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Jenn(ifer)'s Reviews > Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf
by
by
Um. What the? What?
What the hell did I just read?
First third, BRILLIANT -- one of the most interesting bits of philosophical fiction I've ever read. Seriously. I was completely enthralled. Second third -- hard to believe that two people would ever actually have conversations such as these, but still engaging. Third third -- what the F*CK? No, really, what the f*ck? It was some sort of crazy funhouse reality blurring, whacked out Kubrick film. I don't know if I liked it or I hated it. My brain is still in knots.
So -- uh -- while I try to disentangle my axons -- I'll leave you with a song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEEzbF...
****
The more I allow this to sink in, the more I like it. I think I need to consider seriously revising my review. At any rate, I'm giving it an extra star.
What the hell did I just read?
First third, BRILLIANT -- one of the most interesting bits of philosophical fiction I've ever read. Seriously. I was completely enthralled. Second third -- hard to believe that two people would ever actually have conversations such as these, but still engaging. Third third -- what the F*CK? No, really, what the f*ck? It was some sort of crazy funhouse reality blurring, whacked out Kubrick film. I don't know if I liked it or I hated it. My brain is still in knots.
So -- uh -- while I try to disentangle my axons -- I'll leave you with a song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEEzbF...
****
The more I allow this to sink in, the more I like it. I think I need to consider seriously revising my review. At any rate, I'm giving it an extra star.
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Reading Progress
March 1, 2012
– Shelved
March 9, 2012
– Shelved as:
the-germans
June 27, 2012
– Shelved as:
nobel-laureates
November 21, 2012
–
Started Reading
November 21, 2012
–
11.47%
"A wolf of the Steppes that had lost its way and strayed into the towns and the life of the herd, a more striking image could not be found for his shy loneliness, his savagery, his restlessness, his homesickness, his homelessness."
page
25
November 21, 2012
–
11.47%
"There is much to be said for contentment and painlessness, for these bearable and submissive days, on which neither pain nor pleasure is audible, but pass by whispering and on tip-toe. But the worst of it is that it is just this contentment that I cannot endure. After a short time it fills me with irrepressible hatred and nausea."
page
25
November 21, 2012
–
25.69%
"All interpretations, all psychology, all attempts to make things comprehensible, require the medium of theories, mythology and lies..."
page
56
November 22, 2012
–
36.7%
"Without really wanting to at all, they pay calls & carry on conversations, sit out their hours at desks & on office chairs ... it could all be done or left undone just as well by machines & indeed it is this never-ceasing machinery that prevents their being, like me, the critic of their own lives & recognizing the stupidity & shallowness, the hopeless tragedy & waste of the lives they lead"
page
80
November 23, 2012
–
68.81%
"it's a poor fellow who can't take his pleasure without asking other people's permission"
page
150
November 24, 2012
–
Finished Reading
November 25, 2012
– Shelved as:
dark
November 25, 2012
– Shelved as:
read-in-2012
Comments Showing 1-24 of 24 (24 new)
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message 1:
by
Ian
(new)
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rated it 5 stars
Nov 22, 2012 04:16PM
This is an old favourite I'd like to re-read.
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Ian wrote: "This is an old favourite I'd like to re-read."Get your motor running. Go make it happen.
There's a scene in it that Jenn mightn't be up to that has stuck in my mind almost the whole of my life.
I picked this book up the other day on a lark. It was free on one of those 'take a book, leave a book' shelves at the train station. I'm really enjoying it so far. It's one of those dark, lonely stories that I tend to gravitate to.
Ian wrote: "This is an old favourite I'd like to re-read."I'd like to read your review of it.
Jenn(ifer) wrote: "I picked this book up the other day on a lark. It was free on one of those 'take a book, leave a book' shelves at the train station. I'm really enjoying it so far. It's one of those dark, lonely stories that I tend to gravitate to. "Lucky you. It's still dark, but in this case you might have some company.
Aubrey wrote: "I'd like to read your review of it."I just had a look at your review, and you might have written mine for me.
Haha, that song was totally predictable. For which I'm grateful. =)
had to do it! :)
Siddhartha had some philosophical moments but overall I remember it being a more streamlined story. (Which, it was also a lot shorter, so had to make its point quicker, if point it wished to make, haha.)
Jenn(ifer) wrote: "Whacky!"It went down a treat when I read it in the post-hippy seventies.
It was some sort of crazy funhouse reality blurring, whacked out Kubrick film.Do you realize how awesome you make it sound when you say that?! I is confuseded!
Paquita Maria wrote: "It was some sort of crazy funhouse reality blurring, whacked out Kubrick film.Do you realize how awesome you make it sound when you say that?! I is confuseded!"
It is awesome. In an acid-trip kinda way.
that's why I said I didn't know whether to love it or hate it! if it were a film, i probably would have loved it!
I want to go on that ride at the Fair.
It's reminding me of Easy Rider.
Jason wrote: "Haha, that song was totally predictable. For which I'm grateful. =)"I suppose I could have posted 'Born to Be Wild' but this one seemed to fit the story better. Especially that whacky Magical Theater business.
Oh Herr Hesse, I didn't know you had it in you!
Hmmm, a 4-star what the f*uck? I NEED to read this then!
s.penkevich wrote: "Hmmm, a 4-star what the f*uck? I NEED to read this then!"Yep yep yep.
Beautifully expressed, my thoughts exactly, but due to the last part, I give it a star less!
Hi Jenn -- Great review. -- I just did write a review of Steppenwolf you might want to check out.
Yep - reminds me of the film Singin' in the Rain. Great film, but easy to forget the bit where it just goes completely nuts on an extended, surreal section in the middle... still a great film though
