What are you currently reading?

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Death in Venice absolutely blew me away last year, as did Buddenbrooks which I read immediately after. Not sure whether you've read it before or not, but I expect you're bound to enjoy it.

I'm awaiting two more Stefan Zweig novellas in the mail: Confusion and 24 Hours in the Life of a Woman. Can't wait to get into these. I am very much infatuated with Zweig's world and his writing style from the two very short books of his I have recently read, Chess Story and Journey into the Past.

Yes, I like Buddenbrooks. Luchino Visconti's movie, The Damned is partially based on the novel, while he directed Death in Venice as well. As for Zweig, I read his Casanova, Stendhal, Tolstoy a few years ago. It was a fun read, and I may re-read it soon.

[vers la flamme]

Yes, I like Buddenbrooks. Luchino Visconti's movie, The Damned is partially based on the novel, while he directed Death in Venice as well. As for Zweig, I read his Casanova, Stendhal, Tolstoy a few years ago. It was a fun read, and I may re-read it soon.

Been meaning to see the Death in Venice film for a while now, but it will be a hard sell to get my girlfriend to watch it with me. I know you think highly of Visconti. Never heard of The Damned.

[Cato]

Finished Hesse's Knulp.  The wonderful novella, apparently a prototype of Narcissus and Goldmund, is a story about an exceptionally talented drifter. Just like his other pre-Demian novels, the mood is mostly melancholic and nostalgic. The book evinces Hesse's superb writing skills: especially I like the descriptions of Knulp's home town. Fine book.

I also read Demian which I used to like. Now I have a mixed feeling. Although the plot and the themes of mysticism and Jungian collective psychology are good ideas, the book talks about various theories and ideology too much. Now, reading Death in Venice.

Hesse was big in the United States in the 1950's and '60's.  Thomas Mann's fame did not persist much into the later decades here, although books in general have faded from the "Kulcher."  When I was teaching German in a Catholic, all-boy high school, I used some of their short stories or excerpts from their novels in German III and IV.

Literary life in the era of aliteracy (a word coined appropriately c. 1980 at the beginning of the computer/Internet ear) and the era of Internet skimming seems moribund.  I was revisiting a controversy about a forgotten author named James Gould Cozzens and his attempt at literary fame in the late 1950's (i.e. By Love Possessed).    The book was so popular for a while that Time magazine placed Cozzens on a cover (a great honor at the time) of one issue.  However, a nay-saying review pointing out the turgidity of the (too often) vague and even impenetrable prose ( with examples from the book) ruined the rest of Cozzens' career.

"High-brow" vs. "Middle-brow" culture was a topic for debate for many years, and was central to the controversy above.  It has been eliminated by the triumph of aliterate The Kulcher, which makes such a controversy today about a book basically.

Anyway, I have wondered for a while about the BIG authors (best-sellers, movie contracts)  from yesteryear...who today are forgotten.

Have you heard of Lloyd C. Douglas, A.J.Cronin, John P. Marquand, Frank G. Slaughter,  Laura Z. Hobson, Thomas B. Costain (Middle initials apparently were often a prerequisite for being published back then    ?

Or Frank G. Slaughter, J.F. Powers, Irving Stone, ?

If so, then you are probably 70 years old or more! 

So, while visiting an antique store with Mrs. Cato,  I came across two books by once-famous and even lionized authors: The Darkness and the Dawn by Canadian-American Thomas B. Costain and The Roman by Finnish author Mika Waltari.

The former book deals with the end of the Roman Empire and Attila the Hun: it is an "okay" book.  Nicely researched, it offers the cliches of love-at-first-sight, a Romeo-and-Juliet love affair, and makes a villain out of the 5th-century Roman leader Aetius.  It is rather predictable, although not always.

Mika Waltari I recall being in the air fairly often: his book The Egyptian was made into a decent movie with a musical score shared by Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Newman.

No translator is mentioned for The Roman, which I have not yet finished, but find it more interesting - much more interesting - than the Costain book.

A question therefore to our Finnish members: is Mika Waltari still known in Finland?

[Florestan]

Just dipping my toes in the water here...:



Richard Taruskin's Music in the Nineteenth Century. It's a massive tome and I do not expect to finish it anytime soon. But it is an interesting read. The first chapter is all about debunking the myth of Beethoven's primacy in the early decades of the century, and the argument that Rossini was equally as influential a force.

Taruskin is my favorite musicologist / music-cum-cultural historian. Usually I find myself in perfect agreement with him --- that Oxford series is a real gem.   

[André]

Been meaning to see the Death in Venice film for a while now, but it will be a hard sell to get my girlfriend to watch it with me. I know you think highly of Visconti. Never heard of The Damned.

