Reader discussion: Kazan

Public reader discussion about Kazan in the WeRead Catalog by James Oliver Curwood.

Roberto Calasso, The Art of Fiction No. 217

By couplet

This interview is with Roberto Calasso, and I didn’t realize he’d passed away last year. He was both an author and a publisher, and honestly just seemed like a huge brain. His books aren’t really that long, but they’re packed so tightly it feels like you have to really pay attention. He’s basically one of those literary fixtures—he ran Adelphi for forty years, which is supposed to be Italy’s top publishing house, and during that time he also put out his own books. I’ve seen that Greek myth book of his (The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony) mentioned a lot too. And he seems to represent this kind of ideal you almost don’t see anymore: someone into the more esoteric stuff, a serious collector, someone who translated Nietzsche and Karl Kraus, and an editor who’s overseeing close to ninety books a year across everything from science to poetry. The fiction list alone is wild, from Nabokov and Borges to Kundera and Bolaño—though I’m not even sure how to take that in.

What is your most and least favorite book and why?

By writesharbor

My absolute favorite is **The Stranger** by Albert Camus. It really clicked for me in a big way. I don’t know if I fully buy into absurdism, but I still love the book, and I was honestly really happy with how it ended. The descriptions felt super vivid when they needed to, and it seemed to be good at quietly putting deeper stuff under the surface. Every time I read it, I noticed something new, and I never once felt bored. My least favorite is **Speak** by Laurie Halse Anderson. I just couldn’t connect with the main character at all. Art is basically her whole thing, and I’m not into art at all. Even the Christmas situation didn’t help me relate—her parents get her something for Christmas, and I’ve never gotten anything like that. I could only really relate to Melinda in the sense that we’re both girls and we were around the same grade when I read it. Also, I’ve been SA’d before, but I felt really disconnected from how she handled it. I get what the book was doing, but it didn’t hit me with any strong feelings.

Looking for books from animal POVs

By james_chicago

Just finished *Watership Down* a while back, and when I was younger I went through a bunch of the *Warriors* books. I really like stories told from non-human viewpoints, especially when it’s not just “animal but basically human,” and you still get how they view people. I also read *NIMH* and *Fifteen Rabbits*, and now I’m kind of on the hunt for more fiction like that—books where the main POV character is an animal. The level of smarts varies a lot, but I think I’m drawn to animals that feel a bit closer to human personalities while still being clearly their species too. I don’t really mean bipedal or anything like that. Any suggestions?

Reading East of Eden changed my perspective on the film with James Dean. No excuse for no Lee.

By hidden_raven6223

I’ve always really loved the movie East of Eden, and I was a huge James Dean fan, so I figured I’d read the book. Now I can’t watch the film the same at all. I’m kind of grossed out that Lee’s character isn’t in it at all, and I’m annoyed by how Cathy seems to toss out “oh Cal” like she could really show him any kind of love. I still love the movie though—especially the whole redemption thing, with the German neighbor getting more focus instead of just being there as a little reflection from Steinbeck. But honestly… what was Elia Kazan thinking? Lee is basically the whole backbone of the book. I do love that John Steinbeck (supposedly) said something like “Jesus Christ, he is Cal” after meeting Dean, because I can’t imagine anyone remaking that film without James Dean and it feeling right. So yeah, I’m totally blown away by East of Eden, but I’m also just endlessly disappointed in the movie leaving Lee out. I guess I’ll have to keep the book and the film in separate boxes so I can enjoy both.

Netflix is producing an East of Eden adaptation, starring Florence Pugh as Cathy

By nebula_desert

Ugh, I feel like they’re gonna mess this up badly. Like, they already filmed it in New Zealand instead of California, so I’m not super hopeful…

World Literature

By YellowVelvet7

Hey everyone—I'm trying to broaden what I read a bit. Any suggestions for really good books from around the world (not the US/UK kind of stuff)? I can only do things that are available in English translation though. Edit: I’ve read some Russian stuff already (like Bulgakov and Tolstoy) and liked it a lot. I haven’t really gotten into South American, Middle Eastern, or Asian literature yet, so I’d love recommendations in those directions. Thanks!