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

[Burninator]

For my ninth pick of the draft, I select in the Children's Literature category,The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.


1876
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain, is a popular 1876 novelantebellum South on the Mississippi River in the fictional town of St. Petersburg, Missouri.

Tom Sawyer, a mischievous orphan taken in by his Aunt Polly, goes through a series of adventures involving his friends, Joe Harper and Huckleberry Finn. Tom is a mischievous mastermind and a trickster. He escapes punishment many times by his tricks and charms, such as persuading his friends to whitewash a long fence for him. Though he is often foolish and unpredictable, he also is somewhat smart and has a good sense of humor. When not trying to win his sweetheart, Becky Thatcher, Tom is either getting into mischief or going on an adventure. Many times, Tom suddenly changes from his grinning self into a fearsome pirate or anything else he can think of. His laugh changes into a bloodcurdling yell or a barking captain's voice. Tom Sawyer's main doings are racing bugs, impressing girls with fights and stunts in the schoolyard, getting lost in a cave, finding treasure, and playing pirates on the Mississippi River. Tom also uses his moral intuition to save Muff Potter from going to jail on account of Injun Joe for murder. about a young boy growing up in the

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adv..._of_Tom_Sawyer

While not as good as Huck Finn, it's still a classic.

[Jagger]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Conflict!

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpos...2&postcount=27

Although if you want to give me my Mass/Pulp fiction back, I'll give you your Historical back.

Oops. Sure why don't we do that! Thanks.

Never thought that I would have an Historical novel I would like.

[troutman]

Mean Mr Mustard AK'd

[RougeUnderoos]

Kick this ass for a man, that's all.

It's octothorp's turn.

[octothorp]

In the American Lit category, I'm selecting Norwood, by Charles Portis. There are some great books in the American Lit category not picked, and in the end I'm going with Norwood over some more famous great books, because I really love this one. Portis has been referred to as 'the least known great American writer', and this subtly comical book is one I highly recommend to almost anyone.



Written in 1966, it tells the story of ex-marine Norwood Pratt who, upon returning home to Texas from his military service, immediately begins a trip to New York city to collect a $70 dollar debt from a buddy in the service. Norwood, an eternally good-hearted man, makes his way to New York and back through a series of hitchhiked rides, stolen vehicles, and occasionally, legitimate transportation and meets a fascinating host of characters. But rather than romanticize the road-trip, Charles Portis finds a wonderful comedy throughout it. Meals are described to incredible effect (in fact, in some ways, I would say that Norwood uses food in a manner similar to how American Psycho uses fashion). And his writing is superb. Very simple, evocative, and witty writing.

[Circa89]

Hey Guys super duper busy at work so I'll have to keep this short.
In the category of pre 20th century
Plato - The Republic
Circa 380 BCE
Non sure of the publishing house!

Thanks to my many University courses in Philosophy and Greek and Roman studies I was afforded the opportunity to read this very influential dialogue several times. It is written as another Socratic (fictional Character?) dialogue in which the Theory of Forms is discussed, immortality and Justice. A brief 5 minute synopsis by myself would hardly do this masterpiece justice so I will bid you adieu and insist that you at least read the Coles Notes of this Golden Oldie.

[RougeUnderoos]

World Lit Category -- Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe



In the interests of typing some words out, this is what is on the back of my copy...

"First published in England in 1958, Things Fall Apart is Chinua Achebe's first and most famous novel. It is the story of a "strong" man whose life is dominated by fear and anger, a powerful and moving narrative that critics have compared with classic Greek tragedy. Written with remarkable economy and subtle irony bla bla bla bla".

Maybe the back of the book isn't the best. The author is Nigerian. The book is set in a Nigerian village. It is good.

What this book really taught me is that I haven't read enough books that weren't first written in English. The list is pretty short and I'd probably have to include the bible if I wanted to start counting on my other hand.

[Eastern Girl]

In historical/political, I will select Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell. She provides historical information about US presidents and those that assassinated them, also she provides little stories about things that happened while she was researching the book.

