Robert Musil 'The Man Without Qualities'

[Petrushka]

I've been meaning to read this book for years but feel intimidated by its length. Amazon reviews (and decent price) are making me think again.

Have any messageboarders read it? If so would be interested in responses.

[jayne lee wilson]

I did read this, or most of it - it's not exactly clear whether you've come to the end - many years ago on a 20th C fiction seminar. Whilst I liked the tone and feel of the book I never felt compelled by it; William Boyd sums it up well in Saturday's Guardian review article. I guess you read it for incidental pleasures, the pleasures of the moment, of each of its many short chapters; makes a good bedside book, to dip into, or to graze upon.

[Globaltruth]

I started reading it, as a valued friend recommended it.

I struggled to get past the first few pages, found it very dense, didn't engage with the characters.

I have now loaned it to another friend, in the hope that he'll either inspire me to read it, or not.

JLW - I never thought of the 'grazing' approach, which also sounds good. I know this may spark the whole Kindle debate again, but is that sort of approach possibly where a Kindle may be good?

Petrushka - if you do read it, then you now need to report back here...

[aeolium]

Globaltruth, I confess that my experience of this work was similar to yours. I was not sure whether this may have been in part due to the translation. I am always wary of forming opinions about books in translation as an indifferent translation can ruin or obscure the style. On the other hand, I have not found this problem with works by contemporaries of Musil such as Joseph Roth (The Radetzky March) or Hermann Broch (The Sleepwalkers) and would unhesitatingly recommend those works.

[Petrushka]

Globaltruth and aeolium: This, and the intimidating length of the book (not to mention it's unfinished state) has led me to persistently put off attempting this book. Then, following William Boyd's excellent Guardian article last Saturday and a perusal of the reviews on Amazon, I thought it might be worth trying after all.

I've read The Radetsky March but not heard of The Sleepwalkers so may add that to my tottering pile of books to read.

As for JLW's grazing approach - I've been doing that with Pickwick Papers for years!

[aeolium]

Petrushka, the length of The Sleepwalkers is also intimidating, though as a trilogy of novels covering different periods before and during the First World War (and written in somewhat different styles) you can read one novel and then leave it a while before coming back to read the next - at least, that's what I did.

[Byas'd Opinion]

The Man Without Qualities is currently sitting in my pile of big serious books to be read at some point in the future, and has been for the last couple of years.

I second aeolium's recommendation of The Radetzky March and The Sleepwalkers - although his post has just reminded me that I've only read the first volume of the Broch.

Another novelist from the old Austro-Hungarian Empire who I rate very highly is Hungarian writer Dezso Kosztolányi. His books are currently not easy to find, but I can recommend both Skylark (set in a provincial Hungarian town around 1900) and Anna Edès (set in Budapest in the chaotic period following the end of the First World War). The translations I came across (at least one of them by poet George Szirtes, IIRC) read very well in English.

[vinteuil]

The Man Without Qualities is currently sitting in my pile of big serious books to be read at some point in the future, and has been for the last couple of years. I second aeolium's recommendation of The Radetzky March and The Sleepwalkers - although his post has just reminded me that I've only read the first volume of the Broch.

Another novelist from the old Austro-Hungarian Empire who I rate very highly is Hungarian writer Dezso Kosztolányi. His books are currently not easy to find, but I can recommend both Skylark and Anna Edès.

Many thanks for the Dezső Kosztolányi recommendation - it looks interesting. As a quid pro quo : a Hungarian writer whom I rate highly is Antal Szerb - I have given copies of his A Journey by Moonlight to various of my friends...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antal_Szerb

and

https://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2001/jul/28/fiction.reviews1

As a young man I did read (and was so proud to have got through them!) Musil's The Man without Qualities and Broch's The Sleepwalkers - what is embarrassing now is that I remember almost nothing of them, and don't feel brave enough to start again. However I was defeated by Broch's The Death of Virgil - but now a contemporary of mine is halfway through it and enjoying, so perhaps I'll be brave...

