Ok, sounds like January 16 works for people.
This means we have 3 weeks to read.
Let me know who can make a Sunday, January 16 chat at 3PM PST. The time can be changed if the majority prefers something sooner or later, so if you'd like to suggest an alternative time leave your suggestion in the comments.
Between now and January 16 we will have some opportunities to share on the blog so stay tuned for that.
Happy Holidays!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Machine of Death
Based on rankings, it looks like the next book we will be reading is Machine of Death - Ryan North, Matthew Bennardo, David Malki.
The book is 464 pages, now we need to decide if we want to speed through it in 2 weeks and have our discussion the weekend of January 7, or take an extra week and conclude the book the weekend of January 14.
Our official start date for this book is December 24, that gives a few days to go out and get a copy of the book from the library or the book store, or to stay in and order it from Amazon.
As you all get your copy of the books this week, let me know in the comment section of this post how you feel in regards to the speed at which we read. Because some people are only able to participate in the reading while on vacation, I want to get through this first book quickly. If we feel rushed at the end of this book we'll take more time on the next book.
On Decemeber 24 I will announce the time and date of our discussion based on the feedback already received, and any additional time and date feedback received between now and then.
Looking forward to the new book.
The book is 464 pages, now we need to decide if we want to speed through it in 2 weeks and have our discussion the weekend of January 7, or take an extra week and conclude the book the weekend of January 14.
Our official start date for this book is December 24, that gives a few days to go out and get a copy of the book from the library or the book store, or to stay in and order it from Amazon.
As you all get your copy of the books this week, let me know in the comment section of this post how you feel in regards to the speed at which we read. Because some people are only able to participate in the reading while on vacation, I want to get through this first book quickly. If we feel rushed at the end of this book we'll take more time on the next book.
On Decemeber 24 I will announce the time and date of our discussion based on the feedback already received, and any additional time and date feedback received between now and then.
Looking forward to the new book.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Book #3
Ok, time for quick decision time! You all made fabulous choices. I have compiled a list based on some feedback from you guys. Please rank the following book choices:
a) A Room With a View - E.M. Forster
b) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
c) The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell
d) Machine of Death - Ryan North, Matthew Bennardo, David Malki
Remember, this is for our quick Holiday read. The books above and the other books listed that we don't read this time around will go on our list of books to read in the future. The reading will continue this time, not end abruptly.
So 1) list your choices in order, and 2) suggest an end date for this book
I'm fine if we decide to go fast or take our time with this book, but I know some of you are on vacation and not able to read much during the semester so let me know your desired speed.
And, let this all be known by 12/21 at 5pm PST since we will need to get the book and start ASAP.
a) A Room With a View - E.M. Forster
b) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
c) The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell
d) Machine of Death - Ryan North, Matthew Bennardo, David Malki
Remember, this is for our quick Holiday read. The books above and the other books listed that we don't read this time around will go on our list of books to read in the future. The reading will continue this time, not end abruptly.
So 1) list your choices in order, and 2) suggest an end date for this book
I'm fine if we decide to go fast or take our time with this book, but I know some of you are on vacation and not able to read much during the semester so let me know your desired speed.
And, let this all be known by 12/21 at 5pm PST since we will need to get the book and start ASAP.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
anyone interested in a holiday read?
Hello Thinkers,
I apologize for the four month cold shoulder. you deserve better than that and I hope you can forgive me.
So is anyone interested in reviving this book club either for a quick holiday read or something more long term? It has been far too long since I allowed myself the benefit of reading (since August 10, to be exact) and if anyone of you is interested I'd love to:
1) choose a book to read and dialogue about together
2) read a book any of you have recently read and would like to talk about
3) read a book you have not yet read but are planning to read and discuss
4) read a book you have read in the last 20 years that you think is pretty good (from the little memory you have of it) and we can have chats to discuss the book and to talk about life and other random stuff
5) choose a book at random from my book shelf, read it by myself, and blog about it
So, let me know if any of those interest you.
