Kira
Member Posts: 149 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 3/9/2002 at 12:45 AM |
Ok...this is really nerdy of me, but would anyone else be interested in
starting a Shmeng book club?
There are lots of books I want to read, but don´t have the time and don´t
make the time ´cause not having time is a good excuse. Besides, even if I
did read the books I wanted to chances are I would drive all the idiots
around me nuts by trying to discuss them.
I´m thinking we all agree on a book, spend a month or so reading it and
discuss it via forums (or maybe email if we get too chatty) weekly by
chapter. Is that how a real (ala Oprah) book club works?
So if anyone has any potential books...I was thinking Mary Shelley´s
Frankenstein for one, or Orwell´s 1984, both of which I´ve
always wanted to read. We could also do poetry (realpoetry, not
angsty teen whinings) or plays.
I know no one has time, but even in just 15 minutes a day (c´mon, turn off
the Facts of Life rerun) you too could be more pseudo-intellectual!
Anyone up for it? ____________________ Wind me up and make me crawl to you, tie me up until I call to you. |
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Monolycus
Fanatic Posts: 580 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 16/9/2002 at 02:58 PM |
I think that "The Hunger Artist" is a better Kafka selection than
"Metamorphosis", but that´s just me. I wouldn´t see anything wrong with
throwing a few Kafkas and Poes into the lot at once as they are more
"short-storyish" than actual novels (except for Poe´s "The Gold Bug").
I agree with KatB, though, that beyond being good reads, any selections
would have to be discussion worthy. I have a lot of books that I have
enjoyed, but would have little to say anything about other than "Hey, man,
you gotta read this!" I suspect that the picks that I have proposed might
sound a little snobbish, but I chose them because I think that they bear up
well to discussion and analysis. In that respect, I think Kafka stories
might serve the purpose a wee bit better than the Poe would. Do not take
that the wrong way, I adore Poe, but his work has never really struck me as
saying much beyond what is on the page (NOT A CRITICISM!). There just
aren´t too many different ways to interpret what he has bared for the
audience (ie; if you have read it, you either get it or you don´t).
~Monolycus. ____________________ "I believe that woman is planning to shoot me again." |
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dead-cell
Fanatic Posts: 344 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 16/9/2002 at 01:15 PM |
Ok, I have a suggestion; How about The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. I
happen to be reading for class. Its cool, guy wakes-up as cockroach for no
reason. Then again Frankenstien is good too, or anything by Edger Allen
Poe. ____________________ co-worker: "Your gay!?"
myself: "Didn't you see my rainbow pin?"
co-worker: "I just thought you liked skettles."
-(yes, it actually happened to me) |
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Lenore
Occasional Poster Posts: 22 Registered: 25/7/2002 Status: Offline
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posted on 12/9/2002 at 02:24 AM |
quote: I wasn´t under the
impression that our literary picks were supposed to be
goth...
That´s good. There are too many thrillingly
well-written books outside the goth-genre to be that selective. Wilbur
Smith has got some goodies too ____________________ "The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the
human mind to correlate its contents." - H.P.Lovecraft |
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Monolycus
Fanatic Posts: 580 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 11/9/2002 at 02:53 PM |
I´m on a low Anne Rice diet, although Ibsen sounds like something I´ve been
meaning to get around to. I wasn´t under the impression that our literary
picks were supposed to be goth... and anyway, I think Kira already fed our
suggestions into the Hat o´ Doom. (Glad to see this forum hadn´t been
forgotten! I was all on the jazzed side!) ____________________ "I believe that woman is planning to shoot me again." |
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Lenore
Occasional Poster Posts: 22 Registered: 25/7/2002 Status: Offline
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posted on 11/9/2002 at 02:41 PM |
If you haven´t read it, then I would highly recommend "The Witching Hour"
By Anne Rice. Probably the best book she´s ever written. And also "Hedda
Gabler" by Henrik Ibsen. Not exactly goth, but definantly worth reading. ____________________ "The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the
human mind to correlate its contents." - H.P.Lovecraft |
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Kira
Member Posts: 149 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 5/9/2002 at 08:53 PM |
And the winner, by totally random selection is:
A Clockwork Orange -
Anthony Burgess
The runner up:
Siddhartha - Herman
Hesse
Now go get your book(s) and start reading!
____________________ Wind me up and make me crawl to you, tie me up until I call to you. |
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Kira
Member Posts: 149 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 5/9/2002 at 06:26 PM |
oi-kay. Heresawhattimgonnado.
Sometime tonight I´ll put all the viable recommendations in a hat and let
fate decide what our first read shall be. Since I hope this will be an
ongoing thing there should be plenty of time (if interest keeps up) to
eventually get through everyone´s picks.
