I can’t see. The punctuation.

I recently read Jose Saramago’s Blindness. The premise really grabbed me (this is pretty much on the dustjacket, so no spoiler) - an affliction which causes nearly instant blindness starts spreading through the population. Within what seems to be weeks, all but a single woman are blind.

Considering the impact on a blind society makes me rethink individual blindness, and the emotional fortitude that one must surely draw on to adapt to it. Then continue to extrapolate that to a full society. Perhaps just what Saramago intends.

The book is good, but the author employs an unusual dialogue technique whereby multiple characters speak within a sentence - often with no more clue than a comma to tell us another character is speaking. Perhaps Saramago hopes to elicit more empathy in his character’s struggles by requiring more of his readers (presumably the blind have difficulty determining who is speaking in a group of strangers as well). Or maybe all his novels are written this way - I haven’t read anything else of his, so I can’t say.

I suppose it’s reasonable that one level of despair and hopelessness only sinks to another level, a pattern that continues for much of the story. There is the occasional metaphysical meandering that I did not find to be particularly compelling, but again, I found the concept fascinating, and enjoyed the book on the whole.

A final warning, if you are like me and cringe at the prospect of committing to a multi-volume work of fiction without knowing how much you’ll like the first, be aware that there is a sequel.

Fishing With John

This is a review, of sorts, of the series Fishing With John. I suppose it doesn’t really serve as a review, so much as a recommendation. But be cautious. It’s not for everyone.

Oddball renaissance man John Lurie, the feckless fisherman of title, guides the likes of Willem Dafoe, Dennis Hopper, Tom Waits, Jim Jarmusch, and Matt Dillon on ill-fated, but strange and comical fishing expeditions. From New York to Jamaica to Thailand.

Lurie, beyond his fishing aspirations, is the frontman of The Lounge Lizards, scores films, acts, directs, produces, and paints. The music and films are often critically acclaimed, and often excellent. The paintings, while not to my taste, have fun titles such as: I am a bear. You are an asshole. God is God; Harry didn’t want to say anything, but the appearance of Jesus was ruining his vacation; and If you make me go out I will dance like this.

Few fish are caught throughout the series, but Lurie does catch sight of the value of the footage - just between cerebral and goofy. The production value isn’t spectactular, and there are plenty of stretches of silence and a few presumably inside jokes. Also note the episodes are all about 15 years old. You’ll love it or hate it, so be forwarned. No apologies shall be forthcoming.