Books Read in 2020
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The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
31.12.
Re-read. Still great after all these years.
Re-read. Still great after all these years.
Darth Brutus's rating:
And Quiet Flows the Don (Modern Classics) - Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov
31.12.
My Christmas project came to on end just at the final day of the year, this is the third time I read this classic. The first third or fourth is still dragging, but the longer the story goes, the better it gets.
My Christmas project came to on end just at the final day of the year, this is the third time I read this classic. The first third or fourth is still dragging, but the longer the story goes, the better it gets.
Darth Brutus's rating:
One, None and a Hundred Thousand (Eridanos Library)... - Luigi Pirandello
31.12.
Unexpectedly great novel about a man whose identity and personality become more or less disconnected from his physical body. Good stuff.
Unexpectedly great novel about a man whose identity and personality become more or less disconnected from his physical body. Good stuff.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Ask the Dust - John Fante
30.12.
I'm pretty sure some people are going to hate me for this, but I don't like John Fante at all. It's just not my cup of tea.
I'm pretty sure some people are going to hate me for this, but I don't like John Fante at all. It's just not my cup of tea.
Darth Brutus's rating:
All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque
29.12.
Pacifist classic. Surprisingly short.
Come to think of it, this is one of those novels that would work perfectly as an animated film for adult audiences. Think about it: starving and tired men marching in surreal hellish wasteland half-asleep like hypnotized zombies, living a life like a fever dream full of horrors people outside the trenches couldn't even imagine. Add in lots of expressionistic oil painting techniques, surreal visions and vivid colors plus the already dreamlike imagery of World War I and you'd have a very fascinating film indeed.
Pacifist classic. Surprisingly short.
Come to think of it, this is one of those novels that would work perfectly as an animated film for adult audiences. Think about it: starving and tired men marching in surreal hellish wasteland half-asleep like hypnotized zombies, living a life like a fever dream full of horrors people outside the trenches couldn't even imagine. Add in lots of expressionistic oil painting techniques, surreal visions and vivid colors plus the already dreamlike imagery of World War I and you'd have a very fascinating film indeed.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Petersburg - Andrei Bely
28.12.
Not sure what to make of this book. It's symbolic and mystical, so most of the actual content most likely went over my head. All I can say is that it is a very fascinating piece of Russian literature.
Not sure what to make of this book. It's symbolic and mystical, so most of the actual content most likely went over my head. All I can say is that it is a very fascinating piece of Russian literature.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
27.12.
One of my favourite books of all time. The message about decadent consumerism and individualism is still very spot on maybe more now than ever before.
One of my favourite books of all time. The message about decadent consumerism and individualism is still very spot on maybe more now than ever before.
Darth Brutus's rating:
The Key (Vintage Blue) - Junichiro Tanizaki
27.12.
Accidentally read this psychological erotic drama again after at least dozen years. Absolutely worth it.
Accidentally read this psychological erotic drama again after at least dozen years. Absolutely worth it.
Darth Brutus's rating:
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich - Alexander Solzhenitsyn
25.12.
An autobiographical short novel about a day of a political prisoner in Soviet labor camp. I think this is more historically important than actually that good.
An autobiographical short novel about a day of a political prisoner in Soviet labor camp. I think this is more historically important than actually that good.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Heart of a Dog - Mikhail Bulgakov
24.12.
A lab experiment turns a dog into a man with dog's intelligence. The story is satire of eugenics and socialist dream of an ideal soviet man. The novella was banned in Soviet Union until the late 80's, but was highly popular among the common people even before that.
A lab experiment turns a dog into a man with dog's intelligence. The story is satire of eugenics and socialist dream of an ideal soviet man. The novella was banned in Soviet Union until the late 80's, but was highly popular among the common people even before that.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Life and Fate - Vasiliy Grossman
24.12.
Some call this book War & Peace of Soviet Union, but I disagree. It's nowhere near as good as some of the Tolstoy's work, but it's good enough to be called something of a classic. It's pretty similar even if the content focuses more on massive themes like individuality, man's place in totalitarian society and Jewish identity than any memorable characters or story lines.
Some call this book War & Peace of Soviet Union, but I disagree. It's nowhere near as good as some of the Tolstoy's work, but it's good enough to be called something of a classic. It's pretty similar even if the content focuses more on massive themes like individuality, man's place in totalitarian society and Jewish identity than any memorable characters or story lines.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit - Daniel Quinn
12.12.
