Chapter 79: Waving, Drowning. Also forthcoming: Even more TMI from LMM!

[evelyn_b]

Nothing new under the sun in Chapter 79: Evelyn feels sick and skips school; reads a book and complains about having to go to parties. The book is really The Awakening by Kate Chopin, which is a real book you can read,and maybe should? If nothing else, it caused critics in 1899 to kick up a fuss. It was a great time for fuss!

Madison's is the

Comments

[hafl]

Another book to add to my maybe-read-one-day-if-I-have-the-time list. It is already incredibly crowded, so at least it'll have some company. However, right now, I am on a reading spree of immoral French authors.

I'm also excited about the complete journals, even though I am still stuck around 1924 in the abridged ones. (I did, though, finish Gift of Wings this Saturday by reading two thirds of it in one day.) In a way, I think the diaries serve similar purpose that tabloids have for other people, but they are much more neat and dignified.

(I would comment on the fanfiction itself, but once again, I have nothing to say, except that I liked it.)

[evelyn_b]

The Awakening is a quick read, and very lucidly written; you can read it in an afternoon, probably. Though I also approve of immoral French authors. The Gift of Wings broke my heart into a million pieces, though I was somewhat prepared by having read the later journals.

I'm glad you liked it. I. . it will end someday, I promise.

I have two collections of Canadian women's diaries now, in addition to LMM. . . and I was going to say something about them, but am being called to dinner.

[hafl]

I found that it can be found librivox as an audiobook and I have some boring, mindless work to do this week. Though I may read it in text form, since I'm not really in mood for Céline right now and Huysmans' "How I became a Catholic" trilogy is sometimes a bit of a chore to read.

I took The Gift of Wings as a preparation for the journals. It feels a bit less immediate (maybe not the right word, but I can't remember the correct one). Though I am not sure whether to continue reading the abridged journals or wait for the complete ones.

My biggest experience with reading diaries is ancient Japanese literature and some of those are hilarious. Sarashina nikki is especially great, since it's about a young woman who just wants to read and doesn't care for all those men and religious dreams.

[evelyn_b]

Sarashina nikki sounds awesome. Only fifteen cents on Amazon? MINE NOW. Take that, vague dreams of doing something productive with my life!

I'd say go ahead and keep reading the abridged journals. They're still very dense, and it could take the unabridged journal project decades to make it all the way to the 20s. Of course, it'sup to you -- not like there aren't other things to read.