F R I D AY, A U G U S T 1 8 , 2 0 0 6Synchronicity (Plus A Book Review)The IRS better not ever question me when I write off anything andeverything in pop culture as part of my job.</p><p> I don't care if it's a 100 yearold mystery novel or an avant gard opera -- everything is connected.Case in point: I just finished reading a terrific novel called "Giraffe" byJ.M.</p><p> Ledgard.</p><p> It's certainly one of the best novels of the year.</p><p> Based ona real incident, it tells the story of giraffes captured in the wild andtransported en masse to a zoo in Czechoslovakia in the early 70s.</p><p> Later,all the giraffes are slaughtered and everyone knows never to mentionthe incident or wonder why.</p><p> Ledgard, a Scottish reporter, begins thenovel rather flashily from the point of view of one of the giraffes.</p><p> Thenthe book skips from narrator to narrator: a young specialist whostudies the flow of blood (important for the burgeoning space racemovement) and is especially fascinated by giraffes.</p><p> He finds himselfassigned to overseeing the transport of the giraffes.</p><p> There's a youngfemale worker in a factory that makes Christmas ornaments.</p><p> Shesleepwalks at night and -- happily -- this is clearly recognized as thenatural state of things for people in a totalitarian state, so somehow themetaphor is unforced for being stated so bluntly.</p><p> There's a woodsmanand various other apparatchiks and all of it climaxes in the bloody,terrible slaughter of the animals in a heart-rending but not sentimentaltour de force.</p><p> The obvious comparison is Milan Kundera, since no onesince him has captured so well the mindset of living under the thumb ofsuch self-oppression quite so vividly as Ledgard does here.</p><p> The odd butcompelling impression is of a book that has been translated fromanother language -- not because it is stiff or awkward in its style butsimply because of its otherness.</p><p> It is a terrific reading group book aslong as no one is too sensitive about animals.And onto synchronicity.</p><p> Just before "Giraffe" I finished the classicmystery tale "The Moonstone." I've read perhaps thousands of booksand "The Moonstone" by Wilkie Collins is the first one I recall where acharacter has used a book (in his case "Robinson Crusoe") the waysome use the Bible.</p><p> It is his touchstone, his rock and he dips into ittime and time again, just to refresh himself or to actively look for apassage that will guide his actions. "Robinson Crusoe" has never failedthat man yet.</p><p> It's a silly conceit that -- without truly mocking those whotreat the Bible like a Magic Eight Ball -- manages to be very funny.</p><p> AndNext Blog»sal1mineo@hotmail.comSEARCH BLOG FLAG BLOGFOLLOW BLOGP O P S U R F I N G .</p><p> C O MS U R F I N G T H E WAV E S O F P O P U L A R C U LT U R EB Y M I C H A E L G I LT Z & F R I E N D SPOPSURFING.COM: Synchronicity (Plus A Book Review)http://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2006/08/synchronicity-plus-boo... 1 of 37/28/09 8:48 PMFAV O R I T E L I N K SAmericablogFive O'Clock Lightning baseball blogDeep Pop -- Lori Lakin's BlogThe Back Page -- Jason Page on ESPNRadioCine-Blog -- George Robinson's BlogDocuments On Art & Cinema - DarylChin's BlogBrucie G's Wondrous Blog OfAdventure and Mystery -- BruceGreenspan's BlogB L O G A R C H I V E▼ 2009 (17)▼ July (3)1939 -- The Greatest Year ForMoviesSwimming Bans Those Hi-TechSuits!Best Movies Of The Year -- TheMaster List► June (3)► May (1)► March (2)► February (1)► January (7)► 2008 (86)► 2007 (781)► 2006 (2412)► 2005 (5)C O N T R I B U TO R SMichael in New YorkAaronBiboy POPSURFING.COM: Synchronicity (Plus A Book Review)http://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2006/08/synchronicity-plus-boo... 2 of 37/28/09 8:48 PMPOPSURFING.COM: Synchronicity (Plus A Book Review)http://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2006/08/synchronicity-plus-boo... 3 of 37/28/09 8:48 PM