[octothorp]

Wow, the draft is moving fast right now. And the last three picks were all ones that I haven't read, but have considered reading. Every time I see Sarah Vowell on Conan, I tell myself I'm going to pick up one of her books, but I never get around to it.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Wow, the draft is moving fast right now. And the last three picks were all ones that I haven't read, but have considered reading. Every time I see Sarah Vowell on Conan, I tell myself I'm going to pick up one of her books, but I never get around to it.

Sarah Vowell is hilarious in her stints on This American Life. I've meant to check her books out for a while. I also thought about Things Fall Apart for this last turn, but hoped it would drop one more round. I guess it's the nature of a lit draft--lots of great books have been picked, but the field is so huge, there's no shortage of good choices left.

[Bobblehead]

In Fantasy, I'm taking The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E Feist


1) Magician
2) Silverthorn
3) A Darkness at Sethanon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Riftwar_Saga
http://www.crydee.com/
http://www.amazon.ca/Magician-Appren...4543611&sr=8-6

To the forest on the shore of the Kingdom of the Isles, the orphan called Pug came to study with the Master Magician Kulgan. But though his courage won him a place at Court and the heart of a lovely Princess, he was ill at ease with the normal ways of wizardry. Yet Pug's strange sort of magic would one day change forever the fates of two worlds. For the dark beings from another world had opened a rift in the fabric of space-time to begin again the age-old battle between the forces of Order and Chaos.

Kind of a standard Fantasy trilogy, but one that is well written and compelling. It has been a long tims since I read it, but I am looking forward to a chance to read them again.

[FanIn80]

For my European Lit selection... a book I first read in grade four and have continued to read once every three or four years since...

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens!

A Tale of Two Cities (1859) is the second historical novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. It depicts the plight of the French proletariat under the brutal oppression of the French aristocracy in the years leading up to the revolution, and the corresponding savage brutality demonstrated by the revolutionaries toward the former aristocrats in the early years of the revolution. It follows the lives of several protagonists through these events, most notably Charles Darnay, a French once-aristocrat who falls victim to the indiscriminate wrath of the revolution despite his virtuous nature, and Sydney Carton, a dissipated English barrister who endeavours to redeem his ill-spent life out of love for Darnay's wife, Lucie Manette.
The novel was published in weekly installments (not monthly, as with most of his other novels). The first installment ran in the first issue of Dickens' literary periodical All the Year Round appearing April 30, 1859; the thirty-first and final ran on November 26 of the same year.

[rogermexico]

Just wanted to say I'm going to be out of town until Monday and will likely miss my next pick here. I'll make it as soon as I'm back.

[Bobblehead]

Your next pick is now......

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

I would like to select The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer, an author whose books I usually find a chore to read (sometimes for good reason), I found that this book was a page turner and one of the fastest reads I have ever read and in an odd way it showed the humanity of the men in which it depicted through their character flaws.

[driveway]

In Historical/Political Team Discovery Channel is proud to select



Cultural Amnesia: Notes in the Margin of My Time By Clive James

Clive James is an Australian media personality and endless defender of liberal democracy. This books is structured as a series of essays which are inspired by writings from major (and minor) figures of history.

James begins with a brief biography of the person, follows this with a very short quote from their writings, and then uses this quote as a jumping off point for an essay which may have nothing at all to do with the person who's quote he has used.

In all, it's an awesome book.

[rogermexico]

Sorry about the late pick everybody.

Alright, for this round, in the Graphic Novel category, I'll take Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud.



The blurb from Alan Moore pretty much says it all: "Understanding Comics is quite simply the best analysis of the medium that I have ever encountered." The book is a look at what comic books are, how they work, the tactics and methods that their creators use and employ, and the kinds of effects and undertakings that comics are uniquely suited for. It's a really invigorating read that will make you go back and pick up your old favorites and reread them with a new eye to the craftsmanship and composition involved.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by rogermexico

Sorry about the late pick everybody.

Alright, for this round, in the Graphic Novel category, I'll take Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud.



