EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club discussion
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A Clockwork Orange
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A Clockwork Orange - pre-read
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I was really worried about the slang. When I first attempted this book as a 14 year old, I actually thought this was British slang from the 60s or 70s.. sheesh, how embarassing. Little did I know that reading this is actually more like a crash-course for Russian.Thankfully these days there are handy little lists online with all of the words, so I just have one of those open on my phone and have a look whenever I need to. I am actually getting used to it a lot faster than I was expecting... all in all, I reckon it is about 50 - 100 words that need to be familair for this to not be a painfully cumbersome read.
I'm joining in for this one! I've never read it before, and it's just sitting on my shelf.
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aPriL does feral sometimes
(last edited Nov 05, 2019 04:18AM)
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rated it 4 stars
Ken wrote: "how do i know if my copy has the last chapter?"It will say, "chapter twenty-one". The original American 1962 version stopped at chapter twenty, which actually made the novel seem brilliant. I read the original American version in 1970 or whatever. However, I did a re-read recently, and holy crap - the recent Amazon ebook version included chapter twenty-one, and all I could think, is whoever the American publisher was who made the decision to cut it was the brilliant one. The final REAL chapter, chapter twenty-one, made the book turn horribly stupid. In my shock I looked up Burgess and his motivation in writing the book. (view spoiler)
Kubrick's movie was awesomely brilliant, though.
From Wikipedia: "Kubrick's film is relatively faithful to the Burgess novel, omitting only the final, positive chapter, (view spoiler) This plot discrepancy occurred because Kubrick based his screenplay on the novel's American edition, in which the final chapter had been deleted on the insistence of its American publisher. He claimed not to have read the complete, original version of the novel until he had almost finished writing the screenplay, and that he never considered using it. The introduction to the 1996 edition of A Clockwork Orange says that Kubrick found (view spoiler)
Johanna wrote: "I was really worried about the slang. When I first attempted this book as a 14 year old, I actually thought this was British slang from the 60s or 70s.. sheesh, how embarassing. Little did I know t..."I'm trying to read it without looking up anything, just trying to understand the words from context. There have definitely been a few times that I've been stumped though.
RJ wrote: "Johanna wrote: "I was really worried about the slang. When I first attempted this book as a 14 year old, I actually thought this was British slang from the 60s or 70s.. sheesh, how embarassing. Lit..."Yeah it is difficult to figure some of the stuff out going by context clues alone. I read the first 30 or so pages really looking up every new word, and it has helped immensely.. but for the sake of not having to spend weeks on this book I have decided to just cruise through with what I know.
It is reminding me of reading The Jabberwocky. You get the sounds of the words and need to figure the meaning
Do you think this can be listened to?
Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "Do you think this can be listened to?"One listen, no, I suspect not. Maybe if one listens to an audiobook several times. I suspect. Just guessing, though, from my bystander observations, reading Goodreads reviews, talking to friends. Unless one is of the sort of learner who is a natural auditory learner as opposed to a visual learner. This primarily visual or auditory learner brain thing is a real thing, btw.
I think one has to have a special knack for the visual sight of words on a page, how it is processed in the brain, to 'get it' - this imaginary Russian/American slang language in the book, right away.
I picked up fairly easily what the slang meant in reading it. I have a talent in visual reading stuff. Not kidding, It's the only special talent I seem to have and it's worthless financially. I was 'discovered' in the eighth grade when I took a required test given nationally to all eighth graders in America - the results showed I read 500 words a minute with 100% comprehension - sidebar: the test conclusions recommended I become an architect (as if women could be architects in America back then - another story, sorry for the digression - I became a secretary).
These abilities are still with me, something I discovered after joining Goodreads and seeing how other club reads end up and resulting comments. My husband has dyslexia - and it has been very very interesting how he sees things. While he can take an engine apart and put it back together, websites with all of their instructions spread out in corners, under ads or next to boxes cause him to scream. He can't find anything, while I pick out the needed instruction standing out from the colored fonts, ads and paragraphs within a second or two. Most of my relatives can't spell - but I have no problem understanding their writings. My husband, friends, other relatives can't understand a bit of these notes and letters and greeting card holiday letters. I often have to interpret.
I only know I understand writing others do not from experience. I am sure others on Goodreads are like me as well. It's kinda useless, of course, like wiggling your ears.
I attempted to start to read it and i was having such a hard time understanding it because of the language used I decided to start to listen to it while reading at the same time and I am understanding it much better. So far I hate it. I’m on part one chapter 5 and hoping it gets better.
aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "Do you think this can be listened to?"One listen, no, I suspect not. Maybe if one listens to an audiobook several times. I suspect. Just guessing, though, from my bys..."
Thanks April! I think I am more of a visual person as well but still may give it a go. I do regularly listen to books and have come accustomed to the media. Long complex books don’t work well in audio for me. I think I am unlikely to actually read this one and since it’s not long I am considering it.
Jess Nothstine wrote: "I attempted to start to read it and i was having such a hard time understanding it because of the language used I decided to start to listen to it while reading at the same time and I am understand..."Good to know, thanks Jess. I will try to join you on the listen.
Decided to listen to this book. Reading some of the reviews I am hesitant to start it, glad I have all of you to get through it with!
Tell me about it, without this group I wouldn't have the motivation to read many 'hard' novels.
Brian wrote: "Has anyone tried the audio book? I am curious how that impacts the language. I feel like hearing the speech could only help with context and meaning (as I find true with older English style, Shakes..."I'm listening to the HarperAudio version read by Tom Hollander. The first few chapters were confusing, but I agree hearing his voice inflections is helping. I'll give it a second read now that I have a bit of a handle on the language.
I was wondering if the print versions had footnotes to help decipher.
I remember that I got used to the language pretty quickly, partly because a previous borrower made little notes above certain words, but I still couldn't get past more than a few chapters, the main character and his mindset was just so despicable.
I might fare better now but I'm not sure if I'll have the time for it... I'm still trying to finish Dracula, then Gatsby... then we'll see :) I'd definitely like to read it at some point.