CP LITERATURE DRAFT - (Rapid Fire Free For All Round)

[Ro]

The Carnies select with their 1st round pick, in American Lit:

Catch 22
by Joseph Heller




A spellbinder, this is easily the best book I've ever read, and the one I recommend to everyone without thinking twice when they ask "you know of any good books?" I am thrilled to get it with my first round pick and urge you to give it a shot if you haven't already.

[rogermexico]

Catch 22 is one of my favorites too. It's just an incredible book.

[Antithesis]

Ro, that's a great book and I was considering taking it as well. Sorry for my pick taking as long as it has - a huge work day yesterday.

I will do a full write-up myself when I get home again from work this afternoon.

I hate to be the stereotypical teacher, though I have to. With my first pick in the literature draft I select the Harry Potter series in the children's category.

[Aeneas]

Some great books taken. I have almost all of them. I think I will start off with something not so famous. Since my first pick of Robertson Davies was stolen out from under me, I will move on to another favorite author. He is

Dan Simmons, and he writes SF, crime, horror, etc.

The book I will choose is in Science fiction, titled Hyperion.

what is going on? My computer is now starting all type in the middle of the page. Interesting.

Oh well. I would describe this book as "Canterbury Tales" meets the Old Testament of the Bible,...in outer space;...with Irish poets thrown in for good measure.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books
Above are some Amazon reviews
Gotta go, children need me!

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Wow--nice pick, Aeneas. Great Sci-Fi novel by a great sci-fi novelist.

[Jagger]

Team Jagger are proud to select in the Children's Literature category the C.S Lewis classic The Chronicles of Narnia series.




This series consisted of seven books:

• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)
• Prince Caspian (1951)
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
• The Silver Chair (1953)
• The Horse and His Boy (1954)
• The Magician's Nephew (1955)
• The Last Battle (1956)

WIKI:

The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels for children written by C. S. Lewis. It is considered a classic of children's literature and is the author's best-known work, having sold over 120 million copies in 41 languages. Written by Lewis between 1949 and 1954 and illustrated by Pauline Baynes, The Chronicles of Narnia have been adapted several times, complete or in part, for radio, television, stage, and cinema. In addition to numerous traditional Christian themes, the series borrows characters and ideas from Greek and Roman mythology, as well as from traditional British and Irish fairy tales.
The Chronicles of Narnia present the adventures of children who play central roles in the unfolding history of the fictional realm of Narnia, a place where animals talk, magic is common, and good battles evil. Each of the books (with the exception of The Horse and His Boy) features as its protagonists children from our world who are magically transported to Narnia, where they are called upon to help the Lion Aslan handle a crisis in the world of Narnia.




Growing up I loved this series of books. My father (R.I.P.) read them to me religiously and they've stuck with me so much that I'm now reading them to my children.

[Circa89]

The Chronicles of Narnia was going to be my next selection as I feel I have to get those out of the way early. My Fantasy and children's lit is slightly lacking. Oh well off to Chapters I guess so I can pick up some fantasy books and read them to my son so I can have a selection to choose from now.

[Eastern Girl]

I didn't realize we could take a whole series in one category. Interesting.

Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was my favourite book when I was younger. Loved it so much, I was afraid to read the rest of the series, in case it didn't live up to that one.

[Aeneas]

So, I suppose I have also drafted "Fall of Hyperion", as it is a sequel to "Hyperion".

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Aeneas

So, I suppose I have also drafted "Fall of Hyperion", as it is a sequel to "Hyperion".

Four books?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_Cantos

• Hyperion (1989)
• The Fall of Hyperion (1990)
• Endymion (1996)
• The Rise of Endymion (1997)

[Aeneas]

Originally Posted by troutman

Four books?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_Cantos

• Hyperion (1989)
• The Fall of Hyperion (1990)
• Endymion (1996)
• The Rise of Endymion (1997)

Only the first two are essential to the story. The latter two are extra.
The stories that develop in Hyperion are resolved in the sequel.

[driveway]

I think that you're entirely within your rights as a literature GM to only select one book out of a series if you so choose.

[Antithesis]

OK, I'm just going to expand my pick without editing - now that I have a bit of time!

HARRY POTTER


1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I began reading the Harry Potter series of books in the space between the 3rd and 4th in the series. I read through the first three in a series of about two weeks when I probably should have been in class up at the University of Alberta. I've found them well-written, well-paced, exciting books right from the beginning.

