The book is always better than the film, but I'd never read 2001 before. What I didn't know, until reading the foreword, is that this novel was literally written in tandem with the film, with Clarke and Kubrick feeding each other ideas. At some points, however, filming overtook writing, or vice versa, and the two stories, though similar, split along two different paths. After reading the book, the film becomes little more than a very well crafted container: It's pretty and neat to look at it, but open it up, and it's empty. There is none of Clarke's vision of how a being we'd call God would communicate with us across unfathomable time spans, or teach us, or lead us into higher consciousness. Stripped away by Kubrick is the sense that this being truly wants us to be in its image, and that the whole breadcrumb trail of monoliths was designed to do just that. And completely erased is the notion that David Bowman, as Star Child, is now one with the Universe, in some Zen-like way, and also much more like something we'd called a god.Don't get me wrong, 2001 is still one of my favorite films, but to get the full meaning and understand the full weight of why 2001 has been called "the perfect science fiction story," you must read the book. Clarke marries science, mysticism, theory, and fantasy in ways like no other. Unfortunately, Kubrick stripped away the mysticism and theory and left us what is, in comparison to the book, only a glimmer at something bigger.Kubrick touched the monolith, but Clarke went inside.

After reading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I realized that I had absolutely nothing to say about it. And yet here, as you see, I have elected to say it anyway, and at great length. Reading this novel now, at the age of mumble-mumble, is a bit like arriving at the circus after the tents have been packed, the bearded lady has been depilated, and the funnel cake trailers have been hitched to pick-up trucks and captained, like a formidable vending armada, toward the auburn sunset. All the fun has already been used up, and I’m left behind circumnavigating the islands of elephant dung and getting drunk on Robitussin®. Same story, different day. How exactly did I make it through eight total years of high school and undergraduate studies in English without having read any Mark Twain but a brief (and forgotten) excerpt from Life on the Mississippi? Isn’t this illegal by now? I mean, isn’t there a clause in the Patriot Act... an eleventh commandment... a dictate from Xenu? Isn’t Huckleberry Finn, like Romeo and Juliet and To Kill a Mockingbird, now an unavoidable teenage road bump between rainbow parties and huffing spray paint? Isn’t it the role of tedious classic literature to add color and texture to the pettiness of an adolescence circumscribed by status updates, muff shaving, and shooting each other? Or am I old-fashioned? Let’s face it. In the greater social consciousness, there are two stars of this book: (1) the word 'nigger' and (2) the Sherwood Schwartz-style ending in which Tom Sawyer reappears and makes even the most casual reader wonder whether he might not be retarded. Huckleberry Finn, for all his white trash pedigree, is actually a pretty smart kid -- the kind of dirty-faced boy you see, in his younger years, in a shopping cart at Wal-Mart, being barked at by a monstrously obese mother in wedgied sweatpants and a stalagmite of a father who sweats tobacco juice and thinks the word 'coloreds' is too P.C. Orbiting the cart, filled with generic cigarette cartons, tabloids, and canned meats, are a half-dozen kids, glazed with spittle and howling like Helen Keller over the water pump, but your eyes return to the small, sad boy sitting in the cart. His gaze, imploring, suggestive of a caged intellect, breaks your heart, so you turn and comparison-shop for chewing gum or breath mints. He is condemned to a very dim horizon, and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it, so you might as well buy some Altoids and forget about it... That boy is the spiritual descendant of Huckleberry Finn. The 'nigger' controversy -- is there still one? -- is terribly inconsequential. It almost seems too obvious to point out that this is (a) firstly a 'period novel,' meaning it that occurs at a very specific historical moment at a specific location and (b) secondly a first-person narrative, which is therefore saddled with the language, perspective, and nascent ideologies of its narrator. Should we expect a mostly uneducated, abused adolescent son of a racist alcoholic who is living in the South before the Civil War to have a respectful, intellectually-enlightened perspective toward black people? Should the character of Huck Finn, in other words, be ahistorical, anachronistic? Certainly not, if we expect any semblance of honesty from our national literature. Far more troubling to many critics is the ending of Huckleberry Finn, when -- by a freakishly literary coincidence -- Huck Finn is mistaken for Tom Sawyer by Tom’s relatives, who happen to be holding Jim (the slave on the run) in hopes of collecting a reward from his owners. There are all sorts of contrivances in this scenario -- the likes of which haven’t been seen since the golden age of Three’s Company -- which ends with Tom arriving and devising a ridiculously elaborate scheme for rescuing Jim. All in all, the ending didn’t bother me as much as it bothered some essayists I’ve read. That is, it didn’t strike me as especially conspicuous in a novel which relies a great deal on narrative implausibility and coincidence. Sure, Tom Sawyer is something of an idiot, as we discover, but in a novel that includes faked deaths and absurd con jobs, his idiocy seems well-placed. In the end, I suppose the greatest thing I can say about this novel is that it left me wondering what happened to Huck Finn. Would his intellect and compassion escape from his circumstances or would he become yet another bigoted, abusive father squiring another brood of dirty, doomed children around a fluorescently-lit Wal-Mart?

