the ground, I wandered in to a bookshop and discovered Adirondack Reflections (The History Press, 2013, $19.99).  The 100-page collection of essays, poetry, and art is subtitled, “On Life and Living in the Mountains and the Valleys.” 

Co-editor Neal Burdick, a Plattsburgh, New York native and St. Lawrence University graduate, is a freelance editor and writer who has been published in many different genres, running the gamut from fiction to non-fiction to poetry.  Co-editor Maurice Kenny, a Watertown, New York native, “has been hailed by World Literature Today as the dean of Native American poetry.  Also an essayist and reviewer, his work appears in nearly one hundred anthologies and textbooks.” [AR, p. 100]

In her forward, North Country Public Radio anchor Ellen Rocco boldly comes right out and states what she loves about the book:  “It is unabashedly about this place, these Adirondacks.  No excuses, like ‘the stories could happen anywhere,’ or ‘this is not a work by simply regional writers.’”  She is not wrong, and that is a good thing.  The book is divided into sections of essays and a bit of poetry about “The Land” and “The People,” and a final section of art, essays, and a bit more poetry about “The Flora and the Fauna.”

I have rarely read a collection of essays where I enjoyed every single one of the essays as I did here, and I will make some comments (without significant spoilers) about some of my favorites among the individual pieces presented, but first, some general comments.  All of the essays were written by natives of or transplants to the Adirondack region.  All of the authors were seduced by the unique, mostly wild, and oftentimes dangerous landscape of mountains, valleys, rivers, and lakes.  A fascinating common theme emerges of a paradoxical love of isolation and self-sufficiency while at the same time appreciating the small but tight-knit communities and community activities.  These are the denizens of the Winterfell of our world, whose motto could easily be in truth, as expressed in George R. R. Martin’s fiction, “winter is coming.”  Always the cold and the snow loom with a quiet menace.

My favorite essay in the collection is “From Wasteland to Wilderness” by Alan L. Steinberg.  It may be found in the “The Land” section.  Steinberg tells the story of how he grew up in poverty and in constant danger of a violent death in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of New York, a dismal concrete jungle where noise drowned out the songs of birds and light and air pollution hid all but the brightest stars.  Then his life changed forever after he was sent to the Adirondacks for two weeks of summer camp as a fresh air child.

Another favorite, found in the “The People” section, is “In the Shadow of the Walls” by Lita Kelly.  Few think about it (or even know about it), but the Adirondacks is home to Dannemora Prison, a maximum security men’s state prison--a harsh place to be incarcerated, the beautiful view notwithstanding.  Kelly’s family moved to the town of Dannemora where her father worked as a prison guard.  The story of how her Adirondack experience was influenced by growing up in the proximity of the prison makes for an especially interesting read.

My favorite from the “The Flora and the Fauna” section is “Adirondack Goat Boy” by Jonathan Collier.  Although the most common source of dairy products worldwide is goat’s milk (a fact I learned by reading the essay), the raising of goats and the use of goat products is not common in the United States and particularly not common in the Adirondacks.  Collier tells of how he grew up on a goat farm and earned the (at first) unwanted moniker “Goat Boy.”  His transformative moment came when he joined the local 4-H Club.  The story is heartwarming and, in a way, a triumph of the human spirit.  Collier could have been that loner who shoots up a school.  Instead, he embraced who and what he is, “owned” it, and went on to become a happy and financially successful maker of goat’s milk products.

It would help at least to have visited the Adirondacks in order to fully appreciate the nuances of this lovely and inspiring collection of essays.  It is definitely a regional book--and unabashedly so as Rocco notes.  That said, I believe city dwellers, flatlanders, southerners, and even foreigners would still enjoy reading Adirondack Reflections.  The collection can easily be read in one sitting (I did that).  I recommend waiting for a cold day and choosing a comfortable chair before a roaring fire to set the mood.

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Review of Tai Chi by Master Lam Kam Chuen

I had the pleasure of reading Step-By-Step Tai Chi--The Natural Way to Strength and Health by Master Lam Kam Chuen (Gaia Books, 1994), meticulously illustrated by Gordon Munro.  While I have read the entire 143-page book, I have only just begun to master the most basic level (there are three) of the fundamental movements (there are eighteen).  [As a side note, I find it interesting and not coincidental that there are eighteen fundamental movements of Tai Chi Chuan.  "Chi" is the life force of eastern philosophy and medicine.  "Chi" (pronounced "khai") means "life" in Hebrew, and eighteen is the numerological value of the Hebrew word.]

I learned from Master Lam that Tai Chi is all about balance, harmony, patience, acceptance, and relaxation.  The symbol of Tai Chi Chuan is the familiar yin-yang circle.  It takes years to master the fluid movements of this martial art.  [I should say "movement"--singular--as a Tai Chi form, though it may contain many twists and turns, is considered to be a single, flowing movement.  How lovely!]  However, I am encouraged by the fact that if I consistently practice, I will experience great health benefits, even if I am physically and mentally unable to progress beyond the lowest fundamental level.

Note above that I refer to mastering the art "mentally."  Master Lam sees Tai Chi as "moving meditation" and "moving harmony."  Tai Chi requires mental discipline, concentration, imagination, and inner peace.  Mastering the physical movement of Tai Chi will only take the student so far.

As a physician, the potential health benefits of Tai Chi are certainly of interest--for my patients and for me personally.  In the midst of the current health care "crisis" of chronic pain and opioid addiction, even allopaths (medical doctors, MDs) have been taking a serious look at physical modalities for the treatment of chronic pain, with physical therapy, Pilates, yoga, and Tai Chi showing promising results in the reduction of pain and the reduction of the reliance upon addictive allopathic remedies (chemicals or drugs).  Master Lam claims that, in addition to reducing pain that results from arthritis and other musculoskeletal disorders, the regular practice of Tai Chi can lower blood pressure, improve balance and reduce the risk of falling (particularly important in the elderly), reduce stress, and improve asthma.

Will I ever achieve the "rooted," centered, peace and moving harmony of a Tai Chi Master?  Will my limbs grow lithe and strong, not bulky as a weightlifter's might be, but like powerful coiled springs?  Will my aches and pains be reduced or disappear?  Will my blood pressure drop and my breathing improve?  All of this remains to be seen.  However, even at this early stage, I have noticed an improvement in my balance and posture and a modest reduction in aches, pains, and stress.  So, we'll see...