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

Paula’s comments from the Reading the Chunksters group.

Biblio wrote: "It's my dream to one day read the unabridged Mahabharata and the Ramayana. A fellow and his wife just finished their translation of the Ramayana. Which unabridged Mahabharata are you planning to re..."

I'm reading the Ganguli translation. I know it's a very old translation, but I appreciate and enjoy the style very much. I wanted a printed and bound version (even though there is a free e-book version available), so I've ordered several volumes from Amazon. I'm going to need a highlighter and a pen for this read.

Biblio wrote: "It's my dream to one day read the unabridged Mahabharata and the Ramayana. A fellow and his wife just finished their translation of the Ramayana. Which unabridged Mahabharata are you planning to re..."

I read Journey to the West. The first volume is great ,but then, like some of these books, the stories become repetitious. The same things happen over and over. It becomes a little wearing.

But then, the way these stories were told was very different back then. I can envision listeners gathering together, having someone read or relate the next adventure. But trying to read them as a book gets repetitive.

Mark wrote: "I apologize if I was stating the obvious. - )

I've never been able to understand the many interesting discussions about the merits of different translations. I'm just happy there are translations,..."

I would be open to trying a different translation. I'll have to dig out the one I read.

Thanks!

Biblio wrote: "Paula, you want to read the Unabridged Mahabharata?? That's my one day dream wish ^.^ The Unabridged Ramayana also. Why do you want to read it?

My 2018 Chunksters are Don Quixote, The Decameron, C..."

I've read several books on Hinduism, and their paths all lead back to two rich sources: The Mahabharata and The Ramayana. I decided to start with The Mahabharata.

Unabridged because I don't like reading abridgements at all; I don't like others deciding what to make available to me as a reader. And when you take into account just how vast this epic is, distilling it into a single abridged volume makes me just say to myself "what's the point in reading it at all?".

My desire to read it isn't utilitarian; rather, I want to immerse myself in it, experience it. It's a wondrous combination of history, myth, law, moral code, spiritual belief systems, origin of the universe, etc.

After that, I would like to move on to The Ramayana, but we'll have to see. That would be a few years down the road :).

Hummingbirder wrote: "Linda wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Anybody read Forbidden Line? It looks like juicy chunkster we should consider maybe in conjunction with Don Quixote."

All my attempts at Do..."

I read Don Quixote. It's a very worthy book and occupies an important place in literature.

Am I glad I read it? Yes.

Can I honestly say I enjoyed it? No

Dan wrote: "Paula wrote: "Dianne wrote: "Chapters 66 - 70

Chapter 70 - The Sphinx."

I, too, was struck by Ahab's intense mutterings before the silent, great head. So like the great head of the Sphinx, which ..."

Very true, but just to clarify my comment, It was the actual act of talking to the head, and the similarity of the thought and intent, that reminded me of Hamlet, not a comparison to the character Hamlet himself.

Personality wise, I would lean more toward Macbeth than Lear.

Mark wrote: "How about Robert Graves' The White Goddess?"

This one has been in the back of my mind for years. Gosh, so many great books to read. What does your list look like for 2018?

Amanda wrote: "Anybody read Forbidden Line? It looks like juicy chunkster we should consider maybe in conjunction with Don Quixote."

Never heard of it, but it's on my list now thanks to you 👍🏻

I find myself thinking about Ahab talking to the head. It was very much like a prayer, and so powerful. What a pity he was interrupted; I would have loved for it to continue.

Tracey wrote: "The risks run to the whaling men were enormous when battling a sperm whale, which is a huge creature. They are discussed throughout the book and again in chapter 60, the risks of roping a whale to ..."

This is very interesting information, thanks for posting it!

Dianne, I love all the pictures you are posting.

I'm finding that my reading pace is much slower with this book. Not because it's hard to read - it's beautifully written, and ebbs and flows like the sea - but because I am constantly stopping to look things up. I feel as if I'm surrounded by encyclopedias, referencing words, places, creatures, myths, history, everything. I feel as if my world expands when I'm reading this book.