Happy Holidays!
I apologize for the four month cold shoulder. you deserve better than that and I hope you can forgive me.
So is anyone interested in reviving this book club either for a quick holiday read or something more long term? It has been far too long since I allowed myself the benefit of reading (since August 10, to be exact) and if anyone of you is interested I'd love to:
1) choose a book to read and dialogue about together
2) read a book any of you have recently read and would like to talk about
3) read a book you have not yet read but are planning to read and discuss
4) read a book you have read in the last 20 years that you think is pretty good (from the little memory you have of it) and we can have chats to discuss the book and to talk about life and other random stuff
5) choose a book at random from my book shelf, read it by myself, and blog about it
So, let me know if any of those interest you.
Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
on beauty and being wrong
Here's the chat from last night to anyone interested.
astempson: So, shall we chat about the book?
Cynthia: we shall. So, I totally predicted the Howard-Vee hook-up. Disgusting, she has been with father and son...
astempson: Yes, I anticipated it as well.
She is just... awful.
Did you notice that Howard mainly seems to do dumb things when he's drunk?
Conversation with his dad, hooking up with Vee, embarrassing himself at the party early on in the book...
And, same for Zora at that other party.
Cynthia: And did you notice that the mistresses he keeps all sing praise about his wife?
astempson: Hmm, true.
Cynthia: Vee was all talking about how Kiki is like an African Queen, and Claire talked about how Kiki was a new kind of female, confident and independent.
astempson: Yeah, but he didn't listen.
It was interesting that Kiki moved out, not Howard.
Cynthia: When it is her house
astempson: Right.
Cynthia: I liked the tomato anecdote or analogy, or whatever it is the students use to describe courses/professors.
astempson: Yesss, that was great.
I loved the taboo of telling a professor about it.
It was an interesting moment... Like, it's okay in Vee's mind to sleep with a prof, but not tell him about silly student inside jokes?
Cynthia: I don't know what to make of her. She has had eyes for Howard, but why? I just don't picture him as this attractive professor, so what's the draw? Also, how is she so utterly different from the rest of her family.
Maybe it has to do with daddy issues....
astempson: Well, she's like Jerome in that sense. He is the lone Christian in an atheist household, and she's the lone... well, unChristian in a house of Christians.
What better way to disrespect her father than to sleep with her father's enemy?
Cynthia: Yeah, they are both black sheeps. I am liking the daddy complex, that would actually explain a lot. She is kind of tense around her dad, and speaks of him jokingly. And Howard is his greatest opponent in a sense.
exactly!
astempson: Yep.
Meanwhile, Zora swoops in to fight her dad's battles.
Cynthia: Zora is a daddy's girl
astempson: Up until the very end.
Everyone is so flawed. It's interesting.
This book challenged me because I wasn't in love with any of the characters, but I was captivated by them.
What about the death of Mrs. Kipps?
Oooh, and the painting drama?
Cynthia: I don't agree with the characters, but I really liked them because they were captivating.
astempson: Yes.
Cynthia: yeah, Mrs. Kipps death surprised me
astempson: I thought the funeral was interesting. It was nice when Howard was able to stop judging people and just be in the moment, actually thinking about the big picture.
Cynthia: and then sleep with Monty's daughter
haha
astempson: Oh my goodness.
But, hold on, he goes and visits his dad.
Cynthia: I was starting to think, after he visited his dad, that maybe he would reconcile things. but no
astempson: Yeah.
I was feeling really hopeful.
And then he messed everything up.
Cynthia: he kind of can't do anything right
astempson: Once he was a repeat offender so to speak, I was far less willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
(P.S. - Unfortunately, my family is having a late dinner in approximately ten minutes, but we can continue the conversation past this evening!)
Cynthia: ok.
astempson: I really thought that things were starting to get better between him and Kiki. It was such a let-down when he messed up again.