At the time when I was reading big central-European novels I also acquired a nice edition of Heimito von Doderer's The Demons. It has sat, unread, on my shelves for thirty-five years. Can anyone encourage me to think it would be worth having a go?

Mind you, I'm deep in early Beckett at the moment (Watt and Mercier et Camier), so perhaps I don't need distractions...

[umslopogaas]

I read it a long time ago and definitely thought it was worth the effort. My copy is a three volume Panther paperback dated 1968, the translation is by Eithne Wilkins and Ernst Kaiser and dates from 1953. It is long -over 1200 pages - and the plot isnt exactly one that compels you to turn the next page, but Musil is obviously a thoughtful man and his thoughts are worth reading.

Certainly the translation can make or break a novel like this. I once remarked to a Czech friend that I was reading 'The Good Soldier Schweik' in the Penguin modern classic edition. He looked most indignant and said that the first sentence in that edition was incorrectly translated! I wouldnt argue, I dont know a word of Czech, but I enjoyed it none the less.

[amateur51]

As a young man I did read (and was so proud to have got through them!) Musil's The Man without Qualities and Broch's The Sleepwalkers - what is embarrassing now is that I remember almost nothing of them, and don't feel brave enough to start again. However I was defeated by Broch's The Death of Virgil - but now a contemporary of mine is halfway through it and enjoying, so perhaps I'll be brave...

I recall that many years ago, Sir Colin Davis mentioned Broch's The Death of Virgil during an interview - he said that it got him through a difficult period in his life and helped him to achieve a new (and better, less egotistical) view of himself as an artist.

[vinteuil]

Another novelist from the old Austro-Hungarian Empire who I rate very highly is Hungarian writer Dezso Kosztolányi. His books are currently not easy to find, but I can recommend both Skylark (set in a provincial Hungarian town around 1900) and Anna Edès (set in Budapest in the chaotic period following the end of the First World War). The translations I came across (at least one of them by poet George Szirtes, IIRC) read very well in English.

... renewed thanks to Byas'd Opinion - en route to an excellent lunch in Kew ( chargrilled mackerel, glass gruner veltliner; roast pigeon, half bottle 2002 cordeillan-bages pauillac... ) stopped off in Turnham Green where from the oxfam bookshop for £1-99 acquired the Kosztolányi Kornél Esti... in which I am currently engrossed. Will clearly have to get his other stuff...

[amateur51]

... renewed thanks to Byas'd Opinion - en route to an excellent lunch in Kew ( chargrilled mackerel, glass gruner veltliner; roast pigeon, half bottle 2002 cordeillan-bages pauillac... ) stopped off in Turnham Green where from the oxfam bookshop for £1-99 acquired the Kostolanyi Kornél Esti... in which I am currently engrossed. Will clearly have to get his other stuff...

Happy days, eh vints? - sounds like a perfect lunchtime

[vinteuil]

Happy days, eh vints? - sounds like a perfect lunchtime

yes indeedy, and thank you! ... I note that you passed your 60th a little while back - mine comes in June, and I had just sent off the documents that should get my pension sorted thereafter - and felt the need to celebrate - cerebrate

[amateur51]

yes indeedy, and thank you! ... I note that you passed your 60th a little while back - mine comes in June, and I had just sent off the documents that should get my pension sorted thereafter - and felt the need to celebrate - cerebrate

Oh congrats, vints - I hope that you enjoy your 60s as much as I'm enjoying mine. Long live charity bookshops and affordable lunches

[muzzer]

I got part way through Musil. I'm looking at The Sleepwalkers. Is there just the one translation? Broch is an interesting figure. Am fascinated to see the comment that his Death of Virgil affected Sir Colin Davis in that way as had not previously found references to the book in that context. Has anyone here read Broch's book on Hofmannstal? PS the forum search function got me here fine