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ejazhusseini's review against another edition
5.0
The Naïve and Sentimental Novelists review: of reading and writing, learn from the master…
By: Orhan Pamuk
Genre: Non-Fiction/Writing
Published: 2010 (pages 179)
There are things we learn in life through being taught. Grammar, different subjects, technical skills, sports, using tech, etc. are the examples of this type of learning. Then there are things we learn on our own, like life lessons, making friends, having conversations, falling in love, and getting good at things we are passionate about. And while the former comes with its specific guidelines and rules, which could be taught further, the latter could only be felt so much on our own, and therefore lack any concrete way of passing on the knowledge to others. I learned English in an academy, but I learned to write through a completely solo experience which included reading, writing, and thinking about writing. But because I lack concrete knowledge about writing, I don’t know what my writing needs to improve, and am stuck at writing in the same way and hate it. Having always desired writing classes or mentors, I’ve been bitterly disappointed at the unavailability of such classes. However, books as always have answered to my needs once again. Although my very first book on the art of writing and reading, I not only thoroughly enjoyed reading this masterful book, but was also able to sense too how good it was. ‘Understanding what happens when we write and read novels’ says the subtitle of this book, and captures articulately the whole of this book. Reading, though on its own has always been a most joyous activity for me, when explained here with the influence it has on our minds while we read, and then its impact on our lives as we read more, is just absolutely marvelous. On the other hand, writing, too, is as much of complex, beautiful, and profound experience as reading. Writing and reading, I realized as I read this book, have a lot more in common that I could’ve ever imagined. No wonder it is important, and natural, for every writer to read, and read a lot. From the very first chapter, in which Pamuk explains what our minds do when we read novels, every passionate reader who has read enough novels, would find himself mesmerized in the details on his own mind for every time he/she read a novel. Drawing on Friedrich Schiller’s distinction between naïve – spontaneous, and sentimental – reflective and aware – writers and readers, Pamuk goes in deeper to shows two unique way to processing and composing novels. Under this dichotomy, Pamuk also discusses one of the mysteries of reading a novel, which I until now thought specific to myself, that how much of a novel is the writer’s imagination and how much of it is his real experiences. And he explains how deep and important this interplay between novel’s fictional world and its appeal to our real lives, as well as the one between the writer as he writes the novel keeping the reader in mind and the reader who then reads the novel while thinking what the writer thought when he wrote this, actually is. Continue reading, and we see how learned and passionate a writer and a reader is Pamuk himself, as he starts explaining parts of his book through his own journey of reading, writing, and thinking about the art of both in his thirty-five year’s of writing, and longer years of reading. I always thought about how much a writer has to read before he becomes one, and while I didn’t get any specific number, I certainly understood that a lot has to be read before one starts to write. Pamuk’s sheer knowledge and understanding of much of the classical works of English literature, and the changing meaning of novel in history since its emergence as a work of art, is almost overwhelming, but in a good way. Pamuk explains, through his own comprehensive and convincing understanding, the literary character, time, plot, and words, pictures, and the fascinating link between museum and novels, and eventually comes to explore the idea and driving force of ‘the center’ in a novel. One can’t help but fall under the influence of the master, and believe, that from him one can learn the art of novel – both reading and the writing of it.
