Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Day 46
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Day 43
Current Book: The Postman Always Rings Twice by James Cain
From the book jacket: "The Postman Always Rings Twice, Cain's first novel--tried for obscenity in Boston, the inspiration for Camus's The Stranger--is the fever-pitched tale of a drifter who stumbles into a job, into an obsessional passion, and into a murder."
Okay, I totally could have read The Postman Always Rings Twice in one sitting, but I started it really late Thursday night, and had to put it down and go to sleep about 2:30 in the morning. I picked it up again today and read the whole story in about an hour. I loooooooved it. I don't think that's enough "o"s to express how much I liked it.
It starts in media res, which I've realized I like. It also does that thing (I'm sure there's a term for it) where each chapter ends in the middle of some action, or with some big action just finished, so that you can't put it down. You have to keep reading to see what happens next. And I really liked the characters. They were really well developed. The three main characters are Frank Chambers, a drifter; Nick Papadakis, "the Greek"; and Cora Papadakis, Nick's wife. Frank is, again, somewhat morally bankrupt. Like I said, he's a drifter, and he falls in love with Cora. Unlike Sebastian Dangerfield and his women though, Frank and Cora are actually in love. You feel sorry for their situation (or I did, anyway). Nick is an incredibly warm, welcoming person. The type of person that sees the good in everybody, but not so much that he's a complete pushover. He's my favorite character. Cora reminds me of Maggie from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, but I'm not completely sure why. I guess just because she's a strong female character who sticks up for herself and speaks her mind.
Anyway, I suggest The Postman Always Rings Twice for a quick read. Spoiler alert: there's no Postman. And that's not really a spoiler. The book it's in is a collection, and I've thought about reading some of Cain's other works, but I'm afraid they won't be as good and I'll be let down.
The next book on the list is The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles. Another book I've never heard of before (so far the only one I had heard of was The Postman Always Rings Twice). The library is closed tomorrow, so I might end up reading Double Indemnity, the next in the James Cain collection I have.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Day 41
Current Book: The Ginger Man by J.P. Donleavy
Finally finished The Ginger Man. The stream-of-consciousness did get to me in the end. Actually way before the end....about halfway through. The changing from third to first person perspective didn't bother me, but I could never tell what was going on in the present, what had happened in the past, and what was just in Sebastian's mind.
The book was funny though. I felt sympathy for Sebastian since he is poor and has lots of debts, can't pay them, is running from collectors all the time. In a way I can relate to that. I don't have bill collectors after me, but I do have a lot of debt and no money, and at times I have to borrow from my parents which, for me, is more humiliating than having debt collectors calling, I think.
I think part of the reason I felt so sympathetic was that I've been having a lot of problems with my parents during the time I was reading The Ginger Man. My mom is soooo incredibly nosy, and I've pointed this out to her before, but she just gets mad at me. And she's also the biggest gossip I've ever known, so I know my whole family and all her friends are going to find out about anything I mention to her. As an example of her gossiping, last week her friend's stepson-in-law was killed by a drunk driver in a car wreck. I agree that this is very tragic and sad. BUT I don't think my mom needs to discuss it with my aunt (her sister-in-law), my cousin, her other friends, my grandmother, and basically anyone who will listen! I don't think this family wants to share their grief with the whole world! It's a private matter! I pointed this out, but again my mom just got mad at me. On the other side, my dad is so incredibly lazy I'm amazed he hasn't had a heart attack or a stroke yet. He sat in his chair watching TV and sleeping all day today and actually got upset when my mom asked him to take the trash cans out to the curb. I can't stand it here any more. I'm so glad I'm going up to KC next weekend. I've realized I can only stand to be home with my parents for about a month til I need a vacation. I better start planning for August.
In other news, I picked up the next book, The Postman Always Rings Twice, today. It's actually a short story*, so it's in a collection with some of James Cain's other works. I will probably start it later tonight.
*I don't think The Postman Always Rings Twice is technically a "short story". Wikipedia says a short story is typically one that can be read in one sitting. The Postman Always Rings Twice is 116 pages, so it's plausible that it could be read in one sitting, but I probably won't accomplish that. I thought about calling it a "short novel", but I thought since it's part of a collection it can't really be called a novel can it? Maybe it's a novella. I like that word, so I'll use it for now.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Day 38
Current Book: The Ginger Man by J.P. Donleavy
Sebastian Dangerfield, on his anxiety that his mistress will tell about their affair: "What's got into Miss Frost? Me. Yes, of course. She's turning treacherous. No telling. Liable to foul the rudder of the ship. Can't trust her if she's feeling that. Might spill the beans. Boston baked. Must keep all the beans in my own little pot."
