Pale Fire

[Mark Wright AIA]

Howdy

IMO Pale Fire was designed to be read in non-linear fashion even by the
first time reader. It is designed to be read and read again and again.
It will not be possible to discuss the work in a meaningful way without
"spoiling". When I read PF for the first time I always jumped ahead to
follow the commentary, following N's/K's instructions to the letter,
and had a hell of a good time. The book is meant to be read that way,
and to avoid following "Kinbote's" instructions would be demented.
(IMHO) You'll be missing all of the fun, and the resulting discussion
would be unnatural and entirely false to the book.

The non-linear progress induces the reader to hold two or more separate
texts in mind at the same time, with but one book in hand. 
The Wachowski brothers' warning: "This will feel a little weird."

Mark

--- MalignD at aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 6/16/03 7:47:14 PM, keithsz at concentric.net writes:
> 
> 
> > 
> > And the group read is linear from foreword through poem to
> commentary.
> > We may dance in all directions as we go, but we'll be going through
> the
> > text, week by week, in paginal order.
> > 
> 
> If that's the decision, then I suggest that everyone read the book
> cover to 
> cover before the group read and then begin again as a group.  
> Because I think 
> much of the purpose of this will be lost if we read it like a book
> club, 
> unable to talk about things for fear of spoiling it for someone else.
> 



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