The Damned is in turns campy, creepy, gothic melodrama, twisted political/military descent to hell, a study in abnormality and an actor's dream bunch of characters. Not my favourite Visconti, but only he could have pulled it off.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

The Damned is in turns campy, creepy, gothic melodrama, twisted political/military descent to hell, a study in abnormality and an actor's dream bunch of characters. Not my favourite Visconti, but only he could have pulled it off.

+1. I don't recommend The Damned. Death in Venice is a great movie and nice introduction to Visconti's world. I wholeheartedly recommend it. Arguably Dirk Bogarde's best acting in his career.

[Florestan]

Have you heard of Lloyd C. Douglas, A.J.Cronin, Irving Stone, ?

Yes. Not only heard of, but as a kid / youngster read several of their books from my parents' library (which is now mine by inheritance --- and I very much doubt that my son will read them...  ).

If so, then you are probably 70 years old or more! 

I'll turn 49 come December 13... 

Mika Waltari

I have bought and read all his books that have been translated in Romanian. My favorite is The Dark Angel --- but I enjoyed all others too.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Been meaning to see the Death in Venice film for a while now, but it will be a hard sell to get my girlfriend to watch it with me. I know you think highly of Visconti. Never heard of The Damned.

If you cook lasagna, it may significantly help the plan!!

[Cato]

Yes. Not only heard of, but as a kid / youngster read several of their books from my parents' library (which is now mine by inheritance --- and I very much doubt that my son will read them...  ).

I'll turn 49 come December 13... 

I have bought and read all his books that have been translated in Romanian. My favorite is The Dark Angel --- but I enjoyed all others too.

You are an avis rara, Florestan, so good for you!   0:)

Many thanks for the recommendation!

If anyone might be interested in the James Gould Cozzens tempest, here is the review which ruined the rest of his career:

https://www.johnderbyshire.com/Books/Doomed/Blog/cozzens1.pdf

[Ganondorf]

A question therefore to our Finnish members: is Mika Waltari still known in Finland?

He is.

[Florestan]

You are an avis rara, Florestan 0:)

I know, Leo, I know! I really am! --- but hush! pride is a mortal sin...

[Florestan]

He is.

I'm glad about that. He's a very good writer.

[SonicMan46]

Taruskin is my favorite musicologist / music-cum-cultural historian. Usually I find myself in perfect agreement with him --- that Oxford series is a real gem.   

+1 Andrei - I own the books below, the general one w/ Gibbs as a hard copy, and the 17th/18th century book on my iPad.  I find his writing to be easily understood without too much going into details on printed scores (which lose me quickly) - Dave

 

[Florestan]

+1 Andrei - I own the books below, the general one w/ Gibbs as a hard copy, and the 17th/18th century book on my iPad.  I find his writing to be easily understood without too much going into details on printed scores (which lose me quickly) - Dave

Yes --- plus he relishes challenging the received wisdom not for the sake of being a contrarian (which would be fine nevertheless) but with thoughtful and thought-provoking arguments (which is even better). No, really, he's hands down my favorite professional writer on music.

[JBS]

Hesse was big in the United States in the 1950's and '60's.  Thomas Mann's fame did not persist much into the later decades here, although books in general have faded from the "Kulcher."  When I was teaching German in a Catholic, all-boy high school, I used some of their short stories or excerpts from their novels in German III and IV.

Literary life in the era of aliteracy (a word coined appropriately c. 1980 at the beginning of the computer/Internet ear) and the era of Internet skimming seems moribund.  I was revisiting a controversy about a forgotten author named James Gould Cozzens and his attempt at literary fame in the late 1950's (i.e. By Love Possessed).    The book was so popular for a while that Time magazine placed Cozzens on a cover (a great honor at the time) of one issue.  However, a nay-saying review pointing out the turgidity of the (too often) vague and even impenetrable prose ( with examples from the book) ruined the rest of Cozzens' career.

"High-brow" vs. "Middle-brow" culture was a topic for debate for many years, and was central to the controversy above.  It has been eliminated by the triumph of aliterate The Kulcher, which makes such a controversy today about a book basically.

Anyway, I have wondered for a while about the BIG authors (best-sellers, movie contracts)  from yesteryear...who today are forgotten.

Have you heard of Lloyd C. Douglas, A.J.Cronin, John P. Marquand, Frank G. Slaughter,  Laura Z. Hobson, Thomas B. Costain (Middle initials apparently were often a prerequisite for being published back then    ?

Or Frank G. Slaughter, J.F. Powers, Irving Stone, ?

If so, then you are probably 70 years old or more! 

