I can feel it coming in the air tonight...

What? What can I feel coming?
Another Lit Corner...

So, I finished reading To the Lighthouse. Which, yeah, made me feel pretty great.
But how did I actually feel about the book? Well - I don't know. Before I started reading To the Lighthouse, I started reading Mrs Dalloway. I didn't get very far because - well, it's hard. Uninterrupted stream of conscious is not easy on the brain.
Well, what does this have to do with To the Lighthouse? Apart from the fact that they're written by the same author? The point I'm going to make here is one of readability. While I never got very far into Mrs Dalloway, and while I found it difficult, it felt natural. It was beautiful - the expression of feelings and emotions was exactly what it needed to be. The sentences were long, and difficult to get your teeth into, but I could empathise with them. To the Lighthouse? Not so much.
There were times when I just felt like shouting: 'You're doing it on purpose!'
There were times when I actually shouted: 'You're doing it on purpose!'
That is not, of course, to say, that it was bad. On the contrary, it was very good and clever, and my appreciation of it raised as I continued onwards with the book - reaching a peak when what Woolf had written helped me get through my own, sticky authorial situation. And yes, there were times when the turn of phrase that is so particular to her style had my heart expanding in my chest because really she can distil beauty into words. But I still can't quite look past that horrible feeling I had at the start, or when the narrative would drag - purposefully, but confusing nonetheless. And so for that, To the Lighthouse loses points. But I guess I shouldn't make any final judgements until I at least finish Mrs Dalloway.

I also mentioned in the last post that I was reading Ulysses. I still am. In fact, that little peek I took at Ulysses helped me get through To the Lighthouse. Because if ever an author was doing it on purpose, than James Joyce was. Ulysses is not as impenetrable as it first seems - although I'm only nine or so pages in, so there's plenty of space for it to get worse. However it is a finely knit cloth of classical references - as the title would suggest. It's a good thing I managed to by both The Odyssey and The Iliad in the same trip as I bought this, then! So far the text is mostly English, with a little bit of Latin and the tiniest amount of Greek thrown in to shake off the paupers. Of course, these days Google is there to solve any problems we might have. Sorry, Joyce, looks like there will be comprehensibility for anyone who is brave enough to take you on!
There are also obvious Wildean under- and over-tones, which I am enjoying greatly. I'm getting the feeling that, all in all, Ulysses will be quite a rewarding read, if not always an enjoyable one.

Of course, I could go into the theory behind these two books. I can tell you why Woolf and Joyce have 'done it on purpose'*, and what they have achieved. I can probably throw up a few of the more overt references, as well as some of the more covert ones. But that's not really what Lit Corner is about, is it? Lit Corner is my own response to the books: informed, but not constrained, by my understanding of literature and my life as a Lit student.

So, what else am I reading?
Well, I'm rereading L'étranger, by Allbert Camus, for my lit and philosophy class; L'Immoraliste, by Andre Gide and Monsieur Vénus, by Rachilde for my class on 20th century French sex and sexuality, and The Iliad to supplement my reading of Ulysses.

In Web Lit, I'm currently reading and enjoying Kudzu, by Bernie Mojzes with illustrations by Linda Saboe. This, I think, is pretty amazing. I'm thoroughly enjoying it, and the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous.

Well, I think that's about all worth mentioning for now.
This has been a Lit Corner with Little Newman.

Thank You for reading!

Happy reading and
Happier Blogging,
Lots of Love,
Little Newman
xxx

*for those who want to know, to explain and demonstrate philosophical beliefs (Woolf) and because of the Modernist aesthetic and understanding of art (Joyce). In a nutshell. There are probably a few other nutshells, to, but the end result is the same.

Ooh, hellooooo!

Just a quick 'hi'.

I saw Forceps on the weekend, which was nice. We ate food, read books and went to the Barbican Centre where we knitted neurons. (An aside about that: last year, I saw the Complicit production of Master and Margarita at the Barbican. I said I might blog about it, but never did. It wasn't my favourite thing. I could go into detail about why, but that would be redundant now.)

I missed her so much. We had a cuddle and a long, hysteric, tired-girl chat.

I'm reading To the Lighthouse, and am feeling all empowered by my progress, so might start reading something else soon. I bought a copy of Ulysses for £1.99 from a bookshop on Charing Cross Road on Sunday while out with a friend. We retired to a nearby Starbucks* and looked over it. We realised that probably the only way we will be able to make it through is with support sessions where we meet up, drink tea, and are confused together. This sounds good to me.
'Hi, I'm [insert name here] and I've been reading Ulysses for [insert length of time here]. That sort of thing, you know?
Well maybe there'll be a Lit Corner soon. That's kind of all I wanted to say.

I don't know how writing is going. Which generally is an indicator that it's not going well. It's not going to badly, either though.

I'm tired all the time. Sometimes at night when I lie down, I find it a bit difficult to breathe. I'm getting a cold. I just want a break.

I like it here. (In this quiet corner of the internet.) It's nice. No pressure. Hey. I can say to you whatever I like.

The easiest people to talk to are sometimes the people who don't care at all.

Anyway, this is enough for me.
Goodnight

Happy Blogging,
Lots of love,
Little Newman
xxx

* Although, given the number of Starbucks scattered around the place this one was probably relatively distant

LIT CORNER!!

