**spoiler alert** My experience with Faulkner's books so far has been like the sawtooth , a great book followed by a total garbage blabbering.
First bo**spoiler alert** My experience with Faulkner's books so far has been like the sawtooth , a great book followed by a total garbage blabbering.
First book was Light in August which was awesome, cut to the point, murder of black upon white neatly packed with southern atmosphere.
The next was Absalom a total trash , waiting 400 pages without any hint , and getting the whole story in the last 20 pages, full of useless southie blabber.
Then The Mansion was a total masterpiece happening in Mississippi...
And now behold the rule stands, another trash !
300 pages of useless southie negro blabber with hints here and there, add to this the fact that we have a Quentin female and a Quentine male , whose arcs overlap (similar to what Vargas Llosa does with multiple timelines) and you get a total shit show of trying to understand what the fuck happens there.
I didn't understand the plot completely , hell i didn't understand why Quentin was sometimes called as 'he' and sometimes as 'she'.
The ending was something along the lines of "shit happened , we move with our life"
Hemingway was right when he said to Faulkner he doesn't need 100 complicated to write a good story....
If i would've read this book first and only , i would've probably ditched Faulkner forever, now i feel like every book of his is like a tossing of a coin. Heads for masterpiece, tails for utter garbage.
And this shit book gets so much attention , unbelievable !...more
**spoiler alert** Mare cocainar Paler asta, jumatate din carte am crezut ca omul e pe heroina/cocaina sau ceva psihedelice....cand defapt a scris poat**spoiler alert** Mare cocainar Paler asta, jumatate din carte am crezut ca omul e pe heroina/cocaina sau ceva psihedelice....cand defapt a scris poate romanul cu bataia cea mai lunga din ce am citit.
A construit o intreaga luma/scenariu/"script" in jurul ideii de frica de cum frica afecteaza societatea.
Este prima oara cand cineva isi ia indatorirea de a explica atat de laborios cat de nemernica este frica in societate si indiferenta fata de semenii nostri.
Fiecare dintre noi in goana noastra prin viata decidem sa ne izolam cu un asa numit "dom de sticla" , dom prin care nu mai putem auzi necazurile altora, tipetele lor de ajutor. Gonim uitandu-ne doar in fata zicandu-ne ca nu e problema noastra sa ii ascultam pe ceilalti cand in definitiv oricum cu totii ajungem in acelasi loc.
Poate cea mai grozava idee este aceea ca frica naste mai multa frica si incet incet, daca nu actionam, daca toti ne retragem in grota noastra sigura ca sa traim, societatea cade prada fricii, se degradeaza, iar cei ce favorizeaza frica capata puteri din ce in ce mai mari.
Mi-sa parut superb modul in care autorul spune ca mai vinovat decat Robespierre pentru toate crimele comise in timpul revolutiei franceze a fost insasi multimea. Multimea care de frica doar a asistat , a privit esafodul in timp ce executiile se desfasurau in lant. Multimea e cea mai vinovata , oamenii care au acceptat toate acestea de frica sau ca pe un spectacol.
Poate cel mai interesant a fost faptul ca executiile lui Robespierre ar fi continuat mult si bine caci avea gloata in jurul lui agregata ori de spaima ori pentru spectacol, pana cand dusmanii sai au trimis politisti sa-l inhate facand o declaratie multimii cum ca cei ce il sustin vor ajunge pe esafod si ei. In acel moment gloata s-a dezintegrat lasand-ul pe Robespierre prada celor cativa politisti.
Imi pare ca aceeasi situatie o gasim si in cadrul Orientului Mijlociu. Degeaba ni-se spune ca Islamul este o religie a pacii si ca doar X% din credinciosi sunt radicali. Daca restul de 99 % dosr asista si accepta inseamna ca tolereaza si ca sunt de acord cu asta. Multimea este mai nemernica si mai vinovata decat calaul si cel ce ordona aceste fapte oribile !
Cartea dupa mine, e un apel la societate intru lepadarea letargiei si a fricii noastre de zi cu zi. Vezi un seaman care tipa/care sufera, dute si intreaba-l ce a patit, nu il ignora crezand ca nu e treaba ta, caci facand aceasta doar te minti singur ca nu e problema ta, te retragi in cosmelia ta si raul castiga teren, empatia dispare,raul mai castiga un pic teren in ziua aceea
Am stat destul de mult sa deliberez ce nota sa dau acestei opere. Daca la 50% voiam sa ii ofer un maxim 2/5 dupa 90% pot spune ca am vazut in sfarsit imaginea de ansamblu , de ce a stat atata sa construiasca acest univers , aceasta fabula. Totusi cred ca m-as fi putut lipsi de mult din ce a scris. Daca ar fi fost doar partea de argumentare presarata cu argumentele istorice invocate ar fi fost un 5/5 fara doar si poate.
