Buckley

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1 Total Votes
Moby Dick is a very 19th century book by wiredog (4.00 / 1) #1 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 10:34:06 AM EST
Many authors of that period go on and on about some things, and off on tangents, and generally take twice as long to say something as a modern writer would. Dickens, for example, wrote long.

That's because modern writers compete with Radio, TV, and now the Internets. When MD was written reading was a major form of entertainment.

Earth First!
(We can strip mine the rest later.)



Both true and false by yicky yacky (2.00 / 0) #2 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 10:41:27 AM EST

The Bronte's, Hardy, Mary Shelley and Dickens don't go off on them either at all or in quite the same way, but yeah; it's a good point.


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It was a generalization by wiredog (4.00 / 1) #3 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 10:49:50 AM EST
and, as such, both absolutely honest, and a complete lie...

Earth First!
(We can strip mine the rest later.)

[ Parent ]

ALL generalisations are false by Dr H0ffm4n (4.00 / 2) #15 Mon Feb 26, 2007 at 07:26:43 AM EST


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That's wrong..... by TPD (2.00 / 0) #16 Thu Mar 01, 2007 at 09:41:19 AM EST
All generalisations are correct

Rock Hard Abs are just a sw-sw-swivel away!
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I read about 100-200 pages of Moby Dick by nebbish (4.00 / 1) #4 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 10:53:44 AM EST
A few years ago and was really enjoying it, then inexplicably started reading something else and forgot about it. I used to do a lot of that. I don't so much any more so I'll have to try reading it again.

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It's political correctness gone mad!


I found that by yicky yacky (4.00 / 1) #5 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 11:01:15 AM EST

when I had time to sit down and read it, I got thoroughly absorbed in it, but that when I had not read it for a little while, the drive to read more wasn't all that strong. It was a real page-turner when you were reading it, but not one when you weren't (IYSWIM). I read the last half much more quickly than the first half, though, as it really seems to kick-off somewhere in the late three-hundreds and once you pass that point it becomes compelling in a less qualified sense.


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I think this is because... by Metatone (4.00 / 2) #10 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 12:04:17 PM EST
like you said, there isn't a big plot element (even worse, we all vaguely know the plot thanks to Mr Peck et al.)

Because there isn't the thrust to know "what happens next" it's a lot more like re-reading than reading. When you're with the book, then you're drawn into the flow by the writing and the events. But when you've put it down, there's no urgency to "find out what happened next."

I'll note that presumably there are people out there who read purely for the pleasures of the words and they won't notice this effect, but I'm not one of them.

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Exactly. Well put. by yicky yacky (2.00 / 0) #11 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 12:11:56 PM EST

The words and flows in Moby-Dick are pretty darned terrific as these things go, but a great many books excel in that department, so you look for other things which are more specific to the book in question.


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Call me yicky yacky by georgeha (4.00 / 1) #6 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 11:04:16 AM EST
the next time you're in the states and you want a pint.

Ah, the opening line alone warrants inclusion in the  Book Hall of Fame, and the rest of the novel is nearly as good. The old "from Hell's heart I stab at thee" quote is good, too.




Khaaaaan! by yicky yacky (2.00 / 0) #8 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 11:45:24 AM EST

Yep. You can see why so many other artists have gone through the book with a marker pen, intent on borrowing their haul. I started seeing influences where there probably aren't any after a while.


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Sir(s and Sirettes) by TPD (4.00 / 2) #7 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 11:24:21 AM EST
the cray-jhee propsh are all yours.

That is fantastic!

Rock Hard Abs are just a sw-sw-swivel away!


I thank you by yicky yacky (4.00 / 1) #9 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 11:46:17 AM EST

but we were, naturally, standing on the shoulders of giants.


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IAWTP by ana (4.00 / 2) #12 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 02:00:18 PM EST
Speechless.

Regular, or decaf abomination? --Kellnerin
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IAAWTP by cam (4.00 / 1) #13 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 04:01:36 PM EST
thank you by LilFlightTest (4.00 / 1) #14 Fri Feb 23, 2007 at 07:13:10 PM EST
for giving me the chance to do it.
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Dance On, Gir!