"To compensate a little for the treachery and weakness of my memory, so extreme that it has happened to me more than once to pick up again, as recent and unknown to me, books which I had read carefully a few years before . . . I have adopted the habit for some time now of adding at the end of each book . . . the time I finished reading it and the judgment I have derived of it as a whole, so that this may represent to me at least the sense and general idea I had conceived of the author in reading it." (Montaigne, Book II, Essay 10 (publ. 1580))

Saturday, June 28, 2025

The Importance of Being Earnest (Oscar Wilde, 1895)

Kindle offered this as a free item; we had joked about it with my dad; so why not? Entertaining, light.  Two Londoners claim to be named "Ernest" as they woo two separate young women who have a thing about marrying someone named "Ernest". 

There is a butler of course, but not nearly as entertaining as Wodehouse's Jeeves.

I liked it but was hoping for more. Very quick read.  

Monday, June 23, 2025

Oedipus Trilogy (Oedipus Rex (429 BC), Oedipus at Colonus (406 BC), Antigone (442 BC)) (Sophocles)

Re-read - first time would have been freshman year at Notre Dame, so 1974 or 1975.  I got the idea to read this from a book gifted on Father's Day from Paul Jr. and Nedda ("Papyrus" - lots of interesting thoughts on the ancient Greeks).

Pretty quick reading, the story lines are familiar.  Oedipus runs into some bad luck and is made eternally famous; in his old age he is supported by Antigone in particular and then protected by Theseus; one of his sons, slain in battle, is left to the jackals by Creon (an incredible insult in those days, perhaps any time) - at least until Antigone defies Creon.

Kind of amazing that folks were doing this quality of literature this long ago, I hope I don't take it for granted.  I hadn't realized the sequencing of the three works, how far apart in time.

The "Papyrus" book indicates that Sophocles was one of the big three of that time period (with Aeschyles and Euripides). 

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

War and Peace (Leo Tolstoy, 1869) (re-read)

After finishing Lonesome Dove - I much enjoyed the "big canvas" type of very-long-book - so seemed like a good time to re-read War and Peace.  Last time was in 2012, summarized here.  It continues to delight.  Partly because it's interesting how much of the details, even some key plot items, get forgotten over the years (at least by me).

I won't repeat the 2012 thoughts. A couple additional items - 

There is a super-charming minor scene - the hunt - Natasha and Petya accompany Nicholas.  “Uncle’s” low-rent borzoi catches the hare. Later they gather at Uncle’s home for food and music. Natasha dancing to the peasant music.  Everyone happy.

The hunt scene is followed pretty shortly by another charming evening - Nicholas, Natasha, Petya, Sonya accompany some of the serfs etc as “mummers” on sleigh ride across the snow to a neighbor’s house.  Nicholas charmed (re-charmed?) by Sonya just when getting pressured to marry a wealthy heiress (Julie Karagin).

Prince Andrew facing death after Borodino, encounters Natasha.  Looking to the next world rather than this one. These passages are really well done.

I had forgotten the parts about Natasha growing up a lot between packing up the Moscow house and caring for post-Borodino Prince Andrew. I had remembered her mostly for immaturity, which wasn't complete.

Re-reads are great pleasures. 

Monday, June 09, 2025

Lonesome Dove (Larry McMurtry, 1985)

Book club selection via Chris (session held June 8, 2025).

It's a really delightful read.  It's also really long, so here I'm going to include various notes I jotted as I read (rather than a more traditional write-up).

Emptiness of the plains; the gap moment when the Indians had largely been removed but the settlers were not yet numerous.  A good job communicating this.

Whore with a kindly heart appears - Crime and Punishment, From Here to Eternity, etc. - a classic character.

Prevalence of whoring as profession for women in this part of the world - I think it's probably correct on the leading edge.  Mining camps.

Grasshoppers - a good description of the swarm - these don't seem to happen anymore?

Rough characters sloughing off from the Civil War.

Life in Lonesome Dove, Call's increasing restlessness.

The whole idea of uprooting everything, for many folks including folks not fully capable of making independent decisions, to run some cattle up to Montana - unknown territory, relying on Jake's comments in the early going. 

Wilbarger is funny in his opening scenes. A favorite character. Reading John Milton. 

Sean O'Brien and the snakes

Louisa's proposal to just-arrived Roscoe

Jake and Lorena

The cattle drivers (Call and co)

Roscoe pursuing July, picks up Janey

July (accompanied by Joe) pursuing Jake, switches to chasing Elmira

Elmira pursuing Dee

July, Roscoe, Joe, Janey take the two robbers to Ft Worth jail

Blue Duck takes Lorena. Gus follows. 

Jake falls in with the Suggs brothers. Chapters involving them were not pleasant.  They get Wilbarger.  Gus and Call get them and Jake whew.  Another rough passage.

As i get to the 75% area I'm feeling like I need a break.  So much heavy stuff happening.  Much lighter earlier in the novel.

Law and order, peace and prosperity, these are not the default condition anywhere in the world at any time. Action on the plains!

Was Clara right - her long speech about Gus and Call - just two guys who couldn't resist a ramble - leaving behind women, Newt?

All these folks relocated to Montana.  For what? Their future?

Call witnesses Blue Duck's death, then he runs into settlers.  Change.

Call - the world for which he was suited didn't exist anymore.

His pleasure in watching Newt.  His failure to tell Newt. The author didn't give us what we wanted. Leaves more of a sting at the end.

Wrapping up the book with Wanz committing suicide over Lorena. Her power over Dish. Gus spending time with her.

The scene of Gus's death is very long but works very well.

Lots of death; Newt's reaction.

Numerous characters with "why did we leave Texas?" Pretty normal.

Deets - most gifted helper. Very sad to be drawn north.

Many highlighted passages.

Trying to understand the wistfulness, or ?, as conclude the book.

Maybe because McMurtry didn't tie up loose ends.

Gus dead, didn't end up with Clara or anyone. Killed by an arrow.

Deets dead, sad to be far away.

Call not feeling any purpose, disappointed in himself for not speaking with Newt. (Call pretty deep throughout)

Newt very disappointed with Call.  But he's young.  With a ton of responsibility.

Clara up in Nebraska; no Gus; seems accepting of the dud July Johnson but why; just rationalizing about why she didn't accept Gus, or did she mean it? 

Lorena - felt pretty shallow to me, also stuck in Nebraska.

The whole group of hands up in Montana - are they OK? How long can they ranch up there when no surrounding towns or ranches? Loneliness plus plus.  Indians probably less of a threat.

Charles Goodnight!

The old cook; Bolivar.

Pea Eye pretty simple. 

Jake Spoon - also shallow.

One of the best passages in the book was Gus telling Pea Eye that he wouldn't have missed the drive for the world - a fine horse in a fresh country - and that Call was just the same.

Call and Gus like a married couple.