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Meta
Tag Archives: books
RIP: David Markson (1927-2010)
[CC licensed photo by adm] David Markson passed away last Friday. I have recently had reason to think about Markson’s work, in particular Wittgenstein’s Mistress, which—like many—I came to thanks to David Foster Wallace’s high praise. At the time I … Continue reading
Book Planters
While I’m on the subject of physical books—you know, the kind with paper and pages—here’s a cool looking project from gardenkultur… book planters:
Not Your Grandma’s Book Shelves
From inhabitat, two innovative design for book shelves. The more practical is the book shelf of books (how meta): Somewhat less practical, unless you live in a trendy, furniture-free loft where you squat in conversation with your Bohemian friends, but … Continue reading
Reading Log: Julius Caesar (William Shakespeare)
Julius Caesar is a play with three– count ‘em three– central protagonists. There is Caesar himself, of course, whose presence remains (literally, at one point) despite being brutally murdered halfway through the play… as Caesar himself puts it just before … Continue reading
Posted in Art & Life & Politics
Tagged 101010 challenge, books, julius caesar, reading, william shakespeare
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Thoughts on James Joyce’s “Clay”
In Joyce’s story “Clay,” Maria is the clay—completely molded by events outside herself. None of Maria’s emotions originate from within herself… each is a reaction to the needs or emotion of someone else: she’d rather not take a gift, but … Continue reading
Joyce’s “A Little Cloud”
Joyce’s “A Little Cloud” is structurally interesting— consider Little Chandler and Gallaher as parallel to Corley and Lenehan—and were I back in school writing post-structuralist criticism of the kind understandable only to a small inner-circle of other students of post-structuralist … Continue reading
Thoughts on Joyce’s “The Boarding House”
They call Mrs. Mooney, rather ambiguously, “The Madam.” A term of respect for making something of her shambolic circumstances, but also a none-too-subtle allusion to the fact that she is essentially prostituting her daughter. Polly wants a new life through … Continue reading
Limerick for “Two Gallants”
“Two Gallants” didn’t do much for me… feels like a series of symbols in search of a story. So here’s a metrically challenged limerick (seemed like the appropriate form) in honor of the “The Two Gallants” and the two gallants: … Continue reading
A Thought on Joyce’s “After the Race”
There are a few things that strike me about this story, but I’m going to talk about just two. First, the punny title. Yes, there’s a race. But isn’t Joyce also commenting on the Irish people and how they always … Continue reading
Thoughts on Joyce’s “Eveline”
A “creature” “burning with anguish and anger.” Wearing a straitjacket. “Passive, like a helpless animal.” Paralysis. Eveline looks to God for an answer to what shouldn’t be any kind of dilemma but finds none. No surprise, this being Joyce. In … Continue reading
Reading Log: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson)
I’ve had The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on my shelf since it was first released (a spontaneous purchase courtesy of a significant sale price and a prominent floor display). I’d tried to get into it at least three times … Continue reading
Reading Log: Matter (Iain M. Banks)
Matter, the latest novel in Iain M. Banks’s speculative fiction series (loosely defined) set in the far-future, inter-galactic world of the “Culture” is a glorious mess. On the glorious side are all the things I’ve liked—and sometimes loved—about the other … Continue reading
Thoughts on Joyce’s “Araby”
The language! On his deathbed, Jack Spicer’s last words were “My vocabulary did this to me!” I think Spicer meant vocabulary in the broadest sense, the way that those who possess (and obsess) over language are inhabited by it, the … Continue reading
Thoughts on Joyce’s “An Encounter”
Joyce apparently said many times that Dubliners is meant to be more like a novel than a collection of individual stories. At the same time, he also spoke to the process of writing Dubliners as one of gnomon, which Wikipedia … Continue reading
Thoughts on Joyce’s “The Sisters”
I have to remind myself that Dubliners was intended, as I understand it, to be closer to a novel than a collection of individual stories. It was certainly written to be read as a whole, which can make it problematic … Continue reading
Posted in Art & Life & Politics, motleyread
Tagged books, dubliners, james joyce, motleyread, reading
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Reading Log: The Oxford Murders (Guillermo Martínez)
While perusing the (only) local used bookstore I came across The Oxford Murders) by Guillermo Martínez, which fit nicely into my 10*10*10 Challenge (in "international mysteries"). Only when searching for the Wikipedia link I just used did I discover it … Continue reading
Posted in Art & Life & Politics, reading log
Tagged 101010 challenge, books, guillermo martinez, mystery, reading, reading log
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Searching for Shakespeare
There are few authors you can readily find in as many different editions as you can Shakespeare. As the first entry in the Shakespeare category of my 101010 Challenge, I’ve been reading the Arden Hamlet (3rd Edition), which is certainly … Continue reading
Posted in Art & Life & Politics
Tagged books, drama, hamlet, julius caesar, reading, william shakespeare
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Reading Log: Roseanna (Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö)
It’s hard not to include the adjectives phlegmatic, tired, and brilliant to describe Inspector Martin Beck, the main character in Roseanna, the first of 10 Swedish detective novels written in the late 60s and early 70s. I get tired and … Continue reading
Posted in Art & Life & Politics, reading log
Tagged 101010 challenge, books, maj sjowall, mystery, per wahloo, reading, reading log
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Reading Log: Usurper of the Sun (Housuke Nojiri)
Picked this Japanese sci-fi novel up on a whim, inspired by the front-cover blurb that included the words and phrases: “poetic first contact,” “alien peril,” and “think Arthur C. Clarke meets Haruki Murakami.” Clarke’s Rendezvous with Rama is one of … Continue reading
Posted in Art & Life & Politics
Tagged 101010 challenge, books, housuke nojiri, reading, scifi
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