I am beginning to understand how James Fennimore Cooper and C.S. Lewis and the Inklings felt.
The first is reported to have thrown a book across the room in disgust, exclaiming to his wife that he could write a better novel than the one that he had just finished. She, of course, as all good little wives do, challenged him to do it then. Which he did. And apparently he wasn't wrong, because he became one of the greatest novelists of his time. Perhaps you've heard of The Last of the Mohicans? I read many of his books as a teenager, and loved them, despite the fact that you can skip entire chapters and not miss a thing. He is rather verbose. And loves expounding upon the glories of a single blade of grass.
C.S. Lewis and his associates where disappointed in the lack of modern literature that they could enjoy. So they decided that, if nothing else, they could wright what they liked and pass it around among themselves. One of the funniest stories that I have heard about their meetings was when Tolkein began to read some of his completed work in his deep, monotone voice, another associate said " . . . No! Not more elves!"
What has brought me to this current point of frustration? I'm glad you asked.
I can count on one hand how much Fantasy I have read in twenty-five years, and on two fingers how much High Fantasy. My current disposition comes after 1300 pages of wasted time spent on a Stackpole trilogy.
It started out Innocent enough: with a good cover, and an intriguing title: Fortress Draconis.
Now, I knew Stackpole was a fantasy writer and as a rule, I don't read Fantasy or encourage the reading of Fantasy. Much less High Fantasy. There's that whole, "thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" thing. The realization and conviction that I have about witchcraft is that its practice is diametrically apposed to Christ and his teachings.
Never-the-less, I was curious. (I know, I know, "what killed the cat?") So I grabbed the book and began reading right there in the library isle. And it intrigued me. I did not encounter any foul language and as I skimmed through the book I didn't encounter any, shall we say, unbecoming behavior, or sorcery. So I took it home. And the story itself drew me in.
It wasn't long, however, before I encountered what my casual inspection had missed: the demons, and then the witches.
Even as I write, some part of me hesitates in being perfectly frank. Perhaps it's my conscience protesting my participation in "bad literature" or I am embarrassed of what my very good friends mom will think about me. But the truth is, I am not ashamed of having read the story. I actually learned something productive.
to be continued . . .
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44 comments:
perhaps you are confused as to what all the fantasy genre includes? I'm quite certain that you've read MUCH MORE than 5. Even the Lord of The Rings Trilogy is classified as "High Fantasy" by some people. Including Wikipedia. Not that they are the authority or anything.
I completely agree that if you're having SUCH a difficult time finding something to read that you enjoy or can recommend that you should write something yourself. At least your very good friends have something to read.
I've read a lot of books recently that I very much enjoyed. Lists on my blog.
Just a thought, take it or leave it: Maybe you need to be more open to different types of books? I try to be very flexible in my genres. I certainly have my favorites, but since I read primarily for enjoyment I try to enjoy as many different types of books as possible. Of course, there's been many books I haven't liked, too. But, the ones I've liked have far outweighed the ones I haven't.
umm.... there are 7 Narnia books... what about Toilken, and Looking Glass??
I really like The Last of The Mohicans, we have the book on tape(complete and unabridged)and I've probably listend to it fifty times.
So go ahead and continue already because I seriously am interested in whatever the end of your thought is. :) Especially since I've been looking for new books. I just started Looking Glass Wars, and I'm excited about perusing the library shelves for more. (we just got a new library membership at a bigger library. YAY)
Jak, what do you mean by "Maybe you need to be more open to different types of books?"
KitKat (and Jak) I know that LOTR and Narnia and LookingGlass do fit the deffinition of "fantasy." It's a broad genre. Probly the biggest of them all. But I don't think of those books as fantasy. I know that they ARE, but to me, they are something more. Narnia and LOTR are allegories, and though fantastic in nature, they are much much more.
I guess it is just a matter of my logic and it apparently needs adjusting. Because when I think of "fantasy" what I see/hear is "high fantasy" or "sword and sorcery"
I don't equate The Princess Bride as being on the same level, in the same genre as what I just read the other week. Even though, technically, it is.
HuntinGuy: that sounds awesome. I recently rediscovered books in tape(cd's actually). Try taking them to work. It's a great way to pass the time
LoLo: your wish is my command
Well, I mean just what I said. I'm not sure what all kinds of books you do read, but all I've heard you talk about is sci-fi genre and fantasy genre. Umm... Zane Gray?
