/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.16548329]

>post the book you finished recently
>sum up your major takeaway in a couple of sentences
I'll start:
Ernst Jünger, Storms of Steel
I noticed how absolutely unsuited I would be for fighting in a war. What these guys had to go through is the absolutely worst thing I could ever imagine and I can't imagine how it is possible to survive those years.
The soliders did hardly get any sleep, were injured very badly every now and then, were sent into a hospital with all the dying mates, and were sent back to the front after a very short time without recovering from possibly lethal injuries. And after all he was still proud of fighting, not because he hated his enemies or thought there was any reason that would justify such a war, but because he thought that he had to continue fighting without fear just to save his dignity and act curageous.

[Anonymous No.16548354]

>Oedipus Rex
One of my takeaways is that, had Oedipus held off on cursing the murderer of Jocasta's husband, he may still have ruled Thebes. He probably wouldn't want it, sure, but he himself realized that had he decreed differently then he wouldn't have had to chastise himself so.

[Anonymous No.16548460]

>>16548329
Based, some retards think he liked war even after claiming to have read his book. I recommend you to read his book about forest walks, very cool

[Anonymous No.16548467]

>>16548329
Based humanist OP

[Anonymous No.16548473]

It wasn't an act for Junger, nor most of the Germans. They were professional soldiers with a sense of national spirit and the law of the age. Courage wasn't a personal act, nor a defense of the psyche. For Germany the defense was of the nation itself and the governing law of Europe, the life of something much greater than the individual, and even the nation, was on the line - hence the eschatological tone of much of WWI writing, even when it was not theological, as Junger's was. Without this the men could never have survived the horrors, it is not as if they were psychopaths, unfeeling, nor forced into ego defense, they saw the very same things the anti-war writers saw. The only difference was in their relation to the laws, and the democratising force of total war, the ability to hold onto the old warrior spirit where it seemed impossible (and in this the pacifists and the butchers of war are one, simply two poles of the democratisation of war, centaurs without a great general).
Even where he sensed the age of the new man, something worse than Nietzsche's last man, and the end of warrior honour he fought on as a soldier and with a sense of duty. One upholds the law and character of the nation within himself, they are one. Even with the decline in military order it is a mistake to psychologize the experience (one might even say it increases the shock and prevents the soldier from returning to civilian life/his duties, the worlds are blurred, there is no law of transition in the theological sense, which is tied to the pacifist nature of the democratic military).
The same can be said of the allied soldiers, courage was a collective act and to see a fellow soldier's character lifted to coursge, especially where it was least expected, was vital to the military spirit.
One should read these books to understand the soldier's vision rather than confirm the perspective of civilians. Hopefully that clarifies, in short form, how they understood courage.

[Anonymous No.16548483]

>I noticed how absolutely unsuited I would be for fighting in a war. What these guys had to go through is the absolutely worst thing I could ever imagine and I can't imagine how it is possible to survive those years.

[Anonymous No.16548513]

>>16548483
I don't see how the image and text apply. Admitting that one is unsuited to conflict doesn't really relate to being a soiboy.

[Anonymous No.16548528]

Any "man" who thinks himself unsuited for combat is not a man.

[Anonymous No.16548560]

>Any "man" who thinks himself unsuited for combat is not a man.

[Anonymous No.16548564]

>>16548460

Which one?

[Anonymous No.16548585]

>>Any "man" who thinks himself unsuited for combat is not a man.

[Anonymous No.16548592]

>>16548528
go help the kurds or shut up faggot

[Anonymous No.16548594]

>help the kurds
holy shit can you get any more gay

[Anonymous No.16548602]

>>16548592
Yeah lemme just go fight for a bunch of CIA sponsored savages in conflict I dont care about at all

[Anonymous No.16548687]

>be on literature board
>thread about recently read books
>13 replies
>1 reply about an actual book
>everyone just uploads a cringe pic to discredit the others opinion on war
Why are there so many larpers on this board?
Anyways, last book I read was walden. It really changed my view on necessities of humans, and how perverted and far from reality modern life really is

[Anonymous No.16548699]

>>16548602
Cope. There are enough wars going that you could just take your pick.