A quasi-philosophical novel for people who don't care about deep thinking. I found it very superficial and pretentious.
A quasi-philosophical novel for people who don't care about deep thinking. I found it very superficial and pretentious.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Ryssäviha: Venäjä-pelon historia - Timo Vihavainen
9.12.
Another great book, this time about the history of russophobia aka Western paranoia, hatred and fear of Russia and Russian people. The text is actually much more neutral than what it might seem from the subject matter alone.
Another great book, this time about the history of russophobia aka Western paranoia, hatred and fear of Russia and Russian people. The text is actually much more neutral than what it might seem from the subject matter alone.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Kansakunta rähmällään: Suomettumisen lyhyt historia... - Timo Vihavainen
8.12.
A classic book about the infamous Finnish-Russia-relationship of the Cold War era. The lengths people went just to please the communist regime are hilariously insane by our standards, like sending the soviet leaders a pile of "high quality dirt" as a symbol of friendship and taking their sarcastic answers as a compliment.
A classic book about the infamous Finnish-Russia-relationship of the Cold War era. The lengths people went just to please the communist regime are hilariously insane by our standards, like sending the soviet leaders a pile of "high quality dirt" as a symbol of friendship and taking their sarcastic answers as a compliment.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Barbarian paluu: Eurooppa auringon laskiessa - Timo Vihavainen
26.11.
Provocative conservative essays about modern European identity and stuff. The first half is great, but then it suddenly falls apart fast. Timo is a great writer, but he has a very, very bad habit of pointless verbosity. This is the main problem with basically everything I've read from him so far.
Provocative conservative essays about modern European identity and stuff. The first half is great, but then it suddenly falls apart fast. Timo is a great writer, but he has a very, very bad habit of pointless verbosity. This is the main problem with basically everything I've read from him so far.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Uskonnollinen vasemmisto Yhdysvalloissa: historia, oppi ja politiikka... - Markku Ruotsila
22.11.
Out of the three books by mr. Ruotsila, this is by far the best. For the sole reason alone, that this subject matter has so rarely been written about, but it also really does help to understand modern American culture and politics. Highly recommended.
Out of the three books by mr. Ruotsila, this is by far the best. For the sole reason alone, that this subject matter has so rarely been written about, but it also really does help to understand modern American culture and politics. Highly recommended.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Think Big: Make It Happen in Business and Life... - Donald J. Trump, Bill Zanker
22.11.
A very amusing little book. It basically consists of written down speeches of Trump before his presidency, and goddamn is it both hilarious and informative at the same time. The man either has a great sense of humor or he's just a naturally funny guy.
A very amusing little book. It basically consists of written down speeches of Trump before his presidency, and goddamn is it both hilarious and informative at the same time. The man either has a great sense of humor or he's just a naturally funny guy.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Yhdysvaltain kristillinen oikeisto - Markku Ruotsila
19.11.
Yet again very solid presentation of American right-wing Christian movements of the 20th century. Great read, but might upset atheist readers.
Yet again very solid presentation of American right-wing Christian movements of the 20th century. Great read, but might upset atheist readers.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Sydänmaiden kapina - Markku Ruotsila
12.11.
A really good book about modern American right-wing movements and Donald Trump. The text itself is pretty dry and heavy to read if you're not familiar with this stuff to begin with and there are some minor mistakes where the author just uses wage stereotypes, but other than that it's fine.
A really good book about modern American right-wing movements and Donald Trump. The text itself is pretty dry and heavy to read if you're not familiar with this stuff to begin with and there are some minor mistakes where the author just uses wage stereotypes, but other than that it's fine.
Darth Brutus's rating:
The Baron in the Trees (Harbrace Paperbound Library)... - Italo Calvino
31.8.
Great satirical story, loved it.
Great satirical story, loved it.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Elefantin matka - José Saramago
23.7.
There's something seriously wrong with the way this book was printed. Made the thing needlessly difficult to read.
There's something seriously wrong with the way this book was printed. Made the thing needlessly difficult to read.
Darth Brutus's rating:
The Fall - Albert Camus
23.7.
Now this was a great read. Best of Camus as far as I'm concerned.
Now this was a great read. Best of Camus as far as I'm concerned.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Sword of Destiny - Andrzej Sapkowski
21.7.