One of George Bernard Shaw's best-known plays, Pygmalion was a rousing success on the London and New York stages, an entertaining motion picture and a great hit with its musical version, My Fair Lady. An updated and considerably revised version of the ancient Greek legend of Pygmalion and Galatea, the 20th-century story pokes fun at the antiquated British class system. In Shaw's clever adaptation, Professor Henry Higgins, a linguistic expert, takes on a bet that he can transform an awkward cockney flower seller into a refined young lady simply by polishing her manners and changing the way she speaks. In the process of convincing society that his creation is a mysterious royal figure, the Professor also falls in love with his elegant handiwork.The irresistible theme of the emerging butterfly, together with Shaw's brilliant dialogue and splendid skills as a playwright, have made Pygmalion one of the most popular comedies in the English language. A staple of college drama courses, it is still widely performed.

"Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it's awful?" Estragon's complaint, uttered in the first act of "Waiting for Godot", is the playwright's sly joke at the expense of his own play - or rather at the expense of those in the audience who expect theatre always to consist of events progressing in an apparently purposeful and logical manner towards a decisive climax. In those terms, "Waiting for Godot" - which has been famously described as a play in which "nothing happens, twice"- scarcely seems recognizable as theatre at all. As the great English critic wrote "Waiting for Godot jettisons everything by which we recognize theatre. It arrives at the custom-house, as it were, with no luggage, no passport, and nothing to declare; yet it gets through, as might a pilgrim from Mars."

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is the original title of a novella written by the famous Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson that was first published in 1886. The work is commonly known today as The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, or simply Jekyll &amp; Hyde. It is about a London lawyer named John Gabriel Utterson who investigates strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr Henry Jekyll, and the evil Edward Hyde.

Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found hereThis short novel, already a modern classic, is the superbly told, tragic story of a Cuban fisherman in the Gulf Stream and the giant Marlin he kills and loses—specifically referred to in the citation accompanying the author's Nobel Prize for literature in 1954.

In this dark and compelling short novel, Dostoevsky tells the story of Alexey Ivanovitch, a young tutor working in the household of an imperious Russian general. Alexey tries to break through the wall of the established order in Russia, but instead becomes mired in the endless downward spiral of betting and loss. His intense and inescapable addiction is accentuated by his affair with the General’s cruel yet seductively adept niece, Polina. In The Gambler, Dostoevsky reaches the heights of drama with this stunning psychological portrait.

Life moves at a leisurely pace in the tiny town of Wall—named after the imposing stone barrier which separates the town from a grassy meadow. Here, young Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the beautiful Victoria Forester and for the coveted prize of her hand, Tristran vows to retrieve a fallen star and deliver it to his beloved. It is an oath that sends him over the ancient wall and into a world that is dangerous and strange beyond imagining...

