Week 2 starts here, and if you’ve been reading along at home, that’ll place you on page 54 (Darlkey), at the very moment of John Furriskey’s unusual birth.
I’m enjoying the heck outta the book so far. In particular, the Fin Mac Cool stuff just slays me. It struck me that beyond a predeliction for unusual names, this also does ASTB have in common with Pale Fire and Gravity’s Rainbow: the big brainflood (aka the use of detail as an opiate).
Hope you’re enjoying yourself and keeping yer socks clean. Best I can tell we have something like 20 folks on the march. Nice healthy headcount. This one seems a little easier on the eyes than the last two, and I’m guessing most of us will make it through. What say we pick up the pace just a tad in the coming week? Next week: See you at the bottom of page 115 (Dalkey), where the two of them are “talking with each other in a lay of generous staves.”
I’ve gotten really into and read ahead – which may be bad, because it doens’t landmark itself in such a way that I can easily remember what and not to discuss. So I will leave it at this – great read so far.
Alas, still no “Two Birds” in hand. It’ll be in from the publisher to my valiant independent neighborhood bookstore by Friday.
But an anecdotal survey of its cultural resonance–namely my trip to the SF Public Library today, where all three copies were checked out–indicates that this is one for the ages.
Hope to join the conversation more intelligently next week. Keep the teasers comin’!
Something I was reading… I stowed up a buncha links and lost ’em on my crashy Mac… suggested that Brian O’Nolan would definitely have been subjected to Lady Gregory and other similar Victorian takes on the Tain Bo Cuilaigne.
I’m still pre-furriskey, but it occurs to me that on some level I’m reading a love poem addressed to Beer. The description of his first drink (29 Dalkey) is amazing.
cort wrote:
“I’m still pre-furriskey, but it occurs to me that on some level I’m reading a love poem addressed to Beer.”
I agree. In that way this book strikes me as very Canadian.
Does anyone know who Conan is? Is he an emanation of glorious Finn? Or is he The Poooka Fergus MacPhellimey? Is my book missing a page?
As I think I implied belardedly in a recent post, this is a “hell of funny” book.
(I have just discovered that the verb “belard” does in fact exist. Also that “befist” means to belabor with the fists. “Becomma,”,,, to sprinkle with commas. Also: bescab, bescarf, bescurf, becivet. “Bebutterfly,” to engross in butterflies. )
I am right bebutterflied by the humours of this work.
.
Me understanding is that Conan is traditionally one of the Fianna. Here’s something I found about Conan:
“It is Conan who was the weakest man that was in the Fheinn, because they used to keep him maol (cropped). He had but the strength of a man, but if the hair should get leave to grow there was the strength of a man in him for every hair that was in his head; but he was so cross that if the hair should grow be would kill them all. He was so short-tempered (ath-ghoirid) that he used to be always fighting with them.”
(http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/pt3/pt341.htm)
The name Conan is common and several people in the rival clan (Clan Morna; Finn’s clan was Clan Baiscne) were named Conan, but the one we’re hearing from is probably Conan Mac Lia:
“On a number of occasions, Conan Mac Lia tried to avenge his father’s death, but he was never successful in killing Finn Mac Cumhaill. When finally trapped by his father’s killer, Conan offered his services and swore allegiance to Finn. Finn graciously accepted Conan’s vows, and the two enemies became steadfast friends.”
(http://www.timelessmyths.com/celtic/fianna.html)
Conan is one of the Fianna Eirinn or “Fenians”, the band of heroes led by Finn. Each of the named Fianna is distinctive in some way, and Conan’s mark is his sass–he is always giving Finn grief. Think of the Irish character in “Braveheart”.
This book is a real time travel for me. I’m especially hearing the voices of my great-uncle Lawny and Monsignor Monahan, faith. I’m not saying a thing (“you’re a wise man”), boys-a-dear!
I now see that I was misled about the best way to pursue a college education.
i think i better pick i time i can sit and read this thing all at once. I took a break around page 65 for a few days, actually a week, and had no idea what was going on again. it’s like i’m starting from scratch again. this book is officially my nemesis.
It’s like a mock on Lady Gregory, and her stuck up versions of Irish mythology, now ain’t it not bugger?At least Fin mac cool is now ain’t he now?
I’ve gotten really into and read ahead – which may be bad, because it doens’t landmark itself in such a way that I can easily remember what and not to discuss. So I will leave it at this – great read so far.
Alas, still no “Two Birds” in hand. It’ll be in from the publisher to my valiant independent neighborhood bookstore by Friday.
But an anecdotal survey of its cultural resonance–namely my trip to the SF Public Library today, where all three copies were checked out–indicates that this is one for the ages.
Hope to join the conversation more intelligently next week. Keep the teasers comin’!
Something I was reading… I stowed up a buncha links and lost ’em on my crashy Mac… suggested that Brian O’Nolan would definitely have been subjected to Lady Gregory and other similar Victorian takes on the Tain Bo Cuilaigne.
Just a shout-out here-joining the death dive this week. got my book and snorkel.
I’m still pre-furriskey, but it occurs to me that on some level I’m reading a love poem addressed to Beer. The description of his first drink (29 Dalkey) is amazing.
cort wrote:
“I’m still pre-furriskey, but it occurs to me that on some level I’m reading a love poem addressed to Beer.”
I agree. In that way this book strikes me as very Canadian.
Does anyone know who Conan is? Is he an emanation of glorious Finn? Or is he The Poooka Fergus MacPhellimey? Is my book missing a page?
As I think I implied belardedly in a recent post, this is a “hell of funny” book.
(I have just discovered that the verb “belard” does in fact exist. Also that “befist” means to belabor with the fists. “Becomma,”,,, to sprinkle with commas. Also: bescab, bescarf, bescurf, becivet. “Bebutterfly,” to engross in butterflies. )
I am right bebutterflied by the humours of this work.
.
Me understanding is that Conan is traditionally one of the Fianna. Here’s something I found about Conan:
“It is Conan who was the weakest man that was in the Fheinn, because they used to keep him maol (cropped). He had but the strength of a man, but if the hair should get leave to grow there was the strength of a man in him for every hair that was in his head; but he was so cross that if the hair should grow be would kill them all. He was so short-tempered (ath-ghoirid) that he used to be always fighting with them.”
(http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/pt3/pt341.htm)
The name Conan is common and several people in the rival clan (Clan Morna; Finn’s clan was Clan Baiscne) were named Conan, but the one we’re hearing from is probably Conan Mac Lia:
“On a number of occasions, Conan Mac Lia tried to avenge his father’s death, but he was never successful in killing Finn Mac Cumhaill. When finally trapped by his father’s killer, Conan offered his services and swore allegiance to Finn. Finn graciously accepted Conan’s vows, and the two enemies became steadfast friends.”
(http://www.timelessmyths.com/celtic/fianna.html)
Conan is one of the Fianna Eirinn or “Fenians”, the band of heroes led by Finn. Each of the named Fianna is distinctive in some way, and Conan’s mark is his sass–he is always giving Finn grief. Think of the Irish character in “Braveheart”.
This book is a real time travel for me. I’m especially hearing the voices of my great-uncle Lawny and Monsignor Monahan, faith. I’m not saying a thing (“you’re a wise man”), boys-a-dear!
I now see that I was misled about the best way to pursue a college education.
i think i better pick i time i can sit and read this thing all at once. I took a break around page 65 for a few days, actually a week, and had no idea what was going on again. it’s like i’m starting from scratch again. this book is officially my nemesis.