"Immaterial."
Joshua Cohen's Book of Numbers is one I picked up for work, not pleasure. Well, kind of... I mean, reading for work is still pleasurable. But holy moly, was this one a tough dig. This is metafiction, folks. The author, Joshua Cohen, gives us two unreliable narrators, both named Joshua Cohen. The first Cohen is a ghostwriter who gets contracted to write the other Cohen's - known as "Principal" - autobiography. Principal is a successful tech guru, founder of Tetration, a combo of Apple, Microsoft, and Google. Principal wants to tell his version of Tetration's rise to fame and some of the shadier events that happened along the way. Written after the founding of WikiLeaks and around the time that Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning became household names, Book of Numbers is an exploration of the benefits and pitfalls of life in the Digital Era. Who are we when our access to the Internet is stripped away? Spirituality, sexuality, and everything at the core of human nature has been digitalized. Our history, our psychology - it is all right at the tips of our fingers, clacking away on our keyboards. I'm not gonna lie - this is a difficult read. There are a lot of references that you will have to Google - 'tetrate', as it is in the novel. A modest understanding of certain religions (Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Islam) is necessary for getting through this brick of a book. The highlight and simultaneous low-light of the novel comes when Principal gives his first-hand account to Cohen. His linguistic style is lofty and vague yet computer-esque. Siri might give you a more emotive statement. Since this is metafiction, the reader might liken Principal to real-life examples, namely Steve Jobs. Oh, and Principal is dying of pancreatic cancer. Late stages, incurable by technology. Just like Jobs. The irony of having built a life around technology yet having it be totally unable to save you... Man. Think about that one for a spell. In the end, the reader gets the conclusion they can see coming once Principal starts his narrative. If you are able to sift through the references and endure Principal's often nauseating narrative, then you will likely find the end to be rewarding. Do I recommend this read? Yes, but conditionally. Don't pick it up if you want a quick read. If you get it, have a pen handy, and write away in those margins. (Don't feel bad about doing it; it's a sign that you're engaging with the book!) You will find things you need to 'tetrate'. You will have to rely on Google. And... that's part of the point. Where to find Joshua Cohen's Book of Numbers online: Amazon
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I'm back, bookworms! That's right; I've made my return to book reviewing. Yeah, the site has a new look and even a new name. (Treasured Tomes wasn't working for me, so I changed it to reflect my author brand, Juxtapositively Jen.) Totally re-branded in lieu of this rejuvenation.
I've got one on the back burner that's going to be coming soon, plus I am taking requests. I'll be trying very hard to review one book every two weeks. I also started the Juxtapositively Book Reviews Facebook group. Authors and readers alike are welcome to join! "She felt lighter, as if her body was renewed."
Anne and Colleen are two teenage girls with a penchant for mystery. The girls decide to visit Anne's hometown of Smithtown, New York, and become embroiled in the story behind the witch's house that Anne recalls from her childhood. What Anne and Colleen find is that there is a mystery dating back a century - a story about the disappearance of a Native American girl which had never been solved. As the narrative progresses, an underlying theme emerges - that of the ills of bullying others and the traumatic imprints that it leaves on all of its victims. The reader is reminded that, unfortunately, there is a long history of the toll that bullying, bias, and bigotry take, and this theme is etched seamlessly into the surface-level plot involving the mystery of the Witch's House. While this novel is geared for young adult readers, it has appeal for those of any age. (In fact, I found myself thinking back to the adventures my cousin and I took as kids and how fixated we were on solving mysteries, even if they were the ones we made up in our heads to scare our younger brothers. So there is huge nostalgia value in this novel!) Despite some grammatical errors, the novel is as lively and engaging as its two main characters. The novel is semi-autobiographical and speaks to the author's passion for not only a good scary story but for providing a voice for the voiceless. Where to find Anne Norchi Iglesias online: Goodreads Also, make sure you check this book out on Amazon! "...nothing beats the feel of soil underneath your fingernails..."
If you are a fan of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, M. McIntosh's The Unofficial Outlander Book of Herbs is a book that needs to make its way into your collection. As fans of the series know, herbs are rather pivotal to the plot. However, if you have never grown your own herbs or done any gardening, you might not be aware of what some of those herbs are and what they have been used for throughout history. That's where McIntosh's extensive knowledge, passed along from time spent with her great-grandmother, comes into play. After introducing the reader to her great-grandmother, McIntosh walks readers through preparing, planting, and harvesting these herbs. All of this information is useful, and much of it can be applied to those of you who are urban gardeners. Then, McIntosh gets to the meat of the book - the herbs themselves. Each herb gets its own chapter, rich in detail as to the herb's origins and uses. At no point does McIntosh come off sounding stiff or overly-technical. Instead, she presents the facts in an easy-to-digest manner and keeps the reader engaged by referencing where Gabaldon uses these herbs in the Outlander series. In fact, McIntosh provides the reader with direct references to where these herbs can be found in Gabaldon's books. The end of the book takes the reader back to McIntosh's relationship with her great-grandmother and provides a powerful and beautifully-written conclusion. McIntosh, much like Gabaldon does with her fiction, shows us that passion is something that helps us cultivate ourselves, much like we do our gardens. Where to Find M. McIntosh online: Website YouTube Also, make sure you check this book out on Amazon! Greetings, all! Welcome to Juxtapositively Book Reviews. I was formerly posting reviews on my old blog, but I decided to move to a full-fledged website. For the time being, you will have to hop on over there to read my previous reviews. Believe me, there are several yet to come, including:
Yvonne Glasgow's Shallow Graves and Ghosts: A Collection Of Dark Poetry And Short Stories Anne Norchi Iglesias' The Road To Long Beach and The Witch's House So sit tight! And, if you want me to review your work, check out the Review Policy page before contacting me. |
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