Book Review : 'The Remains of the Day', by Kazuo Ishiguro

Date of purchase : Tuesday, 31st October, 2017
Date of reading : Sunday, 31st December, 2017

<Main chracters>
Mr Stevens : The Narrator/a butler
Miss Kenton : former housekeeper
Lord Darlington : former employer
Mr Farraday : current employer from America

'The Remains of the Day', by Kazuo Ishiguro tells a story of an English Butler, Mr Stevens, who reminisces about his past as he goes through a few days trp to West Country. He thinks of his former employer-Lord Darlington-, foremr housekeeper-Miss Kenton, and many affairs associated with them.

He keeps emphasizing professionalism as he narrates. I have to admit it seems nice at first as Mr Steven tried to be sincere in his work and to his employer, only to find out how foolish and ignorant he has been.

I was angry and indignant most of the time when he remineces about occasions with Miss Kenton. It sometimes looked that he was sort of psychopath who was not able to empathize with human.

Lord Darlington he had looked up to was not a man who he desperately believeed to be - rather most foolish. A love came and slipped through him while he genuinly believed that suppressing one's feelings is an admiring trait a butler must have acquire.

Indignant as I was, maybe I see some similarities that I have gone through. Vanity, fooling myself, and escaping reality.

Book Review : "Never Let Me Go", by Kazuo Ishiguro

Date of Reading : Sunday, 24th December, 2017
Date of Purchase : Thursday, 26th October, 2017
Purchase of Location : Kyobo bookstore offline
Reading of Location : Cafe HeungShinSoh near Hangyang University

******** Be aware that there are some spoliers in thsi review ********

<Main Characters>

Kathy : Narrator and main protagonist 

Ruth : Kathy's cloesest friend

Tommy : A male donor and friend of Kathy and Ruth.

Miss Emily : Headmistress of Hailsham

Madame(Marie Claude) : A female who visits Hailsham regularly and collects some of the best art works.

 I came across 'Kazuo Ishiguro' September or October 2017 when the media made a huge fuss about his being nominated for Nobel price in literature. After a few weeks later, I visited Kyobo in Gwang-Hwa-Moon and saw his books displayed at the most freuquented spot. I bought "Never Let Me Go" and "The Remains of the Day" there.

 The first impression I got from his way of writing is he understands a human mind which is a fundamental qualification to be a great writer. He describes what and how we feel in plain words with simplicity, but I know this is the most difficult thing to acheive as writer.

 Speaking of the book, it tells a world with clones who should donoate their vital organs until they complete, which means death. Main characters are raised to be a donor at Hailsham. They are trained by guardians to learn art and other various subjects. Especially, art is the most important subject they should master and some of the best works are selected by Madame, Marie-Claude. Later, this confuses them very much because what they are trained to learn seems practically pointless if all clones would become donors anyway.

 Young Tommy suggests a theory why guardians emphasizes art so much and Madame collects their best drawing or poetry to Gallery. There is some rumor that donors can 'deferral' if two donors are in love. 'Deferral' means thay can be granted a few extra years to live with each other without donating their vital organs. Tommy's theory is that art is thought to reveal a soul and their arts collected will act as evaluation guideline to prove their being in love. This theory arises again when adult Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy meet again and Tommy's theory proves to be partly correct.

 It was partly correct because there has never been such a thing like 'deferral'. Tommy is about to face 'fouth donation' soon. Most donors complete at third donation, and some even at second. This means Tommy will definitely complete after fourth donation. Ruth gave them the address of Madame before she completed. Kathy and Tommy decided to go and see Madame to talk to her about 'deferral'. They meet miss Emily in her house. Miss Emily explains everything the reason why they are trained at all. This is a part of ther conversation in the book :

'Why did we do all of that work in the first place? Why train us, encourage us, make us produce all of that? If we're just going to give donations anyway, then die, why all those lessons? Why all those books and discussions?'

'Why Hailsham at all?' 

'You said it was because your art would reaveal what were like. What you were like inside. That's what you said, wasn't it? Well, you weren't far wrong about that. We took away your art because we thought it would reveal your souls. Or to put it more finely, we did it to prove you had souls at all.'

'Why did you have to prove a thing like that, Miss Emily? DId someone think we didn't have souls?

