Under the Volcano (7218)

Rating:
Summary: Chewing day-old bread...
Review: ...but that's a good thing. It builds character (and muscle).

In any event, I would hazard to guess that the people for whom this book doesn't resonate are those that one would hate to encounter and be buttonholed by in a pub.

I'll stake my colors to the mast: I'm a drinker. Being such, I can understand a wide variety of behaviors amongst those who habituate themselves to the use of said soporific. Perhaps more Nepenthe, though I can't imagine most of the negative reviewers will understand where that particular "substance" can fit into their world view.

To the book...well, let's just say that this isn't something one picks up for a "beach read" or can simply lug along when one is "on the throne". This is a difficult book. And, like all difficult art, its quality isn't revealed to those with short attention spans. I consider myself to be a VORACIOUS reader, and it took me longer to get through this book than I would ordinarily allot; but once I was finished, I immediately started reading it again, and to much greater effect, I must confess.

Let me cut this short by saying this: I almost stopped reading "The Sun Also Rises"; I almost stopped reading Kafka's "The Trial; but I pushed on and was rewarded beyond what I could have possibly imagined. Sometimes--most times???--great art will make you uncomfortable.

This book will not reinforce your worldview that you are fantastic; it's a (possibly) flawed book for flawed peoople. But if you are capable of feeling, you'll *eventually* realize that this is one of the MOST important books you have ever read. It *WILL* influence you far beyond what you may have gotten from an initial, cursory reading.

Rating:
Summary: Joyce on mescal
Review: Malcolm Lowry's "Under the Volcano" is one of the best books I've read in a while. Published in 1947, it's today considered by many (and recently, myself) to be one of the greatest novels written in the English language; Lowry combines elegant poetic prose, first-hand perspectives, and cultured differences to present a mastery of celestial writing in what I found to be a quick read.

To give a brief synopsis; a self-deposed Consul living in Mexico becomes an alcholic, and is ignorant to his cheating wife and two-faced friends. This much is assumed when the story starts---it picks up from a point where his wife who has left him returns to Mexico in hopes of pulling him out of his dilemma that he can't do on his own. The whole book takes place on Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead, a Latin holiday when all give respect to friends/family/people who have died), 1938, in a town shadowed by two volcanos.

"Under the Volcano" is by no means an action book, although it is one of the quicker reads I've had in a while. To quote the afterword given, it is a book that "addresses universal values of love, individual integrity, faith, and brotherhood," while at the same time enveloping the reader in a story that cannot be put down.

Some previous reviewers mentioned that the style of writing was difficult to understand. Certain aspects can complicate, but by no means impede, comprehension of his writing. For instance, since the story takes place in Latin America, there is a lot of Spanish used. Being multilingual helps, but I found that had I not understood Spanish, the general idea would have still been portrayed. Then there is also the occasional lack of punctuation, which signifies the "voices" in the Consul's alcoholic psyche. When reading these excerpts, you can find that it not only makes sense, but sheds light on an area that none of us would have been able to understand had we not read it from someone who has experienced these things first hand.

As for the actual book, it's quite well put together. It has an attractive cover, an informative introduction and afterword, and an easy to read typeface (I read it in a weekend). One thing that did confuse me was the constant spelling errors. As I mentioned before, there are many times when the books withdraws from normal action into a mental state where confusion in the writing is intended, but I also noticed at least 20 instances where certain words were misspelled, letters were left off, et cetera. By no means does this detract from the book, however.

Overall, this is an amazing book, and one that you should definitely purchase---it might even change your outlook on life.

Rating:
Summary: Don't Miss Reading This Great Classic!
Review: near ENCYCLOPEDIAN account hillarous TOLD IN DIZZYdroll ATTENTION TO DETAILs HAILShells Bells GLORY DETOXIFICATING, NEAR SUb ATOMIC miniscule AND EPOCH spawning VAST IN ITS hideous UNFOLDING ONEs VERY LONG DAY.ALCHOHOL along excursion EQUAL PARTS folly,[ HAZY BLANK ACCOUNTS OF A SOUL LOST IN PASSAGES LINED WITH DETOURS, NO MANS LAND, FEEbleFALL BUZZ WE GO inEXOTIC] TOURISTugly glory. FOREIGNtoon dig ararchealogy LIMBED LANDSCAPE ever Scared there was ..OF A MIND. CRUMBLING UNDER DISSTRESS, NO DOUBT ABOUT STUMBLE ..bLIND ITSBRILLIANCE AND ACCEPTANCE OF FAYE BOTH HEORIC AND COWARDLY THE CONSUL CLOWN WEAR HIS CONSUL CLOWN ALCHOL[lick] crown OF FOLLY ....EXCESS IN ALL ITS SORDId masOsado glory hell... STUMBLEIN A HAZE SULPHUROUS,ether TRYIN TO MAINTAIN.... aFOCUS,SOME understanding ANCHOR [HIS SORDID sorry remorse .PISSING Festivals UNRAVELING lies[ OF THE LOST,DOOMED OR FORSAKEN], PLAY TOO UNFLINGING UNDER A VOLCANO,on the verge of ERUPTIONS marvelous foretold, often forestalled in emptyBLINDMAD BLANK banality.FLYS forestalled in festoons.LIES.unforgiven.