Ratings: 5/5 ***** (September 4, 2020)
By: Orhan Pamuk
Genre: Non-Fiction/Writing
Published: 2010 (pages 179)
There are things we learn in life through being taught. Grammar, different subjects, technical skills, sports, using tech, etc. are the examples of this type of learning. Then there are things we learn on our own, like life lessons, making friends, having conversations, falling in love, and getting good at things we are passionate about. And while the former comes with its specific guidelines and rules, which could be taught further, the latter could only be felt so much on our own, and therefore lack any concrete way of passing on the knowledge to others. I learned English in an academy, but I learned to write through a completely solo experience which included reading, writing, and thinking about writing. But because I lack concrete knowledge about writing, I don’t know what my writing needs to improve, and am stuck at writing in the same way and hate it. Having always desired writing classes or mentors, I’ve been bitterly disappointed at the unavailability of such classes. However, books as always have answered to my needs once again. Although my very first book on the art of writing and reading, I not only thoroughly enjoyed reading this masterful book, but was also able to sense too how good it was. ‘Understanding what happens when we write and read novels’ says the subtitle of this book, and captures articulately the whole of this book. Reading, though on its own has always been a most joyous activity for me, when explained here with the influence it has on our minds while we read, and then its impact on our lives as we read more, is just absolutely marvelous. On the other hand, writing, too, is as much of complex, beautiful, and profound experience as reading. Writing and reading, I realized as I read this book, have a lot more in common that I could’ve ever imagined. No wonder it is important, and natural, for every writer to read, and read a lot. From the very first chapter, in which Pamuk explains what our minds do when we read novels, every passionate reader who has read enough novels, would find himself mesmerized in the details on his own mind for every time he/she read a novel. Drawing on Friedrich Schiller’s distinction between naïve – spontaneous, and sentimental – reflective and aware – writers and readers, Pamuk goes in deeper to shows two unique way to processing and composing novels. Under this dichotomy, Pamuk also discusses one of the mysteries of reading a novel, which I until now thought specific to myself, that how much of a novel is the writer’s imagination and how much of it is his real experiences. And he explains how deep and important this interplay between novel’s fictional world and its appeal to our real lives, as well as the one between the writer as he writes the novel keeping the reader in mind and the reader who then reads the novel while thinking what the writer thought when he wrote this, actually is. Continue reading, and we see how learned and passionate a writer and a reader is Pamuk himself, as he starts explaining parts of his book through his own journey of reading, writing, and thinking about the art of both in his thirty-five year’s of writing, and longer years of reading. I always thought about how much a writer has to read before he becomes one, and while I didn’t get any specific number, I certainly understood that a lot has to be read before one starts to write. Pamuk’s sheer knowledge and understanding of much of the classical works of English literature, and the changing meaning of novel in history since its emergence as a work of art, is almost overwhelming, but in a good way. Pamuk explains, through his own comprehensive and convincing understanding, the literary character, time, plot, and words, pictures, and the fascinating link between museum and novels, and eventually comes to explore the idea and driving force of ‘the center’ in a novel. One can’t help but fall under the influence of the master, and believe, that from him one can learn the art of novel – both reading and the writing of it.
Ratings: 5/5 ***** (September 4, 2020)
epictetsocrate's review against another edition
3.0
Romanele sunt vieţi secunde. La fel ca visele despre care vorbeşte poetul francez Gérard de Nerval, ele dezvăluie culorile şi complexitatea vieţii noastre şi sunt pline de oameni, chipuri şi obiecte pe care avem senzaţia că le recunoaştem. Şi, la fel ca într-un vis, atunci când citim un roman, lucrurile extraordinare pe care le întâlnim acolo ne marchează uneori atât de puternic, încât uităm unde ne aflăm şi ne închipuim în mijlocul evenimentelor şi personajelor imaginare ce ne sunt prezentate. În astfel de momente credem că lumea ficţională în care am pătruns şi cu care ne delectăm este mai reală decât realitatea însăşi. Faptul că aceste vieţi secunde ni se pot părea mai reale decât realitatea înseamnă adesea că înlocuim romanul cu realitatea ori cel puţin că îl confundăm cu viaţa reală. Însă nu ne plângem niciodată de această iluzie, de această naïveté. Dimpotrivă, la fel ca în unele vise, ne dorim ca romanul pe care-l citim să continue, sperând că această viaţă secundă nu va înceta să trezească în noi o senzaţie puternică de realitate şi autenticitate. În ciuda a ceea ce cunoaştem despre ficţiune, suntem sâcâiţi şi enervaţi în cazul în care un roman nu reuşeşte să creeze iluzia că întruchipează realitatea.
Visăm presupunând că visele sunt reale; aceasta e însăşi definiţia visului. Tot astfel, citim un roman spunându-ne că este real – dar undeva în mintea noastră ştim foarte bine că presupoziţia noastră este falsă. Acest paradox îşi are sursa în natura romanului. Să începem prin a sublinia faptul că arta romanului se sprijină pe capacitatea noastră de a crede simultan în stări contradictorii.
Visăm presupunând că visele sunt reale; aceasta e însăşi definiţia visului. Tot astfel, citim un roman spunându-ne că este real – dar undeva în mintea noastră ştim foarte bine că presupoziţia noastră este falsă. Acest paradox îşi are sursa în natura romanului. Să începem prin a sublinia faptul că arta romanului se sprijină pe capacitatea noastră de a crede simultan în stări contradictorii.
kavya09's review against another edition
4.0
Lovely, wonderful, informative! Super thankful Kasturi gave this one to me.
paloma_sanchezh's review against another edition
3.0
"Escribir una novela significa pintar con palabras y leer una novela significa visualizar imágenes a través de las palabras de otra persona".
llevamoselfuego's review against another edition
4.0
En este ensayo, el ganador del premio Nobel Orhan Pamuk, indaga en los dos tipos de novelistas posibles: los ingenuos, que escriben por el mero impulso creativo, sin ningún tipo de planificación ni esquema y los sentimentales, aquellos que trazan el uso de cada recurso, palabra, giro, trama, situación y el efecto que dichos recursos significarán para el lector.