So get those last minute suggestions in, kiddies...Many of us will be
making trips to the library, then I´d like to start reading pronto. I
think Monolycus´ suggestion of 3 chapters a week sounds good for most
books.
And I´d like to add in the Illuminatus Trilogy for good measure...I´ve
tried to read it many times and need moral support.
ps. Oh demigod and goddesses of Shmeng, I humbly ask you for our own place
in the Forum Index so we don´t crowd out all the other Pseudo-Intellectual
Fuckwits... ____________________ Wind me up and make me crawl to you, tie me up until I call to you. |
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IamSquid
Extreme Fanatic Posts: 658 Registered: 27/5/2002 Status: Offline
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posted on 5/9/2002 at 01:23 PM |
okay so like I said, I don´t read alot of fiction but I would love to
discuss books on Hermetics and philosophy. I´m on a yahoo group that´s
SUPPOSED to be dedicated to discussion of Crowley´s works (specificly
concerning, but not limited to, MTP) but NOOOOO, everybody´s there to throw
out 93s, BS, and the occasional round of Wiccan-bashing.
(yoo know what really pisses Thelemites off? When yoo yada yada yada "Do
what thou wilt...")
So I would like to read Crowley. I would prefer to discuss "The Vision and
the Voice" and follow it up with "The Book of Lies" but if fiction is a
must there´s always "Moonchild" or "Diary of a Drug Fiend." ____________________
i wanted to die, and then it progressed into wanting everyone else to
die so i could watch, and then me die.
-ickgirl |
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Comedian
Fanatic Posts: 213 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 5/9/2002 at 01:17 PM |
Apocalypse Now Redux, or regular old Apocalypse Now? ____________________ Make way for the bad guy! |
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Monolycus
Fanatic Posts: 580 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 5/9/2002 at 01:16 PM |
I´m with you on the Shelley debate, Devin... but it isn´t just the 17 year
old girl factor (throw the Bronte sisters on my pile of recommendations...
I don´t care what anyone says, Wuthering Heights is goth as fuck!)... I
think that if you compare things that were written by ANYONE one seventy or
more years ago with things that are written for general consumption today,
you will come to the conclusion that we have, for the most part, lost both
the ability to write and to have something worth saying. (Let the torrent
of indignant protests begin!)
Okay, Kira. You came up with the idea, so you decide. Is it going to be
1984 or Frankenstein? I have a copy of each of these... just waiting for
you to give the word and to supply a time frame (i.e.; Does three chapters
per week sound fair?). ____________________ "I believe that woman is planning to shoot me again." |
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Ironboots
Extreme Fanatic Posts: 893 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 5/9/2002 at 12:06 PM |
*read Catcher in the Rye last year for school*
What is so bad about it?!!!
And if they keep assigning it, so what?! Because then you already know it
and don´t have to read it!
But it seems my senior Literature class will be kickass. We´re going to
read Brave New World, A Clockwork Orange, Heart of Darkness, and watch
Apocolypse Now.
Ain´t you feelin´ jealous! :razz: ____________________ Piggy's got the Conch! |
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KatB
Fanatic Posts: 241 Registered: 16/7/2002 Status: Offline
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posted on 5/9/2002 at 04:34 AM |
Funny, but what to discuss?????????
And no, it´s not the same book. :roll: ____________________ All stressed out and no one to choke...
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IamSquid
Extreme Fanatic Posts: 658 Registered: 27/5/2002 Status: Offline
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posted on 5/9/2002 at 02:59 AM |
I like the idea. The problem is my reading list is SO goddman heavy (I
generally read 3 books at a time and buy 5 in the process).
Frankenstein was a terrific book but I´ve already read it. I´ve read a
book called The Magus but it was written by Francis Barret and wasn´t a
novel.
I reccomend The Hitchhiker´s guide to the Galaxy (I admit, I´ve never
finnished it). ____________________
i wanted to die, and then it progressed into wanting everyone else to
die so i could watch, and then me die.
-ickgirl |
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KatB
Fanatic Posts: 241 Registered: 16/7/2002 Status: Offline
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posted on 4/9/2002 at 02:30 AM |
Yeah, excellent authours as well as Pratchet (Gaaawd, yes, Good Omens is
the funniest book ever, _everybody_ muuuust read!!!) BUT what is there to
discuss?
To make the most of a project like this, I reckon we ought to go for
something with psychological layers, if that made sence to anyone... Issues
where different people can air different views and/or conceptions. Without
being ridiculed or needing to show off, pleeeze!
I agree on Frankenstein and A Clockwork Orange, and repeat my plea for John
Fowles´ The Magus - it´s a compelling book, with an incredible plot, it´s
like everytime you feel you´ve figured it all out you realise you weren´t
even close...
8) ____________________ All stressed out and no one to choke...
