So this is where I am...
In the past few months, I haven't been reading. Let me rephrase that. I haven't been reading successfully. Oh, I've sat with books, I've turned pages, I've comprehended the text, but I haven't been Reading. I haven't been loving it. I haven't been hurrying through my day just to get to the few moments of peace and joy that a book may bring. I've been sampling, reading a chapter here, a chapter there and moving on to the next thing to catch my eye. I've been using books the way Brittany Spears has been using men. It's not me and I don't like it.
In desperation, I've turned to Steve (of Stevereads.blogspot.com and OpenLettersMonthly.com) for help. I can hear the wail rising up "Good Lord! She must be desperate!" but calm yourselves. Steve has very rarely done me wrong when it comes to books. Yes, yes there was the time that he swore I would enjoy "Hannibal" by Thomas Harris but I'm almost over that so you should be too. Even a man blessed with all the things that Steve is blessed with can be wrong once and awhile.
In any case, I've given over my future reading to Steve's command. I read by his will, if you'd prefer. I've promised to read what he suggests and only what he suggests from start to finish with no wandering nor whining. The first book on his list is "Master and Commander" by Patrick O'Brian. From what I can gather, being two or three chapters into it, it is about some men on a boat. I'll keep you all informed if I suss out anything more.
Seriously, it seems like it might be highly enjoyable if only I can get past the "sailorese". I've yet to learn what a "bosun" might be, even after O'Brian has used the word 50 times to describe the action. And don't get me going on the various masts and sails. I feel like I'm reading letters coming out of some government office with paragraphs of information blacked out for security reasons. It's all very confusing and O'Brian offers little help.
As I said, I've only begun to read and I AM in for the long haul, so I'll keep you posted. Surely Steve knows what he's doing... doesn't he?
Ministry of Fear (1944)
3 years ago
26 comments:
Welcome to the warm, semi-stagnant shallow waters of the blogosphere, Beepy! Long may you bask!
As for 'Master and Commander,' you must keep in mind that Patrick O'Brian was a very intelligent man (not particularly kind, and not particularly honest, but still) - he knew perfectly well that most of his potential readers would be in the same boat, as it were, as you: swamped, as it were, with arcane Nelsonian naval terminology, constantly feeling like they should be reaching for a nautical dictionary. And you can do that, if you like (I recommend the hand-friendly thick Oxford paperback 'Ships and the Sea'), but I advise against it: rather think of this first book as a kind of immersion, as it were, in a new world - absorb what you can, but always keep going forward with the plot. O'Brian absolutely NEVER allows any plot-point, crucial or otherwise, to depend on your knowledge of specialized terminology.
Think back to the first time you read Sherlock Holmes - surely lots of the terms in those stories were completely unfamiliar to you? Yet you kept reading for the STORY ... do that with O'Brian, and I assure you, 'Master and Commander' will please you.
Oh, and would it KILL you to change your background-template? Basic black is hardly all girly-girl - surely blogspot offers something in manatee grey, or wishful-thinking pink?
Oh, and along the theme of the blog: today I'm reading 'Clouds of Witness' by Dorothy Sayers, in which we learn that Lord Peter Wimsey's family isn't all that different from him ... for good or ill. It's as sharp as gale from the nor'noreast, especially when it's filling your gibs and spankers!
I have a colleague who's been going through exactly the same difficulty with 'Master and Commander'--he happily strolling along and then, in his words, he's walking through sticky tar, flummoxed by the terminology. I've urged him on with the same advice as Steve--read through it, because it's not essential to being swept away by the action or beguiled by the characters. (Also, as O'Brian is always emphasizing, Maturin doesn't know anything much about the nautical world either, so we're all in the same shhip as him, ahem.)
But the real payoff coomes when you get to the second book, 'Post Captain,' which is significantly better than 'Master and Commander,' good as the first is. (I've only read the first three.)
I am reading now Richard Russo's forthcoming novel "Bridge of Sighs," which is a seriously good novel, his fullest, richest yet (although I'm holding my breath for the ending, since he kind of botched the ending of 'Empire Falls'...).
I enjoyed 'Master and Commander', but had the same difficulty with the sailor jargon. I will have to check out 'Post Captain'.
Currently, I'm finishing up McCarthy's 'The Crossing'. I think this is my favorite of his novels so far (I've read 'The Road', 'Blood Meridian', 'All the Pretty Horses' and 'No Country for Old Men').
Today I read "Inconsistency in Roman Epic" by James O'Hara. Despite being about some of the most vibrantly ALIVE poets of all time (and despite our author having an obvious genetic disposition toward storytelling), it was dry as dust. Here's hoping tonight's book will be better.
