Dan’s Comments (group member since Mar 02, 2009)

Dan’s comments from the fiction files redux group.

A Model World and Other Stories - Michael Chabon

I just finished the book and I really enjoyed it. In some ways it was depressing, in others somewhat uplifting and hopeful. This is the type of book that makes you think, or perhaps forces thoughts and ideas into your head because it's subject matter is directly relevant to your life and your day to day tasks.

Hell, i was watching an episode of the daily show on hulu before work and started critiquing an Ad that played (and I don't know anything about advertising besides what Adland taught me).

There is a lot here to discuss, much of it philosophical. Can't wait to hear what others think.

The Death of Ivan Ilych - Leo Tolstoy

Oh I didn't mean for you to feel bad! and yes copious notes, or at least some. I imagine you do that anyway Shel.

I learn a thousand times more through the group discussion threads. I am a bad reader on my own, forgetting what I have read in a manner of days.

Shel, don't worry about things like this it really doesn't benefit anyone. You started the discussion thread for HOM but killed it before many people got on board. The posts need to keep happening, time needs to be given (I didn't finish The Idiot till at least a month after the 'group' finished.

From the looks of it there are at least three readers (you, christy and JWJ) and two thread watchers that have already read it (RA and Kerry).

The key with slow moving discussions is to not post tons as a single poster but rather keep copious notes so you are able to go back and chat with those that catch up, and they do catch up.

Another good idea used previously was to break up the discussion to avoid the dreaded spoiler. I don't know how HOM is divided but I am sure some constraints could be easily derived.

Don't delete the threads and you valuable insights just because no one else had posted. That would be a loss for all on board, including yourself, others who may want to join in late, and those who start reading it long after these conversations took place.

These are just a few thoughts I have as the guy who handled the selection process.

Jesus, I have had my head up my ass. How could I have missed all of these Birthdays?

Happy birthday everyone!

http://armorgames.com/play/4287/silen...

A reading videogame. Kind of cool. Read part of a Lovecraft story while playing.

Kris wrote: "Matt, you've posted two articles that have me cackling merrily at the end of the "civilized" world. Bring on illiteracy and the Dirty Underpants series! Go ahead and choose what YOU want to study, ..."

Bravo Kris, bravo!

I would say that the biggest problem in the today's world is not the amount of reading but rather how it is considered and synthesized. I often struggle with the balancing of social networking, current events and work related articles. It seems to me that I process information and move on much more quickly with computerized reading than I do when reading from paper.

I think it is very important to reflect and analyze the information that we consume in order to form educated opinions. Technology has brought us more information than we can handle and as a result we are losing our critical abilities (or for kids, never developing them).

I can understand giving kids the option for one book, maybe the last book of the year but not the entire run of novels. Maybe this idea was a unique challenge for the teacher but I believe it would be the children who are short changed.

All this Lovecraft talk has led to me buying the Tales of H. P. Lovecraft on Sunday, I have yet to start it but am looking forward to it. There was also a podcast done on the Necronomicon by the Stuff You Should Know guys that also piqued my interest.

In regards to his racism, shouldn't some of it be forgiven (or at least kept in mind) as he was a product of his times? There was a lot of racist things going on at the time including segregation. Keep in mind I haven't read him yet so I haven't seen him at work.

The Results are in and House of Mirth is the winner. Shel mentioned something about it starting sometime in September but I can't remember the date...

The House of Mirth 6 votes 33.3%
Three Trapped Tigers 3 votes 16.7%
Inferno 5 votes 27.8%
VALIS 2 votes 11.1%
Let the Right One In 1 vote 5.6%
The Oresteia 1 vote 5.6%

goddamn, that is a good quote...

OK so this is how I did things. I made a list of the titles mentioned above (if an author was mentioned and a book wasn't mentioned they were disregarded (except for Dante because it seemed obvious). Also disregarded Adrian because I am certain the Dewey cat book was not a real suggestion).

Below is the list:

1 House of Mirth
2 Three Trapped Tigers
3 Let the Right One In
4 Lady Chatterley's Lover
5 The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
6 One Hundred Years of Solitude
7 The Sound and the Fury
8 VALIS
9 Portrait of a Man Unknown
10 Dante's Inferno
11 Jane Eyre
12 2666
13 decameron
14 Oresteia
15 Journal of Antonio Montoya A Novel
16 The Taqwacores

As you can see I assigned each a number based on the order they were mentioned. Then I asked Research Randomizer (http://www.randomizer.org/form.htm) to give me a randomized sample.

The first book, House of Mirth was originally suggested by Shel before I highjacked this operation therefore it makes it into the poll automatically.

The books drawn for polling were:

1 House of Mirth
2 Three Trapped Tigers
10 Dante's Inferno
8 VALIS
3 Let the Right One In
14 Oresteia

Now I am going to start the poll so everyone can vote. Let me know how you like this system. It seems like the most fair was proceed.

Now we are talking. I might need to buy a bigger hat!

What the hell people?! 35 views and only 8 posts! come on!

I plan for you guys to fight it out. Otherwise, I am going to throw them in a hat and draw them out.

Alright Shel, while I don't think you are right about the liking thing, I did start another thread asking for suggestions and setting out the rules (of sorts) for the process. hopefully there is some interest.

Hey Everyone, I am going to try to orchestrate the selecting of a book for the September Group read. The way I foresee doing so is by picking a total of five titles for the month and creating a poll for people to vote upon the one they want to read the most.

That means I need suggestions. I am not saying I am going to be able to moderate the discussion (or possibly even read it) but I am hoping we can get some debating and conversation going on about these titles.

The first of the five titles is House of Mirth by Edith Wharton.

That one makes it to the vote regardless. For the other four titles let's hear some suggestions and debate. Hopefully there will be some sort of consensus by next Saturday the 15th. At that point I will put a poll together and allow for another week of voting before a title is chosen. Let's have some fun.

I definitely understand what you are trying to do Shel because it is rather lifeless in these parts. Also I didn't mean to sound like I was anti-House or Women in Love.

I am just not sure that a non-polling method is going to get people excited or "on board." I say we make a list of 5 books and poll on those five then the group read happens and then another poll is done for the following group read.

I think it is too hard to decide a novel or two ahead for the group reads. I have no idea what is going to sound good a month down the road. There are probably others who feel this way too.