Repose

I have so much I should be doing I keep clamping down so I don’t have a panic attack.

But, its Memorial Day and I am taking it easy. I have been going to read Robert Musil’s The Man Without Qualities for a long, long time. And I finally bought the highly praised recent translation last year. As a devotee of all things literary pertaining to the final years of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (e.g. the three masterpieces: The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth, and The Snows of Yesteryear by Gregor von Rezzori and The World of Yesterday by Stefan Zweig), Musil is long overdue.

So, I managed to evade the rest of the family and get a few minutes on the front porch with Musil and a stiff glass of lime, ice, tonic water and Tanqueray gin — which was in the back of the cabinet and forgotten until a few days ago.

Chicken and grilled veggies up next.

God bless America.

4 thoughts on “Repose”

  1. Sounds fantastic. I am so glad that the Zweig book was recommended. I may never read a better book. Took time to day to thank the fallen. Now family time, cocktails and flesh on the grill. Things are good.

  2. Fresh lime is better, but bottled lime juice is fine. A little lime flavor helps and there’s no point in letting the absence of real limes stop the drinking.

    Since you guys both liked Zweig, you would probably like Roth and Rezzori as well.

    Musil is still good as if page 66. He is still “putting the pieces on the board” — introducing characters. I hope he lives up to his reputation.

  3. Given how I loved zweig also, I feel compelled to check out the others. I like to think your choice of drink has been influenced by your recent readings of old British imperials.

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