I have not read these, but will be adding to my list. Enjoyed the synopsis you provided for them! The books I continually think about are: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Both riveting stories with dynamic characters and themes to be wrestled with.
Fascinating list, thanks for sharing your thoughts on these three books. "The Fall" and "The Stranger" are the only two Camus books I've read, but they were both excellent. I know I need to read "The Plague" but I don't want to do it during the long dark days of winter because it might be too depressing. "Wrestling With Moses" is another excellent book about Jane Jacobs' long struggle against Robert Moses and, like the book you recommended, the author transforms all the bureaucracy and legalese into an easy page turner. "Shipwrecked On The Bottom Of The World" has become one of my favorites. An unbelievable true story, it profiles the characters who demonstrated remarkable leadership amidst the most immense adversity. Much can be gleaned from this historical account that is still applicable today.
What's most remarkable about 'The Plague' is that, at least for my reading, it was so much more banal and mundane in the horror than it was depressing. The book captures the disconnect between something happening 'to you' and something happening 'to someone else'. But yes, a book better suited to the summer months. The heat of summer is a key plot device at times, so it might even enhance your reading. Thank you for your recommendations. I'll be sure to check those out.
just found your channel and I think we share similar tastes in literature that are a bit strange, somewhat outside of traditional classics and challenging in the best way. also, I'd heard of Robert Moses through the film version of Motherless Brooklyn, but had never known of Power Broker. a book that changed my life was Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy as it portrays real events and characters from the settling of the western US in the mid-19th century told as a poetic nightmare of manifest destiny.
@@pagestopractice Actually, everything he has written. His most famous book is "Zorba the Greek" of course. Another famous book is "The Last Temptation" -you probably know it from the Scorsese film. Both are must reads. But I would recommend to start with "The Greek Passion" (or "Christ Recrucified" -the title depends on the edition you will find. Nevertheless the translation by Jonathan Griffin is the same). Then there is also an incredible book, the "Report to Greco", something like an autobiography, but not in the strict sense of the genre. Since you liked so much "The Plague", Albert Camus wrote the following letter to Kazantzakis's widow after he'd heard the news of Kazantzakis's death. The letter can be found in Helen Kazantzakis's biography of her husband: «Nikos Kazantzakis, A Biography Based on his Letters», p. 469: «Madame, I was very sorry not to be able to take advantage of your invitation. I have always nurtured much admiration and, if you permit me, a sort of affection for your husband's work. I had the pleasure of being able to give public testimony of my admiration in Athens, at a period when official Greece was frowning upon her greatest writer. The welcome given my testimony by my student audience constituted the finest homage your husband's work and acts could have been granted. I also do not forget that the very day when I was regretfully receiving a distinction [i.e. the Nobel Prize] that Kazantzakis deserved a hundred times more, I got the most generous of telegrams from him. Later on, I discovered with consternation that this message had been drafted a few days before his death. With him, one of our last great artists vanished. I am one of those who feel and will go on feeling the void that he has left . . .»
What a wonderful reply, thank you for taking the time. This is an excellent recommendation and I’ve ordered a copy of Christ Recrucified, which I shall put at the top of my reading list
@@pagestopractice Yours is also a wonderful reply. I would love to hear what you've thought of the book after you've read it. As Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů read Christ Recrucified he composed his last opera based on this book, arguably his operatic masterpiece. He visited Kazantzakis in Antibes and we are lucky to have there mutual correspondence. Well, as you can see I am pretty well informed about this author. However I try to be objective 🙂.
@@pagestopractice it's a short nonsensic story that is told in 99 differnet styles, like walking through a mirror cabinet - it shows HOW you could tell a story
I'm so grateful that I discovered this channel. I'm quite excited to watch your future videos!
This deserves more views. Thoughtful, well spoken commentary. You've got me ready to read these books.
@@ziff_1 thank you!
I have not read these, but will be adding to my list. Enjoyed the synopsis you provided for them! The books I continually think about are: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Both riveting stories with dynamic characters and themes to be wrestled with.
