I am currently reading this book... any thoughts or opinions? (I haven't finished it yet so plz don't give away plot)
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I am currently reading this book... any thoughts or opinions? (I haven't finished it yet so plz don't give away plot)
This is Lee's brother.Quote:
Originally Posted by imthefoolonthehill
I read it during Spring Break. Very good book but it gets sort of melodramatic in the end, and the reasons behind the Kingfish's assassination don't click with me. Maybe because I am cynical and paranoid as hell.
Anyways, I didn't buy the reasons behind the assassination.
Warren's philosophical musings annoy me quite a bit too. Are you reading the restored version? I read the original version where the Gov'ner is called Willie Stark, not Willie Talos.
You do know, however, that it is based on Huey Long? I doubt the accuracy though.
I would give the book *** 1/2 out of *****.
I am currently reading William James's Varieties of Religious Experience.
I am reading an old copy where he is called Willie Stark.
Anyways, I am wondering how many of you on this website have read this book.
I love the book.
I hate the plot (or lack thereof).
However, I absolutely love the style and tone of the writing. I wish I could find more authors who wrote like Robert Warren wrote (writes?). Does anyone know any other books by him, or any authors who write like he does?
(I also love the characters of All the Kings Men)
Like Faulkner, I reckon the best of the novel is the Cass Mastern journal section.
Jack Burden the narrator is a nasty piece of work - neither he nor his creator registers what a shallow self-justifying opportunist he is. In fact, most characters in the novel are unengaging.
As for the plot resolution, I agree with above posts - not the work of a great novelist (or perhaps, great novelists can make you overlook tritebess and melodrama..viz Dickens, Faulkner).
the books starts in the second person and that was unheard of in english literature.Quote:
Originally Posted by ;4444
americans have always done this to the brits, and they've come to realize that the english that they've exported to the world over is no longer theirs to lord over.
frankly, i don't think they care, but it makes for a good paper topic. so have at it.
Has anyone read All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren? If so might you voice your opinion of the novel?
I haven't read it yet, but the movie has tempted me to buy it (haven't done that, either). Would you say the movie is good in relation to the book, or what? (I know that books are almost always better than the movies based on them, for the simple reason that you cannot condense 300+ pages in two hours, but then there are good and bad adaptations...)
Pecksie, I hope you are referring to the movie starring Broderick Crawford and not some ghastly ill-informed and liberal distorted remake starring some little creep like Tom Cruise or Bruce Willis, I don't follow the ridiculous peregrinations of the Wall Street controlled Hollywood of today. I haven't read the book either but it seems that it is a very powerful representation of the life and political rise of Huey Long, State Governor of Louisana during the depression of the 1930s (and, incidentally, there is another one well on its way). The movie is very close to the facts concerning Long's rise to power but is marred by an overly dramatic ending when a policeman calmly walks up the steps of the State Capitol firing a machine gun.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pecksie
I have read the book, and am quite disappointed many others have not. The book is based on, as said above, Huey Long's rise to power. Although the book for some only goes as deep as politics, the book has much insight to offer. It is more of an inner conflict and battle of philosophy than the movie shows. It is extremely well written and rises above any other book I have read in English. Robert Penn Warren, the author of the book, was a scholar that attended the school Huey Long created, LSU. Warren as far as I am aware, was never directly close to Long but studied him quite closely, and was alive during the period Long rose to power.
The book does discuss interesting conflicts and even goes as far as to question god and the purpose of life. I would surely recommend it, but only if you are willing to study the book deeply. It is not only a novel of politics, romance, and human relations, but a novel that can and does for some change their view of life.
If you do indeed read the novel, I will be happy to discuss it with you, as I have yet to grasp the entire thing.
Pecksie may have been referring to the 2006 version starring Sean Penn, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Anthony Hopkins, et al (It had quite an impressive cast). I haven't read the book, but I've seen that version of the film and really enjoyed it. Actually, I didn't know it was based on a book.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Bean
There was also a version of the film, that came earlier, black and white. I saw the movie as well. It was ok, but didn't do the book the justice it deserves.Quote:
Originally Posted by *Classic*Charm*
Yes, that's actually the one I saw...:blush: Actually I was drawn towards the TV set (which I usually don't approach) by the presence of Jude Law ;) but then the movie hooked me... Later I found out that it was based on a book and thought it would make an interesting read --- it has great reviews as far as I've seen. But, like I said, I haven't yet read it.Quote:
Originally Posted by *Classic*Charm*
I read the book and saw the film in high school but really don't remember either. I've been trying to reread the book since I moved to LA but haven't been able to get going on it. (Coincidently I just met a politician who seemed to have just walked out of the pages of the book)Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonofjohn
Some of us would like to read All the King's Men during the next couple of weeks. If you would like to join us, get your copies ready asap, please!
From wikipedia:Quote:
All the King's Men is a novel by Robert Penn Warren, first published in 1946. The novel was inspired by the biography of Louisiana governor Huey Long; its title is drawn from the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty (see below). In 1947 Warren won the Pulitzer Prize for All the King's Men. It was adapted for film in 1949 and 2006; the 1949 version won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
I would like to read this book, but I do not know if I can squeeze it in since I just started reading The Handmaid's Tale.
What is the deadline to have the book finnished by for the discussion?
There is no deadline, DM. You can join in anytime you want/can.
Personally speaking, I am hoping to start reading sometime next week, though.
Hehe ok well I will see what I can do and see if I can squeeze it in.
