Chris Via > Recent Status Updates

The beginnings of European civilisation: Minoan culture from the island of Crete combined with the Mycenaean culture of the mainland of Greece. Yet the sidelined Phoenician culture developed in parallel.

"Give me a condor's quill! Give me Vesuvius' crater for an inkstand!" "To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme."

The medieval period is marked by dualisms (especially Church and State). The period of medieval philosophy begins with the Christian-pagan pairing of Augustine-Plato and ends with Aquinas-Aristotle.

Thus begins Operation Improve History Knowledge!

As I turn to the final third of this great book, I am struck by how different it is from the one I read eight years ago. The present experience is sublime to the point that I can admit that, even at the age of twenty-five, I wasn't ready for Melville's masterpiece. It is ever demanding and ever rewarding, as all lasting works of literature are, and I am convinced to begin reading it more regularly.

"When you read a canonical work for a first time you encounter a stranger, an uncanny startlement rather than a fulfillment of expectations" (3).

"...Columbus sailed over numberless unknown worlds to discover his one superficial western one...." (298).

"Talk not to me of blasphemy, man; I'd strike the sun if it insulted me" (178).

"...all deep, earnest thinking is but the intrepid effort of the soul to keep the open independence of her sea; while the wildest winds of heaven and earth conspire to cast her on the treacherous, slavish shore...." (117)

Revisiting old friends.

It has been a while since I've been so ready to finish a book.

Well, now things are starting to get interesting!

I'm not sure how much more of this I can take.

I've fallen victim to peer pressure.

Character and conflict development continue. I've been told that I must stick with it for the promise of big payoffs.

The trudge of main character development is over and the pace is picking up, but I'm waiting for something compelling.

This is definitely not a book I would likely choose to read, but cultural pressures have demanded the exception. Ten years ago, I probably would have devoured the book with great gusto; but the content isn't holding my attention well. It's not an elitist thing (I hope); my tastes have simply changed. I still appreciate imaginative craft. In fact, so far, GRRM has arrested my attention with his world's language.

Fine! I'll read the freakin' book already!