In my last blog I wrote that James Joyce's Ulysses was beyond me. This has not changed, but a recent podcast I heard on T. S. Eliot's epic poem The Wasteland gave me hope of one day understanding Joyce. The podcast (and the Youtube video) is Nick Mount's lecture on TVO's Big Ideas. I have copied the links below if you are interested.
http://bigideas.tvo.org/episode/138711/nick-mount-on-ts-eliots-the-wasteland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxF9xkB5o04
Sunday, 30 November 2014
Saturday, 29 November 2014
Novel 3: "The Brothers Karamazov"
In my 'restless quest' to read the top 100 novels of all time I am trying to following the list in Daniel S. Burt's book The Novel 100. Burt ranks Ulysses, by James Joyce, as 3rd on his 'greatest novels of all time' list. So, naturally that should be my third book to read. Alas, it was not. The initial hopeful anticipation that usually accompanies my purchase of a book was soon dashed after I actually started reading the Ulysses. Frankly, it was beyond me. It wasn't making sense. After reading some critiques, analysis, and reviews of the book (which I try to do, in depth, only after finishing a classic) I realized Ulysses is an enigma to even the most astute English professor. So, I moved on to the 4th book on Burt's list, In Search of Lost Time, by Marcel Proust. Again, my quest was fraught with difficulty and confusion as I struggled to even find a copy of the novel; and further, it appeared to be one of a series, which I thought was a modern, fantasy genre problem. Needless to say, I have shelved In Search of Lost Time beside Ulysses in my 'to read later' pile, and have moved on to Burt's 5th book, The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, a novel I have read before.
The Brothers Karamazov is full of personal meaning for me, so, full disclosure, it is near and dear to my heart. In my early 20s I purchased a copy of this novel in a used book store (the old Tramps in Governor Park in Saskatoon). I was living on my own for the first time and navigating my place in the adult world, and, odd as it may sound, The Brothers Karamazov became a source of comfort for me. Later, I would meet some friends who shared a passion for ideas and literature, and they had also read the book. I still meet regularly with these friends, and this has made this novel a touchstone in my life. Books become richer once you discuss them with others, and you notice them being referred to in other literature. It is part of the experience of reading to enter the broader conversation about the book. the Brothers Karamazov is one of those books for me, and this experience is one of the reasons I want to read more of the classics.
On with the book itself. The plot in The Brothers Karamazov centers around patricide, the concept, and the act, of killing one's father. I, by the way, have never thought of this, nor have I had any reason to contemplate the act! Still, one can relate to the characters, and their feelings, as insidious as they are. The way Dostoevsky weaves the mystery of Karamazov's life and death through the stories of his three sons is marvellous in itself, but all the more intriguing is the way Dostoevsky explores the deeper questions of life, politics, philosophy, and religion through the characters' dialogue. This book, written in the 1880s, pre-dates the Russian Revolution and the advent of the horrors of the twentieth century. This book was ahead of its time. Like Tolstoy, Dostoevsky diverges into little mini-narratives in the book, and some particular tales, like the Grand Inquisitor, add much to the book. Personally, I also enjoyed the biography of the Father Zossima, and the final chapter. I find most classics have these little nuggets, glimmering gems within the main veins of the book, that you only ever enjoy if you read the book because they rarely make the synopsis or the Wikkipedia overview.
The story is interesting, and I found myself at times laughing out loud (Karamazov is so over the top at times!), and feeling deep emotion for the characters. I related to Alyosha, and the other brothers at different times. I think that is the enduring quality of the book The way the brothers represent us, or the different parts of us, or different parts of people or ideas that we have met. The small Russian town is not so different from our 'little towns', and the big questions of life become more digestible when parsed through the characters' dialogue. As the book has meant different things to me at different season in my life, the brothers represent different parts of me at different part of my life. I think this is at the core of what makes this book easy to relate to, even though it was written across the world over 150 years ago. The sign of a true classic.
