A MOUNTAIN TO THE NORTH, A LAKE TO THE SOUTH, PATHS TO THE WEST, A RIVER TO THE EAST – László Krasznahorkai (2003, transl. 2022)

This blog focuses mainly on speculative fiction, and as such this short novel with a very long title is not out of place: one could approach this as a sensitive mythopoetic tale, about a grandson of a prince, living outside of space and time, wandering the grounds of a monastry in Kyoto, searching for an elusive, possibly perfect, garden.

One could also approach it as high literature of the most oppressive sort, like Marcel Theroux did in The Guardian: “It’s not beyond me to imagine that there are readers who want to surrender to the strangeness of his prose, the long, self-cancelling sentences and the obsessive descriptions. My view is that 100 years after Ulysses and The Waste Land, his writing is a belated tribute act to modernism that perpetuates its worst traits: obscurity, self-referentiality, lazy pessimism and lack of empathy with the lives of non-academic readers.”

Having an academic background myself, I guess I’m biased. I acknowledge that A Mountain to the North, A Lake to the South, Paths to the West, A River to the East is not for everybody – what book is? – but Theroux’s remark is terribly misguided: does he ask of Colleen Hoover if she has empathy with her academic readers? So instead of lazy shots as intellectuals, he might have just acknowledged Krasznahorkai’s 2003 title simply didn’t click with him, because, indeed, he failed to connect with the prose and the themes. There is no shame in that. Shaming its writer however, is not very empathic.

But enough with the negative vibes: I think Északról hegy, Délről tó, Nyugatról hegyek, Keletről folyó is an absolute masterpiece. 5 stars! 6 stars even! I’m not an expert on translation nor Hungarian, but it seems more than remarkable that Ottilie Mulzet managed to translate such peculiar prose from an non-Indo-European language and still conveys something of László Krasznahorkai’s flow and poetry.

This is a book to surrender too, and then be rewarded with a certain ecstasy and wonder about the terrifying miracle and baffling mystery that is all that exists. The nature of reality and the reality of nature is often pondered in literature and art, its infinite mystery even celebrated, but when push comes to shove, its profound and utter incomprehensible strangeness is generally ignored. Not so by Krasznahorkai: it seems the very heart of his writing. A 2022 interview in Rekto:Verso confirms this: “I try to express something that I cannot. The highest art can build a bridge, but only until it reaches the border of the hidden reality – you cannot move beyond that. I try to reach that border through beauty. That is not the only way, but it is my way.”

When Theroux goes on in his review, writing that this book doesn’t seem interested in “the relationships, love, toil, conflicts, needs and interactions of ordinary people” he misses the point, as the lives of people are embedded in the miracle that Krasznahorkai tries to come to grips with. To me, A Mountain to the North showcased nothing but sensitivity for what it means to be alive, even if it also expresses the sentiment that a demand such as Theroux’s – to put the human in the center – is a form of self-absorbed navel gazing.

2022 FAVORITES

I started 39 titles in 2022, one more than last year. It seems like I read a bit less speculative fiction, a bit more Dutch, a bit more non-fiction. That trend might continue, it might not, we’ll see, but I think it’s safe to say Egan, Robinson, Harrison and Flemish authors L.P. Boon & J.M.H. Berckmans will remain regulars on this blog.

---

Before I’ll get to this year’s favorites, a bit of blog stats for those of you who are interested in such a thing. Traffic has more or less stabilized, there’s hasn’t been a spectacular jump as in each of the previous years, only a slight increase. 43,529 views and 23,946 21,108 visitors – about 5000 and 3000 more than in 2022. Lots of the traffic is still driven by my writings on Frank Herbert. The most successful posts I wrote in 2022 were Chapterhouse: Dune, Too Like The Lightning and Seven Surrenders.

As for all-time stats, my most read reviews so far are those for Dune Messiah (4334 views since published), Children of Dune (3589) and Piranesi (3201). There’s 8 posts with over 2000 views, an additional 14 posts with over 1000 views now, and an additional 45 with over 500 views in total. I’ve been blogging for 7 years, and so far I’ve published 297 posts.

