Books: Book(s) you are Currently Reading | Part II

[Spring in Fialta]

Will be alone and away for the week. Packed Journey to the End of the Night (re-read from a very long time ago. Might as well say I've never read it at this point) by Celine, Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller (re-read, part of my all-time favorites) and a fat collectiom by Alice Munro, who I've never read.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I somewhat regret my choices right now lol, but I was in a rush. Kind of want to read something less radical. Might go with Munro to start off with.

 

[les Habs]

Recently read all the Cormoran Strike series. I thought they were good. Reminded me of Sherlock in that it's not just about the mystery but also the relationship of the two main characters. Lethal White for me was the best book in the series.

Currently reading Lake Success by Gary Schteyngart. Being a watch collector I became interested, but it's a good read so far. Started out a bit slow, but picked up before too long.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Self help method(s) for overcoming OCD..

 

[Thucydides]

 

[Richard]

People who hate Blood Meridian (and there are many) would say the passage reads like a "first try" and needed a LOT of revision.

Like I said, it is not an easy read. I have both read and listened to Blood Meridian - I recommend listening to people who find the writing too "dense" (your word) because both are very enjoyable.

I have a very different take on the ending of Blood Meridian..... I loved the book however. I will try listening because it reads almost as a dream... any audiobook versions to recommend?

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I have a very different take on the ending of Blood Meridian..... I loved the book however. I will try listening because it reads almost as a dream... any audiobook versions to recommend?

Are you talking about the final meeting between The Judge and The Kid or the epilogue? I'd be really curious to know your thoughts.

 

[ORRFForever]

I have a very different take on the ending of Blood Meridian..... I loved the book however. I will try listening because it reads almost as a dream... any audiobook versions to recommend?

I found a version at my local library. TBH, I wouldn't know one version from another.

 

[Richard]

Are you talking about the final meeting between The Judge and The Kid or the epilogue? I'd be really curious to know your thoughts.

I am but I don't want to spoil it for everyone else if that's not allowed in this thread. How do I use spoiler tags

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I am but I don't want to spoil it for everyone else if that's not allowed in this thread. How do I use spoiler tags

I say screw it. The book was published in 1985.

 

[ORRFForever]

I say screw it. The book was published in 1985.

I agree. I have no issue about it being discussed openly.

 

[Richard]

Ok cool, my feelings on the ending is this; the Judge does NOT kill the Kid in the Jakes. Rather, the Kid embraces the Judge as in kills that little kid. All throughout the novel little kids are killed around the kid and I believe that those men are so shocked when they open the jakes because they find a raped and murdered little girl NOT a raped and murdered man.

I reread the book a couple years ago and you can definitely follow the pattern if you look

little girls go missing around the kid
he wants to have sex with the dwarf
there is a guy pissing next to the jakes that says don't go in there (only the judge or the kid would say that but the judge talks more polished and educated)

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Ok cool, my feelings on the ending is this; the Judge does NOT kill the Kid in the Jakes. Rather, the Kid embraces the Judge as in kills that little kid. All throughout the novel little kids are killed around the kid and I believe that those men are so shocked when they open the jakes because they find a raped and murdered little girl NOT a raped and murdered man.

I reread the book a couple years ago and you can definitely follow the pattern if you look

little girls go missing around the kid
he wants to have sex with the dwarf
there is a guy pissing next to the jakes that says don't go in there (only the judge or the kid would say that but the judge talks more polished and educated)

That's definitely interesting and my memory may be a little foggy, but doesn't The Judge admonish the kid for " holding clemency in his heart for the heathen " or something of the sort? And they're in a bar, and I don't recall mention of a little girl, although I could be wrong. The way I understood it is that this mystical figure in The Judge has no tolerance for the heart (however little he has left or ever had) and kindness that existed in the kid, whereas all the other characters are vicious beyond salvation, outside of perhaps the priest Tobin. Hence him consistently taunting the kid or debating him/Tobin. Again though, I'd have to read the book again. It's been a couple of years for me too but it's in a box in my mom's storage. But it's high time I read it again.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

By the way, Celine (Journey to the End of thr Night) trying to save his own life in front of an angry mob by screaming out " Vive la France! " and subsequently explaining that he had no idea what he was saying (the whole boat is confused by his patriotic rambling) and that it was the first time France saved his life is one gorgeous piece of comedy.

 

[Richard]

That's definitely interesting and my memory may be a little foggy, but doesn't The Judge admonish the kid for " holding clemency in his heart for the heathen " or something of the sort? And they're in a bar, and I don't recall mention of a little girl, although I could be wrong. The way I understood it is that this mystical figure in The Judge has no tolerance for the heart (however little he has left or ever had) and kindness that existed in the kid, whereas all the other characters are vicious beyond salvation, outside of perhaps the priest Tobin. Hence him consistently taunting the kid or debating him/Tobin. Again though, I'd have to read the book again. It's been a couple of years for me too but it's in a box in my mom's storage. But it's high time I read it again.

I always read the judge as duality - a distinct character who merges and morphs within the kids own mind.

 

[ORRFForever]

I always read the judge as duality - a distinct character who merges and morphs within the kids own mind.

Not sure what to think of your theory. Interesting, but I took the story more literally.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I always read the judge as duality - a distinct character who merges and morphs within the kids own mind.

I'm not so sure. I could be convinced differently, but that the members of the Glanton Gang meet (and are saved) by The Judge before The Kid ever meets him makes me think that ain't it. I'm not so sure what The Judge is supposed to be, besides an all-encompassing presence capable of horrors even the depraved Glanton Gang aren't (and I'm not sure it's important either) that also transcends a mere human being. I don't think he's meant to be human, but I'm also not so sure he's a duality (of what? The Kid is already depraved by the first page).

 

[Richard]

I'm not so sure. I could be convinced differently, but that the members of the Glanton Gang meet (and are saved) by The Judge before The Kid ever meets him makes me think that ain't it. I'm not so sure what The Judge is supposed to be, besides an all-encompassing presence capable of horrors even the depraved Glanton Gang aren't (and I'm not sure it's important either) that also transcends a mere human being. I don't think he's meant to be human, but I'm also not so sure he's a duality (of what? The Kid is already depraved by the first page).

The Judge is a real character but I think the kid adopts the Judge's philosophy.... he fights against it much of the novel but in the end "embraces" it and kills and rapes the little girl.

 

[Thucydides]

*re-read

 

[Spring in Fialta]

*re-read

Please review it!

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Current thoughts about Journey to the End of the Night (I'm 300 pages through): In his best spurts, Celine flirts with genius consistently. In his worsts, he's little more than a rambling misanthropic caricaturist with a disjointed prose style (albeit sometimes quite effective). Maybe one of the funniest artists I've come across, and also contains one of the most poignant/humanistic passage I've ever read. Got teary-eyed. Also, Celine almost getting killed on the boat trip towards Africa + calling a 2 year-old in agony a little cretin and a little donkey who'll have all the time in the world to scream in agony when he grows up, all this in front of his worried family, had me laughing out loud for very long minutes.

 

[Thucydides]

 

[Thucydides]

Please review it!

I’ll get to it later today. Think I liked it more the second time around.

 

[BrockLobster]

I just wrapped up Bruce dickinson 's autobiography. What an interesting fella he is.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Please review this too!