'It wasn't something commonly held when we first set out all those years ago. And though we've come a long way since then, it's still not a notion universally held, even today.'

 On the way back to Kingsfield hospital by car, Tommy wants some air and Kathy pulls up the car. After a few minutes, she hears a man's scream. Kathy describes the scene: I caught a glmpse of his face in the moonlight, caked in mud and distorted with fury, then I reached for his flailing arms and held on tight. He tried to shake me off, but I kept holding on, until he stopped shouting and I felt the fight go out of him. Then I realized he too had his arms around me. And so we stood together like that, at the top of that field, for what seemed like ages, not saying anything, just holding each other, while the wind kept blowing and blowing at us, tugging our clothes, and for a moment, it seemed like we were holding onth each ohter because that was the only way to stop us being wept away into the night.

 Kathy told Tommy that he might have always knwon at some level and maybe it was the reason he used to give tantrums like that. Tommy says it might be true he knew somewhere deep down.

 Kathy danced in an empty classroom at Hailsham. There was a song which went: 'Baby, baby, never let me go'. She imagines there is a woman who's been told she couldn't have babies, who'd really wanted them all ger life. Then, there's a sort of miracle and she has a baby. Eyes closed she is dancing as if she was holding a baby, so pleased that ever so tightly to her breast. At the end of the book, while she is passing by Norfolk she imagines a little fantasy : I half-closed my eyes and imagined this was the spot where everything I'd ever lost since my childhood had washed up, and I was now standing here in front of it, and if I waited long enough, a tiny figure would appear on the horizon across the field, and gradually get larger until I'd see it was Tommy, and he'd wave, maybe even call. The fantasy never got beyond that because she didn't let it. Tears rolled down her face and she drives off to whereever it is she is supposed to be.

BOOK REVIEW : "Nothging to be frightened of", by Julian Barnes

place of purchase : Kyobo bookstore in Shin Nonhyun

Date of purchase : probably Thursday, 26th October, 2017

Date of reading : Saturday, 16th December, 2017

place of last reading : cafe nearby Hanyang university

For a few months, Barnes caught my attention, and I decided to concentrate on his books. 'The sense of an Ending' was my first and made me love him. The second was 'The Noise of Time' which was also interesting. But, I could not finish reading 'Nothing To Be Frightened of'. I tried, but failed. 

This book can be categorized as non-fiction. It tells about his history, memoir. It tells about his belif, mentality, and principle. And unfortuantely, I could not concentrate on reading. It did not trigger my curiosity.

Perhaps, if I had read this book straight in 2 or 3 days, I might have finished it. But, I read this book mainly in subway during my commute, the lack of continuity and connection between pages made it almost impossible for me to extract a single interesting point from this book.

There is one line that got my attention, though. "What the novel does is it tells beautiful, shapely lies which enclose hard, exact truths." I completely agree on it. A novel contain stories, episodes which have not actually happned, but are based on reality. I say a novel is a mirror of our reality mixed with comedy and tragedy.

Review of "The Noise of Time", by Julian Barnes : People should think about death more often.

Date of reading : 9th December, 2017.
Location : cafe 'Heung Shin Soh'

*SPOLIER WARNING*

I finished reading The Noise of Time today in a cafe nearby where I am living now. I expect to move in half a month to a place near where I will work as of next Monday(11th Dec).

I bought this book right after I finished "The Sense of an Ending", by Julian Barnes.
Why? Because The Sense of an Engding made a huge impact on me.
https://sohnamu.blogspot.kr/2017/11/book-review-sense-of-ending-by-julian.html 
My previous review on the sense of an ending.

Unfortunately, I couldn't fully concentrate on The Noise of Time. I usually read this book in a waiting room before a job interview or in a train while going there. And I want to re-read this book the next early year.

Anyhow, I did not know that this book is based on actual history about Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich until I saw Author's note after finishing the book. I thought this was a fiction about the history of an artist.

As I said, this book tells a story, history, of Dmitriyevich Shostakovich. During his life, 1906-1975, time was difficult in Russia in terms of poilitics - Stalin, Lenin. Power was not very fond of his music, and many artists were literally wiped out by a whim of a tyrant.

