Paula’s Comments (group member since Jun 18, 2025)

Paula’s comments from the Reading the Chunksters group.

WEEK 1, PART 1
Sorry for the delay in posting, but it’s all to the good, because I went back and reread this section and gained even more from it. What I find interesting in this experience is that, even though I know I’ve read this book (albeit waaaay back in the 1970’s). I seem to remember it as being very confusing, very much a product of the time and I seem to remember not liking it. Which probably led me to skimming, which is probably one of the reasons I remember nothing about it.
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But this is good because now it’s like a brand new read for me. And although it’s unusual right off the bat, I feel I’m a much more educated reader now than I was back then (when how well-read you were depended heavily upon how good a local library, or a college library, was stocked).

Anyway, enough of that. I’m going to put the rest under a spoiler tag, but wanted you to know that I have only read the current week and I don’t consider anything that follows to be a spoiler, so, if you are just getting started, feel free to unhide and read.
(view spoiler)[ My overall impression of Kid…intelligent, well-traveled, unstable, easily bored, difficulty with concentrating for any length of time, but gives an overall impression of politeness and sensitivity. His amnesia is interesting and he even references that. He remembers a lot about his travels, speaks several languages…he’s articulate, well-read (he remembers the Daphne myth and applies it to his own recent, very weird experience with the tree girl).

He remembers his parents, his growing up, where he went to school…but yet, he doesn’t remember his own name. My take from that? He has some short-term memory issues as well. Early on, he hitches a ride from a trucker transporting artichokes, but just a short while later, when the word “artichoke” pops into his head, he is puzzled and doesn’t remember the source of the word.

Sometimes, he seems very lucid and other times, very confused and disoriented. He is the ultimate unreliable narrator in a completely unintentional way. His confusion becomes our confusion. Literally, we can take nothing Kid says at face value. It’s an almost hallucinatory experience riding around in his head. Knowing myself as a reader at the age of 20? I would have hated a book like this. Now I find the mystery, that labyrinthine writing, to be intriguing and thought-provoking.

Bellona…well something definitely happened there and yes, it’s definitely apocalyptic in feel. Crashed cars, a city that is perpetually burning without being totally consumed, little to no food, reduction in population from over 2 million to about a thousand, gangs roaming the streets, extorting food for “protection”, the “slipping” of time (or is this yet another byproduct of experiencing this apocalyptic city through Kid’s hallucinatory mind?), small groups of young people huddling in commune-like collectives (very 1970’s)…where are the old people? Did they get out? Are they the ones hiding in their ruined homes? Whatever happened seems to be restricted to the city. And the rest of the world seems to be curiously uninterested in it. Which seems even more weird to me than the strangeness of Bellona itself.

There are a couple of “mysteries” that definitely piqued my interest. First, the disorienting change in tense from 3rd to 1st person and back again. It’s almost like Kid takes himself in and out of his experience. At first, I thought it was just a one-time thing, but no, it happens over and over again. I want to know more about that, and I went back and put markers where it happens, which is a lot.

My favorite mystery is this notebook that one of the girls found. It begins in exactly the same way as the book itself begins. This made a huge impression on me because I found it very evocative of Calvino’s “If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler”. I’m interested to see if this disorienting experience continues.

Regardless, the notebook seems to rock Kid’s world. He recognizes the opening lines, but that’s strange because - why would he? If he’s a character in Delany’s story, why does he know how it’s written? And then it deviates, which confuses him even more. This section made a big impression on me and I find that I want to know more about this notebook. I really hope this isn’t something that gets dropped, or shelved as yet another weird event in Bellona.

As I went back and read, I was surprised by the overall “organic” feel to the book. I started underlining references to trees: leaves, boughs, roots, bark…those references are everywhere. I wonder what that means – if anything. It’s almost like the city itself is alive in some way.

Overall, I’m excited to read more. (hide spoiler)]

Sorry for the delay in posting - we are closing our November financials and that means 12-14 hour days for me. But I've done the reading and intend to respond, hopefully, tomorrow night :).

BTW, thank you so much for putting together such thought-provoking questions. It's so nice to have a guide for the discussion.

Zulfiya wrote: "I do indeed have several books in mind, and their authors are either from former UK colonies (India, Autralia, New Zealand, and African countries with strong English-language influence) or books tr..."

