I take that as a compliment and concur completely with Larry's statement.
Tom Send a noteboard - 03/07/2010 06:48:05 PM
Imagine the horror - people at a site about books actually want to discuss GOOD books, books that actually make you think, rather than cheap, mindless entertainment.
Let me quote from Viktor Pelevin's Holy Book of the Werewolf:
The value of a book lies not in how many people read it. The genius of the Mona Lisa does not depend on how many people pass by it each year. Great books have few readers, because their reading requires effort. But it is precisely from that effort that an aesthetic effect is born. Literary fast food will never provide you with anything like it.
I just read this book a few weeks ago and when I got to this point I nearly posted the quotation. I also thought about putting it in my signature but it is pretty long.
Let me quote from Viktor Pelevin's Holy Book of the Werewolf:
The value of a book lies not in how many people read it. The genius of the Mona Lisa does not depend on how many people pass by it each year. Great books have few readers, because their reading requires effort. But it is precisely from that effort that an aesthetic effect is born. Literary fast food will never provide you with anything like it.
I just read this book a few weeks ago and when I got to this point I nearly posted the quotation. I also thought about putting it in my signature but it is pretty long.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
One simple question:
01/07/2010 11:00:44 PM
- 1497 Views
Lolita *NM*
01/07/2010 11:13:10 PM
- 560 Views
Have you read Pale Fire? *NM*
03/07/2010 12:14:56 AM
- 506 Views
No, I haven't. I have, however, been meaning to read The Stories of Vladimir Nabokov...
03/07/2010 12:36:39 AM
- 895 Views
Re: No, I haven't. I have, however, been meaning to read The Stories of Vladimir Nabokov...
03/07/2010 12:38:22 AM
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Is it unfinished? I seem to recall that, but I could be mistaken... *NM*
03/07/2010 02:15:07 AM
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Pale Fire is an excellent novel, particularly if you like making fun of Robert Frost.
03/07/2010 06:39:29 PM
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I've always planned on reading it.
04/07/2010 06:30:31 PM
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I've read all of Pelevin's books other than t, which recently was released.
04/07/2010 06:40:04 PM
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Sorry. I'm going to have to get back to you on this later.
04/07/2010 07:22:31 PM
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No problem. I'm stinking drunk and blew up shit to celebrate America's independence.
05/07/2010 05:03:42 AM
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Paradise Lost *NM*
01/07/2010 11:23:22 PM
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Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
01/07/2010 11:31:52 PM
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What is it about?
03/07/2010 12:14:27 AM
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The Aeneid, the Iliad, the Odyssey, and Macbeth come to mind. *NM*
02/07/2010 02:29:13 AM
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I'm amazed by these responses.
02/07/2010 07:10:31 PM
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I spent most of my time trying to decide...
02/07/2010 07:22:26 PM
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Well. I mean a book/story that you thought was pretty close to perfection.
02/07/2010 08:02:55 PM
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You are not excused.
02/07/2010 11:40:16 PM
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Wow. That read enough like Tom that I had to check to make sure it was you. *NM*
02/07/2010 11:57:26 PM
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I take that as a compliment and concur completely with Larry's statement.
03/07/2010 06:48:05 PM
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You make me want to sing
05/07/2010 02:32:37 PM
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And you make me want to cover my ears
05/07/2010 07:57:12 PM
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What is yours?
05/07/2010 05:19:23 AM
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Wraeththu by Storm Constantine is mine.
05/07/2010 07:51:59 AM
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Easy. The Mahabharatha...
02/07/2010 11:55:27 PM
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Don't tell Roh.
03/07/2010 12:13:57 AM
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Which one?
03/07/2010 12:59:43 AM
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Re: Which one?
05/07/2010 05:28:08 PM
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There's a "proper one"?
06/07/2010 06:03:55 PM
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Re: I sent her Kamala Subramaniam's translation.
09/07/2010 08:20:43 AM
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Ahhh... One of my favorites...
09/07/2010 05:24:55 PM
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Re: Parva is not a translation of the MB, though, is it. It's a reinterpretation. Which is fine.
09/07/2010 11:01:43 PM
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It's spelled "Mahabharata".
03/07/2010 06:51:09 PM
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That's not how it is pronounced though...
03/07/2010 08:54:27 PM
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Traditional pronunciation vs. modern pronunciation
03/07/2010 09:47:52 PM
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I learned Sanskrit for years...
04/07/2010 01:28:34 AM
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However...
04/07/2010 02:31:00 AM
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See, I was taught that ध produced the sound in "that" and थ the sound in "thought".
04/07/2010 02:44:56 AM
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Re: I should have read the thread before bothering to give my skimpy response!
09/07/2010 08:26:35 AM
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American Gods. *NM*
03/07/2010 04:49:18 AM
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I really wanted to enjoy that a lot. It was good, but not amazing, imo.
05/07/2010 05:28:53 PM
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Shogun
03/07/2010 03:08:04 PM
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huh. I always felt that...
05/07/2010 10:00:29 PM
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A few that come to mind: Doctor Zhivago, Master & Margarita and Brothers Karamazov
03/07/2010 06:53:25 PM
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