I got sidetracked for an hour looking up colossal squids and watching a video of one. Then I visited the Sphinx, and then pulled out my copy of Hamlet.

I'm having such a grand time!

Is anyone else doing this? It's really fun. 😄

Dianne wrote: "Chapters 66 - 70

Chapter 70 - The Sphinx."

I, too, was struck by Ahab's intense mutterings before the silent, great head. So like the great head of the Sphinx, which keeps its secrets, has no reply to anyone who questions or wishes to envision what it has witnessed.

Ahab's words...so beautiful, such eloquence; the Shakespearean speech rhythms, a passage that recalls Hamlet's words as he muses while gazing at the skull of Yorick.

Of course, we know what is in Ahab's mind. He wishes he could see with the eyes of that great head so that he could penetrate the impenetrable depths of the sea. So that he could seek out his obsession - Moby Dick.

Biblio wrote: "It does look like a textbook, but it reads like a novel. The description in the early pages remind me of someone trying to recall memories from their childhood. You know when thinking back on happi..."

How much have you read so far?

I'm really looking forward to this read!

I've received my copy, and here is a little note from the author:

"This is a work of history. Any resemblance to fictional characters, dead or alive, is entirely coincidental."

Stephanie wrote: "Only 2 or maybe now 3 weeks behind. I agree for the most part that Melvilles prose is excellent. I particularly liked both the Sermon and the description of Nantucket. He has a wonderful ability to..."

I think the book gets easier as it progresses. I am envious that you have an in-person group. It doesn't seem to be a big thing where I live. There are one or two, but they aren't very consistent. I miss D.C. where there are so many, including quite a few hosted at a bookstore called Politics and Prose. It is a wonderful place.

I'm going to post tomorrow about Chapter 48, The First Lowering". One of my favorite chapters so far (yes, yes, I know, they are all my favorites). :)

Chapter 47

Dianne, thanks for posting a picture of a sword mat. I was having a hard time visualizing what it was, and my iPad wasn't near to hand at the time.

This chapter...I feel like a broken record here, but I loved it. The sense of foreshadowing by comparing the weaving of the sword mat to the "Loom of Time", where we humans mechanically weave away at our lives, perhaps thinking we have free will, but all the while, we are guided by the Fates and our future is written in stone. Powerful analogy. And then yes, the call of the sighting of the sperm whales, but then that cliff-hanger of an ending:

"But at this critical instant a sudden exclamation was heard that took every eye from the whale. With a start all glared at dark Ahab, who was surrounded by five dusky phantoms that seem fresh formed out of air."

When I read "phantoms" I was like...ooh.

Dianne wrote: "Chapters 46-47

Chapter 46 - Surmises

He we learn that Ahab has at least in the back of the mind the notion of whaling in general besides just his hell-bent intent to kill Moby Dick. He was aware ..."

I found this chapter fascinating. We see that careful, calculating, manipulative, cunning brain that governs the madness of Ahab. That heightened sense of self-preservation. That careful, devious plotting as to how to manipulate his crew. Use them, as the chapter states, use them as "tools".

"Ahab must of course have been most anxious to protect himself. That protection could only consist in his own predominating brain and heart and hand, backed by a heedful, closely calculating attention to every minute atmospheric influence which it was possible for his crew to be subjected to."

Dianne wrote: "Isn’t bottoms dream the name of that massive chunkster recently published? Bottom's Dream

This book is bigger than a cat! "

I have that massive thing sitting on my shelf right now.!

Pip wrote: "Everyman wrote: "Pip wrote: "Hello everyone! I'm Pip - British but living in Spain since 1993. I enjoy all kinds of literature, including thick chunky novels to lose myself in. I'm afraid I won't b..."

I would be very interested to know what you think of Darconville's Cat when you finish.