"To compensate a little for the treachery and weakness of my memory, so extreme that it has happened to me more than once to pick up again, as recent and unknown to me, books which I had read carefully a few years before . . . I have adopted the habit for some time now of adding at the end of each book . . . the time I finished reading it and the judgment I have derived of it as a whole, so that this may represent to me at least the sense and general idea I had conceived of the author in reading it." (Montaigne, Book II, Essay 10 (publ. 1580))

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

The Last Samurai (Helen DeWitt, 2000)

Unusual for me; I voluntarily selected current/modern fiction.  This one was based on recommendations I had spotted from at least two sources I trusted, or thought I could.  I also saw that this book shows up on "best novel" lists.

But I didn't like it very much.  530 pages and I didn't dog ear a single one.

I was constantly thinking that the author is saying "look at me, see how clever I am!"  Which I found annoying (or maybe threatening, she clearly does know lots and lots of stuff).

Ludo - main character - is a child genius.  His mother - Sibylla - clearly highly intelligent but for some reason (sort of explained) prefers to work as a typist.  So they live in poverty.

We know who Ludo's father is, but he doesn't.  Much of the plot revolves around his efforts to find a father.

Title of the book refers to the movie, The Seven Samurai, which Sibylla (and in turn Ludo) watch constantly, and turn to for guidance, or something.
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