I finished another book!

Well, this is really my third, but i'm not counting one of them yet as I have doubts to it's accuracy.

2. The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck.

Well, it's a classic for a reason I guess. This books hurts. A lot. The opening chapter is one the most memorable and heart-breaking that i've ever read. There's a whole lotta things you could say about this books. It's definitely worth reading though.

There's an interesting little afterword written by Bernard A. Weisberger in the edition of the book I read (the Reader's Digest one, if you're interested) and I think it sums the books very well. The book is odd in that it's essentially a period piece, yet has someone managed to outlive its period. You could describe this book as that pioneer roadtrip gone horribly horribly wrong. And that's no joke.

Steinbeck splices interludes within the first-person experiences of the book, and he's able to write third-person in a very engaging manner that's sometimes more interesting than that of the first person. "Steinbeck wrote the book in layers, in order to rip the nerves of its readers to rags by making them participate in the actuality," and I think he's done that very well. This is essentially a story about the forgotten man, who is now made unforgettable.

On another note, I watched Searching for Bobby Fischer. Not having read the book, i'm unable to compare it to that, but as a film it has merit. It's about Joshua Waitzkin, or as I call him, "The Josh", the chess prodigy who ends up being a National Master at 13 and an International Master at 16. That's one rank away from Grandmaster. I'd heard of the movie, and wasn't sure what it is about, thinking it was about the mysterious disappearence of Bobby Fischer all those years ago. It started with the focus on the little kid, and I wasn't sure where it was going until about 15 mins in, when chess is first mentioned. Then all the connections kick in, like how they seem to casually mention that he's turning seven, and the fact there are interludes about Bobby Fischer. I realise it's "The Josh." The movie has a surprisingly good cast: Ben Kingsley, a trim Lawrence Fishburne (Does living inside the Matrix make you fat?), awesome and lovable William H. Macy looking all grizzled and manly (it's doesn't suit him, but don't tell him that. Plus he got great lines in the movie.) Max Pomeranc, who plays Josh, does a very good job, for a child actor having to play a chess prodigy. The entire cast put on a great performance, under what is obviously the able direction of Steven Zaillian. Granted, parts of the movie are a little overly dramatic, but I haven't seen such a gripping and endearing movie about chess. Ever.