Rating: 93
'Epic'ness = 23.5
Eloquence = 23.5 (fantastic dialogue, intriguing, well-woven narrative)
Exploration of the human condition = 24 (the brothers, and others, are us, and humanities greatest ideas)
Enjoyment = 22 (at times difficult to read, but worth it)
The Brothers Karamazov is full of personal meaning for me, so, full disclosure, it is near and dear to my heart. In my early 20s I purchased a copy of this novel in a used book store (the old Tramps in Governor Park in Saskatoon). I was living on my own for the first time and navigating my place in the adult world, and, odd as it may sound, The Brothers Karamazov became a source of comfort for me. Later, I would meet some friends who shared a passion for ideas and literature, and they had also read the book. I still meet regularly with these friends, and this has made this novel a touchstone in my life. Books become richer once you discuss them with others, and you notice them being referred to in other literature. It is part of the experience of reading to enter the broader conversation about the book. the Brothers Karamazov is one of those books for me, and this experience is one of the reasons I want to read more of the classics.
On with the book itself. The plot in The Brothers Karamazov centers around patricide, the concept, and the act, of killing one's father. I, by the way, have never thought of this, nor have I had any reason to contemplate the act! Still, one can relate to the characters, and their feelings, as insidious as they are. The way Dostoevsky weaves the mystery of Karamazov's life and death through the stories of his three sons is marvellous in itself, but all the more intriguing is the way Dostoevsky explores the deeper questions of life, politics, philosophy, and religion through the characters' dialogue. This book, written in the 1880s, pre-dates the Russian Revolution and the advent of the horrors of the twentieth century. This book was ahead of its time. Like Tolstoy, Dostoevsky diverges into little mini-narratives in the book, and some particular tales, like the Grand Inquisitor, add much to the book. Personally, I also enjoyed the biography of the Father Zossima, and the final chapter. I find most classics have these little nuggets, glimmering gems within the main veins of the book, that you only ever enjoy if you read the book because they rarely make the synopsis or the Wikkipedia overview.
The story is interesting, and I found myself at times laughing out loud (Karamazov is so over the top at times!), and feeling deep emotion for the characters. I related to Alyosha, and the other brothers at different times. I think that is the enduring quality of the book The way the brothers represent us, or the different parts of us, or different parts of people or ideas that we have met. The small Russian town is not so different from our 'little towns', and the big questions of life become more digestible when parsed through the characters' dialogue. As the book has meant different things to me at different season in my life, the brothers represent different parts of me at different part of my life. I think this is at the core of what makes this book easy to relate to, even though it was written across the world over 150 years ago. The sign of a true classic.
Rating: 93
'Epic'ness = 23.5
Eloquence = 23.5 (fantastic dialogue, intriguing, well-woven narrative)
Exploration of the human condition = 24 (the brothers, and others, are us, and humanities greatest ideas)
Enjoyment = 22 (at times difficult to read, but worth it)
Sunday, 23 November 2014
Novel 2: "War and Peace"
If one has not read it, Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace is on most people's 'must read' list. Not because it is such a great read, but because it truly is an epic! War and Peace must be the quintessential historic novel (though apparently Tolstoy didn't like this term). I was excited to read this book, but, I have to admit, it did drag in many parts for me. I think I subconsciously purchased the 'original, authorized edition', which is shorter, and somewhat different, than the traditionally studied text. Oh well, lucky me, a few less pages to read! The 'original, authorized edition' is the copy Tolstoy wanted published. But, the novel (as it is generally studied) was later changed by Tolstoy and his editors before being published, with Tolstoy's reluctant blessing.
This book was long, and at times difficult to plow through. It was clear, early on, however, that it deserves it's place in the literary classics. It is a sweeping epic that connects world history with the particularities of people, families, and human experience. It almost felt like a television mini-series, but no one can accuse Tolstoy of having that in mind when he wrote it! Tolstoy's ability to weave together a grand historic narrative with an intensely human story-line, more likely, speaks to his visionary writing style.
