Noi left for Melaka with Hakim & Rozita in tow earlier this afternoon. Nenek is extremely ill and most of the family are gathering. I put one or two people at work on alert for a possible absence from myself, but this would seem unlikely - it's difficult to figure out how, and for how long, I could get myself to Melaka, logistically speaking. Noi took the car which means I'll be finding other means of getting in to work tomorrow. So here at home it's just me and Henry James.
There's a wonderfully angry bit in Stephen King's Salem's Lot where he has a bit of a go at old Henry, or rather the kind of readers he attracts. The parents of the boy involved, the one who confronts the main vampire eventually, are avid Jamesians and King takes immoderate delight, or so it appeared to me, in having the vampire arrange their demise with more than usual Kingian ferocity (and believe me, that's a lot!) This is particularly striking in that King is nearly always unusually generous in his assessments of other writers. Henry James must have really bugged him somewhere along the line. In fact, now I come to think of it, I don't think I've ever read anything by King related to The Turn of the Screw and that's very odd since he's written profusely on ghost stories and horror writers of pretty much every ilk.
Anyway, I have to say that halfway through The Ambassadors (yes, it's taking me that long) I don't feel particularly vengeful, though, I must add, I've not been converted to fan-boy status either. As with previous attempts to read James I find some passages almost impenetrable, even on a re-reading, but these have been fairly occasional and haven't really interfered with the onward momentum of my reading. I feel comfortable with Strether as the central consciousness of the novel, so that helps, though a few of his finer discriminations escape me completely. Most of all it helps that I don't have much idea of what's to come plot-wise and I'm looking forward to finding out what all these dastardly Europeans are really up to.
In the meantime I'm praying for Nenek and all in extremis.
2 comments:
Hi Brian
This is my 3rd time visiting your blog but I've actually read everything. I just prefer to read it like a novel so I read a few months' postings on each occasion, and even read them in the reverse order.
Sorry to hear about Nenek's illness. That reminded me of Anthony's dad.
I just want to say how glad I am that you've done what you said (once, a very long time ago) you wanted to do: write one major work of a semi-autobiographical nature, except back then, you hadn't found the specific form...
Looking forward to reding your blog for many more moons to come.
Here's to age and grace! (you're more 30 than 16 - don't kid yourself.)
karen
Hi Karen,
It's a bit strange to find out that this Far Place is developing quite an extensive readership. I got an e-mail from Len the other day who's also put in a visit. Thanks for the encouragement and the word to the good regarding Nenek. As for being thirty - only in my most sober moments in tedious meetings, though possibly I'm nearer seventy then.
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