A través de su experiencia personal y usando ejemplos que pasan por Borges, Conrad, Joyce o Faulkner, Pamuk investiga también la diferencia entre los escritores occidentales que admiró durante su madurez junto a los autores orientales con los que se crió, al tiempo que plantea respuestas para preguntas tanto de novelistas como lectores, sobre las fuentes de inspiración, la separación del narrador de sus personajes, la capacidad de la literatura de abstraernos de la realidad y las diferentes capacidades de los lectores de perderse en estos mundos.
La clave del ensayo es la búsqueda de un centro de cada novela, el núcleo que abarca todas las posibilidades de dicha obra y su propósito. Está busqueda obsesiona a Pamuk, que traslada esa obsesión a sus lectores.
Una lectura entretenida para escritores y lectores por igual, que ayuda a entender un montón de cuestiones intrínsecas del noble arte de la narrativa.
A través de su experiencia personal y usando ejemplos que pasan por Borges, Conrad, Joyce o Faulkner, Pamuk investiga también la diferencia entre los escritores occidentales que admiró durante su madurez junto a los autores orientales con los que se crió, al tiempo que plantea respuestas para preguntas tanto de novelistas como lectores, sobre las fuentes de inspiración, la separación del narrador de sus personajes, la capacidad de la literatura de abstraernos de la realidad y las diferentes capacidades de los lectores de perderse en estos mundos.
La clave del ensayo es la búsqueda de un centro de cada novela, el núcleo que abarca todas las posibilidades de dicha obra y su propósito. Está busqueda obsesiona a Pamuk, que traslada esa obsesión a sus lectores.
Una lectura entretenida para escritores y lectores por igual, que ayuda a entender un montón de cuestiones intrínsecas del noble arte de la narrativa.
ejazhusseini's review against another edition
5.0
The Naïve and Sentimental Novelists review: of reading and writing, learn from the master…
By: Orhan Pamuk
Genre: Non-Fiction/Writing
Published: 2010 (pages 179)
There are things we learn in life through being taught. Grammar, different subjects, technical skills, sports, using tech, etc. are the examples of this type of learning. Then there are things we learn on our own, like life lessons, making friends, having conversations, falling in love, and getting good at things we are passionate about. And while the former comes with its specific guidelines and rules, which could be taught further, the latter could only be felt so much on our own, and therefore lack any concrete way of passing on the knowledge to others. I learned English in an academy, but I learned to write through a completely solo experience which included reading, writing, and thinking about writing. But because I lack concrete knowledge about writing, I don’t know what my writing needs to improve, and am stuck at writing in the same way and hate it. Having always desired writing classes or mentors, I’ve been bitterly disappointed at the unavailability of such classes. However, books as always have answered to my needs once again. Although my very first book on the art of writing and reading, I not only thoroughly enjoyed reading this masterful book, but was also able to sense too how good it was. ‘Understanding what happens when we write and read novels’ says the subtitle of this book, and captures articulately the whole of this book. Reading, though on its own has always been a most joyous activity for me, when explained here with the influence it has on our minds while we read, and then its impact on our lives as we read more, is just absolutely marvelous. On the other hand, writing, too, is as much of complex, beautiful, and profound experience as reading. Writing and reading, I realized as I read this book, have a lot more in common that I could’ve ever imagined. No wonder it is important, and natural, for every writer to read, and read a lot. From the very first chapter, in which Pamuk explains what our minds do when we read novels, every passionate reader who has read enough novels, would find himself mesmerized in the details on his own mind for every time he/she read a novel. Drawing on Friedrich Schiller’s distinction between naïve – spontaneous, and sentimental – reflective and aware – writers and readers, Pamuk goes in deeper to shows two unique way to processing and composing novels. Under this dichotomy, Pamuk also discusses one of the mysteries of reading a novel, which I until now thought specific to myself, that how much of a novel is the writer’s imagination and how much of it is his real experiences. And he explains how deep and important this interplay between novel’s fictional world and its appeal to our real lives, as well as the one between the writer as he writes the novel keeping the reader in mind and the reader who then reads the novel while thinking what the writer thought when he wrote this, actually is. Continue reading, and we see how learned and passionate a writer and a reader is Pamuk himself, as he starts explaining parts of his book through his own journey of reading, writing, and thinking about the art of both in his thirty-five year’s of writing, and longer years of reading. I always thought about how much a writer has to read before he becomes one, and while I didn’t get any specific number, I certainly understood that a lot has to be read before one starts to write. Pamuk’s sheer knowledge and understanding of much of the classical works of English literature, and the changing meaning of novel in history since its emergence as a work of art, is almost overwhelming, but in a good way. Pamuk explains, through his own comprehensive and convincing understanding, the literary character, time, plot, and words, pictures, and the fascinating link between museum and novels, and eventually comes to explore the idea and driving force of ‘the center’ in a novel. One can’t help but fall under the influence of the master, and believe, that from him one can learn the art of novel – both reading and the writing of it.