Another average Witcher collection. This time it's all dull and mediocre.
Another average Witcher collection. This time it's all dull and mediocre.
Darth Brutus's rating:
The Last Wish: Introducing The Witcher - Andrzej Sapkowski
17.7.
Massively overrated. One awesome story, others more or less average.
Massively overrated. One awesome story, others more or less average.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Nausea - Jean-Paul Sartre
16.7.
Sartre is clearly more interesting as a writer than what he is as a philosopher.
Sartre is clearly more interesting as a writer than what he is as a philosopher.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Dog Years - Gunter Grass
13.7.
One of the toughest books I have ever read. It's more about spiraling flow of information and random train of thought than your typical narrative, even though the plot and the characters are actually there somewhere. Very satisfying, but needs insane patience and at least several months to read through. First time I couldn't make it to the end, so this was my second try.
This MUST to be read in original format, though, since the text includes so much wordplay, sly satire and cultural references that don't make any sense in any other language than German.
One of the toughest books I have ever read. It's more about spiraling flow of information and random train of thought than your typical narrative, even though the plot and the characters are actually there somewhere. Very satisfying, but needs insane patience and at least several months to read through. First time I couldn't make it to the end, so this was my second try.
This MUST to be read in original format, though, since the text includes so much wordplay, sly satire and cultural references that don't make any sense in any other language than German.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Elric Of Melnibone - Michael Moorcock
13.7.
Surprisingly lame considering how legendary stuff this is supposed to be.
Surprisingly lame considering how legendary stuff this is supposed to be.
Darth Brutus's rating:
The Quiet Girl: A Novel - Peter Høeg
12.7.
Boring novel, the story is all over the place. I've enjoyed some of the author's other works, but this is a pure failure.
Boring novel, the story is all over the place. I've enjoyed some of the author's other works, but this is a pure failure.
Darth Brutus's rating:
21.5. ¨
This is something of a prequel to the real stuff, if I remember correctly. It's been a long time since I last time read this first installment.
This is something of a prequel to the real stuff, if I remember correctly. It's been a long time since I last time read this first installment.
Darth Brutus's rating:
The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine... - Alister McGrath, Joanna Collicutt McGrath
11.7.
Surprisingly solid counter-argumentation against Dawkins. Still, it's way too vague and misses way too many obvious points. Too much moralizing.
Surprisingly solid counter-argumentation against Dawkins. Still, it's way too vague and misses way too many obvious points. Too much moralizing.
Darth Brutus's rating:
The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins
11.7.
So... that was it? The holy bible of atheism is quite an underwhelming experience. Few thoughts:
1. Mr. Dawkins aims to destroy the concepts of god and religion, but only talks about one or two and generalizes their special properties to every religion imaginable. The author doesn't even bother to explain why he thinks this is appropriate.
2. Mr. Dawkins LOVES to moralize and judge historical events and people by our standards.
3. Every single bad thing done by religious people are caused by religion and religious beliefs without question, but you can't prove these atrocities of self-proclaimed atheists are actually caused by atheism itself.
4. Didn't bother to specify which school of thought he's actually criticizing, christian is just christian, Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Extreme-UFO-Christian cults and all, it's all the same right? It's all over the place.
5. Sheer arrogance and bad habit of passing valid counter-criticism without actually bothering to answer it at all, just whine and claim his own opinion is the best. Uses David Hume to back his own claims, but doesn't bother to mention that his philosophical thinking leads to more diplomatic solution to the question of the relation between religion and science. Mr. Dawkins doesn't want anything else than black and white.
6. Talking about large scale impact of religion without using any statistics or empirical data to back his claims. This stuff is everywhere nowadays, everything even remotely related to this subject matter has been studied for ages.
7. Dawkins boasts that his book has been popular in some third world countries and naively claims this as a success in spreading his atheistic ideology, when in fact these countries are well known for the persecution of certain religious minorities and his book can be used to promote this way of genocidal backwards thinking since he only attacks these few chosen religions, not all of them. Mein Kampf is also bestseller in these very same countries for the very same reason.
So... that was it? The holy bible of atheism is quite an underwhelming experience. Few thoughts:
1. Mr. Dawkins aims to destroy the concepts of god and religion, but only talks about one or two and generalizes their special properties to every religion imaginable. The author doesn't even bother to explain why he thinks this is appropriate.
