I am currently reading Vonnegut's "Cat's Cradle", and I am enjoying it immensely thus far. However, I can't kick the feeling that I am missing some important message the Vonnegut is trying to get across to the readers of the book. Nevertheless, as per the advice of Virginia Woolf, I'll try to save judgments, criticisms, and whatever else until I'm finished with the book. I hope I'll learn enough from it to write an entire blog.
Paradoxically, I'd like to note that one particular part of the book resonated with me - Dr. Hoenikker's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech:
I have tried to do this. I am intrinsically motivated to look at the world and see the wonder in it as a child does in order to be a better person. Writing about this just screams self-aggrandizement to me, so I just want to assure everybody and myself that the joy I get from doing this is true - and this is not pretentious if the enjoyment I get from what I do is real and genuine. + Show Spoiler +
Thanks MasterOfPuppets
I'd encourage everybody to try this, look at the things you see, and think about how it works. I thought about how locks on doors work as I left the house today, about what happens when I press the button for the lift and for the bus to stop, about what happens when the bus doors open, and about what alloys and metals were used for the construction of the bus. I was fascinated by the world around me, and I was soon overwhelmed and inundated by the majesty of everything, and I stopped thinking about it all. I browsed Reddit on my phone.
Also, I regret that before reading "Cat's Cradle", I had attempted to read "Farenheit 451" and "Catch-22". I gave up both books because I felt completely lost while reading them, and although I feel as if I understood the plots, I felt helpless while reading them. I think it's better to read them when I have a more brains so I can enjoy them better. I also gave up Susan Sontag's "On Photography" despite how I felt about the prose. The prose was wonderful and smooth and buttery, exactly like buttered toast. Here's how I intend to stretch the metaphor to it's limits: reading it was like eating buttered toast to me, the slower I ate, the better I enjoyed it. It was as if something could be found between each sentence and phrase. Her diction was somehow able to imply something that wasn't specifically expressed. I gave up because I was bored, and however good the style is, the content must be interesting and relevant to the reader.
Moving on, I have planned my book diet. I want to read these books with the intent to be awed by the expert manipulation of the English language, and hopefully learn a thing or two. After "Cat's Cradle", I intend to read Oscar Wilde's "Picture of Dorian Gray", unless somebody tells me that I should not. After Oscar Wilde, I think I might move on to Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls", I'm quite excited about this book since it's Hemingway after all. The last thing to do on my list is to re-read Nicole Krauss' "The History of Love".
In early February, I had planned to buy another copy of Marcus Zusak's "The Book Thief" to replace the one I had lost. I wanted to read it again for nostalgia. I remembered how much I enjoyed it when I first bought it 5 years ago or so. The only thing I remember from the book is the phrase "waxy yellows and cloud-spat blues".
One thing that makes me happy is when an ephemeral experience from reading resurfaces. I hope that makes sense. I'm not quite sure how exactly I can explain it.
Well, that's it I guess. I hope you've had some fun reading this.
You should read Windup bird chronicle. its a good example of a book that has a good writing style and doesnt confine itself to simple subjects, but still isnt pretentious
I recommend coming back to catch-22 when you hit your late teens/early 20s and everyone around you seems insane, and you start to notice the systems people create are too insane.
how far did you get? when I read it last year the first half seemed like an amalgam or a salad of stories, but it comes together in the second half, and quite nicely.
As far as I remember, Farnheit 451 was extremely straight forward. Where did you have trouble exactly? I can understand the confusion with Catch-22 though.
I like your reading list. Maybe add more Hemingway. You can't ever have too much Hemingway.
On March 11 2013 03:28 Fishgle wrote: As far as I remember, Farnheit 451 was extremely straight forward. Where did you have trouble exactly? I can understand the confusion with Catch-22 though.
I like your reading list. Maybe add more Hemingway. You can't ever have too much Hemingway.
I think the confusion in catch-22 might serve as a foreshadowing or illustration of how Yossarian feels towards the whole world. So in this way Joseph Heller really gets you inside Yo-yo's mind with the stories of people around him. I might be off the mark though, it's been a while since I read it.
I'd encourage everybody to try this, look at the things you see, and think about how it works. I thought about how locks on doors work as I left the house today, about what happens when I press the button for the lift and for the bus to stop, about what happens when the bus doors open, and about what alloys and metals were used for the construction of the bus. I was fascinated by the world around me, and I was soon overwhelmed and inundated by the majesty of everything, and I stopped thinking about it all.
On March 11 2013 01:55 Roe wrote: I recommend coming back to catch-22 when you hit your late teens/early 20s and everyone around you seems insane, and you start to notice the systems people create are too insane.
how far did you get? when I read it last year the first half seemed like an amalgam or a salad of stories, but it comes together in the second half, and quite nicely.
Hey,
I definitely got that vibe while I was reading Catch-22, the vibe where everything is just an insane mess with no order. I did not reaf half of the book, and if I recalled correctly, it was just after where Yossasrian got out of the hospital and where he was talking about his tent-life.
On March 11 2013 03:28 Fishgle wrote: As far as I remember, Farnheit 451 was extremely straight forward. Where did you have trouble exactly? I can understand the confusion with Catch-22 though.
I like your reading list. Maybe add more Hemingway. You can't ever have too much Hemingway.
To be honest, I only spent an hour on the book, and in that hour I was very tired. It was after a long school-day. I'll definitely try reading it again. Maybe after "For Whom the Bell Tolls"
On March 11 2013 13:44 Divinek wrote: i recommend more non fiction to increase your brains
Anything specific you have in mind? I'm considering "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Hunter Thompson.
I'd encourage everybody to try this, look at the things you see, and think about how it works. I thought about how locks on doors work as I left the house today, about what happens when I press the button for the lift and for the bus to stop, about what happens when the bus doors open, and about what alloys and metals were used for the construction of the bus. I was fascinated by the world around me, and I was soon overwhelmed and inundated by the majesty of everything, and I stopped thinking about it all.
Go study Physics!
Oh no you don't, you evil siren of STEM, he's MINE.
On March 10 2013 22:56 marttorn wrote: You should read Windup bird chronicle. its a good example of a book that has a good writing style and doesnt confine itself to simple subjects, but still isnt pretentious
I'd encourage everybody to try this, look at the things you see, and think about how it works. I thought about how locks on doors work as I left the house today, about what happens when I press the button for the lift and for the bus to stop, about what happens when the bus doors open, and about what alloys and metals were used for the construction of the bus. I was fascinated by the world around me, and I was soon overwhelmed and inundated by the majesty of everything, and I stopped thinking about it all.
Go study Physics!
Oh no you don't, you evil siren of STEM, he's MINE.
On March 10 2013 22:56 marttorn wrote: You should read Windup bird chronicle. its a good example of a book that has a good writing style and doesnt confine itself to simple subjects, but still isnt pretentious
EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/IczSBW0.png)
