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JanusRook
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Topic: AE Book club Posted: 06-Oct-2004 at 23:08 |
Guys I just thought up a great idea. How about once a month (lets go with the first of the month). We suggest and together as a group decide on a book to read. Then we can discuss it.
Book discussion is a very nice stimulus of intellectual conversation. So what do you guys think? Any suggestions for first book? Or genre even?
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Economic Communist, Political Progressive, Social Conservative.
Unless otherwise noted source is wiki.
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Tobodai
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Posted: 08-Oct-2004 at 23:39 |
lol, i have enough to read for class, if we stay to textboko maybe i can keep up
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"the people are nothing but a great beast...
I have learned to hold popular opinion of no value."
-Alexander Hamilton
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Dawn
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Posted: 12-Oct-2004 at 12:46 |
I like this idea of yours,it sounds like fun. Where you considering non fiction or fiction? what criteria for choosing the book did you have in mind? I can see perhaps a few problems but nothing we can't work out I think.
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Tobodai
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Posted: 12-Oct-2004 at 13:09 |
well I just read the Dante club, good treat if you like 19th century american authors and dante
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"the people are nothing but a great beast...
I have learned to hold popular opinion of no value."
-Alexander Hamilton
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Abyssmal Fiend
Shogun
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Posted: 12-Oct-2004 at 15:46 |
I prefer the Forgotten Realms books, for no reason at all. There's 26 by Salvatore, who's basically a Modern-day Tolkien, so if you liked Tolkien, you'll like him.
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Di! Ecce hora! Uxor mea me necabit!
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Colchis
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Posted: 12-Oct-2004 at 20:36 |
Originally posted by SovietJesus
I prefer the Forgotten Realms books, for no reason
at all. There's 26 by Salvatore, who's basically a Modern-day Tolkien,
so if you liked Tolkien, you'll like him. |
Salvatore's Dark Elf Trilogy, Icewind Dale (and basically about
anything with Drizzt in it) are really good. Some Forgotten Realms
books can get really, really cheesy but the classic ones prove to be
very enjoyable reads. Still, I prefer Dragonlance and Krynn in general.
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JanusRook
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Posted: 13-Oct-2004 at 00:05 |
Actually I don't really care whether it's non-fiction or fiction.
The first criteria that should be brought up is a book that the majority of people haven't read, or a book that people will want to read again. I personally would prefer something that's readable and won't cause too much controversy. Like I don't think people want to read "The manufacturing of wingnuts: An accountants perspective" but I also don't think people want to read "The Glory of the KKK".
Actually I just thought that we could start by offering suggestions.
I'll suggest the Kalevala. Mostly because I've always wanted to read it but never had the real drive to.
Oh and I would suggest that we refrain from series of books that are longer than three since you really have to read all the books in a series to truly enjoy them.
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Economic Communist, Political Progressive, Social Conservative.
Unless otherwise noted source is wiki.
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Dawn
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Posted: 13-Oct-2004 at 14:53 |
I agree that any book chosen should be a stand alone or from a short series( although some cases first books in a longer series can be stand alones as well) as well as hold interest for the group ,no "The manufacturing of wingnuts: An accountants perspective" (love you choice of titles). Other things that I think must be considered- availiblity, the choice must be easily obtainable from a store or preferably library and I think we must ( at least to start with ) confine it to books written in English (or ones that translated to english well) as I gathered that some books have not translated well. I also think to start with that the choice should be somewhat historical (at least have some historical element to them) in nature although it doesn't have to remain such. Later choices could be Sci-fi or fantasy(we seem to have many members that are fond of those types.)
As i had never heard of your suggestion I did a little search and it looks like it could be an interesting choice. A few more choices might be: I Claudius, the Tutankhamun affair(just started reading it ,looks like it might ture out to be a good story) or even The Once and Future king.
The format for the discussion may be something else we should consider- perhaps alot a span of time to read the book and then after that date discussion could start. So the story is not given away for those who read a little slower due to time restains etc. after that time all post could be clearly labled "spoiler" so if someone is not finnished it is up to them if they read the post.
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Posted: 13-Oct-2004 at 15:18 |
Originally posted by JanusRook
I'll suggest the Kalevala. Mostly because I've always
wanted to read it but never had the real drive to. |
Me too!
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Temujin
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Posted: 13-Oct-2004 at 15:39 |
the Finish national epic? so what should we discuss about after reading it?
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JanusRook
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Posted: 13-Oct-2004 at 20:35 |
The format for the discussion may be something else we should consider- perhaps alot a span of time to read the book and then after that date discussion could start.
