Hey guys, it looks like we're all done discussing part 1. Part 2 is a bit shorter and in the interest of time, I'd like to discuss part 2 along with part 3. If there are any objections, let me know. Also, it seems like two weeks was more than enough time, at least for the people that commented in this thread. I'd like to get feedback from you on the pace, so please let me know how you feel about it. Let's say that the discussion of parts 2 and 3 will begin on Sunday, September 14.
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I feel bad about bitching out, but I've got a long reading list and if I can't get into something in 160 pages (in this case), then it's time to move on. I don't like not giving books the benefit of the doubt — any book could get better or change suddenly later down the line, but I'm far more likely to get bogged down and wind up not reading anything at all.
Et tu Brute? Can't say I blame you, though I hear the next chapter comes equipped with giant flying hornets :)
Cool. I might not make it though because I'm heading over to Italy on the 7th and... I don't know how much reading I'll get done.
I'm in again. I want to say right up front that I will not be participating in any other book-clubs with books of this length unless they are a proven classic. i.e. War and Peace, Anna Karenina, Moby Dick or something like that. I realize that this is sort of a lame thing to say, but we could be on to the next book by now, you know?
That hurts man. I'm enjoying this shit and everyone should try new things! I also question your application of the words 'proven classic'. That said humanodon, I'm not sure about accelerating the pace. I think that'll siphon our already decreasing number of participants. Either way I guess, give me a deadline and I'll get there.
I hear you, but it's a whole lot of book to cover and it's already been a month since we started. I mean, at this rate, I'm going to have to return the book before we even touch part 5, which I think would be half way through October if we have a discussion every two weeks. I would strongly suggest that for the book club, we try to pick books that will: 1) spark good discussion of the book 2) spark good discussion of ideas and subjects that the book deals with 3) are manageable within reasonable time frames. I think that 1 and 2 are fairly well satisfied, but man oh man, this is taking a while to get through, no? Plus, there are clearly a lot of people starting classes right now and "huge novel" might not be the most appealing way to spend their free time . . . Anyway, two huge books in a row is probably about as much as our book club can handle, but as I'm out of the rotation after this book, I'll leave it up to the next person to decide.
Aw, come on! That's not what I meant by it! I'm just saying that with a book this length, suddenly it becomes a Commitment. I mean, three months man, that's the time frame we're dealing with. That's a quarter of a year. I honestly think that more people would participate if it was a book club, not a massive book club. I'm not saying that I think people would participate more if we were to choose lighter fare either; a whole lot of those books suggested were heavy, dense kinds of books because . . . I guess those are the kind of people interested in participating. The thing is we need to keep the pace up so that people stay involved. Too long in between and people forget.
I read your post on the other stuff you're supposed to be reading and it seems like you've got a heavy load. One of my worst semesters in school was when I decided to take a literary foundations course (classics) and a Brit. Lit course. One book a week for each class. If I had the opportunity to do things over, I would definitely not do that again.
I would love to be able to take courses like that, but most of my reading is on top of class because my college doesn't handle double majors very well. No room for interesting courses. I've been reading part two this afternoon and unfortunately it's much, much weirder than part one. Fuck.
#sorryforbeingnegative That said, I'm in for part 2 and hope to start digging it more.That hurts man. I'm enjoying this shit and everyone should try new things!
I love that you made the leap to me not wanting to try new things. I do something new every day by design, ever since that conversation with asvdveen. I'm enjoying this bookclub too, it's great. It's just hard when you have maybe an hour of free time a day to know that you're going to be filling it with a novel you aren't super jazzed about. That's all, nothing personal. That's part of being in a book club though. I'm simply suggesting a shorter book for our next endeavor. I've read plenty of 900+ page books, I just don't think they are ideally suited to a book club.
Took a bit of sounds_sound's philosophy of always saying, "yes." We have a lot of work to do around the house this weekend, but some friends asked us to go to a new restaurant today that we've not been to. I said, "yes" even though I really didn't want to. We had a blast. Now I'm going to go a neighborhood pool with my daughter that we've never been to. Both are new things. I'm not a big "pool" guy, but I know she'll love it. We were asked to go to the NC Zoo with some friends tomorrow and our first inclination was to say, "no" because it's supposed to be a hot day and again, we have a lot of work to get done, but what the hell?... we said "yes". Just like sounds_sound. edit: I also plan on cooking tomorrow night. Per this suggestion of doing "something new," I will attempt a new dish. Not sure what yet, but it'll be new to me.
Sounds great! It looks to me like you're not only overcoming the natural tendency to take the easiest road but also doing more activities for others. I, for instance, helped a good friend move to a new apartment. Even though it was four stories up and had no elevator, we got all his heavy wooden furniture up there with good teamwork. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat, because I know it means something to him to have people who can help him out, even with something superficial as moving furniture.
"Still Life With Woodpecker" -That was a fantastic read.
That was a big book for me when I was much younger. Not sure it was as good in my 40's. Hard to go back to those kind of books. Why I've resisted re-readying much Any Rand. Ian Banks sci-fi books seem to have held up for me, though his horrible political viewpoints have really colored (coloured) them for re-reading. -XC
Haven't read any Ian Banks. Just read my first Rand and it was pretty bad, but I could see how it would be good at 12 years old. -not trying to be funny, I really could. Still Life was an awesome read when I was 18, as were all of Tom Robbin's books. I don't dare read any now for fear that the magic will no longer hold sway....
or anyone that wants someone to tell them their basest impulses are moral.
When did we get to a moral state? I guess it boils down to whether not homo sapiens in his wild state is a villain. Are we acculturated to be good or evil. is morality adherence to cultural norm or something else.
Oh I hope not. (philosophy is horrible stuff.)
obviously humans are social animals so even our wild man has to live in a social context. Can cultures be seen as objectively good or bad? Nazis compared to say Puerto Ricans? is the moral man the one that does what his culture expects of him?
I like logic PHL on the other hand lacks rigor in the selection of its axioms.