It’s funny, when this one started I remember thinking “golly, this may be too easy for a deathmarch.” But for whatever reason, this is the deathmarch that has brought the highest percentage of folks low. I’m not sure how many we’re down to now — mebbe 10-14 or so folks reading along? Jinkies!
Anyways, with apologies to them what’re actually caught up or even ahead, I’m going to declare this week a punt so that what folks are looking to catch up can take one last noble stab at it. Meanwhile, I’ll put our ASTBDM scientists to work trying to develop an equation that adequately reflects this developing phenomenon. Feel free to use this comment thread (if you’re so inclined) to rage against the injustice, yes: rage! against the injustice! Next week: Once more with feeling, see you at the bottom of page 209 (Dalkey)…..
“Maybe the problem is that ASTB isn’t challenging enough?”
Hmm … yeah. Maybe not “improving.” I feel no larger having read it. Just less witty and too sober. 🙂
ASTB is a great Irish book. Joyce and Beckett’s are great books that happen to be Irish.
Is that true for anyone else?
C.V., what’s the scene or phrase to look for to end this week’s reading? I’ve got the Gaughan edition and am mixed up about where to be.
Well I had a chance to finish the book, & haven’t wanted to say anything because others are still in transit, but I was wondering if a future topic might not be to consider why this book is not a Joyce or a Beckett (assuming there’s some agreement on that).
Which is not to say that this isn’t a fabulously entertaining book, and totally worth the read, ’cause it is (thank you ASTBDM).
As RaptorMage implies, I think the equation is: difficulty of book is directly proportional to motivation to tackle it. We are them what like a challenge.
On the bright side, I have finally started and am making rapid progress. With the wind at my back I may even be caught up by Tuesday.
I’ve noticed a couple of comments on “great scenes” (and there are many – my favorite is the card game). It seems to me the “plot” of ASTB and its entailed texts is an afterthought. The whole is a collection of often brilliant set pieces only loosely strung together by a so-called story. O’Brien handles this pretty cleverly – telling us a section was lost and then giving us a paraphrase rather than actually writing the scenes. But in many ways, it’s an unfair conceit.
Dear Dr. Vitz, do you mean that it’s unfair to the reader to construct a novel that way, or that it’s an inherently weak way to construct a novel–clever/brilliant at best, but unlikely to strike Deathmarchers such as we are as great. (Or both? Or something else entirely?)
I go back and forth. It seems like a weak construction for a novel, but it’s still a great read. Someone (I ought to know who, but don’t) said F. Scott Fitzgerald was capable of writing a bad book, but not capable of writing a book badly (paraphrase). That’s sort of my attitude here – though ASTB is not a bad book IMO.
Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?
You’re walking an exterior beat, Cecil.
Maybe the problem is that ASTB isn’t challenging enough? We need a book with Stuff Done For Stuff’s Sake?
“Maybe the problem is that ASTB isn’t challenging enough?”
Hmm … yeah. Maybe not “improving.” I feel no larger having read it. Just less witty and too sober. 🙂
ASTB is a great Irish book. Joyce and Beckett’s are great books that happen to be Irish.
Is that true for anyone else?
C.V., what’s the scene or phrase to look for to end this week’s reading? I’ve got the Gaughan edition and am mixed up about where to be.
Well I had a chance to finish the book, & haven’t wanted to say anything because others are still in transit, but I was wondering if a future topic might not be to consider why this book is not a Joyce or a Beckett (assuming there’s some agreement on that).
Which is not to say that this isn’t a fabulously entertaining book, and totally worth the read, ’cause it is (thank you ASTBDM).
As RaptorMage implies, I think the equation is: difficulty of book is directly proportional to motivation to tackle it. We are them what like a challenge.
On the bright side, I have finally started and am making rapid progress. With the wind at my back I may even be caught up by Tuesday.
I’ve noticed a couple of comments on “great scenes” (and there are many – my favorite is the card game). It seems to me the “plot” of ASTB and its entailed texts is an afterthought. The whole is a collection of often brilliant set pieces only loosely strung together by a so-called story. O’Brien handles this pretty cleverly – telling us a section was lost and then giving us a paraphrase rather than actually writing the scenes. But in many ways, it’s an unfair conceit.
Dear Dr. Vitz, do you mean that it’s unfair to the reader to construct a novel that way, or that it’s an inherently weak way to construct a novel–clever/brilliant at best, but unlikely to strike Deathmarchers such as we are as great. (Or both? Or something else entirely?)
I go back and forth. It seems like a weak construction for a novel, but it’s still a great read. Someone (I ought to know who, but don’t) said F. Scott Fitzgerald was capable of writing a bad book, but not capable of writing a book badly (paraphrase). That’s sort of my attitude here – though ASTB is not a bad book IMO.
Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?