[TTLG Book Club] An introduction and August's selection: The Life of Pi (discuss!) - by Stitch
Para?noid on 4/7/2006 at 10:15
I think the thing about books such as the Austen novels is that they are intensely boring
Headphones on 4/7/2006 at 10:18
Quote Posted by Fingernail
They stir up very few wider issues...really, as she said herself, she only wrote about what she knew, so it doesn't have hugely wide implications.
This is excruciatingly wrong.
scumble on 4/7/2006 at 11:21
Actually, the social background behind Jane Austen's work
is quite interesting. I think she is really quite critical of English society of the early 19th century, but in a subtle way. It is sort of veiled by the appearance of being light romantic fiction.
The reason I referred to Stendahl above was that
Scarlet and Black is full of pointless melodrama, which is tedious rather than entertaining.
Quote Posted by Fingernail
Possibly Dickens would be a better bet.
He is perhaps more "weighty", but the size of many of his works may make them tricky for some people to get through in a month. In my experience it can be hard work as he uses so many words not in common use. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but looking up words in the dictionary can slow things down somewhat.
Rogue Keeper on 4/7/2006 at 11:23
Quote Posted by Para?noid
I think the thing about books such as the Austen novels is that they are intensely boring
No kidding, for a 21st century male...
Fingernail on 4/7/2006 at 11:40
Quote Posted by scumble
Actually, the social background behind Jane Austen's work
is quite interesting. I think she is really quite critical of English society of the early 19th century, but in a subtle way. It is sort of veiled by the appearance of being light romantic fiction.
Well yes, but what more is there to say?
and Headphones, do not condemn one opinion as "wrong" without actually countering with any examples of your own (particularly since I actually did give an example which might help your "argument").
Uncia on 4/7/2006 at 11:47
I'm in. Already read Life of Pi (Aerothorn, your advisor has no taste. Either that or they can't take the ending), will reread it before the discussion begins.
lomondtaffer on 4/7/2006 at 12:38
Quote Posted by MrDuck
*Grumbles*so bookstores aren't that beefy on the imports section (at least not in Monterrey). Then again, there's always ordering, but tat may take up reading time. Still, better than nothing.
I'm about to finish myself The Count of MonteCristo, FINALLY.*
Oh, come on ! the net's full of second hand bookstores. I just ordered
Pi in 10 minutes flat.
By the way, respect for actually reading
The Count of MontecCristo That's been on my list along with
Nostromo and
Les Miserables since I was about 12, and I still haven't opened it.
CountMRVHS on 4/7/2006 at 14:11
Well, then, if we're talking old books, why not talk really old books? Beowulf? Sir Gawain and the Green Knight? The Iliad? That's the sort of thing I think of when the word "classic" comes up.
I guess a question we'd have to ask with stuff like that is, what edition/translation should we read, or does that even matter?
At any rate, those things are all great reads, and I'm sure could spur a lot of discussion. On the other hand, my first post in this thread mentioned how I could use this as an opportunity to read *different* things from my usual fare... Just bringing up the possibility, anyway.
Starrfall on 4/7/2006 at 19:05
I nominate (
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060516283/sr=8-1/qid=1152039428/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-3235832-6747940?ie=UTF8) Gallow's Thief by Bernard Cornwell. Appears to be a historical psuedo-noir mystery type thing. I've read and quite enjoyed some of Cornwell's other stuff and I'll probably read this one eventually with or without you bastards.
Anyways here's one of the amazon briefs:
Disgraced by his father's suicide and impoverished by the debts that drove him to it, Capt. Rider Sandman, late of His Majesty's 52nd Regiment of Foot, has been forced to sell his commission to support his mother and sister. Desperate to earn a living but with no skills besides soldiering and cricket, he has come to London in search of a job. When the Home Secretary offers him temporary employment investigating a sensational murder, he accepts it as easy money. All he has to do is elicit a confession from the young artist accused of raping and murdering the Countess of Avebury during her portrait sitting. But when Sandman visits him in Newgate, the artist defends his innocence so vehemently that Sandman begins to have his doubts. Unwillingly, he is drawn into an investigation that not only risks his life but introduces him to the darkest secrets of several aristocratic families.
The biggest downside I can see is the cricket talk, but with any luck that nonsense will be limited.
TheAlbaniac on 4/7/2006 at 19:44
I'm in, and ordered the book.
For the next book I suggest 'The Kite Runner' by Khaled Hosseini
