Monday, August 27, 2007

Ingeborg Bachmann


I've been thinking about this 'project'?, 'idea'? of reading for a second or third time books that have somehow haunted me for several years. Naturally these are novels... What strange thing happens when one goes through the pages of a book read years ago? Sometimes I go back to a book and remember exactly the page, the paragraph... I know that I'm looking for a specific line in the upper part of the left page...

"Is there such a thing as the expropriation of intellectual property? Does the victim of such expropriation, should it indeed exist, have recourse to final deliberation? Is it still worth it?
I might ask about the most impossible things. Who invented writing? What is writing? Is it a property? Who first demanded expropriation?"

"... I'll sleep on my questions in a deep intoxication. I'll worship animals in the night. I'll lay violent hands on the holiest icons, I'll clutch at all lies, I'll grow bestial in my dreams and will allow myself to be slaughtered like a beast"

Excerpts from 'Malina'

Anyone interested in this unique and precious author, go to 'Flowerville' blog, the most inspiring blog (to me).

5 comments:

* said...

that is a very kind thing of you to say. you chose some great quotes of her.
there is still the 5th poetic lecture that i did not summarize. I will do this in some time.

Anonymous said...

Of course Antonia, it's true. And the lectures, great! That would be wonderful. Is there access to the previous ones? I'd like to re read them all again. That's such an important project, especially for us non german readers.

Anonymous said...

I've been meaning to tell you that also and forgot, i finally finished Lispector's Apple book and love it a lot, it is so great, this great knowledge of the human soul and I loved this relationship of the man to the silent plants and in general I think it is a very generous book, very generous, like all great art, like Proust leads you more to yourself, it is a gift, the book gives you back to yourself and even gives you some innocence back and peace of mind and gratitude for being able to experience such great works of art, and just im geneal gratitude for being alive, for every moment.

Nico said...

Yes Antonia, I think that too... It's a peculiarly profound narrative, especially since it is depressing, but just very powerful and, for me, full of vertigoes, because it goes further and further. I am forever struck by Lispector's intelligence that borders the mystic. The Apple in the dark is my favorite novel, but her other works are really really shocking too. But Apple is, I think I told you this, like a Manifesto for living, feeling, perceiving. It's so condensed and poetic. I'm very glad as well as happily surprised with people that enjoy reading, and going farther than the usual 'musts'. I'm naturally thinking of the interest some have to 'alien' literatures. Thanks for your comment, and thanks for the 'lectures'. I shall enjoy them!

Nico said...

I meant to say 'since it is NOT depressing'!