Rating:
Summary: Under the bus
Review: Probably one of the more challenging books you'll come across. I think I would enjoy it even more if I knew even 1/10 of the literary references. The entire book was confusing to me at times, but I couldn't stop reading it. The last chapter is probably my favorite ending of all time. The first cahpter is not my favorite of all time. I really don't know anyone in the world whom I could reccomend this too. So I hope you'll enjoy it. There were a lot of typograstical errers in the texzt, that made me giddy and overactious and sometimes gassy. Maybe top 20 books I have ever read, think I'll go have a sandwich.

Rating:
Summary: Lethargic and convoluted path of a drunkard
Review: The book chronicles, with occasional reminiscences of its characters, events of one day in which Geoffrey Firmin, an ex-British consul in Mexico, sidled up to this inevitable fatality. His wife Yvonne arrived in Quauhnahuac to rescue him (from alcohol abuse) and their failing marriage at the inspiration of a vision of restarting a life together away from Mexico as well as the circumstances that had so inevitably driven their relationship to the brink of collapse. The presence of Hugh, Geoffrey's half-brother who had a crush on Yvonne, and childhood friend Laurelle further complicated the effort to rescue the ex-consul.

Hopelessly morose and alienated, Geoffrey, who experienced a heightened sense of consciousness and the imminence of fatality, had forfeited his trust in Yvonne for she had been with Hugh under the cover of saving him. It is amazing how uneventfully all the events constitute to the entire novel. Under the Volcano is such a powerful, lyrical statement of a chronic drunkard filled with rigid but somewhat fragmented prose. It captures the human conditions and one man's persistent struggle against the elemental forces that threaten to destroy him. The prose pervades a man's battle for the survival of human consciousness. At the same time imbedded in the narrative affords hints of his imminent fatality.

Under the Volcano is riddled with an air of lethargy and slowness. A ubiquitous theme is the consul's persistent temptation of getting his next drink. He frequently relapsed into a stream-of-conscious, hallucinatory conversation with a gabbled voice in his head, which pejoratively objurgated his lack of self-control. The volcano, despite its geographical location, might be thought as some abyss into which the consul descended for the harrowing. Other than the rigid prose and symbols that exemplify the main character, Under the Volcano is not a pleasurable read to say the least and it can be exhausting to one's patience. I say you will not be at a loss to pass this one.

2004 (15) ©MY

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Surface, mysterious depths
Review: Under the Volcano chronicles the last day in the life of the British Consul to Quauhnahuac, Mexico. The surface story recounts how his ex-wife, Yvonne, and his half-brother, Hugh, try to pull him from the alcoholic funk he's fallen into, and in the course of the day, they visit several locations in and around Quauhnahuac.

The descriptive prose makes the setting come alive, and you're left with the feeling of actually seen some of these places. The mini parks, the ruins of Maximilian's Palace, the cinema, the backyard of the Consul's house, and the great volcano, Popocatepetel, which keeps appearing and disappearing, growing and shrinking, as they wander around the landscape - all these things become very real under Lowry's brilliant examination.

Inspired by Joyce, Lowry's book has several parallels with Ulysses. Except for the first chapter, it all takes place in a single day -- November 1, 1938 (the Mexican holiday called "The Day of the Dead.") There are three principal characters, two male, one female, who wander around the landscape, etc. However, Ulysses is an extremely difficult read, and all the interesting parts are below the surface; Under the Volcano is an easy read, and quite satisfactory without looking deeper.

A lot has been written about the deeper meanings of the book, of course, but the most obvious seems to be the allegory to Europe on the edge of war. In this view, the Consul represents the old Europe heading to its destruction despite the efforts of idealists to save it. Or perhaps more accurately, the senseless decline of the Consul to his death parallels the senseless descent of Europe into the destruction of World War II. Likewise as the day proceeds the bright hope of the morning darkens as the sun declines into the hopeless dark and storms that come with the night. And the very first chapter - the one set exactly one year later - is darkened by a tremendous storm -- a storm which seems to represent the European war then already in full career.

A powerful book, thoroughly enjoyable, and meriting repeated reading.

