Archived threads in /lit/ - Literature - 2955. page

fatty vs fatty eh

>>8463606

Marx is a cutie though

>>8463601
Kropotkin beard > Marx beard

Mythology - Edith Hamilton

>>8463574
I'm new to /lit/.
you're memeing, right?

>>8463578
Yes.

Fuck off soren. You're STILL not a lit meme

>>8463555
What's even the point of being an atheist when Pascal's wager exists

>>8463572
is this bait?

>>8463528
It was my first and I liked it a lot. I think it's great for the first time reader who is unaccustomed to the classics--think your average high-school or college kid who is just Starting with the Greeks(tm).

Stylistically, it's much closer to Fagles than to Pope. In fact it might be the only translation more 'readable' for the novice than Fagles', who is famous for it (barring Rieu's prose one perhaps).

Compared to Fagles', it's even more direct, more terse, concentrated, colloquial, powerful and it sounds good when declamed--imho better than Chapman's, Pope's, Lattimore's or Merril's, who are all supposed to feature more sophisticated metre. Lombardo's metre is very similar to Fagles' (to my uneducated eye, at least): it's a sort of semi-regular, unrhymed verse. It sounds to me somewhat like Beowulf, though I can't remember which translation of that I've read. Anyway, I should probably refrain from making further comments on prosody since I'm not that knowledgeable.

Another thing I loved about Lombardo is that he separates the famous Homeric similes from the rest by putting them in italics and 'breaking' the rhythm somewhat around them. Obviously, this is bound to piss off some people. I personally enjoyed this because it made me reflect more upon the imagery (most of which is fucking amazing, if you ask me). It also helps if you want to do what I did: copy all the similes and compile a sort of long, disjointed homeric poem of things that other things are being compared to; you won't know what the latter are and you won't care, for these second parts of similes flow so beautifully. I open this poem of hemi-similes every so often and read at random; I will never get bored of them.

On the downside, Lombardo's translation is not very literal compared to, say, Lattimore's. It seems that our guy took some liberties with the source material; having no Greek, I couldn't say if it is so and to which extent. Other than that, it sounds too terse and stripped at times. At other times it sounds a bit edgy and too contemporary, especially when taunts are exchanged or when the gods fight it out between themselves.

All the traits I listed in the third paragraph above might represent flaws to some people; to me they are definitely qualities. I'll always love Lombardo's Iliad and Odyssey and be grateful for pulling me into the world of the classics.

>>8464222
I'll try to put it fewer words:

When I'm reading Lattimore or Merrill I am reminded that I am reading a masterpiece of classical literature that towers over literary art to this day. When I'm reading Lombardo or Fagles I am being made clear that I'm reading a poem about rage and war, glory and death, about what it feels to live a short life and what's left of us afterwards. I'm feeling I'm reading something universal that might have been written no matter when.

>>8464222
P.S. If you find yourself enjoying the likes of Fagles and Lombardo you might want to check out Ian Johnston's translations. I believe he makes them available for free on his webpage. Look him up.

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I barely remember the books after the first one. First one is pretty comfy tier. I finally read the rest a few years ago but they're basically a primer for the silmarilion.

>>8463521
Was this written by Christopher Tolkien'so father?

>>8463521
If you liked the movies, you'll like the books.

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The dime bag he hid up his.ass.gave him rectel cancer

>>8463497
>marijuana

The book isn't a reference to drugs, fool. It's about how women are awful and wreck the lives of men.

>more like Stone 'er!, amirite guys?

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Right here

>>8463476
You either have it or you don't, man. For instance, I was heavily abused and bullied as a child and I am remarkably humble.

Good luck, OP.

>>8463476
the key to humility is to value others as much as yourself

>>8463502
>>8463488

Thank you but are there any actionable things I can do as opposed to just thinking my way to humility.

For example, if I wanted to oppose the Sin of Greed, I would cultivate the virtue of Generosity by perhaps donating to charity and sharing my possessions

Orr paid the whore to hit him in head.

Once a week.

Orr was the best boy btw.

>>8463478
My god. You just got Hellerish, Why did he pay a whore to hit him?

>>8463484
to knock the apples out of his mouth

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It's actually a masterpiece and pretty clearly a work of genius. Peter watts also ripped of ted chiang hard

I thoroughly enjoyed it, old chap. As I read the book, there is a tension building as the interactions between the aliens and humans get more complex. The interstitials when the narrator addresses her child was confusing at first, until I realized the alien writing was connected to our human notions of linear time/experience.
Based Ted Chiang, anon. Accept no substitute.

>>8463451
Anon, I've read both Blindsight and Story of Your Life. Can you elaborate on why you think Watts ripped off Chiang? I can't quite make the connection apart from xeno life form has a completely different take on reality and time than humans.

What's is about?

>>8463430
the main character deals with death and its sort of an optimistic meditation on being earnest and living passionately

im explaining it poorly but its kind of like a murakami novel

>>8463426
Is that a picture of the author? Why is she sporting those stupid boots and that even more stupid name? How am I supposed to take 'contemporary asian fiction' seriously with shit like this?

>>8463413

Young Borges is the funnest Borges.

>Select all street signs
>It's all street signs
>Select storefronts

Have you read his poetry?
If you want to know about Borges you have to read his poetry.

>>8463473
He only can if he's able to read Spanish.

>>8463367
Reading about reading and writing literature

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I play drop in hockey games and create hockey stats graphics for fun.

>>8463367
doing /his/ stuff, playing and listening to music

I can speak English and Russian, also I'm considering Dune. Is it any good in audio format?

>>8463339
The Great Courses The Foundations of Western Civilization I & II. Using credits to get the great courses is a HUGE discount over actually buying them at full price.

If you're looking for comfy recs, try:
The Martian
World War Z
Ready Player One

>>8463329
It's a good way to end philosophy, Stirner's writings are the logical conclusion to mental masturbation.

>>8463329
lol no

>>8463329
absolutely not

Yes, usually one fiction and one non-fiction book

Anyone else? Do you feel it messes with your concentration or vibe?

>>8463583
I read about 10 books at the same time.

Not a very good idea, but I can't help it.