Working Backwards

Looking Backward: 2000–1887 by Edward Bellamy

Someone from the late 1800s suddenly finds himself in the 2000. He marvels at the society that looks so different from the time he left. The society had ditched capitalism and adopted a socialist structure. The government runs everything. Everyone does the work they are able to do and gets a similar wage. They still have the ability to choose how they want to spend their earnings. In spite of (or perhaps because of) these societal changes, the society seems otherwise very much like the old society, but with some advancements. Retail looks more like an "amazon showroom". One goes to a retail outlet where a clerk helps you. However, he does not influence your decision. He does assist you in getting almost immediately delivery of your goods. The book is very Utopian. The 1800s person questions the functioning of this socialism, but those concerns are just brushed away. Things simply "work".

American History Stories: 200 Elementary Stories of American History

American History Stories: 200 Elementary Stories of American History ​by Mara L. Pratt

This stories from the history of America were written over a century ago. It is quickly obvious with sentiments that differ from modern views. It starts with Columbus shown as the one person who thought the world was round, while others thought it was flat.

The Civil War was discussed with a balanced, yet modern approach. While the Confederate officers were treated with respect, they were lamented for supporting the "evil" cause of slavery. The book also made clear there were many people at the time that would have preferred not to have a war, and just let the south separate. The southerners were seen as being loyal primarily to their state, while the northerners were loyal first to their country. Even with those loyalties it was only through some subterfuge that some states were able to overcome popular opinion and secede.

Even with the anti-slavery slant, the black slaves, were seen as somewhat inferior. Though those was in part due to the prohibitions on education. Slave holders were not uniform. Some were kind and treated slaves as part of the household. (The author compared these slaves to household servants of the day.) Others were absolutely cruel. The different military leaders were also different in their view. Some might free slaves, while others might flog them for attempting to escape. The book also tells the story of a leader who did not believe the cruelty in Uncle Tom's Cabin, until he saw how things were in New Orleans. 

It is interesting to read the history as seen by people who more closely lived it.

The Aspern Papers

Aspern Papers reminded me of Nabakov's "Pale Fire". In both, an academic is obsessed with himself and a certain poet. They both display the dirty underbelly of academic research. In Aspern papers, the narrator goes to grand extremes of deceitfulness in order to obtain the papers from the poet. Stylistically it is fairly good, though the pacing can be slow and the story somewhat repetitive. I grew to hate the narrator while also wanting him to succeed.