Books

Hamlet 

Shakespeare tells a tragedy. 

I’m not going to wax poetic about the play. Its influence and power are well established by the mere fact that we’re still talking about it at all. Very briefly: it’s great. Almost 25% of the lines have become cliches, for good reason. 

Instead, I want to propose a path for going from zero (can read) to one (can read Shakespeare) for people who want to read Shakespeare but find the language intractable. 

Here’s what not to do: 

Don’t read a modernized text. A lot of the impact comes from the words themselves, not just the stories. 

And don’t just sit with a dictionary tab open looking stuff up, because that breaks your flow to the point where you experience a slog, not a story. 

Instead, mix 25-50% pre-1930 books into your rotation. Eventually your fluency in older and older language increases. 

Jumping all the way back to Middle English from Jane Austen is still jarring, but way less than the jump from modern English.

Shogun

James Clavell tells a fictional story of a westerner in medieval Japan. 

I’m taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming to talk about this because I can’t get it out of my head. 

My fellow readers will know exactly what I mean when I say that I miss living in this book. I’ve felt homesick for it since I finished it a couple weeks ago. 

When I started it, I figured it was going to use the main character as a vehicle for touring around Japan saying “wow how strange it is here!”

Instead, the book takes you deep into Japanese culture. And the characters are nuanced and interesting across the board. 

Great plot, riveting character development, sophisticated themes, all set against the backdrop of one of my favorite time and place combinations. 

I’d update my wife on what was happening in the book every day, just because I was so excited that I had to get it off my chest. 

Five stars, will be tough to beat in 2025. 

Can’t wait to watch the show 🤩

this is on my to read

i highly recommend yoshikawa's musashi

Shogun was my first foray into Clavell’s Asian Saga and it’s probably the best.

…but the rest are no slouch!  Taipan and Whirlwind are up there.