Part of the allure of War and Peace is that it was pushing the boundaries of the genre at the time. Tolstoy didn't want to be pigeon-holed, hence my hesitation to call War and Peace 'historic fiction', but, to me, that is what it is. I did find some of the families and story-lines difficult to follow, and I am not that familiar with Russian history. What I did find enjoyable and rewarding were the small stories, the dialogues and mini-vignettes, the emotions and actions of and between characters. It was almost like reading a series of short stories, all published within a single volume sharing points of connection. This is where I stole a glimpse of what is referred to as Tolstoy's 'genius', and where he can be seen, I think, as a master of his craft.
I also found it interesting to explore more about Tolstoy himself. I watched the movie "The Last Station", and I recommend it. In the end, I found Tolstoy's personal life and writing process more intriguing then the novel itself, and I want to continue learning more about him and his Russian literary counterparts.
The Restless Questometer: 87.5 (out of 100)
Epic'ness'= 25 (perfect marks, who hasn't heard of this book, or write in its shadow?)
Enjoyment = 18 (generally slogged through it, but parts were brilliant, and worth the effort!)
Eloquence = 22.5 (Grand narrative flow, great descriptions, a bit 'jumpy')
Exploration of the human condition = 23 (Some amazing glimpses into the human experience, especially of the soldiers, and some of the female characters)
This book was long, and at times difficult to plow through. It was clear, early on, however, that it deserves it's place in the literary classics. It is a sweeping epic that connects world history with the particularities of people, families, and human experience. It almost felt like a television mini-series, but no one can accuse Tolstoy of having that in mind when he wrote it! Tolstoy's ability to weave together a grand historic narrative with an intensely human story-line, more likely, speaks to his visionary writing style.
Part of the allure of War and Peace is that it was pushing the boundaries of the genre at the time. Tolstoy didn't want to be pigeon-holed, hence my hesitation to call War and Peace 'historic fiction', but, to me, that is what it is. I did find some of the families and story-lines difficult to follow, and I am not that familiar with Russian history. What I did find enjoyable and rewarding were the small stories, the dialogues and mini-vignettes, the emotions and actions of and between characters. It was almost like reading a series of short stories, all published within a single volume sharing points of connection. This is where I stole a glimpse of what is referred to as Tolstoy's 'genius', and where he can be seen, I think, as a master of his craft.
I also found it interesting to explore more about Tolstoy himself. I watched the movie "The Last Station", and I recommend it. In the end, I found Tolstoy's personal life and writing process more intriguing then the novel itself, and I want to continue learning more about him and his Russian literary counterparts.
The Restless Questometer: 87.5 (out of 100)
Epic'ness'= 25 (perfect marks, who hasn't heard of this book, or write in its shadow?)
Enjoyment = 18 (generally slogged through it, but parts were brilliant, and worth the effort!)
Eloquence = 22.5 (Grand narrative flow, great descriptions, a bit 'jumpy')
Exploration of the human condition = 23 (Some amazing glimpses into the human experience, especially of the soldiers, and some of the female characters)
Tuesday, 11 November 2014
Novel 1: "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes (95 points)
The first book on the list of Daniel S. Burt's "Novel 100: The Greatest Novels of All Time" is Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Many similar lists do not rate Don Quixote this high, if at all. So, at first, I found this an odd pick, but was excited to have an excuse to read it, as I never had. As I got into the book I realized that it was more a part of my life than I knew.
The book itself was quite easy to read, and accessible, which is saying something seeing as it is about 400 years old. As I read, I began to see pre-figures of characters that I now know in more current literature and pop-culture, including the knights in Monty Python's 'Holy Grail' and the charming animal sidekicks (similar Sancho) in many Disney movies. I found this fascinating and it enhanced my reading experience. I also began to see specific references to Don Quixote in other reading I did, references which to this point had gone over my head. Quixote is also a common figure in art, I began to notice.
