Exploring Certainty and Uncertainty through Literature
My recent foray into literature provided an uncommon and thrilling insight, driven primarily due to the process of authoring my book. In the process, I was intrigued by the extensive dialogue surrounding the concept of uncertainty, particularly how it can overshadow some of the more detrimental certainties that underpin current societal challenges. Unfortunately, most writings seem to revere unending skepticism, without examining the certainties that persist and form the basis of societal structures, such as territorial demarcations, asset ownerships, gender constructs, and more. Nonetheless, I found solace in a remarkably insightful book by Adam Kucharski, a renowned mathematician and epidemiologist, titled ‘Proof: The Uncertain Science of Certainty.’
Kucharski’s book stands out as he meticulously analyses the normative practices and presumptions used in multiple domains – law, economics, medicine, and politics – to establish concrete proof and certainty. His narrative stands out due to his illustrative anecdotes. One such example includes the episode where Kurt Gödel, the father of modern mathematics, during his U.S. citizenship ceremony in 1947, revealed he had unearthed the path to a fascist regime in the U.S., paradoxically reliant on the Constitution’s inherent contradictions, not its rejection.
Another literary gem I frequently revisit is ‘The Trip to Echo Spring: On Writers and Drinking’ by Olivia Laing. Each reading reveals a new layer in this wonderfully penned and uniquely structured book. It offers riveting literary criticism and fuses elements of biography, memoir, and travel. The narrative deftly explores the intertwined lives of six exceptional authors – F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, John Berryman, John Cheever, and Raymond Carver – each renowned for their writing prowess and their affinity for alcohol.
As we approach the eightieth anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the U.S., the horrors of these incidents seem to be diminishing from collective memories. With rising geopolitical tensions and wavering commitments to associates by the Trump administration, nations previously devoid of nuclear weaponry are reconsidering their stance. Amidst these developments, I believe everyone should read John Hersey’s ‘Hiroshima,’ an eye-opening account that presents the reality of the nuclear aftermath from a survivor’s perspective, first published as an article in The New Yorker in 1946.
In ‘Lakota America: A New History of Indigenous Power’, Pekka Hämäläinen provides an intriguing, academic perspective on the Lakotas, positioning them as central figures rather than side characters. For those planning to tour the Upper Midwest and Great Plains, this book comes highly recommended. Equally recommended is Andreas Malm’s ‘The Destruction of Palestine Is the Destruction of the Earth’ where he attempts to unpack the firm ties binding Israel, the U.S., and the West and underscores the West’s strategic role in the ruin of Palestine due to control and exploitation of the region’s fossil resources.
Rick Steves’ ‘On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer’ offers an unexplored facet of Steves. Known for his confident travel guides, this book allows us to witness Steves as a young, naive backpacker venturing into a world of adept explorers. It encapsulate the raw zeal of a traveler, capturing a bygone period when Western adventurers voyaged through Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, freely immersing in the local culture of cities like Kabul.
Leah Litman’s ‘Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes’ poignantly expresses how the summer season becomes dismal for lawyers, as the U.S. Supreme Court ends its term with a cascade of rulings, leading us to reassess what remains of foundational constitutional precedents. The novel ‘The Buried Giant’ by Kazuo Ishiguro, despite being peculiar, was quite engrossing, merging elements of fantasy and allegory, touching upon themes of deceit and betrayal exhibited at both national and personal levels.
André Dao’s ‘Anam’ is a profound exploration of family legacy revolving around the narrator’s deceased grandfather who served as an anti-communist in Vietnam. Through Dao’s narrative, readers grapple with the narrator’s left-leaning politics and his dissatisfaction with his heritage. Jonas Hassen Khemiri’s ‘The Sisters’ weaves a compelling narrative across different times and places, featuring a family curse and the author himself as a young boy who endeavours to retrieve his unique bond with the Mikkola sisters.
‘Circe’ by Madeline Miller has been a constant companion even in these troubled times, offering a delightful diversion into the world of Greek Mythology. Another recommendation is ‘The Boy and the Dog’ by Seish? Hase, inspired by the imagined adventures of my pup. Hase’s novel follows the journey of a remarkable dog who, after being separated from his owner following a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Japan, ventures on a poignant journey of search and solace.
In the realm of contemporary literature, I immensely enjoyed ‘Operation Shylock’ by Philip Roth and ‘Martyr!’ by Kaveh Akbar. Their insightful engagements on themes like legacy, identity, generational trauma, and unreliable narrators make them a must-read. Joseph Finder’s ‘The Oligarch’s Daughter,’ a modern spy thriller set in New York, offers an invigorating twist on the classic Cold War narrative.
For lovers of poetry, June Jordan’s ‘The Essential June Jordan’ is a treasure trove. Her verse oscillates between themes of love, home, politics, motherhood, and loss, all the while revealing uncomfortable truths about America’s genocidal history. Lastly, if art fascinates you, the ’90s art zine Too Negative from Japan should catch your interest. An issue typically unleashes a riot of grotesque tabloid art, intercut with vintage medical conditions, leading to a delightful ‘monstrous in-between sensation’ of being simultaneously ultra and non-human.