jokers & 1903; company for the silence.
“We really ought to round up all the passengers,” he said, “and ask each and every one of them if they can tell us why they are living. Those who cannot answer, we simply throw overboard.”
“What about the children?” I asked.
“They pass the test with flying colors.”
- Jostein Gaarder in my favourite novel of his, Solitaire Mystery
I sat thinking how terribly sad it was that people are made in such a way that they get used to something as incredible as living. One day we suddenly take the fact that we exist for granted - and then, yes, then we don’t think about it anymore until we are about to leave the world again.
- Jostein Gaarder again, Solitaire Mystery again.
(I much prefer Solitaire Mystery in comparison to his famous Sophie’s World. The former flows much more smoothly, is more endearing, has fantastic metaphors and most importantly, it’s a whole lot less didactic. I don’t feel like I’m reading a bipolar book, where two voices; an excited storyteller woman and a Gandalf each try to outsing each other like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey in that one song they ever did together, and it’s proof that Gaarder can hit his points home without that strange clunky style in SW, which seemed to be written for children but can only be tolerated by adults. Comparatively, I would feed Solitaire Mystery immediately to children who I think won’t try to scribble on it)
This might be strange to squeeze into the same post, but I don’t have a lot of time. So here are my two favourite Rilke letters to Mr Kappus, in Letters To A Young Poet. I’ve always been partial to Letter #6 and Letter #4. Both are frankly too tiring for me to type out again (like I’ve done so many times in email correspondences), so I managed to find copies with formatting that I liked. Excuse the fact that he managed to misspell Rilke’s name despite reproducing the man’s letters in full and we’ll be fine.
- Read Letter 4, July 16, 1903: “… you can’t take anyone with you”
- Read Letter 6, December 23, 1903: “… everything that happens is again and again a beginning…”
Okay, maybe I can’t excuse it. Maybe I’ll write this ’sfgoth’ guy after my finals to tell him about the typo. Argh.
May 6th, 2007 |
I read Sophie’s World ages ago but can’t recall the ending. All I remember was one damn philosopher after another. Never read another book of his since then. But you say try Solitaire Mystery, so I must I must I must.
Time. I won’t mind more of it for all these stories that await me…
May 3rd, 2007 |
I thought he already had the book? Hmm. I did swear off lending books to most people but it’s going to be hard to do… I already feel like lending you Solitaire Mystery. It’s a lot lot better than Sophie’s World. Honestly less preachy and the theme to tie it all together is almost magical. I think you might actually like it. Maybe its good you didn’t finish Sophie’s World cause I think you would curse at its ending for a week.
May 2nd, 2007 |
honestly, i hate sophie’s world with a passion.fuck i havent even finished reading that book, and i never not finish a book. i offered my copy (still new and clean) to your ex but havent gotten around to giving it to him. and that book turned me ff so much that i dont think i’ll be able to pick up any of his books at all. Oh well, back to my sweet valleys
May 2nd, 2007 |
No I haven’t! I must look them up later. Any in particular Doro? Maybe your favourite(s)?
May 2nd, 2007 |
i like the solitaire mystery much more than sofie’s world, too. he’s written a lot of good books, and sw is definitely the worst, in my opinion. i appreciate the idea of the book, but reading it is just so tiresome (and i lost track of all those philosophers after the fourth letter or so).
have you read his short stories? some of them are truly brilliant.