Generations of readers young and old, male and female, have fallen in love with the March sisters of Louisa May Alcott’s most popular and enduring novel, Little Women. Here are talented tomboy and author-to-be Jo, tragically frail Beth, beautiful Meg, and romantic, spoiled Amy, united in their devotion to each other and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War.It is no secret that Alcott based Little Women on her own early life. While her father, the freethinking reformer and abolitionist Bronson Alcott, hobnobbed with such eminent male authors as Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne, Louisa supported herself and her sisters with "woman’s work,” including sewing, doing laundry, and acting as a domestic servant. But she soon discovered she could make more money writing. Little Women brought her lasting fame and fortune, and far from being the "girl’s book” her publisher requested, it explores such timeless themes as love and death, war and peace, the conflict between personal ambition and family responsibilities, and the clash of cultures between Europe and America.

One night on the heath, the brave and respected general Macbeth encounters three witches who foretell that he will become king of Scotland. At first sceptical, he’s urged on by the ruthless, single-minded ambitions of Lady Macbeth, who suffers none of her husband’s doubt. But seeing the prophecy through to the bloody end leads them both spiralling into paranoia, tyranny, madness, and murder.This shocking tragedy - a violent caution to those seeking power for its own sake - is, to this day, one of Shakespeare’s most popular and influential masterpieces.

Cu Idiotul, Dostoievski aduce in prim-plan un personaj aparte, inzestrat cu calitati deosebite, intre care prevaleaza bunatatea si sinceritatea. Capabil sa se sacrifice ca sa isi ajute semenii, printul Miskin este perceput de ceilalti ca fiind idiot. Tocmai acesta este motivul pentru care Dostoievski a renuntat la prima varianta de titlu, „Printul Miskin”, in favoarea aceluia binecunoscut astazi tuturor iubitorilor de literatura.În timpul unei călătorii cu trenul spre Sankt Petersburg, Prinţul Mîşkin se împrieteneşte cu Rogojin, care-i vorbeşte despre pasiunea ce-l cuprinsese pentru Nastasia Filipovna, o femeie foarte frumoasă, dar cu o reputaţie îndoielnică.Invitat la onomastica acesteia, Mîşkin observă că Rogojin, ameţit de băutură, îi dă fetei o sumă mare de bani pentru ca aceasta să meargă cu el. Sesizând disperarea Nastasiei, prinţul o cere în căsătorie pentru a o ajuta să iasă din această situaţie dezagreabilă. În mod surprinzător, Nastasia refuză cererea prinţului, convinsă fiind că în spatele gestului său se ascunde mila şi nu dragostea, şi alege să plece cu Rogojin.Astfel, cei doi prieteni devin duşmani înverşunaţi, Rogojin încercând chiar să-l ucidă pe Mîşkin. Prinţul scapă, în mod neaşteptat, datorită unei crize de epilepsie, declanşată pe fondul tensiunii momentului.Prinţul Lev Nikolaevici Mîşkin are în jur de 27 de ani, este înalt, are părul foarte bălai şi des, obrajii supţi şi o bărbuţă rară şi ascuţită, de un blond spălăcit. „Ochii lui mari, albaştri, aveau o expresie blajină, dar şi apăsătoare totodată, cu acea stranie fixitate a privirii după care nu era greu de privit, chiar de la prima vedere, un epileptic”, îşi caracterizează Dostoievski personajul.