Don Quixote is, according to some, the original novel, and in it the germ of many other novels is found. Beyond simply being the 'first' novel, Don Quixote is also profound in its commentary on the interplay between reality and fiction, and human perception of such. What is the 'really real' anyway? Are we not more than ever fixated on our own silly, romantic quests? Are we not, as much as ever, impressionable to the stories of media that contort our realities today? This, I think, is the timelessness and genius of Don Quixote, the use of media (in this case, the novel) to critique media and explore the tensions within. So Cervantes gets the last laugh. He gets to poke fun at the romantic, shapeless tropes of literature that impacted Quixote's view of reality, while creating a new a character-type within that genre that helps us laugh at ourselves and reflect on the genre, and life itself.
All in all, a great book, worth reading if only for it's historic importance within literature itself. Beyond that, a helpful launching point from which to reflect on the nature of reality, and literature's role in shaping our perception of the world, for good or ill. I'm glad I read this book, and I believe it deserves its place on the top 100, if not number 1. I'll have the read the other 99 before I make my final judgement!
Epicness: 24.5
- This is, arguably, the first novel. Hard to get more epic than that
Enjoyability: 23.5
- Suprisingly so! Filled with little nuggets.
Exploration of the human condition: 23.5
- Definitely exploration of humanity's perception of reality.
Eloquence: 23.5
- A poetic masterpiece, but their were points where, for me, it got a bit flowery.
The book itself was quite easy to read, and accessible, which is saying something seeing as it is about 400 years old. As I read, I began to see pre-figures of characters that I now know in more current literature and pop-culture, including the knights in Monty Python's 'Holy Grail' and the charming animal sidekicks (similar Sancho) in many Disney movies. I found this fascinating and it enhanced my reading experience. I also began to see specific references to Don Quixote in other reading I did, references which to this point had gone over my head. Quixote is also a common figure in art, I began to notice.
Don Quixote is, according to some, the original novel, and in it the germ of many other novels is found. Beyond simply being the 'first' novel, Don Quixote is also profound in its commentary on the interplay between reality and fiction, and human perception of such. What is the 'really real' anyway? Are we not more than ever fixated on our own silly, romantic quests? Are we not, as much as ever, impressionable to the stories of media that contort our realities today? This, I think, is the timelessness and genius of Don Quixote, the use of media (in this case, the novel) to critique media and explore the tensions within. So Cervantes gets the last laugh. He gets to poke fun at the romantic, shapeless tropes of literature that impacted Quixote's view of reality, while creating a new a character-type within that genre that helps us laugh at ourselves and reflect on the genre, and life itself.
All in all, a great book, worth reading if only for it's historic importance within literature itself. Beyond that, a helpful launching point from which to reflect on the nature of reality, and literature's role in shaping our perception of the world, for good or ill. I'm glad I read this book, and I believe it deserves its place on the top 100, if not number 1. I'll have the read the other 99 before I make my final judgement!
Epicness: 24.5
- This is, arguably, the first novel. Hard to get more epic than that
Enjoyability: 23.5
- Suprisingly so! Filled with little nuggets.
Exploration of the human condition: 23.5
- Definitely exploration of humanity's perception of reality.
Eloquence: 23.5
- A poetic masterpiece, but their were points where, for me, it got a bit flowery.
Monday, 10 November 2014
Welcome to The Restless Quest!
Welcome! A few years ago (around New Year's Day 2012) I purchased a discount book entitled "The Novel 100" that outlines the author's top 100 picks for the greatest novels ever written. I loosely committed to reading them. I know this is not a new or 'novel' idea, but it was the kick in the pants I needed to get started. Reading, like writing, often just needs a starting line. In this blog I will record my insights, wrestlings, questions, and feelings as I read these 100 books (I will deviate from the authors exact 100, but more on that later). This is primarily a solo pursuit, but I am inviting anyone to follow, or comment as I go. Happy reading!
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