Great discussion about Unaccustomed Earth. Thanks.
Since Anna Karenina is huge, we are skipping December. January 17 we will meet for Anna Karenina.
Other new books: Several were put on with not a lot of input so are still up for discussion. But as Donna pointed out, we should probably freeze the list for 6 months out since some of us buy books about that far out.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Millenial books
List of best books so far for the millenium, from critics versus 'Readers'
10 on the readers are on out list; only 4 from the panel of critics.
10 on the readers are on out list; only 4 from the panel of critics.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Reviews for Heyday of the Insensitive Bastard, by R. Boswell
Saturday, July 25, 2009
August 16: Three Cups of Tea
See you all, usual place, 4 pm.
Here's a link to the New York Times: Thomas Friedman describes he scene when one of Mortenson's schools opened in Afghanistan.
Here's a link to the New York Times: Thomas Friedman describes he scene when one of Mortenson's schools opened in Afghanistan.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
There must be better than this...
Looking for some good photos of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.
These are tiny:
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ma96/WCE/title.html
These are tiny:
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ma96/WCE/title.html
Newsweek's book lists
Newsweek's summer double issue was on books. The cover story was on 50 books to read now, and they had a web-only article on the top 100 books ever. Maybe we should consider some?
The books to read now list: We have never read a Twain, and 3 made it onto the books to read now list. Described as "the Mississippi books" but not defined, I assume these are Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, and Pudd'nhead Wilson. But maybe Life on the Mississippi would also fit. We also have read several (Gilead, American Pastoral, Midnight's Children, Persepolis) and have another coming up (Things fall apart).
The 100 top books list also has ones we read (The Great Gatsby, Midnight's Children, etc) plus lost of other familiar books.
Thoughts?
The books to read now list: We have never read a Twain, and 3 made it onto the books to read now list. Described as "the Mississippi books" but not defined, I assume these are Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, and Pudd'nhead Wilson. But maybe Life on the Mississippi would also fit. We also have read several (Gilead, American Pastoral, Midnight's Children, Persepolis) and have another coming up (Things fall apart).
The 100 top books list also has ones we read (The Great Gatsby, Midnight's Children, etc) plus lost of other familiar books.
Thoughts?
Friday, June 19, 2009
Notes from the Reader
Recommendations from discussion of the Reader:
- Every man dies alone, a book by Hans Fallada
- Movie: The Boy in Striped Pajamas
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Some background for Malcolm X
Here's the link for "The Hate That Hate Produced": http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6140647821635049109. There are also lots of good Elijah Mohammed and Malcolm X clips on You Tube.
Thanks to E for this post.
Thanks to E for this post.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Added a book to the list
Added What is the What, by Dave Eggers, to the bottom of the list.
What I know about Dave Eggers I learned from here:
http://bit.ly/2fuI34
He is funny, smart, creative, and inspirational.
What I know about Dave Eggers I learned from here:
http://bit.ly/2fuI34
He is funny, smart, creative, and inspirational.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Live Blogging: March
Ann's recommendation: Babylon's Ark. A non-fiction version of the Baghdad Zoo.
No god but God, by Reza Aslan
E: One day we had to run, children's stories about refugees (sorry, I could not really find a link).
Regarding Persepolis: Horrible situation aside, the one constant in all your bad relationships just might be YOU!
Why do authors do graphic novels? For lazy people? Recall Mark Medoff's statement that directors ignore everything but dialog: this way the authors retain more control over more elements of the story. There are lots of audiences out there, and not everybody will read a 300 page novel about freedom.
Lively discussion -- thanks to all who showed up.
Next meeting: April 19, Little Heathens.
No god but God, by Reza Aslan
E: One day we had to run, children's stories about refugees (sorry, I could not really find a link).
Regarding Persepolis: Horrible situation aside, the one constant in all your bad relationships just might be YOU!
Why do authors do graphic novels? For lazy people? Recall Mark Medoff's statement that directors ignore everything but dialog: this way the authors retain more control over more elements of the story. There are lots of audiences out there, and not everybody will read a 300 page novel about freedom.
Lively discussion -- thanks to all who showed up.
Next meeting: April 19, Little Heathens.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
A few items from Salman Rushdie’s talk last night
Useless things: keys to cities and knighthoods from the queen.
After getting his knighthood, a young girl asked him: "How’s the knight thing going?"
On Dickens: Some writers are good speakers but it kills them.
Novels once brought people the news. Novelists were committed social activists.
What about now? The more ways there are to get the news, the less news there is in it.
Example: the news was responsible for the strange transformation of Paris Hilton from a second rate hotel to a second rate human.
Example: Consider difference between news in books like The Kite Runner and Reading Lolita in Tehran and news of bombings and explosions, which we get in the paper.
Greatest myth is ordinary life. Consider your family. We say that everything is fine but we know that things are hell in there.
On Politics: "Sorry, Republicans. You had 8 years, now its not your turn."
Writers are in the front line of the quarrel with tyrants.
On suppression of events: Simply saying that this happened becomes a political act.
The Ayatollah: I don't have much to say about the Ayatollah Kohmeni, but I should point out that one of us is dead.
Example of how the state had not just imagination but also sense of humor: this letter has not been censored.
