Comments on: At the sign of the Alchemist – a reading diary

By: TheSupercargo

TheSupercargo — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 11:12:21 +0000

Hello Aleks, and thanks for visiting. I’m glad you’re feeling better.

I hope my tip about Nostromo will help you read that book – it’s worth the effort I think. The only one of the Conrad books you mention I’ve not read, and – if I’m honest – never heard of before, is The Nature of Crime. I’ll have to search it out.

I admire you for tackling Proust. I haven’t – perhaps I should. You ask about the title in English of À la recherche du temps perdu. It seems the original English translator, rather than directly translate the title, chose to reference Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30: so “remembrance of things past” is a quote. Modern translations choose instead the direct translation of Proust’s title.

Thanks for stopping by to comment, and good luck with your reading.

John

By: Aleksandra

Aleksandra — Sat, 28 Jul 2018 20:32:05 +0000

Hi John! Finally I’ve “woken up” from my round of depression and started reading blogs (and books), among other yours! It’s very interesting to read about your experience of reading books. You’ve got quite a fun combination in this post, but you caught my attention mostly with “White trash”, which I have not read but now want to, and of course, being a Pole, Joseph Conrad. I have the following at home by him: Heart of darkness, Lord Jim, Nostromo, The secret agent and The nature of crime. I have read and reread Heart of darkness so many times that I’m starting to feel sorry for my copy of the book, its covers… Did you know that before moving to Borås I was writing my extended essay on Conrad and Heart of Darkness? I haven’t reached for Nostromo for quite a while now, but I do painfully remember I have tried to read it several times and just not gotten anywhere, which is very unlike me. I will now try your tip about chapter 7 and see if this helps me out and finally gives me the opportunity to read it through. Kind of nice to read that I’m not the only one that has had trouble with this book. But Nostromo will have to wait. I have now begun, earlier than usual, my Autumn/Winter reading of Marcel Proust’s “Remembrance of things past” (or I think it’s called “In search of lost time” also? Do you know why both titles are used and the difference?). Almost done with Swann’s Way.

By: TheSupercargo

TheSupercargo — Fri, 18 May 2018 19:38:06 +0000

Tack Kim.
Jag lovar jag brukar inte läsa ut böcker som tråka ut mig, men det fanns ingenting annat till hands till våran sista dag i Bryssel.
Kram!

By: TheSupercargo

TheSupercargo — Fri, 18 May 2018 19:32:38 +0000

In reply to Eva.

Thanks Eva. Let’s see if I can manage another 52 weeks.
🙂

The Heart of Darkness is another Conrad I shall probably be re-reading. (You can’t see it from the illustration, but it’s on the shelf next to The Secret Agent.)

I read The Book Thief last year. I enjoyed it – though “enjoyed” is perhaps not quite the right word. It’s a very good book. It moved me. And there’s lots about reading and books there too of course. (And as I have at least one book thief in my own family, I felt an affinity for Liesel!)

By: kimmkimselius

kimmkimselius — Thu, 17 May 2018 09:29:56 +0000

Härligt att få nöjet att läsa dina inlägg igen John! Tack! Jag ler fortfarande efter att ha läst dina kommentarer om böckerna, samtidigt tänkte jag: Vilket tålamod han måste ha, jag hade lagt ifrån mig böckerna om de inte föll mig i smaken. Intressant läsning! Tack!

Kram Kim 😀

By: Eva

Eva — Thu, 17 May 2018 05:40:30 +0000

I am so happy that your are back on #blogg52 John!!!

Books are wonderful places to visit, it is easy to get there and easy to get home if they turn out to be dull. My only experience from Joseph Conrad is Heart of darkness and I cannot think of any reason why I didn’t read more. I was so totally swept away by the combination of the text and the fantastic illustrations in the copy I got hold of at the library so I tried to find it in every bookstore and on internet. Nobody had that illustrated edition. I had to have it. The library had it. Sorry, won’t do it again … The book I am reading currently is The bookthief.