The gang is all back for this new series on Hernan Diaz’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Trust! Join as we try not to spoil the rest of the book, discuss what makes Diaz’s approach so compelling, contemplate who part one is most sympathetic toward, and much more. Happy listening!
Now hold on—I didn’t know anything about this book before starting! I didn’t even have a back cover to peruse because I’m reading via kindle. So I paused the episode and read further so as not to have any spoilers! 😅 I loved the experience of knowing nothing about this book and being utterly confused when I came to the end of Bonds—wondering if I’d accidentally finished the entire book. I went back and read the table of contents and was even more confused! It’s been a delightful mystery on many levels!
I wasn't sure I was going to listen because I had conflicted feelings about the book, but now I'm glad to dig in with the four of you.
When it comes to craft, yes, Diaz is a master. That's what I enjoyed--the puzzle of the book. What I did not enjoy were the two main characters. They strike me as people without chests, and that made it hard for me to sympathize with them. I love complicated characters, even when they do immoral things (I am self-appointed president of the Give Erlend A Chance fan club), but these two ... ay yi yi. I think they left the world a worse place than they found it.
I loved this book the first time around, but wasn't going to reread it. Wow, I am so glad I am, because as usual I am noticing different things and you guys are drawing things out that I had not thought of. Can't wait to continue with you guys.
This is my first read and I have only read Bond's novel (i.e., still need to read Parts 2-4) because I did not want to get ahead. I agree that Helen's story is heartbreaking but I am much more sympathetic to Benjamin Rask than I heard on the podcast. I don't see him as motivated by power or trying to control Helen. Instead, I see him as a brilliant but amoral problem-solver. I can relate to his enjoyment of the financial markets as a game because I channel a similar desire to solve problems to engineering and analysis. I imagine him diving into games when stressed or struggling although he seems to not have options beyond his work whereas I can play sudoku or crosswords or others. I also recognize the temptation to amorality and ignoring the consequences of "solving the problem." I also see his great temptation is for "respect" not "power." He thinks he is the best problem solver (smartest person?) in the room and desires the "hum" of knowing others recognize that ability. He does not trust those who have different ways of thinking. I think he felt like he was doing the best for Helen by trusting "his" people instead of Dr. Frahm's questionable methods. Humility is challenging for a person with those gifts.
I couldn't agree more with Tim (et al.!) when you said that this book has gotten better on a re-read. I imagine it's confusing for a first time reader but I am SO impressed with Diaz on my second time through -- his craft is incredible; his careful plotting; his clear planning and characterization... I'm in awe. I hope he writes something again soon.
Can anyone give a breakdown for each week on the Audible version? It’s divided into stories, not parts. I’m almost done with Bonds: A Novel by Harold Vanner. Is that the stopping point for Part 1?
If this is discussed already, sorry! I haven’t listened to the first podcast yet.
I disagree with David. I think Sean has the advantage over the rest because he has not previously read the book. The episodes where none, or one, of the gang has read the whole book are more enjoyable because everyone is taking part in discovery. After the first 13 min I decided to read the whole book first, and then listen to the podcasts
Appreciated the discussion of how the narrator remains fairly distant throughout most of Bonds. It took me a while to put my finger on that. At first I found myself flipping ahead to look for dialogue so I could connect with the characters, and there was none to be found. (After all, "What is the use of a book ... without pictures or conversations?" -Alice) With the absence of any dialogue in this entire 125-page section -- except for that one show-stopper of a sentence: "I." -- Diaz ran the risk of keeping the reader too much at arms' length, but he really pulled it off. Meanwhile, it felt right that Benjamin would be the only one to get a word in edgewise -- and of course, that word was all about himself. :) Even with the narrative distance, the story soon completely sucked me in, and I am loving this book!
When I read this, I have to say I was glad to realize it wasn’t going to be 400 pages of Bonds-style prose.
That being said, I think part one is compelling because the style really reminds me of books I’ve read for classes, like a class on the Harlem Renaissance, where we were so deep into the period that we read some things that are historically significant, or significant for the development of the genre/form, and they’re compelling enough but not necessarily remembered as “great novels.” It’s fun because you see in those novels pieces of how we ended up where we are today, and in this novel Diaz is reversing that by trying to imitate the older form.
Already very keen to read the rest of this book! I was struck by the mirroring of Rask's perception of the 'hum' around him due to his wealth and status and Helen's perception of the threat and hatred around her for the same reasons. A neat juxtaposition of each of their perceptions of their place in the world and how they understand their separate loneliness.