Ratings: 5/5 ***** (September 4, 2020)
By: Orhan Pamuk
Genre: Non-Fiction/Writing
Published: 2010 (pages 179)
There are things we learn in life through being taught. Grammar, different subjects, technical skills, sports, using tech, etc. are the examples of this type of learning. Then there are things we learn on our own, like life lessons, making friends, having conversations, falling in love, and getting good at things we are passionate about. And while the former comes with its specific guidelines and rules, which could be taught further, the latter could only be felt so much on our own, and therefore lack any concrete way of passing on the knowledge to others. I learned English in an academy, but I learned to write through a completely solo experience which included reading, writing, and thinking about writing. But because I lack concrete knowledge about writing, I don’t know what my writing needs to improve, and am stuck at writing in the same way and hate it. Having always desired writing classes or mentors, I’ve been bitterly disappointed at the unavailability of such classes. However, books as always have answered to my needs once again. Although my very first book on the art of writing and reading, I not only thoroughly enjoyed reading this masterful book, but was also able to sense too how good it was. ‘Understanding what happens when we write and read novels’ says the subtitle of this book, and captures articulately the whole of this book. Reading, though on its own has always been a most joyous activity for me, when explained here with the influence it has on our minds while we read, and then its impact on our lives as we read more, is just absolutely marvelous. On the other hand, writing, too, is as much of complex, beautiful, and profound experience as reading. Writing and reading, I realized as I read this book, have a lot more in common that I could’ve ever imagined. No wonder it is important, and natural, for every writer to read, and read a lot. From the very first chapter, in which Pamuk explains what our minds do when we read novels, every passionate reader who has read enough novels, would find himself mesmerized in the details on his own mind for every time he/she read a novel. Drawing on Friedrich Schiller’s distinction between naïve – spontaneous, and sentimental – reflective and aware – writers and readers, Pamuk goes in deeper to shows two unique way to processing and composing novels. Under this dichotomy, Pamuk also discusses one of the mysteries of reading a novel, which I until now thought specific to myself, that how much of a novel is the writer’s imagination and how much of it is his real experiences. And he explains how deep and important this interplay between novel’s fictional world and its appeal to our real lives, as well as the one between the writer as he writes the novel keeping the reader in mind and the reader who then reads the novel while thinking what the writer thought when he wrote this, actually is. Continue reading, and we see how learned and passionate a writer and a reader is Pamuk himself, as he starts explaining parts of his book through his own journey of reading, writing, and thinking about the art of both in his thirty-five year’s of writing, and longer years of reading. I always thought about how much a writer has to read before he becomes one, and while I didn’t get any specific number, I certainly understood that a lot has to be read before one starts to write. Pamuk’s sheer knowledge and understanding of much of the classical works of English literature, and the changing meaning of novel in history since its emergence as a work of art, is almost overwhelming, but in a good way. Pamuk explains, through his own comprehensive and convincing understanding, the literary character, time, plot, and words, pictures, and the fascinating link between museum and novels, and eventually comes to explore the idea and driving force of ‘the center’ in a novel. One can’t help but fall under the influence of the master, and believe, that from him one can learn the art of novel – both reading and the writing of it.
Ratings: 5/5 ***** (September 4, 2020)
pagesfullofstars's review against another edition
4.0
"For the past ten years I have been writing novels in order to convey the way I see life, the world, the things I have encountered, and the place where I live."
This is a collection of essays on the topic of writing, creating a novel, as well as reading and a reader's connection to the writer through his books. I don't read much non-fiction and Orhan Pamuk's writing style here is a little heavier and academic, but I quite enjoyed it. His theory on naive and sentimental writers and other thoughts presented in these essays really made me think and question my approach to books. I found some of the things that he mentioned about the structure of books and the process of writing very interesting. This was my very first book by him but I will definitely pick up one of his novels now.