From the beginning to the end of his career, Power never stopped having an interest in his music either in a negative or positive way. In the early times, he was afraid of physical threat such as torture and death. In his old age, Power adopted a different tactic - nagging and pestering until agreement. He succumbed to it eventually and lament it, saying that 'People should think about death more often, and accustom themselves to the notion of it. Just letting it creep up on you unnoticed was not the best way to life. It was his belief that if we thought about death earlier in our lives, we would make fewer mistakes.' He regret that he has lived too long and let power kills his soul instead of his body which he believes would have been much better.

Basically, The Noise of Time is about his career, love, and life based on historical facts.

Great writers have a deep understanding of human mind. Shakespeare master of human soul. Jane Austen. They have a special ability to tell a ordinary and common things in a most extraordinary way. It is all about how you say it rather than what you say. I believe Julian Barnes belongs to one of them. It is fascinating to read his writing.

I do not think The Noise of Time itself is an interesting book. However, anyone who likes to hear a storytelling will love this book because his book is always worth reading it.

My next book by Julian Barnes will be "Nothing to be frightened of" and "Levels of life".

Essay one : Why I live

 

 AT least once a day the question, 'why I live', hangs around in me.

The core reason is because I do not want to be swayed by random moments.

If a man has a sense of existence, he is in no danger of being lost.

I am fully familiar with how frustrating it is to be just taken by tides of fate in life.

That is what I have been through, and I will if I am not to be serious.

Above all, everyone has a motive reasonable and sensible to hold in order to keep going forward.

 EVERYDAY I fight against temptation. Few have I won against it. Little did I try. 

Regret has always been a constant. I felt helpless. I despised my inability to be serious.

I talked to myself that it was time to change, really. In the end, I rationalize my actions and convinced myself I would make a progress next time. 

 SO far, my fight was a complete defeat. Sometimes it seemed it cannot be defeated. I already told myself that I would change more than million times. Even at this time of moment I am writing this, temptation visits me.

 PERHAPS, the sense of my existence could be to find an answer to 'why i live'. Well, some says life is not destination but journey. I would like to believe this.

 There is one principle I hold and keep to myself. I must find a quiet mind. Following what my mind believe is right is the only way to have a quiet mind. It involves conscience, righteousness, and sensibility. So I will be persistent to be philosophical, righteous, and sensible.

"ASK ME", by William Stafford

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Some time when the river is ice ask me mistakes I have made. 
Ask me whether what I have done is my life.  
Others have come in their slow way into my thought, 
and some have tried to help or to hurt: 
ask me what difference their strongest love or hate has made.

I will listen to what you say.
You and I can turn and look at the silent river and wait.
We know the current is there, hidden; 
and there are comings and goings from miles away
that hold the stillness exactly before us.
What the river says, that is what I say."

by William Stafford

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is my favorite poem in English.

I don't remember when and how exactly it was known to me.

William Stafford was a prolific poet who wrote almost everyday.

It is said that one day some student asked him about the secret to be prolific,

and he said you can do it if you keep your standard low.

He seems a wise man to me.

I think one of my problems is I am obsessed with 'doing things well'.

Some could call it 'fear to failure', possibly; I agree.

시조 : 침류대, 복사꽃 - 이수광

울 옆엔 맑은 시냇물,
그 위엔 누대가 서있고
대 앞에는 가득히 복사꽃이 만발했네.
꽃잎을 은밀하게 흐르는 물에 띄워보내지 말라.
어부가 찾아들까 염려되나니.

-이수광

Personality - 30 adjectives which describe characteristics of a person.

ONE of the most difficult things to me is to describe my personality or other's.

I do not mean describing it itself is difficult.

Human mind is complex and complicated, 

so it is practically impossible to describe someone's personality without prejudice and fallacy.

People behave differently at different situations with different people each moment.

EVEN so, we need to do it because we are required to do so.

A novelist must be skilled at creating a character and the character's personality must be clear to the reader. Otherwise, no one would feel urged to read it. In a job interview, an interviewer usually asks our personality good and bad, which I think is a dumb question. But, we, interviewee, must know how to respond to this silly question. Also, we are frequently asked to describe someone from others. 

I would like to present some effective adjectives which describe people. They only contain positive implication. I made a website link of the original source at the end of the post. They have been useful to me. I hope the same for you.