Sag-e velgard, (1942), The Stray Dog, Sadegh HedayatThe Stray Dog (Sag-e Velgard) is a short story by Iranian writer Sadegh Hedayat, first published in 1942 along with seven other short stories in the book of the same name.Pat is a Scottish breed dog with two intelligent human eyes. He misses his puppyhood, when he could drink his mother's milk without any difficulties. He used to play with his brother and with his master's son. One day, Pat's master and two others got into an automobile, called Pat and put him beside them in the car. A few hours later they arrived at Varamin square and got out of the car. His master and the other two were passing the alley when Pat picked up a scent. This scent of a female canine brought him close to insanity. Pat followed the scent. When he came back he couldn't find his master. From that day on, Pat's misfortunes began. The inhabitants of that place differed from his master in feeling and behavior. They beat Pat because of their religious believes and to please Allah. Pat's sufferings continued until a strange man came and gave him bread and yogurt. When the man's car moved, Pat started running after the car, despite the pain in his body. The story ends when the barely alive dog, lied on the side of the road, while three crows were waiting to eat his brown eyes.تاریخ نخستین خوانش: در ماه ژوئن سال 1968 میلادیعنوان: سگ ولگرد - مجموعه هشت داستان کوتاه؛ اثر: صادق هدایت؛ تهران، 1321، چاپ دیگر: امیرکبیر، 1342، در 172 ص؛ چاپ دیگر: تهران، کتابهای پرستو، چاپ هشتم 1344؛ در 247 ص؛ چاپ نهم 1347؛ مجموعه‌ ی هشت داستان: «سگ ولگرد»، «دن ژوان کرج»، «بن بست»، «کاتیا»، «تخت ابونصر»، «تجلی»، «تاریکخانه»، و «میهن پرست» است ؛ تاریخ نگارش داستان کوتاه «سگ ولگرد»، و هفت داستان دیگرِ مجموعه ی «سگ ولگرد» مشخص نیست، اگرچه به‌ گفتهٔ «محمد بهارلو»، این داستان‌ها احتمالاً در خلال سال‌های 1314 هجری خورشیدی، تا سال 1320 هجری خورشیدی نوشته شده‌ اند، نخستین چاپ کتاب در سال 1321 هجری خورشیدی، برابر با سال 1942 میلادی است. داستان «سگ ولگرد» درباره ی سگ اصیل اسکاتلندی، به نام «پات» است، که پس از گم کردن صاحب خود، سرگردان شده و از سوی انسان‌ها مورد آزار و اذیت قرار می‌گیرد. پات سگی معمولی نیست، او در آرزوی بازگشت به دوران کودکی است، و در ته چشم‌هایش روحی انسانی دیده می‌شود. ا. شربیانی

O fotoğraflar, bizim olmadığımız zamanları aktarır bize. Tanımadığımız yakınlarımızı. Bizi beklemeden gidenleri. Bizim yaşadıklarımız gerçek, onların yaşadıkları masaldır sanki. Onların duruşları, pozları, bakışları, gülüşleri, giysileri, takıları, üstleri başları başka türlü büyüler bizi. Bu fotoğrafların çekildiği yerlerin ayrıntıları, hem bilmediğimiz bir geçmişin kapılarını açar bize, hem de ölümün gizine değgin özel işaretlermiş gibi görünür. Fotoğraflar yitirilmiş anları belgeler. Yitirilmiş anlar, zaman ile ölüm arasında en kısa yoldur. Elbette adını böyle koyamayız o yaşlarda ama, bunu bir duygu olarak, bir önsezi olarak derinlemesine yaşarız.Biz büyüdükçe, o fotoğraflar da yeni anlamlar, yeni tarihler edinir. Kimi eski öykü parçacıkları, yeni kavrayışların ışığında yepyeni anlamlar kazanır; ya da daha önceden bilmediğimiz, yeni duyduğumuz, ya da öğrenmemize ancak şimdi izin verilen kimi yeni bilgilerle birleşerek, toprak altından çıkarılan kırık parçaların birbirine eklenerek gövdeyi bütünlemesi gibi, yepyeni bir görünüş, yepyeni bir varlık kazanır. Aynı fotoğraflar gözlerimizin önünde sır değiştirir. Hikâyeler derinleşir. Pus ve ışık, aynı gölgeler üzerinde yer değiştirir.Gözlerini koruyamayanların zamanla bakacak fotoğrafları da kalmaz. Albümler kadar gözlerimizi de korumamız gerekir, diye düşünürüm.

