Ulysses: Yea or Nay?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by GERGE

The people in Ulysses were me, the environment in Ulysses was all around me.

That's exactly what I don't want in my fiction. I read to get away from myself and the environment around me, not to be reminded of it.

[DiapDealer]

I'm pretty sure you're reading their sentiment wrong. Perhaps because of translation. I'm pretty sure they were simply describing a vividly immersive experience much like the one many who read for escape describe. They were IN the work of fiction, not just reading it. Is that really so different from what you wish to experience when reading fiction?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm pretty sure you're reading their sentiment wrong. Perhaps because of translation. I'm pretty sure they were simply describing a vividly immersive experience much like the one many who read for escape describe. They were IN the work of fiction, not just reading it. Is that really so different from what you wish to experience when reading fiction?

Ah, perhaps. The thought actually crossed my mind after I had posted. But no, I don't experience anything so vividly I no longer notice my surroundings. That's also the reason I only read fiction at home - anywhere else I'm just too distracted. As a child I was able to tune everything else out, but I lost the ability in my teens and never regained it.

[Apache]

My wife gets irritated because she can be talking to me, and it takes a minute for me to realize that someone is asking me a question.
I have always oblivious when of my surroundings when reading.
Apache

[GERGE]

Yes, I meant was DiapDealer said. But Turkish is quite different from English, there is almost no linguistic overlap that I know of. So sometimes what I mean and what native speakers understand (or least native speakers from other Indo-European languages) differs =(

I also lose much of the awareness I have of my surroundings when I read fiction (it is not so with non-fiction). And more so with stream-of-consciousness narratives.

Also, thinking about how I waited two months for Ulysses to arrive reminded me that I was very into Forgotten Realms novels back in high school (I still miss those shared fantasy worlds sometimes). I remember waiting for months for new books to arrive. I used to order them from a local bookstore, there was no shipping cost that way. You native speakers may not care about this very much but for me the biggest thing about e-books was being able to read any book I want without waiting for weeks. When I bought my Nook 1st Edition, downloading books was a dream come true.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by GERGE

Yes, I meant was DiapDealer said. But Turkish is quite different from English, there is almost no linguistic overlap that I know of. So sometimes what I mean and what native speakers understand (or least native speakers from other Indo-European languages) differs =(

Add in the fact that my native language is not Indo-European either and has very little similarity to English, so we'll have even more brain filters between us.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by GERGE

Also, thinking about how I waited two months for Ulysses to arrive reminded me that I was very into Forgotten Realms novels back in high school (I still miss those shared fantasy worlds sometimes). I remember waiting for months for new books to arrive. I used to order them from a local bookstore, there was no shipping cost that way. You native speakers may not care about this very much but for me the biggest thing about e-books was being able to read any book I want without waiting for weeks. When I bought my Nook 1st Edition, downloading books was a dream come true.

It was the same for me in those ancient days. I remember waiting for the sequel of a book I loved for two months and biting my nails all this time. Fortunately I was young enough then not to be in danger of heart failure from all that stress.

[Pajamaman]

Originally Posted by GERGE

Ulysses is one of the greatest books I have read.

I remember the first time I encountered Ulysses.
That said, I really like Ulysses. You should read it.

Your comment made me go and read the start on Gutenberg. The prose is interesting. I see some appeal. Inventive, if florid. But I fear the book lacks a story, which I am unable to tolerate in a book.