There's no method in my madness.
An amazon review of 'The Grass is Singing':"I was in prison for 15 years and this was the only book I had!"
Jesus, I feel sorry for you. It's a completely draining, harrowing book to read, about an annoying, insecure woman, who engenders no sympathy at all. Well written, morally convincing, but utterly dismal. I'd feel happier uprooting nettles with my gloveless fingers than reading this again.
Robin Wales is back. The Tories are back. Cameron's going to win the next election. It rained cats and dogs all afternoon after two days of summer. There's nothing to eat, and I'm going to fail the IB. Is there any hope in this world?
"Depression is the inability to construct a future"
- Rollo May
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17 Comments:
Normally I would say that you can find hope in the smallest things, but I won't. Because for the most part it's a lie.
And you're not going to fail the IB. You just might not do as well as you probably should have. Like me.
Mike xxx
"I was in prison for 15 years and this was the only book I had!" - I'd rather have just a newspaper clipping about a murdered Czech.
You still owe me a pound from last time we made a bet about my future! Also a libertines poster and a scarf. I'm moving rooms next week so I'll have room for it on my wall. (The poster, not the scarf.)
But fair enough. If I fail at least I'll get a pound out of it. And if I don't, one pound is a small price to pay.
I don't have credit, as per usual.
Oh and btw Tim, I really can't be fucked with this exam, I can't even remember what happens in the damn books.
"Othello is a play. It was not written to be read in schools"...
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Thunderchiiiiild
I can't believe they bother teaching
The grass is singing
in schools. It is a great book, but you need to be a bit older to truly appreciate it, without wanting to sound patronising.
Cameron & the torie aren't going to win the next election. If you don't believe me, I bet you twenty quid - I need a chance to win that twenty back...
"but you need to be a bit older to truly appreciate it"
When are people going to stop saying this? Do you seriously believe that there's a time and place for every novel I ever read? I don't believe in this argument at all. I might enjoy it more later in life, but appreciation comes with understanding and there's nothing I don't understand about this book, (I've studied it for two years)I know it's about moral lassitude, the absurdity of human preconceptions about race, class and sexuality, the heat and dichotomy of colonial Rhodesia.
It may be a 'great book', but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Lessing's points were original and valid, and some of it was very moving. But Mary was a completely alien, unlikable character, and her relationship with Moses was far too enigmatic. I'm not a fan of 'foreshadowing' either, it ruins the suspense. Flashbacks in movies are equally annoying.
Now it looks like Blair will go I'm not so sure about the Tories. Let's make it a fiver. Although that will hardly compensate for four years under David Cameron. I should warn you I have won several bets recently so watch out. I even won £3 off Jack because our house hadn't been burgled.
Your twenty is gone for good. I may spend it on hair dye....
Talking of bets: Tascha you still owe me £1. You can keeep the scarf, but give me something better. Like a hug, or a penguin or something.
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Not really. She bet me £20 I would dye my hair by the time I was 18. I won.
The reason you don't believe that argument is that you are not old enough to have come back yet to any books you used to dislike. Believe me, it's true.
And I didn't necessarily mean that you personally didn't like it because of your age - I'm entirely sure you understood it, but understanding is not all that's involved in enjoying a book. Sometimes the fact that it's true to your life experiences is important, and it's obvious that the life experiences of an 18-year-old may well be more limited than those of a forty year old.
I meant that chances are, most people of 18 won't like the book, I don't think I would have at eighteen. If that's clear to me, why isn't it clear to stupid curriculum setters?
"The reason you don't believe that argument is that you are not old enough to have come back yet to any books you used to dislike."
Jesus Christ, next thing you'll be telling me I am not enough to be in a relationship, or get a job, or understand 'the real world'.
You've changed your argument anyway. There's a difference between enjoying something and appreciating it. Appreciation is about understanding something and recognising its merit. As I said before, I can appreciate this book, I just don't like it. I may like the book more later in life, but I can appreciate it just as well now.
I haven't changed my argument! You can understand the messages in the book, sure - but you clearly don't appreciate its subtlety, which is why you say there's no suspense, why you don't like Mary, why you think her relationship with Moses is enigmatic. That's fine, I am not knocking your literary judgement.
And my point about not coming back to books was merely a practical one, again, not a criticism of your judgement. Of course you're old enough to have a relationship, a job, whatever, you're an adult. But there's little point revisiting the books you read when you were eight or nine, isn't there? Unless of course you think you missed a few subtleties in Winnie the Pooh (a masterpiece, incidentally) and Little house on the prairie.
I am only just beginning to give things a second chance, and I am astonished what a difference ten years can make.
I've found it's a tonne easier just to not bother arguing your case with these people...
Mike xxx
Ditto man.
I appreciate its subtlety, I just don't like it.
Besides, I've got better things to do that read over a load of books I didn't like to see if they're better now.
Obviously noone thinks that their older self will think that their younger self was a prat, and obviously everyone thinks that their younger self was a prat. It just means you both wish you were my age.
I can admit now that I'm wasting many oppurtunities that people are throwing at me...does that count?
Mike xxx
At your age, honey, I was on Prozac to enable me to cope with my mother and my life. I think I can live without that.
Sorry, big sis, did I say you wished you were my age? i meant you wish you were me. Don't worry, thousands do.
Try not to use my blog for sibling rivalry, suckers.
Tascha I'm not even sure what you're apologising for. But you should come to that party on Friday. I know you hate everyone who does the IB but there's free drink. Love you.
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