What are you currently reading?

Started by facehugger, April 07, 2007, 12:36:10 AM

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T. D.

Switching between this and the Flann O'Brien newspaper columns.


Ganondorf

Well, I finally did it. I read today the last page of Proust's In Search of Lost Time. Based on the translation that i read, can this be counted as among the greatest masterpieces of world literature? Hardly. In a few passages (mostly located in the first two parts) the prose is gorgeous but in most cases reading this was an extremely banal experience. I heavily dislike the Narrator (in fact I think he is one of the most infuriating main characters I've ever encountered). Dickens's constantly interrupting omniscient narrator is not even halfway as annoying as Marcel here. For someone whom I've often heard described as a writer relatively progressive in his views I have hard time seeing Proust as anything else but a Class-A sexist pervert. Every even slightest form of a positive comment towards women is usually followed instantly by a new sting. It's rather impressive, actually. While male homosexuals are treated rather fairly for the time, that doesn't apply to lesbians as the narrator apparently has some very serious issues with them, to the point that his homophobia goes to such lengths that he basically keeps Albertine a prisoner in order to prevent her from having sex with other women. If that's not a case of pathological narcissism then nothing is. Even if intentionally a case of unreliable narrator, the effect of reading the book is not pleasant and quite exhausting. I think I can definitely say that Proust is one of those famous writers that I don't like. I realize that I should read the original French but I have hard time committing myself to learning an entire new language in order to re-read a long-ass book which I may hate even then. Reading this was mostly for bragging rights. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the longest book I'm ever going to read. On the plus side, now that I'm not gonna touch this particular book again you can be spared my constant complaining about this.

I have moved on to another (very long) book, this time a re-read. And I seem to love it just as much as I did then. I'm talking about Mann's Joseph tetralogy.

AnotherSpin

Quote from: Ganondorf on March 28, 2025, 01:35:51 PMWell, I finally did it. I read today the last page of Proust's In Search of Lost Time. Based on the translation that i read, can this be counted as among the greatest masterpieces of world literature? Hardly. In a few passages (mostly located in the first two parts) the prose is gorgeous but in most cases reading this was an extremely banal experience. I heavily dislike the Narrator (in fact I think he is one of the most infuriating main characters I've ever encountered). Dickens's constantly interrupting omniscient narrator is not even halfway as annoying as Marcel here. For someone whom I've often heard described as a writer relatively progressive in his views I have hard time seeing Proust as anything else but a Class-A sexist pervert. Every even slightest form of a positive comment towards women is usually followed instantly by a new sting. It's rather impressive, actually. While male homosexuals are treated rather fairly for the time, that doesn't apply to lesbians as the narrator apparently has some very serious issues with them, to the point that his homophobia goes to such lengths that he basically keeps Albertine a prisoner in order to prevent her from having sex with other women. If that's not a case of pathological narcissism then nothing is. Even if intentionally a case of unreliable narrator, the effect of reading the book is not pleasant and quite exhausting. I think I can definitely say that Proust is one of those famous writers that I don't like. I realize that I should read the original French but I have hard time committing myself to learning an entire new language in order to re-read a long-ass book which I may hate even then. Reading this was mostly for bragging rights. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the longest book I'm ever going to read. On the plus side, now that I'm not gonna touch this particular book again you can be spared my constant complaining about this.

I have moved on to another (very long) book, this time a re-read. And I seem to love it just as much as I did then. I'm talking about Mann's Joseph tetralogy.

Congratulations, you've managed to get through a difficult and long book.

I don't want to criticize — every reader has the right to their own opinion, but I'll still point out that Marcel is intentionally portrayed as an unsympathetic character, which helps explore human egoism. His pathological jealousy towards Albertine is part of studying the destructive sides of love, not an excuse for such actions. The criticism of female characters often reflects the social realities of the Belle Époque, not the author's personal views. Proust, being gay, ironically commented on the heteronormativity of his time through the exaggerated heterosexual relationships of Marcel.

Ganondorf

#14163
Touché, my friend, although my point still stands that having over a 4000-page book revolve around such a character is exhausting.  ;)

Edit: for what it's worth, Mann's Joseph tetralogy also revolves around an insufferably narcissistical person but I just appreciate Mann's gentle (and at times not so gentle) ironic style much better.