Oooookay Sebastian.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Day 30
Current Book: The Ginger Man by J.P. Donleavy
I really need to get better about updating this. Sebastian's wife has walked out on him twice now; this time I think for good...or at least for a longer time. I'm glad that she's gone. I know I'm supposed to feel sorry for her and be glad that she's gotten away from Sebastian, but she's kind of a naggy bitch. Sebastian seduced this young, very Catholic lady*, Mary (she cries and wants to go to confession right after they sleep together), and makes plans with her to move to London, telling her to go ahead before him and send him back some money so he can afford to come meet her. Of course he has no intention of actually going to London, but I think his plan is perfect. She has money, so he won't have to find work, he can slip off to London and leave his debts and naggy wife behind. Then I think about it again and realize what a horrible person I am.
Anyway, he hasn't had any contact with her for awhile, and has been instead sleeping with the lady* who is renting a room from him. But now Mary sent him a letter and a few pounds asking him to please write back, please let her know when he's coming and where she should meet him. She sounds very needy.
*Instinct wants me to call these ladies "girls", but I feel that has the wrong connotation. I suppose they're actually "young ladies", but that seems like I'm scolding them for something. Perhaps for making the bad decision to "go to bed" with Sebastian Dangerfield.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Day 24
Current Book: The Ginger Man by J.P. Donleavy
I'm liking The Ginger Man a lot, which is sort of surprising, cause it's written sort of stream-of-consciousness, which usually I hate. Donleavy changes points-of-view frequently, but since it's almost always either Sebastian or the omniscient narrator narrating, it's not too hard to follow. As he gets agitated, Sebastian's inner monologue gets more fast paced, and not really confused, but...I can't really think of another way to describe it besides "stream-of-consciousness". Sometimes it's hard to tell what is currently happening and what he's thinking about from the past.
In the past (like when we read The Sound and the Fury in high school), I absolutely HATED this type of writing. So I'm not sure if Donleavy just handles it better than Faulkner (that little Faulker), or if I'm better at understanding it now that I'm older. The Sound and the Fury is at number five on the list, so I have awhile until I get there, but I'm interested to see if I can tolerate it better this time around.
Now, as The Ginger Man was first published in 1955, I don't really understand why it was banned in the United States. Yeah, there's a lot of booze and sex, but it's not explicit at all. At the moment, Sebastian is having an affair with a girl who works at the laundromat, and if it wasn't for the description of him as a "whoring, boozing young wastrel", I wouldn't realize that they in fact had sex. It just seems like they're spending time together. I can definitely see how Sebastian is despicable-he cheats on his wife, neglects his child, refuses to work, and spends all their money on alcohol. But I still feel sorry for him. I think this is mostly because I empathize with the fact that he's poor, even though his situation is technically by choice. He could get a job, he just doesn't want to. He reminds me a little of George Amberson in that respect, but even entitled George got a job when the money ran out. Anyway, I think Sebastian is very depressed, stuck in a loveless marriage, and uses alcohol as a coping mechanism. If he lived now, his family would have an intervention, he'd go to rehab, and turn his life around. I hope things turn around for him by the end of the novel.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Day 22
Current Book: The Ginger Man by J.P. Donleavy
From the back of the book: "First published in Paris in 1955, and originally banned in the United States, J.P. Donleavy's first novel is now recognized the world over as a masterpiece and a modern classic of the highest order.
"Set in Ireland just after World War II, The Ginger Man is J.P. Donleavy's wildy funny, picaresque* classic novel of the misadventures of Sebastian Dangerfield, a young American ne'er-do-well studying at Trinity College in Dblin. He barely has time for his studies as he avoids bill collectors, makes love to almost anything in a skirt, and tries to survive without having to descend into the bottomless pit of steady work. Dangerfield's appetite for women, liquor, and general roguishness is insatiable-and he satisfies it with endless charm."
*I had to look up the definition of picaresque once I realized that it didn't say "picturesque". Anyway, it's a type of prose fiction developed in SPain in which the adventures of a roguish hero are described in a series of unusually humorous episodes that often depict the everyday life of the common people (from dictionary.com). It seems The Ginger Man is quintessential picaresque fiction.
I'm only about 50 pages in, but so far I like The Ginger Man a lot more than The Magnificent Ambersons. Yeah, Sebastian is a scoundrel-he drinks (a LOT), wheedles money out of his friends, doesn't work, dislikes and cheats on his wife, and hates his child, but it's COMEDY. It's not like Donleavy is condoning this behavior. I've read that The Ginger Man is supposed to be someone autobiographical, so I'm interested to see how it ends. If Sebastian learns a lesson in the end.
One of the funniest things that has struck me so far is Sebastian's constant reminder to his friends to "use contraception". Of course, me being me, I somewhat agree with Sebastian's hatred of his squealing, dirty, smelly spawn. And I think it's interesting that he's at least realized one of his mistakes, and tries to keep others from making the same mistake he did. For the record, he didn't marry his wife because he got her pregnant-she got pregnant after they got married. I think that says a little something in favor of Sebastian's character.
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