~~~
For more bookish goodies, check out my Tumblr, Instagram and Twitter :)
This is a collection of essays on the topic of writing, creating a novel, as well as reading and a reader's connection to the writer through his books. I don't read much non-fiction and Orhan Pamuk's writing style here is a little heavier and academic, but I quite enjoyed it. His theory on naive and sentimental writers and other thoughts presented in these essays really made me think and question my approach to books. I found some of the things that he mentioned about the structure of books and the process of writing very interesting. This was my very first book by him but I will definitely pick up one of his novels now.
~~~
For more bookish goodies, check out my Tumblr, Instagram and Twitter :)
jelenajot's review against another edition
2.0
Pamuk je mnogo bolji pisac no predavač. Ovih par eseja što je morao napisati zarad predavanja koja je održao na Harvardu su...
Ne mora svaki pisac, naročito dobitnik Nobela, po difoltu biti i izuzetan predavač. Ruku na srce, ima Pamuk i finih misli ali se sve to gubi u onoj jednoj misli koju pokušava iskazati na milion načina.
A ne ide.
Ne ide pa ne ide. Plus, taj ton sveznajućeg mi je baš smetao (to je za sada, meni lično, izvukao samo Nabokov jer daje dobre argumente za svoje skandalozne tvrdnje). Recimo, Pamuk u jednom trenutku tvrdi da kontekst u kojem romana nastaje uopšte nije bitan za njegovo otključavanje te navodi najgori mogući primjer za svoju tvrdnju: Zloduhe Dostojevskog. Njegov argument je da istorijski kontekst u kojem je roman nastajao uopšte nije bitan, jer je sada, zapravo, bitan unutrašnji porteret junaka. Što nije tačno, jer za Zloduhe je bitan kontekst upravo da bi se bolje i potpunije shvatili portreti junaka. Ali! to nije sve. Na sljedećoj stranici Pamuk pobija samog sebe govoreći kako je za bolje razumjevanja romana potrebno znati istorijske prilike u kojima je pisac stvarao, kulturu itd. Okej, nije kontekst uvijek bitan, ali ne možeš reći da nikada nije i onda uzeti za primjer Dostojevskog. Ili kada priča o središtu romana za koje kaže da to nije tema, pa to u idućih par stranica nazove temom.
Izgubio se malo gospodin Pamuk, ali ima lijepih misli. Samo da se ne dotiče više ruskih pisaca. Ne pomažu mu argumentaciji (oprosti mu grofe Tolstoj, nije znao šta radi).
P. S. svi smo mi naivni čitaoci pri prvom čitanju.
Ne mora svaki pisac, naročito dobitnik Nobela, po difoltu biti i izuzetan predavač. Ruku na srce, ima Pamuk i finih misli ali se sve to gubi u onoj jednoj misli koju pokušava iskazati na milion načina.
A ne ide.
Ne ide pa ne ide. Plus, taj ton sveznajućeg mi je baš smetao (to je za sada, meni lično, izvukao samo Nabokov jer daje dobre argumente za svoje skandalozne tvrdnje). Recimo, Pamuk u jednom trenutku tvrdi da kontekst u kojem romana nastaje uopšte nije bitan za njegovo otključavanje te navodi najgori mogući primjer za svoju tvrdnju: Zloduhe Dostojevskog. Njegov argument je da istorijski kontekst u kojem je roman nastajao uopšte nije bitan, jer je sada, zapravo, bitan unutrašnji porteret junaka. Što nije tačno, jer za Zloduhe je bitan kontekst upravo da bi se bolje i potpunije shvatili portreti junaka. Ali! to nije sve. Na sljedećoj stranici Pamuk pobija samog sebe govoreći kako je za bolje razumjevanja romana potrebno znati istorijske prilike u kojima je pisac stvarao, kulturu itd. Okej, nije kontekst uvijek bitan, ali ne možeš reći da nikada nije i onda uzeti za primjer Dostojevskog. Ili kada priča o središtu romana za koje kaže da to nije tema, pa to u idućih par stranica nazove temom.
Izgubio se malo gospodin Pamuk, ali ima lijepih misli. Samo da se ne dotiče više ruskih pisaca. Ne pomažu mu argumentaciji (oprosti mu grofe Tolstoj, nije znao šta radi).
P. S. svi smo mi naivni čitaoci pri prvom čitanju.