Brain Pain discussion

This discussion covers Volume VII – IX, pg. 335 – 457
Conclusions/Book as a whole

it then presently occurr’d to me, that I had left my remarks in the pocket of the chaise—and that in selling my chaise, I had sold my remarks along with it, to the chaise-vamper. ________ I leave this void space that the reader may swear into it any oath that he is most accustomed to——

What a gentleman! Tell me, sirs and madams, is any writer so considerate as Mr Shandy?

Mkfs wrote: "it then presently occurr’d to me, that I had left my remarks in the pocket of the chaise—and that in selling my chaise, I had sold my remarks along with it, to the chaise-vamper. ________ I leave t..."

This is always handy. I wish more writers would allow room for readers to insert expletives!

I'm slowly getting through this book; it's alternately confusing and humorous.

So Vol.7 the adult Shandy goes abroad...the Grand Tour no less. I loved this quote about the streets of Paris:

Crack, crack—crack, crack—crack, crack—so this is Paris! quoth I (continuing in the same mood)—and this is Paris!—humph!—Paris! cried I, repeating the name the third time—
The first, the finest, the most brilliant—
—The streets however are nasty;
But it looks, I suppose, better than it smells—crack, crack—crack, crack—

And the ending of the volume:

I begun thus—

In the home stretch: started book IX. The seduction of poor Uncle Toby is in full force.

By all that is hirsute and gashly! A digression upon a digression!

But the tail end of a third post is no place to pay service to the topic -- upon my word, I will return to this after I have related to you the story of Book IX -- Look for it.

Whatever we may think of TS, Sterne (as Tristram) defends his style admirably:

The thing is this.
That of all the several ways of beginning a book which are now in practice throughout the known world, I am confident my own way of doing it is the best—I'm sure it is the most religious—for I begin with writing the first sentence—and trusting to Almighty God for the second.

I can't stop thinking that TS would have been one of my favourite books if I'd been alive when they were first published. I imagine that books such as Catch-22 will feel just as dated 200 years down the line...Catch-22 may feel dated already for some people for all I know.

If nothing else, I'm grateful for Sterne for one piece of advice:

That keyholes are the occasions of more sin and wickedness, than all other holes in this world put together.

Jonathan wrote: "I'm sure it is the most religious -- for I begin with writing the first sentence—and trusting to Almighty God for the second."

I'm already keeping an eye out for opportunities to use that argument, myself.

I have finished! It is a funny satire and definitely much like a Modernist style. The author showed himself a genius of Literature, and obviously knew much of his times current knowledge of religion, science, literature, Greek/Roman mythology, etc. However, I am grateful my copy of the book, Modern Library had explanatory notes in the back as I do not have an OED set. I have discovered the limits of my cultural understanding may be the 19th century. The 18th is too far in the past without a lot of notes.

When I finished, I googled for information, and I found this website very informative:
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature...

aPriL eVoLvEs (ex-Groot) wrote: "I have finished! It is a funny satire and definitely much like a Modernist style. The author showed himself a genius of Literature, and obviously knew much of his times current knowledge of religio..."

Glad you enjoyed it! If your reading schedule permits, tomorrow we're beginning an homage to Tristram Shandy by the German author, E.T.A. Hoffmann, The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr, which goes even further into proto-postmodernism...

I'm really looking forward to reading 'Tomcat Murr'; I meant to read it last year but didn't have time. Hoffmann's one of my favourite authors. He's very playful, like Sterne, but generally easier to read.

I'll check out the Cliffnotes for TS later. I did refer to the Sparknotes when reading TS and sometimes, to my surpise, I found I totally missed some bits - either Sterne was too vague or my mind started to wander.

I added Tomcat Murr!

Jonathan wrote: "I'm really looking forward to reading 'Tomcat Murr'; I meant to read it last year but didn't have time. Hoffmann's one of my favourite authors. He's very playful, like Sterne, but generally easier ..."

I started Tomcat Murr several days ago, and would you believe, it's my first Hoffmann? (translated, of course, but still).

I am finding it much easier to read than the Sterne.

Amy wrote: "I am finding it much easier to read than the Sterne. "

But Sterne is much, much more witty.

I always liked Hoffamn, but until now have read neither of his novels. Guess I'll chuck The Devil's Elixirs on the to-read stack.

I wasn't planning on reading Tomcat Murr, but as I loved Tristram Shandy so much and had a great time reading it, decided to take a look at TM's synopsis and found it to be very interesting! Already ordered my copy.