Wednesday, January 28, 2004
A Study in Scarlet
Technically I didn't read the whole book, since my copy of A Study in Scarlet is in a big, thick book containing all of the Sherlock Holmes stories. But I was not about to read the whole big, thick book containing all of the Sherlock Holmes stories. I tried that once, soon after I bought it, and discovered that while I enjoy a little bit of Holmes now and then, trying to read big chunks of the stuff, say all of the Sherlock Holmes stories (as contained in a big, thick book), causes me to tune out and daydream while my eyes skim over the words. A very unsatisfying way to read, I'm sure. Anyway, I felt obliged to read a Sherlock Holmes "novel", and so skipped over The Hound of the Baskervilles, which I think I've read before, in favor of A Study in Scarlet. As the first Sherlock Holmes story to appear, it was an appropriate choice. (Though that was a fact I didn't know until afterwards.) It was quite an enjoyable read, filled with all of the elements which are now cliched. Scotland Yard is stumped by a murder and Sherlock Holmes, who has already started to establish his reputation, is consulted. He starts gathering clues and making arrangements designed to ensnare the murderer, while poor Dr. Watson tries to keep up. I was a bit surprised when the story jumped back in time and westward to the American frontier of 1847, but eventually the connection to rest the story was made clear. Once again I had to wonder what it would have been like to have read the story without already knowing the character of Sherlock Holmes. In the end, a worthless speculation. I suppose I should be adding more contemporary volumes to my reading diet, so I can experience tomorrow's cultural icon before they hit it big. But these classics are just so darn good. Like this one, for example, they're books worth checking out.
Labels: CheckItOut
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Dracula
Dracula. King of the Vampires. A cultural icon whose name I knew long before I read the novel from which he sprang. Which happened to be this past month. (The reading, not the springing.) It was a fun read, one I could easily recommend. I found it entertaining on many levels. First it was just a darn good story that caught my attention and made me want to keep turning pages. Secondly it was fun to delve into a Victorian story with all it's slightly alien mores and language. For example, when a character in the tale needs a blood transfusion, they don't just say, "Dude, roll up your sleeve!" Instead the doctor not only explains the procedure but also goes on to praise the donor and the quality of his blood. I don't know if I'd like to live in such a verbose society, but it certainly is fun to read. The final level of entertainment is the chance to sit down and experience a milestone in the development of the vampire as a fictional type. I'm not a big horror fan, so haven't read or seen many takes on vampire legends. However, it seems like the common view of the vampire seems to be one that is exotic and sexy--almost a creature to envy. In Dracula, he is anything but. Van Helsing and his companions see Count Dracula as a curse to be eliminated. Dangerous, certainly, but also a creature with distinct limitations and poor hygiene. (Okay, it was only one scene where they uncover one of his lairs and describe it as stinking to high heaven, but it made quite an impression on me. I mean, it got me thinking, "what would my breath be like if I had a diet of human blood.")(At least it wouldn't be garlicky.) I'm half tempted to go rent the Dracula movie from a few years back and see what they've done to the book. Anyway, if you haven't read the book, check it out.
Labels: CheckItOut
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