Of Saul Bellow, when asked why American writers don’t address US power: He drew himself up to his full Nobel laureate height. Writers don't have obligations. They have inspirations.
Austen’s career coincided with Napoleonic Wars and never mentioned then once.
The effect of extraneous events on lives now important. Thinking of the Bridge of San Luis Rey, where a random act killed 5 people, and Wilder ponders why these 5?
Public life intrudes on private life. September 11 is a huge example of people’s fate being unrelated to their character.
But relying on external events dates your book.
On stories: We tell each other stories to make sense of things.
A priest acquaintance, of last rites: People tell their story on their deathbed, and the priest is a receiver of stories. Controlling the story is a crime against humanity.
Regarding response to Satanic Verses: One critic said he had not read it. “He didn't need to wade through a gutter to know it contains filth. I thought this was a good point about gutters.”
Another critic, but after some time passed: “I read your book and don't know what the fuss was about.” Rushdie’s response: “Yes, asshole but you are the ones making the fuss.”
On a movie made about him post Satanic Verses: I felt the fashion insult very keenly: vermillion safari suits, aubergine safari suits, cerise safari suits. “At the end of the film I get killed personally by God.”
The defense of free speech begins with speech you don't like.
From Bellow: open the universe a little bit more.
More on opening the universe: Throughout history, artists have tried to push out to open the universe and people have always been outside pushing back.
Japanese translator of Satanic Verses was murdered. Norwegian publisher took 3 bullets in the back. Italian translator stabbed. Anonymous threats to bookstores and clerks. Rushdie apologized to the Norwegian, who replied that they had ordered a new printing. People resisted with spirit.
Purity is a dangerous ideology. Whenever somebody talks about purity, people die.
After getting his knighthood, a young girl asked him: "How’s the knight thing going?"
On Dickens: Some writers are good speakers but it kills them.
Novels once brought people the news. Novelists were committed social activists.
What about now? The more ways there are to get the news, the less news there is in it.
Example: the news was responsible for the strange transformation of Paris Hilton from a second rate hotel to a second rate human.
Example: Consider difference between news in books like The Kite Runner and Reading Lolita in Tehran and news of bombings and explosions, which we get in the paper.
Greatest myth is ordinary life. Consider your family. We say that everything is fine but we know that things are hell in there.
On Politics: "Sorry, Republicans. You had 8 years, now its not your turn."
Writers are in the front line of the quarrel with tyrants.
On suppression of events: Simply saying that this happened becomes a political act.
The Ayatollah: I don't have much to say about the Ayatollah Kohmeni, but I should point out that one of us is dead.
Example of how the state had not just imagination but also sense of humor: this letter has not been censored.
Of Saul Bellow, when asked why American writers don’t address US power: He drew himself up to his full Nobel laureate height. Writers don't have obligations. They have inspirations.
Austen’s career coincided with Napoleonic Wars and never mentioned then once.
The effect of extraneous events on lives now important. Thinking of the Bridge of San Luis Rey, where a random act killed 5 people, and Wilder ponders why these 5?
Public life intrudes on private life. September 11 is a huge example of people’s fate being unrelated to their character.
But relying on external events dates your book.
On stories: We tell each other stories to make sense of things.
A priest acquaintance, of last rites: People tell their story on their deathbed, and the priest is a receiver of stories. Controlling the story is a crime against humanity.
Regarding response to Satanic Verses: One critic said he had not read it. “He didn't need to wade through a gutter to know it contains filth. I thought this was a good point about gutters.”
Another critic, but after some time passed: “I read your book and don't know what the fuss was about.” Rushdie’s response: “Yes, asshole but you are the ones making the fuss.”
On a movie made about him post Satanic Verses: I felt the fashion insult very keenly: vermillion safari suits, aubergine safari suits, cerise safari suits. “At the end of the film I get killed personally by God.”
The defense of free speech begins with speech you don't like.
From Bellow: open the universe a little bit more.
More on opening the universe: Throughout history, artists have tried to push out to open the universe and people have always been outside pushing back.
Japanese translator of Satanic Verses was murdered. Norwegian publisher took 3 bullets in the back. Italian translator stabbed. Anonymous threats to bookstores and clerks. Rushdie apologized to the Norwegian, who replied that they had ordered a new printing. People resisted with spirit.
Purity is a dangerous ideology. Whenever somebody talks about purity, people die.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Labia lips? You decide...
I've just finished Midnight's Children. This one will stay with me for awhile. In addition to being a tour de force of writing, it made be woefully aware of just how unaware I am (and have been) of what's going on in the world beyond our borders. Roger has always wanted to visit India. I never have - and this book didn't change my mind.
http://www.indianetzone.com/21/sanjay_gandhi.htm
http://www.indianetzone.com/21/sanjay_gandhi.htm
Friday, January 30, 2009
Welcome, next book, new book
Good to have new faces and ideas -- thanks for joining us. Great discussion, by the way. We seem to have great discussions about books nobody really likes!
Next month is Midnight's Children, February 15, 4 pm. Salman Rushdie will be in town March 10 at the Pan Am. Tickets are free.
We added The Reader to June (movie and book).
Next month is Midnight's Children, February 15, 4 pm. Salman Rushdie will be in town March 10 at the Pan Am. Tickets are free.
We added The Reader to June (movie and book).
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