BOOK! (Hardcopy edition)

[GekkoP]

I have read quite a lot this year, let me single out my favourite books so far:

- Malina (Ingeborg Bachman)
- Extinction (Thomas Bernhard)
- Elizabeth Costello (J.M. Coetzee)
- Under the Skin (Michael Faber)
- The Man Without Qualities (Robert Musil)

I am going to pick up something light and in French to keep my knowledge of the language alive during the summer, either Les dernier des siens by Sibylle Grimbert or Veiller sur elle by Jean-Baptiste Andrea.

[vic]

Finished with first reading of the fourth book in the series of "On The Calculation Of Volume" by Solvej Balle. And I am still very fascinated by it. When the book starts it has passed five years, when it ends, nine years. During the time that passes the main protagonist and her fellow companions discuss their absurd situation over and over and over, repeatedly. And nothing really happens, absolutely nothing!

Just like real life! :D

Oh, yeah sure, there is of course a cliffhanger at the last pages.

[GekkoP]

https://manueluberti.eu/posts/2024-10-26-fortnight/

[vic]

Beautiful review, write up of life experiences, with a solid conclusion, so true. Gave me very vivid pictures of your trip to the beach. Thank you!

[GekkoP]

Thank you!

I've come to a point in my writings where personal experiences tend to sneak in, maybe because every writing starts from a point of a view and that point of view comes from a specific background. I think that without some context, my voice would be weaker and possibly harder to understand. Or maybe I just like talking about myself, who knows. :)

[GekkoP]

https://manueluberti.eu/posts/2024-11-01-the-bell-jar/

[vic]

Great review, thank you for sharing your thoughts about it. Actually it made me want to read it myself, will try to remember and put it on my to read list.

[GekkoP]

It's a short novel, but I do recommend it when you feel ready for a trip to some desolate and desperate land. Look somewhere else if you want something light and fun. :)

[GekkoP]

https://manueluberti.eu/posts/2024-11-24-a-little-life/

I was a bit skeptical with this, it turned out to be an amazing read.

[vic]

Thank you, another interesting review. Doing the wave here for you all by myself. :)

A comment to your earlier write up from 3 November. I agree with you once again. Keep it like it is, with the focus on the text, that is just you. Really no need to bloat it with irrelevant stuff. Just my humble opinion, for what it is worth.

[GekkoP]

:) thanks a lot, I really appreciate you taking the time to read.

As for the rest, yes, I am still tweaking the CSS to make it as essential as possible while retaining some good looks. I suck at CSS, but that's fine here because I don't want the blog to be fancier than it already is. I am also avoiding any JavaScript whatsoever or external fonts because I simply don't care. If you land on my website you just get text and maybe a couple of pictures here and there. That's it.

[vic]

Han Kang - The Vegetarian, I did not get it. I wonder why? Is it me, the translation, the book itself, or were my mood and mind just set on something else?
Very dark, weird, and something unquiet, if that is the right word. I leave the question open for now.