P.S daca va apucati sa o cititi, mergeti pana la capat chiar daca vi-se va parea ca consumati refularile, spasmele mentale ale unui nebun cu scte in regula, ale unui schizofrenic !...more
**spoiler alert** Actiunea se petrece in Algeria undeva dupa al doilea razboi mondial.
Protagonistul este un tanar francez care este instrainat total d**spoiler alert** Actiunea se petrece in Algeria undeva dupa al doilea razboi mondial.
Protagonistul este un tanar francez care este instrainat total de societate , am putea spune un sociopat.
Nu isi plange mama aflat la priveghiul ei , nu simte nici o remuscare atunci cand omoara un arab , fapt ce il va trimite la inchisoare , loc unde din nou nimic.
Perspectiva este deosebit de interesanta , omul nostru intelege ce ar simti altii in situatia lui , dar el e sterp , se plictiseste atunci cand este interogat cu privire la conditia sa de prieteni, cunoscuti , preoti si mai tarziu in timpul procesului pentru omor de catre procuror si judecator.
Oamenii nu pot intelege/concepe ca exista astfel de semeni , oameni complet functionali care se pot integra total in societate dar care nu simt nimic.
Am putea spune ca protagonistul este idealul filozofiei stoice, filozofie ce pune accent pe detasare de cele lumesti , fie ele bune sau rele, pe acceptare/impacare cu tot ce vine in directia noastra...cu totii stim cat de greu ne este sa realizam acest lucru...personajul din acest roman face acest lucru natural.
Mi-a placut foarte mult locatia si perioada. Am ramas surprins ca intr-un loc precum Algeria existau atatea servicii sociale si institutii care functionau cum trebuie (inclusiv hingheri)....more
**spoiler alert** Started the book expecting some hard drama/thriller, "X strangers stranded in a bus during a storm". This book wasn't the case. Its a**spoiler alert** Started the book expecting some hard drama/thriller, "X strangers stranded in a bus during a storm". This book wasn't the case. Its about different people from different walks of life sharing a bus ride in southern California, each with his own insecurity, dreams and all looking for something in post World War 2 America. Due to the unusual course of the ride each of them is taken out of their cofmort zone and their true colors are marvellous.
The reason its marked with 3 stars instead of 4 is because i felt the author lingered too much in the intro and one particular character, while abruptly ending when the story gets juicy. I really wanted to share the ride a couple more miles with the characters...
The book is open ended and the idea of free will is contoured, which i felt was like a draft or experimenting on the part of the author before writing the masterpiece East of Eden , 5 years later.
I really enjoyed the way a character is first seen and stereotyped by others and then we get into his mind ajd thoughts, and we see the beauty in each Jane/Joe Doe with his feelings, trauma/frustrstions , dreams and aspirations....more
**spoiler alert** This book was total garbage ! Lots of unnecessary pages, characters and stories , just for the sake of writing! Hemingway was right w**spoiler alert** This book was total garbage ! Lots of unnecessary pages, characters and stories , just for the sake of writing! Hemingway was right when he said he doesnt need 100 words per sentence (like Faulkner) to write a good story.
Its a huge 600 page book which felt like a total drag. It feels like you are mining for gold and you find here and there small trinkets of gold which is the main story; these small grains of gold keep you on your toes, keep you going and hunkering down and resist abandoning the file of shit altogether.
The author repeats himself thinking he is emphasizing some key points, but its just useless descriptions which serve no purpose for the reader.
So from 600 pages the first 450 pages are like 10% main plot and 90% useless shit (gibberish that secondary characters say about the main ones or their miserable life , dark descriptions and senzations). Then, right when you are fkin tired of it all, he starts speeding up and unveiling the main plot in the last 100-150 pages.
Its not that i cant accept cliffhangers in a story, but i should feel.that the story shouldnprogress as i read it , not that im stuck in a limbo of repetitions until the very end, until the author decides to just unveil it at max speed .
I felt that the whole story was like a building and you just looked at it from the outside for the first 450 pages and then you entered the building very fast , and it couldve been filled with anything , literally anything , it was totally decoupled from what you have read while being outside the it.