Cynthia: agreed. I guess in a way, she had to move out because they were both not making a move. She had every right to kick him out, but it's good for her to start over
astempson: Yeah. I loved how everyone vicariously gave the dog extra love.
Trying to atone.
What about Levi?
I thought it was a very honest look at people trying to be aware of world events, when Levi was trying to read that book on Haiti, but wasn't confident enough to speak on the subject for a while.
Cynthia: When they discovered the picture, and he got in it with his mom about their own cleaning lady getting paid $4, I wanted to applaud him.
astempson: Yeah, that was big for him.
Even though he was involved in the theft... But, at least it was principled.
I must say, it surprised me that he wasn't using drugs.
Cynthia: I think he still just spits out what people tell him with no real knowledge, but I think he is much more aware than the family gives him credit
astempson: Yes. He pulled out that phrase... caucasian art dealer.
Cynthia: We haven't talked about affirmative action, what do you think of Monty being so opposed to it?
astempson: I think that Kiki did a great job of defending affirmative action. That whole exchange between the two of them was very interesting.
When she talks about her philosophy, that she told her kids to work five times as hard as the white kids...
I mean, she demonstrates that it's not about entitlement.
Cynthia: I think she is like Levi in that people really underestimate her. Zora, Jerome and Howard are intellectuals, and Levi and Kiki are out of that loop but mostly bc they don't flaunt it
astempson: Yes, that is true. I think of Levi as being like Kiki.
I'm rereading the passage now...
Cynthia: they have opinions and can back them up and fight you over them, they don't step down in battle and that surpises ppl
astempson: It's interesting at the end, what Monty has to say about liberals not believing that conservatives are motivated by moral convictions as profoundly held as those that liberals hold.
Yes, they are much stronger than people expect.
astempson: So, shall we chat about the book?
Cynthia: we shall. So, I totally predicted the Howard-Vee hook-up. Disgusting, she has been with father and son...
astempson: Yes, I anticipated it as well.
She is just... awful.
Did you notice that Howard mainly seems to do dumb things when he's drunk?
Conversation with his dad, hooking up with Vee, embarrassing himself at the party early on in the book...
And, same for Zora at that other party.
Cynthia: And did you notice that the mistresses he keeps all sing praise about his wife?
astempson: Hmm, true.
Cynthia: Vee was all talking about how Kiki is like an African Queen, and Claire talked about how Kiki was a new kind of female, confident and independent.
astempson: Yeah, but he didn't listen.
It was interesting that Kiki moved out, not Howard.
Cynthia: When it is her house
astempson: Right.
Cynthia: I liked the tomato anecdote or analogy, or whatever it is the students use to describe courses/professors.
astempson: Yesss, that was great.
I loved the taboo of telling a professor about it.
It was an interesting moment... Like, it's okay in Vee's mind to sleep with a prof, but not tell him about silly student inside jokes?
Cynthia: I don't know what to make of her. She has had eyes for Howard, but why? I just don't picture him as this attractive professor, so what's the draw? Also, how is she so utterly different from the rest of her family.
Maybe it has to do with daddy issues....
astempson: Well, she's like Jerome in that sense. He is the lone Christian in an atheist household, and she's the lone... well, unChristian in a house of Christians.
What better way to disrespect her father than to sleep with her father's enemy?
Cynthia: Yeah, they are both black sheeps. I am liking the daddy complex, that would actually explain a lot. She is kind of tense around her dad, and speaks of him jokingly. And Howard is his greatest opponent in a sense.
exactly!
astempson: Yep.
Meanwhile, Zora swoops in to fight her dad's battles.
Cynthia: Zora is a daddy's girl
astempson: Up until the very end.
Everyone is so flawed. It's interesting.
This book challenged me because I wasn't in love with any of the characters, but I was captivated by them.
What about the death of Mrs. Kipps?
Oooh, and the painting drama?
Cynthia: I don't agree with the characters, but I really liked them because they were captivating.
astempson: Yes.
