Recent Readings

Recently the book has taken on a little more of an approach that seems similar to a novel's style. It still jumps around at a rate and to places that leave the reader a little lost. But it's now much more linked together and makes sense, with some themes carrying over. For instance the critics, especially, DR Enid Starkie, who is now mentioned in more than one chapter. He also adds a little more of Flaubert's opinion. This book is becoming harder to write about as I find myself not developing much of an opinion about it. It's simply this work of fiction on another mans works and life. I guess that's the thing that really catches my attention is that this whole time we're reading this book, we have to consider all the information and think, "is this fact about Flaubert true?" I personally find myself intrigued of this idea of writing lies inside of lies, so to speak, or maybe it is all truth inside of lies, where all the facts of Flaubert's life are true, and just that the storyteller Geoffrey is not real. It makes the story more interesting if your opinion changes page by page, I find Flaubert to be quite amusing, and cynical in a way I strongly relate too. But at the same time I have to wonder if he really was this cynical, or if it's simply Julian Barne's way of presenting him. Either way I enjoy reading this book and especially the debates I have with myself about the validity of the information presented in it.