One thing I love about them is the characterization - people change throughout the series, don't remain too static and are complex without being too complicated. After all, these books have been marketed towards children. Interestingly enough, however, J.K. Rowling has stated that she had no particular age group in mind while writing the books.

Another great thing about this series is how planned out it is. Things that are set up in the second book pay off later in the series; the consistency within the universe J.K. Rowling set up is excellent as well.

Finally, I find this point best suits why I think these are great books for children: the tone and mood of the stories grows and changes with the characters (and the readers) as they age.

[driveway]

RonaldPagan... you just got KIA. Burninator, yer up.

[Burninator]

With the 23rd overall pick of the draft, Burninator In-Box selects ......... in the Pre-20th Century category, Moby-Dick or the Whale, by Herman Melville.



First published in 1851

"Call me Ishmael." Is the first line to kick off this epic tale of a captain name Ahab obsessed with hunting down a ship wrecking, man eating, leg chomping white whale dubbed Moby-Dick.

The writing is complex, dense and chalk full of metaphors. This isn't just a simple story about a man hunting down a whale, it's much more. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about it.

Through the main character's journey, the concepts of class and social status, good and evil, and the existence of gods are all examined as Ishmael speculates upon his personal beliefs and his place in the universe.

There is lots to be extracted from the pages of Moby-Dick. While it isn't the easiest or fastest of reads the excellent poetic writing style and symbolism kept me from putting it down.

Like most classics it had a mixed and lukewarm reception. It wasn't until the hardships of WWI when Moby-Dick found it's footing and place in history as one of the greats.

Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moby-dick

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

You have made a powerful enemy to-day, Burninator. A powerful enemy.

Serves me right for taking Watchmen, I guess.... :/

[Ro]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

You have made a powerful enemy to-day, Burninator. A powerful enemy.

Trash talk! Nice!

You gonna take that Burninator?!

[RougeUnderoos]

I've sent my pick to troutman. He can post it whenever he wishes. After MMM of course.

Starting the second round and half the picks I had in my head are already gone. I'm glad so many of you like fantasy novels otherwise I'd be cleaned out already, and this would turn into "my third favourite book in the Can Lit category is..."

[troutman]

RougeUnderoos selects Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe in the "pre 20th century category"

From Wiki (well known as the best source for literary criticism in the history of the world)

Robinson Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published in 1719 and sometimes regarded as the first novel in English. The book is a fictional autobiography of the title character, an English castaway who spends 28 years on a remote tropical island near Venezuela, encountering Native Americans, captives, and mutineers before being rescued. This device, presenting an account of supposedly factual events, is known as a "false document" and gives a realistic frame story.

_____

I just read this for the first time last summer. Some parts I thought were unintentionally funny (he was always worried about "being devour'd by beasts" at the start).

The story is good, but the old-timey-time language really sold it to me. It just sounds cool. It takes a little getting used to, but once you do, you want to talk like he does. I finished the book and then started again on the first page.

Here's a passage...

On the first of September 1651 I went on Board a Ship bound for London; never any young Adventurer's Misfortunes, I believe, began sooner, or continued longer than mine. The Ship was no sooner gotten out of the Humber, but the Wind began to blow, and the Winds' to rise in a most frightful manner; and as I had never been at Sea before, I was most inexpressibly sick in Body, and terrify'd in my Mind: I began now seriously to reflect upon what I had done, and how justly I was overtaken by the Judgment of Heaven for my wicked leaving my Father's House, and abandoning my Duty; all the good Counsel of my Parents, my Father's Tears and my Mother's Entreaties came now fresh into my Mind, and my Conscience, which was not yet come to the Pitch of Hardness to which it has been since, reproach'd me with the Contempt of Advice, and the Breach of my Duty to God and my Father.

[sadora]

Team Paper Cuts is happy to select as our 2nd round pick, in the Food & Drink category...

ANTHONY BOURDAIN'S LES HALLES COOKBOOK



The man can write. The book's worth buying just for the introduction, which is classic Kitchen Confidential Bourdain. The food is classic French bistro and include such solid fare as Onion Soup Les Halles, Steak au Poivre, Boeuf Bourguignon, Coq au Vin and Chocolate Mousse. Nearly all recipes are within reach of competent home cooks, and those that are more complicated or time-consuming-Bouillabaisse, Cassoulet and Roulade of Wild Pheasant-are thoroughly spelled out to calm most jitters. Even though many of the dishes can be found in other cookbooks, what sets this one apart is Bourdain's signature wise-ass attitude that pervades nearly every recipe.