[Anonymous No.16548749]

>>16548699
Call me when we get to fight zog

[Anonymous No.16548775]

>>16548749
you can go shoot up wall street any day, schizo

[Anonymous No.16548804]

>>16548528
Anyone who thinks they're suited for combat and hasn't actually experienced it is just beating their chest. I'm not trying to be a dick, but I am trying to give you a bit of a reality check. If you've never been boots on the ground, in the shit, please don't try to speak definitively on something you've never experienced.

[Anonymous No.16548814]

>>16548749
You can join any number of Muslim militias to that end, there are probably even a few mostly-whites groups in the West planning to do just that.

[Anonymous No.16548843]

>>16548814
There's always a "but" with those people, it's not really worth engaging them except to let them know you don't buy their bullshit. Always, invariably, they totally would have signed up to "slot floppies" if only it wasn't on behalf of the Jews, if only they didn't have to do it with idiots, if only grass were blue and the sky was green, ad nauseum. They'd always totally do it, but always there's an excuse.

[Anonymous No.16548851]

>>16548814
>>16548843
I like the essence of war, but I do not like war.

[Anonymous No.16548854]

>>16548804
rah

[Anonymous No.16548856]

>>16548775
>>16548843
Bunkercels please fuck off back to your hugbox

[Anonymous No.16548863]

>>16548804
I served in Desert Storm. Don't try to intimidate me with your uniform, knowing the stock of soldiers today you're just another fat retard who thought people would respect him more with a uniform on. You're a pussy, but that's not abnormal because most people in the service today are pussies too.

[Anonymous No.16548897]

>>16548863
Faggot

[Anonymous No.16548900]

>>16548564
Der Waldgang

[Anonymous No.16548927]

>>16548863
you served in a cringe big kids' summer camp lol. noone cares.

[Anonymous No.16548952]

>>16548863
>2nd Infantry Div.
>CIB
As much as you'd want to rage, the dude rates to say what he's saying.

[Anonymous No.16548966]

>>16548804
Thank you for your service

>>16548329
I’ve read A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. It was alright, it wasn’t very funny but some moments of the book made me shake my belly in laughter. The ending of the book felt underwhelming.

[Anonymous No.16549013]

>>16548329
Is this a good translation?

[Anonymous No.16549091]

>>16548564
Auf den Marmorklippen

[Anonymous No.16549096]

We need a biopic where Ryan Gosling plays Jünger.

[Anonymous No.16549128]

>>16548528
>Any "man" who thinks himself unsuited for combat is not a man

[Anonymous No.16549143]

>>16549013
Yeah, theres only two and that's the better one.

[Anonymous No.16549149]

>>16549096
it would be pretty boring to be honest, this is the kkind of book that is good as a book but bad as a movie

[Anonymous No.16549150]

>>16549013
Get the 1929 one its way more interesting

[Anonymous No.16549152]

>>16548863
>pussy
>CIB patch
You sound like a larper or some POG desk bitch

[Anonymous No.16549158]

>>16549149
any other examples of such kind of books?

[Anonymous No.16549160]

>>16548687
>now at 37 replies
>still only one book apart from OP mentioned
does /lit/ even read?

[Anonymous No.16549167]

>>16549150
This one?

[Anonymous No.16549176]

>>16549160
Unfortunately Junger threads tend to get derailed.

[Anonymous No.16549183]

>>16549150
This one? Why's it more interesting?

[Anonymous No.16549189]

>>16549167
No it's a different one, the 1929 is a bad translation with printing errors. The penguin version is best.

