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Free Republic Book Club, Week of 2/26/05
week of 2/26/05

Posted on 02/26/2005 5:14:03 PM PST by Tanniker Smith

Welcome to the Free Republic Book Club

This is the place to discuss any book under the sun.

First of all, my apologies for not getting to this thread until Saturday evening.

Second, as has been suggested by several people on the previous threads, we're only going to make one thread per week, starting on Saturdays. We'll see how that works out.

Third, let's try to pick a topic for the week. Granted, "off-topic" posts are to be expected (and practically mandatory, if reading other threads is any indication).

Fourth, I pulled a lot of names from the previous threads to add to a ping list. As a result, I have a very lengthy ping list. So at this point, I'll add people who ask to be added (and remove those who ask to be removed). My apologies if you don't get added right away.

And, finally, here are the links to the previous two threads. Please! Do NOT add new messages to the older threads! Move on to this one (and the ones to follow in the weeks to come). Thank you.

Free Republic Book Club


Free Republic Book Club, 2/24/05


TOPICS: Free Republic
KEYWORDS: book; bookclub; books; club; freerepublicbookclub
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Okay, the floor is open. It was suggested that we talk about one genre per week to keep it managable to start, but I didn't get many suggestions for which one to start with.

The few that I saw discussions about up until now were fantasies (particularly "quest" novels), biographies and books by Freepers. With all due respect to my fellow Freepers, while I'd love to discuss your books, at the moment, there's probably a limited audience. I'd suggest at this point that the rest of us track down copies so we can talk about them at a later date.

That would leave us with biographies and fantasies. Which should we start off with. (Since we can't get a show of hands, I'll let the first of you that answer the ping or stumble upon the thread make the decision. See what a great leader I am! I delegate!)

TS

1 posted on 02/26/2005 5:14:04 PM PST by Tanniker Smith
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To: 506trooper; aberaussie; Alberta's Child; AQGeiger; arbee4bush; Ax; Brasil; Burn24; ...
Book-club ping.

(If you wish to be removed, please leave a note. Thank you.)

2 posted on 02/26/2005 5:16:06 PM PST by Tanniker Smith (I didn't know she was a liberal when I married her.)
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To: Tanniker Smith

My vote goes to biographies, since I am looking for a good one to read. :)


3 posted on 02/26/2005 5:17:20 PM PST by exnavychick
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To: Tanniker Smith
Please! Do NOT add new messages to the older threads! Move on to this one (and the ones to follow in the weeks to come). Thank you.

Ironically, in the time it took me to type up and post the above message, someone posted a message to the oldest thread. Gotta love it.

TS

4 posted on 02/26/2005 5:18:54 PM PST by Tanniker Smith (I didn't know she was a liberal when I married her.)
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To: Tanniker Smith

How about Lord of the Rings?


5 posted on 02/26/2005 5:21:06 PM PST by stan the beaver (We will kill the ones who eat us, and eat the ones we kill!!)
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To: Tanniker Smith

I just picked up a copy of Hershey's 'A Bell for Adano' today. His forward discusses the difficulties of administration by American forces of a conquered land and I thought the book might have some insights for our foreign policy today.

There is a widely posted scan, here on FR, of the pinko John Dos Passo's article in a 1945 or '46 issue of LIFE magazine that has proven to be the exact replay of naysayer sentiment today on the same topic.


6 posted on 02/26/2005 5:23:11 PM PST by WorkingClassFilth (Equally offending all people equally - pursuant to the directives of the CRA of 1964)
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To: stan the beaver

That's what first came to my mind too! Or another Tolkien book The Silmarillion. Both great reads and would make great discussion. We should probably clear it with the Hobbit Hole first - lol!


7 posted on 02/26/2005 5:25:16 PM PST by TightyRighty
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To: Tanniker Smith

Please add me to the book club ping list. Thanks very much.


8 posted on 02/26/2005 5:28:33 PM PST by Rocky Mountain Mama (four more years of tax cuts and dead terrorists)
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To: Tanniker Smith
Well then * stamps foot peevishly* let's get it rolling.

I have to catch an early flight to Ohio in the am, and was just heading to B&N to see if I could find someting to kill a few hours.;=]

9 posted on 02/26/2005 5:31:25 PM PST by 506trooper (No such thing as too much guns, ammo or fuel on board...unless you're on fire)
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To: Tanniker Smith

Well today I bought "The Journal of Eleanor Ruse" b/c it only cost $4.98 and I'm into the paranormal, and Dan Brown's "Digital Fortress" b/c I'm also into reading junk fiction. If anybody feels I shouldn't waste the time, I'm all ears.


10 posted on 02/26/2005 5:31:53 PM PST by Flightdeck (Liberals see Saddam's mass graves as half full. I prefer to see them as half empty.)
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To: TightyRighty
That's what first came to my mind too! Or another Tolkien book The Silmarillion. Both great reads and would make great discussion. We should probably clear it with the Hobbit Hole first - lol!

I finally read "The Lord of the Rings", pretty much reading each book around the time of the corresponding film. I don't own a copy; I borrowed them. That's probably what held me back from ordering a copy of "The Silmarillion" when I saw it for sale -- in of all places -- my son's Scholastic magazine. He's in the third grade for heaven's sake!

