I read them as an adult. What I loved about the second book was the very original setting and perspective that was still completely captivating and felt believable. I don’t think I have ever read anything that is quite comparable. Anyway, maybe I should give the third one another go, I’m on vacation now so maybe a little bit more relaxed and patient!
My experience was that the first book was fine, say 6,5/10. Just enough to move on to the the second, which I absolutely loved 9,5/10. Started reading the third with high expectations but it just didn’t engage me at all. Didn’t get through more than perhaps 25% of it.
Meaning only exists as experienced by someone particular in a specific situation in time and space. The meaning-making processes in these situations assume a configuration of previous experiences, and probably conventions, languages, agreements on symbols and metaphors, technologies and so on. “The work” doesn’t have any meaning outside of these situations (maybe it doesn’t even exist, depending on how you define it). The author normally has no control over these situations and thus cannot, practically speaking, determine any meaning. But probably there is neither a “the audience” that can “determine” anything. The audience likely consists of several elements that create meanings in different ways across space and time.
Related issues: The author/creator/performer had an intention that they themselves get to decide. But this intention is not universally and necessarily the same as “the meaning of the work”.
Practically speaking, the purpose of the audience is often to understand the intention of the author/creator.
Discussions of authorial intent may be useful and interesting: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorial_intent
Maybe. Does the plastic wrap have those little bubbles you can pop?
What do you have in the back then?
Thank you, those are some interesting perspectives!
Thanks for another great answer. I realise now that the comparison with Soviet wasn’t very thoughtful of me. I just wanted to imagine something that would have broken up the Nazi German hegemony from the inside.
Another thought is that American products and culture probably are popular partly because they were winners in World War 2.
Great answer, do you see any internal tensions within the Axis that could foreseeably have caused collapse comparable to say Soviet communism’s collapse in the real world? How dependant were they on Hitler and Mussolini as individuals?
Einstürzende Neubauten: Nagorny Karabach https://youtu.be/hd-6WweqD0Y
(With subtitles in English)
Yes in the way that the older I get, the more important it becomes to take care of myself. Physical activity is most important for me in this regard. Giving myself opportunity to sleep well. Avoid alcohol. These three things interact. If I take care of myself I don’t feel physically old.