Rock n' Books

Just saw a list of "the 100 best books ever", on which War and Peace was Number 1 and 1984 was Number 2. Madame Bovary was 46.

On a previous list, Anna Karenina was Number 1 and Madame Bovary Number 2. I didn't even see AK on the new list (I admit I didn't scroll all the way to the end).

Which just goes to show. Literary consensus must be much harder to reach than, say rock music consensus. On any Top 100 Albums list, Revolver, Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper and Bringing It All Back Home are all hovering near the top, in whatever order. Reading, one might conclude, is a more subjective experience than listening. Or, the rules of rock are more dogmatic than the rules of literature (and if that's true, how ironic!).

Anyway: Madame has flirted with the idea n an affair, and avoided it only because the prospective pigeon moved away. But, she seems ready to fall into the arms of Rudolpho at the moment.

Meanwhile, I've slowed down Streetcar, because I was going to finish it way before MB. Best lines contest entry:

BLANCHE: Please, don't get up.
STANLEY: Nobody's going to get up, so don't be worried.

In the annals of subtle, yet devastating, put downs, that's right there with Mr Dylan: "You just sort of wasted all my precious time. Don't think twice, it;s all right."

Haven't been on the bus, or at work, for 4 days: 4th of July, plus a day off (today) for a medical procedure. Although, the preparation of said procedure has me doing a lot of sitting and, thus, reading.