Rating:
Summary: Great Novel, Crappy Edition
Review: Under the Volcano is a great novel--one of my favorites. But this edition has many, many spelling errors and typos...so many that they're a distraction. It's a shame, because otherwise I think this edition's design is clean and very readable. Definitely read the book if you're interested, but not this edition.

Rating:
Summary: "The free will of man is unconquerable."
Review: Under the Volcano represents the ultimate oxymoron: a fun classic. For those who enjoy stellar, if not unpredictable, imagery and use of literary tools to the hilt, this book will energize you. Conversely, for those who are just looking for an engrossing read, this book fits the mold as well. Lowry, in what is still a truly seminal and novel approach, employs an amazingly diverse array of literary elements in a semi-autobiographical manner that make the read more rewarding for the more serious reader.

In the first chapter, which begins on the fittingly gloomy Day of the Dead in Quauhnahuac, Mexico, Lowry immediately sets the tone of the entire novel as we encounter our anti-hero, The Consul, in a perpetual drunken stupor. Chapter 2 begins, oddly enough, on the same day -- one year later in 1939. For the remainder of the book, one follows in the wobbly footsteps of the drunken Consul for what amounts to be 12 hours.

The reader is led on a meandering, if not convoluted, path between lucid sobriety and hazy drunkenness, between the past and the present, & between an ominous and foreboding sense of impending doom to a renewed feeling of hope -- all in an extraordinarily masterful way. For those who discount this book as simply "a book about a drunk," you do nothing more than flaunt your ignorance; it is, instead, a book that speaks uniquely of the human condition, free will, remorse, reconciliation, duplicity, and the duality of despondency and hope.

"The novel can be read simply as a story which you can skip if you want. It can be read as a story you will get more out of if you don't skip. It can be regarded as a kind of symphony, or in another way as a kind of opera--or even a horse opera. It is hot music, a poem, a song, a comedy, a farce, and so forth. It is superficial, profound, entertaining, and boring, according to taste. It is a prophecy, a political warning, a cryptogram, a preposterous movie."
- Malcolm Lowry to his publisher Jonathan Cape, January 2, 1946

Rating:
Summary: Mescal, Por Favor.
Review: Where to begin? I finished reading Under the Volcanop three months ago and I am still uncertain about my reaction. On one hand I admire the depth of the novel, but am somewhat disconcerted that it eludes me like a drunken mumble. I am excited by the characters, but I am drained by the plot.

Since I am not a moron (I hope), I can only surmise that if the book had less than a compelling effect on me, then this was due to a flaw of creation rather than to a deficiency in my ability to perceive deftly written word, poignant themes and nuanced emotions before me on the page. Thus, I will not accept that this is implicity a "brilliant" book merely because I am frightened to appear otherwise.

It is a difficult read, but one that may pay off for the reader if he/she has a tendency to behave in a self-pitying and self-destructive manner. Alcoholic impotence sufferers who have a special affinity for third world dive bars will be especially pleased with a reading. Symbolism about fascism and the coming war in Europe is as graceful and insightful as a patriotic musical written by Soviet copyboys.

I also caution the would-be reader that reading this may induce at least one ill-fated experiment with the rough beast of Mescal. Enjoy and bring napkins.

Rating:
Summary: Drink yourself sober
Review: yukytjkuioejrkiopjgegokijergtfjhñtfhgergherwkigrgdfnvfd,mnvlfdvnnirajeg{fjdlgjfd{gf

Sorry, that was me banging my head against the keyboard. This was a painful book to read. The person who wrote the afterword claims to have read Under The Volcano more than 30 times, each time more and more pleasurable. Perhaps there are people out there like that, but my guess is that the average reader is not one of them. This is certainly great literature - don't get me wrong - but I wouldn't consider it eminently readable. It's a classic in the tradition of James Joyce - the kind of book that you have to work at, sometimes struggle with, in order to enjoy.

And it's not just the prose that is a chore at times, with its frequent meanderings and obscure literary references. The subject matter is difficult, also. Geoffrey, our main character, is searching for his identity and salvation amongst a thousand empty and broken bottles. He is so far lost in alcoholism that he has to drink himself sober each day simply to survive. So in a very real sense, his daily survival depends on his perpetuating an addiction that is not-so-slowly killing him. He is dsyfunctional in every sense of the word - physically, socially, emotionally. And his wife, Yvonne, and brother, Hugh, accompany him on this day-long journey which seems certainly headed for destruction, at times appearing to help him, at other times doing little more than enabling his drinking problem.

If you're going to give this book a try, be patient with it. Give it your full attention, read it closely and carefully, and don't expect the words to just jump off the page. You'll need to roll up your sleeves and go in there after each sentence, each paragraph, wrestle with them, and drag them out. If you do, this can be a satisfying read. But if you approach it casually, you could end up just staring at 300 pages of words that give you little satisfaction in the end.