Profound reflection on yearning to want to know about the love life of a significant other to whom one is no longer significant and the attempt to sitProfound reflection on yearning to want to know about the love life of a significant other to whom one is no longer significant and the attempt to situate oneself in a new life once this significance has been lost. The length that she goes to in order to find information about that other woman is both very creative and masterfully written. Her constant movement from gazing at that significant other, to seeking information on the new lover, to introspection is exquisitely portrayed. I'm so glad I"m reading Ernaux's work these days. They also serve very much as a break from my regular readings which is something that I haven't had the chance to do for a very long time!...more
My grandma is dealing with a quasi-dementia and although I’m both around to see her unraveling, my mom does mention things. Reading this book in such My grandma is dealing with a quasi-dementia and although I’m both around to see her unraveling, my mom does mention things. Reading this book in such a condition, and also having read a number of essays on disease recently is a new experience. Also Annie Ernaux is a new author whose writing I have been meaning to read for a while now and she does a very convincing job in portraying the symptoms of a disease that is insidious and makes rapid advancement with very strong repercussions… human body and its unbelievable feebleness…...more
I loved reading Knife, and as much as I loved it, it was gut-wrenching to work my way through nitty-gritty of the stabbing, bloodshed, the fainting, tI loved reading Knife, and as much as I loved it, it was gut-wrenching to work my way through nitty-gritty of the stabbing, bloodshed, the fainting, the descriptions of injury, operations, the conversations between him and the doctors that he meticulously introduces, and so much more. It was a beautiful and very hard read that I sometimes just had to pause and literally wrap my arms around my stomach. And since it's never a bad time to say that, I need to put "FUCK AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI" in this review too. Rushdie beautifully moves through the close encounter with death and ties it into the importance of life. The assassination attempt which also coincided with the ailment and death of other authors of his clique, such as Paul Auster and Martin Amis, and the way Rushdie celebrates life in the midst of all of this makes the work more poignant. Another thing going on, following an attack motivated by hate, is the encounter between hate and the love that Rushdie garners from his wife, his family, his fellow-writers, and so many others. Rushdie also takes a stab - horrible metaphor - at the ongoing challenges against freedom. He discusses Trump, Republicans, and also the unpleasant way that the progressive left is seeking to appease religion, which is very unpleasant in my opinion too. He then poses writers' efforts in upholding freedom and he does not shy away from naming those who don't. The chapter that I didn't like is The A. which I am not going to explain what it is for the sake of not spoiling the book....more
It's harrowing to read through this. I might need some time to put my thoughts together for this. I'm not gonna rate it either. What upsets me is thatIt's harrowing to read through this. I might need some time to put my thoughts together for this. I'm not gonna rate it either. What upsets me is that I hadn't read it before....more
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