My husband and I are doing the W+P slow read with Footnotes and Tangents-- also in different translations. We each selected our translation, wrapped up the other's and put it under the Christmas tree. Cheesy, but fun!
Last year I decided I would increase my consumption of poetry by reading a poem (nearly) every day, and it's fair to say that it's become a wonderful habit by now, one that's enriched my writing as well as my reading.
Other than that, I'll continue my usual approach of reading at whim. I am expecting a baby in the spring; the arrival of my previous babies have kicked off some of my best reading years because of all of those hours spent nursing on the bed. Stocking my e-reader and TBR stack is my favorite part of nesting.
I love hearing about your poetry habit, and the ways it's trickling down to your writing. And the wrapped books under the tree--so perfect! Last year my husband and I got each other the same book without planning it obviously. 😅
I was *soooo* close to finishing W&P, but two chapters into the Epilogue Part 2 I realized it was going to be another ten chapters of Leo going on (and on) about historians (again!) and I just... couldn't. I'm glad I read the rest of it though.
This year I'm going to go back to my comfort zone of genre fiction, specifically detectives in various picturesque European locales who enjoy good meals between murder scenes.
I have not set any specific reading goals but am starting to feel like I need too! It's January 12th and I have not finished a single book, which is bananas. I *am* getting in the habit of reading a poem and a short story a day, which has been fun (currently working through A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin and Ada Limón's Bright Dead Things; both are great). I had thought about also trying to read a picture book a day, but didn't commit and am now rethinking it (esp with your rec of the picture book about Gwendolyn Brooks). I read W+P a couple of years ago and of course the Footnotes + Tangents read along is tempting, as is the Dante... I should really figure this out while I still have a chance of catching up...
The big daunting book I'm committing to this year is Alessandro Manzoni's The Betrothed. After that, I might also tackle Sigrid Undset's Master of Hestviken. But I usually only do one big heavy book a year.
Dante daunts me. I didn't especially enjoy the Divine Comedy in college-- compounded by the professor who taught the class continually feeling like he was condescending, constantly laughing at private jokes that he would't bother to explain because obviously we undergraduates wouldn't get them-- and while my oldest really enjoyed it two years ago, I still have a visceral kind of aversion. Maybe one of these years I'll get over myself, but I doubt it will be this year. Likewise, War and Peace feels like a project to tackle when I'm in a better place vis a vis homeschooling and kids' mental health challenges. But you never know when life will take an unexpected twist.
That’s an idea. Sometimes I like to follow read slings of books I’ve read before because I can still learn and add layers to experience even if I don’t actually reread.
You inspired Marty to do a slow read of W&P last year! I’ve never read it, but loved listening to M’s snippets/reactions throughout the year. I was proud of him for tackling it!
What to read this year? I don’t have a current plan, but am thinking now that Jane Hirshfield and The Brothers Karamazov will be in it.
Have you read Hirshfield? I read Nine Gates years ago, before the Peace Corps. But I'd like to return to it and to Ten Windows. It just seems like Hirshfield is doing work that is kin to mine, and I could learn from her.
You convinced me. I joined the Dante read along. I was planning on re-reading the Divine Comedy this year anyway because it is on my 40 Formative Books for my 40th year list and this will help me to jump in.
I try to read toooo much most years. My habit of common placing after reading helps me to slow down and savor instead of binge reading all the time. I am also slowly reading through Malory’s Morte d’Arthur in Middle English.
Your War and Peace story is enjoyable. I tend to the opposite behavior. I read ALL of the appendices in the proper order because I am that much of a completionist. I have only recently learned to set certain books aside. I still error on the side of perseverance with classics though. I love Dickens, but the year I made myself finish Martin Chizzlewitt was tough. I later found out that one almost sunk him and he didn’t like it much. 🤣
This is a great list! I should include my children when I read it next. They are a bit young at the moment (6, 9, 11, 11). I do like the idea of listening to the music. The last time I read Paradiso it was before YouTube!?! I should make use of those resources.
I have not. I was a Foreign Language and Literature so most of the 19th century English novels that I have read were from my personal interest in the period. It is always a joy to hear of new authors to read.
I can speak French and German, plus a little Swedish and Dutch, but have always relied on literature in translation for personal reading, except when I was in Germany on book tours. Immersed in the language, I found I was able to read Hannah Krall's short story collection "Da ist kein fluss mehr" pretty well.
I try to read something in French each year, but my German is too weak at this point. I do dip into poetry from time to time or children’s stories to make sure I don’t lose everything. I recently read The Great Passion and I enjoyed understanding the small segments of German in the book.
My son is studying French and this year we went to a Bastille Day celebration. There were used books there for sale, and he found an Agatha Christie novel in French--above his level but still interesting!
