Register Guidelines E-Books Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Go Back   MobileRead Forums > Miscellaneous > Lounge

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 10-30-2008, 07:06 AM   #1
Mindy
Away with the Faeries
Mindy can illuminate an eclipseMindy can illuminate an eclipseMindy can illuminate an eclipseMindy can illuminate an eclipseMindy can illuminate an eclipseMindy can illuminate an eclipseMindy can illuminate an eclipseMindy can illuminate an eclipseMindy can illuminate an eclipseMindy can illuminate an eclipseMindy can illuminate an eclipse
 
Mindy's Avatar
 
Posts: 483
Karma: 8459
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Device: Sony PRS 650
Potential New Style or Pure Gimmick?

From BBC News Online:

"Beautiful vowels

It took seven years to write Eunoia

Eunoia is the shortest word in English containing all five vowels - and it means "beautiful thinking". It is also the title of Canadian poet Christian Bok's book of fiction in which each chapter uses only one vowel.

Mr Bok believes his book proves that each vowel has its own personality, and demonstrates the flexibility of the English language. Below are extracts from each chapter.



from CHAPTER A - FOR HANS ARP
Hassan Abd al-Hassad, an Agha Khan, basks at an ashram - a Taj Mahal that has grand parks and grass lawns, all as vast as parklands at Alhambra and Valhalla. Hassan can, at a handclap, call a vassal at hand and ask that all staff plan a bacchanal - a gala ball that has what pagan charm small galas lack. Hassan claps, and (tah-dah) an Arab lass at a swank spa can draw a man's bath and wash a man's back, as Arab lads fawn and hang, athwart an altar, amaranth garlands as fragrant as attar - a balm that calms all angst. A dwarf can flap a palm branch that fans a fat maharajah. A naphtha lamp can cast a calm warmth.


from CHAPTER E - FOR RENE CREVEL
Westerners revere the Greek legends. Versemen retell the represented events, the resplendent scenes, where, hellbent, the Greek freemen seek revenge whenever Helen, the new-wed empress, weeps. Restless, she deserts her fleece bed where, detested, her wedded regent sleeps. When she remembers Greece, her seceded demesne, she feels wretched, left here, bereft, her needs never met. She needs rest; nevertheless, her demented fevers render her sleepless (her sleeplessness enfeebles her). She needs help; nevertheless her stressed nerves render her cheerless (her cheerlessness enfetters her).


from CHAPTER I - FOR DICK HIGGINS
Hiking in British districts, I picnic in virgin firths, grinning in mirth with misfit whims, smiling if I find birch twigs, smirking if I find mint sprigs.

Cannot play media.You do not have the correct version of the flash player. Download the correct version
Midspring brings with it singing birds, six kinds, (finch, siskin, ibis, tit, pipit, swift), whistling shrill chirps, trilling chirr chirr in high pitch. Kingbirds flit in gliding flight, skimming limpid springs, dipping wingtips in rills which brim with living things: krill, shrimp, brill - fish with gilt fins, which swim in flitting zigs. Might Virgil find bliss implicit in this primitivism? Might I mimic him in print if I find his writings inspiring?

from CHAPTER O - FOR YOKO ONO
Loops on bold fonts now form lots of words for books. Books form cocoons of comfort - tombs to hold bookworms. Profs from Oxford show frosh who do post-docs how to gloss works of Wordsworth. Dons who work for proctors or provosts do not fob off school to work on crosswords, nor do dons go off to dorm rooms to loll on cots. Dons go crosstown to look for bookshops known to stock lots of top-notch goods: cookbooks, workbooks - room on room of how-to-books for jocks (how to jog, how to box), books on pro sports: golf or polo. Old colophons on schoolbooks from schoolrooms sport two sorts of logo: oblong whorls, rococo scrolls - both on worn morocco.


from CHAPTER U - FOR ZHU YU
Gulls churr: ululu, ululu. Ducks cluck. Bulls plus bucks run thru buckbrush; thus dun burrs clutch fur tufts. Ursus cubs plus Lupus pups hunt skunks. Curs skulk (such mutts lurk: ruff, ruff). Gnus munch kudzu. Lush shrubs bud; thus church nuns pluck uncut mums. Bugs hum: buzz, buzz. Dull susurrus gusts murmur hushful, humdrum murmurs: hush, hush. Dusk suns blush. Surf lulls us. Such scuds hurl up cumulus suds (Sturm und Druck) - furls unfurl: rush, rush; curls uncurl: gush, gush. Such tumult upturns unsunk hulls; thus gulfs crush us, gulp, dunk us - burst lungs succumb."


It's worth a look at the sight for readers comments.
Anyone want to have a go?
Mindy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2008, 07:11 AM   #2
radioflyertoo
Hog Rider
radioflyertoo once ate a cherry pie in a record 7 seconds.radioflyertoo once ate a cherry pie in a record 7 seconds.radioflyertoo once ate a cherry pie in a record 7 seconds.radioflyertoo once ate a cherry pie in a record 7 seconds.radioflyertoo once ate a cherry pie in a record 7 seconds.radioflyertoo once ate a cherry pie in a record 7 seconds.radioflyertoo once ate a cherry pie in a record 7 seconds.radioflyertoo once ate a cherry pie in a record 7 seconds.radioflyertoo once ate a cherry pie in a record 7 seconds.radioflyertoo once ate a cherry pie in a record 7 seconds.radioflyertoo once ate a cherry pie in a record 7 seconds.
 
radioflyertoo's Avatar
 
Posts: 266
Karma: 1581
Join Date: May 2008
Location: eastern PA.
Device: HTC 7501
No go for Bob.
radioflyertoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 10-30-2008, 07:16 AM   #3
HarryT
eBook Enthusiast
HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
HarryT's Avatar
 
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
Pretentious twaddle if you ask me, on a par with the "12 note serialism" movement in music as practised by Stockhausen et al in the early 20th century. Just a "look how clever I am" thing.
HarryT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2008, 07:25 AM   #4
Patricia
Reader
Patricia ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Patricia ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Patricia ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Patricia ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Patricia ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Patricia ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Patricia ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Patricia ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Patricia ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Patricia ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Patricia ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Patricia's Avatar
 
Posts: 11,505
Karma: 8720163
Join Date: May 2007
Location: South Wales, UK
Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G
I rather think that serialism dates back to Schoenberg. On the whole, I'm not a great fan, though I quite like some Alban Berg.