AnotherSpin

#14164
Quote from: Ganondorf on March 29, 2025, 08:23:54 AMTouché, my friend, although my point still stands that having over a 4000-page book revolve around such a character is exhausting.  ;)

Edit: for what it's worth, Mann's Joseph tetralogy also revolves around an insufferably narcissistical person but I just appreciate Mann's gentle (and at times not so gentle) ironic style much better.

Thomas Mann's Joseph and His Brothers is, no doubt, a monumental work, but I fear it might seem a bit... drawn out. He retells the biblical story with such detail that it sometimes feels like we're sitting in a lecture on ancient history one more time. But, I must say, Mann masterfully weaves in philosophical musings and humor, making it quite enlightening. Though, I suppose not everyone might appreciate its pace and abundance of genealogical details. My impression is based on a very old reading, probably from the early 80s. I couldn't imagine how I would perceive it today.

Added: It seems to me that if I were to read the cycle now, I would attempt to discern how the text reflects the time of its writing and publication. From the turmoil and instability of the Weimar Republic to the stability of Hitler's regime and the subsequent cataclysm of the great war.

vers la flamme

Reading a few of Georges Simenon's Maigret books recently, currently Pietr the Latvian which I think was the first of them. Loving these so far. Great murder mystery plots, with a less eccentric detective than you sometimes get with these kinds of books, more of a straightforward French cop type. I also love the mid-century Paris atmosphere of them. Best of all there are about three thousand of them so I'll never run out of books to read.

San Antone

Quote from: vers la flamme on March 30, 2025, 01:39:07 PMReading a few of Georges Simenon's Maigret books recently, currently Pietr the Latvian which I think was the first of them. Loving these so far. Great murder mystery plots, with a less eccentric detective than you sometimes get with these kinds of books, more of a straightforward French cop type. I also love the mid-century Paris atmosphere of them. Best of all there are about three thousand of them so I'll never run out of books to read.

40 years ago I went through a Georges Simenon period - I must have read more than a dozen of the books, and loved them.  He wrote many more.  I have since downloaded a bunch on my Kindle with the plan to read them again. 

My only hope is that I still find them as good as I remember them.  I even read a thick biography of Simenon, which still sits on my shelf.

vers la flamme

Quote from: San Antone on March 30, 2025, 02:32:59 PM40 years ago I went through a Georges Simenon period - I must have read more than a dozen of the books, and loved them.  He wrote many more.  I have since downloaded a bunch on my Kindle with the plan to read them again. 

My only hope is that I still find them as good as I remember them.  I even read a thick biography of Simenon, which still sits on my shelf.

I hope you enjoy them too!

Henk



A classic. Prose translation.

My goal is to read much about Greek mythology and Roman life.

AnotherSpin

Finished the first book by Byung-Chul Han, whom I recently learned about from @Henk. While I no longer have a particular interest in philosophy texts as such, I found this book unexpectedly engaging. It resonated more than I anticipated. I might read more of Han's work, his books are quite short, after all.


hopefullytrusting

Just recently repurchased this (this is a book I want as used as possible, as part of reading a text like this is reading with the prior readers, as I like to see what trails they were following, so I love when traces and trails are left behind): Heidegger's Being and Time


AnotherSpin

Quote from: hopefullytrusting on April 01, 2025, 01:36:40 PMJust recently repurchased this (this is a book I want as used as possible, as part of reading a text like this is reading with the prior readers, as I like to see what trails they were following, so I love when traces and trails are left behind): Heidegger's Being and Time



For some reason, an observation by Byung-Chul Han came to mind, in which he notes how, in the Chinese tradition, time is seen as a continuous process rather than a sequence of significant events or ruptures. This suggests that ruins, which symbolize the end of an era or event, do not hold the same cultural significance as they do in the Western tradition. Han also offers insights into why the owners of priceless scrolls leave their marks on them – seal stamps and inscriptions.


