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Lots of people always come in here saying that they've never read proper literature, and ask what they should read first, and the answer should always just be Coetzee. Anyone can read Disgrace and get something out of it, and it's very straightforward prose. There's no point recommending Dante or whatever because new readers would never finish it, and most "accessible classics" like anything by Orwell or Dickens tend to be aesthetically shallow and bad introductions to what literature is really about. Shibawanko fucked around with this message at 02:16 on May 30, 2015 |
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May 30, 2015 02:11
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Shibawanko posted:Lots of people always come in here saying that they've never read proper literature, and ask what they should read first, and the answer should always just be Coetzee. Anyone can read Disgrace and get something out of it, and it's very straightforward prose. I really liked Disgrace but it seems an odd choice for most accessible literary novel ever Rabbit Hill posted:
I liked Paradiso just because it was very ethereal versus the tangibility of Inferno. If Inferno was a meditation on the sins of man and the consequences of them, Paradiso was an attempt to frame a cosmic and perfect sense of justice. Mel Mudkiper fucked around with this message at 02:34 on May 30, 2015 |
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May 30, 2015 02:31
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if you think Purgatorio is boring. Purgatorio is the best of the three IMO; it's Paradiso that's a slog.
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Mel Mudkiper posted:I really liked Disgrace but it seems an odd choice for most accessible literary novel ever I think it has that combination of very easy to read prose (except for some unusual words maybe, like "uxorious", but you can just look those up) combined with interesting events that make it perfect for that, yeah. There are other books you can choose of course, but it's the most thrilling one I can think of that I guess might make somebody want to go on reading other things as well. It has a very interesting kind of ethics that goes against common sense in a way that's still accessible without being conventional, if that makes any sense.
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May 30, 2015 02:52
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Mel Mudkiper posted:I like the Mark Musa version Gonna second this translation. I only ever finished Inferno (Gonna have to go back to Purgatorio at some point, and then read Paradisio), but I found it plenty captivating, and it had some decent explanatory notes.
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May 30, 2015 02:58
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nvm
Sir John Feelgood fucked around with this message at 08:07 on May 30, 2015 |
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May 30, 2015 07:49
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Same guy also wrote Foe which is pretty much impenetrable unless you're reading it alongside Robinson Crusoe and a biography of DeFoe himself.
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May 30, 2015 10:39
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Shibawanko posted:Lots of people always come in here saying that they've never read proper literature, and ask what they should read first, and the answer should always just be Coetzee. Anyone can read Disgrace and get something out of it, and it's very straightforward prose. I always considered Life & Times of Michael K as the gateway to Coetzee.
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May 30, 2015 12:19
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I understand that Pynchon's novels V and Gravity's Rainbow have connections in term of characters and events. Do all of his books have connections? Are they all considered to be in one "universe"?
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May 30, 2015 19:00
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Pynchon Memory Alpha is the wiki for all canon Pynchon Extended Universe information, Pynchon Memory Beta is for non-canon appearances (Simpson's voiceover, Inherent Vice Cinematic Universe, &c.).
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May 30, 2015 19:27
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Classic lists* actually do work as a good first step for people with autism (=most people who read fantasy). When I realized I was an adult and still only reading books about wizards, I immersed myself in "literature" by going through books on some random "top100 best classics!!11" list and found it exciting. You can turn it into a game, "now I've read that, and that, and that, oh this was actually good, and that, and that..." *yeah, of course I don't mean the "start with Bible and Aeneid" kind of troll classic lists we like to joke about. mallamp fucked around with this message at 21:16 on May 30, 2015 |
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May 30, 2015 21:13
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The Unholy Ghost posted:I understand that Pynchon's novels V and Gravity's Rainbow have connections in term of characters and events. Do all of his books have connections? Are they all considered to be in one "universe"? Reading Gravity's Rainbow before V definitely colored my immediate response to the section of the latter in which Weissman appears, but that's not a function of any sort of narrative continuity between the two
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May 30, 2015 21:33
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mallamp posted:Classic lists* actually do work as a good first step for people with autism (=most people who read fantasy). When I realized I was an adult and still only reading books about wizards, I immersed myself in "literature" by going through books on some random "top100 best classics!!11" list and found it exciting. You can turn it into a game, "now I've read that, and that, and that, oh this was actually good, and that, and that..." The Aeneid is really cool though. It's better after you've read some Homer, but I think it's a fun read.
