Am I insane to consider James Joyce's Ulysses for this challenge from Booklogged ? Well, yes, but so...? I nearly named my firstborn Ulysses; a fate he narrowly escaped but the thought of hormonally induced name problems gives us chuckles today. Perhaps I should read the book that is better known for that name nowadays than are the original Greek stories.
I love the greek mythologies, have studied the classics as part of my history/philosophy work in undergrad - so it is possible that I can get all the arcane references and plot points that I am led to understand Joyce has used throughout his masterwork. I'm just daunted by the thought of all those more diligent readers than I who have failed to finish Ulysses. Worse yet, would I get caught up in the Bloomsday hysteria by 6/16?
But I really want to know why she says yes at the end:
"...I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes and then he asked me would I yes to say yes my mountain flower and first I put my arms around him yes and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes."
And although I've read the last chapter, I feel like I'm missing something. It is only 578 pages in the ebook from Project Gutenberg. I can do 578 pages standing on my head, considering the volume at which I usually read. So this is do-able, right?
I need to think about this some more before I can do a list of 5. Right now my list would look like this:
- "Ulysses."
- Ulysses.
- Ulysses?
- Ulysses...
- Ulysses!
I need to find 4 more still for the challenge...
Editing to link to my post with all 5: Winter Reading Challenge
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6 comments:
I tried to read Joyce's "Ulysses" a few years ago and just couldn't do it. Maybe it's my lack of classical education or a reflection on my state of mind at the time, but I thought that if this was the greatest novel in English of the 20th century, then I'll happily stick with the lowbrow.
Eva, welcome to the classics challenge. Thrilled that you are going to join us. Good luck with Ulysses. Your training should help in understanding it.
I would recommend The Sound of Waves by Mishima its a fable, easy to read and perfect for the season. Its a love story with simple writing and complex plot. Its very REAL... love there is 3-dimentional. Then again maybe booklogged can let you get away with counting Joyce's tome as 2 ;)
Oooooo and I love George R R Martin. i am on the last one thats out Feast of Crows. Only thing better is Wheel of Time!! I choose Asimove as one of my own books.
Sorry for 2 consequtive posts...
Hello, Eva. I am putting together a list of the books people have chosen for the classics challenge. Just wondering if you've decided which ones you are going to read.
Here's the final list!
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