I think that the single vowel chapters look a bit contrived. But quite amusing as an exercise.
Patricia is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2008, 07:33 AM   #5
HarryT
eBook Enthusiast
HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
HarryT's Avatar
 
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
Sorry, a "senior moment" there - it was Schoenberg that I was thinking of when I wrote "Stockhausen".
HarryT is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 10-30-2008, 07:35 AM   #6
ShortNCuddlyAm
WWHALD
ShortNCuddlyAm ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ShortNCuddlyAm ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ShortNCuddlyAm ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ShortNCuddlyAm ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ShortNCuddlyAm ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ShortNCuddlyAm ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ShortNCuddlyAm ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ShortNCuddlyAm ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ShortNCuddlyAm ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ShortNCuddlyAm ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ShortNCuddlyAm ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
ShortNCuddlyAm's Avatar
 
Posts: 7,879
Karma: 337114
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK
Device: iPad. Selling my silver 505 here
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patricia View Post
I think that the single vowel chapters look a bit contrived. But quite amusing as an exercise.
That's what it reminds me of - something an English teacher would set as an exercise for the class.
ShortNCuddlyAm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2008, 11:28 AM   #7
NatCh
Gizmologist
NatCh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.NatCh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.NatCh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.NatCh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.NatCh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.NatCh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.NatCh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.NatCh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.NatCh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.NatCh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.NatCh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
NatCh's Avatar
 
Posts: 11,615
Karma: 929550
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN
Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3
Well, it's more readable than Finnegans Wake, but makes less sense.

(no I've not actually read Finnegans Wake )
NatCh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2008, 11:36 AM   #8
DixieGal
Hi There!
DixieGal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DixieGal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DixieGal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DixieGal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DixieGal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DixieGal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DixieGal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DixieGal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DixieGal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DixieGal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DixieGal ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
DixieGal's Avatar
 
Posts: 7,473
Karma: 2930523
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Ft Lauderdale
Device: iPad
It sort of made my eyes ache. Too many similar words when I depend on the shape of the word, more than the letters themselves, in order to read. Is there a point to it?
DixieGal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2008, 11:38 AM   #9
zelda_pinwheel
zeldinha zippy zeldissima
zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.zelda_pinwheel ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
zelda_pinwheel's Avatar
 
Posts: 27,827
Karma: 921169
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Paris, France
Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?
the french writer Georges Perec wrote an entire novel in which he never used the letter "e", called La Disparition (appropriately enough, "the disappearance") ; the letter e being the most-used letter of the french language, this is quite a feat. he also wrote a book called Les revenentes in which e is the ONLY vowel used.

sometimes writing exercises can lead to some brilliant prose (see also "Exercises de style" by Raymond Queneau, in which he presents the same short story told in a multitude of different styles : sheer genius) but i agree that this particular example is not necessarily the most brilliant available.

points for effort, though.
zelda_pinwheel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2008, 11:49 AM   #10
LazyScot
DSil
LazyScot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LazyScot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LazyScot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LazyScot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LazyScot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LazyScot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LazyScot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LazyScot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LazyScot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LazyScot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.LazyScot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
LazyScot's Avatar
 
Posts: 3,201
Karma: 6895096
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Hants, UK
Device: Kindle, Cybook
Quote:
Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel View Post
the french writer Georges Perec wrote an entire novel in which he never used the letter "e", called La Disparition (appropriately enough, "the disappearance") ; the letter e being the most-used letter of the french language, this is quite a feat. he also wrote a book called Les revenentes in which e is the ONLY vowel used.

sometimes writing exercises can lead to some brilliant prose (see also "Exercises de style" by Raymond Queneau, in which he presents the same short story told in a multitude of different styles : sheer genius) but i agree that this particular example is not necessarily the most brilliant available.

points for effort, though.
I'd heard of Perec ages ago, and been trying to remember who it was, and what the letter was, ever since the article came on Radio 4 Today's program this morning and The Better Half and I "discussed" the merits of such a thing (and then I left rapidly for work....)

They say you can't judge a book by its cover, so I guess you shouldn't do it by its vowel usage either. I'll reserve judgment until I (try to) read it. Though admittedly the sample above make me think of the software that produces gibberish English to get past spam filters, but with a stuck keyboard.
LazyScot is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Free Book (Kindle) - A Passion Most Pure koland Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links) 6 09-08-2014 11:25 PM
Mobi TOC style vs ePub style? phearlez Kindle Formats 3 04-11-2010 06:35 AM
Free Book (Kindle) - Pure Pleasure koland Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links) 0 01-14-2010 12:09 PM
EPUBreader for pure ASCII only? paulpeer EPUBReader 11 12-11-2009 05:12 AM
Philosophy James, William: A World of Pure Experience, v.1, 12 March 2009. Patricia Kindle Books 0 03-12-2009 12:16 AM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:16 AM.


MobileRead.com is a privately owned, operated and funded community.