Readers of the Lost Art

Go on, go on, you know you want to ... Proust in the New Year!
"Self-gifting" is all the rage, so, if your friends/family let you down at Christmas, I recommend the Modern Library Box Set of "In Search of Lost Time".
I hope to start mid-late January and it will most likely be 12 sessions in total. I will let you know the precise schedule nearer the time but I want to hit the sweet spot of short enough gaps between sessions to keep momentum going, but big enough gaps for people to have sufficient time to do the reading.
My gut feeling is that approx 300 pages (it depends on finding natural breaks) every 3 weeks would be about right (producing an appropriately human scale 9 month gestational period), but if you think I'm wildly off, please let me know in the comments below!
Very Best, Paul.

3 hours ago | [YT] | 12

Readers of the Lost Art

Hi all, thought I'd post a picture of what I see every morning in the mirror!
Only kidding - just to let you know that I aim to finish and upload the next video in a couple of days or so. I'm continuing on the theme of realism and using the art of the German-English Frank Auerbach (attached image) and relating it to the theoretical work of his namesake (but no relation) the philologist Erich Auerbach who wrote "Mimesis: The Representation of Reality in Western Literature" (1946) [pronouncing "mimesis" always reminds me of Mr Jinks from the cartoon "Pixie and Dixie" for anyone ancient enough to remember that]. The video will provide a "Tale of Two Auerbachs" and should be useful background to anyone reading Proust and also James Joyce's "Ulysses" which I've threatened to cover at some point in the future.
Best for now,
Paul.

4 days ago | [YT] | 66

Readers of the Lost Art

Hi All, a new video has just gone up that should give some useful context for Saturday's Livestream on Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man". Enjoy! Best, Paul.

1 week ago | [YT] | 11

Readers of the Lost Art

Hi Everyone, couple of things ...
1. New video just been uploaded (thumbnail below) that further develops the theme of Realism and provides some introductory ideas to Proust's work. I've had to change the Thumbnail & title because it got off to an anaemic start - I personally think it's better than the previous Realism video.
2. The Channel is shortly coming up to its 100th video which will be accompanied at the time with ticker tape, official parade etc. I don't know if there'll be another 100 videos or not, so I thought it might be worth asking at this point while the Channel's still active for suggestions for any artists, visual and/or literary that you would really like to see covered. I can't guarantee I will manage to cover it but I will try to oblige. For standard videos - the trick/problem is usually trying to find a way to blend both literature and images to keep to the central theme of the Channel, so please bear that in mind. Standalone book suggestions can always be catered for in a Livestream.
P.s. I haven't forgotten the short story suggestions I requested earlier - they have been "filed for future action".
Very Best wishes to all,
Paul.

2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 8

Readers of the Lost Art

Livestream Schedule:

Just to save people having to search for the forthcoming Livestreams here are the next few - all at 4pm UK time:
1. Saturday Dec 6th - Literary aspects of St Mark's Gospel (discussion with Josh)
2. Sat Dec 13th - Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man" (discussion with Richard)
3. January 10th - H. G. Wells - "War of the Worlds" - (discussion with Richard & Darren Magee)

Also for people new to the Channel, there will be a regular series (most likely stand-alone videos) starting in mid/late January to go through Proust's "In Search of Lost Time" approx 200 pages at a time every 2 weeks.

Talking of Proust - the next video will be another one about Realism as an art form and looks at the work of Adolph Menzel, Ilya Repin and this particular painting by Vermeer - "A View of Delft" - which Proust himself saw on his last outing from his apartment before he became a complete recluse (I know the feeling) - he fictionalised the experience in his novel.

Very Best wishes, Paul.

2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 45

Readers of the Lost Art

This Saturday’s Livestream - “The Brothers Karamazov”.
Please check out the “Live” Section of the Channel to see other scheduled chats. Very Best, Paul.

1 month ago | [YT] | 12

Readers of the Lost Art

Advance notice of the next video in the "Agnostic Guide to the Bible" Livestream series. We'll be looking specifically at St Mark's Gospel in terms of its narrative structure/symbolism etc. Very Best wishes, Paul.

1 month ago | [YT] | 3

Readers of the Lost Art

Hi all, I've listened to the feedback and decided not to alter the Channel title after all.
I realise that I could have set up a poll - but then there's a risk of a 52-48% split and contested claims that it was only advisory! Apologies for the flip-flopping, but it's still been a useful exercise to find out that a decent number of people are invested in the original title so I don't think change just for the sake of it is worth it. Very Best, Paul.

1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 80

Readers of the Lost Art

Dostoevsky "Bros K" Livestream - just to let you know that the date of this has been pushed back 1 week to November 22nd. So no excuses for failing to read it in time! 🤓

1 month ago | [YT] | 39

Readers of the Lost Art

Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man" - most likely next week, I will be doing a full video on this novel (briefly referred to in the last video). In case you want to read ahead here is a link to the full text (and there is a good, cheap Penguin paperback edition widely available - Gordon Parks's evocative photo below is used as the book cover):
@modernforms.org/wp-content/uploads/Ralph-Ellison-I…

If you are pressed for time, Chapter 3 is really worth reading on its own -it's hilarious if your humour is as dark as mine!

Very Best,
Paul.

1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 33