tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post5872814911567242754..comments2024-03-29T03:04:00.853-05:00Comments on Wuthering <br>Expectations: Francis Parkman is boringAmateur Reader (Tom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-48346312137940582132011-12-19T08:50:34.349-06:002011-12-19T08:50:34.349-06:00I've read a healthy chunk of Parkman's his...I've read a healthy chunk of Parkman's histories now - <i>The Conspiracy of Pontiac</i> and four of the seven <i>France and England in North America</i> books. So far, so good. The crazy adventure stories of <i>The Jesuits in North America</i> and <i>La Salle and the Discovery of the Great West</i> are great places to dive in - not remotely boring.Amateur Reader (Tom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-32258570631548234022011-12-19T00:22:07.881-06:002011-12-19T00:22:07.881-06:00I'm reading Parkman's Seinfeld episode now...I'm reading Parkman's <em>Seinfeld</em> episode now, and I think it's fantastic. If this is "about nothing" or "boring," please give me another serving of that. Btw, did you ever read any of Parkman's histories? I think I'm becoming interested in reading more by the guy on a grand scale. Also, glad to hear that you rate <em>Two Years Before the Mast</em> so highly. My dad sent me a copy a couple of years ago, but maybe he meant me to read it in 2012 instead of the year that he sent it.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-88177386976299108672009-10-25T21:00:08.030-05:002009-10-25T21:00:08.030-05:00Jane, I do think The Oregon Trail is a great book....Jane, I do think <i>The Oregon Trail</i> is a great book. I'd rank it a notch below <i>Two Years Before the Mast</i> and the first volume of George Catlin and the Lewis and Clark journal. By rank, I mean as a literary work.<br /><br />There's another reason to read it, though: as an entry into <i>France and England in North America</i>, Parkman's epic of the American forest. That's one way I'm using it this time.<br /><br />Completely agree about the imaginary editor. Parkman was writing at a time when simply <i>going</i> somewhere (and then bothering to write about it) was interesting enough.Amateur Reader (Tom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-1654170585374082512009-10-25T17:00:20.043-05:002009-10-25T17:00:20.043-05:00I've always meant to read this book--now I'...I've always meant to read this book--now I'm curious as to whether I will like it or not. <br /><br />I can only imagine what an agent/publisher would suggest today to make it more of a story! :)JaneGShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11094501834387622997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-15269720807033703132009-10-25T12:33:11.212-05:002009-10-25T12:33:11.212-05:00Chrees, thanks for the offer - my library has a co...Chrees, thanks for the offer - my library has a copy & I'm going to take a look.Amateur Reader (Tom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-75983468250472884482009-10-24T23:20:49.043-05:002009-10-24T23:20:49.043-05:00OK, if you really want to keep the category of &qu...OK, if you really want to keep the category of "boring," feel free to do so. [g]Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10233846613173866140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-59913680020796128752009-10-23T17:00:16.570-05:002009-10-23T17:00:16.570-05:00Plant foods - almost none. I'm not sure he was...Plant foods - almost none. I'm not sure he was good with plants. There's this, though, about a man who got separated from his Oregon-bound party and wandered around for 33 days:<br /><br />"All this time he had subsisted on crickets and lizards, wild onions, and three eggs which he found in the nest of a prairie dove" (Ch 11).Amateur Reader (Tom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-6088887502764203052009-10-23T16:59:06.164-05:002009-10-23T16:59:06.164-05:00The Chamberlain book is like sitting down at the b...The Chamberlain book is like sitting down at the bar with a known b-s'er...you don't believe most of what he says, but he's still entertaining.<br /><br />Even as skewed history, it's an interesting look at someone who rode with the Glanton gang. If interested, drop me an email and I can arrange to get it to you.Dwighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13688525659034403580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-39658977704750820412009-10-23T15:21:26.985-05:002009-10-23T15:21:26.985-05:00Parkman mention any plant foods?Parkman mention any plant foods?Sparkling Squirrelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10899640164757220074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-30257835025394744952009-10-23T15:09:45.461-05:002009-10-23T15:09:45.461-05:00John Unruh, The Plains Across (1979), yes, a great...John Unruh, <i>The Plains Across</i> (1979), yes, a great book. Still the place to start for the study of the Oregon and California migration. Sad story: the book is Unruh's dissertation. He died of a brain tumor before it was published.<br /><br />Fred, I do not want to give up the category of "boring book"! It's much too useful. Boring books are more common than not, I'm afraid. Strange that I somehow almost exclusively read non-boring books.<br /><br />This leads to Stefanie's comment - real life is like that, yes, but then why read a book about it unless something extraordinary happens? I mean, we know the answer to that, right, but I see the point.<br /><br />Chrees, how is the Samuel Chamberlain book? I kind of know what's in it, but is it good-as-literature, or just good-as-history?Amateur Reader (Tom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-86061192486157535272009-10-22T18:43:16.703-05:002009-10-22T18:43:16.703-05:00A valuable reading companion while reading Parkman...A valuable reading companion while reading Parkman's book is John D. Unruh's on life on the Oregon Trail. Although it is by a modern college professor it has the feel of someone who was there. It can give a valuable second eye on the period and place. The title may be Across the Plains, or maybe Life on the Oregon Trail. It's hell to get old!<br />GlennAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-25614304194281225272009-10-22T13:12:47.032-05:002009-10-22T13:12:47.032-05:00Maybe he should have included a vampire or somethi...Maybe he should have included a vampire or something.<br /><br />It's interesting to compare Parkman to someone like Samuel Chamberlain. In <i>My Confession</i> he singlehandedly saves the day in almost every situation.Dwighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13688525659034403580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-35224326592547769912009-10-22T10:55:15.602-05:002009-10-22T10:55:15.602-05:00That's the difference between an account of th...That's the difference between an account of the daily life and the fictionalized accounts found in novels and films. <br /><br />It's the difference between expanding one's horizons and getting the adrenaline pumping. <br /><br />Calling a work "boring" usually tells me more about the individaul than it tells me about the work.Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10233846613173866140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383938214852108244.post-77100192380678486352009-10-22T10:24:11.189-05:002009-10-22T10:24:11.189-05:00Sounds like a lot happens to me, maybe it isn'...Sounds like a lot happens to me, maybe it isn't dramatic, but real life seldom is. Just because nothing happens to Parkman doesn't mean nothing happens and I think you make the point very well.Stefaniehttp://somanybooksblog.comnoreply@blogger.com