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How about once a month (lets go with the first of the month).
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As to the availability of the Kalevala here: http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/kveng/index.htm
Also, I do agree english should be the default, as that's what the forums in. Also availabilty should be a HUGE indicator. If more than 2/3 of the people have problems finding our selection than we should switch to the next highest choice.
the Finish national epic? so what should we discuss about after reading it?
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I dunno, really, I've never done a book club. Um, I think things around what are your favorite characters, scenarios, settings, etc. and why? Why do you believe the finns would choose this as their national epic? and why does it i deserve to be called a national epic, etc. Or just things in the book you found interesting.
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How about this for the first 3 weeks we have the selection and voting process and then for the next week we check it's availability so we can start the book on the first of the month.
So far we have:
Kalevala- 2
I Claudius, the Tutankhamun affair- 1
The Once and Future king- 1
Any more suggestions people
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Economic Communist, Political Progressive, Social Conservative.
Unless otherwise noted source is wiki.
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Tobodai
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Posted: 14-Oct-2004 at 00:09 |
now your just like Oprah! Book clubs and all
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"the people are nothing but a great beast...
I have learned to hold popular opinion of no value."
-Alexander Hamilton
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Posted: 14-Oct-2004 at 07:02 |
If people don't want to read the original Kalevala, they can also try this version:
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Master of Puppets
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Posted: 14-Oct-2004 at 09:54 |
LOL
Good idea, Kalevala sounds interesting to me too.
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Wherever I turn, there is Death.
The Epic of Gilgamesh; Tablet XI, line 245
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Dawn
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Posted: 14-Oct-2004 at 10:02 |
Originally posted by JanusRook
So far we have:
Kalevala- 2
I Claudius, the Tutankhamun affair- 1
The Once and Future king- 1
Any more suggestions people
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I,Claudious by Robert Graves
The Tutankhamun affair by Christian Jacq
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Temujin
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Posted: 14-Oct-2004 at 14:01 |
Originally posted by MixcoatlToltecahtecuhtli
If people don't want to read the original Kalevala, they can also try this version:
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I actually HAVE read that one and it was really awesome!
btw, regarding national epic i would like the bring in Manas (Khyrgiz) and of course the secret history of mongols.
well, i think the point of a book club is that people can discuss difficult passages, like "what does this and that stand for, what does the shadow in the corner represent, why did he do this and that" stuff like that...somethign on the line of 'death of a salesman' or '1984'....reading the Kalevala is not difficult to understand, it's just a more exotic version of King Arthur or the odyssey.
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Master of Puppets
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Posted: 14-Oct-2004 at 15:26 |
I think you have a point there.
The Odyssey can be interpreted on several levels too. I don't know if that's the case with the Kalevala, though.
On a second note, btw, I, Claudius seems pretty interesting to me too - both are fine with me.
EDIT: I love Don Rosa's Donald Duck's comics btw, his biography of Uncle Scrooge is awesome!
Edited by Master of Puppets
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Wherever I turn, there is Death.
The Epic of Gilgamesh; Tablet XI, line 245
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Guests
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Posted: 14-Oct-2004 at 15:45 |
Originally posted by Master of Puppets
EDIT: I love Don Rosa's Donald Duck's comics btw, his biography of Uncle Scrooge is awesome! |
me, too.
OT: when I searched for a picture of Scrooge's Kalevala, I discovered
that Scrooge died in 1967 according to Don Rona:
http://duckman.pettho.com/characters/scrooge.html
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Temujin
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Posted: 14-Oct-2004 at 15:46 |
Originally posted by Master of Puppets
EDIT: I love Don Rosa's Donald Duck's comics btw, his biography of Uncle Scrooge is awesome! |
yes indeed, I love all the Don Rosa comics. and pretty often they have a historical background which is also nice.
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JanusRook
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Posted: 14-Oct-2004 at 19:28 |
I,Claudious by Robert Graves
The Tutankhamun affair by Christian Jacq
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I did think that title sounded a bit odd. LOL.
well, i think the point of a book club is that people can discuss difficult passages, like "what does this and that stand for, what does the shadow in the corner represent, why did he do this and that" stuff like that...somethign on the line of 'death of a salesman' or '1984'....reading the Kalevala is not difficult to understand, it's just a more exotic version of King Arthur or the odyssey.
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Well I know I could discuss the undertones in Anthem, The Giver, and A Canticle for Liebowitz for hours, but that's just me. Do you have any suggestions then Temujin?
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Economic Communist, Political Progressive, Social Conservative.
Unless otherwise noted source is wiki.
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