Maybe you are reading all sorts of different genres that I don't know about.
The only reason I suggested is because I think if you tried some different things that you wouldn't normally try you may find some that you love and not be so disappointed in the literature world.
Granted, there are ALWAYS going to be bad books published. But, there are also many, MANY excellent books out there. I love finding new authors and learning how they express themselves.
I admit I was shocked to read that you claimed to only have read 5 fantasy novels in your entire life when all of the books I've heard you talk about that you love (with the exception of Dr. Kildare :) are classified "Fantasy" genre. I understand completely that the fantasy books you're referring to are of a much better quality than the majority of that genre. I certainly won't argue that the books we've specifically mentioned (Narnia, LGW, LoTR) have something more to them, not just frivolous fantasy. I HAVE read some of what I call frivolous fantasy and didn't care for it at all, while LGW, Narnia, etc. you know are high on my list of faves.
I have been expanding my horizon's.
As a kid all I read was Max Brand and Zane Grey. But now, I have been following the adventures wherever it leads. Finding myself drawn more and more towards mysteries. The only form of fiction that I have not read a lot of is what I would call Normal Fiction. Like the daily struggles of a soccer mom striving to rekindle her anemic marraige, wrangle her screaming children, and reconcile the demands of society on her. Or Joe Office worker looking for love and validation in a cruel and unforgiving world. I think that the last book that I read that was like that was that book I borrowed from you about the girl who went to Mexico on a mission trip (I was just thinking about that character the other day as I was working on Frustration. More on that to follow) I'm not interested in reading soap operas. I want adventure. I've wanted it my whole life. If I can't live it, then at least I can read it.
About that book, specifically the lead female character, I discovered why I didn't like the way that it ended. It is because she was a truely dinamic character: she goes to Mexico a child, 15, and comes home a woman capable of making adult decisions. But when she got home, her mother cut her off at the knees and turned her back into a child. So all of the dinamic change that took place over the course of the novel was completely undone in the last pages. It was like the writers started out to make a Coming of Age Story, and ended up with a Cautionary Tale. "Young ladies, when you go to Mexico, don't let those smooth talking young christian mexican boys turn your head around."
I had forgotten about that book... I remember you guys didn't like it... I don't remember much else. I can't even remember if I liked it. I'm thinking I might have been on the fence... Because I really can't remember. I think if I had hated or loved it, it would have made more of an impression.
I'm glad you've been branching out more. That's great.
Good grief, I didn't know my wishes had such an impact ;)
So, jak said earlier in the conversation: "certainly won't argue that the books we've specifically mentioned (Narnia, LGW, LoTR) have something more to them, not just frivolous fantasy.
I just started reading LGW and I'm wondering what about it seems to have led the two of you to classify it with LoTR and Narnia. To me, LGW is still on the frivilous fantasy side of things. I mean, really, a princess jumps into a pond and comes out in London? Sounds more like the movie Enchanted (bleck)than a book like The Giver or Narnia which have sharp meaning for the reader.
Have I just not read far enough yet?? (just finished with pt. 1) Is there more depth to come? What about it intrigued you both so much? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I don't like it... because I do like it :)
I disliked the mexico mission trip book for an entirely different reason...you say that she came home an adult capable of making adult choices, but I thought that by the time she had come home she had only proved to make stupid choices, so it was smart of her Mom to rein her in. If your child was 16, would you let her make the mistakes?
Still being so much of a child, I realize that I probably don't know what I'm talking about...
Well, Merrill, I really don't classify LotR and Narnia in the same type of depth as LGW. I didn't really mean it that way. Narnia is an allegory. LotR is an allegory (allegedly, I haven't read them all, so I'm not qualified to answer). LGW is just... better than the average fantasy. I've read other fantasy novels that frankly I was ashamed to admit I'd read. LGW is just a better story. I don't mind other worlds and even a little "magic." I just don't like the witches and wizards and all that. I love the LGW purely for the story, and because I think Beddor is a great writer. Narnia is totally different. Narnia I love because I learn about God from it.
You don't like Enchanted??? :) Ok, so you might not like LGW either. Sorry...
As for that Mexico Mission Book... can't remember the name...
I think you have a good point.
I remember thinking that she had begun to talk herself into thinking that something was God just so that she could have it... which is a pretty childish thing to do and not really a sign of maturity at all.
