Continuing with Bachelard’s Lautréamont; this week discussing Chapters 4 (“The Biographical Problem”) and 5 (“Lautréamont: Poet of Muscles and Cries”). By the way, I noticed that there is a section of endnotes in the back of the book which provide some contextual details for allusions along with page numbers for quotes Bachelard pulls from Maldoror (unfortunately from a different edition than the one we’re reading, though they still may help roughly locate a passage), all of which may prove useful. Look forward to seeing you soon!

We never really decided on a reading last week, but it seemed like folks were generally into continuing to devour material on Maldoror, so let’s return to Bachelard’s book on Lautreamont from a couple weeks ago. Chapter 2 seems to focus on some of the same things we discussed in our first reading, and Chapter 3 looks like it might be relevant to our conversations last week starting out from Calasso, so let’s try and do both Chapters 2 and 3. I know that’s a bit longer than we usually like readings to be, but let’s push ourselves with the ever-present caveat to just read as much as you have the time, energy, or inclination to. Until we meet again, stay fierce.

Next week, we’ll take a look at Roberto Calasso’s Literature and the Gods, specifically Chapter 4 — “Musings of a Serial Killer”. Lots of interesting-looking material here at the intersection of Lautreamont, Stirner, Artaud, and others. I know we had discussed starting Maldoror this week as well, but the aforementioned chapter is about 15 pages already, which puts us near our self-imposed limit on length for a single reading. As such, let’s make the first 20 or so pages of Maldoror optional for the real masochists, and perhaps do that as our sole reading for the following week so we can be sure everyone has the time and energy to read it carefully before discussing. Stay fierce.

On Tuesday we’ll begin Gaston Bachelard’s Lautreamont. For those who haven’t read the prose poem Bachelard is largely writing about here, The Songs of Maldoror, a copy of that is also linked for you to look at if you so desire. We may decide to start reading Maldoror alongside Bachelard’s text in the coming weeks, but for the moment it’s not strictly necessary that you do so. Bachelard’s opening chapter, “The Vigorous Poetry of Aggression”, will be the course du jour when we next gather together.

Continuing our reflection on Sufi mysticism, we’ll discuss Peter Lamborn Wilson’s “The Anti-Caliph” on Tuesday. Until then!

On Tuesday we’ll read some of the stories from Idries Shah’s The Exploits of the Incomparable Mulla Nasrudin. Let’s go from “The Alternative” (pg 1) through “Circumstances Alter Cases” (pg 19). See you soon!

Apologies for the late post this week! We’ll do some Kafka on Tuesday. To wit, the short stories “A Report for an Academy” and “A Hunger Artist”, and a brief critical piece from Green Anarchy, “Failure to Appear at the Trial”. Until then…

We’ll conclude our tryst with Raoul Vaneigem’s The Revolution of Everyday Life on Tuesday by reading the final two chapters; “The Interworld and the New Innocence” and “You Won’t Fuck With Us Much Longer!”. In addition, we’ll look at Jason’s essay “Raoul Vaneigem: The Other Situationist” by way of conclusion. New directions forthcoming! See you soon!

Next week we’ll continue with The Revolution of Everyday Life, reading Section XXIII – “The Unitary Triad: Fulfillment, Communication, Participation”. Second to last reading before we’re finished with this text. See you Tuesday.

Nearing the end of The Revolution of Everyday Life. We’ll ring in the change of calendar with Part XXII – “The Space-Time of Lived Experience and the Rectification of the Past”. Only two or three readings of Vaneigem left after this one!