Fascinating list, thanks for sharing your thoughts on these three books. "The Fall" and "The Stranger" are the only two Camus books I've read, but they were both excellent. I know I need to read "The Plague" but I don't want to do it during the long dark days of winter because it might be too depressing. "Wrestling With Moses" is another excellent book about Jane Jacobs' long struggle against Robert Moses and, like the book you recommended, the author transforms all the bureaucracy and legalese into an easy page turner.
"Shipwrecked On The Bottom Of The World" has become one of my favorites. An unbelievable true story, it profiles the characters who demonstrated remarkable leadership amidst the most immense adversity. Much can be gleaned from this historical account that is still applicable today.
What's most remarkable about 'The Plague' is that, at least for my reading, it was so much more banal and mundane in the horror than it was depressing. The book captures the disconnect between something happening 'to you' and something happening 'to someone else'. But yes, a book better suited to the summer months. The heat of summer is a key plot device at times, so it might even enhance your reading.
Thank you for your recommendations. I'll be sure to check those out.
@@pagestopractice I read Dostoevsky by the pool last summer... some things aren't enhanced by that environment! Haha
just found your channel and I think we share similar tastes in literature that are a bit strange, somewhat outside of traditional classics and challenging in the best way. also, I'd heard of Robert Moses through the film version of Motherless Brooklyn, but had never known of Power Broker.
a book that changed my life was Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy as it portrays real events and characters from the settling of the western US in the mid-19th century told as a poetic nightmare of manifest destiny.
I really like blood meridian!
Great video!
I read La Peste and Der Prozess many years ago but had never heard of Robert Caro.
Nice and interesting discussion. Have you ever read Nikos Kazantzakis?
No I haven’t, is there a work you would particularly recommend?
@@pagestopractice Actually, everything he has written. His most famous book is "Zorba the Greek" of course. Another famous book is "The Last Temptation" -you probably know it from the Scorsese film. Both are must reads. But I would recommend to start with "The Greek Passion" (or "Christ Recrucified" -the title depends on the edition you will find. Nevertheless the translation by Jonathan Griffin is the same). Then there is also an incredible book, the "Report to Greco", something like an autobiography, but not in the strict sense of the genre.
Since you liked so much "The Plague", Albert Camus wrote the following letter to Kazantzakis's widow after he'd heard the news of Kazantzakis's death. The letter can be found in Helen Kazantzakis's biography of her husband: «Nikos Kazantzakis, A Biography Based on his Letters», p. 469:
«Madame, I was very sorry not to be able to take advantage of your invitation. I have always nurtured much admiration and, if you permit me, a sort of affection for your husband's work. I had the pleasure of being able to give public testimony of my admiration in Athens, at a period when official Greece was frowning upon her greatest writer. The welcome given my testimony by my student audience constituted the finest homage your husband's work and acts could have been granted. I also do not forget that the very day when I was regretfully receiving a distinction [i.e. the Nobel Prize]
that Kazantzakis deserved a hundred times more, I got the most generous of telegrams from him. Later on, I discovered with consternation that this message had been drafted a few days before his death. With him, one of our last great artists vanished. I am one of those who feel and will go on feeling the void that he has left . . .»
What a wonderful reply, thank you for taking the time. This is an excellent recommendation and I’ve ordered a copy of Christ Recrucified, which I shall put at the top of my reading list
@@pagestopractice Yours is also a wonderful reply. I would love to hear what you've thought of the book after you've read it. As Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů read Christ Recrucified he composed his last opera based on this book, arguably his operatic masterpiece. He visited Kazantzakis in Antibes and we are lucky to have there mutual correspondence. Well, as you can see I am pretty well informed about this author. However I try to be objective 🙂.
A book that gave me a lasting impression was: "Exercises in Style" by Raymond Queneau. Ridiculous and genius at the same time.
@@francoisjohannson139 I haven’t heard that title before, I’ll have to check it out - what was it that left an impression for you?
@@pagestopractice it's a short nonsensic story that is told in 99 differnet styles, like walking through a mirror cabinet - it shows HOW you could tell a story
@ Fascinating!
@@pagestopractice The book it's actually inspired by the musical form called Theme and Variations.
great video, great endorsements. maybe a spoiler warning in the next one!
Noted! Probably a good idea to
Did you read the plague before or after the covid debacle?
In the last few months!
Robert Moses sounds absolutely disgusting. I looked him up and now I feel awful 🤮