Intimidating Reads... Eeeek!

[Didi_Gogo]

This depresses me... For school I had to read Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury and I just didn't get it. I had been wanting to read it anyway, but I was nervous because of all the things I'd heard about how difficult it was. I had gotten through the first chapter and felt like I'd read 70 pages of insequential nonsense, but everyone else in the class seemed to understand it.

Next we are reading Conrad's Heart of Darkness which apparently is the same or probably a more difficult level, even though it's much shorter. Hopefully I'll be able to comprehend this one some what.

What do you do when you just simply CANNOT understand what you've just read? (save sparknotes: it makes me feel like I've cheated some how) What books gave you the most trouble and what did you do about it? How much of a difference does rereading a book when you're older make?

 

[sparkchaser]

This depresses me... For school I had to read Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury and I just didn't get it. I had been wanting to read it anyway, but I was nervous because of all the things I'd heard about how difficult it was. I had gotten through the first chapter and felt like I'd read 70 pages of insequential nonsense, but everyone else in the class seemed to understand it.

Next we are reading Conrad's Heart of Darkness which apparently is the same or probably a more difficult level, even though it's much shorter. Hopefully I'll be able to comprehend this one some what.

What do you do when you just simply CANNOT understand what you've just read? (save sparknotes: it makes me feel like I've cheated some how) What books gave you the most trouble and what did you do about it? How much of a difference does rereading a book when you're older make?

I can relate. Ulysses defeated me. I wasn't smart enough for that book. Even equipped with the Cliff's Notes and another guide, I have up a few chapters into it.

Not to discourage you, but I wasn't exactly enamored with Heart of Darkness.

 

[Didi_Gogo]

I can relate. Ulysses defeated me. I wasn't smart enough for that book.

Aw pooh! I always thought about getting into Joyce, but (like Faulkner) was a bit too intimidated. I bought the B&N publication of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Dubliners, but it's found its way past me and into my bookshelf. ...One day...

 

[Dragoro]

Dubliners is awesome and not difficult at all. Bunch of short stories about being drunk in dublin lol.

 

[scooter13]

"The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco was mine. I really had high hopes, but after 100 pages, my brain hurt, and it was too hard to figure out what was all being said and happening.

 

[Peder]

Rereading can make a big difference, and one doesn't even have to be older to do it. Some authors just don't lay it all out flat, so it is difficult to see the connections the first time through. For anyone. Definitely try it.

 

[Wells83]

Faulkner is difficult. I had to read Sanctuary for a college class, and I despised it. I wasn't alone though--I don't remember a single person in my class saying that they enjoyed it.

I had to read Heart of Darkness for a freshman English class and I despised it as well, although I had to read it again in another class my senior year and that time I actually enjoyed it a little bit.

There are always going to be books that are a real challenge and I had one English professor say something to me once that really rang true--she told me there would be certain books where I was confused and unable to comprehend completely what was going on and that's ok.

 

[Libra]

This depresses me... For school I had to read Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury and I just didn't get it. I had been wanting to read it anyway, but I was nervous because of all the things I'd heard about how difficult it was. I had gotten through the first chapter and felt like I'd read 70 pages of insequential nonsense, but everyone else in the class seemed to understand it.

Next we are reading Conrad's Heart of Darkness which apparently is the same or probably a more difficult level, even though it's much shorter. Hopefully I'll be able to comprehend this one some what.

What do you do when you just simply CANNOT understand what you've just read? (save sparknotes: it makes me feel like I've cheated some how) What books gave you the most trouble and what did you do about it? How much of a difference does rereading a book when you're older make?

What has helped me is the book discussions,reading other people's side of how they interpret a book also helps me see a side of the story that I might have missed.

Heart of Darkness was not one of my favorite reads but managed to finish it.

 

[Didi_Gogo]

What has helped me is the book discussions,reading other people's side of how they interpret a book also helps me see a side of the story that I might have missed.

Heart of Darkness was not one of my favorite reads but managed to finish it.

I was very excited to see that April BOTM was The Trail. When I had read The Metamorphasis it just wasn't enough and I was just looking for a valid excuse to buy more Kafka. ^_^ I'm looking forward to my first BOTM involvement here!

 

[dele]

How much of a difference does rereading a book when you're older make?

Re-reading helps a LOT! I always find something new when I re-read and always enjoy the book much more than the first time.

Don't feel bad about reading Cliff Notes. Books often make a lot more sense if they're read in the context of its place in history, so unless you're a history prof you might miss out on something significant.

 

[Dragoro]

You can get alot of kafkas works for free here:

feedbooks.com/author/6

Yeah its legal, copywrights expired.

 

[Didi_Gogo]

You can get alot of kafkas works for free here:

feedbooks.com/author/6

Yeah its legal, copywrights expired.

Kafka's works that are listed there I either already own or are in another language, but, all isn't lost. The author list is huge so I can absolutely use this site, so thank you! ^_^