I'm listening to an audio version of Michael Cunningham's The Hours. Interesting how differently I've responded the book, the film & the audio version. The book was a bit of a disappointment. (I'd been a Cunningham "fan" before it was published & thought The Hours was rather ponderous & heavy going.) I found the film pretty interesting. But I'm enjoying the brilliant (Patricia Hodge) reading of his words immensely! BTW I don't make a habit of exploring every book I read in such depth! :wink:
The difference is interesting, though, especially the difference between the book and the audiobook -- one would think that those would be quite similar!
I just finished Joan Didion's "The Year of Magical Thinking," a surprise book club selection. Surprise because I didn't think it was the kind of thing that most people in the book club (including the person who chose it) would like -- that turned out to be true, but it was a good discussion. (The person who chose it and many of the others thought "magical" meant like fun, wonderful, light... oops!)
Anyway, I liked it a lot, fabulous writing. There were a couple of (well at least one major) plot points that bothered me (I say "plot" even though I know it's based on actual circumstances), but overall I was very impressed with it. There are some themes I'd like to come back to here sometime, such as her quotes from Emily Post's book of etiquette circa 1930 or so, and how what we think of as stodgy "manners" actually were quite insightful and helpful when it came to how to deal with people who have lost a loved one. And how we, as a society, have lost so much of that knowledge.
sozobe -- Didion was recently on CBS' Sunday Morning Show, discussing her book and the deaths of her husband and daughter. I took the death of my closest friend here in MA pretty hard and took fully four years to recover from it. I really have to say to people who think 'closure' is something easy, that can be derived from following a formula, that no one can judge the size of another person's grief.
I agree -- I'm not sure if that's in reaction to the Emily Post comment? That was about how people can best help the mourner -- not about closure per se. It was things like:
It is also well to prepare a little hot tea or broth, and it should be brought to them upon their return without their being asked if they would care for it. Those who are in great distress want no food, but if it is handed to them, they will mechanically take it, and something warm to start digestion and stimulate impaired circulation is what they most need.
Didion says that the above "spoke to me directly," and that Mrs. Post wrote in "a world where mourning was still recognized, allowed, not hidden from view." That last part is what I find particularly interesting.
A fascinating book. I now understand why George Bush is always surrounded by birds.
So that's why chickadees will eat birdseed right out of my hand. Never knew that, Gus. Thanks.
This is an article about books that is just fascinating:
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/20172
Available also from The New York Review of Books, Vol. 54, #8 - May 10, 2007
"Storms Over the Novel" by Hermione Lee
sozobe wrote:The difference is interesting, though, especially the difference between the book and the audiobook -- one would think that those would be quite similar!
Well, the
words are exactly identical, of course! :wink:
But personally, I found the audio version far more engaging than my reading of the book (unlike my reaction to the previous Cunningham novels I'd read beforehand, which I couldn't put down.) This excellent reading really brought the characters & their various preoccupations to life for me.
I had to get away from Iraq and the war in Afghanistan, so I plunged into "Ulysses S. Grant Memoirs"....what is so sad is that a man so ethical and wise could be so used politically. The critiques of the book have been that his memoirs compare with Caesar's!! He writes eloquently....but does not mention liquor. Hmmm.
ehBeth...sounded so good I ordered it immediately. Dog person here....and cat person. Guess I am bi-species!!!
It's even more interesting if you read a little bio of the author's life. I have a signed copy - she was a local.
I'm a sucker for dogs (love cats too, but AHHHHHHHHchoooooo).
This book is just great so far. A few moments where I wish I didn't recognize myself in there.
I noted a couple of Somerville references this afternoon.
Very sad that she died so young after going through so much. I'm going to look up her other books as well.
I read the most books in my life during the cruise from BA to Barcelona in March-April of this year at the rate of one book almost every two days. Most were James Patterson novels with a sprig of Jack Higgins and finance.
Wind Up Bird Chronicle--Haruki Murakami
None at the moment... have to get a new stack, it's time.
Der Zauberberg - Thomas Mann
Was thinking of reading this book for a long time, and now somebody lent it to me!
Bohne wrote:Der Zauberberg - Thomas Mann
Was thinking of reading this book for a long time, and now somebody lent it to me!
Great book, Bohne. Enjoy! (I originally read it in English translation. I liked it so much I got a copy in the original German as a gift for my mother. Years ago.)
