In a way, books are the most difficult medium for putting together a 'best of the year' list. A dedicated music critic could probably listen to most new music releases in a given year. Seasoned film critics are expected to see most of the films that are released into theaters each year. With DVR technology television critics can catch up on prime time shows spanning network, cable, and premium channels and still have time left over to watch other shows. Books are a far more time-consuming experience than music albums, films, and seasons of individual television programs. Most CDs span less than an hour, most movie durations hover around the two hour mark, and an entire season of "Southland" on TV might take up to ten hours including commercials. A book could take far longer to get through. Most books are not read in single sittings. They can take days, weeks, or months to finish. Reading a book is a far more active experience than the largely passive act of listening to a record, viewing a film, watching TV, or even going to a play. Even the most blissfully enjoyable book takes time, focus, dedication, and an active imagination to turn words on paper into something alive in our minds.
Being able to honestly say that I didn't read most of the books that came out this year, I've decided to cover all of the books I read this year that were first published in 2011. What I noticed as I looked over the books I read this year was that even some of the weaker books I read this year weren't a waste of time because they unintentionally included a perspective or style that was significant for illuminating a current trend or two in the publishing world.
The Best Book of the Year
"Shock Value" by Jason Zinoman
The best book of the year is also by far the best film history book that came out in 2011. In "Shock Value", journalist Jason Zinoman clearly documents the revolution in the horror film genre that blossomed from the 1960's and into the 1980's under directors including George A. Romero, Wes Craven, John Carpenter, Dan O' Bannon, Roman Polanski, Ridley Scott, and William Friedkin. There is a behind-the-scenes quality to Zinoman's writing style where the reader is informed of how these films were made while simultaneously listening to great directors like Romero and Friedkin thoughtfully reflect on their films and what they think of their work with hindsight. "Shock Value" notes many trends related to horror films during the time period the book covers- theories of how the surge in popularity with these violent films may have reflected widespread anger regarding the Vietnam War, ways in which fear of the unknown relates to psychoanalytic theory, etc- without ever becoming esoteric or pretentious. Zinoman also deserves a great deal of credit for keeping himself on the sidelines of the book. He was smart enough to know that he was interviewing master storytellers and writing wonderful subject matter, and he never makes the book about him or his journey in putting the book together. Instead Zinoman lets the directors and films essentially speak for themselves. "Shock Value" largely revolves around the big name directors that are known for contributing to and transforming the horror genre, and it also pays tribute to some of the creators such as Dan O' Bannon who are now deceased and somewhat forgotten. Zinoman should be proud of himself for writing a book that is intelligent, thoughtful, professional, and the ultimate fan's guide to the history of the horror movie.
The Rest of the Best
"From The Elephant To Hollywood" by Michael Caine
Memoirs and autobiographies are inherently self-involved affairs. The people who write these books are writing about their own lives and make the focus on 'Me! Me! Me!'. A memoir spent with a writer who is particularly selfish or narcissistic can be similar to spending time with someone unpleasant to be around. Fortunately for those who have read "From The Elephant To Hollywood", Sir Michael Caine is excellent company to spend a memoir with. Caine starts off by saying that he wrote the book because he wanted to share his joys, laughs, and good times with his fans. The sentiment may or may not have been true or sincere, but it's apt description of what Caine accomplishes. "From The Elephant To Hollywood" is a fun, humorous, and warm memoir that largely avoids the usual cliches of celebrity memoirs. Caine's book is not about redemption or a rise and fall. It's Mr. Caine's life story with a great deal of emphasis on charming anecdotes and funny asides. Caine somehow paints a portrait of glamorous Old Hollywood that is exciting without being gossipy. Some parts of the book are terribly moving, especially Caine's late-in-life discovery of a half-brother he never knew who was debilitated by untreated epilepsy. If Mr. Caine set out to share the joys, laughs, and many of the most human aspects of his life, then he succeeded in spades.
"Robert Redford" by Michael Feeney Callan
Writing the biography of someone else is never going to be a completely fair and objective endeavor no matter how much an author might be inclined to try. A good case in point is Mr. Callan's biography of Robert Redford. Callan clearly likes and admires Mr. Redford as both an actor and a person, and his writing goes to great lengths to show the former Sundance Kid in the most favorable light possible. A braver and more challenging biography might have been more suspicious of some of Redford's flaws including mistakes he made while running the Sundance Institute. Callan's portrait of Redford is rosy, but not fawning enough to become poor nonfiction. The book often functions as a successful piece of film history and includes some sharp quotes from accomplished directors including the late Sydney Pollack and the late George Roy Hill.
The Rest...
"Zombie Spaceship Wasteland" by Patton Oswalt
The smart, schlubby Mr. Oswalt is probably the most skilled comedian working today. Unfortunately, his onstage skills as an observant and creative comedian do not transfer well to his writing. Oswalt notes near the beginning of his book that creative types can be classified into three categories- zombie, spaceship, or wasteland. His articulation of this theory is not very well thought out or explained, and he notes that he is from whichever category likes to keep journals. "Zombie Spaceship Wasteland" is essentially journal material and nothing more. Oswalt has a few chapters that are stories from his life, some essays that cover pop culture, a comic strip, and other ramblings. The book feels unfocused and somewhat unformed. Nothing really seems to tie together. Oswalt has some funny ideas including the comic strip about what a real-life vampire would look like and a chapter that is supposed to read like a script editor poorly changing a story to meet cliched Hollywood standards, but that's really all the book is- several clever ideas jotted down and not terribly expanded upon. Maybe with more editing and focus, Mr. Oswalt will publish a better book in the future.
