The Beginnings of The Lazarus Project

As I first opened this book, The Lazarus Project, by Aleksander Hemon I wasn't really sure what to expect because the only story of Lazarus I know is from the bible where Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead as an act of miracle. But, I really didn't know what that was going to have to do with this story. But then, in the first few pages, after the dedication, the author puts a few sentences from that story in bible..so even though I've read the first few pages I'm still not sure quite how it's going to play in, so that should be interesting.

I do know this is a story that, like The Same River Twice, goes back and forth from an older time period to a more present day situation. The first section, I felt that the writing was interesting. That Hemon was writing the story, and then all the sudden there'd be a one liner like piece of advice or word of wisdom. For instance, "There has been life here before us. Home is where somebody notices you are no longer there" (page 3). Or, "His stomach growls so loudly that Mr. Ludwig looks up from the newspapers on the counter and frowns at him as he tips his hat. The world is always greater than your desires; plenty is never enough" (page 3). But I just think it's sort of random writing, however the words of wisdom are quite true. People are always striving for more no matter how much they have. Even celebrities, who from the outside looking in, look like they have it all. They have fame, an abundance of wealth, great bodies, good looking boyfriends, yet still they have eating disorders, drug addictions, and depression. Why? Because as humankind we are discontent. Always striving for more, and usually what it boils down to is meaning and self-worth that we must find. At the end of the first chapter on page 9, the immigrant dies and it he dies, "without a curse, supplication, or a prayer," which is so sad. I feel pretty guilty that someone in this world can die without being known.

On to the second part of the story of the Brik. He starts off by saying, "I am a reasonably loyal citizen of two countries. In America--that somber land--I waste my vote, pay taxes, share my life with a native wife, and try hard not to wish painful death to the idiot president" (page 11). I just had to laugh after reading this sentence because isn't that a lot of people's opinion living in America at any given point. Not necessarily the part that they're not from the United States, but that they simply just pay taxes, vote, and think the president is an idiot... I mean I know at a lot of my extended family gatherings that's all I hear. I feel like this character is going to be the most interesting for me. I feel that he's a real, struggling writer who almost feels belittled by his neuro-surgeon wife. He says on page 17, "Whereupon I could show Mary that I was not a wastrel or a slacker or a lazy Eastern European, but a person of talent and potential." Also his friend Rosa I think is super funny because didn't we all know someone like that in like middle school or high school? Someone who always told these grand stories of how awesome their weekend was because they flew to Mexico for the weekend or got to meet Ashton Kutcher...when really we were never sure if they were telling the truth or not. But Brik puts it well on page 20, "He lived out our dreams; all of us wanted to be like him because he was like nobody else we knew." Sometimes it's even the dreams of doing something big and exciting that can be fun to think about.