Greg > Recent Status Updates

I'm finding that Trollope's digressions into London politics just that: digressions. I do understand how politics fit into the story, but Trollope could have told us the story through the eyes of his Barsetshire characters instead of taking us to Parliament. That said, it's oddly prescient when a character says of his own party: "we aren't a party anymore."

From the Saturday Review, London, 1861, about this novel:: "...one of the delicacies of the season...no London belle dared to consider herself literary, who did not know...the state of Lucy Roberts' heart and of Grisela Grantley's flounces." I'm with the belles: love stories seldom are this good, this simple, this pleasurable. Need a lift in heart and mind? I prescribe "Framley" and no evening news.

True or typical Sedaris' humor?>>>When Steve was 6 y/o... he appeared on The Pat Boone Show...he remembers saying "A doctor or a fireman" but can no longer remember whether he was asked what he wanted to be...or who he wanted to sleep with<<< First evidence that this diary is more than just that.

"If one falls down, his friend can help him up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm," Ecclesiastes 4: a beautiful extension of the erotic Songs of Solomon.

"Society is like sexual behavior, in that no one knows what perversions it may develop once aesthetic considerations are allowed to dictate its choices." Yea, we do choose, for example, green shag carpet or perhaps a political candidate with a beautiful wife based often on whatever society tells us to do. This sentence hung me up, even though I think this is a sensational book: Proust goes deep into captivations.

"On the street, a prostitute in a jean jacket asked if I wanted a good date. I'm always amazed when they mistake me for a straight man." Sedaris, here in his early 20's, reveals his youthful, innocent way of seeing the world: he assumes the prostitute is female and the spectrum of sex hasn't opened up for him. Fascinating so far.

Here, "Ever flowing on Bamboo River gave us hopes then dashed all too soon, where I learned the lesson of the treachery of life" seems to have influenced a great movie song: "Moon River, wider than a mile, I'm crossing you in style some day. Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker, Wherever you're going, I'm going your way." Great literature is always a great source of inspiration.

In this beautiful book, everyone is either beautiful or just short of being so. But Genji by far wins as the most beautiful character in the book: "The increasing radiance of his presence moved her Highness to wonder...if such a man should be seen in this world at all." Why, even his very body odor is described elsewhere in this book as "out-of-this-world". Alas, I'll not receive such comments, but life goes on!

Summer is here, but this winter description is lovely: "Along the dividing fence grew a dense stand of pines intended to show off the beauty of snow. There was a fence entwined with chrysanthemums to gather the morning frosts of early winter." I feel cooler already.

"Solomon's Song of Songs" book. We're told in the commentary it is surprising this book is included in the Old Testament, as it is the only Book that has no reference to history, purpose, religion, sin, salvation, or even God himself. It's a celebration of "unrestricted joy in a relationship with love." I feel it's the most beautiful Book in the Old Testament.

"When the old wormd (*world) was a gadden (*garden) and Anthea (*Eve or perhaps the tree of knowledge) first unfoiled her limbs..." I am more convinced than ever that this novel is a retelling and/or discussion of the Biblical Old Testament, and perhaps later Joyce will take us to the New Testament. (*The asterisks are my interpretations of the wording of course). Fascinating.

Genji takes much time choosing is young male dancers, then says "...I should like to indulge in the pleasures of the seasons-the blossoms, the autumn leaves, the changing skies." I don't know enough about Japanese court culture 1,000 years ago to fully understand what Genji is saying, thinking. But simply, to me, it sounds like he likes to try various types of love.

A joyous young Genji ages a few years and learns of pain and loss: "The bright moon still shines as in autumns we once new, all those years ago, but the mists that hide its light are a cruel trial to bear."

Genji, as a young man, hasn't a clue to life: "She must suspect me of wanting only to amuse myself, whereas in reality I am not frivolous at all.

Where oh where can this story possibly go other than having both characters get run over by a truck. But that can't happen, as Hugo (in the 1860s) and about a million other authors including Shakespeare have already used up that trope.

I just finished Volume 5 of Knausgard's "My Struggle" and he makes an interesting point about "Ulysses" vs "Finnegan's Wake": in the former, he says the story rises above the language/words, but in the latter, the language takes over while the characters and story sink. I think that's a valid point. Anyway, I'm over halfway through "Wake"!

Okay, I could continue fighting this, googling references, asking questions of my really smart friends, calling the White House to peruse Trump's genius mind, but instead I'm just going to read it and get it over with. This year.

I went seeking information as to why all three sisters were able to write books we are still reading 150+ years later, but have stumbled upon the unexpected: the brother, Branwell's all to messed up life.

I found it great to read David's songs and poems within the story of David itself. Wonderfully illuminating. This will be a three year (or more) read for me, and one of my favorite reads of all time.

An extremely detailed account of the lives of the Bronte family, including a brother, Branwell. Oddly, you'll notice on the cover a ghostly figure. The brother painted the portrait of the four of them, then took himself out of the portrait. The book tells us that as age passes, the figure is becoming more noticeable. And, it's the most popular painting at the National Portrait Gallery in London!

"So for me also now the invisible hands on my spearshaft are furious." Amazingly, blatantly, homoerotic. Odd that I didn't notice it in grade school. Then again, I bet most people don't notice it in grade school

Okay, I'm approaching a year and a half with this book. I'm getting irritated. I think Whitman just looked around, like at trees, then made a list of types of trees, and put a poem together, then moved on to winds, hills, houses, gates, neighbors. Compared to Yeats, this is sorta monotonous.

For some reason, I'm not much of a fan of this film. So I'm reading the screenplay to find out, perhaps, what I'm missing.

Mind-blowing. Stupendous. Confounding. Challenging. There is a book called "The Skeleton Key to Finnegan's Wake" which I must find! I found "The Key to The Name of the Rose" to be so illuminating to Eco's astonishing, brilliant work that I can now openly admit: I get by sometimes only with the help from my (writing) friends who are way way smarter than me.

By page 100 we know Dakota did something/said something/saw something...I'm thinking something violent. Everyone is sort of twisted. This reminds me of the stageplay/film of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf"" where we only learn the secret from the very last line of the show.

This book is sorta creepy. There is a reference to a family member who spent 15 years writing a book before he died. Hence we have a meta-reference of the pain taken to write this book.

No surprise that Harry threw himself down the staircase to pass on to another, more interesting, plane of existence.

I'd really rather take a nap right now. So I will.

What's all this about "there must have been butter but I don't remember it being there." Yes, this is a mash-up of horror and syfy but I'm still confused.

Finally, now we know what's under those kilts: "tights stretched skin-tight around {King George IV's] bulging, flabby thighs." So for those of you interesting in the internet sites dedicated to this subject: BEWARE!!!