FabSwingers.com forum: Climbing Literary Mountains

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

I'm contemplating buying a 1133pp modern Hungarian 'masterpiece' - 'Parallel Stories' by Peter Nadas.

It's the type of novel which makes you think of isolating yourself in a cabin. Spending the winter months grappling with the words until you emerge blinking into the sunlight exhausted but satiated.

What's your literary mountain(s) which you've tackled or wish to tackle?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I'm contemplating buying a 1133pp modern Hungarian 'masterpiece' - 'Parallel Stories' by Peter Nadas.

It's the type of novel which makes you think of isolating yourself in a cabin. Spending the winter months grappling with the words until you emerge blinking into the sunlight exhausted but satiated.

What's your literary mountain(s) which you've tackled or wish to tackle?"

The Beano or maybe Viz.

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By *naswingdressWoman
over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

I've got the first two books of the Wolf Hall trilogy in my reading pile. But my reading pile is huge

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I've got a few non fiction books to get through over the dark cosy nights coming up

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By *imon_hydeMan
over a year ago

Stockport

I bought Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka when I was 17, I was going out with a girl who was studying English lit at the time and forced myself to buy it even though I was eying up some very nerdy fantasy book.

I've still got the book, don't think I've ever opened it.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I bought Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka when I was 17, I was going out with a girl who was studying English lit at the time and forced myself to buy it even though I was eying up some very nerdy fantasy book.

I've still got the book, don't think I've ever opened it. "

It's an easier read than 'The Trial'

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By *tephTV67TV/TS
over a year ago

Cheshire

Moby Dick and Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I will finish them

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Moby Dick and Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I will finish them

Moby Dick is one I need to re-read at some point

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By *naswingdressWoman
over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

I've still got the book, don't think I've ever opened it.

It's an easier read than 'The Trial'

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By *naswingdressWoman
over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

I tried to read Mein Kampf as a teenager. In German.

I'm not taking that on again

Horrendous verb strings (if you know German you know

)

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I tried to read Mein Kampf as a teenager. In German.

I'm not taking that on again

Horrendous verb strings (if you know German you know

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By *rumpyMcFuckNuggetMan
over a year ago

Den of Iniquity

I've read all the Famous 5 books

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By *naswingdressWoman
over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

"I tried to read Mein Kampf as a teenager. In German.

I'm not taking that on again

Horrendous verb strings (if you know German you know

)

I'm a masochist. Always have been. No I'm not a native German speaker

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By *lan157Man
over a year ago

a village near Haywards Heath in East Sussex

"I've read all the Famous 5 books

me too and all the Biggles books

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By *andybeachWoman
over a year ago

In the middle

The Hobbit had me running for cover many years ago

but I even find the films laborious to watch

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

I've got quite a few literary mountains I wish I could climb. I tried Canterbury Tales earlier this year and was determined to finish it but I just don't have the knowledge required or patience to attain it. I bought a version in modern English in the end and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I firmly believe reading should be for pleasure or education (in all its forms) and I get neither if it becomes hard work rather than challenging.

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By *lbinoGorillaMan
over a year ago

Redditch

Whilst it's arguably not literature, I've had Stephen King's 11.22.63 on my bookshelf for years

There's something slightly daunting about a book that's 1,000 pages long. Especially if it turns out to be one of those books you can't put down, as it'll mean I do nothing else until I finish it. Which is nice sometimes, but with something of a more manageable length

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I've got quite a few literary mountains I wish I could climb. I tried Canterbury Tales earlier this year and was determined to finish it but I just don't have the knowledge required or patience to attain it. I bought a version in modern English in the end and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I firmly believe reading should be for pleasure or education (in all its forms) and I get neither if it becomes hard work rather than challenging. "

I agree reading should never feel like work. I have a copies of Tristam Shandy and Composition No. 1 by Marc Saporta (a collection of loose pages which you can shuffle into any order you want). I will probably never read them but the editions I have are works of art in themselves.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"The Hobbit had me running for cover many years ago

but I even find the films laborious to watch

But it's only 368pp

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I don't generally read for pleasure as I spend my work hours reading manuals, procedures etc, although one holiday I went all highbrow and bought 'Catcher in the Rye' and 'Catch 22' to read. Catch 22 was okay.

Catcher in the Rye was a literary mountain for me. I just couldn't get into it, and found the language in it harder to understand than any of Irvine Welsh's (as a non-glaswegian)

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By *naswingdressWoman
over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

Oh I loved Catch 22. Chewy but in a good way

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I don't generally read for pleasure as I spend my work hours reading manuals, procedures etc, although one holiday I went all highbrow and bought 'Catcher in the Rye' and 'Catch 22' to read. Catch 22 was okay.