Like I said though it's been a while since I read that book, so I don't really remember my thoughts at the time...
If I were a mother of a 16 yr. old girl, of course I would talk to her and try to dissuade her from anything I considered a mistake.
Right.
I like the LGW books because Beddor meets my standard of what a good writer is. His voice is simple without being simplistic (James Patterson) AND intellegent without being high browwed. His writing is smart. Much smarter than 90 percent of the youth target books coming out today. That is one of my main problems with modern entertainment. There are so very little smarts!
And I love what he did with Alice in Wonderland. "No, no, no, no, no. You got it all wrong, Mr. Carrol. You need to lay off of the Opium. Let me tell you what really happened."
The quallity of Beddor's writing is on an equal with Lewis and Tolkein. Now the substance is decidedly not. The LGW books are deffinitely "shallow." Pure high adventure. No deaper meaning.
Now the Mexican Missionary (since we can't remember its title)
My litmus test for telling how good a story is, is by how well I remember it.
Isn't the whole purpose of mission trips to do the will of God and meet with God? It wasn't a great story, and it wasn't greatly written. What I would call "not bad." But the ending totally soured the rest of the story for me. I felt like she really had grown, and her mother completely failed to see that.
I'm not saying that, at 15, she should have married the guy.
As parents, our whole job is to equip our children to become parents. To become adults, to make intelligent decisions. They're not always going to make the right decisions, so we think, but they have to be free to make them anyway. The trick is recognizing when they are old enough to make those decisions and being able to help and encourage them in their choices; or, not.
I felt like girly-girl had developed into a character old enough decide whether or not she wanted to wait for the boy. But her mom never dilliberated about whether or not she had encountered God on her mission trip and was NOW able to make that choice.
And LoLo, YOU DON'T LIKE ENCHANTED?!?
What planet did you say you were from? Bizaaro-Reverso-World?
Obviously you have forgotten my thoughts on that wonderful little rarity to come out of Disney.
whoa. As I remember Mexico Missionary's Mom didn't tell her she COULDN'T wait for this boy, or that she COULDN'T marry him...
(I'm going to find this book and re-read the ending)
okay. I remember her pretty much putting the kabosh on everything. But the mememory can be fickle.
read it and lest us know. Give us some excerpts.
oky-doke. I went home and read the last 6-7 pages of the book (the part where she talks to her mom) and BTW... the name of the book is I Will Follow
I'm not going to transcribe the last 7 pages.
here's some little bits..
When Meg's mom asks her: "Do you think maybe he should have mentioned something to your dad about it?" and Meg replies that Diego is from a different culture yada, yada, yada... Mom replies: "That all sounds legitimate. It's not that big of a deal. Daddy didn't ask Grandpa if he could marry me. I guess it's just an added bonus of courtesy that Daddy and I would appreciate. But it's not necessary....... I'm not attacking you. The choice is yours to make-I can't force you to do anything. You could even have corresponded with him via e-mail without Daddy and I even knowing. I just had hoped that we have a closer relationship than that."
Mom talks about how it makes her a little uneasy that they could get so close in short amount of time.
"You are seventeen. God may have many other things for you to do first, even if he does want you to marry Diego. Are you open to that?"
Then she talks about the seriousness of marriage and asks if she's ready for that?
Meg cries and says she doesn't want to lose Diego. They seem to be made for each other.
.....
Mom says: "Well, here's another way of looking at it. It might be like your decision not to date. You were willing to sacrifice the fun of a short-term relationship with someone so that you could have a better relationship with the man you end up marrying. Maybe you have to crucify the relationship with Diego now so that God can resurrect something better later-maybe with Diego, maybe not........ maybe Diego is your Isaac-you have to take him to the altar like Abraham took his son... He may be saying 'do you want Diego? or do you want Me?'
Meg says "Do you think He's asking me to make that choice?"
Mom: "I can't tell you that, honey. Only He can."
Mom says "I love you" and leaves the room.
Meg cries. Prays.
Writes Diego a letter... ending with "Perhaps our paths will meet again, later-perhaps mine will end in yours, and I will journey with you. But I also will never reach that merging unless I walk away from you now..."
When she tells her parents the decision she made they cry with her, but say nothing.
She goes back to her room and opens the letter Diego gave her with instructions not to open it until she had made her decision.
It's very corny... but the end is "I simply want you to know how solely and uniquely suited to you I have found myself. If it is not God's plan for me to marry you, I will marry no one."
