Solzhenitsyn, Jelinek

Since my last post, I've read two issues of Eclectic Reading, an issue of The New Yorker, and an issue of The New Scientist. I also read two books by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, The Cancer Ward, depressing but impressive, and The First Circle, which I enjoyed less. Solzhenitsyn has the Russian eye for the telling detail, like Tolstoy, like Grossman. Both books were, of course, withering denunciations of the Soviet state.

I also read several of Elfriede Jelinek's novels. I had read Women as Lovers earlier, but now I've read The Piano Teacher, Lust, Greed, and Wonderful, Wonderful Time. They also are harshly truthful, and about realities of life that are in themselves harsh -- mental illness, sexuality as power, etc. This is not the idea of Austrian culture that I have had, possibly as a stereotype, until now.

Finally, I read Intellectual Character by Rittchard, which I enjoyed less than the gripping other teaching book, but was useful nonetheless.