So, while visiting an antique store with Mrs. Cato,  I came across two books by once-famous and even lionized authors: The Darkness and the Dawn by Canadian-American Thomas B. Costain and The Roman by Finnish author Mika Waltari.

The former book deals with the end of the Roman Empire and Attila the Hun: it is an "okay" book.  Nicely researched, it offers the cliches of love-at-first-sight, a Romeo-and-Juliet love affair, and makes a villain out of the 5th-century Roman leader Aetius.  It is rather predictable, although not always.

Mika Waltari I recall being in the air fairly often: his book The Egyptian was made into a decent movie with a musical score shared by Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Newman.

No translator is mentioned for The Roman, which I have not yet finished, but find it more interesting - much more interesting - than the Costain book.

A question therefore to our Finnish members: is Mika Waltari still known in Finland?

I remember reading The Roman when I was a teenager, but remember very little of it.
I never read the Costain novel you are reading, but his massive The Tontine, set in 19th century England, is very good; I read it more than once.

[T. D.]

Hesse was big in the United States in the 1950's and '60's.  Thomas Mann's fame did not persist much into the later decades here, although books in general have faded from the "Kulcher."  When I was teaching German in a Catholic, all-boy high school, I used some of their short stories or excerpts from their novels in German III and IV.

Literary life in the era of aliteracy (a word coined appropriately c. 1980 at the beginning of the computer/Internet ear) and the era of Internet skimming seems moribund.  I was revisiting a controversy about a forgotten author named James Gould Cozzens and his attempt at literary fame in the late 1950's (i.e. By Love Possessed).    The book was so popular for a while that Time magazine placed Cozzens on a cover (a great honor at the time) of one issue.  However, a nay-saying review pointing out the turgidity of the (too often) vague and even impenetrable prose ( with examples from the book) ruined the rest of Cozzens' career.

"High-brow" vs. "Middle-brow" culture was a topic for debate for many years, and was central to the controversy above.  It has been eliminated by the triumph of aliterate The Kulcher, which makes such a controversy today about a book basically.

Anyway, I have wondered for a while about the BIG authors (best-sellers, movie contracts)  from yesteryear...who today are forgotten.

Have you heard of Lloyd C. Douglas, A.J.Cronin, John P. Marquand, Frank G. Slaughter,  Laura Z. Hobson, Thomas B. Costain (Middle initials apparently were often a prerequisite for being published back then    ?

Or Frank G. Slaughter, J.F. Powers, Irving Stone, ?

If so, then you are probably 70 years old or more! 

...

Hesse was popular in the US well into the '70s. Some of his novels were highly regarded by the "counterculture", see for instance https://www.newstatesman.com/2018/12/Hermann-hesse-Wanderer-Shadow-Gunnar-Decker-review . When I was in college (74-78), he was still rather trendy.

I recognize most of the other names from library shelves, but don't recall reading any of their works. Many of Costain's titles look interesting, but I wasn't much into historical fiction when he was a bigger deal. Irving Stone was extremely popular when I was growing up. His biographical novels Lust for Life* (van Gogh) and The Agony and the Ecstasy (Michelangelo) were especially prominent; I considered reading them at various times but never got around to it.

*I wonder whether Iggy Pop might have been influenced by this...

[Cato]

Concerning whether Mika Waltari is still a force in Finland's literary life:

He is.

Good to know!

I know, Leo, I know! I really am! --- but hush! pride is a mortal sin...

Well, a little bit of pride is quite fine!  It is a matter of the dosage! 

I remember reading The Roman when I was a teenager, but remember very little of it.

I never read the Costain novel you are reading, but his massive The Tontine, set in 19th century England, is very good; I read it more than once.

That is a recommendation!

I recognize most of the other names from library shelves, but don't recall reading any of their works. Many of Costain's titles look interesting, but I wasn't much into historical fiction when he was a bigger deal.

Irving Stone was extremely popular when I was growing up. His biographical novels Lust for Life* (van Gogh) and The Agony and the Ecstasy (Michelangelo) were especially prominent; I considered reading them at various times but never got around to it.

Certainly the movies - the former with Kirk Douglas and the latter with Charlton Heston (as Michelangelo) and Rex Harrison (as Pope Julius) - are excellent!


Many thanks for all the nice comments!

[vers la flamme]

Did Hesse ever stop being popular in the US among young people? I went to college in the 2010s, and Hesse was one of the more popular authors among my classmates.

[LKB]

I went through a " Hessian " phase during the early '80's, and picked up a German edition of Steppenwolf while in either Germany or Austria. Alas, l put him aside for historical non-fiction, and never got back to him...

[foxandpeng]

Ted Hughes. Collected Poems.

Nothing more to be said.