[Anonymous No.16549222]

>>16549183
Junger edited out a bunch of stuff from the later versions including lot of his philosophical reflections throughout the text. The translation was done by by a British WWI officer as well. Unfortunately the 1929 is a shitty amazon print on demand copy but the translation is solid.
>>16549189
I found the penguin version extremely dry and boring

[Anonymous No.16549240]

>>16549183
The guy that sells it posts here, but its shit

[Anonymous No.16549253]

>>16549240
You’re just being disingenuous cause you’re butthurt that the guy who sells it is a right winger. Politics aside the penguin version is objectively shit

[Anonymous No.16549266]

>>16549253
>Politics aside the penguin version
Literally no one thinks this

[Anonymous No.16549267]

>>16548329
Just finishing up The Three Muskateers. It has been a fun comfortable adventure with delightful writing and pacing. The characters are all great, D'Artagnan and his comrades remind me of my time in the Army with my little band of friends. I'm not sure what my major takeaway is, maybe the complexities of relationships? The power and importance of friendship? Don't trust women? Great book, if you liked Monte Cristo and were thinking of reading more Dumas Id recommend it, but its reputation as a great novel should speak for itself.

[Anonymous No.16549276]

>>16549266
Please explain how the penguin is better. Ive talked to numerous people of varying political opinions and they all thought it was boring

[Anonymous No.16549291]

>>16548329

A very comfy read. Vasily Ivanych is damn near a carbon copy of my own father, in Bazarov I could see my younger more angsty self, and in Arkady myself in the beginnings of maturity. The characters are so elaborate, no backstory is spared, and I see the various characters themselves as almost mirrors of the different stages of maturity in the lives of men.

[Anonymous No.16549298]

>>16549291
Can you say any more about this. Really need to read this.

[Anonymous No.16549318]

>>16548687
Walden gets shit on this board a lot, but reading it was an awakening for me. I agree how telling it is of the perversion of modern life; energy being used needlessly and for what? Ease? No one said life was supposed to done for you.

Dishwashers, Clothes dryers, televisions, all useless machines. Nobody needs this garbage, and they're wasteful. There's no reason every house in America to have the lights on in every room all day every day.

We can only pray that everyone will cease their energy waste.

[Anonymous No.16549346]

ATE TITUS ROSCIUS
ATE TITUS "CAPITANO" ROSCIUS
ATE CHRYSOGONUS
ATE PROSECUTORS
ATE MITHRIDATES
ATE THE TIMES
ATE THE CUSTOMS
ATE CATILLINE
ATE CATILLINE
ATE CATILLINE
FUCK CATILLINE
ATE MARCUS ANTONIUS
LUV SEXTUS ROSCIUS
LUV THE COUNTRYSIDE
LUV POMPEI
LUV CATO
LUV ROME
LUV ARCHIAS
LUV POETRY
simple as

[Anonymous No.16549347]

>>16549291
You should check out A Sportsman’s Sketches

[Anonymous No.16549360]

>>16549298
It's not nearly as "exciting" or "adventurous" as other mid-19th century Russian classics i.e. "Hero of Our Time" or "Captain's Daughter," but it's equally as enjoyable.

The plot is somewhat thin admittedly, simply being about two young men, Arkady and Bazarov, visiting with each of their elders. Bazarov is a nihilist and cynical young man who views life as a joke and rarely has something nice to say about anyone. Arkady is more optimistic character, who appreciates the traditions and niceties that Bazarov despises.

The dialogue between these two characters as well as the rest of the cast is perfectly written and insightful.

I won't spoil it for you, but it has a wonderful coyish bildungsroman ending. It was simply a joy and very comfy.

[Anonymous No.16549371]

>>16549360
You read that exact edition? The Oxford one?

[Anonymous No.16549376]

>>16548966
That's one of his weaker books; if you're interested in more of Twain's humor, I highly recommend reading "Roughing It." It's a memoir of his travels with his brother with hilarious tangents about everything from coyotes to lobbyists.