That is fun! Sometimes reading work in translation, especially if you are familiar with the story in English, is a great place to start. I listened to the first Harry Potter book in French last year before we took a trip to France and it was a great way to get extra French in my ear. Since I already knew the story, I wasn’t worried as much about getting lost if I did other things at the same time. A great series for your son might be Le Petit Nicholas. The series is from the 60’s about some schoolboys. There are short chapters, lots of illustrations, and it is hilarious. They are easier to find in the original French than other series.
It's great to stay connected to other languages and cultures. I check out various videos in French and German sometimes every day. And I'm heading towards 400 days of Swedish on Duolingo.
Do you think or dream in other languages? I do now and then....
There was a period of time when my brain wouldn’t let me sleep at night because it was busy translating phrases into different languages… I remember cycling through I eat pizza. I ate pizza in French, German, and Japanese. 🤣 I rarely dream in French. If I lived for an extended period in a French speaking country then I probably would.
I read W&P in college along with the other Russians, great and small. Turgenev was my favorite--but for books in translation, Zola is my top choice. OUP has wonderful editions.
Last month I started re-reading favorites, some of which I had reviewed or had written about. I currently have bookmarks in Are We Rome?; Tthe Rise and Fall of Alexandria; Paul Johnson's Napoleon biography; The Spoils of Poynton; and Short Stories by Jesus. I finished Rubicon by Tom Holland and his new book Pax as the year turned.
I had a wonderful MFA program where we did 30 credits of lit classes and in one I read Mallarmé, Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Stevens, Eliot and Hart Crane. The professor went on to publish a brilliant bio of Crane who then was my favorite poet ever, the one I tend to quote most.
Turgenev PS: I read a lot about him and Pauline Viardot and in a weird coincidence, my first voice teacher had done a thesis on Viardot, so it felt like our meeting was fated.
My husband and I are doing the W+P slow read with Footnotes and Tangents-- also in different translations. We each selected our translation, wrapped up the other's and put it under the Christmas tree. Cheesy, but fun!
Last year I decided I would increase my consumption of poetry by reading a poem (nearly) every day, and it's fair to say that it's become a wonderful habit by now, one that's enriched my writing as well as my reading.
Other than that, I'll continue my usual approach of reading at whim. I am expecting a baby in the spring; the arrival of my previous babies have kicked off some of my best reading years because of all of those hours spent nursing on the bed. Stocking my e-reader and TBR stack is my favorite part of nesting.
Congratulations on the new one!
I love hearing about your poetry habit, and the ways it's trickling down to your writing. And the wrapped books under the tree--so perfect! Last year my husband and I got each other the same book without planning it obviously. 😅
I was *soooo* close to finishing W&P, but two chapters into the Epilogue Part 2 I realized it was going to be another ten chapters of Leo going on (and on) about historians (again!) and I just... couldn't. I'm glad I read the rest of it though.
This year I'm going to go back to my comfort zone of genre fiction, specifically detectives in various picturesque European locales who enjoy good meals between murder scenes.
I think Simon doesn't count that second epilogue? He calls it after the first. I would totally say it's a finished book!
I have not set any specific reading goals but am starting to feel like I need too! It's January 12th and I have not finished a single book, which is bananas. I *am* getting in the habit of reading a poem and a short story a day, which has been fun (currently working through A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin and Ada Limón's Bright Dead Things; both are great). I had thought about also trying to read a picture book a day, but didn't commit and am now rethinking it (esp with your rec of the picture book about Gwendolyn Brooks). I read W+P a couple of years ago and of course the Footnotes + Tangents read along is tempting, as is the Dante... I should really figure this out while I still have a chance of catching up...
Love love love the short story /poem a day plan! I have a Philip K Dick story waiting for me.
The big daunting book I'm committing to this year is Alessandro Manzoni's The Betrothed. After that, I might also tackle Sigrid Undset's Master of Hestviken. But I usually only do one big heavy book a year.
Dante daunts me. I didn't especially enjoy the Divine Comedy in college-- compounded by the professor who taught the class continually feeling like he was condescending, constantly laughing at private jokes that he would't bother to explain because obviously we undergraduates wouldn't get them-- and while my oldest really enjoyed it two years ago, I still have a visceral kind of aversion. Maybe one of these years I'll get over myself, but I doubt it will be this year. Likewise, War and Peace feels like a project to tackle when I'm in a better place vis a vis homeschooling and kids' mental health challenges. But you never know when life will take an unexpected twist.
I think you would really like the art, the idea of reading to sculpt your soul, and the *philosophical exercises* in the Dante read along even if you don't...read along! https://armenikus.substack.com/p/the-story-begins-the-sleep-of-reason
That’s an idea. Sometimes I like to follow read slings of books I’ve read before because I can still learn and add layers to experience even if I don’t actually reread.
You inspired Marty to do a slow read of W&P last year! I’ve never read it, but loved listening to M’s snippets/reactions throughout the year. I was proud of him for tackling it!
What to read this year? I don’t have a current plan, but am thinking now that Jane Hirshfield and The Brothers Karamazov will be in it.