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May 30, 2015 21:48
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For those struggling to read the classics, might I suggest sampling a tasteful Manga Classic Readers version? You can also choose from Moby Dick, War of the Worlds, and Don Quixote! Or perhaps you'd like to start with some Shakespeare? Why not try King Lear, the classic tale of a vengeful Indian shaman and a woman trapped in a mystical golden amulet?  As with most things in life, I find that anime makes the classics that much more accessible.
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May 31, 2015 00:39
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Grizzled Patriarch posted:For those struggling to read the classics, might I suggest sampling a tasteful Manga Classic Readers version? When I was in high school I had to read a graphic novel version of Frankenstein. It sucked
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May 31, 2015 00:44
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Patrick Spens posted:So I've been thinking about reading the Divine Comedy, does anyone have a recommended translation? 
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May 31, 2015 16:31
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God, this game had everything. Cerberus being a big lovely worm for some reason. Beatrice getting fingerbanged by Satan. Giant Cleopatra birthing demonic cherubim from her enormous nipple-mouths. Games are art.
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May 31, 2015 19:01
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End Of Worlds posted:God, this game had everything. Cerberus being a big lovely worm for some reason. Beatrice getting fingerbanged by Satan. Giant Cleopatra birthing demonic cherubim from her enormous nipple-mouths. I forgot this existed and it never stops being funny
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May 31, 2015 19:46
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Remember when EA made a fake Christian protest group and had them picket e3 to drum up support for Dante's Inferno
Smoking Crow fucked around with this message at 20:15 on May 31, 2015 |
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May 31, 2015 20:01
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Smoking Crow posted:When I was in high school I had to read a graphic novel version of Frankenstein. It sucked Read Bernie Wrightson's version: 
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May 31, 2015 20:12
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End Of Worlds posted:God, this game had everything. Cerberus being a big lovely worm for some reason. Beatrice getting fingerbanged by Satan. Giant Cleopatra birthing demonic cherubim from her enormous nipple-mouths.
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May 31, 2015 21:25
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Hmmm, yeah I also know a lot of things from the Dante's Inferno video game.
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May 31, 2015 21:30
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Longfellow is a cool guy.
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May 31, 2015 22:31
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CestMoi posted:Hmmm, yeah I also know a lot of things from the Dante's Inferno video game. You have to admit there is something intriguing about a company making an action game out of a book entirely without conflict and action
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May 31, 2015 23:01
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The ending of JR when everything is falling apart is absolutely hilarious. Bast getting into and out of a hostage situation entirely off-page had me laughing for a good long time.
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Jun 1, 2015 00:38
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Grizzled Patriarch posted:For those struggling to read the classics, might I suggest sampling a tasteful Manga Classic Readers version? This looks awesome! Specially for Ulysses! I'll check it out!
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Jun 1, 2015 03:07
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Mel Mudkiper posted:You have to admit there is something intriguing about a company making an action game out of a book entirely without conflict and action It's so astonishingly nonsensical that I think it goes full circle and becomes genius. It's like making an FPS based on Leaves of Grass.
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Jun 1, 2015 04:41
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and I was the flower of the mountain oh sugoi oh sugoiii onii-chan
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Jun 1, 2015 05:22
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One Hundred Years of Solitude progress- Man, Colonel Aureliano Buendia has done hosed up massively by leaving Arcadio in charge of Macondo, jesus christ. "Take care of the village while I'm away! Be a good leader!" "Okie dokie! I will!" *Becomes savage dictator, terrorizing the people and murdering citizens for the smallest of petty offenses. Becomes so power hungry he nearly rapes his own biological mother. After an armed offensive in Macondo, all of his soldiers are killed, and Arcadio is ultimately executed for all his nonsense.* This novel is some crazy poo poo, this last chapter in particular being really good. I can't stop reading.