Summary:
What the book is all about in a pharagraph:
White guy Thomas arrives in a village in 1833 Misissippi , builds a farm and marries a high society wife. He has two kids Henry and Judith. Henry goes to college where he meets Charles. They befriend. Charles and Henry visit Thomas for christmas. Charles thus meets Judith and starts planning to marry her. We later find out Charles is Henry's and Judith half brother from Thomas first marriage, when he worked and lived to make money in Haiti. Thomas repudiated first wife while fidning out she has black ancestry. Thomas tells Henry that Charles is his brother (hiding the black blood that runs through Charles veins). Civil war breaks out and Charles and Henry enlist and go fighting for the Confederation. During the next 4 years Henry contemplates the idea of approving the incestous marriage between his sister and half brother. He decides he is ok with it , up until Thomas merts him and tells him that Charles is of black ancestry. The absurdity and WTF moment is when you realise Henry was finally ok with the incestous marriage but will never tolerate a man of black ancestry to marry his sister. He goes back to Judith with Charles and shoots him right in front of Thomas house.
Trash book, trash author attitude towards the reader , for the first time i felt disrespected as a reader. You are way better off reading the damn resume , its so much wasted time i can't believe !
PS: maybe my experience would've been a bit different if i would've read it in English and not in Romanian , maybe the translation was a bit bad and i couldn't enjoy all the southern side stories and culture , so factor this in , also....more
**spoiler alert** Dezamagitor ! Am pornit inflacarat , crezand ca voi asista la un adevarat spectacol contrarian, ca toate cutumele si valorile traditi**spoiler alert** Dezamagitor ! Am pornit inflacarat , crezand ca voi asista la un adevarat spectacol contrarian, ca toate cutumele si valorile traditionale insuflate de-a lungul vietii imi vor fi spulberate.
Cartea a inceput binisor , desfiintand curentele filozofice anterioare cu precadere stoicismul , explicand ca omul ar trebui lasat condus de impulsuri de simturi , caci asta este tot ceea ce este autentic in el , sa nu incerce sa isi infraneze nimic si ca filozoful stoic indeamna catre solitudine , modestie si cumpatare , tocmai fiindca asta este viata la care a fost el obligat, faptul ca a fost privat de tocmai resursele catre care isi exprima inversunarea
Foarte interesant faptul ca in viziunea lui Nietsche un filosof stoic precum Epicur indeamna catre o viata solitara si modesta , cumpatata tocmai fiindca el nu a prins publicului , nu a stiut sa se vanda , astfel el s-a lasat prada vanitatii si singur s-a indepartatat de toti si toate , scriind inversunat din orgoliu fata de filozofii vremii lui care nu au dus astfel de lipsuri.
Dupa aceasta introducere relativ buna a urmat un calvar de cel putin 120-150 pagini in care a batut campii , a adus in discutie curente moderne si trecute , conditia filozofului, dar nu am sesizat nimic concret , nici o idee tangibila ... Nu am reusit sa inteleg care este filozofia sa , si ce anume profeseaza in aceasta carte.
Cartea a mai avut cateva idei interesante cu privire la conditia femeii. Faptul ca aceasta a cautat sa capete drepturi si sa ajunga sa se "bata" de la egal la egal cu barbatul, a ajuns in societatea moderna sa se degradeze , tocmai pentru ca daruri precum viclenia , cochetaria , feminitatea , imaginatia nu au fost niciodata vazute cu dispret de barbat , ba dimpotriva.
La final a s-a vorbit destul de mult despre spiritul german si cum se compara acesta cu cel francez sau englez.
Per total nu am simtit ca am reusit sa il asociez cu o idee , cu o viziune a lumii unificata. Am citit foarte multe vorbe aruncate in vant care nu au ajuns la o coerenta.
Marturisesc ca Herman Hesse a facut o treaba infinit mai buna schitand aceasta viziune a valorilor contrariana in romanul sau Lupul de stepa.
**spoiler alert** Romanul de fata isi propune sa ilustreze viata unei femei virtuoase in Franta primei jumatati a secolului XIX.
Inceputul este repreze**spoiler alert** Romanul de fata isi propune sa ilustreze viata unei femei virtuoase in Franta primei jumatati a secolului XIX.
Inceputul este reprezentat de scena fetei naive , care, lasandu-se in mrejele infatuarii , se casatoreste cu un colonel de cavalerie din armata lui Napoleon ( in ciuda rugamintilor si pledoariei blandului si batranului sau tata) colonel a carui mediocritate respectiv moravuri usoare ii vor fura anii tineretii , si destin al copilului zamislit , o va urmari toata viata ca un efect de bumerang l
Ca cititori o vom urma in calatoria sa prin viata de-a lungul primei jumatati a secolului XIX , plina de suferinta , durere , melancolie dar si dragoste , iubire , virtute si compasiune.
