In searching out intelligent blogs on writing and poetics, I came across Nick Lantz's The Dabbler (which you can find here). If you're looking for well-designed, well-written content, look no further. But what really caught my eye was his "Twelve-Twelve-Ten Project," which is his attempt to "read and review one book of poetry every month for the next ten years." (For more of his stipulations and his book list, read on).
At first, it seemed like an ambitious project (something akin to Sufjan Stevens' goal to write a CD for each of the 50 states, which I hear he recently abandoned), but then I did the math. At 60 poems per book (for a rough average), he'd have to read two poems at night. Two poems? That seems like a pretty reasonable sacrifice of time to make for poetry just like Sunday morning church seems like a reasonable trade-off for everlasting life. As I glanced around my apartment, I spied my overloaded bookshelf, spilling over with this year's Christmas present (Vonnegut's Look at the Birdie), books to review (The Anarchist by John Smolens, The Last Predicta by Chad Davidson, Touched by Lightning by Ernest Loesser, and Beauty Breaks In by Mary Ann Samyn), and all the other books I've appropriated over the years and didn't get around to cracking open. I realize I needed this too. Heck, I even had my January book done. (On a whim, I read Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt).
The basic structure of Lantz's challenge would govern my reading as well--one book every month, no exceptions. However, I would follow a slightly different set of standards when composing my reading list and after finishing with each book. First, no writing (unless I feel like posting short reviews on my blog). Second, I would have to own a copy of the book. (I'm all for supporting writers and will certainly buy books at my normal clip over the next year, but my dream is to get to the point someday where I've read through my entire collection and can start giving books away... I'm working with a therapist to make this happen). Third, I would focus primarily on prose. While I find it helpful to read poetry collections cover-to-cover to really get a solid sense of what the author is attempting, I have far too many novels to whittle through. With all that in mind, here's my list for the next few months:
January: Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt--completed
February: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
March: The Anarchist by John Smolens
April: Look at the Birdie by Kurt Vonnegut
These are just the openers, but I'd also like to get to The Liars' Club, Sound and the Fury, all of Toni Morrison, and a good deal of other "classics" of literature I've yet to encounter. Any suggestions of books I need to add to the list once I finish those I own? (Who knows, I might even own a copy of whatever you suggest). Anyone else willing to take up Lantz's challenge (as I think I will take to calling it)? As anyone who's anyone knows, all the cool kids hang out at the library. Lord knows, if I'm to follow this schedule, you'll be able to find me there.
okay, so these are giants - but have you read moby dick or gravity's rainbow?
ReplyDeleteWell, I did read an Illustrated Classic version of Moby Dick, so I'm sure I got the gist. Actually, I don't think it could feasibly tackle either of those in a months time, but I do own Moby Dick, so I'll at least have to put that one aside for a month when I have few other commitments.
ReplyDeleteSo, are you in on this crazy scheme???
I probably can't participate, but I am in a Canadian (contemporary) Fiction class where we read a novel a week (three on the week we present). I bring this up because I've been introduced to some great Canadian writers (aside from the most well-known--Atwood, Munro, Ondaatje) and want to spread the news of Canadian goodness.
ReplyDeleteAlso, are you just doing novels or will you also read short story collections?
Also--though he's not Canadian but he is awesome--how about some Fred Chappell? I'm a huge fan and always try to get people reading his prose (poetry too, though I'm more a fan of his prose). Reading his Kirkman quartet of novels is like being wrapped up in an Appalachian hug (yeah, I don't know what that means).
Don't get lost in the stacks at Memorial!
Casey:
ReplyDeleteI'm in.
I am reading a novel and a book of poststructuralist theory a week, but I have been lamenting the fact that I'm NOT reading any poetry this semester at all. So, twelve books, twelve months, ten years, eh? I declare 2010 to be a year of poetry. Maybe I can alternate between poetry, nonfiction, and fiction.
Fiction suggestions... I really enjoyed "Something Happened" by Joseph Heller. I know a lot of people liked Liar's Club, but Mary Karr was a pretty horrible reader, and wouldn't visit a class when she came to OSU. Jon Billman's book of short stories, When We Were Wolves is one that's on my list.
MM --- have you read any Angela Carter in your Canadian class? I love Angela Carter.
I am finishing up The Idiot this week--don't bother; read Brothers K or C & P instead--but I've had a copy of Middlesex on my shelf for many years and will pick that up next in the spirit of reading comaraderie. Not sure about a book a month. I know you have a lot of tickets to write, but my gig is keeping me pretty busy and I'm trying to carve out more time to write. So reading is going to proceed slowly but steadily.
ReplyDeleteRecommendations: Editorial, by Arthur Graham