Guys, I'm so excited. You're going to get a Lit Corner! Okay, so it'll be much reduced from it's normal standards, but a lit corner is a lit corner, right?

So. For those of you who don't know/ don't remember/ don't care, a lit corner is pretty much me chatting about the books I'm reading and am planning to read.

This session of lit corner involves In the High Valley, being the fifth and final book in the What Katy Did series by Susan Coolidge and In Watermelon Sugar by Richard Brautigan.

So. First book first.

In the High Valley is the little known fifth book of the 'What Katy Did' series. The fourth book is Clover: also little known. I had found it going free on iBooks, and had read it in a very short space of time sometime last year, and I had loved it. My review can be found here. I had read a free sample of the fifth book as soon as I finished it, and finally got round to buying it the day before yesterday, or sometime thereabouts. (A version was going for £0.49: how could I resist?)
Well, I was kind of disappointed. The book was not as good as the previous ones. As said in my Goodreads review, it tied up a few loose ends that I hadn't realised were left undone, and it let Elsie's character really come into her own, which was very nice to see. But the story as well as its telling left much to be desired. Telling, being the operative word. Susan Coolidge has always been one to give a lot of information: in particular her naming of flowers was something that stood out to me. But before, I had always felt whatever the characters were feeling. I understood them, and their behaviour, I liked them. The (ostensible) protagonist of this book was not someone I liked, and this was mainly because Susan Coolidge didn't seem to like her, either. She was a new character, not one of the Carr's, and she was underdeveloped and poorly thought out. The story didn't seem to focus much on her - another point of difference between this and the other books in the series. The view jumped from character to character, letting me see them without letting me feel them. I knew pretty early on what was going to happen, and I just didn't care. I read the book to the end - it is a short read - and it was enjoyable for me as a diehard Katy fan, but I really wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't love the books as much as I do - there's not even that much Katy in it!

With these sad tidings, it's on to this weeks second book:

I want to say that In Watermelon Sugar was a joy. I cannot say this. However, I cannot say that it was a disappointment, or that I disliked it. I don't really know how I feel about it, to be honest, but I will definitely be taking a second look in order to find out.
In Watermelon Sugar is a very easy book to read. In some ways, it reminds me of Slaughterhouse 5. A short book with a simply-written, self-conscious narrative. Check. A prevailing sense of disconnection. Check. An element of fantasy. Check.
Not to say that In Watermelon Sugar is unoriginal. It is very original indeed. And, I would certainly reccommend it. For all of its simplicity, the book and the world it describes is very complex and incredibly hard to understand. Every now and again you catch a glimpse of a possible truth, a possible reading. And then it hides itself again: not shy, but teasing. Come and get me, the meaning says, you know you want to. And I do. I do so want to understand this gem. It came to me highly recommended, and I enjoyed reading it - a page turner, if only because each chapter is so short. I want to know what iDEATH is. I want to understand its inhabitants, and their past. I want to know what inBOIL was talking about. In some ways I identify with the narrator. In other ways, I am alienated by him. This is okay. This is all how it is meant to be. This book is that feeling of comfort, of blindness, that allows you to settle in a situation even though you know it is wrong.
I look forward to returning to it, to understanding it more. But I think a break would be good.

What will I be attempting to read next week?
To the Lighthouse by - of course - Virginia Woolf. La Légénde Arthurienne by various authors (which I have been reading for quite sometime. It is difficult.)

In other news, I really wish I had enough money to go and see Eugene Onegin but even if I did, it's sold out. Ah well, next time, eh?
Also, maybe a film corner will be necessary? A couple of my courses require me to watch films, and I'd love to share them. My most recent favourite is Little Otik (Otesanek), a Czech film of disturbing proportions. Other favourites from this academic year include A Bout de souffle, Une femme est une femme and Jules et Jim.

Well, this is me, signing off.
Happy reading and
Happier blogging
Lots of Love
Little Newman
xxx

So today, I feel like blogging again; to be honest, I'm not all to sure why.

What I did today.
I went to bed around four thirty/fivish, and was woken up at nine twenty something by my sister, asking me if I was on the bus, as I was meant to go to her house for breakfast.
I replied that sadly, I was not and that her call, in fact, had been the thing to wake me up.
She was not impressed, so we decided to reschedule. She said she'd call in the evening.
I then spent another few hours lying in bed.
Washed my hair, the end result of this being that I now (apparently) look like Lionel Ritchie. At least before I (apparently) only looked like someone in a Lionel Ritchie video.

I took my brother to my sister's house at around eight this evening, where my cousin already was.
It was really lovely, and they both kept me laughing. Those two really make me feel good.
And then I went home.
That is pretty much my day.

I really wanted to write today, some more of Edges Of Perfection, but I don't know if I can. I'll give it a damn good try though, for Leisha who spurred me on :') she is so lovely.

And I have some additions to my -already- disgustingly long reading list (which I've not shortened one jot over the course of this holiday).
They are:

• Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
• Orlando by Virginia Woolf
• Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

As well as just some general Wodehouse.
I'll post my full reading list up here some day, so you guys can appreciate my true pain.

But now, with prawns long gone from my belly
And a head empty of ideas
But a leg filled with them
I'll bid you adieu
Hope you're days are as good as mine :D
Happy Blogging,
Lots of Love
Little Newman
xxx