Mi-se pare fenomenal modul in care autorul zugraveste universul interior al acestei femei , si tulburarile launtrice la care este supusa , precum si numeroasele portrete ale ei si ale tuturor celor ce intra in contact cu aceasta fiinta de o noblete rara.
Din cartea aceasta , ideea cu care am ramas este ca profunzimea si complexitatea femeii sub toate aspectele se naste abia la varsta de 30 de ani , moment , cand a carei existenta a fost marcata deja de marile drame respectiv bucurii ale vietii.
Recomand cu caldura !
P.S E primul meu roman de Balzac si clar voi mai servi !...more
When you think about it, its a marvel that you living in 2000AC can read something dated 2000BC. The story is actually older and the pieces were put toWhen you think about it, its a marvel that you living in 2000AC can read something dated 2000BC. The story is actually older and the pieces were put together by an antic unknown benefactor.
The story of Ggilgames is humbling in that not even the greatest of the greatest kings can escape death. The descriptive passages regarding the sourroundings , characters and actions are vivid , easy to grasp.
I loved the parallels between Sumerian religion/legends the and ancient Greek/Christian ones.
One cannot stand idle but ask : Could all religions and legends have one true source ?...more
**spoiler alert** O nuvela interesanta din punct de vedere istoric precum si al spatiului geografic- Sfantul Imperiu Romano-German in secolul XV. Asist**spoiler alert** O nuvela interesanta din punct de vedere istoric precum si al spatiului geografic- Sfantul Imperiu Romano-German in secolul XV. Asistam la tragedia unui om , un om caruia i-a fost facuta o nedreptate; un om care a incercat prin toate mijlocele legale , apeland la stapanire de nenumearate ori( jalbe )sa repare raul suferit , de fiecare data fiind in zadar. Omul nostru isi ia dreptatea in maini si provoaca multa dauna si distrugerii stapanirii.
O nuvela un pic prea lunga.Cred ca s-ar fi putut incheia mai elegant si mai scurt....more
Maybe i am shallower than i thought but this book was a real pain to read. The first half is all about expressing some general truths wrapped in reallyMaybe i am shallower than i thought but this book was a real pain to read. The first half is all about expressing some general truths wrapped in really hard to get sentences just for the sake of fkin rhetorics.
I felt like i was banging my head against a wall at each page. The second part of the book gets better , the author focusing more on virtues.
The final 10% of the book is another hard nut to crack.
This book was a disapointment.I understand the book is pretty much a recollection of facts seen first hand by the author ...but even so it focused too This book was a disapointment.I understand the book is pretty much a recollection of facts seen first hand by the author ...but even so it focused too much on lousy descriptions of episodic characters.There were too many unimportant satraps, chieftains and even soldiers where the narrator dedicated entire pages that were abruptly forgotten.
The most important and interesting part was the first part of the returning journey mainly from Babylon to the Black sea.
The book went downhill from there and stood that way with some small exceptions....more
"Merge cu zeii cel ce neincetat are sufletul impacat cu cele ce i-au fost harazite de catre soarta"
"Moartea reprezinta sfarsitul repercusiunilor simtu"Merge cu zeii cel ce neincetat are sufletul impacat cu cele ce i-au fost harazite de catre soarta"
"Moartea reprezinta sfarsitul repercusiunilor simturilor , al conditiei de marioneta purtata de impulsuri , al ratacirii gandurilor , al serviciului adus carnii"
"Este rusinos ca intr-o viata in care corpul nu se lasa cuprins de slabiciune , sufletul sa o faca primul"
"Adapteaza-te evenimentelor pe care soarta ti le-a harazit.Iubeste , dar cu adevarat oamenii cu care destinul te-a unit"
Este fara doar si poate cea mai buna carte pe care am citit-o in acest an. Similar cu Seneca , Marcus Aurelius insa duce stoicismul la un cu totul alt nivel de spiritualitate .
Am fost placut impresionat de pledoaria autorului despre acceptarea oamenilor si mai ales a celor care ne fac rau , a accepta faptul ca fiecare lucru care ni se intampla are scopul sau , iar cei ce fac rau au si eu rostul lor in societate , ca toti suntem precum un roi de albine cu diverse atributii de-a lungul vietii.
Cel mai important este sa ramanem fideli daimon-ului nostru , sa parcurgem viata impreuna cu el , sa nu ne abatem de la adevar si dreptate , sa ne folosim darurile pentru a ajuta societatea si ,sa ne detasam atat de intamplarile fericire cat si de suparari caci toate acestea fac parte din ordinea fireasca a lucrurilor.Ce conteaza in cele din urma este ca intelectul sa nu cada prada lumescului.
