BookTalk.org

I joined this site a few weeks ago and wanted to wait until the new fiction book was selected to join in reading. Unfortunately, I'm not interested in either of the books selected for June & July -- sooo, I said why not read DQ - I've always wanted to read it. So I'm going to attempt to read all 900 pages in the next three weeks. Okay, not really, but I am I'm looking forward to reading this book and going back and reading your discussions and hopefully putting in my own two cents. We'll see how far I get in the next few weeks.

I think the Don is going to be around for a while, it has produced quite an interesting discussion. I hope you enjoy it, jump in anytime.

Oh good! I read the first few chapters last night. I just finished reading The Odyssey, and from reading the introduction it seems like there will be some similarities.

Right, let us know what you think. My advice to someone who feels he/she is getting bogged down is to skip ahead rather than giving up. You really can do this with Don Q more easily than with other novels.

meliamom wrote:Oh good! I read the first few chapters last night. I just finished reading The Odyssey, and from reading the introduction it seems like there will be some similarities.

Nah, you're not late. There's lots of time. This book's been around for 400 years and it will be with us for another 400. I've been reading it slowly, a few chapters at a time. I've have made it through Part 1 and I'm taking a break before I resume the journey for Part 2. I guess, in this sense, DQ has been a personal 'odyssey' for me, at least it feels that way. I can't really remember when I started. And I have found the discussion here interesting and helpful in terms of understanding the book, the author and the context. Amusing too.

giselle wrote:

meliamom wrote:Oh good! I read the first few chapters last night. I just finished reading The Odyssey, and from reading the introduction it seems like there will be some similarities.

Nah, you're not late. There's lots of time. This book's been around for 400 years and it will be with us for another 400. I've been reading it slowly, a few chapters at a time. I've have made it through Part 1 and I'm taking a break before I resume the journey for Part 2. I guess, in this sense, DQ has been a personal 'odyssey' for me, at least it feels that way. I can't really remember when I started. And I have found the discussion here interesting and helpful in terms of understanding the book, the author and the context. Amusing too.

I agree! It's difficult to read this book for a long period! I find myself having to take a break every 25-50 pages. I think this is going to be a summer long read!

Just so happens that this was near the top of my to read list, hoping to get started soon. Summer long accurately sets the pace I am hoping to achieve with this one.

Grim wrote:Just so happens that this was near the top of my to read list, hoping to get started soon. Summer long accurately sets the pace I am hoping to achieve with this one.

Good to hear. I'm trying to read 50 or so pages a day and then I'm going back through some of the posts. I used the same reasoning you did. It's one of my books to read, and it's helpful to read a book like this by discussing it with others.

I've been waiting to start reading DQ Part II till I have bit more time to read, but I hope to get at it soon. I'm having attention span issues with DQ because I've been at it so long, but I find the characters and themes float about in my mind day to day even though I haven't been reading lately, so I should be able to pick it up and continue. I've also started 'The Wind up Bird Chronicles', which has its own version of madness, I think, an interesting post-modern version and contrast with the madness theme of DQ. I've been contemplating the idea of madness with literary purpose.

This book is a lot easier to read than I thought, I was expecting tangled prose, this is reading like a novel. I'll be done in a week (work load depending of course).