---

As always, a big thank you to everyone who has read what I wrote, and an extra special thanks to those that have commented, linked or pressed the like button: much appreciated, it doesn’t go unnoticed. My best wishes to you and yours for 2023 and beyond.

---

---

FAVORITE READS

As for the actual favorite book list: below are the titles I’ve given a 5-star rating on Goodreads in 2022, six books in total. If I had to pick one, I’d go for Lapvona, an absolute joy in its daft & honest brutality, or maybe Too Like the Lightning – a singular, marvelous book that easily outclasses about everything published in speculative fiction these days. Both non-fiction titles deserve an additional highlight here too: monuments to both human intellect and the wonder & incredible complexity of reality.

Honorable mentions for Haushofer’s The Wall (1963), Kay’s The Lions of Al-Rassan (1995), McKillip’s The Changeling Sea (1988), Roger van de Velde’s Recht op Antwoord (1968), Ada Palmer’s Seven Surrenders & The Will to Battle (both 2017), Felix Timmermans’ Boerenpsalm (1935) and KSR’s Pacific Edge (1990), The Years of Rice and Salt (2002) and The High Sierra: A Love Story (2022). All more than excellent reads, well worth your time.

2021 FAVORITES

The continuing pandemic freed up time this year as well, so I read 38 titles in 2021. As always, I won’t make too many promises about what I’ll read in the coming months, but I’ll finish my reread of the Dune series – Chapterhouse: Dune should be one of the next reviews I post. Greg Egan, Kim Stanley Robinson, M. John Harrison and Antwerp author J.M.H. Berckmans have become regulars on this blog, and they will remain so.

I’ll continue to read non-fiction too, I’ve amassed a bit more science books than I usually have on my pile – yearly picture below. New additions are books on vision and the brain, oceans and economy. I also hope to finally read Feynman’s QED on light. As for art books, I’m still reading on Picasso, and I’ll try to finally start with Becher or Twombly, long overdue.

---

Before I’ll get to this year’s favorites, a bit of blog stats for those of you who are interested in such a thing. I’ve again had a significant increase of traffic: 38,763 views and 21,108 visitors – about 16,000 and 8,000 more than in 2020. Lots of that traffic seems to be driven by my writings on Frank Herbert – I guess the Villeneuve movie increased the interest in analysis of his work.

Of the posts I wrote in 2021 Dune: Part One, God Emperor of Dune and The Book of the New Sun were most read: 1567, 1210 and 1106 views. To offer a bit of perspective: last year that top 3 was Dune Messiah, Children of Dune and The Ministry for the Future, and they only got 675, 501 and 363 views.

As for all-time stats, most read reviews so far are those for Dune Messiah (2742 views since published), Recursion (2631) and Piranesi (2255). There’s 14 posts with over 1000 views now, and an additional 23 with over 500 views in total. I’ve been blogging for 6 years, and so far I’ve published 266 posts.

---

As always, a big thank you to everyone who has read what I write, and an extra special thanks to those that have commented, linked or pressed the like button: much appreciated, it doesn’t go unnoticed. My best wishes to you and yours for 2022 and beyond.

---

---

FAVORITE READS

As for the actual favorite book list: below are the titles I’ve given a 5-star rating on Goodreads in 2021, six books in total – the older I get, the harder it seems to become to rate something the full 5 stars. If I had to pick one, I’d go for The Book of the New Sun, an old favorite that held up well to rereading, or maybe Contingency And Convergence – I learned so much from that book.

Honorable mentions for Eschbach’s The Hair-Carpet Weavers, Harrison’s Nova Swing, Robinson’s The Gold Coast, Cook’s The Black Company, Buchanan & Powell’s The Evolution of Moral Progress: A Biocultural Theory, Stephenson’s Termination Shock and, in Dutch, Boon’s De Voorstad Groeit. All more than excellent reads, well worth your time.

2020 FAVORITES

The pandemic freed up time, so I read 40 titles in 2020, 14 more than last year. I won’t make too much promises about what I’ll read in the coming months, but I will continue my reread of the Dune series – God Emperor should be the next review I post. I’ll also continue to explore Greg Egan’s work, and the work of Antwerp author J.M.H. Berckmans.

