IN HOT WATER - AGAIN
Oh dear, I’ve put my foot in it – again. If you read my last blog you’ll know that I’ve never been able to read Don Quixote by Cervantes – a great classic of world literature. It occurred to me that if I were ever stranded on a desert island it might be good to have a copy of Don Quixote with me so that, at last, I might be able to study it as it deserves to be studied. I said I found it difficult. I always fall asleep when I try to read it. I don’t understand the humour, either. All of those things are, I readily admit, my fault – not Cervantes’.
But it was all a bit too much for Paco (see ‘Comments’ on the blog). He wants to meet me with pistols at dawn to defend the honour of Spanish culture in general and Cervantes’ great work in particular. Paco, it’s only a book. And I am almost certainly wrong, wrong, wrong: not clever enough; not studious enough; not diligent enough; simply not capable of appreciating the greatness of a book which is loved and revered by millions (possibly billions) of people around the world. That was my reason for choosing to take it with me to my desert island – so that, at last, I might learn to understand this great work of art.
Believe me, Paco, and anyone else who thought I was insulting Spanish literature, I was not. Actually, I was doing exactly the opposite.
Think I’d better shut up now for a while. Going to curl up with a good book (but I’m not going to tell you which one!) before going out for my Burns’ Night supper.
Have a great weekend!
I’ll try to blog once more before 31st.
All the best,
STEPHEN
PS: Many thanks for all your generous comments, Kirsti, Ana-Paula, Anita... I'll respond directly in my last blog.
SOME USEFUL WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
(to be) in hot water
to be in trouble
to put your foot in it
to do or say something wrong or embarrassing
stranded
abandoned; stuck
deserves
If a book ‘deserves’ to be studied that means it should be studied because it has some particular value.
pistols at dawn
This expression comes from ‘duelling’, a practice particularly common in France during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. If two noblemen had a disagreement they could solve it by duelling – fighting each other with either pistols (guns) or rapiers (swords). It was common for these fights (duels) to take place at dawn.
clever
intelligent
studious
A studious person spends a lot of time reading and studying.
diligent
Someone who is diligent works hard and carefully.
capable of appreciating
able to appreciate [note the construction with a change of preposition]
revered
greatly respected and admired
Comments
Hello Stephen. When I yesterday sent you a comment, what I said was said on the spur of the momment, and I can tell you that neither I was defending the honour of Spanish culture nor did I want to meet you with pistols at dawn. What it was in my mind when I sent you that comment was, as the Spanish saying goes: "Si no tienes nada bueno que decir, !cállate¡" in English "If you have nothing good to say, !shut up". And I can tell, you said nothing good about Don Quijote. See you soon
Oh yes, Cervantes might deserve to be studied carefully. I don't know, we are in the same boat, I've never read this classic. Let's escape from Paco now we've got a boat, Stephen.
Hallo, Stephen! I had a similar problem with Don Quixote as you. I tried to read this book when I was 15 years old. I simply didn't understand it. Then I tried to read it in my twenties and thirties and had a failure again. At last I chose Don Quixote as a birthday present for myself on my 40th birthday. I found spare time and quiet place and read it and enjoyed it. Yes! It's a great book with sophisticated humour and really deserves to be studied. It's a good idea to do it on the desert island. Don't give up!
My favourite book is 'A Prayer for Owen Meany' by John Irving. But actually I won't take it with me and won't read one more time because it is my heart. I read it in Latvian very long time and when I finished readind I was so supprized - everything has meaning in our life and you don't need to travel far to find answers to questions that are important for you. Usually I finish every book I started because all the best comes at the end. But one book is unfinished - it is 'Martin Iden' by Jack London. I can not remember a reason, I think I was very busy this time. I remember discussion about this book with my friends- they mention that he sunk. May be it is better to leave him alive in my mind.
Hi Stephan , What are you up to? How was your 2008 , my Burns’ Night . I hope you enjoyed alot . I read all your recent Blogs , they were wonderful, altough i 'm in the completely dark about music .Any way i can't wait for your next Blog . see you later and bye
Hello rich Stephen :-) First of all, I think I should apologize to you. Many many times before, when I mentioned your blog I used ‘essay’. From your blog (20 January), I first knew that when we talked about ‘a short piece of paper of writing on one particular subject written by a student’ we could say ‘essay’. But I believe you knew that I had no offence and in my heart you are a great teacher and, I like your blog VERY much! Stephen, do you know that credit card is getting more and more popular in China? But it’s not as popular as in European countries. Do you encourage young generation to use it? Last week I received my credit card bill and I was still in shock from the number (a small number for you, but too much for me). I just wonder if I paid by cash, maybe I wouldn’t buy so many things. Does using credit card make us spend more money? Should I continue using or throw it away? I’m sad to read that if you ruled the world, you’d pick nothing in China. If it were me who ruled the world, I’d nominate Mr. Stephen Keeler as my private English teacher. Don’t get angry… I’ll continue reading your blog with great joy. See you later. Take care. Jill.
I regret to have written the first comment of this entry. It wasn't me who wrote it, but my hurt pride. See you soon.
Hello,Paco,I agree that Don Quixot is one of the most attractive characters in world literature - brave,naive,noble,helpless...You probably remember learning literature at school,weren't you encouraged to discuss? I can still remember our heated arguments over Russian classic novels and poetry,especially books by L.Tolstoy,Mayakovskiy,Yesenin,Lermontov etc. I belive we should say thank you to Stephen who reminded us about classic literature and this outstanding book.
Hi Stephen, Phew~ after explaining, I hope everything is coming back to the peace.. well, I really enjoyed that you share your interests about your habits, taste of life style and that make me feel I am not a frog in a well. I have more information to search and gain more view of my personal space whether they are the same as mine or completely th other side of the world :-) Hmm... I wish you will share more your experience to us (if you are still willing to share with pouring out words in a steady flow) SIncerely
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