Jane in NC Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 I don't think "likes" register from my phone but you know that y'all are loved by yours truly. Oops! Double post. Double the love to all. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 ... I ended up in the hospital ... I hope you're doing fine now. Last night I read Elizabeth Hoyt's historical romance Dearest Rogue (Maiden Lane; I enjoyed it. This is about the eighth in this series, but it can stand alone. "HE CAN GUARD HER Lady Phoebe Batten is pretty, vivacious, and yearning for a social life befitting the sister of a powerful duke. But because she is almost completely blind, her overprotective brother insists that she have an armed bodyguard by her side at all times-the very irritating Captain Trevillion. FROM EVERY DANGER Captain James Trevillion is proud, brooding, and cursed with a leg injury from his service in the King's dragoons. Yet he can still shoot and ride like the devil, so watching over the distracting Lady Phoebe should be no problem at all-until she's targeted by kidnappers. BUT PASSION ITSELF Caught in a deadly web of deceit, James must risk life and limb to save his charge from the lowest of cads-one who would force Lady Phoebe into a loveless marriage. But while they're confined to close quarters for her safekeeping, Phoebe begins to see the tender man beneath the soldier's hard exterior . . . and the possibility of a life-and love-she never imagined possible." Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Powell's bookstore has a list of 25 women to read before you die. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Safe and sound at the grandparents. I have to much cr*p. My brother, b-i-l, b-i-l's dad, and my dad are all awesome. I'm exhausted. Good night 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Glad you're safe & sound in your new location, TeacherZee. :grouphug: Moving is not for the weak. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Yesterday I finished reading Frankie Dupont and the Mystery of Enderby Manor. I read it to the little guys. It was cute and silly. I give it 4/5 stars. Today I finished reading It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. It's very well written. I barely could put it down. It tells the story well of a kid who is so depressed and stressed he is ready to commit suicide, but after calling a suicide hotline he goes to the emergency room instead. The author wrote the book just after his own stay at a psych ward. Sadly, he succeeded in committing suicide a few years later. 5/5 stars. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I finished Out of Orange and thought it was just okay. This is the "other side" of Orange is the New Black, and was written by the person known in the book OITNB as Nora Jansen, and in the show as Alex Vause. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1349102617 I have 4 books and an audio book in my current list. How the Light Gets In, Louise Penny - audio book A Thousand Splendid Suns, Kaled Hosseini Wives and Daughters, Elizabeth Gaskell Faust, Goethe Regarding that last one, I decided to join the Classics and Western Cannon Goodreads group in reading Faust. So far I'm finding the translation I have (David Luke) to be very readable. Maybe this won't be the daunting task I was expecting. If so, that will be a nice surprise. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Teacher Zee, glad you are safe and sound. Stacia, I haven't been all that thrilled with my reading so far this year. There were a few exceptions (I was happy to finally tick off Don Quixote and I loved, loved, loved Far from the Madding Crowd) but for the most part I just don't feel like I've had a great reading year. Things are starting to pick up and I'm hoping the rest of the year will be good. I hope your reading blahs are coming to an end too. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I finished 37. Tobias Smollett, Roderick Random. I found myself comparing it to Tom Jones throughout. I was especially interested in how flawed the first-person narrator is, and not in ways as forgiveably charming as Jones; and in how often Smollett gives voice, through extended narratives, to society's disempowered, particularly women, who are victimized by what they and Random consider "bad fortune" but which Smollett shows as structural injustices and corruption. There's a none-too-subtle continuing undercurrent of criticism of English society, with Random and his servant as (Scottish) outsiders who, gifted with superior wit and education, eventually triumph over the misfortunes inflicted on them in their travels. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I went to the bookstore to pick up my ordered book and bought a few extra :) In europe: http://www.amazon.com/Europe-Travels-Through-Twentieth-Century/dp/0307280578/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438322186&sr=8-1&keywords=In+europe Steinz Worldliterature: http://www.bol.com/nl/p/steinz/9200000029979257/ And a biographic novel about Anna Magdalene Bach: http://www.bol.com/nl/p/anna-magdalena-bach/9200000036183432/ For now I'm reading Zola in translation. It is called the Mine in Dutch but I think it is known as Germinal here. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I went to the bookstore to pick up my ordered book and bought a few extra :) In europe: http://www.amazon.com/Europe-Travels-Through-Twentieth-Century/dp/0307280578/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438322186&sr=8-1&keywords=In+europe Steinz Worldliterature: http://www.bol.com/nl/p/steinz/9200000029979257/ And a biographic novel about Anna Magdalene Bach: http://www.bol.com/nl/p/anna-magdalena-bach/9200000036183432/ For now I'm reading Zola in translation. It is called the Mine in Dutch but I think it is known as Germinal here. I hope you make it further in Germinal than I did! It may have been my only abandoned book last year. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I hope you make it further in Germinal than I did! It may have been my only abandoned book last year. Where did you abandon the book? I'm in book 2 now. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood at that time. But it seemed pretty clearly going into the same heavyhanded Social Critique territory that I've read so much of. I didn't feel like reading a French Upton Sinclair. ETA: Oh, where, not why. Very near the beginning. So if it gets better, by all means keep going! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I finished Out of Orange and thought it was just okay. This is the "other side" of Orange is the New Black, and was written by the person known in the book OITNB as Nora Jansen, and in the show as Alex Vause. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1349102617 I have 4 books and an audio book in my current list. How the Light Gets In, Louise Penny - audio book A Thousand Splendid Suns, Kaled Hosseini Wives and Daughters, Elizabeth Gaskell Faust, Goethe Regarding that last one, I decided to join the Classics and Western Cannon Goodreads group in reading Faust. So far I'm finding the translation I have (David Luke) to be very readable. Maybe this won't be the daunting task I was expecting. If so, that will be a nice surprise. I liked Wives and Daughters. You might find it fun. I hated Kite Runner and would approach Suns with great caution. And Faust is a blast and what I would consider an easy, fast read, so I don't think you should worry about it. (Probably should add that I don't try to analyse things to much, which might be why I thought the Faust was fun and easy. Maybe It isn't if you approach it differently?) Just in case that helps... Nan 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Hugs and best wishes to all those suffering through various things. Nan 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I liked Wives and Daughters. You might find it fun. I hated Kite Runner and would approach Suns with great caution. And Faust is a blast and what I would consider an easy, fast read, so I don't think you should worry about it. (Probably should add that I don't try to analyse things to much, which might be why I thought the Faust was fun and easy. Maybe It isn't if you approach it differently?) Just in case that helps... Nan I didn't hate Kite Runner but it isn't a book I feel I will ever need to re-read. It disturbed me. Suns I started as an audiobook but then my audible app went wonky and I lost where I was and I never went back to it. Maybe now that I will have a longer commute that is a book I can listen too (I get motion sickness sometimes so I tend not to read a great deal when in moving vehicles). 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I think I see what the author was trying to accomplish and I would say that he had accomplished it. Maybe there are people who need to read it to know what can happen under those sorts of circumstances. I didn,t learn anything from the book that I didn,t already know, so for me, it was just unnecessary pain. I get seasick in the car, too. I love my noise-canceling headphones. And my little round fist-sized speaker. : ) Nan 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I think I see what the author was trying to accomplish and I would say that he had accomplished it. Maybe there are people who need to read it to know what can happen under those sorts of circumstances. I didn,t learn anything from the book that I didn,t already know, so for me, it was just unnecessary pain. I get seasick in the car, too. I love my noise-canceling headphones. And my little round fist-sized speaker. : ) Nan Yes I think that is exactly right. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Is Suns lighter? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I honestly can't remember and I didn't finish it. Maybe someone else can chime in. I feel like I should read it, we have so many Afghan refugees here. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 That makes sense. Have you read Kabul Beauty School? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 No I haven't. What is it about? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I finished Out of Orange and thought it was just okay. This is the "other side" of Orange is the New Black, and was written by the person known in the book OITNB as Nora Jansen, and in the show as Alex Vause. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1349102617 I have 4 books and an audio book in my current list. How the Light Gets In, Louise Penny - audio book A Thousand Splendid Suns, Kaled Hosseini Wives and Daughters, Elizabeth Gaskell Faust, Goethe Regarding that last one, I decided to join the Classics and Western Cannon Goodreads group in reading Faust. So far I'm finding the translation I have (David Luke) to be very readable. Maybe this won't be the daunting task I was expecting. If so, that will be a nice surprise. 1000 splendid sons made me cry so much. It was a hard book to read, a book I'll never read again but one I am really glad to have read. It's a book that stays with you. For me it challenged various perceptions I had. Is wives and daughters the one with Mary Barton and Jem? If it is it's not my favourite Gaskell but still an interesting read. