tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4920393039273628205.post7069471328255596829..comments2023-10-25T06:16:20.123-04:00Comments on Lostpedia Blog: Lostpedia Book Club: "Ulysses" Read BeginsJabberwockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886141036635080006noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4920393039273628205.post-1690747473439573302009-03-08T08:55:00.000-04:002009-03-08T08:55:00.000-04:00Catch-22 is like a children's fairy tale compared ...Catch-22 is like a children's fairy tale compared with Ulysses! But best of luck to you, this is like the PhD of reading if you can conquer it, and darned rewarding too. <BR/><BR/>I hope you got around to reading PKD's Valis which John offered Ben to read while he had him locked (no pun intended) up. It's seriously one of my favorite books of all time! And Lost is really "Dickian" in so many ways.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4920393039273628205.post-3787359948394984562009-03-08T07:01:00.000-04:002009-03-08T07:01:00.000-04:00Joyce - no big, if you hated or couldn't read one ...Joyce - no big, if you hated or couldn't read one of the books then that's fair enough. I've hated a number of "classics" over the years - have to this day never managed to finish "The Hobbit", and get so bored when going through "Lord of the Flies" despite being able to appreciate just how florid and well-placed the language is. <BR/><BR/>Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It's like movies too... just because they are classics, doesn't mean they are reserved from criticism (e.g. I find Reservoir Dogs self-indulgent and nowadays a bit past it). I expect many will disagree :)Nickb123https://www.blogger.com/profile/12751938360325641849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4920393039273628205.post-31828574452175021032009-03-07T21:21:00.000-05:002009-03-07T21:21:00.000-05:00I may take flack for this comment, but I can't hel...I may take flack for this comment, but I can't help myself. I feel like most people are afraid to just come out and say that they hated or couldn't read a certain book for fear of sounding ignorant and uncouth. I am not afraid of saying that I couldn't or wouldn't waste my nonexistant spare time slogging thru a certain book, just to have the status of saying I read it. Books are for fun, just like watching Lost is for fun. So we read what we want..skim what we need to and just enjoy the show.Joycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11249085246564285545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4920393039273628205.post-55826353318115737432009-03-07T21:18:00.000-05:002009-03-07T21:18:00.000-05:00I admire anyone who takes on the classics of liter...I admire anyone who takes on the classics of literature. I had to read so many in school that I am quite frankly burned out on them. It is good to read and understand the era in which books were written. In other times the wordy complex novels were the fashion, but let's face it..we are the generation that wants it now. I confess that I am loath to read anything that isn't modern or catchy. The fact that the opening scene of the book club meeting about Carrie caused argument among the members and that Juliet proposed a modern novel for the club amuses me. <BR/>The good side is that reading the books on Lost gives insight into the plot and the characters. I am glad that I read enough of the classics to "catch on" to the themes, but I would not go back to them now.<BR/>I am with Anonymous' suggestion of cliff notes and wikipedia to get the gist of these books. That's really all one needs in my thinking. <BR/>Catch-22 is just about what the characters are facing now. Damned if you do (follow Locke or Widmore) and damned if you don't.Joycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11249085246564285545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4920393039273628205.post-39892139227116123982009-03-07T01:18:00.000-05:002009-03-07T01:18:00.000-05:00I have been reading books referenced on the show f...I have been reading books referenced on the show for awhile now and just this week purchased Ulysses. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I consider myself a fairly well educated and avid reader but this book is beyond daunting. I struggled through about 20 pages before deciding that it just wasn't worth the time and effort. <BR/><BR/>I do believe that it is a great work of literature and have now read a great deal of commentary and criticism of it. <BR/><BR/>Without having recently read "The Odyssey" it will be difficult to get the point of the story. There are also the obstacles of archaic language and arcane references to other works of literature to overcome. <BR/><BR/>In order to understand what is even going on requires constantly referring (sometimes many times per page) to wikipedia and/or a dictionary.<BR/><BR/>Then there are all the other things that account for this being called one of the greatest literary works of all time - like how Joyce refers to a different color and body part in each chapter.<BR/><BR/>Although that's all well and good, I have no desire to go to the lengths it would take to really digest this tome, especially since there are so many other books that interest me. <BR/><BR/>I hate putting any book down (I've read Moby Dick in its entirety) and this is the second book I've quit on. The first was Hamlet. (Someone reminded me that it was written to be acted out and it is so much more easily understood as such.) I liken it to panning for gold. If the work you put in isn't worth the gold you get back, it's time to move to a different stream.<BR/><BR/>In any case, I have sympathy for all of you have agreed to undertake this. As for me, I just purchased "The Third Policeman" and "Stranger in a Strange Land".<BR/><BR/>Kudos and namaste.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4920393039273628205.post-16192515394197178942009-03-06T16:11:00.000-05:002009-03-06T16:11:00.000-05:00I am surprised Catch-22 would be approaced with tr...I am surprised Catch-22 would be approaced with trepidation by Ulysses, well, let's just dive right in! Ulysses is nearly twice the length and 10 times as dense/complicated. I suggest cliff-notes for our brave readers!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4920393039273628205.post-72404645002971675522009-03-06T15:35:00.000-05:002009-03-06T15:35:00.000-05:00Nobody voiced the length criticism about Ulysses, ...Nobody voiced the length criticism about Ulysses, yet people did about Catch-22...<BR/><BR/>Oh wellzNickb123https://www.blogger.com/profile/12751938360325641849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4920393039273628205.post-81579720671952381292009-03-06T15:34:00.000-05:002009-03-06T15:34:00.000-05:00I have read Catch-22 and watched the movie. It is...I have read Catch-22 and watched the movie. It is pretty good reading because I have been caught in Catch-22 situations recently. I hope everyone enjoys this book. I read for fun nowadays and Ulysses is just not my idea of fun reading. Do take advantage of using your local library. There is more to libraries now than just books. I am a research librarian and know of what I speak.Joycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11249085246564285545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4920393039273628205.post-29243891495225626432009-03-06T15:06:00.000-05:002009-03-06T15:06:00.000-05:00Correct me if I'm wrong, but Catch-22 is an easy-t...Correct me if I'm wrong, but Catch-22 is an easy-to-read 450 pages novel, whereas Ulysses is a wooping 900 pages and easily one of the most difficult pieces of fiction ever written. And you complain about the Heller book? :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4920393039273628205.post-22706190427639492532009-03-06T14:39:00.000-05:002009-03-06T14:39:00.000-05:00u are all very brave for taking this one on - kudo...u are all very brave for taking this one on - kudos. it's a Goliath of a book.Sassy Fontainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778313418441086720noreply@blogger.com