My poetry professor happened to study under Robert Penn Warren. *shrug* This used to be my favorite book in high school.
Which, I guess gives me an Erdös-style Penn Warren number of 2.
ookay IO do want to read this one, will see if I can get hold of it..:D
Is anyone reading this one?
Shall we start reading it or wait some more?
I am in the process of reading it
I am nearly finnished with Chapter 3
I will start reading it too then and report here as and when.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Muse
I'll start soon.
I started yesterday and found the first a few pages hard to get through; it is as if I am reading in a language I do not understand. Maybe it is the references; I am not sure. Though once the descriptions were over, it became "easier".
Just keep hanging in there - it really is a marvellous book :D
He gave you the impression of being a slow and deliberate man to look at him, and he had a way of sitting loose as though he had sunk inside himself and was going down for the third time and his eyes would blink like an owl's in a cage. Then all of a sudden he would make a move. (p. 24)
Don't you just see him?! It clearly defines what sort of actions this guy is capable of, what you might expect: the unexpected :p
I found the first two chapters touture to read. I was just like OMG I do not want to read this book. Someone could not intentinally write something more boring. I had to rather grugigning force myself to continue, but it does pick up a little more as it goes on and gets easier to read.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
Finished reading the first part. I am getting into the story and enjoying the story but I find Warren's endless descriptive passages distracting. At times, I feel the need to go back and re-read to make sure where the story is exactly (past/present).
I am just about done with Chapter 4 and I feel the same way. Some of the descriptions get tiresome and some I feel really are not needed they just take up pages of space. And some of his paragraphs feel like a giant run one scentence.
Also, is anyone else burdened by Jack Burden's selfish aloofness? Or his willingness to be so. He possibly cannot think that he will keep his hands and his tail clean while working for Willie. The fact that later on wrote the book (he is the narrator after all) might be his attempt at redemption but it might come too late?
He somewhat reminds me of Nick from Gatsby but very hard to tell for sure at this early stage (for me).
Jack is odd to say the least. There is no real explination for why he is with Willie to start with. Just becasue. He does not seem to have any goals of ambitions of his own or even really care much about anything. Though he does not seem to me like someone who has much of a moral ground either. I cannot see him caring if he keeps his hands clean or not really.
I am searching to find time to read this book again: I might do it next week.
However, I do remember that I got the thought stuck in my head that Jack cared more about "doing the right thing" than he was willing to admit. It is just something I remember and I can not be sure why, one of the reasons why I want to read it again ;)
Maybe it was because he just generally thinks that it might not matter wether he keeps his hands clean or not, but he surely sees that not keeping them clean would be "wrong". I do not know why he would have such a sense of justice/moral, but I remember he did care... or at least saw the difference.
I can not wait to start reading :lol:
I really do not get the feeling that he does care that much in my reading of the book. He is pretty much willing to do anything that he is told to do and does not give much thought to it. Nor does he question anything that is happening or anything that he is doing. To me he seems more apathetic.
When they went to stay with Willie's father and also the Judge, I got the impression that he was pretending he wasn't part of Willie's clique, hanging outside etc. However, whether he likes it or not, he is.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Muse
I am not sure whether he cares that much but like you said he still does not want to be seen that way either (at Judge's house, for example). However, that does not stop him following the orders. Whatever goes on in his head, he simply cannot be bothered to react or show any outward signs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sapphire
I have just finished Part II and have to admit that Penn's writing is growing on me. It is somewhat like Steinbeck's, which I really enjoy reading.Lovely.Quote:
But as the train pulls away, a woman comes to the back door of one of the houses -just the figure of a woman, for you cannot make out the face- and she has a pan in her hands and she flings the water out of the pan to make a sudden tattered flash of silver in the light. She goes back into the house. To what is in the house. The floor of the house is thin against the bare ground and the walls and the roof are thin against all of everything which is outside, but you cannot see through the walls to the secret to which the woman has gones in.
That is probably why I don't care for him. I am still struggling through this book a bit painfully at times. I have never been a Steinbeck fan. I can personally do without pages and pages of needless descritpion. Some passages are kind of cool and some just drag on for days.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
I also am not a big fan of Warren's use of repitition.
Ok finally finnished reading this book.
Way to go! :)
I am only half-way through yet.
Are you going to post a review?
I thought about it, but if I did, I would not give a very flattering one. I have to say I really had to trudge through this one and over all I did not care for this book.
You don't have to give a "flattering" review.
I have to admit that I am enjoying it more now and looking forward to reading it but I am rather busy these days (end of the term).
Hehe yes that is true.....I might write up a review for it. There were a few things I found interesting within the book but I just did not care for Penn's write style much at all.
Well, I am on 3/4 now and really liking it again :D Funny, how people can look differently at this book. I guess it's all a matter of taste :) I can imagine Warren's writing style to be annoying, and Jack being an unlikable character - but to me his "I just watch and search for the truth (when asked) and let the world evolve"-attitude is quite interesting. And his views on history and time. And his thoughts, and the way his mind jumps around sometimes.
I like (cliche)sentences like
That sentence could have been snatched from the 21st century :DQuote:
All of that, and me without a camera
It might be a well known way to say that time stands still there, but I still like it.Quote:
The place where Time gets tangled in its own feet and lies down like an old hound and gives up the struggle
It keeps you grounded...Quote:
Which is nonsense, for whatever you live is Life
I can not really explain. When I look at these sentences "on the loose" they do not seem that good anymore. But in their place in the book I enjoyed them :)