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/lit/ - Literature

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2807976 No.2807976 [Reply] [Original]

Am I a slow reader? I've started reading War and Peace recently and it takes me roughly 3 minutes to read a single page. I know that's pathetic, but for some reason I always reread the same line 3 or 4 times because I feel as if I'm missing something.
I was thinking that maybe this was due to the density of Russian literature, but that can't be since I've read Crime and Punishment and The Master and Margarita and read those in a couple of weeks, so I'm not that inexperienced. Is it due to the slow progression or is it because of the tedious and boring history aspect?

Some input would be nice.

>> No.2808038

This happens to me too, I have ADHD and Asperger's so I wouldn't be surprised if it's simply a fear of not understanding something later on. I'd just pace yourself and read slower then gradually pick up speed as you practice, it sounds like stupid advice but for something like reading I can't think of anything else to recommend.

>> No.2808054

>>2808038
Thanks. Maybe it's because of the atmosphere and time that I was reading. For the past weeks, I've been basically nocturnal; reading at night and sleeping in the afternoon. Right now it's 9am and it seems like it's easier and flows better. I just got done with the "battle" at the bridge and maybe I was having a hard time because of all the different names and characters.

>> No.2808058

Tolstoy is slow for some people. For me, I read him exceptionally fast, faster than almost any author.

I reread Anna Karenina or War and Peace every year and it takes me about a week.

Tolstoy is the greatest.

>> No.2808066

>>2808058
This nigga again.

If you can get into W&P it's fucking BAD ASS.

> tfw Pierre and the fires
> tfw Andrei is an all around boss
> tfw Natasha singing
> tfw I'd fuck Sonya not even for the money
> tfw Petya in war

War & Peace is an experience, not a novel. You really come out thinking you've lived and seen so much.

>> No.2808067

>>2808058
Do you regularly read fast or just when you're reading Tolstoy? Can you give an estimate of your average reading speed?

>> No.2808082

>>2808067
It's a Tolstoy thing. I mean, I can read fast but I usually don't.

comprehensions > speed

But I get so wrapped up in Tolstoy's world, I find it difficult to put down. But Russians tend to be more compelling than anything. Same goes with Dostoevsky and Bulgakov. Tolstoy just has this awesome way of describing things so perfectly that it does not even seem like it was written.

There's this great part towards the end, no spoilers, where Nicholai (Rostov) is praying for something and Tolstoy describes it something like this: And he prayed that X would happen, just like when he and Natasha were children and would pray that the snow would turn into ice cream and they would pray and run outside to taste the snow and see if their prayers were answered.

Tolstoy's similes are always god-tier. Not to mention he's better at describing death than any one. I don't know how anyone can describe death with such accuracy without having died.

>> No.2808108

>>2808082
>But Russians tend to be more compelling than anything. Same goes with Dostoevsky and Bulgakov.

I agree. Chekov is another author that really draws me in.

>> No.2808130
File: 1.40 MB, 3264x1840, 2012-07-14_10-28-12_658.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2808130

I just found a typo. Damn it OCD.

>> No.2808181

>>2808130
lol there were a few typos in my P&V translation.

Guess the editors are little shits. Tolstoy's wife wrote out W&P something like 7 or 8 times.

>> No.2808184

>>2808181
The edition isn't even that old. I'm sure they could have spellchecked it easily before publishing.

>> No.2808186

Does it use a really tiny print?

>> No.2808187

>>2808184
Yeaaaaah. I remember reading an amazon review and the person noted that there were more than enough typos.

I don't even.

>> No.2808198

I'm exactly the same with the rereading thing - the more dense the writing the more I end up rereading. It's annoying. I'm slightly OCD and it's probably related to that.

>> No.2808204

>>2808186
Yes. Here's a comparison, albeit not an exceptionally accurate one, to the print of The Trial. If I could quantify it, I would say it's about 8px font and The Trial is 10px.

>> No.2808207
File: 1.34 MB, 3264x1840, 2012-07-14_11-08-00_150.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2808207

>>2808204
Forgot the image.

>> No.2808211

Question about W&P:
I have an old copy of the Louise and Aylmer Maude translation, which apparently is pretty good for such an old translation. Should I just read this one, since I don't feel like buying another enormous copy of this book?

Or is the Pevear/Volohonsky (or another one) superly duperly better?

>> No.2808216

>>2808211
I've never read that edition, but P&V are generally considered the best translators of Russian literature. However, I don't think it's worth it to purchase another translation if what you have is fine.

The P&V edition has some extras in it that help the reader like: a character list in the beginning, notes to the chapters, a historical index, and chapter summaries in the back.

If you can get the translation for free by getting it from your public library or from a friend, I would say go for it.

>> No.2808222

>>2808211
Also
>superly duperly

>> No.2808223

question to all you russian lit fans, is it okay to read english translations or do you feel that there is substantive loss of content/style in translation?

>> No.2808227

Did you guys know that the original working title was "War what is it good for?"

>> No.2808233

>>2808223
Learning the language might take a bit of time. But I've always wondered this too, especially how translations to different languages reflect to the original work, ie. if other languages match it better than English for example.

>> No.2808238

>>2808227
That's false. The original title is "Война и миръ" which means War and (Mir?). I don't think Google Translates it accurately. That's simply a Seinfeld joke.

>> No.2808240

wow im glad to see theres some tolstoy love on this board right now

far and away my favorite author

PIERRE is so bad ass, andrei is the greatest pimp, nikolay going back and forth from whiny bitch to true bad ass to ultimately a great man is really satisfying as well

>> No.2808278

>>2808227
Yeah, my Russian lit prof told me the same.

>> No.2808283

>>2808223
Tolstoy transcends all translations. But I'm determined I'm going ot learn Russian just for Tolstoy.

He is that good.

And Russian women are hot as fuck.

>> No.2808289

>>2808278
Your Russian prof. is an idiot.

>> No.2808605

Read however fast you feel comfortable, it couldn't matter less.

Incidentally, I learnt Russian with War and Peace, a Russian-English dictionary and a Russian alphabet with the sounds next to the letters. After 3 readings cover to cover I was pretty much fluent, if a bit crap with pronunciation.

>> No.2808648

>>2808605
For real?
That's very impressive. I've been considering doing something like that to try and become fluent in French, since I can't read much more than roadsigns

>> No.2808650

>>2808605
>lalala I'm fluent in golden era Russian

>> No.2808675

>>2808289
> can't detect sarcasm
> giving 12 million dollars to Hideki Irabu

I srsly hope...

>> No.2808683

>>2808283

eh, they're hot but they're bitchy and snobby as fuck. they have no sense of humor and are very cheesy in their personal styles and the type of men they're attracted too. i used to think Russian broads were the shit, but living in a Russian neighborhood in Brooklyn blew that fantasy out of the water.

>> No.2808685

>>2808650
True, some stuff is pretty outdated, but with conversation and modern Russian books you learn what sounds odd and what doesn't.
>>2808648
I'd recommend it if you have enough time on your hands. Wouldn't be too difficult either, what with Latin alphabet

>> No.2808695

>>2808685
>True, some stuff is pretty outdated
The grammar and vocab is p different. Conversational Russian =! fluent.

>> No.2808728

>>2808695
As I say, I've picked up major differences and I'll admit to less than perfect grammar. Russians ask if I am from the baltics, I am pretty fluent

>> No.2808741

>>2808683
sadface

>> No.2808751

Just how fucking fat was Pierre?

Don't be afraid to post pics.