Monday, December 17, 2012

Musing Monday...Brideshead Unvisited

Are you ready for Christmas, those of you that celebrate this most lovely of holidays?
Well, you only have about a week! Yes, it is Monday, just a week from Christmas Eve and also time to check out
this week's Musing Monday, as always from the desk of MizB at Should Be Reading....

This week’s musing – courtesy of http://www.kwizgiver.com - asks… 
 Is there a particular book that is your nemesis–the book you’re determined to one day finish?

I would not say so much a nemesis, which of course has a negative connotation ..
Did you know, by the way, that Nemesis was said to be the mother of Helen of Troy, who hatched from a goose egg? Yes, an egg. Odd stuff, that mythology.

But back to the book... I can't say that I have a book I think of as my White Whale, some book I must, but can't conquer.
Perhaps when I was younger, there were books I thought that I should read, but hadn't. Perhaps even started and did not like. But these days, I will fall back on the MM idea from last week again. I am not if not repetitious.
Life is too short to be reading books that you are not enjoying.

Now honestly, it is my experience that many of the so-called classics are actually quite enjoyable books. Especially if you are not 14 years old and being forced to read them in school. I think sometimes we may be sort of scared of them and be should not be.
But if you start it and don't like it, it is not a problem. No harm, no foul. Just move along.

Yet, there is one book that I do have some sort of an of issue with.  
Brideshead Revisted.  
Offically, Brideshead Revisited, The Sacred & Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder by Evelyn Waugh.

It is suppose to be a really good book. I guess I saw one of the TV takes on it and know the general story. Just that fact that there have been several TV and movie versions of the book speaks to it being a good story, doesn't it?
I think I read the first few pages at one point. But I have never finished it. Or actually really started it, really got into the story. I am not sure why.
And let, I owe it a great debt.

It was because of Brideshead Revisted and the discovery some years ago that I actually owned two copies of the exact same, very nice hardcover edition of the book that prompted me to go in search of some way to catalog my books and get some sort of order with my library. Which, in turn, led me to the wonderful Library Thing site, which in a way set off my illustrious blogging career.
OK, maybe not that illustrious.
Or a career.

But someday I will actually read that darn book!

15 comments:

  1. I am and always have been intimidated by classics. Stems back to my childhood, and I blame my high school teachers. So there are MANY of these books I want to read but haven't worked up the courage. However, Brideshead Revisited IS a wonderful book, and the way I experienced this one was via audio. Narrated by Jeremy Irons. Seriously give it a try. Even I pulled it off.

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    1. oh, Jeremy Irons..I can so see that.
      or hear it actually!

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  2. Brideshead Revisited is a wonderful book. I truly enjoyed it. The one that I just can't seem to get into is The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. I loved the movie so figured the book would be much better. Ehhhh, wrong answer! Booring with a capital B!

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  3. Wonderful answer. I agree. I feel like there are books I probably SHOULD read and haven't, too. Bridehead Revisited is one of them. I've never picked it up, just heard of it.
    Here's my MM: http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2012/12/musing-mondaysbook-nemesis.html

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  4. I watched one of the movies and didn't find it interesting enough to pick up. It probably is well written, though, just not, I don't, know, unique, enough.

    http://carabosseslibrary.blogspot.com/2012/12/musing-mondays_17.html

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  5. love this post .... that is so funny ... i am very happy that bn.com keeps track of books i have bought because many times i have attempted to buy a book i own only to get a 'you already have this book, stupid' error messages

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    1. it would be funny if they really called people 'stupid'...

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  6. I enjoy your answer. My reading group is on a non-fiction kick this year but we discussed classics for next year.

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  7. I've never attempted to read Brideshead Revisited. Here's my answer: http://daystarz.wordpress.com/2012/12/17/musing-mondays-2/

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  8. I've never attempted to read Brideshead Revisited. Here's my answer: http://daystarz.wordpress.com/2012/12/17/musing-mondays-2/

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  9. I never tried to read Brideshead Revisited. It never really grabbed my interest.

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  10. I've not read it but I don't think I have any "white whales" so to speak. I either gut it out or abandon them.

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  11. Never read it or saw the movie. Thanks for visiting.

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  12. Hi! Thanks for the visit to my blog!

    I haven't read Brideshead Revisted either.

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please speak up, I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!