All About Books discussion

I'll be reading this in February. It would be nice to have company! I'll be starting around February 15th.

I will be joining you, Gill. round Feb 15th is a good starting time.

That's good, Petra!

I read this not so long ago so I won't be rereading but I may pop in and comment.

Leslie wrote: "I read this not so long ago so I won't be rereading but I may pop in and comment."

Same here!

I'll reserve a copy at the library.

Gill, Petra, Pink, Leslie, I'd like to join in on this one if there's no objection. I've always wanted to give Faulkner another try. I've enjoyed some of his short stories but wasn't crazy about absolom, absolom!.

I read a few pages of As I Lay Dying, and I suspect I'll like this one a lot better! This one doesn't seem to feature the long tortuous (as in twisty, windy, unending) sentences that made absolom, absolom! more of a chore than a pleasure for me.

I just brought a copy too, so I will join in as well.

Greg and Diane, of course there's no objection. The more, the merrier. LOL!
I have only read The Sound and the Fury and loved it. I hope my expectations for As I Lay Dying aren't too high. I read the first chapter and enjoyed it (am now waiting for the 15th). I am looking forward to our read-along.

Looking forward to reading with you all come the 15th. What a gang we are!

I'm still waiting for my copy to arrive at the library, but there's lot's available in the surrounding branches so should be fine for the 15th. I've actually attempted this book before but only read about 5 pages, then put it down, so I'll be pleased to read this with everyone else.

Started it a while back, never got around to finishing it - may be its about time! Writing is spot-on for the place it covers.

I just have to pick up my copy, then I'm all set!

I'm all set for tomorrow!

I have my copy too, all ready to go :)

I'm ready as well, looking forward to this.

I was a bit slow getting started with this. Re the first two sections/chapters (not sure what to call them!),(view spoiler)[ how strange to be lying there listening to your own coffin being made (hide spoiler)]

On page fifty, speech is sometimes a little hard to understand, the cadence of it at least. Started over and read it out loud and that helped. I agree Gil but apparently his making it for her makes her happy.

I'm so glad I decided to give Faulkner another try. Unlike absolom, absolom!, this one is really captivating me. Such odd and arresting imagery!

I love this description of the bucket in the third mini-chapter: "It would be black, the shelf black, the still surface of the water a round orifice in nothingness, where before I stirred it awake with the dipper I could see a star or two before I drank." So gorgeous with all those simple, powerful, suggestive words. I especially like the stars in the bucket. I feel a hint of Mystery in those "stars," and then the odd juxtaposed crassness of "orifice."

There are some things that puzzle me on a story level though. Does anyone understand what Jewel means in the first Jewel section (my page 15), when he says, (view spoiler)["... and me rolling the rocks down the hill at their faces, picking them up and throwing them down the hill faces and teeth ...."? I do get a sense of his anger and disapproval at what he sees as Cash's showboating with his carpentry as well as all the looky-loos huddled around the dying woman's bedside, but I don't know exactly what he means by saying this. Does he just mean this metaphorically? Like a spitting in their face kind of thing? (hide spoiler)]

Other times I'm just confused by the pronouns. The loveliness of the words takes precedence; sometimes clarity of meaning takes a back seat. In the first Cora section (my page 8), I can't differentiate all the "her"s. For example:

(view spoiler)["You see that girl's washing and ironing in the pillow slip, if ironed it ever was. Maybe it will reveal her blindness to her, laying there at the mercy and the ministration of four men and a tom-boy girl."

Whew! Well it seems the second "her" I underlined should be the dying woman because of the clause that directly modifies it; she's the one lying there and being ministered to. But then who is the first her I underlined? It is "that girl"? I'm assuming "that girl" is the same girl fanning her, But that doesn't fully mske sense. Who is the one who is "blind"? And is that metaphoric or actual blindness? I can think of at least two possible readings (there are probably more equally valid ones beyond this):

1. The dying woman is physically nearly blind. By not noticing the girl's defective ironing, she's revealing her blindness to the girl.

