Soxtalk Book Club

[LowerCaseRepublican]

I was at Lance Storm's web site (one of the best damn technical wrestlers out there) and there was a part of the site called "Book Marks" In this part, he just suggested a book and gave a timeframe for reading it. Then fans could e-mail him discussing what they thought of the book and then he'd contact the writer with everybody's thoughts and get a response back from the author.

 

http://www.stormwrestling.com/bookmarks/books.html

 

Just throwing the idea out there but would a dedicated few want to do our own version of this? Give ourselves 2-4 weeks per book, discuss it and then send compile our thoughts and send them to the author and see what they think? Plus, each book gets picked by a different participant to get some variety going on. I dunno if it would be popular but it seems like it'd be something fun to do -- And it'd be a real kick in the ass to that wench, Oprah Anybody be down for such an activity?

[Soxy]

If it is a non-crap book, then yes.

 

But we have to pick a book with Spark Notes....

Edited July 1, 2005 by ChiSoxyGirl

[SnB]

If it is a non-crap book, then yes.

^

[Spiff]

I have confidence in Apu (or whoever) to pick a non-crap book. I like the idea cause I've been trying to read a book but I never have the motivation to go pick it up.

[Chisoxfn]

This sounds cool. I've been wanting to get back into reading, but never really know what book I should pick up. I don't follow what books are out there so if someone did and they sounded interesting I'd definately read some of the stuff.

[Texsox]

If it is a non-crap book, then yes.

 

But we have to pick a book with Spark Notes....

 

A Barnes and Noble exclusive You study Beowulf without a study guide

 

I'm in. Fiction or non-fiction? Baseball to get started? Chicago related? The Jungle would be interesting.

 

Or

 

In his debut novel, The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini accomplishes what very few contemporary novelists are able to do. He manages to provide an educational and eye-opening account of a country's political turmoil--in this case, Afghanistan--while also developing characters whose heartbreaking struggles and emotional triumphs resonate with readers long after the last page has been turned over. And he does this on his first try.

 

The Kite Runner follows the story of Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy businessman in Kabul, and Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant. As children in the relatively stable Afghanistan of the early 1970s, the boys are inseparable. They spend idyllic days running kites and telling stories of mystical places and powerful warriors until an unspeakable event changes the nature of their relationship forever, and eventually cements their bond in ways neither boy could have ever predicted. Even after Amir and his father flee to America, Amir remains haunted by his cowardly actions and disloyalty. In part, it is these demons and the sometimes impossible quest for forgiveness that bring him back to his war-torn native land after it comes under Taliban rule. ("...I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.")

 

Some of the plot's turns and twists may be somewhat implausible, but Hosseini has created characters that seem so real that one almost forgets that The Kite Runner is a novel and not a memoir. At a time when Afghanistan has been thrust into the forefront of America's collective consciousness ("people sipping lattes at Starbucks were talking about the battle for Kunduz"), Hosseini offers an honest, sometimes tragic, sometimes funny, but always heartfelt view of a fascinating land. Perhaps the only true flaw in this extraordinary novel is that it ends all too soon. --Gisele Toueg--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

[Soxy]

A Barnes and Noble exclusive  You study Beowulf without a study guide

 

I have two translations of Beowulf--the far superior being Seamus Haney's. Anyone that hated in high school should reread that translation. It sings, it's just amazing.

 

And my vote would be fiction. I read non-fiction all day and could use a mind's toy.

[LowerCaseRepublican]

Well, I'll start this off then and then we can go from there with volunteers for future book suggestions.

 

How about the first book being:

 

Survivor - Chuck Palahniuk

 

 

It is a novel about Tender Branson -- last surviving member of the so-called Creedish Death Cult -- dictating his life story into the flight recorder of Flight 2039. I read it before but haven't read it in a few years so I wanted to re-read it again...So I figured why not do it with this? Everybody down?

[Cali]

"Is TV guide a book?"

[kapkomet]

Damn I would LOVE to do this but being that I am having to read my ass off for school right now....

[Texsox]

Damn I would LOVE to do this but being that I am having to read my ass off for school right now....

