Comments on: Hobbling Up The Magic Mountain http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/hobbling-up-the-magic-mountain-with-illustrations-by-the-author fiction matters Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:57:32 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Terry Chess http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/hobbling-up-the-magic-mountain-with-illustrations-by-the-author/comment-page-1#comment-3789 Terry Chess Sat, 17 Apr 2010 03:35:24 +0000 http://fictionwritersreview.com/?p=4982#comment-3789 I enjoyed your essay on "The Magic Mountain." I was originally attracted to the book because the idea of going off to a sanitorium and being taken care of - escaping from a stressful world - has been a fantasy of mine (warped, I admit) for a long time. But after reading the first 200 pages, it felt like what you described: work. It would take me seven years to read the darn thing. The labrynthine descriptions and philisophical dialogue finally did me in. While I, too, wanted to learn the results of Hans Castorp's x-ray, and see if he made it with Clavdia Chauchat, I couldn't envision myself slogging through at least another couple hundred pages to find out. So I'm back to reading my paperback horror thrillers for a while. I enjoyed your essay on “The Magic Mountain.” I was originally attracted to the book because the idea of going off to a sanitorium and being taken care of – escaping from a stressful world – has been a fantasy of mine (warped, I admit) for a long time.

But after reading the first 200 pages, it felt like what you described: work. It would take me seven years to read the darn thing. The labrynthine descriptions and philisophical dialogue finally did me in.

While I, too, wanted to learn the results of Hans Castorp’s x-ray, and see if he made it with Clavdia Chauchat, I couldn’t envision myself slogging through at least another couple hundred pages to find out. So I’m back to reading my paperback horror thrillers for a while.

]]> By: Michael Rudin http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/hobbling-up-the-magic-mountain-with-illustrations-by-the-author/comment-page-1#comment-3170 Michael Rudin Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:46:56 +0000 http://fictionwritersreview.com/?p=4982#comment-3170 Can we print this in pamphlet form and hand it out to patients getting wheeled out of surgery? Required reading, all the way. Too many youngsters today would rather heal to DVD-sets of their favorite TV shows and video games; and though, I must personally admit, the bodily state those mediums induce can be akin to that of reading a fine novel (Vicodin-like vegetativeness), they can't possibly help the mind understand and cope with the healing process itself. A process you map out as well as "Magic Mountain" does. Thank you for such an honest, insightful essay. Wonderful stuff. Can we print this in pamphlet form and hand it out to patients getting wheeled out of surgery? Required reading, all the way.

Too many youngsters today would rather heal to DVD-sets of their favorite TV shows and video games; and though, I must personally admit, the bodily state those mediums induce can be akin to that of reading a fine novel (Vicodin-like vegetativeness), they can’t possibly help the mind understand and cope with the healing process itself. A process you map out as well as “Magic Mountain” does.

Thank you for such an honest, insightful essay. Wonderful stuff.

]]> By: Fiction Writers Review » Blog Archive » Critterati: the literary, costumed pet http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/hobbling-up-the-magic-mountain-with-illustrations-by-the-author/comment-page-1#comment-3131 Fiction Writers Review » Blog Archive » Critterati: the literary, costumed pet Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:58:32 +0000 http://fictionwritersreview.com/?p=4982#comment-3131 [...] quite like this staging of “Waiting for Dogot”, and kudos to this bedridden cat who, like FWR contributor Sarah Van Arsdale, was inspired by The Magic [...] [...] quite like this staging of “Waiting for Dogot”, and kudos to this bedridden cat who, like FWR contributor Sarah Van Arsdale, was inspired by The Magic [...]

]]> By: Kate Reynolds http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/hobbling-up-the-magic-mountain-with-illustrations-by-the-author/comment-page-1#comment-2976 Kate Reynolds Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:09:40 +0000 http://fictionwritersreview.com/?p=4982#comment-2976 A powerful and moving glimpse into the land of the ill, the land of the body, the land of the mind. Thank you, Sarah. And I am so glad your sneakers get to experience mud again. Phew! A powerful and moving glimpse into the land of the ill, the land of the body, the land of the mind. Thank you, Sarah. And I am so glad your sneakers get to experience mud again. Phew!

]]> By: daisy hernandez http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/hobbling-up-the-magic-mountain-with-illustrations-by-the-author/comment-page-1#comment-2971 daisy hernandez Mon, 28 Sep 2009 06:12:21 +0000 http://fictionwritersreview.com/?p=4982#comment-2971 As someone who's recovered from a broken leg and broken arm (same time, car accident, of course) and who was in chronic pain for six years.... i can so relate! it was wonderful to see many of my own thoughts in your essay, especially that moment when you begin to pull back from the world below, start wanting to stay in land of the ill... oh you captured that seduction so well! thanks ! As someone who’s recovered from a broken leg and broken arm (same time, car accident, of course) and who was in chronic pain for six years…. i can so relate! it was wonderful to see many of my own thoughts in your essay, especially that moment when you begin to pull back from the world below, start wanting to stay in land of the ill… oh you captured that seduction so well! thanks !

]]> By: Peter VanArsdale http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/hobbling-up-the-magic-mountain-with-illustrations-by-the-author/comment-page-1#comment-2940 Peter VanArsdale Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:29:49 +0000 http://fictionwritersreview.com/?p=4982#comment-2940 Hey I loved it! It made me giggle and laugh and cry. And I will definately read the Magic Moutain next time I am in the Sanatorium. Hey I loved it! It made me giggle and laugh and cry. And I will definately read the Magic Moutain next time I am in the Sanatorium.

]]> By: Karyn http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/hobbling-up-the-magic-mountain-with-illustrations-by-the-author/comment-page-1#comment-2929 Karyn Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:46:03 +0000 http://fictionwritersreview.com/?p=4982#comment-2929 What an incredible essay! Made my day. What an incredible essay! Made my day.

]]> By: Colleen Stameshkin http://fictionwritersreview.com/essays/hobbling-up-the-magic-mountain-with-illustrations-by-the-author/comment-page-1#comment-2920 Colleen Stameshkin Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:54:11 +0000 http://fictionwritersreview.com/?p=4982#comment-2920 Wow! That's all I can say. Next time I read The Magic Mountain, it will be illuminated by this wonderful essay. Wow! That’s all I can say. Next time I read The Magic Mountain, it will be illuminated by this wonderful essay.

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