Reading: Absalom, Absalom!; Last Orders; Ghostwritten
The Sunday Salon – June 25, 2012
I’m trying to catch up on my June books. There’s only a week left so what I did was to finish the Faulkner book that I started last week and practiced bigamy on the remaining two books.
Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner
Date Started: June 17, 2012. 12:00 AM.
Date Finished: June 23, 2012. 1:00 AM.
Book #35 of 2012
The Classics Challenge: Book #05 of 75
Where Sutpen Hundred is
I was totally swept away by this book, not while I was reading it but a few minutes after I closed it and brooded on the events. I breathed deeply, let out a sigh, muttered something like ohmygod, and felt a little ache in my heart.
Faulkner’s prose works its effect right after the whole thing blows ever. I still cannot assume that I fully understood the novel, but what the hey, I don’t care. I love it. I love it, I love it!
Write-up to follow.
Last Orders by Graham Swift
Date Started: June 24, 2012. 2:00 PM.
Current Page: 61 of 295
Book #36 of 2012
Vince, the son, ain’t the main narrator
It was a little hard to get into this because it strongly reminds me of the last one-star novel that I finished. I do not wish to mention the title but it’s about an alcoholic who dies and the people close to him talk about his life and stuff like that.
The protagonist of Last Orders, Jack Dodds, is less of an alcoholic than a frequent customer of a bar. In here, he requests anyone it may concern that his ashes be scattered on some harbor. The people who take on this request are three of his friends and his son. They ride on a luxurious Mercedes, one which Jack will approve, and talk about their dead friend and their own wives and whatnot.
The novel’s chapter headings alternate between the narrating character and the place they are currently on. The narrator of the “place” characters is Ray, one of Jack’s friends. Why him? Why not the son?
Ghostwritten by David Mitchell
Date Started: June 24, 2012. 7:45 PM.
Current Page: 35 of 436
Book #37 of 2012
This is going to be a world tour
I’ve agreed to read this along with my super loyal book buddy Atty. Monique. We’re going to do one chapter a day, so that will be nine days, which means I won’t be finishing my June reading on time. But that’s okay because this is a Mitchell book.
As always, the writing is amazing. The description is pitch-perfect, and we are only at the first chapter. The description at the first page of my edition says that it’s a novel in nine parts. I assume that the chapters can be standalone stories. I felt that way after finishing the first chapter.
I wonder what David Mitchell cannot do. This is my fourth reading of him. I will try my best to be objective (read: not act like a fangirl), but what can I do? He really is good!
* * * * *
My PC broke down! It didn’t die instantaneously. It was a gradual process. First, the optical drive stopped working properly. I ignored it. Then the power supply. I replaced it with a new one. Then the LCD monitor. I replaced it with a LED monitor. Then the video card. I thought of replacing it. Then it just went on and off at its own whim, like it were a sickly patient slipping in and out of consciousness.
I was so mad at it for dying on me just when I needed it for some video editing. The last time that it worked properly was while I was in the middle of typing my write-up of The Grapes of Wrath (it turned off by itself and I was not able to save what I typed). I realized though that I’ve been abusing it for the last five years. I finished my undergraduate computer system on it, I downloaded my art films and classical music on it, I played my games on it. I wrote some fiction and most of my blog posts on it (because sometimes, I write them at our office when I don’t want to work). So yes, my computer has done good.
And I never gave my computer a name (someone said that I should give computers their names)!
Anyway, I’ve been thinking about getting a laptop, something that is sturdy and economical. Some of my office mates recommended Dell and Asus. One office mate told me to steer clear off HP and Compaq due to overheating issues. I secretly desire a Sony.
How about you? What do you think? Do you have any recommendations? By the way, you might think that this is completely irrelevant since it has nothing to do with books, but this will affect my blogging activities, and that is mainly why I am yakking about this.
13 Responses to “Reading: Absalom, Absalom!; Last Orders; Ghostwritten”
Buddy! I am not yet done with my first chapter (Okinawa) reading, but I promise to check in with my post within the day. :)
I secretly desire a Sony.
I debated over giving a Macbook Air and a Sony Vaio for my husband on his birthday last February, but I had been personally wanting a Vaio for myself ever since it was launched. So I bought a Vaio for him, and he loves it as well. I think they have Vaio Netbooks for as low as 25k+. :D
We also have our trusty old Dell, which the little girl uses now to watch videos on YouTube. We’ve had it since 2009, and it’s never given us trouble. Very durable. :)
So that makes two of you go for Dell. Any Apple product is a no-no for me because they are beyond my financial capabilities as of now.
I’ve seen Vaio laptops at the 25k-30k range, but I’m a little iffy about it because they say they are not durable (but I still desire one!). I guess it’s too early to ask if your hubby’s Vaio is showing any symptoms of malfunctioning.
Thanks for the recos! I’m now typing my Day 1 reactions. :D
What book is Last Orders similar to?
Charming Billy. I hate that book! :D
Oh…I’ve never read that, and don’t intend to. I guess I don’t prioritize Last Orders then. I’ll just read it when I run out of other good books to read :)
It’s not at all boring, but it’s also not very interesting. :D
Absalom! Absalom!
Yup, my sentiments exactly. After finishing the reading.
I almost cried for unknown reasons! It’s that powerful.
I thought you would love it, and glad I guessed right!
I love David Mitchell’s writing. Ghostwritten might be my favourite too. Enjoy!
Laptop-wise, I really like my Lenovo Thinkpad but I hear their new models don’t have the same style of keyboard, and the keyboard is one of its biggest attractions (proper keys to press, not all flush). That said, my other half is a computer geek and did lots of research before recommending it to me. I haven’t had any problems at all in the 18 months I’ve owned it.
Thanks for the reco! I’ve heard things like how sturdy a Lenovo Thinkpad is. I think Lenovo’s problem is with design? They seem to have the least attractive models (on surface level only).
And yes, I’m immensely enjoying Ghostwritten! It’s fun, as always. :)
love the MacBook Pro …. I spent the cash years ago and luckily it still works like a charm
I think you can’t go wrong with a MacBook, but it is on the expensive side, isn’t it?