This review is so refreshing. It is a gift. You grant us an abundance of detail along the margins without spoiling the core. I strongly feel I have a greater sense of what this novel contains, and it's left me curious without you having oversold the work. I'm fairly sure I'm going to attempt Doderer's Strudlhof Steps first, but with the info you've offered I'll have a sense of what Strudlhof Steps only scratches the surface of and what The Demons might therefore fulfill. Thanks for all the work you put into this. You matched the book by creating your own symphony of thoughts here. I love that you're dabbling into bits of philosophy along the way. That noumena-phenomena distinction is an essential part of Kant; if you someday get around to Critique of Pure Reason, you may find Kant's use of that distinction for grander ends to be surprising. He makes a strong case that the bridge can never be crossed-since to perceive a thing in itself must be logically impossible (and it would take too long to describe here why)-and that distinction is itself a scaffold for far more fascinating arguments regarding synthetic a priori (and thus the basis for knowledge itself). Kant's work really is one of the few philosophical texts that live up to the hype. If you want a less time-consuming taste of the overarching purpose of his claims, check out Roger Scruton's A Very Short Introduction to Kant; he wrote the only synopsis I've seen that actually captures the budding arc of Kant's claims by keeping intact their ultimate goal (so many just sum up Kant's arguments in isolation).
I really appreciate the comment. The Strudlhof Steps might be a better starting point due to its size (albeit it's still a long book) and from my understanding it's a bit of a prequel to The Demons. And I absolutely butchered Kant's philosophy haha, but I have read his Critique of Pure Reason - I forgot to write any philosophy notes in connection to my book notes so my mind completely forgot the concept of noumena. I'm not a huge Kantian, but I'll likely revisit him in the future as I did enjoy Schopenhauer's World as Will and Representation - which, of course, is rooted in Kant's work
I am reading this book at the moment , but am only 200 pages in. However, I am so grateful for your bringing von Doderer to my attention. I know Austria well and this book really gets to the soul of the Austrians, even today. As a bassoonist I really relate to your orchestral analogy.
Thank you for this excellent review and analysis. I'm looking forward to reading it, even more! It really seems something I will really like. I think the way you talk about these books is absolutely wonderful and inspiring. Little remark (without reading the book yet, so...): when you mention the manuscript and the 'spelling mistakes' to give the impression of an ignorant scribe; don't forget that we didn't have a standarised spelling for a long, long time. I suspect the 'mistakes' are there not to suggest ignorance (for being able to write in itself was quite the feat) but merely to suggest antiquity.
Very interesting review and analysis, thank you. The covers of the books are lovely. I'm glad to learn about Wiseblood Books. Covers shouldn't matter, but a nice cover definitely makes me want to know more about the book. I found another title by this author that I may read sometime in the future. I relate to being unsure about suggesting a book. I'm never sure lol. I say that 4 out of 5 stars from me, means that I recommend the book to someone like me. That's the best I can do. It's so personal and hard to predict what books we like. Have a great week!
I agree, the cover can sway me and pique my interest! And this one is tough to recommend because I think readers will either find it compelling with others, while others I fear will DNF it before getting to the second volume 😂 especially because of the daunting length
Interesting analysis! Fireside chat is not what comes to mind when I think of Dostoevsky to be honest; maybe a chat in a burning building? I read this book a couple of months ago and walked away with similar feelings about it as you. I'm still not sure whether it was a masterpiece or just pretty good, but long stretches of it felt like seeing life on the page, which is not something I've experienced much with fiction before. Anyway, opinions will definitely be solidified on a re-read, which I'm strangely itching for already; perhaps after reading his other book? A part of me is hoping that poor Vincent Kling is hard at work in a cabin somewhere translating this one for NYRB too, as I'd prefer to read it again in a different translation.
Fireside chat as in narration told in a personal, linear format - longwinded, oral storytelling feel. I lean more towards this book being interesting and pretty good rather than a masterpiece, but I'm glad I read it
Understandable, but as I spent much of the video expressing, it’s not about the ending. All of my favorite books aren’t my favorites for their plot or ending - I think that’s a key element of literary fiction
@ I get it it, but it also didn’t seem to wow you in any facet, and for me a 1,600 page story must wow me in some sort of way. Otherwise it sounds just like going through the motions. Stoner is a great example of a story I read recently without a plot at all really that wowed me and gave me book hangover in under 300 pages.
