A STATEMENT OF INTENT.
Call it my New Year's Resolution. . .only two months late. And if I've wasted two months already, I'd better get a move on! I've been watching that WONDERFUL TV series that USED TO air on TLC before they decided they would only show home decorating shows: GREAT BOOKS. It was a documentary series from the 90's which was narrated by Donald Sutherland and executive produced (or something) by Walter Cronkite. It's also CRIMINALLY not available on DVD so I've been watching the videotapes I recorded back in the day when they used to have "Great Books" marathons on TLC. (You got it, I ALSO remember when the "L" in TLC stood for learning. I know, I know, I must be a communist or something). Well, I digress (what else be new?!?!) Anyway, here's my statement of intent or resolution or whatever.
It is my honest intention to finally read these two books: "Moby Dick" and "Great Expectations". I've always wanted to read them and just never managed to do so. 
Believe it or don't but I've never actually read ANYTHING by Charles Dickens. Oh, I can see you now standing there aghast in your shorts! Nope, not even "A Christmas Carol" which is wafer-thin. And "Great Expectations" is the one I've always wanted to start with.
As for "Moby Dick", well I've always wanted to read that too; even though I actually HAVE read some Melville in the past. Bartleby the Scrivener (which I didn't particularly like) and Billy Budd (which I loved). But THIS book. Well, it's THE book, isn't it. The one that's intimidating and stands there mocking you just like the great whale itself. So anyway, I have the best intentions to read them both. This year. Whether I make it or not is for you to call me on. Also, let's hear from Midnighter (and any other of my friends who have read either book). Midnighter, I know you finally read "Moby Dick" a couple years ago so what's your advice, mate? I mean, besides that I should wear a rain slicker while reading it.
Believe it or don't but I've never actually read ANYTHING by Charles Dickens. Oh, I can see you now standing there aghast in your shorts! Nope, not even "A Christmas Carol" which is wafer-thin. And "Great Expectations" is the one I've always wanted to start with.
As for "Moby Dick", well I've always wanted to read that too; even though I actually HAVE read some Melville in the past. Bartleby the Scrivener (which I didn't particularly like) and Billy Budd (which I loved). But THIS book. Well, it's THE book, isn't it. The one that's intimidating and stands there mocking you just like the great whale itself. So anyway, I have the best intentions to read them both. This year. Whether I make it or not is for you to call me on. Also, let's hear from Midnighter (and any other of my friends who have read either book). Midnighter, I know you finally read "Moby Dick" a couple years ago so what's your advice, mate? I mean, besides that I should wear a rain slicker while reading it. So anyway, it's those two guys up there's fault. Who's gonna win? Them or me?!?
Or ... you could ask me... since I've read 'em both. Moby Dick twice in fact. Great Expectations was one of my required summer readings way back in high school. I've never been a Dickens fan (although I did read Our Mutual Friend and liked that. I didn't LIKE it, but I liked it.) Moby Dick I read the first time also back in High School but because I wanted to. Now for my reviews while trying not to spoil anything. Great Expectations as you might have alread known is very "Un Dickens like" which will probably mean nothing to you since you haven't read any Dickens. Although I have read a few Dickens books and haven't found one I would say I loved, this ranks as possibly my favorite behind Our Mutual Friend. Possible reading it a second time would give me a different feel for it. I did read it over 20 years ago and then read it only because I had to not because I wanted to so that might account for something. Now onto Moby Dick. The first time I read it, I read it because I felt I had to seeing as how it is spoken of as such a great literary piece of craftsmanship, blah blah blah blah. And I hated it. Hardly got through it in fact. Then I read it again about 10 years ago and I really liked it. Better than anything I read from Dickens at least. With all that being said, as fas as Melville is concerned, the book by him I loved is The Confidence-Man. Not sure if that helped you but after you pull yourself off of the floor from shock that I've read them both I suggest reading Moby Dick after Great Expectations. Of course you read several books at once (which I cannot) so read them both at the same time if ya wanna. Let me know what you think of them and as fas as you dong it, I don't think you will have any problem reading them both by the end of the year. If memory serves, which it probably does not, that should equal about 1100 pages between the two. Calculations tell me if you start now and read at slightly higher pace than I do, you should finish somewhere around the first day of smmer. That's with a lot of distractions as well, and not counting your insomnia.
