Comments on: ULYSSES Readalong week 2, ch 3 & 4

By: V

Tue, 03 Mar 2015 20:41:35 +0000

I was literal here, and maybe chapter would have been better than book: Chapters 1 and 3 vs. 2 and 4. Though Ch. 6 was the tougher one for me this time!

By: Wilson Varga

Wilson Varga — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 17:18:32 +0000

GirlDetective is in good company anent complaining about difficulty: Charity wrote, “[Joseph] Campbell initially hated Ulysses so much that he sought out the publisher to tell her just how much he hated the book and learned to love it as he learned how to read it. I was on the verge of hating the book myself, so I figured this fellow was a good one to read.”
http://imperfecthappiness.org/2013/12/28/sisters-book-club-ulysses-by-james-joyce/ And Kate (@katek8katek8) in her entertaining Ulysses Chronicles (”Who says pleasure reading can’t be masochistic?” https://funwithulysses.wordpress.com/ ) on 09/05/2009 wrote, ” â€œWhy??â€ Thatâ€™s probably a reasonable reaction, given that my two most recent life choices have been to: 1) quit my job; 2) read Ulysses.” May GirlDetective’s blog be as entertaining as Kate’s.

By: Janet

Janet — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 00:17:31 +0000

“Valorize”..good word.

I read one theory that reading Joyce aloud actually helps comprehension…so reading to my cat is not a bad idea! haha. I am back on schedule now, and feeling more focused.

Will let you know about Infinite Jest…

By: girldetective

girldetective — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 17:18:02 +0000

Sigh. Yes. Summer solstice to fall equinox. I’m tired already.

By: Heidi

Heidi — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 01:39:58 +0000

Are we still doing “Infinite (Jest) Summer”?

By: girldetective

girldetective — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 17:57:22 +0000

V, am I sounding like I’m challenging the difficult odd book in favor of easier ones? Unintended, and I certainly don’t valorize the easy read.

Though truthfully, I’d rather be reading an easier one, but each and every time we’ve finished one of these bucket-list-y books I’ve been glad I did, and each and every time I’ve complained at the beginning. So, I’m just griping. We should all read books that challenge us and move us out of our comfort zone in one way or another, gets those mental muscles moving and grooving to a different beat. And this one more than most is obviously taunting us to step up our game as readers, no?

By: V

Tue, 24 Feb 2015 17:12:30 +0000

Oh, does the trend of challenging odd books, more approachable even books continue? Also totally missed the Bloom BM, so back to revisit and read to the end. And think about the days when personal correspondence came through the post.

By: V

Tue, 24 Feb 2015 17:07:50 +0000

I’ll avoid the temptation to do my comments in stream of consciousness. Might also have to rethink reading at night with this one. Finally in Book 3, I could see some parallels with “The Odyssey.” But understanding? Woah, no. Certainly hungry after Book 4.

By: girldetective

girldetective — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 14:35:33 +0000

Chapter 3’s analog in the Odyssey is Proteus, the changing, slippery man, so it makes sense that this chapter is hard to hang onto and make meaning out of.

Don’t panic on “behind.” The readalongs are like waves–surging and withdrawing, speeding up, slowing down, and we get to the shore eventually, right?

By: girldetective

girldetective — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 14:25:47 +0000

I was behind this week as well, since I ill-advisedly tried to cram David Mitchell’s Bone Clocks in between 1/2 and 3/4, so I was up late on Sunday, trying to finish 4 as I was falling asleep. I skimmed (skam? the notes for 3 yesterday–so, so many! and will do so for 4 today, then re-read the chapters whilst awake. At which point I think I’m going to steam ahead to 5/6 and not try to put anything else in the way, though I’m tempted to try to fit in Shotgun Lovesongs by Nicholas Butler, the next book for Books and Bars. (Don’t do it! Bad moderator! Focus and read Ulysses!)