"The Secret Knowledge" by David Mamet
"Holy Terror" by Frank Miller
2011 was a year in which two very accomplished writers, both pioneers of their respective mediums, published works that championed conservative values and caused many fans to erupt in fury at their former heroes. In "The Secret Knowledge", playwright David Mamet created a polemical book that largely sets out to attack current liberal values in American society. Anyone educated in the nonfiction writings of Mr. Mamet would know that this type of argument piece isn't anything new for him. His books "True and False" and last year's "Theatre" are attacks on how theater organizations are run in the U.S. and his "Bambi vs. Godzilla" is an out-right assault on hypocrisy, greed, and abuse in Hollywood. "The Secret Knowledge" is written in a similar vein, only this time Mamet puts what he classifies as liberal agendas in his cross hairs. Overall, the book is funny in an abrasive, defensive, and passive-aggressive manner. One of the most outrageous analogies Mamet makes is by comparing Americans who want to negotiate with terrorists to the little boy in "Where The Wild Things Are" who naively tries to tame the wild beasts. Despite some of the humor to be found in Mamet's anger, "The Secret Knowledge" is still not a well argued book. Mamet frequently makes statements without giving supporting reasons which is an easy way out of making thoughtful points.
Another writer who bravely alienated his fan base this year through a book with a conservative agenda is Frank Miller. As the author of such ground-breaking graphic novels including "The Dark Knight Returns" and "Batman: Year One", Mr. Miller is a well-deserved household name in the comic book industry. The graphic novel he wrote and illustrated this year, "Holy Terror", is a poorly written, beautifully illustrated little mess. "Holy Terror" was originally conceived as a Batman project, and Miller has made very little effort to distinguish the characters in his story from Batman, Catwoman, and Jim Gordon. In the book, the Batman stand-in (lazily named The Fixer) fights and kills an army of Islamic terrorists intent on destroying America. The book is bad all around: the characters are poorly developed, the bad guys are purely evil and have little depth to them, and the plot is a predictable revenge fantasy.
Like "Zombie Spaceship Wasteland", "The Secret Knowledge" and "Holy Terror" were published this year, but they hardly deserve to be on a 'best books of the year' list. I do think there is a great deal of significance to the ways in which "The Secret Knowledge" and "Holy Terror" were received upon publication. "The Secret Knowledge" wasn't reviewed by critics so much as it was disagreed with. None of the reviews I read on Mamet's book analyzed his writing style and instead focused on how little the book critics agreed with Mamet's political opinions. The reaction to "Holy Terror" was similar: Miller openly made a piece of propaganda and critics reviewed the book based upon how much they agreed with Miller's political views as expressed in the book. "Holy Terror" has a simplistic story and the writing is bad. Critics could have focused on the book's many narrative flaws, but the emphasis was always on how incorrect they felt Miller was in his political views. Both Mamet and Miller angered their fan bases and critics by writing books that were outspoken and aggressive. They didn't seem to anger any groups for writing bad books. I'm disappointed that both authors published weak material, but I'm also disappointed that book critics were more concerned with judging their opinions that critiquing their writing.
"Retromania" by Simon Reynolds
"Kid A" by Marvin Lin
"Retromania" by Simon Reynolds and "Kid A" by Marvin Lin are two concrete examples of rock music books published this year with compelling subject matter that are both ultimately undone by their separate authors' overwhelming narcissism. In "Retromania", Simon Reynolds poses an interesting question, in an age of rapidly growing technology why are pop culture consumers so increasingly interested in movie remakes, television reboots, older music, and other forms of cultural nostalgia? Reynolds explores this question, but he quickly comes up with possible answers including the obvious fact that many consumers today now have easier access to older films, television shows, and music releases thanks to ease of purchase or free downloading on the web. As "Retromania" rolls along, the book quickly becomes just a full-length excuse for Reynolds to name drop the bands he's passionate about while only superficially covering the more promising premises and questions of the book.
Marvin Lin makes an identical mistake with his contribution to the '33 1/3' book series on Radiohead's album "Kid A". Instead of directly and only focusing on the text ('Kid A'), Lin spends a great deal of the book constantly reassuring the reader about just how important the music of Radiohead is to him. Lin comes across as an articulate, fortunate fan and little else. He also contributes nothing new to discourse on Radiohead's music and their larger role in music history. "Retromania" and "Kid A" are included on this list because they're significant in pointing something out: writing about music can be personal without becoming egotistical.
The Best Books of the Year
1. "Shock Value" by Jason Zinoman
2. "From the Elephant to Hollywood" by Michael Caine
3. "Robert Redford" by Michael Feeney Callan
The Rest Books of the Year
"Zombie Spaceship Wasteland" by Patton Oswalt
"The Secret Knowledge" by David Mamet
"Holy Terror" by Frank Miller
"Retromania" by Simon Reynolds
"Kid A" by Marvin Lin
0 comments:
Post a Comment