First of all: I'm so very excited about the great and varied response to the Short Story Short Challenge and my post on 10 favorite short stories! Will definitely be exploring this topic periodically. I hope everyone is inspired to read at least one or two new authors or, if you're not a short story aficionado, to try one. (I dare you to read one on my list and not be blown away.)
Second: Can't let David Halberstam's death go by without comment. In my undergrad years, as a journalism student, I read his "The Best and the Brightest" (the Kennedy Administration and VietNam War) and "The Powers that Be" (on the American media). He was of the old school: exhaustive research, in-depth analysis, and above all, accuracy, accuracy, accuracy.
He died by being broad-sided.
Second: Can't let David Halberstam's death go by without comment. In my undergrad years, as a journalism student, I read his "The Best and the Brightest" (the Kennedy Administration and VietNam War) and "The Powers that Be" (on the American media). He was of the old school: exhaustive research, in-depth analysis, and above all, accuracy, accuracy, accuracy.
He died by being broad-sided.
Third: About 100 pages in to Proust vol. 2. God, I just love Proust! You really have to give yourself up to him. I don't try to "understand everything;" a reader simply can't. There is too much. You just read and enjoy the process of reading and then, suddenly, when you are not quite aware, the prose clicks. I imagine it's how a child learns how to speak. I feel I am such a better reader for having read Proust, and I'm sure I will feel that way about my writing.
Four: Joined up with the Tilting at Windmills group! Going to start Don Quixote in the midst of reading Proust. What a masochist. But, this is a group and an objective too stellar to miss out on. I imagine I will cower on the sidelines, shocked and awed by everyone else's insights and progress. Sort of like the bunny-slope skier straggling behind a group of Olympians. But, that's how one learns. Thanks, Dorothy W., for organizing. Good call!
9 comments:
I read 'The Reckoning' by Halberstam and was completely blown away. It was great. Then I read his book 'The Fifties' another great book. His death was really a sad thing to hear about.
Good luck with Don Quixote, LK. I checked it out from the library, felt how much it weighed, turned it right back in. Sigh. Although now maybe I will have the time to get right on some David Halberstam...
You're welcome, LK! I'm so glad to have lots of people reading along with me. And I'm looking forward to your posts on DQ!
Yay you've joined the Windmills gang. I'm excited but a bit scared too. ha,ha.
You describe reading Proust so nicely. Glad you're enjoying vol 2!
I'm with you on the Proust/Cervantes masochistic kick! I start Proust next week and I can't wait, after reading your description of the experience. I'm really looking forward to it.
-Sarah
You're inspiring me to pick up some Proust. I'm a little surprised I haven't read any of his stuff before now. Let's see what I can BookMooch of his. :)
I had no idea that Halberstam died. I really need to watch the news more often...I really want to read Proust. Maybe towards the end of the year...Glad to hear you joined the DQ group. I'm not sure I would read it had I not joined, so this is perfect. I'm not sure I'll have many insightful posts, but I am sure other readers will! It's nice--when you are not in a Cervantes mood, you can read Proust and vice versa!
are you still going, or given up on your blog.
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