My routine, much like how I tackled the beast of Ulysses, is to read about 4 pages a day. So that means I have at least 82 days to go. So that would be around November 23rd...just in time for Thanksgiving Break. And that's if I don't get off pace.
The prose of GR is dense. There's over 400 characters that come in and out of the narrative. There's numerous digressions that go down bewildering rabbit holes. I don't understand much of what I read. But I understand more of it than I did of Ulysses. And I am enjoying it more. I do find it fascinating at time. At other times...frustrating.
I like this new model: reading a notoriously long and difficult classic a little at a time. This allows me to read other books for enjoyment at the same time. I'm also currently reading Utopia Avenue, David Mitchell's newest book. I also started re-reading Love Wins by Rob Bell.
Reading a tough work a little at time helps me not to become overwhelmed and overly frustrated. When I'm in the middle of a particularly dense section I know that I don't have much to get through if I'm only reading four pages. If a passage is particularly enjoyable I can wander past the four page mark at my leisure.
I think I already have my next tough work in line after Gravity's Rainbow. I think I'm going to give Swann's Way by Proust a shot. I've read portions of Remembrance of Things Past but never done the deep dive of going all the way in. I have a copy of Swann's Way that I bought at the same library book sale where I procured GR. So that will be next.
Onward to November 23rd!