/>
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Comedian
Fanatic Posts: 213 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 4/9/2002 at 02:04 AM |
I thought there was some conspiracy blip about how the girl that wrote
frankenstein actually had the transcript dropped on her lap by a cloaked
figure in a disreputable bar...
How about some cheery stuff, though?
James Thurber, P.G. Wodehouse, or Jack London?
And though some of you may scoff at Jack London- read Call of the
Wild before you try to bring him down. ____________________ Make way for the bad guy! |
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Devin
Administrator Posts: 317 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Online
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posted on 3/9/2002 at 10:11 PM |
I´d have to agree with the Frankenstein thing - just so people can see how
much better a 17 year old girl can write than they can
But if we´re looking for suggestions, I´d nominate "A Clockwork Orange".
Doesn´t get much gother than that, and there´s plenty to discuss. (Plus you
can´t cheat and watch the movie and know what you´re talking about) ____________________ So Sayeth Me |
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bettie_x
Extreme Fanatic Posts: 1570 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 3/9/2002 at 09:34 PM |
My suggestion is terry pratchet...a tasty mix of tweaky, quirky, comical
satyre and literary genious combined with just plain out good goddamned
writing skills.
He co wrote a book with neil gaiman called "good omens: the nice and
accurate prophecies of agnes nutter, witch"
I´m a HUGE poppy z brite fan (michael scored me an autographed hardcover
copy of "plastic jesus" off ebay for twenty bucks! WOOOO!) and I´m
currently making my way through as many dean koontz books that I can get my
hands on.
I read A LOT. A LOT. I ran out of poppy´s books, and I´m running out of
dean´s books, and I had already finnished with most of king´s GOOD books
in highschool, so I"m probably going to be moving on to neil gaiman
next.
I stick to horror compilations...you get to taste a variety of writers and
their different takes on horror.
999 was AWESOME...and the "new best horror" line is also fucking
fantastic.
Anton lavey if you´re in for a little sharp witticism and hairbrained well
thought out philosophy.
I like the idea, there should be one public post a month, or a section of
it´s own so we can do this...I think it´s a FABULOUS idea kira ____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas. |
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MorteAscendo
Member Posts: 190 Registered: 6/5/2002 Status: Offline
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posted on 3/9/2002 at 04:07 PM |
Ok...Well..there is a crazy yet beautiful book called "Swan Song" by
Robert R. McCammon. I would read that fifty million times...it is a
multi-character book...and the back ground is after a nuke war...rose the
ultiment evil called "Friend" and he is after a little girl named Swan who
posses the power to bring life back to earth. Also other main characters.
And there is a huge Good and Evil Battle in the end...it is 2 books in one
and between the gap it is like a 7 year hiadus....i want to tell more...but
even if you dont pick this book you should read it...it was frickin
unbeliveable book...OR!!! another book by the same author called "The
Wolfs Hour". it is about this guy who get s bit by a Warewolf during
WW2...and he slaughter Nazis...theres more to it..but it was fuckin
hillarious....OR!! (lol) another but the samne author called "Gone South"
is a bout 2 bounty Hunters..one a Elvis Impersonator and a guy who has a
Siamese twin in his belly..and when the guy taps on his belt buckle the
twin pulls out a Derringer and shoots straight ahead...lol...OR!!!
hahaha..im kidding..anyway...i havent read them all..but i want
too...ok..im done!!
-Morte ops: ____________________ "Roses are Red, Violets are Blue. I'm a schizophrenic, and so am I". |
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Monolycus
Fanatic Posts: 580 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
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posted on 3/9/2002 at 02:03 PM |
I think that sounds like a great idea, Kira. I used to go to a college
with a Great Books curriculum (for those of you unfamiliar with that, it
just means that we read original works and then sat at a round table three
times a week and discussed/dissected the works in what is supposed to be a
Socratic learning process for all. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it
didn´t.) Getting everybody here to agree on the work we all want to
discuss might be a bugger, as would be keeping us on topic (You generally
get at least one person who feels that just because they didn´t technically
do the reading should be no impediment to their comparing the book to last
week´s episode of the Simpsons at length). Also, if anyone quotes from the
book in question, please remember that different editions (or, in many
cases, translations) are arranged differently and what character A said on
page 136 in your copy doesn´t happen for me until page 175. If we all
agree to read a set number of chapters though, it shouldn´t get too
confusing... (unless a lot of us want to read ahead and discuss things that
not everyone knows anything about yet).
I, too, would have plenty of books to suggest that I feel are
discussion-worthy. Off the top of my head are:
Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dosteovsky
Moby-Dick, or the Whale by Herman Melville
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
the dialogues of Plato
Hamlet, MacBeth or King Lear by Shakespeare
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
...and I will stop here or I will be here all day.
____________________ "I believe that woman is planning to shoot me again." |
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