This is beautiful and so necessary for writers (students?) to read. Over Bleak House, if you're looking for the next infamously epic doorstopper, I'd recommend Les Miserables.
I have decided to take your advice. Got my copy of Les Miserables today. I recently read a biography of Van Gogh, and there's an amazing section on VIctor Hugo's funeral that was just so moving and incredible.
Great writing is always to be treasured and Tolstoy certainly gave us that.
Chuck, your own writing in "The Declining academic" is adept at informing and entertaining in what I'd suggest is a valid, carefully considered and articulate manner but 'non-academic' in its accessibility.
I commend your work and the thought you put into it and recommend it to others.
What a great post! I've been thinking about the Le Guin quote recently too as I've been in the early stages of some type of graphic (comic/collage) fiction. You make me want to read War and Peace now, but only 20 or so pages at a time. One of my favorite posts of yours, Chuck!
Thanks so much, Jason! I always keep up on your work, which is a regular stop for me. I started a summer class today and my students are starting with... Ursula Le Guin! 'The Word for World is Forest.'
I used the Anthony Briggs translation. Normally, translators (which is a true art) mean a lot to me, especially in poetry. I broke my own rule here... I needed something with decent print size and got a used book. There were some parts where he is trying to do dialect of sort--someone trying to speak French who is Russian and it's presented in English... and it comes off weird (not the best word). I was thinking of grabbing a different one some time and comparing those moments. But really, I broke my own rule here and went for convenience!
I read War and Peace in my early 20’s. I was broke, and I bought a copy at a used bookstore for $1.15. I had dropped out of college, and wanted to prove something to myself… that I was capable of reading that. 40 years later, it still stands at the pinnacle of being the most transformative reading experience of my life. To be in the presence of genius for a sustained period and to be immersed in something as rich and consequential as that completely altered what I thought possible. Thanks for taking me back to something wonderful!
I love this story so much. And I think you really touch on something worth writing about--reading is indeed a powerful way to prove something to yourself, and it continues to remain meaningful when you've finished. (Moby Dick was like this for me.)
Chuck, I'd like to second non sibi cunctis' motion and express how much I enjoy your Substack postings. Yours is the only Substack I've subscribed to and probably that will remain true for the foreseeable future: I only have so much time and can't afford to become hooked to even more regular doses of textual fentanyl. Since I know so little about Substack, I was unaware there was a demand for "less, less, less" placed upon contributors. As for your Substack, my demand would be for "more, more, more." I often find myself wondering, upon signing into my e-mail, whether I'll find something new from The Declining Academic, and am just as often disappointed when I don't. But I understand: you have a life, too, and you can't be spending it constantly generating Substacks.
As far as reading big books is concerned, I envy your ability to read multiple volumes 20 pages or a chapter at a time. I have not developed that useful habit. Instead, I can only really concentrate on one book at a time and I feel compelled to read them as quickly as I can (much to the consternation of my wife who often has to irritatedly exclaim, "Turn out the light! Go to sleep, for God's sake!"). Maybe I'll pick up a copy of "War and Peace" (or "Bleak House") and see if I can develop a new reading practice.
I read War and Peace in recent years. It left me stunned for months. I knew I would read it again someday, that I will read it several more times in my lifetime. You capture it so well — it’s a kind of experience you go through that lasts a certain period of time. It’s an “era,” not a novel. It’s the experience of life. I see why some people read a chapter a day for a year. I wouldn’t mind that at all. It’s very hard to explain to someone who hasn’t read it! (I told all my friends to not stop at the opening scene — just get past the opening scene!)
Yes! “I promise, there are more than just dinner parties!” I think you say it perfectly—I am in the stunned state (early stage). I just can’t believe what I read, from this one person’s mind and ideas. I can’t get my arms around it, which feels like part of the point.
This is beautiful and so necessary for writers (students?) to read. Over Bleak House, if you're looking for the next infamously epic doorstopper, I'd recommend Les Miserables.