Pentru cel ce citeste acest zid de text : Cred ca fie doar si meditand din cand in cand asupra ideilor expuse in acest manuscris iti vei usura viata , iti vei crea anumite ancore de care te poti agata atunci cand soarta iti e potrivnica iar in final te vei bucura mai mult de viata.
The story focuses on the regime of the Dominican Republic dictator Trujillo written in Llosa's characteristic style oAnother Vargas Llosa masterpiece.
The story focuses on the regime of the Dominican Republic dictator Trujillo written in Llosa's characteristic style of multiple chronological plains.
We get to see closehand the regime's most proeminent people : the head of internal security with his barbarian yet efficient and clever methods when dealing with political dissidents; the regime's propaganda master , the armed forces commander etc...This glimpse is shown through the eyes of the dictator himself.
Interpolated with the above we get to know the conspirators that are planning to take out Trujillo.We learn about their motives , their life before the dictator and more specifically how does a civilian turn into a conspirator soon to be assasin.
Probably the most shocking is the woman that returns to the DR years after Trujillo's death to visit her currently impaired father (ex- one of the most respected personalities of the regime )
The most amazing thing regarding this book besides the gory details of the regime is how after the death of the dictator life moved on and fast , a state that was governed by force for 30 years where the dictator had complete power has been able to forget mostly everything in a matter of months.
Besides some really memorable moments and dialogues , i felt that the book with all of its descriptions regarding the people of Marycomb was boring anBesides some really memorable moments and dialogues , i felt that the book with all of its descriptions regarding the people of Marycomb was boring and i could hardly find reasons for their existence.
The book follows a pattern similar to a game where you have 3 uninteresting and boring sub-quests that nonetheless have to be completed in order to get to the main quest. This pattern stayed true throughout the book....more
Some ideas that have stuck with me from tthis great book: -always hear out all opinions , do not try to suppress different views because in that momentSome ideas that have stuck with me from tthis great book: -always hear out all opinions , do not try to suppress different views because in that moment you assume that you hold the ultimate truth and besides doing wrong to yout fellow you rob yourself of a possible truth -when you plan to take a side do not assume it is the right one since only yours is studied /checked.Only when you have heard the most dedicated supporter of the opposing view and you have rebuked all their arguments can you really say you hold the truth. - whenever society tries to suppress the "deviants" the nonconformists ,the geniuses in favor of the masses it does itself a great disservice since the progress , the reformation usually comes exactly from these people that see the world in other ways.And even if these people are not to be put in power (similar to the aristocracy of middle ages) , they can act as eye-openers to the ones that are in power and can change society.
The last part of the book covers the relation between the state and the individual and when and in what circumstances should the former interfere with the liberty of the latter.
Definetly something worth reading , at least as a mental exercise....more
From the first pages it became clear to me that i was dealing with an author of a diferent caliber.
The book is so geniune , so psichologically deep , From the first pages it became clear to me that i was dealing with an author of a diferent caliber.
The book is so geniune , so psichologically deep , it tackles so many aspects of life but the one that stuck with me and opened my eyes was : be open , accept other people as they are , don't assume your vision of life is the correct one and discard everything else.That is how intolerance , racism and all the nitty gritty's start (foreshadowing WW2 in the book).
Also don't take yourself too seriously , don't build your ivory tower and hunker down in classics and old eras while despising your time.
Life is hard , was hard and will be hard and miserable and you will never understand it all , nor will people try to understand you.
Take all with a grain of salt , try new things and the most important thing ...Laugh !!!!!...more
**spoiler alert** O carte care lasa la o parte propaganda si idealizarea razboiului si care ne coboara in transeea marelui razboi si dezveleste ororil**spoiler alert** O carte care lasa la o parte propaganda si idealizarea razboiului si care ne coboara in transeea marelui razboi si dezveleste ororile acestuia : hrana ranceda, ranile hidoase provocate de armele de foc , viata insignifiata si atat de firava , camaraderia, dar mai presus de toate instrainarea individului fata de lumea in care traieste.
Ce mi s-a parut de mare interes este originea protagonistului si a camarazilor sai: un biet pustan neamt de 19 ani care impins la spate de dascali si cunoscuti s-a inregimentat.
Scrierea este clara , iar paginile zboara deoarece majoritatea mustesc cu actiunea frontului si intamplari de zi cu zi ale soldatului german .Descrierile sunt cu advarat autentice.
O recomand cu caldura atat celor pasionati de aceasta perioada tulbure cat si celor care vor sa isi forneze o idee !...more
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