[Anonymous No.16549395]

>>16549371
No, I read the Norton Critical Edition, Katz Translation. I read the Garnett translation many years ago, but this one is noticably better.
>>16549347
It's on my list!

[Anonymous No.16549864]

>>16549158
The Sunlight dialogues

[Anonymous No.16549877]

>>16549318
>Dishwashers, Clothes dryers
Fuck you I don't like taking time out of my day to wash my shit stained briefs when I could be doing the hobbies I think about at work all day

[Anonymous No.16549889]

>>16549877
It takes an entire 15 minutes at most to wash dishes. Grow up.

[Anonymous No.16550015]

>>16548329
>War and Peace
I found out a lot of the ways I used to think are a lot more common than I would've imagined.
To my displeasure I also discovered, even by just watching the BBC series, that I am really similar to Andrei Bolkonski, except for the parts where he occasionally was charming. Especially so his last days before death. I realized I've lived almost all my life in a state Tolstoy saw befitting someone dying - contemptuous and emotionally unengaged. He at least could manage an ironic sparkle in his eyes and a smug smirk whereas I'm too indifferent even for that.
Funnily enough I even recognized myself in his son.

I think Tolstoy was telling me this is going to be my entire life and that it was fixed since day one.

[Anonymous No.16550077]

>>16548952
>>16549152
>what are you doing calling him a pussy!!! he has a participation award!
You're both soft pussies too.

[Anonymous No.16550183]

>>16548329
I just came back from a comfy nightwalk with the dog while it was raining, lit up the chimney, made some grog and will now start this book. LIfe is good anon
Sorry for the overused pic but it just represents how I feel right now so good

[Anonymous No.16550194]

>>16550077
>t.soft pusys LARPer angry over the fact the at people are making fun of his LARPing fantasies in being in combat
Cope

[Anonymous No.16550331]

>>16548329
Mating 101, Tony Sterling.
A fun read.

[Anonymous No.16550354]

>ich hasse die Demokratie wie die Pest
holy based

[Anonymous No.16550500]

Individualism, "beeee yourself" culture, and finding your own truth has created a total lack of objective moral landscape. This means that any given argument between two people who have seperate moral compasses can never come to a resolution. This means we are fucked as a society, and the best you can do is step back to the Aristotelian moral virtue construct for yourself and possibly the new age polis you found.

[Anonymous No.16550749]

>>16550331
But is it useful?

[Anonymous No.16550777]

>>16549183
the newer penguin translation uses the 1960s version where junger edited out all the war bits

the 1929 trans is objectively worse because the translator's german is only good not great, but it's the real book instead of a pussified version rewritten 40 years later

[Anonymous No.16550796]

>>16550015
There's no slap in the face that will wake you further than finding yourself in a completely pitiful character.

[Anonymous No.16550838]

>>16550796
incredibly based

[Anonymous No.16550881]

>the Leopard by di Lampedusa
Super entertaining book, but I found his description of “true” aristocracy kind of vague. It seemed to be more of a manner of bearing (the example of the polish taxi driver in paris), but also definitely a matter of blood relations. Still, as far as books about decline go, this was one of the best. Just as pessimistic as Buddenbrooks or Spring Snow, but actually quite fun to read. I think the most interesting character was his son that moves to London to become a merchant. I guess my biggest takeaway is that what Lampedusa considers most noble is to adjust to the times (ride the tiger). This is ironic in contrast with his characterization of Sicily as a place that never changes.

Anyway, it’s often posted as an arch-reactionary book, but it to me it’s almost apolitical. Reactionary in values, maybe.

[Anonymous No.16551003]

>>16550881
You've convinced me I oughta read this, thanks anon.

Also holy shit, this actually turned into a good thread, bump.

[Anonymous No.16551269]

>>16548473
That's a very interesting point of view, thank you

[Anonymous No.16552430]

Joyce Finnegan's Wake