Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

In recent years, I have been most invigorated and energized by my acquaintance with some classic German literature, in the main Hermann Hesse and Thomas Mann and, I will say, finding it more stimulating and engaging than most of the work by English writers that I have encountered in the same period.

This process has also brought me into contact with the world of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and I recently read his novel Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship, which had been lurking unread on my Kindle for some little time.

I didn't weigh myself down by seeking to determine whether this was a novel of ideas, a philosophical novel, or a bildungsroman. I am in accord with those who have noted that it defies easy categorization.

Basically, the story follows the journey of the eponymous character, as he strives to escape a bourgeois career, and initially seeks to make a career as an actor. The tension between the bourgeois and the bohemian, the worldly and the spiritual, reminded me, superficially at least, of the works of Hermann Hesse.

Particularly to a modern reader, the story does not appear stunningly original, but it is so absorbing that this is largely immaterial. The characters discuss all manner of ideas encompassing art, literature, religion, politics, philosophy and human nature.  Wilhelm's interest in Hamlet and Shakespeare serves as a kind of peg for part of the way.

The discourse is given added authenticity because the novel was composed at the time when societal and cultural ferment was acute.  This is not some idealized, misty-eyed historical novel.  This sense of realism is accentuated by the fact that the ideas do not protrude forcefully from the narrative, but tend to blend quite seamlessly into the flow of the text.  I found this to be the case especially with the gentle commentary concerning the class structures of those times.

An intriguing aspect of this novel which recurs throughout is the scrutiny of the concepts of Fate and Destiny, as they were up against notions of reason and the idea of making one's own "luck". I related sharply to the parts of the story which stressed the value of falling back on something less exalted and fanciful, and of guarding against unrealistic aspirations in life.

Women play a prominent role throughout the story, especially assertive, educated females from affluent or intellectual backgrounds. I'm not sure whether Goethe was trying to make a point in this regard, but it does endow the novel with an added dimension, and was perhaps intended as subtle social commentary.

The opening chapters engender an immersive and stimulating atmosphere, and before long I found myself genuinely caring about many of the characters and their fortunes, and also identifying with their feelings and their dilemmas. Goethe does seem to have that facility to tug at the heart-strings, and it is displayed most pointedly in the passages which deal with Wilhelm's romantic and emotional entanglements and upheavals.  His alternating anguish and ebullience certainly struck a chord.

This is one of those novels which may reveal its true and full depth with repeated readings. The intricacies of the plot and the subtleties of the characterizations may thereby be more vividly illustrated. Importantly, it has some instructive things to say about how we should improve ourselves and enrich our lives, through activity and cultivating a curiosity about the outside world, rather than lingering in introspection.

Quite a long haul, this one, but a rewarding one, and I can readily see how it has been quite influential down the decades.

Senna versus Prost - Malcolm Folley

I recently purchased the Kindle version of Malcolm Folley's book Senna versus Prost.

My appreciation of this book blossomed as my reading of it progressed. Following the first few chapters, I found myself lamenting that it offered little in the way of new information, and the format itself seemed clumsy and confusing. However, as I worked my way through it, it began to make a lot more sense.

The stated remit of this publication, to chronicle the legendary rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, is not always adhered to slavishly, and it often feels more like a re-telling of Formula 1 history in the approximate period 1980-1994.  The text sometimes dwells on issues with only a tenuous or indirect link to the Senna versus Prost dynamic.  To be fair, these tangents often make for enlightening and entertaining reading!

The problem faced by any author seeking to tell the tale of "Senna versus Prost" is that there is very little genuinely new to say, the story having been analysed and committed to paper ad nauseam. However, Folley does a creditable job, taking the trouble to undertake new interviews with many of the key figures, including Prost himself, and also drivers and team personnel who were closely connected to the two men. The input of these individuals, particularly their colourful and amusing "behind the scenes" anecdotes, forms the backbone of the book for me.

Whether or not this book merely retraces old ground will depend to some extent on the vintage of the reader, and also which books and articles they have accessed over the years.  The genuinely new information can be extracted with care.

To his credit, I thought that Folley did a fine job of conveying a sense of how the atmosphere between the two drivers, within the McLaren team, and in the sport generally, gradually became more poisonous, particularly in the period 1989-1993.  It also brought back to me vividly the bitter taste which I felt in my mouth around the time of Suzuka '89.  The egos and back-biting are certainly laid bare here., and some of the memories are unedifying, but compelling nonetheless.  It all makes some of the controversies of more recent times seem tame by comparison.

Surprises?  Well, I thought that the 1990 season overall was given scant coverage, and the actual race in Japan in 1989 was not described as intensively as I expected, though in fairness the off-track aftermath is done justice.

So how do the two drivers emerge from it all?   Prost appeared principled but perhaps naive,  realising too late that in the shape of Senna he was dealing with somebody on a different plane, talent and personality wise, to what he had previously been confronted with.  One could also argue that he was embroiled in just as many, if not more, intrigues as Senna, and with more different team-mates....

The genius and prodigious talent and intensity of Senna are amply outlined, but his flaws are not overlooked, the author largely leaving the words of the Brazilian's contemporaries and rivals to tell the tale.

To hardcore enthusiasts and historians, the treatement of some aspects of this tale might seem overly simplistic and "populist", but for the uninitiated or the casual reader, it will be be different.  This is arguably a cut above your average, run-of-the-mill, Formula 1 pot-boiler.  The book benefits from the passage of time, as this allows a more detached and nuanced assessment, and some key protagonists are willing and able to be more forthcoming, candid and frank with their opinions.  Jo Ramirez, Damon Hill, Martin Brundle and Derek Warwick and others offer cutting opinions and verdicts.

All in all, a good read, but it may well be that the definitive book on the Senna/Prost era has yet to be written....

Kindle Or Real Books?

Well, after a lot of persuasion from one friend in particular, I have purchased a Kindle.  I am assured that this will open up a whole vista of new possibilities, and enhance my life immeasurably.

As something of a Luddite on matters technological, I always need to be dragged kicking and screaming to embrace the latest "must-have" gadget or innovation.  The process was the same with games consoles, mobile phones and PCs.

In fairness, I am impressed by what I have so far seen from the Kindle. The device itself seems user-friendly, neat and efficient, and the mechanism for downloading Kindle books is much swifter and more seamless than I had envisaged. The reading experience itself also appears pleasing and straightforward.

Having said all this, I still find it difficult to imagine totally forsaking the world of "real", tangible paper books any time soon.  I know that it sounds trite, but there is something inherently comforting and reassuring in holding a book in one's hands, as if the space between the covers symbolizes a whole secret and mysterious world waiting to be uncovered, discovered and explored.

I am not a particularly strong advocate of technology for technology's sake, and there is a tendency these days to view the medium as more important than the content or the message.  However, I can see how the Kindle and its ilk will continue to take hold, although it will take a long time for such devices to truly supplant the paper book in our affections.

From what I have heard and seen, the Kindle is very much causing a buzz, partly through pure word of mouth, and there is an element of peer pressure at work, as with other such items in the past, in persuading people to buy them. Some people will probably get one in order to "keep up with the Joneses" on a micro-scale, for fear of feeling left out of chatter, or becoming a social pariah.

I can say, hand on heart, that I bought mine in order to complement and augment my existing reading habits, and to take advantage of the sheer variety of literature available on the Kindle format.  The move may also save me a bit of shelf space at home!

Some future posts on this blog may well be inspired and prompted by my Kindle reading....