巴西異色歷險後， Casaubon 回到意大利，輾轉成為人肉百科全書，專替人搜集資料。「客人」提供一個術語，他自然知道要跑哪間圖書館、檔案室，找哪種參考書，為你整理出滿意的解釋。每一條找過的資料，他都編配檔案，逐條索引，索引卡又會列明相關條目，方便 cross reference （不就是一個互聯網？）。－－留意，那個年代還未興起互聯網。就算有，他花三數小時整理出來的，也應該比你我花兩天上網找到的資料準確。一來研究向來要有門路，沒有研究《紅樓夢》去看劉心武的道理，二來太多資料（並且可能互相矛盾）其實等於沒資料。他後來受聘於 Garamond 出版社，為它要出版的金屬百科全書找最好最恰當的 illustrations ，間或要去去巴黎、慕尼黑......
可以整天跑圖書館，埋首於一條瑣碎的資料，但最多守個十天半月，新鮮任務接續，多令人羨慕的工作。當然又是多難勝任的工作，要知道從何入手，比要找對資料要艱難多少。
讀 Foucault's Pendulum ，前三份一真有點吃力，尤其巴西一段，每隔兩行就要查一次 wiki ，一個 chapter 完了要從頭讀一遍，理一理。縱是如此，我竟不厭其煩益發著迷，可知它的魔力。直到 Casaubon 回意大利，閱讀過程才輕鬆一點， Belbo 的電腦檔案也越來越有趣。它的調子跟 The Name of the Rose 很不同，有點令我想到昆德拉，特別是 Life is Elsewhere（我不特別喜歡的一本），可能因為同樣涉及五月風暴。除了牽引到 Knights Templars ， Rosicrucian ，煉金術，神秘主義，招魂學說，埃及神話，又有歷史、政治、個人情感的嘲諷反諷， narrative 以內的 narrative 。但一點不悶藝，如同闖進遊藝園，例如今天讀到文化出版社的荒謬運作內幕，好玩之處，莫過於一棍下來，狡猾出版社與夢想成名的作者都成笑柄，亦正就是他的散文風格。
日前讀到這個 pinball 與性愛的妙喻（更深沉值得 quote 的當然更多，但 Eco 是個太有趣的人， 應該 quote 好玩的）也很樂了一陣子：
'The pinball problem is not to stop the ball before it's swallowed by the mouth at the bottom, or to kick it back to midfield like a halfback. The problem is to make it stay up where the lighted targets are more numerous and have it bounce from one to another, wandering, confused, delirious, but still a free agent. And you achieve this not by jolting the ball but by transmitting vibrations to the case, the frame, but gently, so the machine won't catch on and say Tilt. You can only do it with the groin, or with a play of the hips that makes the groin not so much bump, as slither, keeping you on this side of an orgasm.'
讀這本書極過癮，不枉他說：'What model reader did I want as I was writing? An accomplice, to be sure, one who would play my game.'
Friday, September 09, 2005
Enticements: Foucault's Pendulum
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10 comments:
極上，有趣透了，MAKURA開了一面莫大的窗，原諒我得列妳這篇引介之可延伸範圍為目前最高。但什麼是"金屬"百科全書呢？。又說中國人談性色變，變來變去還是那副模樣，大義如痰般浪擲後，總是一地假惺惺，無聊之極。
我還以為不知所云。謝謝你的問題，我一看也發覺大意了，其實是一本關於金屬的書，由史前講到太空，另文詳談。
我尤愛那句 'wandering, confused, delirious, but still a free agent' 。
行文大意，其實不是金屬製的百科全書，也許可以說是關於金屬的百科全書，嚴格一點，是展示金屬源流（例如又會牽引到原始時期醫藥－－在 Casaubon 的推動下）的洋洋巨著。
話說 Casaubon 與另編輯 Belbo 跟出版社老闆聚首。怎樣命名才好？
'We were thinking of something sober, like Metals.'
'Yes, it has to be sober. But with that extra hook, that little detail that tells the whole story. Let's see...Metals: A World History. Are there Chinese in it, too?'
'Yes.'
'World, then. Not an advertising gimmich: it's the truth. Wait, I know: The Wonderful Adventure of Metals.'
It is surely not an "encyclopaedia" of metals, but a history of metals, as the novel plainly states. Just as the book "A History of Philosophy" is not an encyclopadeia of philosophy.
You skipped the best part about the pinball analogy, where Belbo states that the pinball can only be best played by a woman, for anatomical reasons.
I just found it a little hard to explain the book's nature with minimal Chinese characters. Don't want to plainly put it as 金屬的歷史, which is dull. But turned out I distorted. Thanks for pointing out.
The way Garamond describes it, it is going to be more of a sensational type of publication then a real, academic treatment of the history of metal as well.
Must say I am bewildered by the sheer range of crazy people descibred in the book. And most of them do exist.
I suppose it would be something like Eco's own publication, History of Beauty.
Indeed its dazzling how he incorporated all those lengendary, or notorious people and gods and whatever into this narrative......how long did it take to do the research, or did he ever have to do that? Seems like he can generate a story like this all at ease...you know this is not something you can do without being exceptionally familiar with what exactly you are talking about. He's the one who's really crazy.
Wish I had that level of knowledge to be crazy then...
Just got to the part where the Plan has almost taken its full shape. As a Chinese reading this, it is hilarious.
oh, you are way ahead of me. my reading was interuppted by another chinese novel. but will resume it tomorrow!
Bought the book a year ago. Only started after reading your blog entry, and went through half of it on a few quiet days over the past last weekend.
An almost fiendish book, though whether good or bad depends on the person.
Not really into Chinese novel, as not too many seem interesting to me. Half way through Wolf Totem though. Surprisingly "not bad". Wouldn't say it is good, and my expectation was very low.
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