Any good recent novels?

[jammies]

I'd be up for a book club as well, although to be sure I read much more non-fiction than fiction.

I like to read big books ('cause I read very fast and volume is important ) but for the purposes of a club, it might be good to keep the size of the books on the lighter side. I would think you appoint someone each month to pick a book, which can either be at random or with some kind of moderator designating a person.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Read it and LOVED it. Right up my alley. It's a very thought provoking book on time travel as well as emotionally pulling.

I'd be interested in a book club as well.

If you come up with something, let me know...

Dont leave me in the dark FireFly....

[Myth]

These ones aren't new books, but I absolutely loved and would highly recommend the Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, River God by Wilbur Smith and The Seventh Scroll also by Wilbur Smith.

[REDVAN]

So from the people on the bookclub list, what type of books do you like to read? How often do you want to meet, and do we want to meet and watch Flames games? I don't know about you but if there's hockey on, and even after the game, I am not discussing books! I don't have any experience with book reading clubs so let me know what you guys think is "normal." I am okay to do some ring-leading for a bit.

[SeeGeeWhy]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Maybe we need a Calgarypuck book club. Get together once a month, drink some beer, watch some hockey, and talk books.

My wife and I would be down with that.

[Blaster86]

[flylock shox]

If you need a good laugh, or just a bit of a good shock, I recommend A Practical Guide to Racism by C.H. Dalton (whom I nominate as the greatest living intellectual). Here's the description from the website:


A Practical Guide to Racism tackles America’s tragic flaw from a new, illuminating perspective. As a world-renowned expert on ethnography, as well as phrenology and the rhythm method, C.H. Dalton is uniquely qualified to offer his perspective on this difficult topic.

The book is divided into nine chapters, one for each of the nine races: Whites, Blacks, Jews, Asians, Indians (and Injuns), Arabs, Gypsies, Hispanics, and Merpeople. In each chapter, Dalton provides a comprehensive and unapologetic handbook to the race in question, as well as a history of their oppression, and a guide to the stereotypes about them and their basis in fact.

In several helpful appendixes, Dalton examines, in turn, sexual races like Gays and Women, ancient races like Phoenicians and Doozers, and interracial dating. He also provides a handy guide to “The Good Ones” from each race, and their crania.

Finally, Dalton has compiled the first complete glossary of racial epithets, including a selection of his own suggestions for additional slurs. Like “Frazetta,” a slur for a rugged, muscled white person holding a battleaxe. (E.g., “Hey, look at that Frazetta standing triumphantly over the corpse of that Orc!”)

LINK

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

On order....

[Aeneas]

Originally Posted by Myth

These ones aren't new books, but I absolutely loved and would highly recommend the Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, River God by Wilbur Smith and The Seventh Scroll also by Wilbur Smith.

I would second the suggestion for Pillars Of The Earth. I read it when it came out late 80's and would love to read again.

[jammies]

I'm willing to go and look for something suitable for the first month's choice, if no-one else has any preference. I don't want to suggest something I've already read, as I am thinking it should be something mainstream. If no one has any objections, I'll hit the bookstore on Wednesday and see if there is something suitable; I am assuming people want something in paperback or softcover, as opposed to hardcover.

As for a meeting place, someplace like the Joyce or similar would be good - where there isn't too much loud music, or, for that matter, a hockey game, which I think would just be distracting for people like me that are easily mesmerized by bright, moving pictures. Also it would be good to decide on a first meeting time/date now, so that people who need to clear their calendars can do so with plenty of notice.

[jammies]

Originally Posted by fotze

OK I just bought this at Pages yesterday, I read about 0.2 books per year, so this better be good.

Well I have some "Calvin & Hobbes" we can do one month just for you...

[kermitology]

Over the holiday's I read the following:

How to be Good - Nick Hornby: I really liked this one
No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy: Absolutely brilliant book, just like the movie
Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris: There's a part where some people try to explain Easter to a Muslim in broken French and it had me crying with laughter

Just started reading I Just Want My Pants Back by David J. Rosen

Having read A Long Way Down, I think that How to be Good was much better.

[jammies]

Originally Posted by fotze

I stopped reading after reading On The Road. I obviously wasn't cut out for reading after feeling profoundly dissapointed and that I wasted my time reading that book.

I assume you mean the Keraouc (sp?) book? I read that a loooonngggg time ago and I didn't think much of it either - there's a fine line between pathos and self-indulgence. I've learned to just toss a book if it sucks after a few chapters now - usually it doesn't get any better, so why waste your valuable time?

Anyway, I was just waiting under the bridge looking for coins of passage there... although you CAN borrow my "Complete Calvin & Hobbes" if so inclined, as it *is* better than 99% of the dreck passing itself off as serious literature.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by fotze

OK I just bought this at Pages yesterday, I read about 0.2 books per year, so this better be good.

Nice! If you ever happen to be driving down the old 5A and see me at the bbq, give me a shout and I'll sign it for you!



In regards to the reading group, I'm fairly open in terms of what I'm willing to read. Variety would be good, though; some mainstream stuff, some edgier, some non-fiction, some humour, etc.

[Ice]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

I'm not sure when The Kite Runner came out, but it's now a movie, so it's fairly relevant to present times. Check that out if you so desire.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is even more recent as it was published after The Kite Runner (same author). I'm about a third of the way through it and its also very good.

[nickerjones]

im a huge Grisham fan , i read PLaying for Pizza on the plane ride from oklahoma city... it was ok but not his best work ...

[nickerjones]

also another one of my favorites in michael baldacci ... i think his latest is "the collectors"

its also pretty good

[FireFly]

I think you all might enjoy a bit of Christopher Moore. I think he's hilarious. One of my favorites.

[Aeneas]

If humour is in order, I recieved "Round Ireland With A Fridge" Tony Hawks for Christmas. Almost done, lots of laughs. I had read his "Playing The Moldovans At Tennis" a few years ago and enjoyed that also.

[jammies]

Ok, if people are serious about this, it's time to pick something - I see some suggestions earlier, but someone needs to narrow it down and I'm electing myself unless someone else (Redvan?) wants to step in.

So I was at Evil Corporate Conglomerate bookstore today, and I made the following 4 choices I thought would be appropriate (and appropriately priced for those who don't want to buy a hardcover every month):

Ken Follett: Pillars of the Earth (a novel set in early 12th century Britain click linky to see info)

Robert Harris: Imperium (another historical novel, this one set in Republican Rome)

Don DeLillo: Libra (fictionalized account of the life/death of Lee Harvey Oswald)

Umberto Eco: The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana (a story about some dude who loses his memory from what I can see on the jacket, but it's Eco, how can you go wrong?)

I stayed away from humour as usually a book club will discuss the book at length, and really, how much can you say about humour except "it was funny" - although Chuck Palahniuk or something would be cool, too.

What I am thinking is everybody who wants to be in, gets a vote by Saturday noon. Just say which book you want, either in this thread or PM me, and we'll go with the consensus choice. Then, around the end of the month, we'll meet somewhere to discuss it, which I am more than happy to also arrange at the time.

For the record, I'm voting for Libra, as I read Underworld by Delillo a few months ago and I thought it was brilliant.