After reading Infinite Jest in 2009, I made a promise to myself that I would try to attempt to read more long epic novels. Recently it has not been the case. My book club takes some precious reading time away from the task. This is not a bad thing. If anything the club forces an attention and dedication to completing a more diverse group books. In the interum there have been many books that I have started and put down for no particular reason. Yet the club has forced my resolve and made me complete at least one book each month. It would be embarrassing to lead a discussion and not have taken the time to finish the novel. So what does this have to do with Underworld?
In the past few months this behemoth has sat staring me in the face. Underworld. It is thick. 827 pages. It is dark. Gray covered with an iconic image of the world trade center from the church.
The only way to start is to start so I did. The beginning was intense. The novel's prologue describes the world series game in 1951. It is hard to read a story when you already know the end. As a baseball fan it is impossible to follow the sport and not be very aware of the "shot heard...around the world"...Bobby Thompson's home run to catapult the New York Giants to win the pennant.
Delillo still finds a way to make the story unique and special. I am now past the prologue and getting into the meat of the story. Yet I know myself. In order to make it through this entire book I need something to keep my attention. So I am going to blog my progress and put up different quotes and ideas that interest me along the way. The guilt of not updating this will hopefully keep me on task.
In the past few months this behemoth has sat staring me in the face. Underworld. It is thick. 827 pages. It is dark. Gray covered with an iconic image of the world trade center from the church.
The only way to start is to start so I did. The beginning was intense. The novel's prologue describes the world series game in 1951. It is hard to read a story when you already know the end. As a baseball fan it is impossible to follow the sport and not be very aware of the "shot heard...around the world"...Bobby Thompson's home run to catapult the New York Giants to win the pennant.
Delillo still finds a way to make the story unique and special. I am now past the prologue and getting into the meat of the story. Yet I know myself. In order to make it through this entire book I need something to keep my attention. So I am going to blog my progress and put up different quotes and ideas that interest me along the way. The guilt of not updating this will hopefully keep me on task.
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