What 📔book are you reading right now?

CheriptheRipper · Apr 30, 2023

Squint-eyed Southerner said:
That's the one where he killed off Robert Bloch -- who later returned the "favor".

I hope that's not a spoiler 👀

Squint-eyed Southerner said:
But I can't leave out a couple of faves: "The Shadow Over Innsmouth", which, although many think it inferior, as it was an attempt at a "thriller" and contains quite a bit of dialog, at which HPL was less than adept, I enjoyed. Maybe you will too. It was loosely "adapted" by Doctor Strange comics, back in the early 70s, BTW.

Huh that sounds odd. Oh wait you meant the doc strange comics took inspiration from lovecraft? Not the other way around?
I did notice that in the Multiverse of Madness movie. Similar name, darkhold resembling the necronomicon, general vibe and the backstory between that old god in the marvel comics.

Squint-eyed Southerner said:
The other is "The Haunting of the Dark", another example of his technique of building the horror up slowly, as in MoM, but shorter.

I'll be sure to check this one out. Thanks for the recommendations 🫡

Vorondil · May 5, 2023

I've just started the Idiot by Homer Simpson. Sorry I mean the Iliad by Homer.

Deimos · May 5, 2023

Aethelwulf said:
I've just started the Idiot by Homer Simpson. Sorry I mean the Iliad by Homer.

Doh!
Whose the translator?

Vorondil · May 5, 2023

Deimos said:
Doh!
Whose the translator?

I'm not sure who the translator is, the book publisher is Collins Classics. The one thing I find strange is that all the gods have Roman names instead of Greek, which seems a bit odd.

Deimos · May 5, 2023

Aethelwulf said:
I'm not sure who the translator is, the book publisher is Collins Classics. The one thing I find strange is that all the gods have Roman names instead of Greek, which seems a bit odd.

Yeah, that is odd.
Is the an eBook/Kindle?

Deimos · May 5, 2023

I've looked up the book by the ISBN. The book is part of the "CollinsClassic series".
It doesn't mention a translator.
I emailed a 2nd hand seller that has the book and asked him to look for a translator name on the inside pages (copyright page or title page).
I'm thinking, tho', that Harper Collins employed a hack translator (cheaper that way).

You may be OK with the translation, but there are handful of versions by excellent translators, who are tops in their field (CLassics).
If you have an inferior translation it can turn what should be a joy to read into a slog, one that you put down after a dozen pages, and never pick up again.
I'm sorry if you spent money on the book you have, but I would strongly recommend you toss that version and get a translation by:

Richmond Lattimore
Robert Fagles
Robert Fitzgerald

I've listed them in order of my own preference, but all three of these men are well known classicists and are known for their translations of the classics.
Usually Lattimore and Fagles are tied for first place.

Vorondil · May 5, 2023

Deimos said:
Is the an eBook/Kindle?

No its an actual book

Deimos said:
You may be OK with the translation, but there are handful of versions by excellent translators, who are tops in their field (CLassics).
If you have an inferior translation it can turn what should be a joy to read into a slog, one that you put down after a dozen pages, and never pick up again.
I'm sorry if you spent money on the book you have, but I would strongly recommend you toss that version and get a translation by:

Richmond Lattimore
Robert Fagles
Robert Fitzgerald

I've listed them in order of my own preference, but all three of these men are well known classicists and are known for their translations of the classics.
Usually Lattimore and Fagles are tied for first place.

The translation seems to be okay, I managed to finish the first chapter and I want to read more, so can't be that bad, I prefer Tolkiens books. I didn't spend anything on it, I borrowed it from someone, so matters not if it is destestable.

Ent · May 5, 2023

Aethelwulf said:
matters not if it is destestable

Ent will applaud you should you get through it at all. Ent has never managed...but suspects he should try again. Many seem to find it valuable.
An old friend once told Ent "if you read a book and get one thing of value from it, it's been worth the price." In your case, the price being $0.00, one thing of value would be a bonus... probably even a treasure hoard. (Not that Ents care for such things, of course.) 😁

Deimos · May 5, 2023

Aethelwulf said:
No its an actual book

The translation seems to be okay, I managed to finish the first chapter and I want to read more, so can't be that bad, I prefer Tolkiens books. I didn't spend anything on it, I borrowed it from someone, so matters not if it is destestable.

