The only two writers who have had me pulling out my hair, have been Gertrude Stein and James Joyce. Maybe I should also add Virginia Woolf as a close runner-up.
I've attempted to read both Stein and Joyce on several occasions, and failed. I have, however, forced myself to finish reading various Woolf novels; under duress.
I can accept 'Stream of Consciousness' in painting, but not in writing. It confuses me.
Stein and Toklas (above) were an odd couple. An essential part of the early 20th Century Paris art scene. They knew, and hosted parties for, just about everyone of importance. Stein was also a great collector of paintings.
On her death Stein left most of her hugely valuable art collection to her 'wife' Toklas. Stein's family were not happy, and during her absence, entered her home and took everything away, leaving Toklas almost penniless. I still don't understand how this was possible; it has never been explained.
It is interesting to note that it was Gertrude Stein who coined the word 'Gay' for homosexuality. I think she would have been amused by its world-wide adoption.
I might try again with Stein.
27 comments:
I've read a little Wolfe, a long time ago. Never tackled Stein or Joyce. I think I would rather read about Stein and Toklas. The origins of the word gay is news to me. Interesting.
Yes, it was news to me too. I'd imagined it's use came much later.
Another interesting figure from the past, worth reading about her again.
I'd forgotten all about her (them) too, then heard her name mentioned somewhere recently.
Kafka exasperates me. I enjoyed Virginia Woolf's diaries and there I garnered some poetry. I think I've only read To the Lighthouse which I remember finding quite pleasant to read. Toklas I've never read. Nabokov can be frustrating. He likes to show off. There's a book of his you can't read without a dictionary at your elbow.
There are plenty of others I find unreadable, but these two came to mind as 'special cases'. I hate writers who try to show off their superior knowledge of the dictionary. Yeats used to go over his work time after time, reducing the language to its most precise and poignant; which is probably why I enjoy reading him so much.
Did she write? It seems insignificant compared to what she and her brother did for young artists in Paris in the early 20th Century. Picasso and Matisse and many many more and all of us owe them much for supporting these young artists at the time.
I have always backed off from reading anything that 'should ' or 'must' be read.
That poodle looks a bit of a bruiser!
She had an amazing collection, and many of those painters only survived because of her patronage. I think she kept Miro going with advance payments for work.
I'm afraid I used to give-in to pressure of that sort, and ended up reading a lot of stuff that I really didn't enjoy.
Leo had the better eye of the two but eventually he and Gertrude fell out and they divided up the collection. Gertrude stuck with Picasso whose work Leo didn't much care for. See, he had the best eye.
My son is a Woolf fanatic and tries to encourage me to read her but I never get past the first chapter.
Love that poodle - it certainly is the best looker in the three of them.
I’m with Potty ...... if you didn’t like it the first time it’s unlikely that you will on the next attempt ..... a bit of a waste of time just to be seen to be doing the ‘ right ‘ thing. We should be reading and doing things we like at our age . XXXX
I'm much the same... I find her very depressing.
At college you weren't part of discussion groups if you hadn't read certain books. I ploughed through a lot of rubbish. These days I'm more selective.
I'm with you here potty. I like the poodle.
I have struggled with Wittgenstein, sentence by sentence, until I almost fell over. At least that paid off in the end, unlike Satre, which I threw at a wall and never bothered with again.
Yes, I missed out a lot of classics. At least I think they were aiming at something, unlike Stein who often just used to let her hand write what it wanted.
This stuff may help on Univercity Challenge!
I, too, have never tried Stein or JJ but coped with the few VWs I've read. I say coped because I may well not have understood them but just thought that I did. I have a collection of unread ones but I suspect they will remain unread - by me.
In referring to her hometown of Oakland, Calif., Stein had written, 'there's no there there'.
Now standing at the Berkeley-Oakland border are two sculpture pieces 'HERE' & 'THERE'. I like to think that they are a nod to Stein's words.
I was thinking the same as Weaver ...
Jo in Auckland
Of the trio, the poodle has the better hairdo. I've not attempted Stein or Joyce, either, but I have read a bit of ol' Virginia and must say she's not my first choice of author from that era. I am, however, occasionally wearing her hairstyle these days.
I would have thought that was certain!
She had beautiful hair, and often wore wonderful hats!
I can remember myself reading 'words' simply because I thought I had to; but often didn't understand anything.
Far too highbrow.
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