Meg cries and asks God why He let her go through this. She falls asleep.
The end.
Ok, so I don't know if my excerpts clearly show the feel of the end of the book. When I re-read it I certainly didn't feel that her mom put the kabosh on anything. She was concerned about the age difference, since Meg was so young. She was naturally concerned also because she didn't know this boy from Adam, but she didn't comment on that out loud to Meg. She stressed that the decision was Meg's to make. Meg was 17. I think if I were her mother I would have said a lot of the same things, to be honest. If Diego was truly meant for her than sacrificing her hopes to a loving God is only going to bring them closer together. On the other hand, if he's not for her, than again, sacrificing him to God is still the best way to go. It's sound advice.
The book really isn't about a girl that got caught up in some kind of Mexican romance, hid it from her parents and than had to be snapped back to reality by her parents. It really is a coming-of-age story. In the end, she chooses to allow God to direct her path even if it means giving up the one thing she wants more than anything. Her mom gives her some good advice on how to talk to God about the situation. Which advice she listens to, puts into practice and ultimately makes a decision based on it. And putting your life solely in God's hands is always the best decision.
"The book really isn't about a girl that got caught up in some kind of Mexican romance, hid it from her parents and than had to be snapped back to reality by her parents." That's funny. I laughed.
You did good. It bring it all back now, or mostly at least mostly.
So had she not made a decision about to wait for Jose-Louis, to become his betrothed?
I always felt like she changed her mind so quickly. Like overnight. After restling with her emotions and desires and trying to find the will of God for the entire book, overnight she decides to the exact oposite. Without any real explanation. And then, after she's made "her" "decision" she gets the letter from Carlos, or Jose, or Juan, Oh, what ever his name is, that says "You're the only woman I will ever love!"
The End.
Perhaps that is what REALLY bothered me. The the book ended on the threshold of a new conflict.
I mean, there could have at least been a prologue. They meet ten years later and find out that they really where made for each other or they laugh about how foolish they were and introduce each other to their respective families.
It really wasn't that great of a story anyway. And though not as bad as some Christian Lit that I have read, it WAS pretty religious and preachy.
I'm glad to hear that she was 17, I had forgotten that she was that old. Senior trip or something?
But that just makes it more difficult for me. Because she is then even closer to the marrying age.
Bizaaro-Reverso-World? yeah, I could be from there. It's not that I didn't like the story line (I did) I just thought that disney didn't do a very good job of executing it.
I've been hauling LGW around trying to read snitches of it here and there all day...thanks for clarifying. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't completely missing some other way deep meaning.
'nother thought here: Have either of you read/heard of Life of Pi ? If so, what did you think of it? I started puzzling it out last week and I'm not sure what I think. It sounded like something that you might have read Tyson, so if you happen to have any insight I'm all ears.
You think 17 is old enough to get married? That would be me in 3 years. FREAKY!
Merrill I don't think 17 is old enough to get married. Tyson thinks girls should marry young. whatever.
Sorry, Ty, I still agree with the mom here. In the end Meg made the right decision. If she needed to hear what her mom had to say in order to do that I don't see what's wrong with that. Before her mom talks to her, Meg is planning to say "YES" to DIEGO. But, she feels wrong about it. Mostly, I think because she's hiding it from her parents.
The book doesn't end with what happened 10 years later, because, the point is not whether or not Meg and Diego are meant for each other. It's sort of a "Lady or the Tiger" ending. It really doesn't matter if they get together or not. The point is that she had yielded her life to God and no matter what happens, she is in His hands, He's guiding her down the perfect path. Diego or not.
I haven't read that book, Merrill. Is it good?
P.S. Ty, I think you're problem mainly is that she changed her mind so quickly? So, if the author said "A week went by. Meg spent the whole time in her room fasting and praying" and then at the END of week, she wrote him the letter... you'd be ok with that?
I can see how it all happened quickly.
Well, LoLo, give Enchanted a few years and the watch it again. I think it is the cutest thing ever made and that Disney has started down the right path towards clean movies. Don't get me wrong, it is far from perfect, but it didn't have 90 percent of the questionable material that it would have if it had been created under Michael Eisner. I think the new CEO of Disney is trying to return her to her former course of Family friendliness. But I ultimately decided, after watching it for the third time, that it's NOT a kids movie. It's for all the people, like me, pushing middle age, who grew up on Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty and Snow White and the Seven Deadly Dwarves, etc. etc. Don't worry though if you never like it: we all have our own taste.