I have decided to take your advice. Got my copy of Les Miserables today. I recently read a biography of Van Gogh, and there's an amazing section on VIctor Hugo's funeral that was just so moving and incredible.
Great writing is always to be treasured and Tolstoy certainly gave us that.
Chuck, your own writing in "The Declining academic" is adept at informing and entertaining in what I'd suggest is a valid, carefully considered and articulate manner but 'non-academic' in its accessibility.
I commend your work and the thought you put into it and recommend it to others.
Thank you for sharing.
Take care. Stay safe. ☮️
Thank you very much for the kind words. Much appreciated.
How wonderful! Thank you. Enjoy. If it's the Isabel Hapgood translation, she was a c19 American feminist.
What a great post! I've been thinking about the Le Guin quote recently too as I've been in the early stages of some type of graphic (comic/collage) fiction. You make me want to read War and Peace now, but only 20 or so pages at a time. One of my favorite posts of yours, Chuck!
Thanks so much, Jason! I always keep up on your work, which is a regular stop for me. I started a summer class today and my students are starting with... Ursula Le Guin! 'The Word for World is Forest.'
Love this, Chuck! One question … which translation did you use, and why? Would you recommend it? I guess that’s two questions.
I used the Anthony Briggs translation. Normally, translators (which is a true art) mean a lot to me, especially in poetry. I broke my own rule here... I needed something with decent print size and got a used book. There were some parts where he is trying to do dialect of sort--someone trying to speak French who is Russian and it's presented in English... and it comes off weird (not the best word). I was thinking of grabbing a different one some time and comparing those moments. But really, I broke my own rule here and went for convenience!
I read War and Peace in my early 20’s. I was broke, and I bought a copy at a used bookstore for $1.15. I had dropped out of college, and wanted to prove something to myself… that I was capable of reading that. 40 years later, it still stands at the pinnacle of being the most transformative reading experience of my life. To be in the presence of genius for a sustained period and to be immersed in something as rich and consequential as that completely altered what I thought possible. Thanks for taking me back to something wonderful!
I love this story so much. And I think you really touch on something worth writing about--reading is indeed a powerful way to prove something to yourself, and it continues to remain meaningful when you've finished. (Moby Dick was like this for me.)
I’ve bounced off that one a couple times! 😊
Chuck, I'd like to second non sibi cunctis' motion and express how much I enjoy your Substack postings. Yours is the only Substack I've subscribed to and probably that will remain true for the foreseeable future: I only have so much time and can't afford to become hooked to even more regular doses of textual fentanyl. Since I know so little about Substack, I was unaware there was a demand for "less, less, less" placed upon contributors. As for your Substack, my demand would be for "more, more, more." I often find myself wondering, upon signing into my e-mail, whether I'll find something new from The Declining Academic, and am just as often disappointed when I don't. But I understand: you have a life, too, and you can't be spending it constantly generating Substacks.
As far as reading big books is concerned, I envy your ability to read multiple volumes 20 pages or a chapter at a time. I have not developed that useful habit. Instead, I can only really concentrate on one book at a time and I feel compelled to read them as quickly as I can (much to the consternation of my wife who often has to irritatedly exclaim, "Turn out the light! Go to sleep, for God's sake!"). Maybe I'll pick up a copy of "War and Peace" (or "Bleak House") and see if I can develop a new reading practice.
Thanks so much, Dirk--I really appreciate this. And I hear you--changing reading habits is (and was for me) really hard!
I read War and Peace in recent years. It left me stunned for months. I knew I would read it again someday, that I will read it several more times in my lifetime. You capture it so well — it’s a kind of experience you go through that lasts a certain period of time. It’s an “era,” not a novel. It’s the experience of life. I see why some people read a chapter a day for a year. I wouldn’t mind that at all. It’s very hard to explain to someone who hasn’t read it! (I told all my friends to not stop at the opening scene — just get past the opening scene!)
Yes! “I promise, there are more than just dinner parties!” I think you say it perfectly—I am in the stunned state (early stage). I just can’t believe what I read, from this one person’s mind and ideas. I can’t get my arms around it, which feels like part of the point.