This review is so refreshing. It is a gift. You grant us an abundance of detail along the margins without spoiling the core. I strongly feel I have a greater sense of what this novel contains, and it's left me curious without you having oversold the work. I'm fairly sure I'm going to attempt Doderer's Strudlhof Steps first, but with the info you've offered I'll have a sense of what Strudlhof Steps only scratches the surface of and what The Demons might therefore fulfill. Thanks for all the work you put into this. You matched the book by creating your own symphony of thoughts here.
I love that you're dabbling into bits of philosophy along the way. That noumena-phenomena distinction is an essential part of Kant; if you someday get around to Critique of Pure Reason, you may find Kant's use of that distinction for grander ends to be surprising. He makes a strong case that the bridge can never be crossed-since to perceive a thing in itself must be logically impossible (and it would take too long to describe here why)-and that distinction is itself a scaffold for far more fascinating arguments regarding synthetic a priori (and thus the basis for knowledge itself). Kant's work really is one of the few philosophical texts that live up to the hype. If you want a less time-consuming taste of the overarching purpose of his claims, check out Roger Scruton's A Very Short Introduction to Kant; he wrote the only synopsis I've seen that actually captures the budding arc of Kant's claims by keeping intact their ultimate goal (so many just sum up Kant's arguments in isolation).
I really appreciate the comment. The Strudlhof Steps might be a better starting point due to its size (albeit it's still a long book) and from my understanding it's a bit of a prequel to The Demons. And I absolutely butchered Kant's philosophy haha, but I have read his Critique of Pure Reason - I forgot to write any philosophy notes in connection to my book notes so my mind completely forgot the concept of noumena. I'm not a huge Kantian, but I'll likely revisit him in the future as I did enjoy Schopenhauer's World as Will and Representation - which, of course, is rooted in Kant's work
What a task, you did a great job elucidating all the many aspects that make up such an all-encompassing novel. I'm certainly intrigued.
I am reading this book at the moment , but am only 200 pages in. However, I am so grateful for your bringing von Doderer to my attention. I know Austria well and this book really gets to the soul of the Austrians, even today. As a bassoonist I really relate to your orchestral analogy.
Thank you for this excellent review and analysis. I'm looking forward to reading it, even more! It really seems something I will really like. I think the way you talk about these books is absolutely wonderful and inspiring.
Little remark (without reading the book yet, so...): when you mention the manuscript and the 'spelling mistakes' to give the impression of an ignorant scribe; don't forget that we didn't have a standarised spelling for a long, long time. I suspect the 'mistakes' are there not to suggest ignorance (for being able to write in itself was quite the feat) but merely to suggest antiquity.
True, that's likely the intention of the manuscript although it was a blend of antiquity and archaic language making for a tedious section for me haha
@@TheActiveMind1 Yeah, those passages are often grating!
Great vid man! Just finished it
Very interesting review and analysis, thank you. The covers of the books are lovely. I'm glad to learn about Wiseblood Books. Covers shouldn't matter, but a nice cover definitely makes me want to know more about the book. I found another title by this author that I may read sometime in the future. I relate to being unsure about suggesting a book. I'm never sure lol. I say that 4 out of 5 stars from me, means that I recommend the book to someone like me. That's the best I can do. It's so personal and hard to predict what books we like. Have a great week!
I agree, the cover can sway me and pique my interest! And this one is tough to recommend because I think readers will either find it compelling with others, while others I fear will DNF it before getting to the second volume 😂 especially because of the daunting length
Interesting analysis! Fireside chat is not what comes to mind when I think of Dostoevsky to be honest; maybe a chat in a burning building? I read this book a couple of months ago and walked away with similar feelings about it as you. I'm still not sure whether it was a masterpiece or just pretty good, but long stretches of it felt like seeing life on the page, which is not something I've experienced much with fiction before. Anyway, opinions will definitely be solidified on a re-read, which I'm strangely itching for already; perhaps after reading his other book? A part of me is hoping that poor Vincent Kling is hard at work in a cabin somewhere translating this one for NYRB too, as I'd prefer to read it again in a different translation.
Fireside chat as in narration told in a personal, linear format - longwinded, oral storytelling feel. I lean more towards this book being interesting and pretty good rather than a masterpiece, but I'm glad I read it
Thank you for this, was interested when I saw your unboxing video, but 1,600 pages for a meh ending, I think I’ll pass.
Understandable, but as I spent much of the video expressing, it’s not about the ending. All of my favorite books aren’t my favorites for their plot or ending - I think that’s a key element of literary fiction
@ I get it it, but it also didn’t seem to wow you in any facet, and for me a 1,600 page story must wow me in some sort of way. Otherwise it sounds just like going through the motions. Stoner is a great example of a story I read recently without a plot at all really that wowed me and gave me book hangover in under 300 pages.