And I have never heard of Life of Pi. What's it about?
No need to freak, LoLo. "Stay Cool. Everybody, Just. Stay. Cool."
It's not that I think that Girls or Boys should marry young, it's that I believe that when you are ready to get married, you'll get married. And if you're not, you won't. AND/OR he/she isn't ready for you. Especially when you believe that not only is God preparing YOU to get married, but that he is preparing someone just FOR you (BG's Average Girl anyone?) Whether that's 19 or 30 isn't really up to us. Unless we want to take our lives in our own hands and just do whatever we want.
I understand the mom having her say. That's what mom's are for. But she wasn't JUST advising her daughter to hear God. She was actively lobbying for her to dump Diego (Go Diego Go!)
"Maybe you have to crucify the relationship with Diego now so that God can resurrect something better later-maybe with Diego, maybe not........ maybe Diego is your Isaac-you have to take him to the altar like Abraham took his son... He may be saying 'do you want Diego? or do you want Me?'"
Was there any evidence from the body of the story that God was asking her to lay her desires on the alter?
Yeah, I don't know about that ending. I don't think a Tiger or the Lady ending is the best sort of conclusion for such an emotional drama. I needed a pretty bow on the package.
And yes, if it had taken her a week, or a month, it would have felt less contrived. Heck, I would have been satisfied with three days. Because at least there would have been some distance from her mom's speach, and it would have felt like she had made up her own mind, instead of having it made up for her.
I'm not ready to plunk it down as a good book yet. It was one that my grandma (read: intellectual many-paths-to-heaven type) gave to my Dad. It was initially the picture of a boy and a tiger in a lifeboat that caught my attention, but then the blurb.
"A boy.
A tiger.
And the vast Pacific Ocean.
This is a novel of such rare and wonderous storytellng that it may, as one character claims, make you believe in God."
Huh? Come again, please? I flipped it open and started reading. All I can say so far is that it's a thinking sort of book. Set in India, the main character "attracts religions the way a dog attracts fleas." Supposedly, it's a story of "adventure, survival, and ultimately, faith."
It's not squeaky clean, it does have a bit of crude content, but it hasn't been enough (so far) for me to set the book down. Mostly, I'm just puzzling over what the author is really trying to say to the reader. It doesn't feel like a whismical fairy story. It feels like it has some sort of point that I'm not grasping. Or something. Here is where I get a little fuzzy :)
You know what I think the two of you should do? Start a sort of book club :D with me as member #1 :P No seriously, I always seemed to just read historical fiction romance type (Witch of Blackbird Pond, Jane Eyre) which were good, but I'm excited about finding thinking books and fantasy and new genres. It's like I can feel my brain growing! That's why I think you should start a book club. So that I can ask lots of book questions of you two :)
Here's my take on the ending. Imagine that the authors had decided to end with "Ten years later, Meg and Diego crossed paths again. They discovered they still loved each other and got married" That's like saying; "If you give up your own desires and yield to God, He will give you what you want." That is not what the authors were trying to say. I think they got they're point across. I think what you are suggesting is a different ending with a different point. If they had wanted to make that point, they would have.
I agree as well, that if you're ready to get married, if your other half is ready to get married... you will 19 is not too young. 17 is.
I also don't agree that Mom was lobbying for dumping Diego.
But, you knew that already. :)
HA! A book club Merry? Headed up by me and the arch enemy? We almost never agree on books (see above 22 comments)
So? Not agreeing on books is what makes it interesting. If we all had the same thoughts...yuck.
I think they totally should have had Meg and Diego meet again in 10 years and find out that they really weren't right for each other. That way it would be like wait on God and he will direct you...even if the guy isn't right for you :)
I'll see if I can't find that book, Lolo. That will be fun. As to a book club, I refer you to this post and this post.
But hey, I'm willing to give it another go.
Well, JakJak, I must defer to your knowledge, because I honestly don't remember anything important from that book. I remember that they were working on a church and got into a paint fight, and I remember that a dating couple broke up while on the trip. And that is pretty much it. All I remember is that the ending didn't fit with the rest of the story. It came out of left field. And that I put the book down thinking about how the mother had totally cut her daughter off at the knees. "Yes, yes, dear. You have had all this wonderful growing experiance, but listen to what I have to say, because I know what's best." Now that may not be what the authors intended, but that's what I got out of it. Especially with the whole "I've made my decision Go Diego Go, and that decision is 'no'. Now let me read your letter: what?!?" THE END
But all that has already been said. And frankly, unless you guys want to go into it properly, I'm not that interested in re-reading I Will Follow.