Please share :). I'm all ears...

I finished our reading for next week since this coming week is going to be so busy. So, I'll be ready to chat about it next week :).

Luffy wrote: "I would like Gormenghast to win because it's the quintessential book to be read slowly. Kristin Lavransdatter is my second preference because it has been on my radar for quite some time. I think A..."

You and I are on the same page about Gormenghast. Kristen did not age well with me - the second time read like an erudite teenage read to me - and neither did A Suitable Boy, which got too cloying. I enjoyed both the first time around, but Kristen suffered from my reread and I've never wanted to pick up A Suitable Boy again.

Linda wrote: "Paula wrote: "This going to be difficult! My personal dithering: Gormenghast...there's nothing quite like it."

If Gormenghast wins I'm going to have a hard time saying no."

I know...if you love the prose of Dickens, you will be spellbound by this trilogy.

This going to be difficult! My personal dithering: Gormenghast...there's nothing quite like it. The Churchhill volumes, those would be so interesting with lots to discuss. The Proust, well, I love ISOLT...deeply.

Linda wrote: "Ami wrote: "Linda, you've been most patient with everybody's reading schedule...Why don't you go ahead and pick the start date for House of Leaves? Start now, or later, it's up to you! And a "middl..."

I'm flexible on HOL, so whatever works for anyone else is fine by me. :)

Zulfiya wrote: "Oh, Vollmann. I started his Europe Central, but because of all the hassle, it has been sidelined for a month. Maybe, when the Dhalgren is on its way to a successful discussion, I will be able to pi..."

I started his Seven Dreams cycle. Just finished The Ice-Shirt and am now reading Fathers and Crows, which is quite a chunkster. Love it so far!

Sarah wrote: "Paula, what group is reading Mason & Dixon? I'd like too read that one later.

Who's actually planning on participating in House of Leaves?"

Brain Pain is the group. Not sure exactly when in 2015. I haven't yet actively participated in a book discussion over there, but they do seem to read in chunks of 100 pages, which is more content than other groups I'm in.

Kristina wrote: "I got my copy of Mason and Dixon. Are we still on for November 24th?

Hope you are feeling better soon Zulfiya."

I really want to read this, but I think I'm going to wait since another group has scheduled it for some time in 2015. That frees me up for Dhalgren, HOL, and a list of Vollmann books I have at the top of my TBR pile.

Luffy wrote: "I have known about Kristin Lavransdatter via Goodreads and even have the book. If it won, I'd be delighted.

I'm putting forward The Gormenghast Novels by Mervyn Peake...."

Ooh, I second Gormenghast. The prose is wonderful and the story is so...unusual.

Hi Zulfiya I hope you are taking care of yourself! This schedule looks great to me. Thank you so much for all the hard work in putting it together.

I have the Vintage edition. It has a red cover.

Thanks again :)

I had no idea you had been in an accident, I am so sorry to hear this!!! Don't worry about anything other than taking care of yourself. We will still be here, and ready to go, when you are.

Please take care.

Zulfiya wrote: "Guys, it seems like I am back ;-) I even found my copy of Dhalgren yesterday out of scores of boxed books. Still waiting for extra bookshelves to be assembled."

Yay, welcome back!

Sarah wrote: "Did we have any kind of agreement on start dates for House of Leaves and Dhalgren?"

Hi Sarah! I'm so excited about both of these books. I believe Zulfiya is in the final stages of her move and once she is settled, she is going to kick everything off. This is going to be fun :).

BTW, I always meant to ask: what's the difference between and side read and a buddy read?

Hi Zulfiya! Good luck with all the moving in - I know it's a chore. As far as Dhalgren goes, it wouldn't be a party without you :) and I imagine there are some readers who don't mind some extra breathing room to catch up on other stuff.

I just got my copy of Dhalgren in the mail so I'm all ready. Gosh, I know I've read this, but other than remembering that it was strange, I don't remember anything else about it.

Of course, I read it sometime around the mid 1970's, so that would explain it. :)

So, up on the bookshelf it goes until we all start together.

I'm in for Dhalgren, house of leaves and mason and Dixon whenever. My biggest reads are finished. I just have a lot of reviews to write. And, at least I'm finished with business travel for a while.