Welcome to blogland, Beepster! Keep 'em coming!
I agree with Steve (is that cause for Panishment Eternal over here? Not sure what the Beepyverse rules are), the white on black needs to go. Its hard on the eyes.
I'm reading a copy of Gore Vidal's 'Creation' that I picked up for a buck or two.
Kinky.
Is a pink background better or is it still too hard to read? I like the pink 'cause it's all girly but I'll happily go to white if it is easier to read. Because, heaven knows, I like being easy.
The pink is wonderful! Now the only difficult thing about reading the site is YOUR PROSE!
*snort*
I am SO funny, I kill myself ...
Kevin - don't worry about panishment here. There is only one rule on my blog and that is:
*Nobody puts Beepy in a corner*
Um, Kevin? We at Stevereads can Panish you from ANYWHERE on the Interwebs! Stevereads - Manateeforallseasons - Granny-Trannies ... ALL your favorite sites! So watch your step!
Hmm, I've never made the tranny/tranny connection. I really should have, esp. in high school when we learned to change the tranny fluid and filter in auto shop class.
There is a dictionary specifically designed around the Master & Commander series called A Sea of Words that's pretty good. I also thought O'Brian was a little high handed the way he plunges the reader directly into a naval historian's wet dream without warning, and I also think it does occasionally interfere with the action. Certain early battles were lost on me until I got the A Sea of Words and boned up.
I'm currently reading The Dante Club which I'd give a B+ on plot and a D+ on prose. Just finished Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (Jane Austin with wizards) which gets an A- on prose and a only B on plot which was good but surprisingly saggy.
In comics I'm halfway through the mega-compendium of Bone which is exceedingly charming.
Jeff E.
Jeff, I'm disappointed to hear that "Dante Club" is so poorly written. I'd hoped to read that one day. I've also had "Jonathan Strange" recommended to me and had that on the list (don't tell Steve about either one or I'll be panished from my own blog). "Bone" has been calling me too because it's so darned big. (Oh yeah Kevin, I keep looking at "Blankets" too. (another thing we'll whisper about when Steve's in the other room)
Bone is terrific. I'm glad it's now collected into one heaping book. You can get it in color now, too, though I much prefer the black & white.
I've had 'Jonathan Strange and Blah Blah' come both highly recommended and highly panned - adding Jeff's recommendation probably tips the scales to 'I'll read it someday'.
I actually recommend 'Cages' over 'Blankets' - not that I don't like Blankets, but it can be a bit too confessional for some, while anyone who doesn't love 'Cages' is a 24-karat ninny. It's fantastic.
My Jeff recommended comix reads, for after you're finished Bone (careful talking about Bone - you can easily get yourself into a conversation as awkward as one about Trannies) - Astonishing X-men, or DC: The New Frontier. Or Cages - that's one you'll like too.
For Steve, the latest issue of "The Lamentations of a Gay Teenage Refugee". You'll love chapter 7, "The History of Suffering", where nothing happens.
Kevin - how is the book you are working on coming? Is it available yet? I somehow remember August being the projected date and since I don't frequent comic book stores, I want to be sure that I don't miss it.
The first book, called "Badger: Bull!" hits stores in November. I'm almost done with it. Finishing the last page today.
Disclaimer: it's a pretty weird book.
"Granny-Trannies" is pretty damn funny. I gotta say.
Although 'Blankets' is re-fried hippo shit, 'Bone' is of course sheer brilliance. The only thing wrong with it is the running gag about 'Moby-Dick' being a BORING book (at one point our hero actually puts some stupid, stupid rat creatures forcibly to sleep simply by reading a few LINES) - when we all know the exact opposite is true ...
That always bugged me, too.
Oh, and to answer your final blog-question: yes, when it comes to recommending books, Steve knows what he's doing. I defy anybody in the entire WORLD to contend otherwise! Especially considering how many of you have benefitted from my recommendations! I am Spartacus!
It's true. The Dante Club was a painful reminder of the kinds of dreck you can feel compelled to wade through when you stray from the guidance of Steve. It was the kind of book that leaves you saying, "Well, it was ohhh kaaay," which is far from acceptable by Steve's lights.
Done with Bone. Now trying The Watchmen.
-Jeff E.
'The Watchmen' is superbity embodied. Even Kevin would have to admit that, despite a) the presence of super-heroes in it and b) the absence of Serbian lesbian cancer victims. You won't be disappointed.
and while we're on the subject: a new entry, please, ere I perish ...
I never loaned you Watchmen? Jeff, forgive me! I have failed you as a comic book loaner. Watchmen is the best. Literally.
Ditto, Mr. SteveReads.
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