1. adaptable

• capable of fitting a particular situation or use

People who are adaptable can overcome change easily.

When Connie's parents divorced, she proved herself to be adaptable. It wasn't easy, but she learned how to cope with this big change.

2. adventurous

• willing to undertake new and daring enterprises

People who are adventurous seek out the fun in life. They love to try something new--sometimes an act that others would find scary. Adventurous people love to travel and try new foods at a restaurant.

3. affectionate

• having or displaying warmth or affection

If you like to snuggle up next to someone, then you are affectionate.

4. ambitious

• having a strong desire for success or achievement

Ambitious people try to get ahead in life--they look for opportunities to better their life. For the most part, this has a positive feeling, but in some people, ambition is too strong and they hurt people along the way to get what they want.

5. amiable

• diffusing warmth and friendliness

Amiable people are affable. They are kind, warm and friendly.

6. compassionate

• showing or having sympathy for another's suffering

Someone who is compassionate feels a strong sense of sadness when they see others who are suffering. A compassionate person always tries to do something to help ease the suffering. You would find a compassionate person helping out in a homeless shelter.

7. considerate

• showing concern for the rights and feelings of others

A considerate person looks out for other people. They often allow someone else to have the last piece of pie or they hold the door open for another person.

8. courageous

• able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching

A courageous person is brave. They are the type of person to run into a burning building. They are also likely to get involved to stop a bullying situation.

9. courteous

• characterized by courtesy and gracious good manners

Courteous people say, "Please," "Thank you" and "No, thanks." Their manners are present because they are nice toward other people.

10. diligent

• characterized by care and perseverance in carrying out tasks

Diligent people work hard until a job is done. They take great care in doing things right. They don't give up.

11. empathetic

• showing ready comprehension of others' states

Someone who is empathetic is able to understand people better because they see things from the other person's perspective.

When it comes to working with children it is important to be empathetic. My daughters might be upset for a ridiculous reason, but I can only help them if I understand why they truly feel as they do.

12. exuberant

• unrestrained, especially with regard to feelings

An exuberant person is full of joy and has a lot of energy to show it.

13. frank

• characterized by directness in manner or speech

Someone who is frank "tells it like it is." It might not be pretty, but they will tell you straight.

14. generous

• willing to give and share unstintingly

A generous person shares what they have willingly. It might be a cupcake or their time--either way, they're happy to share.

15. gregarious

• temperamentally seeking and enjoying the company of others

Gregarious people are fun to be around and they like being around other people. They are the "life of the party."

16. impartial

• free from undue bias or preconceived opinions

Impartial people are fair. They are able to remain neutral before forming an opinion. Lawyers like to have impartial people on juries so that they can fairly weight the evidence.

17. intuitive

• obtained through instinctive knowledge

An intuitive person operates by instinct. They sort of have a special feel for a situation. The best basketball players are intuitive when it comes to finding the open teammate.

A lot of teaching is intuitive--the best teachers just know how to present things so that kids understand. (Related words: intuition and intuitively).

18. inventive

• marked by independence and creativity in thought or action

Since the band's drummer did not show up for the concert, they got inventive--they asked members of the audience to come up and clap and play tambourines.

Inventive people are able to find creative, ingenious solutions to problems. They might be able to repair a car with a paper clip.

One of my favorite quotes is by Benjamin Franklin: "Necessity is the mother of invention." In other words, when there is a strong need, an invention to fill that need usually occurs.

19. passionate

• having or expressing strong emotions

Passionate people have a real love for something in their life. They embrace this or many activities with a strong feeling. What are you passionate about?

20. persistent

• stubbornly unyielding

Persistent people never give up. Even when the odds are stacked against them, the work tirelessly until the goal is achieved.

21. philosophical

• meeting trouble with level-headed detachment

People who are philosophical often wonder, "In the grand scheme of things, is it worth it?" Philosophical people tend to look at the larger picture of life and stay above trivial situations.

When teaching it is important to remain philosophical about a student's success. A teacher has a large part to play in a student's success, but ultimately I cannot "make" him learn. Actually learning something is up to him.

