Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Satantango by László Krasznahorkai is our New School Classic Group Read for December 2025.

This is the No Spoiler Thread
The Spoiler Thread will open on the 1st.

This early posting of the No Spoiler thread is to discuss any non-plot issues pertaining to the book.

Appropriate Posts can contain:
1. Information about the author.
2. Compare editions/translations.
3. Any historical or background information
4. Are you familiar with this author’s work? Do you have any expectations going into the book?
5. What made you decide to read this book?
6. Any fan fiction that you have read or would like to read? Just link the books.
7. If you loved the book and want others to share in that experience, use this thread to motivate others, again save plot specifics for the Spoiler thread
8. If you hated the book, it would be best to keep that for the spoiler page

The most important thing to remember is no plot discussion. Any post that contains plot information or spoilers will be deleted.

Wow, it won.
I will add to the discussion in late January. I can't get to it before.
Very nice!

I'll join this one in December, for sure. This writer is new to me; I have never read anything by him before.

Klowey wrote: "Wow, it won."

I was surprised too. It had been in the lead once so I priced it on Amazon and Blackwell's and put it down on my tentative December read. But when I looked next, Purple Hibiscus had moved a few votes past it so I presumed it would lose, wrote it off and started planning for other potential December reads.
But, as that great philosopher, Yogi, once said: "It ain't over til its over." Satantango put on an unexpected last minute burst to win.
I anticipate purchasing this book and joining in on the discussion of this book by our newest Nobel Prize winner.
I should read this author. My grandmother was born in Budapest.

Yeah this one was sniped at the very end. These polls are looking like the end of an ebay auction back in the day with multiple bids at the last minute. I loved this and look forward to reading it again but it won't be everyone's cup of tea. I think if one wants to try and read Krasznahorkai, this will be the best opportunity with some strong commenters planning to commit.

I strongly recommend the Bela Tarr film adaptation which is equally acclaimed. You may not be able to find it at a cinema but it should be streaming from a couple of services. The film runs seven hours so plan your time in advance.

I read it last week and am interested in your impressions. The author's name is often associated with those of Kafka and Beckett: on the back covers, and automatically in all the reviews. Now, my intention here is simply to encourage readers to set aside all pre-packaged associations.

I have the impression that it is precisely the most recent works that are most subject to preconceptions. A bit of a paradox, really, because one would expect static and established frameworks for works and authors that are now distant in time. I wonder if this is what happens: recent works have not yet given critics and readers the opportunity to develop the plurality of interpretations that less recent works benefit from. I also wonder whether a second factor contributes to the flattening of judgements: the fact that these works – and the criticism that will slowly approach them – were born in the global era. Personal judgements fuelled by a local cultural background; schools of literary criticism that once had their strongholds in specific geographical regions: in the global age, these two horizons seem to have greatly changed.

If my copy arrives on time – libraries seem to be overwhelmed with requests – I will use this opportunity to read my second Krasznahorkai: War and War (1999).

I moved my vote from The Faces to Satantango the 30th. At that time it was 29-29. Must have been two more people doing similar.

Looking forward to reading it. I got in the library line for the Danish translation, and got this: "You are number 15 in the queue. The library has 1 copy.".... Probably going to read the English translation (no line).

I read this book this week. Found it both challenging and rewarding. I am curious what others think of it.

It looks like several read this in November. Smart thinking. I picked this up this morning to try and read it before Christmas set in and, after reading a page and perusing some reviews, decided that I was too late as Christmas has already set it.
This looks to be a fascinating and challenging read that I am in no way in the mood for reading in December. It definitely feels more like a January/February novel.

Klowey wrote: "Wow, it won. I will add to the discussion in late January. I can't get to it before. Very nice!"
So I decided that I will join with Klowley and try to add to the discussion in January. I'm feeling like something not quite so dense and challenging even this early in December. Instead I just read a Christmas-time Victorian ghost story this morning called The Phantom Coach by Amelia B. Edwards. More fitting for my December mood. I'm doing Andy Catlett: Early Travels around Christmas. and may look for other novels with a bit more cozy atmosphere than a tango with Satan.

I started this today, and I am finding the story and action a little confusing at first. Can someone help me and let me know if they are seeing the basic plot/setting in the first chapter the same way that I am?

Spoilers for chapter 1:
(view spoiler)[Is Futaki afraid when Schmidt comes home because he's in bed with Schmidt's wife? It seems like maybe that's the case as he is there to talk to her as she awakens.

Do these characters live in a sort of commune? Somehow Schmidt is stealing money to get funds to leave. Maybe he is taking the money from selling the cattle the whole group communally owns? If not, I can't understand what he's stealing. Maybe they all contribute their work to the commune for their meager, mold infested shelters and for meager food?

I don't know the political situation in this region and timeframe, but that's the best guess I can come up with. (hide spoiler)]

What did everyone else think? Please let me know, as I don't want to start this book off wrongfooted.

Thank you!