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December 19, 2006
The book reminded him of a time when he would sit around reading books, the pages still smelling of recycled wood pulp, every word reminding him why he enjoyed reading these dead authors. Except Pynchon. He's still alive.
I enjoy making fairly heady jokes. As I may have previously mentioned, I feel very strongly that if I am going to make jokes about something of the intellectual variety, I must have at least attempted to read/see/listen/observe it. Sometimes this isn't always possible (A positron orders a drink. The bartender says "Are you sure?" The positron replies "I'm positive!"). But in the case of books especially, I shouldn't joke about what I haven't at least tried to read.
So I'm reading Proust. Little Miss Sunshine inspired this endeavor a few months ago, and I had a bit of a false start - I was trying to keep track of every character introduced in the first few pages of Swann's Way until I shouted "BOLLOCKS!" and put it down. Well, something reminded me of Monty Python's "All-England Summarize Proust Competition" sketch. So I figured what the hell, I'd pick it up and give it another go.
Never have I read so many words that described so little action. Twenty pages waiting for a goodnight kiss, trying to decide whether or not to go to bed as a child. The varnish on the stairwell crystallized his sorrow. Wow. Just Wow. But I am determined. I figure if I can finish at least one whole part of In Search of Lost Time, then I can conquer anything! - Pynchon, you're next! And I haven't forgotten you either, Dostoevsky!
I'll be back with Part 2 of the Campaign Piece soon, as well as a new music issue!
Posted by MikeSager at December 19, 2006 1:00 PM
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Comments
Heady joke:
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Interrupting cow.
Interrupting cow w..."MOO!"
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Interrupting coefficient of friction.
Interrupting coefficient of friction w..."MU!"
Thank you.
Posted by: Older Sister #2 at January 1, 2007 4:35 PM
You might like Shteyngart (Russian Debutante's Handbook, Absurdistan)-- all the fun of classic heavyweights, but less notetaking required.
Posted by: Steelr at January 10, 2007 11:33 AM
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