2. The girl's poor work with the ironing is revealing her own blindness to what she's doing (her lack of attention), and the dying woman is noticing this lack. (hide spoiler)]

I really can't tell which of these readings is right from the text itself. This sort of confusion does seem a flaw, though this flaw isn't enough to outweigh all the wonderful lyricism in the book so far. But one thing is for sure: this is definitely not a book that can be skimmed!

Greg, re Jewel I thought it meant (view spoiler)[ me rolling rocks down the hill at their faces ie people looking at her and teeth ie people talking about her and all ie everything else anyone's doing,. I don't know whether Jewel is thinking of real rocks to shut them up, or he's just talking about wanting to keep them away (hide spoiler)]

Re Cora (view spoiler)[ I thought it meant that being ministered to by these 5 people, all members of her family??, it will reveal to the dying woman how blind she has been to their weaknesses before this time (hide spoiler)]

Gosh, so many possibilities!
And yes, lovely language. I love how the story is being developed, even though I'm finding it a bit confusing,

I am further along but the confusion continues. Many times I do not understand what they mean but am hoping it becomes clear as the story goes on.

Just reached the third Varderman section, and laughed out loud!

I've just reached the Samson section, and realise how much I am enjoying this. I like the way the story is bring built up by all the different narrators. Also, how we learn about each character, not only by the things they say but by what other people say as well

That section, I presume you are talking about the one line statement was funny, unexpected but sad too.

Yes, it was very sad, Diane, but so unexpected as well.

It was just a great classic one liner.

Gill wrote: "Greg, re Jewel I thought it meant [spoilers removed]"

Gill I love your connection of (view spoiler)[the teeth with the people talking. I hadn't thought of that, but it fits. (hide spoiler)]

Gill wrote: "Re Cora [spoilers removed"

Interesting Gill! So you read those two sentences as not being related. The first sentence is one thought, and the second sentence is another.

It's like one of those optical illusion puzzles where you can see either a woman looking in a mirror or a skull if you stare at it long enough. Re-reading the section, I can completely read it your way too (fits just as well); so now I have 3 possible meanings for two sentences. I actually quite like your way of reading that part.

I can see how a person could study this book for years if they were so inclined! :)

I'm sure you're all well past me - I'm reading 4 books at once, and I'm deliberately taking this one slow to savor it. But I am loving the book and the multiplicity of perspectives as both of you have also said.

Parts of the book are so stylized they feel almost surreal. I keep going back to the first Jewel section in the description of him and the horse.

I love this part: (view spoiler)[

"When Jewel can almost touch him, the horse stands on his hind legs and slashes down at Jewel. Then Jewel is enclosed by a glittering maze of hooves as by an illusion of wings; among them, beneath the upreared chest, he moves with the flashing limberness of a snake. ... Then they are rigid, motionless, terrific, the horse back-thrust on stiffened, quivering legs, with a lowered head; Jewel with dug heels, shutting off the horse's wind with one hand, with the other patting the horse's neck in short strokes myriad and caressing, cursing the horse with obscene ferocity." (hide spoiler)]

So powerful!

It's odd too the mixture of lyricism, ferocity, crassness, and tenderness that Faulkner weaves together in this book!

Later in the section, (view spoiler)[Jewel punches and kicks the horse, but then he feeds it and calls it a "sweet son of a bitch." It's hard to tell what Jewel feels for the horse because hate & love seem all wound up together. (hide spoiler)]

I think it's very good, Greg. If there's ever time in my life to do so, I would like to re-read it. (But I've got 5 other Faulkner books to read this year!)

Gill wrote: "I think it's very good, Greg. If there's ever time in my life to do so, I would like to re-read it. (But I've got 5 other Faulkner books to read this year!)"

:)

I'm a bit late to the party (had to finish a couple of library books this week).

Greg, I'm really glad that you're enjoying this so much.

