Book Club - Dorian Gray

First book discussion, only half of the people who came to the original setup meeting came, but most were funny and nice except for one freaking annoying grating nasty woman. But that's ok. Most of the suggested books seemed interesting, I'll go see if I can get them from the local used bookstore.

A few people thoroughly disliked the book, which I understood. The writer sounds extraordinarily pompous, expounding pointlessly at times, it seems, and one could practically see the writer himself in real life holding court at some soiree. But one can get past it. I loved this book, second reading. Pretended I was at the party listening to him throw provocative and outrageous ideas into the wind. I was roaring with laughter, some of the lines are truly memorable.

"There is a fatality about all physical and intellectual distinction, the sort of fatality that seems to dog through history the faltering steps of kings. It is better not to be different from one's fellows. The ugly and the stupid have the best of it in this world."

"To get back one's youth, one has merely to repeat one's follies."

"Society, civilised society at least, is never very ready to believe anything to the detriment of those who are both rich and fascinating. It feels instinctively that manners are of more importance than morals, and, in its opinion, the highest respectability is of much less value than the possession of a good chef.'

"To be popular one must be a mediocrity."








Ah, a literary cat is our Ginza, as he takes a reading break.