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 It is about an American woman who works at a beauty school in Kabul and her trails and tribulations. Again, most of it wasn,t new to me, but for me, it was a more worthwhile read. I,m not sure why. It isn,t exactly easy. Anthropological accounts of women,s lives in that part of the world have to be taken with more than a few grains of salt because of the difficulties of translating cultures and the problems of protecting privacy, and this isn,t an anthropological account, so it has even more problems. Plus, it was written to sell, not to sit on an academic shelf for future reference. I wouldn,t depend on it,s strict accuracy. I expect that despite all that, it does offer some sort of window into the lives of women in Kabul. And it certainly is easier to read than an anthropological account, from a getting information point of view, NOT from an emotional pain point of view. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I think I read it as an audio book. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Powell's bookstore has a list of 25 women to read before you die. Thanks for sharing that list, Stacia. One of the books mentioned, Isabel Wilkerson's The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration, is on my book group's schedule for next year. Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Yesterday I read the contemporary romance Lead: A Stage Dive Novel by Kylie Scott. It's book three in the author's Stage Dive series, but it could be read as a standalone. I've read the other books in the series (there are now four) and am not quite sure how I missed this one. I enjoyed it though some of characters seem quite immature. Adult content. "Can rock and roll's most notorious bad boy be tamed by love? As the lead singer of Stage Dive, Jimmy is used to getting whatever he wants, whenever he wants it-now he's caught up in a life of hard partying and fast women. When a PR disaster serves as a wake-up call and lands him in rehab, he finds himself with Lena, a new assistant hired to keep him out of trouble. Lena's not willing to take any crap from her sexy boss and is determined to keep their relationship completely professional, despite their sizzling chemistry. But when Jimmy pushes her too far, he just might lose the best thing that's ever happened to him. Can he convince his stubborn assistant to risk it all and let her heart take the lead?" Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I've never read Hosseini's books either. For some reason, I've never felt drawn to reading them, even though I usually like reading books from all over the world. I did not like Kabul Beauty School at all. In a place where women's lives are so fragile & undervalued, I feel the author might even have endangered some of the women she talks about in her book if people knew who she was & where she worked in Kabul. Maybe her accounts were more fictionalized than I realize (I hope) & she didn't endanger anyone. But, she presents it as a true account of her time there. Idk, that whole book just rubbed me the wrong way. I really, really did not like it. I read it years ago for my book club but even thinking about it now gives me a 'nails on chalkboard' visceral reaction. I read The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmad last year. It was brutal, but also eye-opening & really worth reading. Selected by Indie Booksellers for the October 2011 Indie Next List “These linked tales set along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan are unlike anything else you have read about the region. They offer a generous and moving portrait of a little understood way of life. This is the kind of fiction that moves beyond terms like 'great literature' and ventures on to terms like 'essential' and 'necessary.'†-- Robert Sindelar, Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WA------------------------------------------------------ A haunting literary debut set in the forbidding remote tribal areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.Traditions that have lasted for centuries, both brutal and beautiful, create a rigid structure for life in the wild, astonishing place where Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan meet—the Federally Administered Tribal Lands (FATA). It is a formidable world and the people who live there are constantly subjected to extremes—both of geography and of culture.The Wandering Falcon begins with a young couple, refugees from their tribe, who have traveled to the middle of nowhere to escape the cruel punishments meted upon those who transgress the boundaries of marriage and family. Their son, Tor Baz, descended from both chiefs and outlaws, becomes “The Wandering Falcon,†a character who travels throughout the tribes, over the mountains and the plains, in the towns and tents that comprise the homes of the tribal people. The media today speak about this unimaginably remote region, a geopolitical hotbed of conspiracies, drone attacks, and conflict—now, told in the rich, dramatic tones of a master storyteller, this stunning, honor-bound culture is revealed from the inside.Jamil Ahmad has written an unforgettable portrait of a world of custom and compassion, of love and cruelty, of hardship and survival, a place fragile, unknown, and unforgiving. I like this review of the book (which is where I first heard about it). It is not completely set in Afghanistan as it is set in the tribal areas that are along the borders of Afghanistan, Pakistan, & Iran. The story weaves & wanders throughout those regions. