Not what had been hoped.

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Some things were done yesterday. Nothing like what had been planned. I simply had no juice. Early on it looked like I could do it, it just did not work out that way. Today is another chance. I did stay up late enough. When I woke this morning, I thought I had overslept to 8:30, but it was actually 6:00. I am never sure if morning mistakes are due to dreaming or just not being awake enough to figure things out right, but they can be sort of a little fun jab at the human condition which allow me an early chuckle. And yeah, I like those.

I started reading "Heretic" by G.K. Chesterton last night. Now, if you have never read Chesterton, as I have not, the initial contact is a bit rough. From his writing style to other aspects of whatever cause, it is rather difficult to get an initial grip on his work. Oh, and he is English, very English. So English that I do not think he understands English (our English). If you are used to finer teas, try the favored brands of British tea sometime to get a literal taste of what I mean. No, not putting him or their tea down, merely noting this. Further, he wrote this book in 1905 with this copy being a copy of the final edition, published in 1919. I can never be sure which complication to reading, the author's style and nature, the time period, or his nationality is at the root of occasional befuddlement. I only know it can be rather confusing.

In spite of one of us not quite reading or writing English just so, the material does clarify itself, oddly. It might be akin to putting very wet mud through a filter system that finishes with very good drinking water. That is no mean feet. I am not exactly an English major if too I am not a simpleton. Still, I was impressed by how he did that. A literary hat trick. My guess is that half of the people who pick up the book read a few lines or pages then drop it off at the nearest place they can find and, if technically required to read it, simply by a dumbed down version. People often do that with Shakespeare as well. At least having read Shakespeare (and enjoyed it a bit), I can at least see that. Shakespeare is nowhere near as well defined as Chesterton (so far, admittedly, and I did most of my Shakespeare reading as a rather young lad so there is room for debate, lots of room). I read as I was going to bed. I had to almost force my eyes open to read the last two chapters. And it was still clear, as was my interest. It was merely my body that was ready to sleep.

Why begin with "Heretic"? Well, I have seen three places recently where "Orthodox" by G.K. Chesterton was prescribed as reading. After having done a little research, I found that "Orthodox" was actually the second part in a series. If not literally, it was written in response to "Heretic". "Heretic" is a book lamenting modernism, or describing what is wrong with modern thought, philosophy, or such. What it did not contain was what the author thought was good and what should be or could be contemplated positively. Therefore "Orthodoxy" was born. Now, how accurate all this is, I cannot say. I have read a mere fraction of the book. Further, I am ignorant of the authors who he discusses other than their names. However, I do believe what I am seeing so far is precisely what is described. So, rather than start with a book which is recommended but was produced as a result of a previous work, I decided to start from the start. Foolish, perhaps, but I like things just so. If I obtain knowledge through research, I then naturally order things according to my ways. That, in a nutshell the size of Manhattan, is why.

All of my Chesterton books have arrived. None of the T.S. Elliot series or collections are here yet. I suspect that between work (when I can do it), my ongoing reading of the bible, and the reading of one (or maybe two) books if Elliot's books arrives, will see me to better standing in no time. If I figure out how to get into college, it would not be a bad thing to keep these reading habbits in line as well then too. It is about time I got back on the reading train.

Well, a bit of tinkering, a little breakfast, and maybe a load to the storage and laundry if the place is not packed. Ah, and a book will go with me. Last laundry it was the bible, this time I think Chesterton will accompany me, in his slimmer form. I have to wonder what a conversation with him would have been like. Samuel L. Clemens is another author with whom I might, or might not, have enjoyed conversing. But those two interest me the most, as perhaps having personality to go along with their writing. Though I am guessing they were a bit moody too, among other things. Though I really have no room for criticism in this arena. Hmph!

Have a great day!