Sons and Lovers....

The first three chapters of this book present a highly wrought relationship between a woman of social standing and her lower class miner husband. Their relationship is fraught with violence and heat. The depth and complexity of the relationship between these two individuals cannot be overstated, she loves him and despises him. He cherishes her and resents her. From this chaos is born three sons and a daughter. At this point in the story it is the eldest son, William, who most cherishes and revers his mother. He stands for her and cannot survive without her. The other two sons are infants, however, even in their early years, their connection to their mother is undeniable. The husband is absent, in fact he is painted as a drunk who cares little for his family, expect when shamed into his feelings. When his second son is born he isn't even present. Instead he arrives home, greets his child briefly and retires to another part of the home. His small efforts at being a family man fail miserably and he seeks solace in his drink which further enrages his wife.

My plan for continuously posting about Sons and Lovers was a bust. I finished this novel weeks ago and really just wanted to say a couple of things about it. I loved this story. For the first time in my life, a depiction of death in a novel actually made me think about my own mortality. I found the relationships in this story to be compelling and thoughtfully presented. I had empathy for each character and grew to love most and dislike others. I would certainly reread this story and suggest to anyone who has not yet picked up this classic, go forth and drink up some D.H. Lawrence! I am remiss to write more, as I've got two more pieces to comment on whilst my Kindle charges.....

My next selection...

Is D.H. Lawrence's Sons and Lovers. Originally published in 1913, this novel is considered Lawrence's earliest masterpiece. This novel tells the tale of Paul Morel, and his struggles to escape the ties of his mother. While I'm only partway into this book, I am already enjoying it. The short amount of research I've done indicates that this may be a partially autobiographical tale and makes me want to know more of D.H. Lawrence and his life. I am specifically curious about his connection to his own mother, simply because of the complex relationships he is already creating between the matriarch of this family and the sons especially.

I'm assuming that this title will take some time to pour through, it is lengthy and is certainly not something that can be glossed through and appreciated. As such I am thinking that with the close of each chapter I may try to post some of my thoughts... I guess we'll see where that takes me.....

A great read...

Sir Max Beerbohm's Seven Men was a joy to read. It presented the reader with an interesting view of what writing does to a writer. Through the stories of these different writers and through his own story, Beerbohm explores the ego of the author and describes the great lengths to which a writer will go to further his career.

I especially enjoyed the tale of Enoch Soames who traded his soul to the devil to catch a glimpse of his own remembrances. The twist in this tale caused me to take pause and recognize with what ease one might live for the future and while doing so forsake the present. Soames left the realm of the living destroyed and dejected despite the efforts of his champion to change his will.

I also liked the tale of trickery that unfolded in Hilary Maltby and Stephen Braxton, that explored the guilty conscious of one of the writers. Beerbohm eloquently explored the effects of the guilty mind on the well-being and health of the human behind that mind.

Beerbohm creates with Seven Men a series of intricate tales of caution, of what to be wary of and of what not to become. With these stories he illustrates how one's passion can indeed overcome one's life, and that without moderation, the self actually becomes lost. His ability to infuse comedy into his writing made Seven Men a quick and easy read that really is a masterpiece. This is certainly a novel to which I will often return.