Apologies
I just wanted to do a small update to apologise for my absence and… lack of updates!
As stated on my ‘About’ page, I suffer from an illness called M.E. or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Sometimes various symptoms worsen or improve, and currently my concentration has worsened to the point where I find reading difficult. However this isn’t permanent and I will be continuing my reading very soon.
I want to give the books the concentration and (relatively) sharp mind they deserve and in my current state of mind I just can’t do that.
But hopefully I’ll return shortly and blog about the following books and more -
Albert Camus – The Outsider
Cormac McCarthy – The Road
Franz Kafka – The Trial
Thank you for reading,
Rachel
The Torture Garden – Octave Mirbeau (Part 3)
Book: The Torture Garden – Octave Mirbeau
Status: Read
Very sorry for the delay in posting this, here is the final selection of quotes from ‘The Torture Garden’.
Now this one does come with a bit of a warning.. I wanted to give an example of this section of the book, so some of these quotes aren’t for youngsters or for some readers. They aren’t the most macabre in the book, but they aren’t altogether pleasant!
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The Torture Garden – Octave Mirbeau (Part 2)
Part two of quotes from ‘The Torture Garden’ by Octave Mirbeau. A couple of swears in these quotes I’m afraid, but we’re not into the torture garden itself yet.. so you needn’t be worried by any imagery!
Also, apologises for the lack of French accents on a couple of words or names, I can’t seem to find out how to do them.
The Torture Garden – Octave Mirbeau
Book: The Torture Garden – Octave Mirbeau
Status: Read
I came across this book on my usual literary hopscotch, leaping from one author to another. I had read that Kafka’s ‘In The Penal Colony’ was probably inspired by this book, ‘The Torture Garden’. After reading it I agree that it probably was. While Kafka compared part of the death of the condemned man to a religious epiphany, Mirbeau explores the comparisons and links between death and decay, and sex, love and life.
This book isn’t exactly as harsh as a modern book would be (this book was written in 1898), but nevertheless it’s not for everyone. Therefore I probably won’t quote the harsher passages of the book – or if I do, I will warn beforehand.
I really enjoyed this book though, it’s pure decadence!
The first portion I will quote is from the first section titled “Frontispiece” in which a group of men are debating the nature of murder. This leads onto a man telling his story of a torture garden.
I’ve had to cut a lot out of here, there are some fantastic passages but much to long to quote! So anything with (…) means I’ve cut something out! So.. I’ll start with the wonderful dedication..
“To the priests, the soldiers, the judges, to those people who educate, instruct and govern men, I dedicate these pages of Murder and Blood.”
The Apple Cart – George Bernard Shaw (Part 3)
Book: The Apple Cart – George Bernard Shaw
Status: Read
Apologies for the gap in posting these final quotes – been a little busy!
Here’s the last selection from ‘The Apple Cart’. Again, it’s amazing that this play is over 80 years old, when you compare quotes to modern politics.
The Apple Cart – George Bernard Shaw (Part 2)
Book: The Apple Cart – George Bernard Shaw
Status: Read
Here’s a little more from the “Political Extravaganza” that is ‘The Apple Cart’! If only we could sit in on current meetings such as this..
I wrote this post a few days ago, and apparently it just saved as a draft! Took me a long time to notice, I’m not very on the ball…
The Apple Cart – George Bernard Shaw
Book: The Apple Cart – George Bernard Shaw.
Status: Read.
Despite being written nearly 80 years ago, I was amazed at how apt this play was for the current political climate!
Not so much in the main plot, but in the many political opinions and matters discussed.
As usual, Shaw was a joy to read. I’m slowly going through his plays and they never disappoint.
So here is the first batch of quotes that I found interesting…
Synopsis – The Prime Minister and the cabinet seek to take away the Kings remaining political powers.
Characters – (to save energy I’ve taken this from www.wikipedia.org)
- Sempronius The King’s Private Secretary
- Pamphilius The King’s Private Secretary
- Boanerges President of the Board of Trade
- King Magnus
- Orinthia King’s Mistress
- Alice Princess Royal
- Proteus Prime Minister
- Pliny Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Nicobar Foreign Secretary
- Crassus Colonial Secretary
- Balbus Home Secretary
- Amanda Postmistress General
- Lysistrata Powermistress General
- Vanhattan American Ambassador
- Queen Jemima
The Assistant – Robert Walser (Part 3)
Book: The Assistant – Robert Walser
Status: Read
I can safely say that after reading this book, I am going to explore more Robert Walser! What an underrated writer. Well, I hope these and the other quotes go a tiny way into being examples of why he should be better known!
Enjoy!
The Assistant – Robert Walser (Part 2)
Book: The Assistant – Robert Walser
Status: Still reading
Here’s the second part of quotes and passages from this wonderful book. I’m thoroughly enjoying it!
The Assistant – Robert Walser
Book: The Assistant – Robert Walser
Status: Still reading
I have a little method of moving from author to author; which is not a new method at all, really..
but it keeps me happy in my own little way! When I like an author, I find out who they were influenced by and who they themselves influenced. Wikipedia can be great for that..
When you do that, you have at least twenty new authors to explore.
As you can see, I’d recently discovered Franz Kafka, and my first exploration in who influenced him brought me to an author called Robert Walser.
What magic Walser wrote. His work is very beautiful; sometimes melancholy, but very positive.
Walser seemed to be able to take in the world around him, and every happening in the novel is linked to the weather, the seasons, the surrounding nature. I can’t help but smile when I read this.
I’ve not yet finished this book, but I foresee a lot of quotes from it.. So here is a large-ish selection begin with.
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