When I'm at cocktail parties or business functions or any gathering of well-educated, well-read individuals I always feel like I'm playing catch-up.
I am out of the loop. No matter how hard I try, I seem to be paces behind my contemporaries. What do they read? Is there a secret manual or newsletter for up and comers? I've decided to start on this road to political, cultural, and literary enlightenment by reading some of the classics. I have to say there is much in the canon that I really have no attention span for (perhaps this is part of the overarching problem). I just can't sit down on a sunny Saturday afternoon and read Triolius. I can try though to broaden my horizons.
Today I bought Anna Karinina and The Grapes of Wrath. I read East of Eden a few weeks ago and really enjoyed Steinbeck's portrayal of the Salinas Valley. I'll be interested to read his take on the dust bowl. Outside of the world of literature I really need to pick up more current events, history, some political science, maybe I'll even break into the world of contemporary psychology. I really need to get a subscription to the NY Times, at least the Sunday paper.
Hopefully this dose of inspiration to better myself doesn't end with my burnt-out and over-exposed. Nobody said I can't do all this reading poolside, right?
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
catching-up
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1 comment:
Hi Brinki - Sounds like you're getting up to your ears!
Classics can be hard to pick but I'll give you a few suggestions from my faves: If you want to try something by Charles Dickens go for Great Expectations. At first I didn't get it, but by the second read I found it was actually quite a funny book. Lots of laughs.
Ever read "On the Road" by Jack Kerouc? A good read, unique style.
I fink Mark Twain's short stories to be particularly out-there and hilarious.
Try Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" - quite funny, especially if you see it performed.
I can see from what I wrote I go for humour - I've had many "classics" hammered into me during my English Degree and I think these are some of the best.
Happy Reading!
I'd love to hear what you're reading so I can get some new ideas, too...
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