Book Club for 1 (and "camaraderie" doesn't have an O.)
This year's reading goal is slowly coming together.
It sort of started with Atlas Shrugged. The book was a running joke with my mom. I tried to read it back in college days, and kept abandoning it after getting bogged down in the early pages. By the time I'd pick it up again, the story was forgotten and I'd have to start over. It became the symbol of my (many) unfinished projects.
In 2000, I decided to shrug Atlas. I stayed up half the night of December 30th..and the book was done. (I had loved it, too.) Though the next few years drifted through authors/styles, the idea of the reading goal was in place.
2003 belonged to Tolkien. I won't see a movie without reading the book it's based on, so the Hobbit that I avoided in grade school became my companion. Christmas day brought the LOTR trilogy to a close, and I got to have my movie marathon.
I decided to go for quantity in 2004. I've kept track of my reading for 7 years, and noticed each year had a longer list. Deciding to add 26 titles (1 every 2 weeks) to the Completed list was a fun way to push myself to pull the book from the purse at lunch, to stay up an extra 1/2 hour at bedtime. Yelled "finished!!" on 12/26/04.
I started 2005 knowing I had to set a reading goal. Non-fiction? (my weakest area.) Higher quantities? Particular authors/series? A discussion at work caused War and Peace to be mentioned. I admitted I'd never opened it...or any other Russian epics, for that matter. When I look at recommended reading lists (classics, English classes, etc.,) I'm surprised by how many classics I've skipped (so far.)
So.
2005.
The goal is going to involve classics. Hopefully you, yes YOU (collective readers,) will help me decide details. I either want to finish 3 of the "biggies" (War, Crime/Pun., Anna K., Les Miz, Hunchback, etc.) or 10 'general' classics.
I know most of those that come here by choice, not chance, are READERS. We talk about books. Anyone else that comes along is quite welcome to jump in as well. Even though I know getting feedback is a Longshot...I'm using that FAITH that you'll play along...
Here's my idea:
I'd be really really really (really.) excited if every visitor would leave me a comment with 2 titles.
- One - list the classic you'd most recommend (if you've read any yourself. If not...hey...you should be joining me on this project!)
- Two - tell me what your favorite (or most recommended right
now) book is.
I promise to make selections of the classics by the end of January
AND
I'll try to read all of the personal favorites.
(unless...unless...this proves unprecedentedly comment-worthy, and I have too many choices to handle in a year.....) (did i really just type a 6 syllable word?!?!) (IS that a word!??!)
The extension of my fantasy life here is that after I get suggestions and compile a list....my book club might have more than 1 member (me.) I've told pals before that I've never joined a club because I can't see saying much more than "yup. liked that." or "eww. that sucked." Perhaps knowing others are reading the same books, tho, would help me come up with better descriptors. If not, even the camaraderie of a mutual Yup or Eww would be festive.
Mull it for a second.
Pick two books and hit the comment button!
Make my year of reading have a purpose!!!
:-)
p.s. If you Anonymous comment, that's fine..just leave a nickname or such for me to reference in booklist. thanks!
8 Comments:
Okay chickpea, I could just tell you my recommendations, but you deserve some comments!
If you haven't read it, read To Kill a Mockingbird. It's the only book I can think of, that I read in one sitting, and it's a classic to boot.
Other recommendations...I dunno.
But on my "I hate this author list" is David Sedaris. That dude just pisses me off, whiny, egotistical bastard. So read one of his books and be glad you're not him!
Ok. Back in the fall of 1993 i had a russian lit class. I was 'forced' to read Anna K. But, because i was in undergrad i never got around to finishing it that term. (i have read it about 3 times) and I love it.
Now. It can be somewhat slow when Levin becomes a whiney little girl. But, all in all it is worth it. Just remember that he was being paid by the word...
Also it was published in a lit journal chapter at a time. Which explains some things (at the end Russia is at war with Turkey - which wouldn't have been concevable at the begining) -- not that that really matters - but it does come out when you think of the slaviphile(Russia-first) v slaviphobes(pro-westerners) aspects of the story.
Also know that - since Russians have normally been restricted in what they could talk about - they write and read on a few more levels then we do. We could just come out and say what we want to - however his stuff had to make it past the Zcar's people. Thus there is more nuance then you'll see in novels of that time period (from England or US) ... good luck. Have fun.
Another suggestion is - and only because you mention movie things - the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. The movie will come out in May. And it is sorta a classic. I mean EVERYONE has read it.
Also Dante's Inferno (and the other two). Which is strange, eh? Everyone has read about hell... but no one reads about Heaven and Puratory...
Since you already read THE GOOD EARTH, my all time favorite, try DR. ZHIVAGO. Just for fun try the current books by Alexander McCall Smith, the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. You've read all my other current reads from my bookshelf. Dad said to add anything by Hemingway, particularly THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA and Vardis Fisher's MOUNTAIN MAN. Not sure if this is helpful or helpless. Good Luck, Mom
Forgot to add I expect something from this to be added to your "list". HA!!!!!!!! Have fun. Mom
First, I’ll agree with To Kill a Mockingbird, it is really an excellent read – I picked it up for the first time 2 years ago when I started on a “classics” kick, myself.
I do, however, like David Sedaris. He’s funny, and obviously a very insecure bastard. He’s better when he reads his own stuff, though – I have his Live at Carnage Hall CD, and it’s a good listen for a road trip.
Mark Twain’s a nice classic - A Tramp Abroad is very nice, along with Huck Finn.
How about Melville? Moby Dick, of course. I’ve been thinking of picking up Billy Budd the next time I wonder into Powell’s.
If I think of something else, I’ll pop it in here.
-Rob
Under classics, I forgot a few. Cather in the Rye by JD Salinger. Again, something you might have read in school - if you have then try 'Nine Stories' or 'Franny and Zoey'
If you can handle a fairly surreal writing style, I really like Indiana's own Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughter House Five or Breakfast of Champions.
Fahrenheit 451 and Animal Farm are good social commentary. Oh, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - I just read that one for the first time last year.
I've picked up a copy of Catch-22 somewhere, but haven't started it...and now it's burried in a box. I'll let you know how I like it, if I find it again.
-Rob
I suggest some of the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Start with "A Study In Scarlet." It's my personal favorite.
--B.
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