Is this a version that has the lines rhyming?
If it is, that alone would make me toss it or, worse, put it down and decide never to read anything by Homer again.
Making "rhymes" when translating an epic is horrible... makes it read like Jack and Jill nursery rhymes.
I'd rather chew glass than read it. 🤬

Ent · May 5, 2023

@Deimos, Deimos, Deimos... such strong feelings and reactions you have to things.
That said, Ent found some glass at the forest edge this morning... he'll be happy to provide to help you through the trauma.

Vorondil · May 5, 2023

Deimos said:
Is this a version that has the lines rhyming?
If it is, that alone would make me toss it or, worse, put it down and decide never to read anything by Homer again.
Making "rhymes" when translating an epic is horrible... makes it read like Jack and Jill nursery rhymes.
I'd rather chew glass than read it. 🤬

The lines do rhyme, but the men of Gondor are not so easily turned away.

Deimos · May 5, 2023

Ent said:
Ent will applaud you should you get through it at all. Ent has never managed...but suspects he should try again. Many seem to find it valuable.
An old friend once told Ent "if you read a book and get one thing of value from it, it's been worth the price." In your case, the price being $0.00, one thing of value would be a bonus... probably even a treasure hoard. (Not that Ents care for such things, of course.) 😁

I've read a lot of comments in a lot of places about reading the Iliad, and at least half the comments are along the lines of "it was boring", "all they do is fight", and mostly , "I don't get why this is considered worth reading."

Tolkien read the Iliad... I can promise you that without ever reading/hearing anything that specifically says he read it.
No one can write anything believable about ancient/medieval (and ME) warfare unless he has read the Iliad or the Aeneid.

There's a lot of "naming" in the Iliad (and the Aeneid) of warriors and how they die. But in describing their deaths Homer (and Vergil) tells you a little bit about them; where they are from; what they did before going to war. Most if not all of the main characters are not mercenaries; they are lords or kings in their own countries. He tells you their "backstories" so you can understand that they are not just "fighting machines" and the Iliad is not just about war.

Recall this scene from TT when Frodo and Sam are in Ithilian, and have already briefly met Faramir.
The two Hobbits witness the ambush of the Southrons by the Rangers. Sam climbs a tree to get a better view of the battle.

"Then suddenly straight over the rim of their sheltering bank, a man fell crashing ...nearly on top of them. He came to rest in the fern a few feet away, face downward, green arrow-feathers sticking from his neck below a golden collar. His scarlet robes were tattered, his corselet of overlapping brazen plates was rent and hewn, his black plaites of hair braided with gold were drenched with blood. His brown hand still clutched the hilt of a broken sword.

It was Sam's first view of a battle of Men against Men, and he did not like it much. He was glad he could not see the dead face. He wondered what the man's name was and where he came from; and if he was really of evil heart, or what lies or threats had led him on the long march from his home; and if he would not really have rather stayed there in peace..."

This is the Iliad writ small. Before the LOTR, before the Silmarillion, before the HoME there was the The Iliad.
Tolkien saw it first hand at the Battle of the Somme, and like Sam "he did not like it much."

Vorondil · May 5, 2023

Deimos said:
"all they do is fight"

And there problem was?

Deimos · May 5, 2023

Aethelwulf said:
The lines do rhyme, but the men of Gondor are not so easily turned away.

Good. Press on. 🙂

Vorondil · May 5, 2023

Deimos said:
Good. Press on. 🙂

I will, then I'll be able to say that I have read the Iliad.

Ent · May 5, 2023

You give Ent encouragement to give it another go..!

By the way, Ent enjoys your word use below. Always good to see those who still use language with appreciation.

Deimos said:
This is the Iliad writ small.

Deimos · May 5, 2023

Aethelwulf said:
And there problem was?

Wrong tense....the problem is... for so many folks (young or old) they have no interest in anything that doesn't affect them personally (perfect definition of a narcissist).
"A generation which ignores history has no past and no future."--RAH

Vorondil · May 5, 2023

Deimos said:
for so many folks (young or old) they have no interest in anything that doesn't affect them personally

We loaths people like that Precious, yes we does.

Deimos · May 5, 2023

Ent said:
@Deimos, Deimos, Deimos... such strong feelings and reactions you have to things.
That said, Ent found some glass at the forest edge this morning... he'll be happy to provide to help you through the trauma.

1) Why was there glass "at the forest edge"?
2) Deimos only has strong feelings about some things, such as the right way to eat Oreos (take them apart first 🙂.)

Vorondil · May 5, 2023

Deimos said:
such as the right way to eat Oreos (take them apart first 🙂.)

Its disgusting when people don't eat them the right way.

What 📔book are you reading right now?

just vibing

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