22. practical

• guided by experience and observation rather than theory

People who are practical look at things in a reasonable, level-headed way. They are likely to take a coat with them in case it is cold--they know they can take it off if it is too hot--they're just practical.

23. rational

• having its source in or being guided by the intellect

Rational people are practical. They make rational decisions based on their logical reasoning about a situation. They don't base decisions on emotions.

24. reliable

• worthy of trust

Someone who is reliable is trust worthy and dependable. You can "count on" a reliable person.

25. resourceful

• adroit or imaginative

A resourceful person uses creativity and the things around them to tackle a problem. They see solutions (sometimes obvious ones) that others don't see.

26. sensible

• able to feel or perceive

A sensible person is a clear thinking, reasonable person.

27. sincere

• open and genuine; not deceitful

A sincere person is honest in their feelings toward others. (Antonym: insincerely).

28. sympathetic

• expressing compassion or friendly fellow feelings

You are sympathetic when you feel sorry for someone else. You send a sympathy card when a friend loses a loved one because you want her to know that you feel sorry for her loss.

Their loss upsets you because you are sympathetic.

29. unassuming

• not arrogant

An unassuming person is awesome but does not go around bragging about it. In fact, she might not even know that she's so awesome. A girl might be a great artist, but is unassuming about her skill.

30. witty

• combining clever conception and facetious expression

Someone who is witty combines humor with intelligence. A witty observation is funny but also sophisticated. You need to be smart to understand a witty person's jokes.

Source : https://www.vocabulary.com/lists/238935

Music : "The Entertainer", by Scott Joplin

Song : The Entertainer
Composer : Scott Joplin
Genre : Ragtime
Publisher : John Stark & Son
Published : 1902
Duration : 3m 53sec

I ASSUME that everyone must have heard of this song at least once in his life.
It may be from a street, TV commercial, drama, films, etc as theme music.
So have I, and had no idea of what title it is like everyone else.

TODAY, one Youtube video came across me while I was going through a numerous recommended sections.

THIS is a piano-comedy by Victor Borge whom wasn't in my knowledge until then.
His performance is impressive and it is also fun to watch.

Book Review : 'The Sense of an Ending', by JULIAN BARNES

BOOK : The Sense of an Ending
WRITER : Julian Barnes 
MAIN CHARACTERS :
Tony Webster(Anthony) as narrator
Adrian Finn as Tony's friend
Veronica as Tony's girl friend
Sarah as Veronica's mother

Location of purchase : Kyobo Bookstore in Gwang Hwa Moon
Date of Reading : Saturday, 04th November, 2017

review by Sohn Min Suk

NOTE : There are some spoilers. If you don't want to know them, please go back.

THE cover image above is the same as what I have and finished reading yesterday.

THIS book is particularly difficult for me to judge whether it is good or bad.
One thing clear is I fairly enjoyed reading it.

I BELIEVED that I am one of the cleverest readers who understand well the intentions and hints by writers until the book's ending. Not only was I clueless, but also could not fully comprehend it when it ended. Oh God, I did not see that coming. It was clever.

NOW I began to re-read the book, and noticed the implications of each word and sentence.
The author indeed gave us many hints. Tony Webster or Anthony, a narrator, mentions
'what you end up remembering isn't always the same as what you have witnessed.'

AS the reader goes through each page, they perceive that Tony's stories prove to be more than imperfect. Rather delusive. I felt almost betrayed when his story he told the reader started to be completely wrong and sometimes the opposite.

Tony created his own version of memory to protect himself from pain and shame. Adrian, rational and a philosopher, took his life rather than deceiving himself.

THE author keeps reminding the reader of characteristics of history.
'History is that certainty produced at the point where the imperfections of memory meet the inadequacies of documentation.'

'HISTORY is also the self-delusions of the defeated'.
IF the reader sympathized with Tony accusing Veronica of  her manipulation during Chapter 1,
Chapter 2 starts to indicate a different version of events by Tony himself.

TRUTHS uncovered at Chapter 2.
Veronica was not at all manipulating, but rather devoted and dedicated.
There was indeed a damage done to Veronica, defensive and doubtful, but it was by her mother.
It was Sarah who is manipulating, seductive, and dishonest.
The old Tony confirms the real version of Veronica as his new memories begin to emerge.
' - ' << I will mention later various verification about Veronica after finished re-reading it.
Also the author himself indicates Veronica's 40 years of support and dedication for Adrian Jr. who is mentally challenged.

