I am glad I came here. I recall at 18 - long back! - feeling lost and bored one summer and picking up The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. I felt like I had embarked on a boat and it was taking me on an amazing journey. I couldn't put it down. I had discovered reading. And read every book and article he ever wrote. That is what a writer should do for the reader. As Bradbury said in his Zen of Writing: "Just get out of the way!" I will not force myself to read any book that is a 'chore' and filled with big impressive unnecessary words! Thanks for your thoughts 🙏

Heh, if you want to add an extra layer of wild/"What the hell?" to it (and aren't too averse to giving Rushdie's nonfiction a go), there are two essays in the collection Imaginary Homelands where he talks about how much of the history is intentionally mis-represented in Midnight's Children. It's hilarious, because one of the essays is about people coming up to him and saying "I learned so much about Indian history from Midnight's Children!" and him responding "No! Why? It's half lies!" 😂 🤣

This was very interesting Cynthia! I think I know what you mean about books breaking us! I had somewhat similar experiences reading The Recognitions by Gaddis, and I also decided to very quickly finish it because I just wanted to be done with this 900+ page book that was great but also just a burden? I also felt a bit like that with Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall: like it was good but not a pleasant read? There are books like that aren't there? I might try Midnight's Children, you actually did make it sound interesting and don't mind a bit of psychedlic. I'm wondering if the deliberately confusing parts had a purpose, were they suppossed to mirror some confusion in society? Or maybe he was just showing off as writers tend to do sometimes. (esp male ones...) Thanks for another interesrting video and congrats to 600+ subscribers!!

Lovw your dress, lovely video thanks for sharing

My reaction to this book was almost identical.I haven’t read anotherRishdie since.

Clicked instantaneously!

Hahah I understand you having such mixed thoughts about this one! My older sister also gave it a try and didn't really like it either. I think I might give it a miss because I don't really like when I have moments of feeling really dumb or lost when reading something?! And I wouldn't like that aspect! And I don't like when the writing feels too high or mighty either. But I am glad you could buddy read it and still have some thoughts and feeling on the book even if it was a strange experience!

I appreciate your sacrifice in reading this so that the rest of us are warned! 😂 If it made you feel dumb, I'm 100% skipping it. I get sort of offended by elitist things in general, and a book that is intentionally trying to be confusing to the reader feels a little too self-important for my taste. I did think it was interesting to hear about how the structural aspects may have been why it's considered a modern classic, though!

Cute dog