Benny Profane
Well-known member
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Recently Begun Books
- Thread starter Igu Soni
- Start date
tiganeasca
Moderator
It's probably worth keeping in mind that although this board is conducted in English, English is not the first language for many of the people who post here. They are doing those of us whose native language is English a favor by posting in English. God knows, my Portuguese (much less my Brazilian Portuguese) is virtually nonexistent, as is my Spanish, Croatian, Italian, Russian, Malayalam, etc.
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umbrarchist
Member
I figured that was likely the issue but still was not sure what he meant.
Verkhovensky
Well-known member
?? Jose Eduardo Agualusa, My Father's Wives
alik-vit
Reader
Very good writer. I completed this Cooper's stuff and next read is "Creole" by Agualusa.
tiganeasca
Moderator
?? Albena Stambolova, Everything Happens As It Does
?? Vangelis Hatziyannidis, Four Walls
?? Vangelis Hatziyannidis, Four Walls
tiganeasca
Moderator
A very interesting writer. I don't know if you've read his work before, but I will be very curious to know your thoughts.
alik-vit
Reader
Yes, I did. I've read "Flashback Hotel", which is omnibus of his two early collections of short stories. It was two years ago, during the hype about his books in the Nobel library. As I wrote then: It’s highly recommended for all fans of Can Xue: the same touch of surrealism and absurdity, dreamlike quality (especially in the former collection). But I prefer his approach, because Vladislavic is more inclined to save some conventions of narrative, it’s somehow holding up the whole story as coherent unity.
I bought more his books, but only now make my comeback. What is your experience with his books?
tiganeasca
Moderator
Interesting. I've read both stories and novels. And while he's not my "style," I find that there is still something compelling about his writing. I'm not sure if it's the writing or the stories themselves--which are definitely...odd. Funny, though: I cannot read Can Xue. I've tried several times, several different books and just find her impenetrable! I suspect that you have hit the nail on the head (i.e., identified the exact issue): he "is more inclined to save some conventions of narrative" which, in turn, makes it easier for old-fashioned readers like me.
SpaceCadet
Quiet Reader
I finally started reading W.Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom!
Nearly half-way through. I don't know if it's me but...
At every sitting, the exact same phenomenon reproduce itself: two pages in and my head start swimming; I right myself up; a few more pages and that inner voice starts nagging me: 'Do you really have to read the whole thing?'...
As Tiganeasca mentioned earlier on this forum, I tried to 'think of the book as poetry as much as it is prose: pay attention to images, not cohesiveness. Just keep going and let the words wash over you. Feel the words, don't read them...'. That does not seem to work very well with me
(perhaps because English is not my first language). I do not see much poetry in it, but such a superabundance of words as I have never seen before!
Nevertheless, I'll keep on reading and see where it leads me to.
Nearly half-way through. I don't know if it's me but...
At every sitting, the exact same phenomenon reproduce itself: two pages in and my head start swimming; I right myself up; a few more pages and that inner voice starts nagging me: 'Do you really have to read the whole thing?'...
As Tiganeasca mentioned earlier on this forum, I tried to 'think of the book as poetry as much as it is prose: pay attention to images, not cohesiveness. Just keep going and let the words wash over you. Feel the words, don't read them...'. That does not seem to work very well with me
(perhaps because English is not my first language). I do not see much poetry in it, but such a superabundance of words as I have never seen before!Nevertheless, I'll keep on reading and see where it leads me to.
tiganeasca
Moderator
There is no question that it's a very difficult book--even for those of us for whom English is our native language. It's not for everyone and my own advice would be that nothing--no book--is worth slogging through just so that you can say that you "read" it. Maybe try some other Faulkner works that aren't quite so difficult....Sound and Fury or Light in August or As I Lay Dying...all of which are masterpieces of their own. Good luck, whatever you choose to do.I finally started reading W.Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom!
Nearly half-way through. I don't know if it's me but...
At every sitting, the exact same phenomenon reproduce itself: two pages in and my head start swimming; I right myself up; a few more pages and that inner voice starts nagging me: 'Do you really have to read the whole thing?'...
As Tiganeasca mentioned earlier on this forum, I tried to 'think of the book as poetry as much as it is prose: pay attention to images, not cohesiveness. Just keep going and let the words wash over you. Feel the words, don't read them...'. That does not seem to work very well with me
Nevertheless, I'll keep on reading and see where it leads me to.
tiganeasca
Moderator
?? Anatoly Rybakov, Heavy Sand (Тяжёлый Песок)
??/?? Abdulrazak Gurnah, Gravel Heart
?? Gustav Freytag, Debit and Credit (Soll und Haben)
??/?? Abdulrazak Gurnah, Gravel Heart
?? Gustav Freytag, Debit and Credit (Soll und Haben)
Daniel del Real
Moderator
Probable he's not my style either. I've only read The Folly but I had a very rough time trying to finish it. An absurdist but an absurd that didn't connect to any significant ideas, which is something key when reading this kind of approach in literature.
If Can Xue is similar probably I shouldn't even try. Some Spanish translations are finally appearing and I've been curious.
alik-vit
Reader
"The Folly" is his first novel, maybe, that is why. I just finished "The Loss library", which is my third collection of his short stories, and, IMHO, it's very good book. And there is (in all of these books) this feeling of connection with History, which is totally absent in Can Xue's works. A little bit he is like Gerald Murnane, but with feeling of history and sense of humor.
tiganeasca
Moderator
Interesting observations. Which makes me wonder about Murnane. I've tried several of his works and they read easily enough but they don't go anywhere. I haven't been able to finish a single thing of his.
Leseratte
Well-known member
I don´t wonder at that, I had my difficulties too. Maybe you haven´t tried yet A Lifetime on Clouds. From the works I read it is the most "conventional", a kind of Bildungsroman, and it made me understand the writer better.
alik-vit
Reader
Concerning Murnane: I've read five or six his books and I guess, what you said, it's indeed true for "Border Districts" and "Last letter to a reader", but there is sort of climax in many short stories and "Inland", not only his typical recursivity (which is base of his universe). But even so, his total lack of self-humor and fixation on himself make the whole project a little predictable.
P. S. I have this expanded version of "A Lifetime on Clouds", but didn't read it yet, exactly because it's ... very expanded)))