The Sheltering Sky

[qimissung]

I'm reading this; it will go toward my 2012 list of (12) books by an author whom I have not yet read. Scher is going to join me in reading this story of three young travelers "adrift in the cities and deserts of North Africa after WWII."

This story is fantastic! Bowles writes marvelously, and he is a master at depicting psycological nuance and a close character study. Maybe the best I've read next to Jane Austen, in my opinion.

Would anybody else care to join us in our journey?

[Lulim]

I've read "The Sheltering Sky" a couple of years ago and loved it. Do you know the movie picture by Bernardo Bertolucci (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sheltering_Sky_%28film%29).

Do you have any date yet, for reading the book?

[mal4mac]

It's on my shelf, keep on meaning to read it. Just read Steven Weinberg's "Dreams of a Final Theory" and he starts chapter eleven with a long quote from this novel. This is a superb chapter, by the way. A really bleak statement of strong atheism from a great physicist. It's really bleak because he doesn't think there is any spiritual comfort anywhere, and certainly not from his own subject... Brian Cox it isn't...

P.S. the rest of the book isn't great. Weinberg is on record as saying he doesn't write in a way for people to understand physics, just throws in a few things that they might like to drop into conversations at dinner parties. It sure reads that way!

[qimissung]

Lulim, I think we can start reading it and talking about it anytime. I just started it last week. Would you like to join us, and if so, what time frame did you have in mind?

I am familiar with the movie. I always wanted to see it, but haven't yet. I'm glad I'll have read the book first.

What does he quote, may I ask, mal4mac? He is certainly not obligated to write for the masses. I guess he chose to write for a smaller, more select audience. I know nothing of physics; some concepts would be interesting, but they would have to be carefully explained.

[mal4mac]

What does he quote, may I ask, mal4mac? He is certainly not obligated to write for the masses. I guess he chose to write for a smaller, more select audience. I know nothing of physics; some concepts would be interesting, but they would have to be carefully explained.

You can see it here: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OLrZkgPsZR0, and read enough of the chapter to get the context.

I have a physics degree, but it is very rusty and never reached the heights of advanced quantum field theory. Weinberg's "Dreams" is definitely aimed at the layman, and his rather cynical view of writing for the layman is outlined by Tony Zee in a new introduction to Feynman's "QED":

"When Steve Weinberg suggested in 1984 that I write a popular physics book and arranged for me to meet his editor in New York he gave me a useful piece of advice. He said that most physicists who wrote such books could not resist the urge of explaining everything while the lay reader only wanted to have the illusion of understanding and to catch a few buzz words to throw around at cocktail parties."

http://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/members/PM/zee/feynman.html

As I didn't understand Weinberg's technical details, I was worried that my brain wasn't just rusty but totally jammed up - so it was good to read that Weinberg wasn't attempting to convey any serious understanding!

Anyway, this is in danger of going off thread!

I started reading "The Sheltering Sky" and so far I am finding it rather amusing. I'm only up to chapter 8... I hope it gets a bit "deeper", it's a bit like "Carry On Existentialists" at the moment. A lot more fun than Sartre though...

[Lulim]

@qimissung, I'll try to join you. I am about to finish a book, so perhaps next week? (I'm a very slow reader.)

[qimissung]

That would be fine, Lulim-I'm looking forward to it.

[Scheherazade]

Thank you for starting this thread, Qimi.

I will start it tomorrow... Finishing another book today - hopefully.

[qimissung]

Hi Scher and Lulim, and anyone else who is interested in discussing "The Sheltering Sky." I have a few questions which I garnered from other sites and I will present them here as a springboard for discussion. Everyone of course is free to ask their own questions or head off into another area of interest. I will attempt to keep the questions in the area where people are currently reading.

First:

Why are they there? The Moresby’s? The Lyles? What are their relationships to the native peoples, culture & landscape?