ReplyDeleteOk with the snow and all I was kinda bored so I went and read them both again real quick and I still stand by my original statement that I like Moby Dick better.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how you went for the "Dick" twice.
ReplyDeleteI myself NEVER had summer reading my entire school career. I am like lil ole you and I read what I WANT to read and not what some fersnizzle tells me.
So anyway, you don't have to worry about spoilers since I know what happens in both books. The "Great Books" TV show pretty much took care of that. Also, I've seen the movie versions of each book and we know that Hollywood always ACCURATELY adapts fine works of literature!
As for your comment about this whole thing, I am extremely grateful FIRST that you know how to read and read the books and SECOND that you were thoughtful enough to respond to my bloggy. However, I don't actually feel like reading your very long comment now so I'll come back to comment on it later.
Beaker fan, you!
OK, so i REALLY don't believe you've read both books since neither one was ever serialized in Stuff Magazine!!!
ReplyDeleteNow on to your concise and slightly unnerving comments:
I think I shall probably read Great Expectorations before Moby Dick. . .unless I'm feeling really ambitious then I'll go for the Dick first. I kinda figure that the Dickens one I'll be able to tear right thru while having to actually pace myself thru the Dick.
Do you realize--
that you have the most beautiful face.
No no that's wrong. Do you realize that Our Mutual Friend is the ONE Dickens book John Irving has not read. At least as of the 90's. He was saving it for a rainy day.
Anyway, The Confidence Man?!?!?!?! What da fuck ails you?!?!?! Reading Melville. And one I never heard of. So do you think I oughta read that one someday?!?!?! Or are they gonna make a movie outta it so I won't haveta.
And what the hell do you mean you read it ten years ago?!?! What were you doing reading that? What, there was a lull between Stephen King books or something?!?!?! First it's Mantan Moreland and now this. I don't know you!!! I don't know you!!! What have you done with my friend?!?!?!
And you SO did not re-read them all real quick!
ReplyDeleteOk here's the deal, yeah I know that the required summer reading crap was just that; crap. But it was for half of your first period grade in English class so I kinda had to do it. This was the list for the required summer reading: Great Expectations, The Collector by John Fowles, Of Mice and Men, and my senior year was The Great Gatsby. Yeah the Dickens book is a quicker read but believe me if you like the Dick as much as I did the second time, the 7 or 800 pages go pretty quickly. Our Mutual Friend is also the book Desmond finds the note from Penny in so maybe you now know why I read it. Yes the Confidence man, oddly enough another Lost tie-in, but alas I read that one long before Sawyer came along with his dimples. In a nutsell the book is a bunch of short storied about all of he people on a riverboat on the Mississippi. It's really good. I actually do read other stuff besides Stephen King, but hey, did you hear they are making a movie out o that book The Theif of Tommorrow. Well, I guess I'll leave you to it now maybe you can help me. The next two books on my reading list are Brave New World by Aldous Huxley or As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner any suggestion? and
ReplyDeleteYes indeed summer reading is a bunch of crap. But we never had summer reading at all in my school. I guess you just went to the wrong school where people are saddled with summer reading books and people lose their nut.
ReplyDeleteOh, so you just JUST read Our Mutual Friend. Like really really recently. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh. . .stellar! I've actually already started reading the Dick; why?; because; it's the first of the two books I came to when I was rooting thru the boxes that contain my life. So, fancy a root?!?!? (I know you know I was gonna say that). As for my suggestions about Brave New World and As I Lay Dying -- I suggest you read Infinite Crisis instead!!! Ha ha just tidding. Actually, I didn't like BRave New World at all but, if you like, I DO have the two part radio adaptation from the old radio show Escape. As for As I Lay Dying, I've never read it but I almost did and then I didn't.
Thanks that was a real big help.
ReplyDeleteI live to befuddle you.
ReplyDeleteSigned,
Your befuddy doddy