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Speaking of Afghanistan have you seen the story about the woman in the Afghan Girl picture ? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I read A Thousand Splendid Suns. It was powerful but I have not been tempted by any of the other books. One was enough. It was interesting and eye opening. Good for me but... Too be honest I was pressured into reading it, although the friend who gave it to me probably did not see it that way. But I knew she wanted to discuss it with someone and I was her friend who liked to read. I didn't really feel I had a choice. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Speaking of Afghanistan have you seen the story about the woman in the Afghan Girl picture ? Thanks for the article. The style & info in the article seem similar (in a way) to The Wandering Falcon. Hope you managed to get some good rest last night, TeacherZee. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Looks like Archipelago (a favorite publisher of both Jane & mine) will start publishing a couple of children's books... We are delighted to announce that Archipelago will be launching a collection of children's books for young and old alike. Our first titles will include Questions Asked by the bestselling Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder, illustrated by the Turkish artist Akin Düzakin, and My Valley by Claude Ponti, one of the most innovative children's book authors of our generation. It has been a joy to explore the untapped world of international children's literature. The list will be an extension of our ongoing mission: to locate and transform into English distinctive, imaginative voices from all corners of the world. We are eager to share these gems with you and all the children in your lives! Ponti's illustrations that I googled look lovely. Wonder if that is what will be in the Archipelago version too? The combo of work by Jostein Gaarder & Akin Duzakin looks lovely too. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 :lol: Awesome vinyl wall art sticker to put by your favorite reading spot... https://www.etsy.com/listing/206606591/go-away-im-reading-funny-book-lovers?ref=shop_home_active_11 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I read The Kite Runner earlier this year, and while I was disturbed by it I didn't hate it. I had read somewhere that the author said Kite Runner was a father/son story and he wanted to write a mother/daughter story, which he did with Suns. That's one reason why I want to read it. I also plan to read And the Mountains Echoed. I wanted to read about the people and history of a part of the world that I mostly only hear about on the news. Disturbing and emotional though Hosseini's books can be, I'm enjoying (not really the right word but I can't come up with a better one) learning about Afghanistan and its people. His stories show the people before, during, and after the Soviet invasion and later the Taliban, as well as the Afghani diaspora. Ausmom, no Wives and Daughters isn't the Gaskell you mentioned. I'm not familiar with that one. I saw the Wives and Daughters BBC series years ago and have always meant to go back and read the book. As I read, parts of the mini series are coming back to me. I'm enjoying it. I added another book to my currently reading list. Today I took ds and 2 friends to an indoor airsoft arena and had to hang out there for the afternoon. I needed something that didn't require much thinking, so I started Cardington Crescent, my next Charlotte and Thomas Pitt mystery. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Looks like Archipelago (a favorite publisher of both Jane & mine) will start publishing a couple of children's books... Oh, how exciting! I don't want them to dilute their existing amazing work, but this is an area which is in desperate need of attention - and we know we can count on them to do a beautiful job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Is wives and daughters the one with Mary Barton and Jem? If it is it's not my favourite Gaskell but still an interesting read. No, that is Mary Barton. Wives and Daughters has the doctor's daughter whose father remarries. (and it is my favorite Gaskell, though a close second to North and South) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I honestly can't remember and I didn't finish it. Maybe someone else can chime in. I feel like I should read it, we have so many Afghan refugees here. I believe strongly in witnessing via literature, in hearing stories that should be heard and remembered, and in expanding my awareness of other places/cultures/issues... and I strongly do *not* recommend Kite Runner for any of those purposes. I felt the horrors it shared were stereotyped and deliberately tear-jerking rather than genuine or illuminating. It was, for me, an emotionally predictable work of popular fiction - which angered me because I hate seeing real tragedies, real horrors Hollywood-ized for beach reading 'amusement' while masquerading as witnessing. [That is my, very biased, personal reaction, and any hard feelings I have are for the book itself, not anyone who sees it differently than I do!] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Faust, Goethe Regarding that last one, I decided to join the Classics and Western Cannon Goodreads group in reading Faust. So far I'm finding the translation I have (David Luke) to be very readable. Maybe this won't be the daunting task I was expecting. If so, that will be a nice surprise. I just finished a reread recently, and I wouldn't call Faust daunting. The first half is more narratively coherent and engaging, but deals with more surface ideas and issues (imho), the second half has some parts I find a bit of a slog, but despite the myriad of layers and themes and ideas, it is immensely readable, and can be enjoyed on the story level with or without probing the allusions and philosophies. Ymmv, but I don't think you need to feel intimidated by it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I felt the horrors it shared were stereotyped and deliberately tear-jerking rather than genuine or illuminating. It was, for me, an emotionally predictable work of popular fiction - which angered me because I hate seeing real tragedies, real horrors Hollywood-ized for beach reading 'amusement' while masquerading as witnessing. Maybe that is part of the reason why I didn't care for Kabul Beauty School. I felt like the author was trying to promote herself as a forward-thinking female helping females in a place where women are treated as lesser beings for the most part, but in her crowing, she was actually endangering those she was 'helping'. Imo. That is my totally biased & personal reaction.... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Grrr... where has multiquote gone? Teacher Zee: Congrats on completing the move! I feel exhausted just thinking about such a project. I'm glad you had good help and hope you have gotten some good rest. :grouphug: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nan, I've missed you! I hope your clan-adrift-ness has been one of blessings rather than challenges. (and I wish I could join you in studying Japanese - it has always fascinated me.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- re: Calpurinia Tate: Isn't it delightful? ...and: a sequel?! ...hold duly placed. My twins will be very excited. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MomwithTwoLittles: :grouphug: Hope you are home and have made/are making a speedy and complete recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I LOVED Remains of the Day but could. not. stand. the narrator in Never Let Me Go, to the point where I couldn't finish it. I loved the silence of Remains. It was...well hard to describe, but as Eliana says, perfectly crafted. The narrator in Never Let Me Go is both less instinctively sympathetic and more passive than is comfortable in her situation... and the book as a whole is much, much, much less comfortable to read... but I think both address, from very different angles, the uncomfortable truth that silence and inaction are moral complicity with evil. ...but in NLMG the narrator is on the receiving end of societal complicity with an imagined scenario... one that is implausible on the one hand, but symbolic of present day truths. I see it as a brilliant book, but the reading experience is a rougher, more painful journey. ...but one would have to be able to engage with the narrative voice, and if that doesn't work, then the book won't work for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Oh no! Just got a notice from my library that Remains of the Day is available. Now I don't know if I should drop one of the books I just started or download it and just leave my Kindle wifi off until I get around to reading it. I blame you BAWers. :D 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I fell off the book reading wagon last week. It was a busy week but I finished deconstructing penguins today. I felt like it didn't give me the tools I really need to open up any book and deconstruct it which is what I was looking for. I think the book recommended to me on the last thread (How to Read Literature Like a Professor) is more along the lines of what I was looking for. I do think I will buy deconstructing penguins though (It was a library book) to keep for future reference. It has a good list of books to use with different grades and give a brief synopsis along with explaining how they deconstructed that particular book. I guess I feel like I need an answer key so to speak. What if I start deconstructing a book and tell my kids the protagonist and antagonist and get it wrong? The author started a book club and mentions many of the parents pick the wrong person or get underlying themes wrong. I moved on to The Knowledge Deficit and it seems ok so far. I disagree with the author stating that education today is based on idea's from the 19th century (romance education is what he calls it). Gaah! I think one of the greatest dangers of what passes for literary analysis in many educational approaches is the implication that there is one "right" answer to the formulaic pigeonholing some practitioners like to engage in. If you read a work of literature and connect with it and engage with it you aren't getting it "wrong"... and there are rarely books for which there is a simplistic one-size-fits-all "this is the theme." It can be fun to play with these ways of looking at lit, but ***only*** if it is a ***tool*** not and end in itself. What is the point of identifying a 'protagonist'? (or any of the other FAQs?) The point is to use that insight/identification to illuminate some aspect of the text. By itself it serves no useful purpose at all. ...and there is very, very often more than one angle of view that can offer insights. An example: My favorite Arthur Miller play is All My Sons, and a different stages of my life as I've reread it, I have seen it with different protagonists. When I was a teen, the son, a young