I'm just starting the second Darl chapter. So far, I'm enjoying the feel of the novel. The first chapter with the feeling of "something is happening" as Darl & Jewel race to the house, the second with the mystery of the cakes & hens (they seem so prevalent and important).
(view spoiler)[It's very weird that Abby is watching/listening to her casket being made. I suppose it depends on peace of mind at that time as to whether that means she's comforted by this activity or stressed by it. Maybe we'll find out in later chapters. (hide spoiler)]

I did actually start over at one point. This is a book I think that one could read again and again a get new insights each time. A fish and a horse, Gil.

On page 78 of my copy (Darl's section):

(view spoiler)[ it's raining, Pa went indoors and returns wearing Jewel's coat. It struck me when it said: "The sleeves of Jewel's coat are too short for him".....This struck me as odd and I had to go back to the first chapter and, sure enough, Jewel is a tall person. He's described as being a head taller than 15-year old Darl. Reading further into that chapter, Jewel steps over a window sill, crosses a room, then steps over another window sill. No mention of his hands or arms being used.
Does Jewel have really short arms? (hide spoiler)]

I'm loving this! Never mind my question above, I forgot about Anse's hunchback.

I like how Faulkner is telling us this story by drops....and the drops are pretty small and easily missed, I think. I like reading along and then....boing....go back.....there's an interesting tidbit......hmmm....

I was trying to decide whether I could face investigating Jewel's arms, Petra, so it's a relief to know it's no longer an issue!

Diane S ⛄ wrote: "I did actually start over at one point. This is a book I think that one could read again and again a get new insights each time. A fish and a horse, Gil."

Yes!

On page 175, Addie's section. Finding it difficult to understand what she is saying, so I am starting this section over.

Page 190 Armstid

I am tired of hearing about Anse's darn teeth and feel very sorry for Jewel. How does everyone else feel about Anse?

Diane S ⛄ wrote: "Page 190 Armstid

I am tired of hearing about Anse's darn teeth and feel very sorry for Jewel. How does everyone else feel about Anse?"

I don't have much time for Anse, though I can see that he's essential to the story! Most if his neighbours etc seem to think he's a 'waste of space'. And yes, the teeth, he hides on about them so much,

Ah, I'm so behind with reading lately, I'm probably not going to get around to this one. If anyone sees me mention that I'm going to read a particular book, just disregard it!

Diane S ⛄ wrote: "Page 190 Armstid

I am tired of hearing about Anse's darn teeth and feel very sorry for Jewel. How does everyone else feel about Anse?"

For my part, Anse seems to be a lazy fellow - I get the feeling he's one of those people who just slacks off and waits for everyone else to help him out. So funny the part where (view spoiler)[he's paranoid that if he sweats, he'll die; so he makes a point of not straining too much (hide spoiler)]! I don't think he's a bad man though, just a bit self absorbed and lazy. In real life, I think I'd find him irritating.

Petra wrote: "Greg, I'm really glad that you're enjoying this so much. ."

I am, quite a bit Petra!

I wonder if I was just too young for absolom, absolom! when I read it. Is the style of this one really as different from absolom, absolom! as I'm remembering, I wonder?

I definitely will carry on and read The Sound and the Fury with the group as well if that one comes up in a readalong at some point. :)

Yeah I don't think Anse is evil but he is lazy for sure. And he and his I don't begrudge her none, and his I'll not be beholden are memorable phrases that keep going round and round in my head.

Gil, what other Faulkners are you reading?

Greg wrote: "I definitely will carry on and read The Sound and the Fury with the group as well if that one comes up in a readalong at some point. :) ..."

I loved The Sound & The Fury. It made me a complete Faulkner fan. Depending upon timing, I'd probably be up for a reread. I seldom reread.

Diane S ☔ wrote: "Yeah I don't think Anse is evil but he is lazy for sure. And he and his I don't begrudge her none, and his I'll not be beholden are memorable phrases that keep going round and round in my head.

Gi..."
Here's a link to the list, Diane. I read P and G recently, that's why it isn't on the list.

Where is the link?

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Oops, sorry. Here!

Here is my review. I saw this book at the library the other day and thought I'd read it knowing this group had a side read going.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...