Think of it as a very long thread

[Mplssoxfan]

Well, I'll start this off then and then we can go from there with volunteers for future book suggestions.

 

How about the first book being:

 

Survivor - Chuck Palahniuk

 

 

It is a novel about Tender Branson -- last surviving member of the so-called Creedish Death Cult -- dictating his life story into the flight recorder of Flight 2039.  I read it before but haven't read it in a few years so I wanted to re-read it again...So I figured why not do it with this?  Everybody down?

 

Sounds good. I'm in. I like Tex's idea of some of the books being Chicago-related, too.

 

Let's say we have to be done by Monday the 25th. That'll give us three weeks to read and a week to discuss. We can then have someone pick a new book during our discussion week.

 

Is that OK with every one? Since it wasn't my idea, I don't want to go around and lay down any laws.

[LowerCaseRepublican]

Sounds good.  I'm in.  I like Tex's idea of some of the books being Chicago-related, too.

 

Let's say we have to be done by Monday the 25th.  That'll give us three weeks to read and a week to discuss.  We can then have someone pick a new book during our discussion week. 

 

Is that OK with every one?  Since it wasn't my idea, I don't want to go around and lay down any laws.

That works for me.

[Texsox]

I have two translations of Beowulf--the far superior being Seamus Haney's. Anyone that hated in high school should reread that translation. It sings, it's just amazing.

 

And my vote would be fiction. I read non-fiction all day and could use a mind's toy.

 

Haney's is widely regarded as the best. IMHO, if this was the second oldest work in English we would never have to read it. The story was never meant to be a book. It was meant for telling and retelling. It was an oral "history" if you will. A moral lesson. Converting it to the written page lost it's purpose.

 

I'm in with Survivor. Great idea.

 

Hey Juggs, will you let us know all the stats on the book? Word count, adjectives to verb ratios, etc.

I kid because, I care

[Texsox]

I got the last copy at my Barnes and Noble. So far a very good read.

 

Thanks lcr!

[Gene Honda Civic]

Our August book: Three Nights in August -- Buzz Bissinger

 

It's Non-fiction Soxy . Bussinger wrote Friday Night Lights. -- This time he follows Tony Larussa and the Cardinals as they play a three game set vs. the Cubs.

[EvilMonkey]

And my vote would be fiction. I read non-fiction all day and could use a mind's toy.

How about the letters to Penthouse? Those would qualify as fiction. Just make sure you don't leave it in the bathroom when company comes over. Just try explaining that you are reading them for a project connected to SoxTalk.

[Jake]

And probably avoiding political/controversial topics would be good.

[Texsox]

And probably avoiding political/controversial topics would be good.

 

Too late. Enjoy Survivor, I wish PA was around to join the discussion.

[Pauly8509CWS]

I have two translations of Beowulf--the far superior being Seamus Haney's. Anyone that hated in high school should reread that translation. It sings, it's just amazing.

 

Actually, our English teacher told us the translation in our textbook "sucks" and so she brought in Haney's and we read that. I got curious and read the textbook version and it did suck, Haney's translation

[SnB]

if i ever decide to not be lazy and go to the bookstore, i'll pick this survivor up

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

Well, I'll start this off then and then we can go from there with volunteers for future book suggestions.

 

How about the first book being:

 

Survivor - Chuck Palahniuk

 

 

It is a novel about Tender Branson -- last surviving member of the so-called Creedish Death Cult -- dictating his life story into the flight recorder of Flight 2039.  I read it before but haven't read it in a few years so I wanted to re-read it again...So I figured why not do it with this?  Everybody down?

 

 

I just put it on order with Amazon.

 

Count me in.

Edited July 6, 2005 by NUKE_CLEVELAND

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

And probably avoiding political/controversial topics would be good.

 

 

I guess that rules out the other book I ordered with LCR's book.

 

"100 people who are screwing up America (Al Franken is #37 )"

 

LOL!

[LowerCaseRepublican]

if i ever decide to not be lazy and go to the bookstore, i'll pick this survivor up

Well its not like you're employed or anything so you should have all sorts of free time.

[SnB]

Well its not like you're employed or anything so you should have all sorts of free time.     

me...you

 

well played