I got this question from the following website which had some interesting insights. The author indicated that there is a strong streak of existentialism in the book. How do you see this presented in the characters, their actions, their various fates? (see the quote below)


http://astrangerheremyself.blogspot.com/2007/09/bowles-sheltering-sky-discussion.html



“ BAD FAITH is the attempt to escape anguish by pretending to ourselves that we are not free. We try to convince ourselves that our attitudes and actions are determined by our character, our situation, our role in life, or anything other than ourselves." Sartre

[Scheherazade]

I have read 1/3 of the book so far and I have to admit that, even though I enjoy the author's style, I am not thrilled by the theme. I think now I can easily declare that "travel" type of books are not my cup of tea. I cannot seem to empathise with this feeling of restlessness which is present in books mostly written by the American authors. Possibly something cultural I cannot come to grips with.

This is in a way related to your question as well, Qimi.
Why are they there? The Moresby’s? The Lyles? What are their relationships to the native peoples, culture & landscape?To me, they seem like they are trying to get away (if not running away) from their own culture and life in their respective countries. Especially in the case of the Lyles, they have no respect for the countries and cultures they visit; however, they do not wish to stay away from them either... Does that mean they prefer it to their own?

I also find it interesting that Mrs Lyle feels no connection to the places and people about whom she writes books. How reliable can her books be when she is so prejudiced?


“ BAD FAITH is the attempt to escape anguish by pretending to ourselves that we are not free. We try to convince ourselves that our attitudes and actions are determined by our character, our situation, our role in life, or anything other than ourselves." SartreLike the quote very much but not sure how it relates to the events to the events in the book yet. Will come back to it later on.

Thanks for posting these, Qimi :)

[mal4mac]

I just finished the book and wasn't that impressed by the first 1/3 either - at that point, I agree, they just seemed like lost drifters who couldn't connect with the locals. But persevere, eventually one character plunges into the environment. The last 1/3 was scintillating...

[Scheherazade]

Is anyone liking any of the characters in this book?

I find them tremendously annoying...

[Lulim]

I'm afraid I can't participate right now.

[Buh4Bee]

If I can, I'll join. I looked this book up too and it looks very good. I am reading The Plague, but once I am done and get a copy, I'll start.

[Buh4Bee]

Got the book, but I have to finish The Plague. It'll be nice to follow the thread, at least.

[Buh4Bee]

Are people still reading this? The conversation kind of fizzled. I have been reading the book and I rather like it.

[mal4mac]

Is anyone liking any of the characters in this book?

I find them tremendously annoying...

They are crazy mixed up kids, but I can't say I found them annoying, more exasperating and amusing. I quite liked the female lead, found her adventures quite intriguing, and was rooting for her.

I also thought the novel was well written, exciting, and gave a powerful impression of the strange Arabic world in which the main events occur. Unlike too many novels, it actually got better as it went on. And it wasn't too bad to start with; so this is a winner, for me.

[Buh4Bee]

I also like Kit. She's a slave to her own demons, but tries to keep her head above water. I think she has inner strength that will be revealed later in the book. At this point, Tunner is still a pretty superficial character. Lastly, I'm still trying to develop an opinion about Kit's husband. But overall, I think he is pretty much a big jerk. I can't cut them too much slack, since they aren't that young- mid twenties? They know what they are doing and have plenty of time to think about achieving what they want.

[novelsryou]

The book is on top of my queue.

[Buh4Bee]

By this point in my reads, I have fully determined that Porter is a prick. He visits two brothels and decides to leave his wife, but hasn't at this point. I'll share quote in the morning.

[mal4mac]

I can't cut them too much slack, since they aren't that young- mid twenties? They know what they are doing and have plenty of time to think about achieving what they want.

For me that is "that young" :) I'm prepared to cut them slack, I was probably that daft; several people I knew certainly were! Remember this was written in a seriously slack time... so cut those crazy proto-hippies some!

Maybe mid-twenties are more grown up these days... I look at the mid-twenties in "the Apprentice" and they seem like forty... and serious forty at that...