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Jun 1, 2015 05:24
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End Of Worlds posted:It's so astonishingly nonsensical that I think it goes full circle and becomes genius. It's like making an FPS based on Leaves of Grass. I don't know, it would be refreshing to play an fps where how great dicks are is text rather than subtext.
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Jun 1, 2015 06:27
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End Of Worlds posted:It's so astonishingly nonsensical that I think it goes full circle and becomes genius. It's like making an FPS based on Leaves of Grass. *tosses terrorist into fuse box* Sing the body electric... *puts on sunglasses*
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Jun 1, 2015 12:13
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End Of Worlds posted:It's so astonishingly nonsensical that I think it goes full circle and becomes genius. It's like making an FPS based on Leaves of Grass. A MOBA based on The Wasteland. Featuring such heroes as Mme Sosostris, Lil's Husband, The Typist, Tiresias and Phlebas the Phoenician. And maps of Jerusalem, Athens, Alexandria, Vienna, London and The Unreal City.
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Jun 1, 2015 14:46
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Remembrance of Things Past MMORPG where combat is resolved with rhythm game based on Finnegans Wake
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Jun 1, 2015 16:25
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WWII multiplayer shooter based on Gravity's Rainbow Killstreak! You unlocked "ominous boner"
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Jun 1, 2015 16:27
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The literature thread discussing video games, good to see SA hasn't completely left its roots
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Jun 1, 2015 16:32
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although actually an Odyssey MMORPG would unironically own e: Mel Mudkiper posted:WWII multiplayer shooter based on Gravity's Rainbow That reminds me; Hieronymous please change my username to "ominous boner" chernobyl kinsman fucked around with this message at 02:59 on Jun 2, 2015 |
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Jun 2, 2015 02:50
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End Of Worlds posted:
I think changing usernames takes an admin. I keep meaning to try this: http://www.marryingmrdarcy.com/ but it is in fact an actual real game.
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Jun 2, 2015 04:07
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:I think changing usernames takes an admin. https://www.greatgatsbygame.com
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Jun 2, 2015 04:15
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I recently finished Gravity's Rainbow and I liked it a lot. It's really neat how Pynchon is able to have very human, empathetic moments in the middle of all the craziness that is going on. There's a neat bit where Slothrop is in the Zone and all alone and starting to lose grip and he has a dream about meeting Tantivty. Slothrop asks ghost-Tantivy if he is looking out for him and Tantivy says "No, Slothrop. Not you...". It's so good. A few plot points were forgotten (Pirate, Von Goll Argentenian film) but i still really like how it ended. Also couldn't tell you why the Hereros wanted to build a rocket in the first place, but I am willing to admit that I might just be an idiot. I'm reading invisible cities right now because I felt like something short. It's very good. Next I might read Mo Yan's 'Life and Death are Wearing Me Out' for a second time which is weird because I didn't enjoy it that much to begin with. I read it in English because I am a cretin.
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Jun 2, 2015 06:22
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I'm reading Dream of the Red Chamber (Hong Lou Meng) and it's very good, and it sucks that I haven't seen anyone on this forum talk about it. Actually, I haven't seen much talk of eastern literature in general, aside from maybe Mo Yan and that thread about Japanese literature.
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Jun 2, 2015 08:30
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Zaito posted:I'm reading Dream of the Red Chamber (Hong Lou Meng) and it's very good, and it sucks that I haven't seen anyone on this forum talk about it. Actually, I haven't seen much talk of eastern literature in general, aside from maybe Mo Yan and that thread about Japanese literature. I want to get into that old Chinese literature, but all of those novels are really really really long. Like makes Tolstoy look like Dr. Seuss long
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Jun 2, 2015 08:32
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