Actually, I do have some Tolkien collection that I got from a library sale. Don't recall which stories they are, and I'm not going to get to read it any time soon.

I'm in a bit of a bind here. I buy way more books than I'll ever read, usually telling myself, "The library needs the money" or somesuch. My wife has been trying to get me to get rid of many of these tomes. (We've moved with them twice!) I told her, "Okay, but let me read some of them first.")

Well, that was about ten years ago -- or about three weeks before I got transferred to an office in New Jersey which required driving to work. No more transit reading time. (sigh)

Anyway, excuse the digression, I pretty much have to read things that I own and can divest myself of (although I still make occasional trips to the library to borrow newer stuff.)

TS

11 posted on 02/26/2005 5:35:33 PM PST by Tanniker Smith (I didn't know she was a liberal when I married her.)
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To: Tanniker Smith
I'd like to make a small suggestion. Is there anyway to possibly list the topic for the week, a week in advance, for those of us who want to participate?

It's great to discuss books and authors, but if we aren't aware of what the discussion will be in advance, it's kind of hard to be prepared.

Unfortunately, the last thing I have read was by Lemony Snickett! Haven't been able to read a book for myself in a while, and I would love a suggestion for the week in advance.
12 posted on 02/26/2005 5:36:14 PM PST by borntobeagle
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To: borntobeagle
Is there anyway to possibly list the topic for the week, a week in advance, for those of us who want to participate?

Good idea! I suggest we make next week's topic: "Quest" tomes, but this week, discuss biographies (since it is already Saturday).

Then, next Saturday, we can come up with a new theme for the following week.

13 posted on 02/26/2005 5:48:17 PM PST by sandalwood (The sky was yellow and the sun was blue)
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To: borntobeagle
I'd like to make a small suggestion. Is there anyway to possibly list the topic for the week, a week in advance, for those of us who want to participate?

I'd love to get there. We just started this two days ago. And, as you can see, I couldn't even decide on a topic for today, although I've been asking for two days.

The way I'm figuring this (and I could be totally wrong) is first we should see who pops in and wants to take part and see what they want to talk about. Example, I originally wanted to talk about the large number of conservative books out there, if only to find the good ones. This would also be on topic for FR. HOWEVER, I was quickly informed that this was a little too narrow a focus.

Give it a few weeks, and we could even start talking about specific books, but let's get our legs first. People will need time to find specific books and read them.

Actually, once again I'll put it to a vote:

This is directed to everyone

Either here or in the mail:
List your three favorite book genres IN ORDER
I'll tally them and weight them accordingly (and even ignore them if you list more than three).

I'll post the results sometime mid-week. (It's back to school Monday, so I can't guarantee which day.) We can make that the next three, four or even five weeks topics if we get enough people participating.

Thank you, in advance, to everyone.

TS

14 posted on 02/26/2005 5:53:24 PM PST by Tanniker Smith (I didn't know she was a liberal when I married her.)
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To: Tanniker Smith
If you liked Lord Of The Rings - I think you like The Sil. It's almost biblical in the way it's told and gives background to the other books as well. I read them in chronological order (The Sil, The Hobbit and LOTR) after seeing the movies.

You and I sound like two peas in a pod! I am always going to the library's used book store and stocking up on books. I have a whole section in my book shelf devoted to books that I've bought but haven't read yet. Some have been there for a few years. I don't know what it is about old used books but I like them better than new ones.

15 posted on 02/26/2005 5:56:15 PM PST by TightyRighty
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To: TightyRighty
I have a whole section in my book shelf devoted to books that I've bought but haven't read yet. Some have been there for a few years. I don't know what it is about old used books but I like them better than new ones.

I used to have a bunch in the bookcase. Now there all in Rubbermaid bins, in a closet under the steps, in the basement. My wife really doesn't wish to see them. Of course, this actually makes it easier to sneak more *in*.

16 posted on 02/26/2005 5:58:48 PM PST by Tanniker Smith (I didn't know she was a liberal when I married her.)
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To: Tanniker Smith
1. Crime Drama - fiction or non-fiction

2. Historical narrative - fiction or non-fiction

3. Travel writing

17 posted on 02/26/2005 5:58:57 PM PST by sandalwood (The sky was yellow and the sun was blue)
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To: exnavychick

"My vote goes to biographies, since I am looking for a good one to read."

Try "In My Hands" by Irene Gut Opdyke. She was 17 during WWII and hid and saved many Polish Jews at great risk to herself. She's one of my Heroes, without a doubt. :)


18 posted on 02/26/2005 6:01:29 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: borntobeagle

"Unfortunately, the last thing I have read was by Lemony Snickett!"

LOL! I remember those days. For about a year, the only books I read were about a monkey and a guy in a yellow hat.
Never did figure out what they really meant.


19 posted on 02/26/2005 6:04:41 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: Tanniker Smith

Please add me to your ping list. I'm mostly into historical novels. I also have a pretty good collection of Native American reference, including tribal designs.

The last book I read was Patricia Cornwell's research on Jack the Ripper (Case Closed). It was gory, but gave an insight into the pits of hell the human mind can travel. Ripper was not a nice guy.


20 posted on 02/26/2005 6:09:55 PM PST by wizr (Freedom ain't free.)
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