The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

tags, 18th century novel, humor, satire

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Wikipedia

The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, often known simply as Tristram Shandy, is a humorous novel by Laurence Sterne. It was published from 1759 to 1767, in nine volumes across five instalments. The novel purports to be a memoir, but the titular Tristram is an effusive and digressive narrator who begins the story with his conception and does not reach a description of his birth until the third volume. While attempting to explain four accidents in his early life which have doomed him to an unhappy future, Tristram describes domestic conflicts between his irritable father Walter and his gentle Uncle Toby, and inserts humorous discourses on a range of intellectual topics.

Read the rest from Wikipedia 

I read many conflicting reviews of this book and just like Ulysses, I tried to avoid reading it. It is a long-ish book at almost 700 pages. I ended up loving it. The bawdy humor, the style of writing and many digressive stories, his father, his poor Uncle Toby's unfortunate accident, fort construction, and love affair. 

I laughed out loud several times at the absurdity of some of the topics his father, his Uncle Toby, Uncle Toby's servant Corporal Trim, the pastor Yorick [alas poor Yorick], and the bumbling male-midwife Dr. Slop, and of course Tristram's four "accidents" starting from his conception, birth, baptism, and the unfortunate encounter with a window sash. Tristram even used his name as a verb, as in tristramed. The part where the household helper Obadiah made everyone annoyed for making a superior job of tying and securing the doctor's stuff that Tristram's father cursed him in so many different ways on several pages, is hilarious. His father is a book lover and seems to consult his favorite authors and philosophers in even mundane things such as a boy's breeches. 

The stream of consciousness writing style, the abrupt and unfinished/hanging end to some chapters remind me of one of my favorite books and it's no wonder I also find this book a treasure. A must read. 

Hamnet

tags: melodrama, historical fiction, Shakespeare's son Hamnet

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Hamnet dramatises the family life of William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes Hathaway as they cope with the death of their 11-year-old son Hamnet.

This movie is based on the death of Hamnet, the 11 year old son of William and Anne Shakespeare. I consider it fiction because there is no recorded story of Hamnet. He was born and died at 11 years of age but no record of how he died. So the whole movie is made up except for their children. According to Shakespeare historians, the play Hamlet was written 4 years after Hamnet's death.

Anne is called Agnes here for no given reason. She is an herbalist and rumored to be the daughter of a witch. Anne Shakespeare must be rolling in her grave. Authors and moviemakers think they can just make stuff up and I find taking liberties with stories of real life people a disgrace. I don't care if they tell a great story.  

The overly dramatic ending is supposed to be captivating, full of symbolism, and has deeper meaning. Sorry, I was not impressed. It is no different from ordinary tearjerkers. The only significant part is that Agnes realized that William is after all grieving for their dead son. She previously was mad at him for not being present when Hamnet died but William was in London working. What did she expect? There were no cellphones then so he didn't know. Typical unreasonable wife.

I can't recommend it. Streaming on Netflix.

The Red House Mystery

tags: A. A. Milne, mystery

Goodreads

The Red House Mystery is a classic "whodunit" set in an English country house. An eclectic cast of characters are gathered in the house when the owner's brother, recently arrived from Australia, is found murdered in a locked room. Two of the house guests take the investigation upon themselves and they wade almost playfully through the abundance of evidence and theories.

I never knew A. A Milne wrote a whodunnit novel. It's a locked room mystery and I liked it although a bit forgettable and formulaic. 

Recommended because of the author and it is a short read.

Black Trick: The Lawyer Who Controls Justice

tags: Gackt, Japanese dorama, legal thriller, Netflix

From MyDramaList

“If justice is crushed by lies, then let lies be used to protect justice.”

Set in a modern society where information spread through the internet and media can easily shape public opinion, the story follows Naoto Uramashi, a man who refuses to accept public judgment without uncovering the truth for himself.

When innocent people are branded as criminals and silenced by society, Naoto stands by his clients and fights to prove their innocence. In order to confront powerful figures willing to fabricate anything to escape punishment, he uses deception of his own to expose the truth hidden behind lies.

It looks quirky and it stars Gackt, therefore. a must watch for me.

Similar to Jun Matsumoto's 99.99%, also streaming on Netflix.