What do I read next? Yes, I am knee-deep in Don Quixote, and yes, I am halfway through a bio on D.H. Lawrence (Note to self: Be grateful you never met D.H. Lawrence.) And yes, I am about halfway through Kerouac's The Subterraneans.
I guess the real question is: Why do I want to start another novel?
Before I do any soul-searching over that, I want to lay out some of the choices that I'm toying with. Perhaps you all should vote on one for me.
Slow Man by JM Coetzee
Falling Man by Don DeLillo
Sleepless Nights by Elizabeth Hardwicke (I could read along with the Slaves of Golconda folk.)
The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy
Okay, I VOW to finish Kerouac before starting one of the above. That should keep me focused.
You know, I think I like the IDEA of having all these books to read better than actually STARTING one. I think I get a little freaked out by another commitment (Note to self: Sue therapist over not solving commitment-phobia issue). It takes me a while, too -- at least 60 pages -- to get really rolling on most novels. I have to force myself to stick with one 'til the hooks finally grab into my skin.
Not always. Sinking into Don Quixote, for example, has been like hopping on a trolley. Just get on and ride. I have a hunch the updated translation is a big help, though I know next to nothing about the science of translations, in the general sense or specifically about the history of this particular tome.
Enough rambling, dear readers. Time to visit Kerouac as I ride home on the BART...
10 comments:
I vote for The Dud Avacado. That one is high on my TBR list--now that the NYRB edition with the Terry Teachout intro has been released, I'm plotting to get myself a copy immediately--and it would be lovely to have the opportunity to compare notes with you as I read! Perhaps we could coordinate our start dates...
LK, you made me laugh about DH Lawrence! I think he would have irritated me beyond measure.
I would love you to read Slow Man. It's a slim book as many of Coetzee's are and I would love to hear your take on it.
What a lovely choice of books - and if it's any consolation I keep doing the same thing lately - ie starting more and more.... I adored The Dud Avocado when I read it, but would be equally interested to hear your take on Don Delilo (who I have never managed to get around to reading...)
I say read Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian with me. But that's a selfish request. lol
I'm the same way. I get antsy starting novels, but once they grab hold, I'm good to go.
That's a great list of possibilities there. The Dud Avocado sounds interesting, but am I the only one who thinks that's a terrible title? I'm curious to read it just to see what the title means ...
I get more antsy once I'm coming to the end of a book. I start thinking about which book next!
I haven't read any of your potential book choices but I'll go with Dud Avocado. I know I've heard about that in a couple of blogs but can't remember what it is about.
Join the Slaves, read Sleepless Nights :) My husband is reading Lawrence's The Rainbow right now and really enjoying it. What bio are you reading? I will have to tell him about it.
Oh, dear, now I'm more muddled than ever! Well, I will be reading all of these books, and soon ... think I'll pick up each one and start the first few pages and see which one goes down like a cherry vanilla Coke.
Stefanie, the book is by John Worthen, "D.H. Lawrence: The Life of an Outsider." It is interesting, though as I say, Lawrence doesn't come off necessarily as a prince. But it does give a reader insight into the author's writing, and it is a well-done bio.
I almost bought a fresh copy of the Subterraneans yesterday-- I noticed they put out a new edition of On the Road with a blue automobile photo on the cover. Of course I wanted it--but I bought some other books instead--one was the short fiction of truman capote.
for my book club read, I am toying with the idea of reading "crime and punishment" it is on the list and is one of the few on the list i haven't read yet. i am not in the mood yet though.
ps My conrad kerouac roses bloomed! (Brother marie victorin -canadian rose) he was jack's cousin.
I'm with Dorothy on "The Dud Avocado". What's wrong with "The Challenged Avocado" but then maybe the book is about a broken avocado green refrigerator from the 1970's. I had a dud harvest gold refrigerator. The ice cubes would never freeze all the way. But I couldn't even write a song about it, much less an entire book.
I suggest you read Cousin Bette by Balzac, if you haven't yet.
Post a Comment