Catcher in the Rye was a literary mountain for me. I just couldn't get into it, and found the language in it harder to understand than any of Irvine Welsh's (as a non-glaswegian) "

Never read Catch 22 or Catcher in the Rye

I should really read Catch 22 (as I enjoyed the film and recent TV series).

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

I firmly believe reading should be for pleasure or education (in all its forms) and I get neither if it becomes hard work rather than challenging.

I have books for their own sake too. What is the best book you've ever read?one that you could read over and over again or even one you read once and that was enough to make it top of your list

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

I firmly believe reading should be for pleasure or education (in all its forms) and I get neither if it becomes hard work rather than challenging.

I have books for their own sake too. What is the best book you've ever read?one that you could read over and over again or even one you read once and that was enough to make it top of your list "

I tend not to re-read books (at some point I would like to re-read 'Ulysses') as there are too many that I haven't read.

My current best book would have to be 'Kingdom' by Emmanuel Carrère - it is a hard to classify his work which mixes autobiography, theology and a 'history' of the Gospels through Luke (but not the apostle Luke).

Review here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/24/the-kingdom-emmanuel-carrere-review-john-lambert

How about you?

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

I firmly believe reading should be for pleasure or education (in all its forms) and I get neither if it becomes hard work rather than challenging.

I have books for their own sake too. What is the best book you've ever read?one that you could read over and over again or even one you read once and that was enough to make it top of your list

I tend not to re-read books (at some point I would like to re-read 'Ulysses') as there are too many that I haven't read.

Review here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/24/the-kingdom-emmanuel-carrere-review-john-lambert

How about you?"

I was thinking about this when I was walking back from the beach just now. When I was an 18 year old student and lived in a less than salubrious bed sit I found a book called "The Life Situation" by Rosemary Friedmann . It's not very well written but I've read it several times since and it's meant different things to me at various times of my life. I've also found that my sympathies shift from character to character as I grow older. For that reason I'll say it's the best book I've ever read. Although I've read plenty that are better in other ways.

I've had a look at "Kingdom". I might read it. The author sounds like an interesting man.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

The chronicals of Thomas Covenant by Stephen Donaldson. Its a book you need to fully concentrate on but a great read.

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By *ljamMan
over a year ago

Edinburgh

I tried a couple of runs at Ulysses as part of my degree... ran out of steam both times. Maybe one day.

Gravity's Rainbow is one I'd like to read... but Pynchon can be tough on the brain so I'll need to be really up for it before diving in.

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By *yronMan
over a year ago

grangemouth

'Rob Roy' by Sir Walter Scott.

I've struggled with the prose far too often to get through it. An updated version would be good.

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By *yronMan
over a year ago

grangemouth

"I tried a couple of runs at Ulysses as part of my degree... ran out of steam both times. Maybe one day.

Gravity's Rainbow is one I'd like to read... but Pynchon can be tough on the brain so I'll need to be really up for it before diving in."

David Gemmel redid 'The Ilyiad' as 'The Lord of the Silver Bow' series. Quite a good take on it.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My kid started quoting Dante's Divine Comedy at me last year. He was 14 and reading it for fun! And explaining to me what he thought it all meant. I've created a wee genius. Shame I didn't have a clue what he was on about but I think I nodded and uh-huhed in all the right places so he doesn't think his mum is thick as mince

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I tried a couple of runs at Ulysses as part of my degree... ran out of steam both times. Maybe one day.

Gravity's Rainbow is one I'd like to read... but Pynchon can be tough on the brain so I'll need to be really up for it before diving in."

Took me about a year to read Ulysses and sometimes I read it after I'd had a few to drink then it seemed to make perfect sense.

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By *naswingdressWoman
over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

I think I've got to a point where I read so much heavy stuff that I want my books to be entertainment not literature.

(Maybe Swing should read less heavy stuff, suggests the audience)

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By *ackformore100Man
over a year ago

Tin town

"I tried to read Mein Kampf as a teenager. In German.

I'm not taking that on again

Horrendous verb strings (if you know German you know

Ach du liebe zeit

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By *naswingdressWoman
over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

"I tried to read Mein Kampf as a teenager. In German.

I'm not taking that on again

Horrendous verb strings (if you know German you know

)

Ach du liebe zeit"

Ich liebte es wirchlich nicht!

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I think I've got to a point where I read so much heavy stuff that I want my books to be entertainment not literature.

(Maybe Swing should read less heavy stuff, suggests the audience)"

I like the intersection between entertaining and literature.

I have a subscription every year to Peirene Press who publish 3, generally European, translated books every year and all should take no more than two hours to read - entertaining and literary.

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By *naswingdressWoman
over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

"I think I've got to a point where I read so much heavy stuff that I want my books to be entertainment not literature.

(Maybe Swing should read less heavy stuff, suggests the audience)

I like the intersection between entertaining and literature.

