This weekend I’ve spent quite a bit of time catching up with my books but somehow I’m still behind. It wouldn’t be so bad but one of the books is for book group and I hate not reading the book in time.
I’m reading Zeno’s Conscience by Italo Svevo for my foreign authors book group and am also counting this as one of my choices for the Year of Reading Dangerously challenge. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so surprised this novel is taking me a while to read after all the blurb on the back calls it a ‘miracle of psychological realism.’
What realism? I admit I’d never heard the term psychological realism but take a look at this Wikipedia definition. In this case Zeno has begun to write the historical analysis of his smoking habit at the request of his doctor and takes the reader along on the journey to examine his life. It’s interesting, at times funny, and with a bit of madness. I hope to finish this by Tuesday.
Two other books that didn’t quite get my attention this weekend despite hoping they would have are Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. I already love this book. Easily this book could be read in a day I think but I want to savor it so I’m taking my time. Unfortunately my other book Engleby by Sebastian Faulks (which I’m reading for review at Estella’s Revenge) has been neglected a lot. I haven’t gotten very far into it and I may just have to re-start it.
Anyway, this week I’ve got my two book group meetings, bookbinding class and hopefully a lot of good reads ahead of me. Hope your week starts off great!
I always like it when a narrator is unreliable. I don’t know why. Maybe I like the surprises of finding out the narrator is a liar or mistaken.
I haven’t read ‘Engleby’ myself, but a friend who is a real Faulks fanatic found it very hard going, so I suspect you’re right and at least need to get a couple of hundred pages in at a stretch if you can.
Zeno’s Conscience is an odd book, isn’t it? I really liked it, but it was strange!
I hope that the weather is bad so you can stay in to read (except on bookgroup nights and class!)
Sounds like you’ve got a busy week ahead of you, but at least it sounds like a lot of fun things. 🙂 Have a good one!
I recently included Zeno Conscience in my purge after deciding that though I wanted to read it, I was never Really going to finish it. I also had the paperback with the picture on the front with the person’s head scratched out. Great cover art.
OK, so I did not even attempt the book for group tomorrow. Well, not all surprising really! To be honest, I plan on using my subway commuting time to improve my reading this year.
You would be proud – I went through a lot of my books and will be handing those over to Half Price Books. It was a very difficult effort (I could come up with many excuses as to why keep this one or that) but I must say it was worth it! A couple of more stacks and I will be done!
I’ve read plenty of novels that fit the description of psychological realism but I’ve never heard the term before. I think naming things sometimes goes a bit too far because I’m not certain how this is supposed to reveal anything about the book. Hmm…
aka Nik – Have you read An Instance at the Fingerpost? Very good use of the unreliable narrator. A great book.
Ann Darnton – Thanks for the tip. I have only read one Faulks book and it’s so different from it.
Dorothy W. – I was really liking it until now where I’m at the part of the business partnership. I can’t help but feel as if I’m missing something big here!
Isabel – Oh no, I like good weather so don’t send me any rain clouds 🙂
Andi – Yeah, it’s not so bad to have a busy schedule when there are fun things to look forward to right?
Mike B. – I think the cover art is perfect for the book. I am really struggling with the book now but I am going to keep at it. I’m so curious to hear what the other book group members will say.
Christine – Girl, I don’t blame you! You’ve got lots of stuff going on anyway. And, don’t be too sad about those books you are getting rid of. Just think of the new books that will fill your shelves in your new home!
Stefanie – Fantastic point. If anything I think that this would potentially put off readers rather than lure them to the book.
I was planning to read Zeno’s Conscience for the Outmoded Author Challenge but never got around doing it. Now I have finished the challenge and I’m still up for the book. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Does one ever “catch up” – I feel like I’m getting further behind with every passing day. Good luck with that psychological realism. Sounds over my head. I agree with you about An Instance and the Fingerpost – loved it.
Matt – I think you might like this book. Keep us posted because I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
Anon – Yeah, I think we are losing the battle with the unread stacks! I’m beginning to think the psychological realism is over my head too.