tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1182372734504964782.post4415603234716869246..comments2024-01-20T10:31:22.146-08:00Comments on readear: Intimidating VolumesChrisHugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02932232257767131972noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1182372734504964782.post-35930361533953287612007-03-29T05:00:00.000-07:002007-03-29T05:00:00.000-07:00Hi Stewart. Yes - Moby is a great read, and very w...Hi Stewart. Yes - Moby is a great read, and very well read, if I may say. Melville seems to be writing in almost a playful way, having fun with the whole idea of writing a story, and winking to the reader throughout.<BR/>As to notes etc, I was a heavy user of such things before, and footnotes, prefaces, book of criticism etc. and have come to the conclusion that it is actually unhelpful to me in an understanding of the work. I was always reading between the lines, and not reading the lines themselves.<BR/>Part of my enjoyment of a Librivox recording is the fact that the book is stripped down to its barest essentials. And as I am usually driving while listening, I am prevented from dashing to the encyclopedia to check up on the background details.<BR/>As for Ulysses, I see LibriVox have a recording nearly finished. I might be tempted to listen when it is complete. Perhaps not.ChrisHugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02932232257767131972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1182372734504964782.post-31291625495964239602007-03-29T04:42:00.000-07:002007-03-29T04:42:00.000-07:00Glad you're enjoying Moby Dick, Chris -- obviously...Glad you're enjoying <EM>Moby Dick</EM>, Chris -- obviously, it's been an important book to me over the years. I've actually read it more than a few times, and I would definitely second your comments -- though I first read the book in college (though not for any assignment), I've found the repeat readings later in a life much richer experience, and I would say that "having nothing to prove to anyone" is one reason. (I'll probably read it yet again someday, though the LV project may have finished me off for <EM>Moby</EM> for a while!)<BR/><BR/>Anyway, hope it continues to hold your interest.<BR/><BR/>(As for <EM>Ulysses</EM>, let me make a clean breast of it -- I used [gulp!] <EM>Cliff's Notes</EM> when I read it many years ago. Perhaps I should give it a try without that crutch . . .)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com