Papy Oli

In the last week and a bit:

I have completed Edna O'Brien's 2nd volume "The Lonely girl", following on the lives of Kate and Baba, 2 teenagers in post-WWII Ireland. An uneasy but hard to let go of read still. You can't help but feel heartbreak for Kate for all the crap that is thrown at her throughout her young life (violent drunk dad, very creepy neighbours, unhinged "best" friend, spurned by a divorcee "boyfriend", the religious pressures of the priest and the nuns, turning conveniently a blind eye to most of what she is going through). Will follow up with Vol.3 very soon.



As a palate cleanser in a way, I went on with Mark Haddon's "The curious incident of the dog in the night-time", a 2023 prize-winning (young adult but not just...) novel following a 15-year old boy on the autistic spectrum investigating the murder of a neighbour's dog, with all the challenges that his personality and family life involve. All narrated by the boy himself, it is an eye opening, touching, very quirky and at times very funny read on his views and perspectives of our everyday life. I'd strongly recommend that one.



Halfway through now: A Japanese 1946 crime novel, "The Honjin Murders" by Seishi Yokomizo.  Set in the 1930's among a very dodgy rich Japanese family, it follows the investigations on the murder of the rich groom and his "commoner" bride in the night following their wedding on the family estate (locked room mystery type). Picked that one at random in the Kobo recommendations. So far so good.



I usually try to to have one book in English and one book in French on the go. I am aiming to start something "meatier" so I have picked up Zola's first volume of Les Rougon Macquart ("La Fortune des Rougon"), the series that obviously includes Germinal, L'Assomoir, etc... Slow start on this one but i'll see how I get on.

Olivier

Christo

Quote from: Henk on March 30, 2025, 02:52:11 PM

A classic. Prose translation.

My goal is to read much about Greek mythology and Roman life.
Some of the most comprehensive descriptions of the latter -- including detailed descriptions of the life of practically the only person in all of antiquity of whom we really know anything -- can be found in the Classical-Greek collection of 71 manuscripts known as 'the books', biblia. Recommended.
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

Henk

Quote from: Christo on April 10, 2025, 02:05:29 AMSome of the most comprehensive descriptions of the latter -- including detailed descriptions of the life of practically the only person in all of antiquity of whom we really know anything -- can be found in the Classical-Greek collection of 71 manuscripts known as 'the books', biblia. Recommended.

I think that isn't true, for instance Plutarch wrotes biographies of Roman Emperors.
Couldn't find any information about your recommendation. Do you have a link for me to visit? Thanks in advance. 😀

AnotherSpin

Quote from: Henk on April 10, 2025, 03:13:40 AMI think that isn't true, for instance Plutarch wrotes biographies of Roman Emperors.
Couldn't find any information about your recommendation. Do you have a link for me to visit? Thanks in advance. 😀

It seems to me that @Christo is referring to the life of Jesus Christ — and quite understandably so. That said, I must confess that the mention of a cycle comprising 71 manuscripts leaves me rather puzzled, as well.

Still, I quite agree that the writers of the Roman era — Plutarch, Suetonius, Tacitus, and others left us with some vivid and enduring portraits of historical figures. Also, Xenophon certainly deserves mention, as does Diogenes Laërtius, whose accounts of the philosophers are nothing short of delightful. As for Plato's depiction of Socrates — it remains, I daresay, more than remarkable; a figure who seems to breathe and speak across the centuries.

SimonNZ

Quote from: Christo on April 10, 2025, 02:05:29 AMSome of the most comprehensive descriptions of the latter -- including detailed descriptions of the life of practically the only person in all of antiquity of whom we really know anything -- can be found in the Classical-Greek collection of 71 manuscripts known as 'the books', biblia. Recommended.

You can't possibly mean Jesus.


vers la flamme

I read Suetonius's Lives of the Caesars a few months back. Very enjoyable.

Henk

Quote from: vers la flamme on April 10, 2025, 07:39:40 AMI read Suetonius's Lives of the Caesars a few months back. Very enjoyable.

Yes, where I wrote Plutarchus, I meant Suetonius.

Christo

Quote from: AnotherSpin on April 10, 2025, 04:33:32 AM71 manuscripts
I was referring to the 71 scrolls & other books -- not "manuscripts" -- better known as "the books", or biblia, as stated. The most complete collection of descriptions of life in antiquity, mostly written & read in Greek, the lingua franca of the Hellenistic & Roman world.
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948