What are you currently reading?

[vers la flamme]

Stefan Zweig, Twenty-Four Hours in the Life of a Woman



So much rich detail in Zweig's fiction; the prewar Europe he presents is so real, you can reach out and touch it. But that's not really what this book is about, it's a kind of psychological character study, something Zweig seemed to specialize in. This is my third Zweig novella and I'm enjoying it just as much as the other two. Kind of a random discovery; I wasn't expecting to enjoy this author so much.

[SimonNZ]

Ted Hughes. Collected Poems.

Nothing more to be said.

Not just a great poet but a brilliant reader. I used to have a recording of him reading his own Crow collection.

Also his reading of TS Eliot's Four Quartets, which is far superior to Eliot's own recording, as heretical as that sounds.

Looking now I see he's also recorded his own works in a set called The Thought Fox And Other Poems, which I was previously unaware of.

[foxandpeng]

I find Hughes utterly captivating. His language, his take on the metaphysical and his life choices are all deeply fascinating. Oddly enough, yesterday I picked up the book written on his life by his brother Gerald, at a second hand book shop.

I will look out those recordings, thank you!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Oddly enough, yesterday I picked up the book written on his life by his brother Gerald, at a second hand book shop.

Synchronicity, according to Carl Jung.

[steve ridgway]

Synchronicity, according to Carl Jung.

Or anyone who notices what goes on around them.

[Mandryka]

I started to read Sartre's letters to Simone de Beauvoir a couple of years ago, after reading a very positive recommendation from my favourite author, Pierre Bergounioux. But after the first few years, all before the war, I got bored by him and so put them aside.

Then last night I saw a documentary on Arte about de Beauvoir and it seemed as though their lives got really interesting after the war, so I thought I'd give vol, 2 a chance. And what do I find for the opening paragraph of the first letter? I'm not going to translate, if you don't read French suffice to say that it is scatalogically grotesque

Je vous écris du coin du feu, tout contre le poêle, bien qu'il fasse beaucoup plus doux à présent. Cette nuit, même, il a dégelé et, comme les conduites d'eau avaient éclaté l'avant-veille, Paul a été réveillé vers deux heures je dormais comme un juste par un ronflement. Il a cru que c'était le feu, mais c'était l'eau. Il s'est habillé à la hâte et précipité dans le couloir déjà inondé. Il y a eu tout un remue-ménage et finalement on a coupé l'eau. Nous n'avons plus la moindre goutte pour nous laver vous savez que ça ne me soucie guère. Ce n'est ennuyeux que pour les cabinets qu'on ne peut plus nettoyer et où des excréments de diverses provenances s'interpénètrent intimement au gré des gels et des dégels jusqu'à former un pudding immonde et volumineux. On « va» dans la campagne. Je crois que Paul en pâtit et se constipe par vergogne de montrer son cul.

Well if it's all like this I'll be like a pig in sh . . .

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

For those interested, a small interview article (English) w/ Murakami about his Radio DJ activity. Soon, the article will start requiring subscription.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Arts/Haruki-Murakami-on-life-as-a-radio-DJ2

[steve ridgway]

A pig in Shipley.

[foxandpeng]

Synchronicity, according to Carl Jung.

Indeed.

Or anyone who notices what goes on around them.

Ha

[SimonNZ]

their lives got really interesting after the war,

Have you read The Mandarins?

[Artem]

For those interested, a small interview article (English) w/ Murakami about his Radio DJ activity. Soon, the article will start requiring subscription.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Arts/Haruki-Murakami-on-life-as-a-radio-DJ2

Thank you for sharing. From his recent books I thought he's been listening to more classical music. It's great to see his strong connection with jazz.

[vers la flamme]

Just started Stefan Zweig's Confusion.



Really good read so far. A wayward student is drawn toward the pursuit of academics (namely, English literature) by a charismatic professor, at a provincial college in prewar Germany. Very detailed writing. An easy, even kind of a cozy read. This is the fourth short novel by Zweig I've read thus far this month and I love each as much as the last. This one is significantly longer than the rest, and I reckon after this one I'll turn to one of his longer works.

For those interested, a small interview article (English) w/ Murakami about his Radio DJ activity. Soon, the article will start requiring subscription.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Arts/Haruki-Murakami-on-life-as-a-radio-DJ2

Interesting read, thanks. I didn't know he'd been dabbling in DJing his own radio show.

[Mandryka]

Have you read The Mandarins?

No, the only thing I've read is Memoires d'une jeune fille rangée. And that was donkeys years ago. I have The Second Sex somewhere in English.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Finished reading Thomas Mann's Tristan. The work is one of Mann's better works and it was enjoyable read. Readers will enjoy Mann's dry/weird humor in the work. The theme is familiar- a story of intelligentsia who refuses to accept the banality of the world. However, the protagonist 'aggressively' challenges the worldly conventions. This is in a sharp contrast to Tonio Kreger, a talented and lonely upper-class artist who often yearns for mediocre people.

[aligreto]

Hesse: Wandering





Hesse crosses the Alps and heads down south into Italy. This is not merely a physical journey but also a spiritual and a metaphysical one as well. Hesse ponders Life and communes with Nature in an attempt to reconcile the two powerful and opposing forces in his life i.e. his longing for a home on the one hand and and his desire to wander the roads on the other hand. The book is also illustrated with his own sketches.

[Cato]

Finished reading Thomas Mann's Tristan. The work is one of Mann's better works and it was enjoyable read. Readers will enjoy Mann's dry/weird humor in the work. The theme is familiar- a story of intelligentsia who refuses to accept the banality of the world. However, the protagonist 'aggressively' challenges the worldly conventions. This is in a sharp contrast to Tonio Kreger, a talented and lonely upper-class artist who often yearns for mediocre people.

My library has been packed away, but I should revisit that story.  After the chaos of moving settles, I will try again to read all four novels of Joseph and His Brothers.  Long ago I read the last novel without knowing it was the 4th of 4, and thought it was quite fine.  But when I tried the first novel some years later, I found the book over-written and a snooze, which was not my usual reaction to something by Thomas Mann.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

My library has been packed away, but I should revisit that story.  After the chaos of moving settles, I will try again to read all four novels of Joseph and His Brothers.  Long ago I read the last novel without knowing it was the 4th of 4, and thought it was quite fine.  But when I tried the first novel some years later, I found the book over-written and a snooze, which was not my usual reaction to something by Thomas Mann.

It's a good novella, but not as good as Tonio Kreger.

[Mandryka]

Finished reading Thomas Mann's Tristan. The work is one of Mann's better works and it was enjoyable read. Readers will enjoy Mann's dry/weird humor in the work. The theme is familiar- a story of intelligentsia who refuses to accept the banality of the world. However, the protagonist 'aggressively' challenges the worldly conventions. This is in a sharp contrast to Tonio Kreger, a talented and lonely upper-class artist who often yearns for mediocre people.

Thanks, I didn't even know this existed, I shall read it.

[vers la flamme]

Thanks, I didn't even know this existed, I shall read it.

It's a quick read; I liked it too. I expect you'll enjoy it as well.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Anton Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard. Declining aristocracy and rising bourgeoisie. A repeated theme, but excellent and refined writing.