8 Comments
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Paula Duvall's avatar

This was a sad but elegant section. And what a marvelous metaphor for death, the losing of water, returning to the oceans from which we evolved, the primordial sea.

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Ellie's avatar

The primordial sea! That is another layer of meaning I hadn't thought of. Thank you Paula!

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Dana • Dostoevsky Bookclub's avatar

I've fallen a bit behind due to my commitments. But I'm checking in to say that I'm reading, currently on chapter 3, but I'll finish by the end of the year. And your articles are wonderful.

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Ellie's avatar

Hey Dana! No worries, I'm glad to see you're back! I'll also try to finish Crime and Punishment by the end of the year 💪💪

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sharon's avatar

What a fantastic chapter. It must be very hard for a writer to come up with an original way to write about death. Hasn’t everything been tried before? But this seemed really inventive to be. The lapses in time, the water metaphor, the appearance of Venus/Death. Wonderful writing. 👏⭐️

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Ellie's avatar

I feel like half of this chapter is genuine writing talent (Lampedusa is first and foremost a really, really exceptional writer) and half his hopes and considerations re: his own nearing demise. It's bound to be personal and different.

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sharon's avatar

Thank you - as always - for the selection of paintings. I always enjoy looking at them and investigating their stories.

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Tash's avatar

Hear hear!

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