Cynthia: yeah, Mrs. Kipps death surprised me
astempson: I thought the funeral was interesting. It was nice when Howard was able to stop judging people and just be in the moment, actually thinking about the big picture.
Cynthia: and then sleep with Monty's daughter
haha
astempson: Oh my goodness.
But, hold on, he goes and visits his dad.
Cynthia: I was starting to think, after he visited his dad, that maybe he would reconcile things. but no
astempson: Yeah.
I was feeling really hopeful.
And then he messed everything up.
Cynthia: he kind of can't do anything right
astempson: Once he was a repeat offender so to speak, I was far less willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
(P.S. - Unfortunately, my family is having a late dinner in approximately ten minutes, but we can continue the conversation past this evening!)
Cynthia: ok.
astempson: I really thought that things were starting to get better between him and Kiki. It was such a let-down when he messed up again.
Cynthia: agreed. I guess in a way, she had to move out because they were both not making a move. She had every right to kick him out, but it's good for her to start over
astempson: Yeah. I loved how everyone vicariously gave the dog extra love.
Trying to atone.
What about Levi?
I thought it was a very honest look at people trying to be aware of world events, when Levi was trying to read that book on Haiti, but wasn't confident enough to speak on the subject for a while.
Cynthia: When they discovered the picture, and he got in it with his mom about their own cleaning lady getting paid $4, I wanted to applaud him.
astempson: Yeah, that was big for him.
Even though he was involved in the theft... But, at least it was principled.
I must say, it surprised me that he wasn't using drugs.
Cynthia: I think he still just spits out what people tell him with no real knowledge, but I think he is much more aware than the family gives him credit
astempson: Yes. He pulled out that phrase... caucasian art dealer.
Cynthia: We haven't talked about affirmative action, what do you think of Monty being so opposed to it?
astempson: I think that Kiki did a great job of defending affirmative action. That whole exchange between the two of them was very interesting.
When she talks about her philosophy, that she told her kids to work five times as hard as the white kids...
I mean, she demonstrates that it's not about entitlement.
Cynthia: I think she is like Levi in that people really underestimate her. Zora, Jerome and Howard are intellectuals, and Levi and Kiki are out of that loop but mostly bc they don't flaunt it
astempson: Yes, that is true. I think of Levi as being like Kiki.
I'm rereading the passage now...
Cynthia: they have opinions and can back them up and fight you over them, they don't step down in battle and that surpises ppl
astempson: It's interesting at the end, what Monty has to say about liberals not believing that conservatives are motivated by moral convictions as profoundly held as those that liberals hold.
Yes, they are much stronger than people expect.
Friday, August 6, 2010
reschedule, on beauty and being wrong
Since it looks like only 2 people can make the Saturday chat, we've decided to reschedule it for Monday evening at 7pm. Hopefully this will work for those out of town or who have other scheduling conflicts on Saturday.
It's our last chat for this book, so we hope some of you can join us for the close.
Please leave a comment on this post if you will be able to make the Monday chat.
It's our last chat for this book, so we hope some of you can join us for the close.
Please leave a comment on this post if you will be able to make the Monday chat.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
on beauty and being wrong
We are almost finished with our second book, how time flies.
Our final chat for On Beauty is scheduled for this weekend, let us know if you will be able to make it for some, all, or none of it.
Thanks to those who have already replied regarding the last chat.
If you haven't already, read below:
In preparation for the final chat, I want to know who is able to make the chat as it is currently scheduled:
on beauty and being wrong
chat: Saturday August 7 at 11am
Please comment with a yes or no.
Our final chat for On Beauty is scheduled for this weekend, let us know if you will be able to make it for some, all, or none of it.
Thanks to those who have already replied regarding the last chat.
If you haven't already, read below:
In preparation for the final chat, I want to know who is able to make the chat as it is currently scheduled:
on beauty and being wrong
chat: Saturday August 7 at 11am
Please comment with a yes or no.
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