Now hold on—I didn’t know anything about this book before starting! I didn’t even have a back cover to peruse because I’m reading via kindle. So I paused the episode and read further so as not to have any spoilers! 😅 I loved the experience of knowing nothing about this book and being utterly confused when I came to the end of Bonds—wondering if I’d accidentally finished the entire book. I went back and read the table of contents and was even more confused! It’s been a delightful mystery on many levels!
I wasn't sure I was going to listen because I had conflicted feelings about the book, but now I'm glad to dig in with the four of you.
When it comes to craft, yes, Diaz is a master. That's what I enjoyed--the puzzle of the book. What I did not enjoy were the two main characters. They strike me as people without chests, and that made it hard for me to sympathize with them. I love complicated characters, even when they do immoral things (I am self-appointed president of the Give Erlend A Chance fan club), but these two ... ay yi yi. I think they left the world a worse place than they found it.
I loved this book the first time around, but wasn't going to reread it. Wow, I am so glad I am, because as usual I am noticing different things and you guys are drawing things out that I had not thought of. Can't wait to continue with you guys.
We’ve gone from Predict-Tim to Predict-Sean 😂
This is my first read and I have only read Bond's novel (i.e., still need to read Parts 2-4) because I did not want to get ahead. I agree that Helen's story is heartbreaking but I am much more sympathetic to Benjamin Rask than I heard on the podcast. I don't see him as motivated by power or trying to control Helen. Instead, I see him as a brilliant but amoral problem-solver. I can relate to his enjoyment of the financial markets as a game because I channel a similar desire to solve problems to engineering and analysis. I imagine him diving into games when stressed or struggling although he seems to not have options beyond his work whereas I can play sudoku or crosswords or others. I also recognize the temptation to amorality and ignoring the consequences of "solving the problem." I also see his great temptation is for "respect" not "power." He thinks he is the best problem solver (smartest person?) in the room and desires the "hum" of knowing others recognize that ability. He does not trust those who have different ways of thinking. I think he felt like he was doing the best for Helen by trusting "his" people instead of Dr. Frahm's questionable methods. Humility is challenging for a person with those gifts.
I couldn't agree more with Tim (et al.!) when you said that this book has gotten better on a re-read. I imagine it's confusing for a first time reader but I am SO impressed with Diaz on my second time through -- his craft is incredible; his careful plotting; his clear planning and characterization... I'm in awe. I hope he writes something again soon.
Can anyone give a breakdown for each week on the Audible version? It’s divided into stories, not parts. I’m almost done with Bonds: A Novel by Harold Vanner. Is that the stopping point for Part 1?
If this is discussed already, sorry! I haven’t listened to the first podcast yet.
I disagree with David. I think Sean has the advantage over the rest because he has not previously read the book. The episodes where none, or one, of the gang has read the whole book are more enjoyable because everyone is taking part in discovery. After the first 13 min I decided to read the whole book first, and then listen to the podcasts
Appreciated the discussion of how the narrator remains fairly distant throughout most of Bonds. It took me a while to put my finger on that. At first I found myself flipping ahead to look for dialogue so I could connect with the characters, and there was none to be found. (After all, "What is the use of a book ... without pictures or conversations?" -Alice) With the absence of any dialogue in this entire 125-page section -- except for that one show-stopper of a sentence: "I." -- Diaz ran the risk of keeping the reader too much at arms' length, but he really pulled it off. Meanwhile, it felt right that Benjamin would be the only one to get a word in edgewise -- and of course, that word was all about himself. :) Even with the narrative distance, the story soon completely sucked me in, and I am loving this book!
When I read this, I have to say I was glad to realize it wasn’t going to be 400 pages of Bonds-style prose.
That being said, I think part one is compelling because the style really reminds me of books I’ve read for classes, like a class on the Harlem Renaissance, where we were so deep into the period that we read some things that are historically significant, or significant for the development of the genre/form, and they’re compelling enough but not necessarily remembered as “great novels.” It’s fun because you see in those novels pieces of how we ended up where we are today, and in this novel Diaz is reversing that by trying to imitate the older form.
Already very keen to read the rest of this book! I was struck by the mirroring of Rask's perception of the 'hum' around him due to his wealth and status and Helen's perception of the threat and hatred around her for the same reasons. A neat juxtaposition of each of their perceptions of their place in the world and how they understand their separate loneliness.