So was the book an anti-dating, anti-committing-to-a-relationships before-your-graduate-from-college-or-are-twenty-five cautionary tale then?
And JakJak, you are not my Arch Enemy, you are my Arch Nemesis.
See, Nemesis have respect for one another. Enemies just hate eachother. And I know I don't hate you.
And I would firmly declare that we actually agree more than we disagree. Otherwise it wouldn't be much of a friendship.
But see, that's what friends do: they challenge eachother; to be something better than they are.
A friend is not someone you share interests with, or agree with all the time. It is someone you can tell off, and it's all right. It's someone who's got your back, no matter what, when it really counts.
Okay, I didn't realise those hyperlinks would open in this window.
And your absolutely right. That would be a dull book club if we all thought the exact same thing about the story. Or, it could just be that we're all geniuses.
awww... group hug.
Yeah, I don't really feel like re-reading that book, either.
I'm sorry you had such a bad impression of it, but as I've already said, I don't remember it that well, either (better than you) and I don't feel like re-reading it.
I think a book club would be cool, but I don't think a blog is a good format for it. That may be why no attempts have worked previously.
I love your exaggeration abilities. Mom never told Meg she was too young, just that there was a big age difference between 17 and 22, and you decide that the authors are trying to say no one under 25 should get married. :)
I'm pretty sure both of the girls that wrote the book were married young. Quite young, in my opinion. very early 20s.
So, anywho.
Yeah, of course, we agree on more than we disagree on.
We both love Enchanted, for starters...
"I love your exaggeration abilities."
HAHAHAHA. ahem. Anyway.
Ok, so, maybe the book club idea was reinventing the wheel. But I'm still all for it. It could be fun...really fun...
I don't think it's a bad format at all to book club. We just do it chapter by chapter. Of course, it's never been tried, sooooo maybe it will just take some trying to find out.
And that explains everything! They got married young and now wish they hadn't! They're jaded!
don't worry, I'm yus yoking
well, let's try it. the book club, I mean.
I think a different format would work better, but whatever...
I warn you though. The last book club I tried to start up (not with you, other people) Half of them got tired of reading the book in small increments and whizzed through it in 3 days. And then we had nothing to talk about.
It was sad. But, I was one of the people that whizzed through the book.... so.... :D
31 comments...OH.MY.WORD. How did I miss this??
I might have to agree with the blog book club idea. you all reached an understanding and It only took you 15 comments a piece. I'd do it. We could do it with the Attolia series...whatever though. I'm not picky...
What's the title of the first Attolia book? The Thief?
And who wants to start a blog? (assuming none of us want to donate ours :P) I'm more than happy to...
that's a good idea Merry. We could start a new blog and all become contributors...
I don't know that we need a new blog. We could just take turns on ours and discuss it in the comments. Like whoever's book we chose, we'll discuss it on that blog.
It won't take much. Just a simple post that says: This months book is "X" And then when we've all read it, we just sound off. And then the blog owner will start with their opening thoughts on the chapter(s) in a post and we all sound back.
Or something like that. We can work it all out. Obviously we will have to set some ground rules; we'll have to have a constitution.
And I think that we should start with LoLo's book. If we can all find it: Life of Pi None of us know anything about it 'cept LoLo and she wants to "understand it." That is if there is anything to understand. ;o)
I'm kinda more on the side of having a whole blog just for the reading because, A) Say I post about the book. And everyone wants to comment. But at the same time I want to post about how the dog puked on my carpet, (ok, ok, maybe not) so the post about the book gets shoved down to the bottom of my blog's page and then it's just harder to know where everyone is and keep up the conversation. B) I was thinking (and this might be a rotten idea) that instead of reading the entire book and then doing one post on things we liked/disliked, that we would post maybe every 5 or 7 chapters about whatever caught our interest. I realize that if we're just reading a sort of fun (almost frivilous?) story that there won't be a a whole lot to comment on, but sometimes when I'm reading just one paragraph will stick in my craw, and that's the paragraph that I'll want to discuss. Thus, if I read the entire book I will either have to bookmark the paragraphs that catch my interest or else flip through the entire book over again and try to remember where they were and what I was thinking at the time.