man, was the center of the story... his idealism, his questions, his sense of betrayal, those were the heart of the story. As I got older, I could see with my heart and well as my head that the father is the "real" protagonist... but then when I reread it a few years ago, despite all my intellectual realizations otherwise, it was the mother's arc that was central for me. ...and each of those readings makes different points about the story, emphasizes different themes, and brings out different truths. Please, please, please don't let critics and educators and "experts" get between you and the book. Neither you nor your kids will lose anything precious if you identify the "wrong" antagonist, or perceive a different theme than some random "expert", but if you miss you connecting with the Great Books because you're trying to get it "right" then you have lost something infinitely precious (imho). ...and you'll have stifled your own instincts and understandings. I strongly favor the Great Books approach, where readers engage directly with the texts on their first encounters, without answer keys or guidebooks or more than basic footnotes, so we can develop our own authentic relationship with the text, our own responses, and be a genuine part of the Great Conversation, not the consumers of other people's connections. That said: there are (modern) authors who do write books that are puzzles for the critics/readers, but even there, I think one's first encounter should be unmediated, or as unmediated as possible. Ymmv. I do have a book recommendation that I think introduces some of the tools and concepts for thinking about literature on a more analytical level in ways that are interesting and helpful How to Read Literature. ...but I don't think looking at things on that level is a helpful place to start with a text. It's for a second or third reading... and once one is a confident reader. Sorry, I'll stop ranting now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Oh no! Just got a notice from my library that Remains of the Day is available. Now I don't know if I should drop one of the books I just started or download it and just leave my Kindle wifi off until I get around to reading it. I blame you BAWers. :D My dad calls this a "quality problem". At the risk of incurring further reproach, I wish that you may always be blessed with an overabundance of wonderful, enticing books to read. :) This thread has certainly contributed to blessing me in that way! I am currently in progress with far too many wonderful books... and then another comes available on Overdrive.... Speaking of which: Stacia, the Daniel Ascher book just came available this morning and I glanced at the beginning and then dropped all my other books and devoured it. Thank you, dearest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 An example: My favorite Arthur Miller play is All My Sons, and a different stages of my life as I've reread it, I have seen it with different protagonists. When I was a teen, the son, a young man, was the center of the story... his idealism, his questions, his sense of betrayal, those were the heart of the story. As I got older, I could see with my heart and well as my head that the father is the "real" protagonist... but then when I reread it a few years ago, despite all my intellectual realizations otherwise, it was the mother's arc that was central for me. ...and each of those readings makes different points about the story, emphasizes different themes, and brings out different truths. I know what you mean. As I've grown older, I've started to think Goneril and Regan had some awfully good points. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Oh no! Just got a notice from my library that Remains of the Day is available. Now I don't know if I should drop one of the books I just started or download it and just leave my Kindle wifi off until I get around to reading it. I blame you BAWers. :D Yes! I have half a dozen books here that I. Must. Read. Next. I've even gotten a few pages into each, and they all look so good! One of them is The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, blame for which I likewise lay at the feet of Robin's literary mafia. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 I finished the last book in Karen Moning's Fever series. I can't believe I spent the month with Mac and Barrons in Dublin. Now I have to wait until January for the 2nd to last book to come out, then who knows when the last one will be available. I'm having withdrawal and have no idea what to read. I'm still in a reread mode, not interested in anything new. However, Ilona Andrews latest in her Kate Daniels series - Magic Shifts - is coming out on the 4th. I can barely remember the story line. Maybe I'll start from the beginning again and by the time I reach # 8, the price for kindle will have gone down. One can hope. :lol: Okay all you g rated gals cover your eyes. Recently we watched Iron Sky with James through Amazon instant play and enjoyed the movie. There was supposedly a lot of language in the story but it wasn't that bad. Or so we thought. Decided to buy it and got the directors cut. :w00t: It was like we were watching a new movie. A lot had been cut out which actually made some of the scenes make sense. However, yes the language was bad. Anyway, one of the characters is ranting at her employees because they failed to come up with an excellent advertising scheme for the president. During her f filled rant, she says I want you to excite me like a g spot O would. I wait and it seemed to go over James head so I let out a whew and forgot about it. Last night he walks in the kitchen and says Mom - Dad what's a g spot O? :svengo: Yes, we sort of explained as briefly and non graphically as possible. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 Yes! I have half a dozen books here that I. Must. Read. Next. I've even gotten a few pages into each, and they all look so good! One of them is The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, blame for which I likewise lay at the feet of Robin's literary mafia. :lol: There aren't actually any pictures I can safely post to do the Literary Mafia justice. However, one more creative than me just might come up with something. Off to find some rope. :coolgleamA: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto4inSoCal Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Gaah! I think one of the greatest dangers of what passes for literary analysis in many educational approaches is the implication that there is one "right" answer to the formulaic pigeonholing some practitioners like to engage in. If you read a work of literature and connect with it and engage with it you aren't getting it "wrong"... and there are rarely books for which there is a simplistic one-size-fits-all "this is the theme." It can be fun to play with these ways of looking at lit, but ***only*** if it is a ***tool*** not and end in itself. What is the point of identifying a 'protagonist'? (or any of the other FAQs?) The point is to use that insight/identification to illuminate some aspect of the text. By itself it serves no useful purpose at all. ...and there is very, very often more than one angle of view that can offer insights. An example: My favorite Arthur Miller play is All My Sons, and a different stages of my life as I've reread it, I have seen it with different protagonists. When I was a teen, the son, a young man, was the center of the story... his idealism, his questions, his sense of betrayal, those were the heart of the story. As I got older, I could see with my heart and well as my head that the father is the "real" protagonist... but then when I reread it a few years ago, despite all my intellectual realizations otherwise, it was the mother's arc that was central for me. ...and each of those readings makes different points about the story, emphasizes different themes, and brings out different truths. Please, please, please don't let critics and educators and "experts" get between you and the book. Neither you nor your kids will lose anything precious if you identify the "wrong" antagonist, or perceive a different theme than some random "expert", but if you miss you connecting with the Great Books because you're trying to get it "right" then you have lost something infinitely precious (imho). ...and you'll have stifled your own instincts and understandings. I strongly favor the Great Books approach, where readers engage directly with the texts on their first encounters, without answer keys or guidebooks or more than basic footnotes, so we can develop our own authentic relationship with the text, our own responses, and be a genuine part of the Great Conversation, not the consumers of other people's connections. That said: there are (modern) authors who do write books that are puzzles for the critics/readers, but even there, I think one's first encounter should be unmediated, or as unmediated as possible. Ymmv. I do have a book recommendation that I think introduces some of the tools and concepts for thinking about literature on a more analytical level in ways that are interesting and helpful How to Read Literature. ...but I don't think looking at things on that level is a helpful place to start with a text. It's for a second or third reading... and once one is a confident reader. Sorry, I'll stop ranting now. Thank you for this. I watched the teaching the classic's dvd's and in the examples they gave they pretty much would write every answer people came up with even if it was from a totally different view. I really liked that and the idea of just discussing books with my kids. Decunstructing Penguins sort of brought me back to high school days and the way the teachers taught literature. Interestingly enough I'm working my way down a list of books I had on my wish list on amazon and the next book, The Knowledge Deficit, actually talked about how we (the US) currently teach language arts. The author talked about how we teach comprehension as a subject in language arts but it isn't really something that can be taught and only by reading more and a wider variety can we actually comprehend books better. So by spending time on reading comprehension you are taking away time from the very thing that can actually help them to comprehend books better. He was referring to school removing history and science or taking time away to devote to language arts but it did convince me that I don't really need to worry about that part of school. I guess I've come full circle with this but I am glad I read the two books. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mesamin Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 I think I'm going to read Wuthering Heights as my brain is Swiss cheese right now. It really is and I'm stuck waiting it out (2weeks per the doctor) so hopfully an old staple like Wuthering Heights will hold me over until I can think and function like an intelligent woman. I'm learning slowly but surely and this is actually a peaceful thing to learn. Life seems so much simpler all of a sudden. And I finished reading the Bible😊! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.