Cellar Book of the Month discussion group - Page 5

Slartibartfast · 03-09-2004, 03:51 PM

I'm glad most of the Harry Potter books are too fat to be included in this, or else I could see us reading all of them one month at a time

nekee · 03-09-2004, 06:08 PM

I am in. This isn't too complicated because if the person hasn't finished reading the book yet they dont have to actually read the post about it yet. They can always add stuff in later, or they can just talk about what they have read and get caught up later if they really want. My question is I am so horrible at picking books what if all the books a person pick (like myself) are not interesting enough for people to actually go out and get them???

SteveDallas · 03-09-2004, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Slartibartfast
I'm glad most of the Harry Potter books are too fat to be included in this, or else I could see us reading all of them one month at a time

Wait, who put in a fatness limit???

Hmmm I'm trying to come up with 3 good picks for when I have to put up choices.

Slartibartfast · 03-09-2004, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SteveDallas
[b]
Wait, who put in a fatness limit???

/B]

That's right SteveDallas, its a footnote written size 1 in silver on the contract you signed. Always read the fine print :p

Oh, it also says the Cellar inherits your house and other property.

Slartibartfast · 03-09-2004, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nekee
My question is I am so horrible at picking books what if all the books a person pick (like myself) are not interesting enough for people to actually go out and get them???

Nekee, are there any books you have read that were great? Are any of them books you would like to re-read? You could use those.

You could browse books that have won all sorts of awards here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...293207-3976946
If you are into sci-fi, looking at the Hugo and Nebula awards will bring up tons of books. Hmm, I just saw American Gods by Gaiman won a Hugo, Nebula, and a Bram Stoker's award. That seems right up my alley, if I didn't have two dozen other books I already bought and want to read.

Of course, just because a book won an award doesn't mean it will be interesting, fun, or even worth reading. You would still have to read the summary of the book and do some research to see if you might like it.

Happy Monkey · 03-09-2004, 07:16 PM

I currently have.... ( checking...) crap! 36 books on my to-read pile. But anything by Gaiman automatically goes on top.

mrnoodle · 03-09-2004, 10:50 PM

May I play? I know I wussed out of the CD thing, but that was because I didn't have time to put together a contribution worthy of the project.

I can do penance, if necessary.

I do have one concern. Among the well-read, there is a tendency to raise one's nose at books that aren't written by authors in certain academic strata. A snob-fest would be unbecoming, I think. Would there be a way to separate philosophical treatises from mass-media fiction from beat poetry? Not everyone has an interest in the same kind of material, and might only want to participate in certain categories.

I'm paranoid, I guess. People get almost as upset about their favorite authors as they do their favorite god or political figger.

JeepNGeorge · 03-09-2004, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrnoodle
favorite authors as they do their favorite god or political figger.

Ummm that should be fegro shouldn't it?

wolf · 03-10-2004, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by staceyv
oh my god wolf, we have something in common...i read all the harry potter books because i wanted to see what all the hype was about...i still like jackie collins, mary higgins clark, stephen king, john grisham, and danielle steele better, though.

It appears that all we have in common are Harry Potter and Stephen King, both sufficiently large in readership that I'm not overly concered about it.

Jackie Collins, Mary Higgins Clark, John Grisham, and Danielle Steele are all tools of the Devil.

I do love Andrew Vachss, Harlan Ellison, Robert Heinlein, and enjoy Tom Clancy, just so long as I don't read more than one of his books every six months. It's easy to go into information overload on Clancy.

Beestie · 03-10-2004, 10:58 AM

Regarding the question of when its ok to talk about the book and avoiding the thread till one has finished the book, one thing we could do is put a moratorium on discussing book one till we move on to book two. In theory, at the end of month one, we are supposed to finish book one and start book two. So, it might make sense to wait to discuss book one till the start of month two (and so on..).

In this way, I think the discussion would be the richest since half the members aren't avoiding the thread because they aren't through yet - i.e., everyone can participate in the discussion, which seems to be the point of the exercise.

I usually hate ideas that involve moratoriums on posting about stuff but would like to know what everyone else thinks about it.

Slartibartfast · 03-10-2004, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrnoodle

I can do penance, if necessary.

Read _Living History_ by Hillary Clinton, then we'll forgive you

I do have one concern. Among the well-read, there is a tendency to raise one's nose at books that aren't written by authors in certain academic strata. A snob-fest would be unbecoming, I think. Would there be a way to separate philosophical treatises from mass-media fiction from beat poetry? Not everyone has an interest in the same kind of material, and might only want to participate in certain categories..

The way I see it, we are going to end up reading books we might not have considered putting on our own to read list. Yes, we might get stuck with one we don't like, but then we wait until the next month and get a new one. And if you see that the current book of the month is something you would really never enjoy, you don't have to buy it.

I have no idea what kind of books the majority of you read (though I think I like wolf's taste in books). This is all one big gamble.

Maybe we can make a rule that the three books chosen have to be in different fields, by different authors. That will at least improve the chances that one of them is appealing to most of us.

That would also prevent the terrible situation of someone choosing three harlequin romance novels. If that happened, I think I would bow out for that month.

wolf · 03-10-2004, 12:51 PM

I thought part of the point of such a group was to kind of spread our diversity around ... having a vote for the top choice of three possibilities suggested flattens this out a bit, but still allows for a lot of choices that we might not ordinarily make for ourselves.