I have a subscription every year to Peirene Press who publish 3, generally European, translated books every year and all should take no more than two hours to read - entertaining and literary."

That's true enough. Given my relentless pursuit of knowledge, I tend to err towards mental bubblegum when I'm reading fiction.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Catcher in the Rye was a literary mountain for me. I just couldn't get into it, and found the language in it harder to understand than any of Irvine Welsh's (as a non-glaswegian) "

I studied 'Catcher in the Rye' for English O level back in the 1980s.

'Catch 22' I've read a few times, but never seen the film.

'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' I've also read a few times. I've managed to read about half of the follow up book 'Lila; an Enquiry into Morals'

I read 'Les Miserables' when I spent a few days in hospital after an eye operation; after a second operation six months later I attempted 'War and Peace' but gave up after 300pages...

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By *JohnMan
over a year ago

Newcastle upon Tyne

There are so many. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is my current long-term literary masochism project. In four years I've made it half way through the first volume.

The Almagest is its partner. My motivation isn't helped by the looming threat of Kepler and Newton to follow.

Writing and Difference is glaring at me from the book shelf, demanding to know why I haven't finished enough background reading to feel confident to tackle it again.

I have a copy of Ulysses which I keep avoiding. One day I'll remember that it isn't Finnegan's Wake and make a start on it.

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By *naswingdressWoman
over a year ago

Manchester (she/her)

"There are so many. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is my current long-term literary masochism project. In four years I've made it half way through the first volume.

You're brave

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"There are so many. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is my current long-term literary masochism project. In four years I've made it half way through the first volume.

The Almagest is its partner. My motivation isn't helped by the looming threat of Kepler and Newton to follow.

Writing and Difference is glaring at me from the book shelf, demanding to know why I haven't finished enough background reading to feel confident to tackle it again.

I have a copy of Ulysses which I keep avoiding. One day I'll remember that it isn't Finnegan's Wake and make a start on it."

Ulysses should be a walk in the park compared to the others you mention.

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By *eliWoman
over a year ago

I'm quite... fortunate? in that a lot of the literary books mentioned I've studied/read for pleasure at some point or other in my life (I was going to type something really, really wanky but I've deleted it thank fuck).

The one book I've never been able to get on board with and I always have an annual 'maybe I should finally read this bloody thing' train of thought would be Bleak House. I can't do it and to be honest, I don't think I ever will.

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By *amie HantsWoman
over a year ago

Atlantis

"I'm quite... fortunate? in that a lot of the literary books mentioned I've studied/read for pleasure at some point or other in my life (I was going to type something really, really wanky but I've deleted it thank fuck).

Say the wanky thing

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I have and buy too many to read quickly enough as life often seems busy

The reasons for not starting them vary, as they aren’t always of gigantic depth, I think at times I just start one but then pick up another. Some of the ones mentioned above have been on my list, including Ulysses and probably some of the ones I bought for learning years ago

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By *ex HolesMan
over a year ago

Up North

This weekends copy of the Sunday Sport

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My Berge would have to be Heidegger's Being and Time in the original German.

I need a lot more lessons first!

I once read Divine Comedy in both English and Italian. I don't understand Italian but I just wanted to hear the sound of the cantos in the original language.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Don't do Bleak House. Can't stand reading Dickens let alone watching it. I've read one Dickens (can't remember which one) and it was like walking through a turgid swamp

And say the wanky thing

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By *JohnMan
over a year ago

Newcastle upon Tyne

"My Berge would have to be Heidegger's Being and Time in the original German."

THAT is brave. I made it through the introduction of whichever translation I attempted and had to give up.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Mine would be The Road by Cormac McCarthy (the prose is possibly more challenging than the material) and Poor Fellow My Country by Xavier Herbert at 1400+ pages

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By *JohnMan
over a year ago

Newcastle upon Tyne

"What is the best book you've ever read?one that you could read over and over again or even one you read once and that was enough to make it top of your list "

I missed this at the time. To me, they're completely different questions. The best book is not necessarily one that I would want or need to read again.

It's impossible to pick one 'best'. A book that has had a disproportionate influence on my thinking and changed the way I see the world is Homo Ludens (Huizinga). But there are others that could just as well take its place.

I don't re-read books often - there are too many that I haven't read yet. Fup (Jim Dodge) is one that I can see myself going back to a few more times.

The one I have probably re-read most is The Glade Within the Grove (David Foster). Intelligent, bonkers, and possibly the most Australian thing I have ever encountered.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

I don't re-read books often - there are too many that I haven't read yet. Fup (Jim Dodge) is one that I can see myself going back to a few more times."

After reading up about Fup I need to read it now

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By *uke olovingmanMan
over a year ago

Gravesend

I used to read lord of the rings quite often...once I read it to one of my son's out loud .. with wall the voices and all the songs....

Gormenghast trilogy

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