Dublin's a Feast for the Literary Pilgrim [Fall in love with Dublin]

Newhouse News ^ | 9/5/2006 | Laura T. Ryan

[Kenny Bunk]

All of this phenomenal literary activity is directly traceable to the advanced Energy Policies of the Irish Republican Government.

It is based on a combination of Peat and Ethanol. One for warmth and the other for inspiration. And thank God for them both.

[Xenalyte]

I remember really digging "Anna Karenina" except the discourses on the Russian steppes and their emotional and philosophical implications.

Unfortunately, in grad school they don't let you skip the boring parts.

Now, though, I can read what the hell I want! Woohoo!

(BTW, I was most promiscuous at the bookstore over the weekend. I now have reading through the end of the year.)

[RightWhale]

I find James Joyce unreadable

Even with the James Joyce Interpreted open to the same passage.

[TEXASPROUD]

We trade out on visits. I've been visiting Ireland since the early 70's, and I've seen the changes in the past 30+ years. Infrastructure definitely has improved radically. I'm looking forward to some of the simple things like joining my brother-in-law at a small shebeen off the road to Castlecomer, visiting the placid peaceful surroundings of Glendaloch, and talking politics with my radical nephew at Bewley's in Dublin.

[wideawake]

My great-aunt was the matriarch in the family who came to America at 16 to work as a seamstress in Manhattan.

She was from rural Mayo.

She never went back to Ireland and never made a nostalgic comment about it. She died at the age of 92.

Her children invited her again and again to visit Ireland with them and she usually responded by saying: "Why would I want go there? I'm an American!" or "I'll go, but not by plane. I'll drive to meet you when they build the bridge."

Both comments delivered in her heavy brogue, of course.

[Incorrigible]

talking politics with my radical nephew at Bewley's in Dublin

You'll be served by a Polish waitress who wont understand your accent very well!

I convinced my high school age nephew that it is "radical" to support America and President Bush when everyone around you is following the heard!

 

[wideawake]

He's more a symbol then a great literary figure.

We'll never agree on that one.

H.L. Mencken had him pegged when he said that his inverted sayings and epigrams eventually become just as mechanical as a preacher spouting platitudes.

(1) One reason why Mencken didn't like Joyce is the pro-Jewish sentiments in Ulysses - Mencken despised Jews, as his personal journals revealed.

(2) Mencken himself repeated inverted platitudes ad infinitum just to be cantankerous and contrary, so perhaps he was also jealous that Joyce both preceded and exceeded him in his metier

. Mencken delighted in mercilessly satirizing the land of his birth and in mocking the serious utterances of those dear to the "booboisie" using portmanteau words of his own devise. He was a second-rate Joycean in the guise of a critic, not a creator.

(3) Mencken thought John Fante was the greatest writer of the 20th century, so his general taste in fiction leaves much to be desired as well.

[Borges]

I was talking about Wilde!

[Borges]

I do disagree with you about Mencken though.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1566807/posts

An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it will also make better soup.

[wideawake]

LOLOL! Do you think I'm just a little defensive about Joyce?

[shortstop]

Statue of Molly Malone--Tart with a Cart

[wideawake]

Mencken had his merits - The American Language is a pretty incredible work in its own right.

But his apparent hatred for the South has always rankled me and I can't get past it.

[Borges]

Ever read this site?
http://www.brothersjudd.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/reviews.detail/book_id/867/Ulysses.htm

Conservative book reviews. He gets rather strident with Modernist stuff.

[wideawake]

Never saw it. Thanks for the link. That Ulysses For Dummies link was hilarious.

[Dumb_Ox]

I'm convinced Joyce is only meant to be read aloud. His writing is more like impressionist verbal music rather than coherent thought or story. I do blame him for the academic captivity of literature.

Wilde's children's stories are among the best I know. I haven't touched his plays since my unfortunate aesthetic phase in college, I would like to revisit them.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Wow! Talk about falling in love with Dublin!

I went nearly ten years without visiting Dublin, then I had my head injury - suddenly I had gone 4 times in 6 months! :P

It's been a while since I've flown "Air Fungus" (which is finally being pushed out of the government nest!) so the literary upholstery is a new one on me!

I hope they will privatise Aer Lingus... Bertie Ahern has only short amount of time to U-turn.... again.......

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Energy Policies of the Irish Republican Government of Ireland. - fixed that! :P

It is based on a combination of Peat and Ethanol. One for warmth and the other for inspiration. And thank God for them both.

LOL!! Good one!

[Irish_Thatcherite]

I tried reading Portrait of The Artist, it was boring - so I concur!

[wayne_b24]

see # 31 for my fave.
let's not forget...
1. the shopping ladies ... the hags with the bags
2. (in a fountain) the lady of the river (anna liffey?) ... floozie in the jacuzzi
3. kavanagh also known as the wank by the bank

make sure you have a pint or so at the "brazen head". oldest pub in ireland! A.D. 1189 IIRC.

[Incorrigible]

Alas, the Floozie has departed O'Connell Street. I'm not sure if she's shown up elsewhere.