Like the CD exchange, I know that I am going to be encountering artists that I never heard before, get a taste of, and may be driven to further exploring.

It's all part of the fun.

As far as discussing any particular book of the month, it can commence at any time after the book is chosen. We can start by sharing thoughts related to our reaction to the chosen volume ... our expections out of the gate, so to speak, and then move on to our reactions to the books, either as the reading progresses, and also most importantly when it's completed.

Also, there is going to be a lot of flux and flow related to who reads, who doesn't who just can't finish (Like OC and that book she has been unable to complete). That's grist for the discussion mill as well ... what makes this book difficult to get through, what made it a joy to read, what about it made you think?

As it happens, much as I'd hate throwing money in her general direction, I might be interested in reading the junior senator from NY's book. It's something I wouldn't choose on my own, presents far different viewpoints from my own, and would offer me an opportunity to further clarify or further adjust my own view of the world and politics.

See, even I can consider the possibilities!!

Trillian-zz9 · 03-10-2004, 01:38 PM

Posted by wolf

Quote:

I know that I am going to be encountering artists that I never heard before, get a taste of, and may be driven to further exploring.

I would also like to join for those reasons.

mrnoodle · 03-10-2004, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Slartibartfast
Read _Living History_ by Hillary Clinton, then we'll forgive you

You....you...ANIMAL!

Actually, I would be more than happy to read her book. I don't think she's unintelligent, I think she's insane. But I like insane people, by and large.

Happy Monkey · 03-10-2004, 04:58 PM

What's with people thinking that opposition politicians are insane? Stuff like that removes any intelligent political discourse.

03-09-2004, 06:08 PM	#62
nekee naughty nurse Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bummington NEW YORK Posts: 36	I am in. This isn't too complicated because if the person hasn't finished reading the book yet they dont have to actually read the post about it yet. They can always add stuff in later, or they can just talk about what they have read and get caught up later if they really want. My question is I am so horrible at picking books what if all the books a person pick (like myself) are not interesting enough for people to actually go out and get them??? __________________ "You are about to enter a world...a world where life and death are meaningless and pain is God." --- Captain Spaulding

03-09-2004, 07:16 PM	#66
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	I currently have.... ( checking...) crap! 36 books on my to-read pile. But anything by Gaiman automatically goes on top. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

03-09-2004, 10:50 PM	#67
mrnoodle bent Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: under the weather Posts: 2,656	May I play? I know I wussed out of the CD thing, but that was because I didn't have time to put together a contribution worthy of the project. I can do penance, if necessary. I do have one concern. Among the well-read, there is a tendency to raise one's nose at books that aren't written by authors in certain academic strata. A snob-fest would be unbecoming, I think. Would there be a way to separate philosophical treatises from mass-media fiction from beat poetry? Not everyone has an interest in the same kind of material, and might only want to participate in certain categories. I'm paranoid, I guess. People get almost as upset about their favorite authors as they do their favorite god or political figger. __________________ Sìn a nall na cuaranan sin. -- Cha mhór is fheairrde thu iad, tha iad coltach ri cat air a dhathadh

03-10-2004, 10:58 AM	#70
Beestie -◊\|≡·∙■·∙≡\|◊- Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Parts unknown. Posts: 4,081	Regarding the question of when its ok to talk about the book and avoiding the thread till one has finished the book, one thing we could do is put a moratorium on discussing book one till we move on to book two. In theory, at the end of month one, we are supposed to finish book one and start book two. So, it might make sense to wait to discuss book one till the start of month two (and so on..). In this way, I think the discussion would be the richest since half the members aren't avoiding the thread because they aren't through yet - i.e., everyone can participate in the discussion, which seems to be the point of the exercise. I usually hate ideas that involve moratoriums on posting about stuff but would like to know what everyone else thinks about it. __________________ ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦

03-10-2004, 12:51 PM	#72
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	I thought part of the point of such a group was to kind of spread our diversity around ... having a vote for the top choice of three possibilities suggested flattens this out a bit, but still allows for a lot of choices that we might not ordinarily make for ourselves. Like the CD exchange, I know that I am going to be encountering artists that I never heard before, get a taste of, and may be driven to further exploring. It's all part of the fun. As far as discussing any particular book of the month, it can commence at any time after the book is chosen. We can start by sharing thoughts related to our reaction to the chosen volume ... our expections out of the gate, so to speak, and then move on to our reactions to the books, either as the reading progresses, and also most importantly when it's completed. Also, there is going to be a lot of flux and flow related to who reads, who doesn't who just can't finish (Like OC and that book she has been unable to complete). That's grist for the discussion mill as well ... what makes this book difficult to get through, what made it a joy to read, what about it made you think? As it happens, much as I'd hate throwing money in her general direction, I might be interested in reading the junior senator from NY's book. It's something I wouldn't choose on my own, presents far different viewpoints from my own, and would offer me an opportunity to further clarify or further adjust my own view of the world and politics. See, even I can consider the possibilities!! __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

03-09-2004, 03:51 PM	#61
Slartibartfast \|-0-\| <-0-> \|-0-\| Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 516	I'm glad most of the Harry Potter books are too fat to be included in this, or else I could see us reading all of them one month at a time

03-10-2004, 04:58 PM	#75
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	What's with people thinking that opposition politicians are insane? Stuff like that removes any intelligent political discourse. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

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