Does this answer your question?
Posted on 07/19/2002 4:54:20 PM PDT by PJ-Comix
Have you ever heard about reading clubs? This is where readers read a particular book at the same time. I think it would be fun to do something like that here. A book could be assigned and Freepers who wish to join in could read the book at the same time. Following the deadline date for completion, we could post our commentaries on the book.
Since it is < proprietary mode> my idea < /proprietary mode> I suggest that I be the one to make the book recommendations. Some folks have flamed me for supposedly looking down my nose at Sci-Fi books. However, this is not the case. I have read most of the books written by the major Sci-Fi writers such as Heinleain, Asimov, Vonnegut, etc.. However, I do feel way too much emphasis has been placed on Sci-Fi at the expense of other literature. Therefore I will tend to recommend books other than Sci-Fi (although I will sometimes recommend Sci-Fi books if it has socio-political implications).
Anyway, if you think my first recommendation will be From Here To Eternity, or Invisible Man (Ellison, not Wells) or Ann Coulter's current best seller, I am going to surprise you.
Here is my first book recommendation: Shane by Jack Shaefer. Although not about politics, this book has a lot to say about character. In fact, this country would be a lot better off if every schoolkid was REQUIRED to read it. Yes, the movie was very good, but the book is much better. I am leading off the Freeper Reading Club Book list with Shane because it is actually a long short story and is very easy to read. Most folks should finish it in under 4 hours of reading. However, I am setting August 12 as the due date for reading it and posting commentary. I read Shane years ago and was incredibly impressed with its message but I will be re-reading it again for this assignment. Shane is easily available at your local library or book store.
Which is why I picked Shane. Very different than other Westerns. Also it is a quick read so the assignment is easy.
Actually 78 pages. I noticed that my copy starts on page 7 and ends on page 85. When I logged off on Friday I read 19 pages in about an hour so I already read about a quarter of the book. Years ago I read Shane but forgot a lot of the details except for the fact it was a great book. I am enjoying re-reading it.
Good idea.
PJ, you have a lot of "stroke" on FR.
I don't know if I have "stroke" on FR but I have given a bunch of strokes on the Dr. Laura, Howard Stern, and Jack Chick threads.
There was a Rand book better than either of them. (Hint: The movie version was made in Italy and promptly banned.)
BTW, have you ever done a "Jack Chick" parody? To tell they truth, Chick's style and yours are too similar to be a coincidence.
Hm, what could that mean?
Anyway, how do we get a new forum started? I really like that idea!
a.cricket
Where is that used book store located? I want to go there. You can sell those books on Amazon for more than you paid. For example, the lowest The World of the American Pit Bull Terrier is selling used for on Amazon is $21.50 so I know you can get at least $19.00 for that book there. Check it out HERE.
So, you see, I actually just made you money.
BINGO!
...By John Steinbeck. However, since so many folks are already familiar with The Grapes Of Wrath, if I were to assign a Steinbeck book it would probably be the little known In Dubious Battle. It was written early in Steinbeck's career when he was still far left and the book at first reflects a strict leftwing line. However, later in the book, you can see that Steinbeck is having second thoughts with far left ideology and the book reflects that. Then for some bizarre reason it sort of reverts back to leftist ideology again by the end. I don't know if I would assign this book but it is interesting that you can actually see Steinback struggling in book form with his leftist beliefs at the time. (He later became somewhat conservative which is why Columbia University had a virtual ban on teaching Steinbeck for years.)
My favorites in the comic book field are William ("Zippy the Pinhead") Griffith and Harvey Pekar. Pekar actually did a parody of Maus which earned him a lot of animosity for being so non-PC. However, Griffith and Pekar aren't everybody's cup of tea so I won't be assigning them although I enjoy them both immensely.
BTW, Pekar is from Cleveland. For some strange reason, a HUGE proportion of comix writers are orginally from Cleveland, including Yours Truly (Euclid Park area of Cleveland).
Thanx. I'll try to keep it to books that have great literary interest with ideological stuff secondary. The books will be those I have read before but like them so much that I will enjoy re-reading them (also this will give me an excuse to re-read them). The biggest no-no will be BORING books. I don't care if I agree with every bit of a book's message. If it isn't of literary value, it doesn't go on the list. Also I would also like to emphasize lesser known books. So although I agree with a lot of Tom Clancy's views and enjoy his books, I probably won't assign them since they are already so well known.
Fans of these two authors are now looking for rocks. Where did I put that suit of armor?
a.cricket
Does this answer your question?
Who is Jane Tompkins?
Sorry, I was actually thinking of Patricia Limmerick. Both are Post-Modernist revisionist historians.
{It was meant to be a joke.}
Hello PJ, let me correct you! actually, you got flamed for posting a thread asking the question "What are your nominations for Best Novel Ever Written?" and then telling us over and over again that our favorites were not nearly as great as From Here to Eternity.
Best Novel Ever Written
But the book discussion thread is an idea that works... We have had one going for some time... a chapter-by-chapter reading group that just finished the Fellowship of the Ring...
After a brief rest, we are now about to start The Two Towers, in anticipation of the next movie. Anyone who wants to take part in that, let me know! (unless you are already on the Green Dragon List)
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