BOTH Tony and Adrian had numerous sexual intercourse with Sarah.
Adrian confirms that in his diary.
Tony in several indications :

"I waved goodbye, and she responded, though not the way people normally do, with a raised palm, but with a sort of horizontal gesture at waist level."

'After broke up, she slept with me.'
Tony, of course, refers this to Veronica.
But, the reader is provided with further implication that the female partner is a experienced woman skilled at rolling a condom on to his cock. It was Sarah, Veronica's mother.

ADRIAN committed suicide from a unforgivable shame of having an affair with the mother of his girlfriend and a possibility that he might be the one who got Sarah pregnant.

MEANWHILE, Tony, "who avoided being hurt and called it a capacity for survival", conveniently replaced Sarah with Veronica and repressed the memories associated with it.

EQUATIONS in Adrian's diary are, in reality, to be :
b = Baby
a1 = Adrian
a2 = Anthony
s = Sarah
v = Veronica
And the right equation is to be 'a2 + s - a1 - v = b'

"The Sense of an Ending", from Adrian's diary is,
"So, for instance, if Tony" : is the father of Sarah's child.
The reader can finally assume that Tony cannot possibly bring himself up to the monstrous truth that the Tony himself, in actuality, had fathered Adrian Jr.

The Fortress : Korean movie review.

Actor :
Lee Byung Hun as Choi Myung Gil
Kim Yoon Seok as Kim Sang Hun
Park Hae Il       as King Injo
Go Soo               as Seo Nal Soi
Park Hee Soon  as Lee Shi Baek

Cinema : Lotte Cinema
Location : Kun-kook university

EVENING, Wednesday, 2nd November, 2017,
I went to the cinema to watch this film.

IT started at 22:40 and ended at 01:00(+1 day).

THE film started with a scene in which Sang Hun and an old man walks along in snowy river.
A heavy snow falls on them.
This old man is guiding Sang Hun to The Fortress.
The old man says he is only left with a little girl, and he will guide the Qing for a small amount of food. Sang Hun thanks him for guiding. And kills him.

FROM this scene, an audience would notice the characteristics of Kim Sang Hun.
Principle, Loyalty, and Faithfulness to Joseon Dynasty.

MYUNG Gil is equally faithful to Joseon.
But, his principle is different from that of Sang Hun, which makes they argue all along during the entire time of movie. And it is absolutely fascinating.

I COULD feel their affection and love for their country and people, and they are the only people who actually cares in the movie.

IT feels that something is missing in the movie, but I couldn't find what it is.
Acting of Lee Byung Hun and Kim Yoon Suk make this film worth watching.
And supporting actors and actresses.
Except this there is not something special about this movie.

CONCLUSION.
Lee Byung Hun is a great actor.
His acting is always mesmerizing.

Felicity Jones

from wikipedia
Born: October 17, 1983 (age 34), Birmingham, United Kingdom
Partner(s): Charles Guard (2015–present; engaged)
Education: Wadham College, Oxford (2003–2006), MORE
Nominations: Academy Award for Best Actress, MORE
TV shows: The Worst Witch, Weirdsister College, The Diary of Anne Frank, Cape Wrath, Servants

I first saw her in a British Drama, Mansfield Park, that origins from Jane Austen's book.
Her acting was impressive enough to make me be curious and want to know more about her.
I searched her works, pictures, and interviews.
She seems uncomfortable in a show, which made me think that she is an introvert.

There is no special reason I chose her as my first review on actress.
She was just the one who came to my mind when I decided to make a post.

I feel it is necessary to write a post about actress I am fond of because my memory doesn't hold everything I want to keep.

La La Land "City Of Stars" : Movie Review

Name of the Movie : La La Land "City of Stars"
Actress : Emma Stone

I WAS speechless and absolutely absorbed while I was watching this film at the cinema.

Music, Acting, and direction, all were perfect.

Songs do not give an audience to lose concentration.

Acting makes us as if we were actually inside the movie.

And direction is beautifully done in such a way that a single bit of time during watching it is enjoyable.

This is one of the few movies I would like to watch over and over again.