There is quite a lot I want to say about this book, but I'd also like to keep it short. Paulo Coelho is one of my favorite writers. He has a very special place in my heart, that no other writer has ever had. I feel something close to worship towards him as a writer and a person. In light of this fact it may come as a surprise to any Godforsaken soul that is reading this blog that I have only read 4 of his book over the past 5 years. There is, however, a perfectly good reason for this. I treat his books as a sort of medicine - I only read them when I am really down and can find any source of inspiration or hope anywhere else. I suppose I was lucky to only be in these sort of situations only 4 times since 2004. And yes, I was feeling quite depressed lately. So I read "The Witch of Portobello". And yes, it helped. While it didn't tell me anything I didn't know, it assured me that I was going in the right direction, and that I was going to make it through. It also summarized my beliefs about religion, belief and church so perfectly, I couldn't possible put it better myself. Well, so much for short and sweet... "The Witch of Portobello" is an inspirational and uplifting read. That's another thing I love about Coelho books - no matter how from and depressing the story is, the ending makes you glad to be alive.
As a side-note the four Coelho books I've read so far are: "The Alchemist", "Veronica Decides to Die", "11 Minutes" and "The Witch of Portobello"
Obviously, I couldn't wait to read another Camus book. But I had to let the glorious aftertaste of "The Plague" fade. (Not that it did, mind you. But it was necessary to take a short break). After I finished "1984", I was so desperate to read "The Stranger" that wasting time by going to the bookstore wasn't an option. So I did what I (almost)never do. I downloaded a PDF version. Blasphemy! The worst of all sacrilege! Well, I was desperate, you see. I didn't expect "The Stranger" to have the same effect on me as "The Plague" had, but after reading the former I feel like I have a better understanding of the latter. Camus' books are interconnected (or at least that's how I understand it) and deeply personal. Now I have another piece of the Albert Camus Puzzle.
(Almost) any book that landed in my greedy hands after "The Plague" was bound to be a disappointment. And "1984" kind of was one. I say 'kind of' because it did draw me in towards the end. Overall, however, it wasn't very interesting or thought provoking. I didn't even find it depressing, just outdated, dull and pointless.
Sometimes going to the store and randomly (not even based on the attractiveness of the cover) grabbing a book from the shelf can really bloody pay off. I can hardly remember loving any book so much for the past few years, or being so greatly upset by the death of my favorite character (since around 2004 - a certain prisoner with a certain godson... I know it's childish. Piss off.). "The Plague" is now one of my favorite books - second after "The Master and Margarita", and Albert Camus is one of my favorite writers (either #2 or #3, I can't decide). I'd recommend it to everyone. It got the Noble Prize you know.
I got off to a rather slow start, but eventually got so sucked in, I couldn't put the book down.
Currently reading:
I wasn't particularly excited to start this book. Actually I really wanted to read "Dracula" after I finished "Frankenstein" (and I hardly ever have any specific theme when I go on reading binges - so this was a big one). I ran to the store on my lunch break, found the book and... didn't get it. I couldn't bring myself to buy it because of the awful cover design. The white/orange penguin copy I have now obviously isn't a work of art, but that one was really really bad. And it was the only option available. Well, here I am, some four books later. Like I said, I'm not nearly as excited now as I was, but I'm beginning to enjoy it. Sort of. I hope I won't give up reading "Dracula". I hate stopping a few chapters in, and I can never start again. The last time it happened with "Vanity Fair". Not my brand of vodka...
As a bonus here's a cover design by Mattias Mackler. I'm a fan.
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