As for art books, I’m still reading on Picasso & Rembrandt – we’ll see if that gets translated into posts. I’ll try to squeeze in some of the Becher, Turrell and Twombly I promised last year, but I also want to read books on Jean Fouquet and Hockney. I’ll continue to read other non-fiction too, I’m currently tackling Contingency and Convergence – Toward a Cosmic Biology of Body and Mind by Russel Powell, a joy so far. Should be of interest to any hard SF authors imagining alien life.

---

A bit of blog stats for those of you who might be interested in such a thing. I’ve had a significant increase of traffic, with 22.971 views in 2020, and 13.032 visitors – about 8.000 and 4.300 more than in 2019.

The most successful post of 2020 was about Dune Messiah, garnering 675 views. Children of Dune comes in second with 501 views. The Ministry for the Future – posted only 2 months ago – closes the top 3 with 363 views.

Most read reviews so far are those for Recursion (2.124 views since published), The Dosadi Experiment (1.212 views) and New York 2140 (1.097 views). Also still going strong (+800 views) are posts on The Wandering Earth, Green Earth, The Algebraist and Uprooted. There are 23 posts with over 500 views in total now, 6 of which are about Frank Herbert books.

A big thank you to everyone who has read, liked, commented or linked. All the best to you and yours for 2021.

---

As for the actual favorite book list: below are the titles I’ve given a 5-star rating on Goodreads in 2020, 6 in total. If I had to pick one, I’d go for Radiance by Carter Scholz.

Honorable mentions for The Day of the Triffids, Solaris, The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again and How History Gets Things Wrong: The Neuroscience of Our Addiction to Stories, all more than excellent reads, well worth your time.

2019 FAVORITES

I might have to change the subtitle of this blog, as only 8 of the 26 books I read in 2019 were science fiction, and 3 were fantasy. I’m not sure if that trend will continue. We’ll see what crosses my path, or what grabs my attention from the stack pictured a few scrolls down. I’ll continue with a few art books in the mix though: titles on James Turrell, Bernd & Hilla Becher and Cy Twombly are in the queue.

For now, a genuine thank you to everyone who has read, liked, linked or commented. All the best to you and yours for 2020!

The new year should see a review of The Lord Of The Rings – I’ve finally started that, it’s great so far – and the massive Kolyma Stories by Varlam Shalamov, a book I started last January, digesting it in small doses. I had hoped to finish it before the second volume of translations comes out this month, but I won’t manage that. I also plan to write on Intermediary Spaces, the Éliane Radigue interview book by Julia Eckardt. I will also continue my rereads of the Dune series. (Update 26/02: my LOTR review turned out to be a massive 7000+ words, so enter at your own risk…)

---

A few blog stats for those of you who might be interested in such a thing… There were 14,913 views in 2019, and 8,719 visitors – a bit more than in 2018. The review I wrote the past year that was most successful was Destination: Void with 255 views. The most read reviews so far are those for New York 2140 (979 views since published), The Dosadi Experiment (957 views) and The Wandering Earth (768 views). Also still going strong (+500 views) are reviews for Green Earth, Death’s End, Last And First Men, What Kind Of Creatures Are We?, The Algebraist, Uprooted and Whipping Star. Most of these keep on getting views every couple of days. Herbert, Cixin Liu and KSR always seem to be do well, but I have no quick explanation for the success of my texts on Stapledon, Chomsky or Novik.

---

As for the actual list: below are the books I’ve given a 5-star rating on Goodreads in 2019, only 4 in total. Gibson’s Pattern Recognition, Darwinian Reductionism: Or, How to Stop Worrying and Love Molecular Biology and Vincent Van Gogh: The Complete Paintings each got 4 stars, and are all highly recommended too.

I might not have had that many perfect reads last year, but I enjoyed all the more music. If you scroll down, you’ll see that I’ve written a whole lot more about albums as I did the previous years – 2019 has been great on that front.

2018 FAVORITES

As life continues to happen, this year’s posting ratio again slowed down a bit, but still the reader base keeps expanding if I have to believe WordPress stats. As always, a genuine thank you to everyone who has read, liked, linked or commented. My best wishes for 2019!