2. Mr. Dawkins LOVES to moralize and judge historical events and people by our standards.
3. Every single bad thing done by religious people are caused by religion and religious beliefs without question, but you can't prove these atrocities of self-proclaimed atheists are actually caused by atheism itself.
4. Didn't bother to specify which school of thought he's actually criticizing, christian is just christian, Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Extreme-UFO-Christian cults and all, it's all the same right? It's all over the place.
5. Sheer arrogance and bad habit of passing valid counter-criticism without actually bothering to answer it at all, just whine and claim his own opinion is the best. Uses David Hume to back his own claims, but doesn't bother to mention that his philosophical thinking leads to more diplomatic solution to the question of the relation between religion and science. Mr. Dawkins doesn't want anything else than black and white.
6. Talking about large scale impact of religion without using any statistics or empirical data to back his claims. This stuff is everywhere nowadays, everything even remotely related to this subject matter has been studied for ages.
7. Dawkins boasts that his book has been popular in some third world countries and naively claims this as a success in spreading his atheistic ideology, when in fact these countries are well known for the persecution of certain religious minorities and his book can be used to promote this way of genocidal backwards thinking since he only attacks these few chosen religions, not all of them. Mein Kampf is also bestseller in these very same countries for the very same reason.
Darth Brutus's rating:
5.7.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Liberalism: A Counter-History - Domenico Losurdo
1.6.
What a piece of garbage this book is. I thought it was supposed to be some kind of argumentation against liberal political thinking, but it's mostly just moralizing bullshit.
Like some liberal thinker somewhere has said some nasty things, and this writer here takes them out of the historical context and starts moralizing based on the values of our time. That's so cheap and crappy writing.
What a piece of garbage this book is. I thought it was supposed to be some kind of argumentation against liberal political thinking, but it's mostly just moralizing bullshit.
Like some liberal thinker somewhere has said some nasty things, and this writer here takes them out of the historical context and starts moralizing based on the values of our time. That's so cheap and crappy writing.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda... - Noam Chomsky
1.6.
Very typical American liberal leftist jargon, but very shallow and boring if you happen to know anything about the subject matter.
Very typical American liberal leftist jargon, but very shallow and boring if you happen to know anything about the subject matter.
Darth Brutus's rating:
The Night Watch (2011)
21.5.
I presume this is something of a women's novel, since it's all about relationships. I found it unbelievably boring snorefest.
I presume this is something of a women's novel, since it's all about relationships. I found it unbelievably boring snorefest.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
18.5.
Utter garbage. If this wasn't written during cold war era and by famous anti-commie this would never have gotten this popular.
From a literary point of view alone the story is so bland and childish it makes the actual philosophical nonsense feel very intriguing in comparison. Too bad this isn't an essay concerning such fascinating topics, but a 1500+ pages long marathon of pure pain and nearly unreadable load of intellectual feces.
Utter garbage. If this wasn't written during cold war era and by famous anti-commie this would never have gotten this popular.
From a literary point of view alone the story is so bland and childish it makes the actual philosophical nonsense feel very intriguing in comparison. Too bad this isn't an essay concerning such fascinating topics, but a 1500+ pages long marathon of pure pain and nearly unreadable load of intellectual feces.
Darth Brutus's rating:
The Manor (Penguin Twentieth Century Classics)... - Isaac Bashevis Singer
13.4.
A tale of Jewish people in 19th century Poland. Fantastic little novel, but as far as I understand, the one I read is only part of something even bigger epoch, and it shows.
A tale of Jewish people in 19th century Poland. Fantastic little novel, but as far as I understand, the one I read is only part of something even bigger epoch, and it shows.
Darth Brutus's rating:
The Wild Palms - William Faulkner
8.4.
Wouldn't call this one bad, but very forgettable. The dialogue here is especially bland.
Wouldn't call this one bad, but very forgettable. The dialogue here is especially bland.
Darth Brutus's rating:
Local Anaesthetic - Gunter Grass
29.3.
I don't know if it's just bad translation or whatever, but this novel is an ABSOLUTE MESS. I couldn't get a grasp of it at all, and I'm a huge fan of the author.
I don't know if it's just bad translation or whatever, but this novel is an ABSOLUTE MESS. I couldn't get a grasp of it at all, and I'm a huge fan of the author.
Darth Brutus's rating:
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