9.30.2008

Nighttrain


(.)

Listening to Sigur Ros' Staralfur, while writing this post.
You might want to join me in this amazing atmosphere of dreamy and magical music.

The book i am currently reading is Pascal Mercier's Nighttrain to Lisbon.
I have to admit, i am fascinated by it and it is by far the best book i've read for months, maybe even years.
Books like these make me love words so much.
Sentences made out of the most powerful words, that touch you so...

It's a fascinating story about a man in his midlife, who decides to suddenly leave his hometown Bern in Switserland, to go to Lisbon in Portugal by nighttrain.
I am only at page 82 (from the more than 400 pages), but i already know this book will stay with me, the quotes will fly through my mind as long as i am sane.


(.)

Gregorius (the main character) found an old book in an antique store from a Portugese writer named Amadeu de Prado and he feels so immensely attracted to the book and it's writer that he strongly feels he has to go to Lisbon to find the writer or at least his past.
He feels like Amadeu de Prado is directly talking to him in the book and therefor he can do nothing else than follow his feelings and leave his old life behind.


(.)

In the book, there are a lot of paragraphs from the book Gregorius is so touched by.
The words, the sentences are magical. They make me feel like i am in a sort of other, more intellectual and more clearly thinking state.

The book starts with a quote of Michel de Montaigne.
It just makes you want to read the book immediately.

We all just exist out of colourful stained rags, which are so losely attached to each other that every single one of them constantly waves as it wants; that's why there are as much differences between us and ourselves as between us and others.


(.)

If it is true, that we can only live a small part from what's inside of us, what happens with the rest?


(.)

It's a mistake to think that in ones life the deciding moments, when the familiar directions change forever, must always be full of loud and fierce drama and strong feelings (.....)When an experience unfolds her revolutionary consequences and makes that ones life will be immersed in a totally different light and gets a whole new melody, she does it quietly and in that glorious quietness lies her special nobility.


(.)

Every moment can be the last. Without feeling it coming, in perfect insecurity, i will pass an invisible wall behind which is nothing, not even darkness.
My next step can already be that step through the wall. Isn't it illogical to be afraid of that, while i won't experience that abrupt end and while i already know that this is what will happen?



(.)

(All the quotes from the book are translated by me from the Dutch version of the book.
As mistakes are human, it is possible i made some small mistakes while translating.
Comments on the translations are welcome.)

33 comments:

Mon Petit Lapin said...

wow I think we have the same music taste ;) lovely pictures too x

Skye said...

It's so good when you find a book which you connect with so thoroughly. They don't come along very often, it's true.

Jen of MadeByGirl said...

Hi there!
I just came across your blog and would love to exchange links with you.
I'm adding more links now, so let me know if you'd like & I'll add ya.


Jen Ramos
'100% Recycled DESIGNER Cards & More'
www.madebygirl.com
madebygirl.blogspot.com

Suzy said...

Oh Staralfur, I have tears in my eyes just remembering your beauty.

Vintage Lollipops said...

The joys of literature can be as powerful as the words that write the pages... the wanting to read until your eyes fall heavy is fantastic... Great blog!

scout said...

maybe its the drugs, but this post just touched my soul. i saw sigur ros play last week and it was the most intense experience of my life!

Betsey said...

so. beautiful.
as always

danica said...

Oh, this book sounds wonderful, Mila!

Mel said...

beautiful, everything about your blog is lovely to the max :)

http://thesunsetpalette.blogspot.com/

Hila said...

fantastic post Mila :)

Missa said...

Beautiful post Mila! The book sounds wonderful and the images you chose to go with the quotes are so so perfect, though this doesn't surprise me in the least :)

<3
Missa

Jen said...

Beautiful beautiful photos and a lovely post.

Abby said...

ooh sigur ros are beauty
I have fallen in love with all these pictures.
Your blog is inspiration central!
Great post.

mmr said...

ik ben een tijdje terug ook in nachttrein naar lissabon begonnen maar om de een of andere reden heb ik het op een bepaald moment weggelegd en er niet meer aan gedacht. Misschien is dit wel een goed moment om er weer in verder te gaan ;)

Sigur Ros is overigens fantastisch ♥

Anonymous said...

geweldig boek! geweldige foto's!

Belowen said...

Lovely, as always. Is the book available in english?

..... said...

oh god your artistic eye is so good !!

Kimberley Brandsma said...

Mooi! Ik ga het boek zeker een keer lezen!

Unknown said...

I will have to take some time to read this properly. But the book sounds fabulous. I wonder if there are English versions out there somewhere.

loveology said...

Thank you all so much, lovelies!

For the ones who asked, yes, the book is also available in English. If you follow the link i made from the title you come at Amazon.com where you can buy the book.

:)

etre-soi said...

Found your blog today, I'm loving it and wow this book... it's now on my "to read list".
I'm portuguese and live in France. I love poetry and I made that same travel by train some years ago(on the other direction)...all this coincidences...I have to read it.
Thank you for your wonderful description.

Anonymous said...

lovethis post- i must find that book!

Ivonne from Self Exposed said...

Now I'll have to read the book :)

Lovely post!

bronwyn said...

Lovely, lovely post Mila. We seem to have similar taste in music, Sigur Ros is a favourite of mine too...so beautiful and haunting. I have this same album.

Susanna-Cole King said...

That first picture stopped me in my tracks... I stared at it for some time, so beautiful, simple, but pure. I love it!

Anyway I'm so glad you've found such a book, I love with I truly connect with a book! And the way you inter-wove that quote with illutrating like images was just superb!

And thanks for your comment darling, and I am so glad you can find my blog to be like a second safe haven! I always feel such warmth, peace, and comfort when I'm on you blog as well! :)

xoxo,
S-C

Unknown said...

you have such beautiful photos on your blog. I love them.

Jillian Hobbs said...

WOW you know dutch?
sorry
lol after all that amazingness i saw that and was REALLY amazed!

porter hovey said...

Ohhh! All just so perfect. So lovely!!

Unknown said...

wow, these photos are beautiful, and along with the music, it's just perfect. sigur ros is definitely a fave. thanks for commenting on my blog today. :) i love yours so much!

Juniors-pride@hotmail.com said...

Bijzonder.. en het boek klinkt zeer goed.

Zodra ik de vliegeraar uit heb zal ik eens kijken naar deze.

pumps & luiers said...

Sigur ros is zo goed - geweldige hoe je de sfeer van de muziek in de foto's hebt gebracht!

Meg said...

The pictures are so gorgeous, and just perfect with Sigur Ros played in the background.

Fifikoussout said...

woaw, it really seems like a great book !!
and great pictures to illustrate :D
and it's so nice to see you all passionate about a book like this, it's beautiful <3
thanks for sharing, and your translations seem so professional :)