Tuesday 12 August 2014

Literary Battles.


I've been battling for about 30 odd years to read this book , I first came across it being mentioned in Chandler's 'Warfare in the Age of Marlborough' and got a copy - but failed miserably . Over the next decade or so I tried several times but failed , It's a hard book to read being written in the mid 18th century so the language is archaic and he does ramble so ! (which is part of the charm of the book but b****y annoying !) . I resorted to taking it as my only book on a camping holiday ( I managed to read Tolkien's 'Silmarrillion' this way )  , but could not manage it and resorted to borrowing another book from a friend . The draw of the book is of course Uncle Toby and Corporal Trim's recreation of a siege in the back garden - the first wargame ? (of a sort) . I have now got a free copy of the book for my Kindle and am proud to say I'm 30% of the way through it (so my device tells me) which is the farthest I've every managed and I do believe I'm going to finish it ! - hopefully I will report my triumph in the near future (fingers crossed)

7 comments:

  1. Here is a link to a number of links where one can read the text of "Tristam Shandy":

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristam_Shandy#External_links


    -- Jeff
    (and NO, I have never read it).

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  2. A worthy quest. Moby Dick was one of the hardest to stick with for me. I was still waiting for the real story to begin when the book ended. It appears I needed to have used more imagination.

    As a last resort for your current effort, you perhaps jump ahead and at least read the relevant bits.

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    Replies
    1. Last of the Mohicans was another one I failed at as well .

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  3. Best of luck. I sort of finished it but daresay I fell asleep through some of it. I enjoy the extracts on Vauban and Shandy blog, and have yet to watch A Cock and Bull story which I believe is basd on the book.

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  4. I too have not managed to finish it and wondered about the film too..

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    Replies
    1. Have heard of the film - battling on with the book though

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