The blurb from Alan Moore pretty much says it all: "Understanding Comics is quite simply the best analysis of the medium that I have ever encountered." The book is a look at what comic books are, how they work, the tactics and methods that their creators use and employ, and the kinds of effects and undertakings that comics are uniquely suited for. It's a really invigorating read that will make you go back and pick up your old favorites and reread them with a new eye to the craftsmanship and composition involved.

This one is great. It really goes beyond comic books and is a great commentary about understanding visual culture; the principles that he talks about such as level of detail and panel-to-panel transitions are equally meaningful when thinking about film or even writing. I once gave a presentation at a STC (Society for Technical Communications) conference on What Technical Communicators can Learn from Comic Books, in which I heavily leveraged Scott McLeod's work.

[habernac]

for my pulp fiction selection, I'll take much maligned author Dan Brown's Angels and Demons.

I really don't understand the outrage when it comes to this book. On one hand, you have the Catholics getting their panties in a bunch. It's a work of fiction ya dummies, get over it. Then you have the criticism of his writing style. It was a quick, simple and entertaining read. It doesn't claim to be the next "Grapes of Wrath" or "Moby Dick". It's fluff. Take it as such. I'm not ashamed to say I liked it.



Angels & Demons is a bestselling mystery novel by American author Dan Brown. The novel revolves around the quest of fictional Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon to unravel the mysteries of a secret society called the Illuminati, and preclude a plot from annihilating the Vatican City using destructive antimatter. The story recounts the conflict between science and religion that brought the establishment of the Illuminati, and, after centuries of non-existence, the group is thought to have resurfaced for retribution against the Roman Catholic Church.
Published in 2000, it introduces the character Robert Langdon, who is also the principal character of Brown's subsequent novel, The Da Vinci Code. It also shares many stylistic elements with the latter, such as conspiracies of secret societies, a single-day time frame, and the Roman Catholic Church. Ancient history, architecture, and symbolism are heavily referenced throughout the novel. A film adaptation of the same name is due for release on May 15, 2009

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

In the category of Philosophy/Religion, team Bartleby and the Scriveners is pleased to select a book that has shaped my understanding of critical theory and left cultural theory from top to bottom. Which is a bit weird, since describing it as a "book" implies that it is complete, when in fact it is a loosely collected series of aphoristic observations that were interrupted by the untimely death of their author before they could be placed into a coherent narrative. However, the jumbled, inchoate structure of this book seems ultimately perfect for the curious age of modernity that the project describes. I'm talking, of course about Walter Benjamin's voluminous opus The Arcades Project.


Walter Benjamin was a leftist thinker of the early 20th century, but his most important work took place between the wars, and most of it took place in Paris--and it was through walking around the unique cityscape of Paris that Benjamin conceived of this project, seeing the unique Paris arcades (covered shopping districts) as the fundamental metaphor for industrial capitalism in the age of Ford; they contained both the commodity in its fetishized form and also the possibility of a unique subliminal counterdiscourse that originates in the minds of consumers. In this way, even the most hopelessly co-opted discourses could contain within themselves the seeds of the dialectic, or of a potent rejoinder to the potent and powerful voice of capitalist ideology.

All of which, for all that it sounds a little high-falutin', would have placed Benjamin at odds with virtually every Marxist thinker of the 1930s and 40s. However, the project was never to be completed. Benjamin found himself living in Paris under the Vichy French regime, and quickly discovered that being a Marxist, an intellectual and a Jew made for a virtual trifecta of persecution. When it became clear that he was doomed to be taken to a concentration camp, Benjamin fled the Nazis, heading for Spain. However, when he arrived in Spain he was denied an entry visa and told that he would be returned to France--and to a probable death at the hands of the Nazis. He committed suicide instead, leaving behind him a briefcase full of papers with scribbled notes and annotations. This case of looseleaf meditations became The Arcades Project, and it is perhaps the most important work of left criticism of the 20th century. It may lack organization and structure, but it is a virtual treasure-trove of aphorisms that seem to explain everything about the political and economic history of modernity, if you only care to look.