I’ve started 31 titles in 2018, a bit more than last year, but I DNFed 4 of those – a bit more than usual as well. I added more art books into the mix, and that trend will probably continue. I tend to read books on art a bit differently than regular fiction, more in small doses, a few pages each time, so it takes me a lot longer to finish them. I’m reading 2 at the moment: the treasure trove that is Nico Dockx Talks To Dennis Tyfus and Metzger & Walther’s Van Gogh, The Complete Paintings – which includes a detailed artistic biography drawing heavily from the letters. I would included both of those in my best of list below if I had finished them this year. Books on James Turrell, Bernd & Hilla Becher, Cy Twombly and Picasso are in the queue.

Anyhow, below are the books I gave a 5-star rating on Goodreads in 2018 – only 5 in total – in no particular order. For starters Blindsight though – which I gave 4 stars, yet I feel it still belongs in my year-end list. Click on the covers for the review.

After the books, music and some television.

2017 FAVORITES

My 2017 posting ratio is about half of what it was last year, as life continues to happen, but the number of readers on Weighing A Pig keeps rising slowly but steadily. A big thank you to everyone who has read, liked, linked or commented. My best wishes for 2018!

I’ve read 29 titles in 2017, and reviewed 26. Below are the ones I gave a 5-star rating on Goodreads, 8 in total, in no particular order. Click on the covers for the review. After the books, music & art.

FAVORITE ART BOOKS

A couple of months ago I moved the bulk of my art book collection to another room. I decided to keep a small part, favorites, on my regular shelves. I’ve written a bit on each of those 20 titles below – 20 being just a coincidence by the way.

It is very much intended as a book list, not a list of favorite artists, as that would include a lot more names. The titles are mainly from established contemporary artists, with just three older painters – three big ones, yes.

Click on the covers to be taken to the publisher’s website or some other resource – with more extensive text on the book and the artist.

I’ve included images of artworks too: click those to enlarge.

Here’s an index of all my other art book reviews, most of which are not included in this list.

---

KADER ATTIA – The Repair from Occident to Extra-Occidental Cultures
Greenbox, 2014, 176 pages

In 2012, my visit to dOCUMENTA (13) would have been a bit of a disappointment if it weren’t for two artists. One of those is Kader Attia. His installation The Repair From Occident to Extra-Occidental Cultures was jaw dropping, the highlight being slides showing repaired African statues and the likes next to the mended faces of mutilated soldiers from the First World War. The book has all slides, and more. A beautiful edition, full of the uncanny.

2016 FAVORITES

First up: I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has read, liked, linked or commented. Thank you. My best wishes for the new year!

I’ve read 54 titles in 2016, and reviewed 52. Below are the ones I enjoyed most, in no particular order. Click on the covers for the review. After the books, music.

FAVORITE NON-FICTION BOOKS

My reading of non-fiction books has plummeted the last 2 years. Today, I tend to only read articles. Nevertheless, I think the listed titles will continue to have an appeal in the foreseeable future. This list excludes philosophy books, as those will get a favorite list of its own someday. 

Books are listed by publication year, youngest first – but check below for younger additions I made to this list after it was first published. Click on the covers to go to the Goodreads page for the books.

Here is an index of all my other non-fiction reviews, mostly books not included in this list.

FAVORITE SCIENCE FICTION BOOKS

Alphabetically on author. Reviewed books are hyperlinked. Non-reviewed books will get a reread & review somewhere in the future.

FAVORITE FANTASY BOOKS

Alphabetically on author. Reviewed books are hyperlinked. Non-reviewed books will get a reread & review somewhere in the distant future.

2015 FAVORITES

First and foremost, let me start with a big thank you to all who read, liked, shared or commented since I started this whole thing in October. My best wishes for 2016!

I’ve read 52 books this year, and reviewed 50. Below are the 10ish best. Click on the covers for the review.

MUSIC YEAR END LISTS 2005-2014

Below are year-end lists I posted on the great I Hate Music forum. As is the case for a lot of message boards, it isn’t very active anymore, as most of the discussion has moved to Facebook and elsewhere, but its archives are still a treasure-trove for the adventurous music lover…

I’ve edited a bit here and there, but mostly these lists are like I posted them initially, and they serve as snapshots of an evolving taste. As you’ll see there’s lots of Erstwhile Records releases in the lists. The consistency of that label’s output is truly amazing, and probably unique in the world of progressive, experimental music.

