I begun reading the apparently best-known and most influential piece of German literature: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust. Not only do I feel that it is a gap in education not to have read the most praised literary work in my native language, I also have to finish it until Monday for my German class.
But this book! In it I seem to have found a new arch-nemesis! Usually I am patient with books, I give them time to fascinate me and hardly ever give up reading them, but I'm only twenty pages into Faust (getting there took me about three hours) and find it unbearable.
Everything is so exaggerated, every line drops with pathos and I have the impression that Goethe only wrote it because he was in love with the way his writing looked on paper.
Yes, I will finish it, but sadly I don't dare to hope that I will enjoy it.
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| Why are you making my life so hard, Dr. Faust? |
Since my first reading project in the new year is such a disappointment I thought I might create some January plans to motivate me a little.
Firstly, on the Classics Club site I have seen that Bex is hosting a readalong of Mrs. Dalloway beginning on Saturday which I'd love to take part in. Somehow I've never happened to read anything by Virginia Woolf, so I'm excited to do so now.
Apart from that I want to finally read The Hobbit in January. I have started reading it several times but never finished, which is strange because I remember loving the beginning every time. Now with the (wonderful) movie in the theatres it is high time I got around to reading the original!
Additionally I want to read a French novel for my books on France challenge, but I haven't decided which one yet. Perhaps it's time to finish Les Misérables eventually? Like The Hobbit I immensely enjoyed what I've read so far, I just somehow never managed to read it until the end.
Oh, and I desperately want to take part in the huge Classics Club Readathon which sounds incredibly fun, but on Saturday I am invited out both for lunch and dinner. For me the readathon would start at 2 p.m., so I could still read for quite a while, but I'm not sure if that wouldn't feel like cheating. Should I sign up nonetheless and just read through the night and the next morning?
That's it, I'll have to get back to Faust now... I hope you're all still enjoying 2013 and your first book(s) in it!
Ah, Faust. I feel for you. I've tried to read it three or four times already, and it always goes the same way: I flip the book open, fly through the first part and then fall asleep and drop it shortly after beginning part 2. While I personally don't think that part 1 felt as though Goethe was in love with his own writing, that's definitely the impression I get from parts 2 and 3. Hopefully the book manages to be salvaged for you, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
AntwortenLöschenMrs Dalloway! I've been meaning to get to it for a while now, but it's always been postponed. Tell us all your thoughts when you read it!
I can't believe you've never finished The Hobbit! I reread it this fall and found the second part better than the first, so if you like the first half you should be good to go. Good luck with Faust. I hope you can find time to join in with the readathon--I'm hoping to participate as well, but I'm finding that my Saturday may be filling up already. Whatever you chose to do, I hope you have a good weekend of reading!
AntwortenLöschenBest of luck with Faust. I've never attempted it, but your reaction isn't exactly driving me to pick up a copy.
AntwortenLöschenDo join in the readathon on Saturday. I'll only be reading for part of the day as well (I'm playing auntie in the evening while my friend and her husband get some much needed time to themselves) and I may not even blog about it on the day (I might opt to focus on reading). But still...anything read is an accomplishment, right?
I think sign up on Saturday. I only have a bit of time free in the morning, so I've chosen a short-ish book (Bonjour Tristesse) and will still take part :)
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