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Post by echoesofairplanes on Dec 20, 2008 0:40:03 GMT -5
I'm just now halfway through, and it's difficult to summarize easily... It takes place in 17th C. England, and is told by two narrators: One is a nameless gigantic woman, forever unloved because of her appearance, at once naive and wise. The other is her "son," Jordan, whom she fished out of the Thames when he was a child. He travels the world searching for Fortunata, one of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, encountering a city where people deconstruct their homes every night and rebuild them in a different location every morning, and one wiped out by the plague of love then repopulated by a monk and a whore, among others. It draws from fairy tales and surrealist romanticism, yet the writing is rather straightforward, even if the shifting of perspectives had me confused at the beginning (because of the lack of explanation coupled with the surrealist style). I like it so far, my favorite section being the description from each of the Twelve Dancing Princesses on how they separated from their husbands (twelve brothers).
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Post by echoesofairplanes on Dec 20, 2008 0:46:25 GMT -5
it's cool that you can read a book or two a day. I have a stack of unread books I've accumulated over the last few years, and I've made it my goal to cut it down as much as possible over winter break. So far, I've hardly left the house, locking myself in and reading all day and well into the night. (Plus it helps that they've all been under 300 pages.) It's been the most productive week I've had in awhile
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Post by sashwap on Dec 20, 2008 7:53:08 GMT -5
I'm just now halfway through, and it's difficult to summarize easily... It takes place in 17th C. England, and is told by two narrators: One is a nameless gigantic woman, forever unloved because of her appearance, at once naive and wise. The other is her "son," Jordan, whom she fished out of the Thames when he was a child. He travels the world searching for Fortunata, one of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, encountering a city where people deconstruct their homes every night and rebuild them in a different location every morning, and one wiped out by the plague of love then repopulated by a monk and a whore, among others. It draws from fairy tales and surrealist romanticism, yet the writing is rather straightforward, even if the shifting of perspectives had me confused at the beginning (because of the lack of explanation coupled with the surrealist style). I like it so far, my favorite section being the description from each of the Twelve Dancing Princesses on how they separated from their husbands (twelve brothers). that sounds awesome. i'll have to add it to my wishlist. your description reminded me of this: and this: both of which i recommend
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Post by echoesofairplanes on Dec 20, 2008 10:41:08 GMT -5
I LOOOOOOOOOVE Barthelme. I just read The Dead Father for the 3rd time last month. It just might be my favorite book.
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Post by sashwap on Dec 20, 2008 10:56:18 GMT -5
oh nice!
yeah, he's brilliant. i've only read those two novels, plus most of sixty stories
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Post by echoesofairplanes on Dec 21, 2008 12:51:03 GMT -5
His others novels are both pretty great. I think I like The King better though, maybe because he has King Arthur say, "I understand that I have to be killed by something. I would prefer that it be music." At the recommendation of someone on this board a while back, I got this and read about halfway through before school got too busy. Gonna finish it now.
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Post by simo on Dec 21, 2008 16:47:27 GMT -5
His others novels are both pretty great. I think I like The King better though, maybe because he has King Arthur say, "I understand that I have to be killed by something. I would prefer that it be music." At the recommendation of someone on this board a while back, I got this and read about halfway through before school got too busy. Gonna finish it now. awesome, that was probably me alasdair gray is my favorite
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Post by thommmmm on Dec 21, 2008 16:52:02 GMT -5
will self is a d-bag.
thank you, echoesofairplanes, for the books and inspiration. my resolution this year is to not start any new projects. i shall finish the two or three records in the pipeline, finish a first draft of my novel, and then absorb.
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Post by sashwap on Dec 21, 2008 20:09:00 GMT -5
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Post by thommmmm on Dec 21, 2008 20:47:25 GMT -5
wicked. i gots to get all up on don b.
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Post by simo on Dec 21, 2008 21:36:22 GMT -5
will self is a d-bag. thank you, echoesofairplanes, for the books and inspiration. my resolution this year is to not start any new projects. i shall finish the two or three records in the pipeline, finish a first draft of my novel, and then absorb. what makes will self a d-bag exactly? not disagreeing i just have no idea who he is apart from that introduction he wrote.
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Post by thommmmm on Dec 21, 2008 21:56:25 GMT -5
i can only go by his appearance in karl pilkington's "satisfied fool" special on bbc.
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Post by sashwap on Dec 21, 2008 22:10:07 GMT -5
will self is a d-bag. thank you, echoesofairplanes, for the books and inspiration. my resolution this year is to not start any new projects. i shall finish the two or three records in the pipeline, finish a first draft of my novel, and then absorb. what makes will self a d-bag exactly? not disagreeing i just have no idea who he is apart from that introduction he wrote. he's self-centered
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Post by echoesofairplanes on Dec 21, 2008 22:47:42 GMT -5
thank you, echoesofairplanes, for the books and inspiration. my resolution this year is to not start any new projects. i shall finish the two or three records in the pipeline, finish a first draft of my novel, and then absorb. When you get that first draft down you'd better share it with us so we can all make posts like this:
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Post by thommmmm on Dec 21, 2008 22:54:11 GMT -5
i will mail a copy of the first draft to anyone who wants one if they agree to give me some notes.
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