The lists focus on experimental – improvisational, “post-Cageian”, abstract, taomud, what have you – music on the one hand, and metal on the other, plus the occasional alternative, jazz or pop album.

---

2014

albums of the year
Michael Pisaro – Continuum Unbound (Gravity Wave)
Manfred Weder & Toshiya Tsunoda – Detour (Erstwhile Records)
Sammath – Godless Arrogance (Hammerheart)

top 2
Nicked Drake (Gareth Dickson) – Wraiths (Scissor Tail)
Utah Kawasaki & Ju Sei – U As In Utah (Meena)
Laurence Crane – Chamber Works 1992-2009 (Another Timbre)
disc 2 of Jürg Frey & Radu Malfatti – II (Erstwhile)
Intergalactic Lovers – Little Heavy Burdens (Warner Music)

top 3
Ryoko Akama – Code of Silence (Melance Edition)
Jürg Frey – Pianist, Alone (performed by R. Andrew Lee) (Irritable Hedgehog)
Lucio Capece – Factors Of Space Constancy (Drone Sweet Drone)
Jason Lescalleet – This is what I do vol. 2 (Glistening Examples)
Jason Lescalleet – This is what I do vol. 3 (Glistening Examples)
Morton Feldman – Two Pianos and other works 1953-1969 (played by John Tilbury & Philip Thomas) (Another Timbre)
Domains – Sinister Ceremonies (The Sinister Flame)

---

2013

record of the year
Lucio Capece – Less is Less: Music for Flying and Pendulating Speakers (Intonema)

runners-up
Michael Pisaro – Closed Categories in Cartesian Worlds (Gravity Wave)
Michael Pisaro – The Punishment of the Tribe by its Elders (Gravity Wave)
Toshiya Tsunoda – ο κόκκος της άνοιξης (Grains of Spring) (edition.t)
Toshiya Tsunoda – The Temple Recording (edition.t)
Toshiya Tsunoda & Haco – TramVibration (Skiti)

metal album of 2013
White Medal – Guthmers Hahl (Legion Blothan / Aphelion Productions)

other metal
Profanatica – Thy Kingdom Cum (Hells Headbangers)
Imprecation – Satanae Tenebris Infinita (Dark Descent)
Suffocation – Pinnacle of Bedlam (Nuclear Blast)
Fanisk – Insularum (Darker Than Black)
Vastum – Patricidal Lust (20 Buck Spin)
Prosanctus Inferi – Noctambulous Jaws Within Sempiternal Night (Nuclear War Now! Productions)
Zealotry – The Charnel Expanse (Memento Mori)

---

2012

top album (without a shadow of a doubt, desert island stuff)
Tsunoda & Michael Pisaro – Crosshatches (Erstwhile)

runners-up
Propagandhi – Failed States (Epitaph)
Keith Rowe – September (Erstwhile)
Michael Pisaro – Fields Have Ears (6) (Gravity Wave)
Christian Wolfe & Keith Rowe – ErstLive 010 (Erstwhile)

discovery of the year would be the choral work of Schubert, the 7 disc set of his sacred works by Wolfgang Sawallisch is a gem of utter delight (EMI)

best live performances
Anthony Braxton, alto saxophone solo – AMUZ, Antwerp, 10/2
Agustí Fernández, piano solo – Follow The Sound, De Singel, Antwerp, 10/25
John Zorn, Milford Graves & Bill Laswell – Jazz Middelheim, Antwerp, 8/16
Alexander von Schlippenbach Trio – De Singer, Rijkevorsel, 12/12

favorite metal records, in no order
Krallice – Years Past Matter (self released)
Demoncy – Enthroned Is The Night (Forever Plagued)
Profanatica – Sickened By The Holy Ghosts / Grand Masters Session (Hell’s Headbangers)
Lycus – MMXI (lp issue of 2011 demo) (Flenser)
Blut Aus Nord – What Once Was… Liber II (Debemur Morti Productions)
Tukaaria – Raw To the Rapine (reissue of 2011 cassette) (Profound Lore)
Drawn & Quartered – Feeding Hell’s Furnace (Nuclear Winter)

