It’s freezing cold here this Sunday, and I’m trying to use it as a bit of an opportunity to unfreeze my blogging habits and finally get some posts together about Melville. Yay! I know you all can’t wait to hear more about my journey through his work. Although I am taking a bit of a break from it now between White-Jacket and Moby-Dick.
I’ve also been up to a few other things. I finished up reading We Are the Friction, an exciting book for a print junkie consisting of short stories responding to illustrations and illustrations responding to short stories. Very cool.
I’ve also read my first ever Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway, in anticipation of Woolf in Winter, which is beginning on January 15. I’d sort of purposely stayed away from Woolf in the past, for the usual reasons: my impression of her work based on hearing about it was not so hot, and not so close to my impression afterward. So yes, I liked Mrs. Dalloway, though I didn’t looove it.
I’ve been doing a lot of mulling over what I’m going to be reading in the coming year, but unfortunately I’m a bit too rushed at this exact moment to write about it, though I think I need help and/or moral support. I might do a post on that later this week. But one thing I’ve been thinking about that I can note briefly is doing a read-along of 2666. I feel sure I will like it; that is to say, I feel sure I will like Roberto Bolaño. But I’ve never read him before and don’t know if this is what I should start with, although it seems like a pretty good opportunity to actually read it and get more out of it than I would otherwise. But should I try to squeeze something else in first?
Admittedly, I’ve purposely stayed away from Woolfe, too. Especially after watching the movie The Hours, which is my only experience with her writing. I tend to be a bit depressed at times on my own, and the impression I got from the movie is that her writing is a bit heavy.
Well, you’re right about that—things were pretty emotionally fraught for me while I was finishing it yesterday especially.
I had to read a couple of Woofe books for various classes. Could never get into it. Her writing felt so heavy to me – not just emotionally or topics, but like old, overwrought, stocky wood furniture. If that makes any sense.
I just finished Moby Dick this morning-it was my first Melville and I loved it! I’m joining in the Woolf in Winter too; Mrs. Dalloway will be a reread for me, but I love Woolf so I’m looking forward to it!
No, just dive in to 2666. You will never look back, love it or hate it. I can’t remember having stronger feelings about a book.
Stay with us on the Woolf? Given what I know of your taste, the thrill might come with Orlando and The Waves rather than the two more well-known titles. Oh, but please don’t skip To the Lighthouse either. Just in case I’ve got you wrong. :)
I’ve also kind of stayed away from Woolf, though that’s mostly because the descriptions I’ve heard of her writing lead me to believe that I should approach it with the right kind of mood and attitude. That attitude has yet to come when I’m either at the bookstore or library, so… It just hasn’t happened yet.
Frances—thanks for the 2666 tip. Now I’m definitely in.
I’m planning to do The Waves as well, and mulling the other two. I guess I should get my hands on To the Lighthouse and see where that leads me. I still can’t quite put my finger on how I felt about Mrs. Dalloway. Sort of appreciative but not really touched, I guess.
Oh, I can’t wait to read “Mrs. Dalloway,” which I checked out of the library last week.
But first I have to finish a couple more books from my TBR stack.
And I also have three books that came in the mail!
Bliss!
My Sunday Salon:
http://laurel-rainsnowsaccidentallife.blogspot.com/2010/01/sunday-salon_17.html