"Şimdi başka bir yüzyıldan ya da başka bir ulustan geliyormuş gibi kendini tecrit etmek mümkün değildir. İnsan zorla tarafsız kalamaz. Savaş ile ilgili normal ve insancıl bir görüşe sahip olabilmek için tek bir olasılık vardır: savaşın farkında olmak ve savaşı, kendileri asla cephede bulunmamış savaş çığırtkanlarından dinlememek. Bunun dışındaki her şey kendini kandırmak, kendini aldatmak, soyut şeylerle kendini uyuşturmak ve kendinden geçmek anlamına gelir."Ölmeden önce üzerinde çalıştığı son kitabı Clarissa, Zweig'ın sözleriyle, "Bir kadının yaşadıklarından hareketle, 1902'den sa vaşın patlak vermesine kadar geçen süre içinde dünyanın anlatıldığı roman"dır. Zweig, Avusturyalı bir subayın kızı Clarissa Schuhmeister'in hayatını anlatırken, Birinci Dünya Savaşı'nın gerek Avusturya ve Orta Avrupa kültürü, gerek bireyler üzerindeki etkisini gözler önüne serer. Clarissa, yazarının 1942'deki intiharıyla yarım kalmış, ancak 39 yıl sonra 1981'de gün ışığına çıkarılan metni Zweig'ın yayıncısı Knut Beck tamamlamıştı.

I ran into my friend Dan at the club last week, and he was drunk. So we talked Camus. We didn’t discuss Camus’s theories, or the fact that he avoided riding in cars and then DIED IN A CAR CRASH. We just talked about Camus in relation to Dan’s life and in relation to mine. The only really interesting thing about anything to me is how it affects me. That’s the honest truth. Dan and I agreed that an interest in Existentialism is kind of a stage in your life – like when you liked Pearl Jam or lived in a little house that had a name and seven other people living in it. We then agreed that a re-exploration of all things Existential is usually preceded by your significant other telling you to get bent. Later Dan taught me how to cure a salmon, and we decided to co-host a dinner party in the second week of April. I doubt we would have come to this conclusion without having read The Fall.

Bir Ada Hikayesi dörtlüsü, savaşlardan, kırımlardan, sürgünlerden arta kalan insanların, Yunanistan’a gönderilen Rumların boşalttığı bir adada yeni bir yaşam kurma çabalarını konu alır. Umut romanın baş kahramanıdır.Lozan’da alınan mübadele kararıyla, Rumlar Yunanistan’a gönderilmiş ve savaşlarda yerini yurdunu yitirmiş insanların Ege’deki bu adaya yerleştirilmelerine karar verilmiştir. Adanın kaderi Poyraz Musa’nın gelişiyle değişir. Adaya sığınan çeşitli kökenlerden insanlar, Poyraz Musa’nın desteğiyle yaşadıkları bütün acılara karşın umudu ayakta tutarak yeni bir yaşamın filizlerini yeşertirler.“Yaşar Kemal çağdaş dünyanın en büyük anlatıcılarından biridir. Onu okumak yaşamın kendisini anlamaktır. O, korkusuz bir kahraman gibi yazıyor.”John Berger“Yaşar Kemal Homeros'tan bu yana gelen en eski geleneksel anlatıcıdır. Başka bir sesi olmayan halkın sesidir.”Elia Kazan“Yitirdiğimiz anlatım geleneğini ne mutlu ki Yaşar Kemal bulmuş. Tarihi ve politikayı altüst ederek yirmibeş - otuz yüzyıl sonra Yunanlı ozan (Homeros) susmuş ve söz sırası Troyalı ozana (Yaşar Kemal) geçmiş.”Robert Kanters“Ne zaman çağdaş bir romancı örneği vermem istense, aklıma ilk gelen isim Yaşar Kemal olmuştur.”Raymond Williams

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