---

2011

metal
Cruciamentum – Engulfed In Desolation (Nuclear Winter)
Krallice – Diotima (Profound Lore)
Botanist – I: The Suicide Tree / II: A Rose From The Dead (tUMULt)
Liturgy – Aesthetica (Thrill Jockey)
Absu – Abzu (Candlelight)

greatest pop single
Jay-Z & Kanye West – Niggas in Paris (Roc-A-Fella)

---

2010

top 3
Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me (Drag City)
Annette Krebs & Taku Unami – Motubachii (Erstwhile)
The Fall – Your Future Our Clutter (Domino)

runners-up
Michael Pisaro & Barry Chabala – Black, White, Red, Green, Blue (Voyelles) (Winds Measure)
Michael Pisaro & Greg Stuart – ricefall (2) (Gravity Wave)
Michael Pisaro & Greg Stuart – A wave and waves (Cathnor)
Graham Lambkin & Jason Lescalleet – Air Supply (Erstwhile)
Michael Pisaro & Greg Stuart – July Mountain (Engraved Glass)
Taku Sugimoto – Musical Composition Series 1 (Kid Ailack Enterprise)
Taku Sugimoto – Musical Composition Series 2 (Kid Ailack Enterprise)
John Cage & Terry Jennings (perfomed by John Tilbury & Sebastien Lexer) – Lost Daylight (Another Timbre)
Deathspell Omega – Paracletus (Norma Evangelium Diaboli)

---

2009

in no order
Propaghandi – Supporting Caste (Smallman Records / G7 Welcoming Committee)
Night Control – Death Control (Kill Shaman)
Drudkh – Microcosmos (Seasons Of Mist)
Radu Malfati & Klaus Filip – Imaoto (Erstwhile)
Christof Kurzmann & Burkhard Stangl – Neuschnee (Erstwhile)
The Jesus Lizard reissues (Touch And Go)

most listened to in 2009
English (Joe Foster/Bonnie Jones) & Toshimaru Nakamura – One Day (Erstwhile)

best live show
Oneida – Ekko, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 8/15

---

2008

number one
Earth – The Bees Made Honey In The Lion’s Skull (Southern Lord)

right behind that
Chris Watson – Cima Verde (Fondazione Edmund Mach & LoL Productions)
Keith Rowe – ErstLive 007 (Erstwhile)
Keith Rowe & Taku Unami – ErstLive 006 (Erstwhile)
Jason Lescalleet & Graham Lambkin – The Breadwinner (Erstwhile)
English (Joe Foster/Bonnie Jones) & Toshimaru Nakamura – One Day (Erstwhile)
The Magic I.D. – Till my breath gives out (Erstwhile)
Sebastian Lexer & Seymour Wright – Blasen (Another Timbre)
Skepticism – Alloy (Red Stream)

reissue
Faraquet – The View From This Tower (Dischord)

live show
Propagandhi – Joc de Nartist, Temse, 8/5

---

2007

Keith Rowe – The Room (Erstwhile)
Mimeo – Sight (Cathnor)
Shellac – Excellent Italian Greyhound (Touch & Go)
Profanatica – Profanatitas de Domonatia (Hell’s Headbangers)

That would be about it. Not really thrilled (anymore) about anything else.

---

2006

Joanna Newsom – Ys (Drag City)
[N:Q] – November Quebec (Esquilo)
Keith Rowe & Toshimaru Nakamura – Between (Erstwhile)
Jason Lescalleet – The Pilgrim (Glistening Examples)
Chris Corsano – The Young Cricketer (Hot Cars Warp/Family Vineyard)
Christof Kurzmann & Ami Yoshida – a s o (Erstwhile)
David Tudor & Gordon Mumma – David Tudor & Gordon Mumma (New World)

---

2005

Anthony Braxton – Quintet (London) 2004 (Live At The Royal Festival Hall) (Leo)
Fantômas – Suspended Animation (Ipecac)
Joëlle Léandre – Concerto Grosso (Live at Gasthof Heidelberg) (Jazz’Halo)
Nile – Annilation Of The Wicked (Relapse)
John Coltrane – One Down, One Up (Life At The Half Note) (Impulse!)