Also, I love seeing pictures of your children.
Stop the presses!
Marty read War and Peace last year?! I am so pleased! It's such a pleasure and Simon is a fine guide. I think you might really like it.
There's a read along of Brothers Karamazov happening with really interesting art journaling: https://dostoevskybookclub.substack.com/p/reading-the-brothers-karamazov-organizational
Have you read Hirshfield? I read Nine Gates years ago, before the Peace Corps. But I'd like to return to it and to Ten Windows. It just seems like Hirshfield is doing work that is kin to mine, and I could learn from her.
Ooh, thank you for the read along suggestion!
Yes, I love the little bits of Hirshfield I’ve read. I’d like to seek out more this year. And, yes, I can also see the kinship in your work!
You convinced me. I joined the Dante read along. I was planning on re-reading the Divine Comedy this year anyway because it is on my 40 Formative Books for my 40th year list and this will help me to jump in.
I try to read toooo much most years. My habit of common placing after reading helps me to slow down and savor instead of binge reading all the time. I am also slowly reading through Malory’s Morte d’Arthur in Middle English.
Your War and Peace story is enjoyable. I tend to the opposite behavior. I read ALL of the appendices in the proper order because I am that much of a completionist. I have only recently learned to set certain books aside. I still error on the side of perseverance with classics though. I love Dickens, but the year I made myself finish Martin Chizzlewitt was tough. I later found out that one almost sunk him and he didn’t like it much. 🤣
Oh the first official Dante post is up today and what a wonder! Did you see my list of resources for reading Date with kids? https://www.kortneygarrison.com/2024/11/11/resources-for-reading-dante/
This is a great list! I should include my children when I read it next. They are a bit young at the moment (6, 9, 11, 11). I do like the idea of listening to the music. The last time I read Paradiso it was before YouTube!?! I should make use of those resources.
In his own day, as lauded as he was, Dickens was outsold by Bulwer-Lytton, and BL is almost unreadable today.
Have you tried reading Elizabeth Braddon? Her Victorian "sensation novels" are terrific and surprising. I wish I'd known about her in college.
I have not. I was a Foreign Language and Literature so most of the 19th century English novels that I have read were from my personal interest in the period. It is always a joy to hear of new authors to read.
I can speak French and German, plus a little Swedish and Dutch, but have always relied on literature in translation for personal reading, except when I was in Germany on book tours. Immersed in the language, I found I was able to read Hannah Krall's short story collection "Da ist kein fluss mehr" pretty well.
I try to read something in French each year, but my German is too weak at this point. I do dip into poetry from time to time or children’s stories to make sure I don’t lose everything. I recently read The Great Passion and I enjoyed understanding the small segments of German in the book.
My son is studying French and this year we went to a Bastille Day celebration. There were used books there for sale, and he found an Agatha Christie novel in French--above his level but still interesting!
That is fun! Sometimes reading work in translation, especially if you are familiar with the story in English, is a great place to start. I listened to the first Harry Potter book in French last year before we took a trip to France and it was a great way to get extra French in my ear. Since I already knew the story, I wasn’t worried as much about getting lost if I did other things at the same time. A great series for your son might be Le Petit Nicholas. The series is from the 60’s about some schoolboys. There are short chapters, lots of illustrations, and it is hilarious. They are easier to find in the original French than other series.
It's great to stay connected to other languages and cultures. I check out various videos in French and German sometimes every day. And I'm heading towards 400 days of Swedish on Duolingo.
Do you think or dream in other languages? I do now and then....
There was a period of time when my brain wouldn’t let me sleep at night because it was busy translating phrases into different languages… I remember cycling through I eat pizza. I ate pizza in French, German, and Japanese. 🤣 I rarely dream in French. If I lived for an extended period in a French speaking country then I probably would.
I read W&P in college along with the other Russians, great and small. Turgenev was my favorite--but for books in translation, Zola is my top choice. OUP has wonderful editions.
Last month I started re-reading favorites, some of which I had reviewed or had written about. I currently have bookmarks in Are We Rome?; Tthe Rise and Fall of Alexandria; Paul Johnson's Napoleon biography; The Spoils of Poynton; and Short Stories by Jesus. I finished Rubicon by Tom Holland and his new book Pax as the year turned.
Fathers and Sons just seems true. We reference it here often.
Years ago I happened into the Musee d'Orsay and there was an exhibit including Mallarmé poems in translation. Knocked my socks off!
I had a wonderful MFA program where we did 30 credits of lit classes and in one I read Mallarmé, Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Stevens, Eliot and Hart Crane. The professor went on to publish a brilliant bio of Crane who then was my favorite poet ever, the one I tend to quote most.
Turgenev PS: I read a lot about him and Pauline Viardot and in a weird coincidence, my first voice teacher had done a thesis on Viardot, so it felt like our meeting was fated.