So I vote that we start a separate blog where we can post and say "I'm at chapter 17, and this bit right here really confuddled me..." And then everybody can comment with lots of thoughts and advice :D
Life of Pi? Eeek! the ball has just been whacked back into my court. I guess we could rfead it...actually, the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of it. If you all don't mind...??
(and you're right, there might not be anything to understand. I'm not sure if I even like the book. It's kinda...weirdo-not-my-usual)
I agree with Merrill. That's why I said a blog isn't a good format.
So I have been thinking about this for a couple of days now and the more I think about it, the more I believe that a blog is actually perfect for this proposed association.
And I'm not saying that just to be contrary.
Think about. We are all different people leading different lives having different levels of responsibillity and before you go "DUH!" let me finish. What I mean is that one of us is living on a farm, still in high school, another is living in a college town holding down the fort and the third is a self employed carpenter doing all he can to make his business profittable. And add to that disparity hundreds, if not thousands of miles of seperation.
It's not like we live in the same town and can meet every Saturday morning to discuss the current read over tea and scones.
I think that this format gives all of us active participants, as well as all of the lurkers, the abillity to participate "AS WE CAN."
And like you were wondering LoLo, if we rotate the hosting of the Book Club on our different blogs, go ahead and post about your puking dog. Cary on with your blog lives as normal.
Because . . .
Who cares if the Book Club Post gets buried in our blogs. We know where its at. We can find it pretty easily.
The other thing that I like about the idea of posting within our blogs is because it would add depth to them. At least I know it would mine.
Imagine you're some lurker who discovered your blog through someone elses and in looking back over the previous posts you discover our conversations.
That thought is pretty cool.
well, it could work. I didn't mean, of course, that the best format would be to meet in person. I was thinking of a different type of online format. But, if you guys want to try the blog book club... fine with me!
I really like the idea of a blog...I'm just still iffy about usuing our own blogs.
You say that it would add depth to the blog (if you're worried about your blog being shallow, then mine has the depth of an average kiddie pool :D) and be interesting for lurkers. Well, isn't a lurker just as prone to run accross our book club blog (especially if there was a link to it on our sidebar) as my personal blog? And as for adding depth...it would add depth. But it might not always be the depth I want on my blog. I feel like if we had a book club blog I could paste the things that are interesting/challenging to me from it onto my personal blog, but I don't think everything that is said in the book club is going to be important to me, so why have it stuck on my blog where my readers are going to have to read it even if I don't care about it?
I will be the first to admit though, that I have struggled with the fact that my blog is so dang it shallow. It seems to portray so little of ME because me is worried/embarressed about posting the real me. I don't feel like I'm being very clear here... Aaaargh!
And I'm not saying all this just to be contrary.
"kiddie pool" Ha!
With reguards to "portraying so little" we all must remember that this IS the internet, and it's probly best to err on the side discretion. Better too little than too much.
Well as to forcing your readers, who could care less about the book club, to reading what they don't want to, I don't think that would be a problem. Because the body of our discussion would be in the comments, which, normally are displayed on their own page.
However, I have a sollution: if you all don't mind, I would love to host this impending book club. After all, this is The After Action Report.
If you guys decide that you would like to share in the hosting I will gladly welcome that.
As to linking in a sidebar, I have an honest question: how often do you follow sidebar links in other peoples blogs?
I think the best way to link, and what I will do here at AAR (pronounced Aaaar! like a pirate) reguardless of the location of the destination, will be with a hyperlink in a post.
Just something quick like "Book Club Update: Conversation at 'X'"
And to that extent, I orderd my copy of Life of Pi from Half.com last week. I'm gonna go check my box today to see if it came in. My local libray only had audio copies and I decided that that would not be a good way to book club.
If this is a go, we should discuss guidlines.
if you want to donate your blog go ahead. sounds fine to me.
as far as sidebar links I know a lot of people follow the sidebar links in my blog. They've told me that they go to my blog and then click on from there. So, I know that the sidebar is important. I forgot why we were talking about sidebars, but that's my educated opinion.
Your blog sounds good.
And I don't click on anybody's sidebars besides becca's, because she has just about everybody's blog on her's...I only read about 6 other blogs besides our little circle
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