Literary Exploration discussion

Hi Anda,
Thanks for these suggestions, I would very much like to see this theme ("Blindness") featured in one of the upcoming forum's discussions.
I found Saramago a difficult writer (I read his novel "The Cave" a while ago and found it intriguing and yet I admit I didn't quite understand the ending, had to read a few reviews to see what others had to say and how they interpreted it), and yet I'd love to read his novel. I haven't seen the movie either, was it good (if you've seen it)?

I was just wondering if noir mystery has ever been suggested, or just mystery in general (probably too broad of a topic).

Franky wrote: "I was just wondering if noir mystery has ever been suggested"

KL would certainly like that theme. We've done
The Maltese Falcon but that was before we started doing themed months so there's no reason we couldn't do one.

I do want!!! we can even do a hard-boiled theme (but we did The Maltese Falcon already)

What would you put in the noir theme, Franky?

The Killer Inside Me? something by James M. Cain?

How about The Diary of a Rapist

Knowledge Lost wrote: "I do want!!! we can even do a hard-boiled theme (but we did The Maltese Falcon already)

What would you put in the noir theme, Franky?

The Killer Inside Me? something by..."

Yes, something like these would be good. I have become intrigued with noir mainly from watching noir films, but would like to read something in the line of Raymond Chandler or James M. Cain. Perhaps The Long Goodbye or something similar.
I'll try to think of other ones.

We can combine Noir and Hardboiled and just has a Pulp theme. I'm currently reading The Long Goodbye, but I would love to do the theme sometime. :)

Would "The Postman Always Rings Twice" by James M. Cain fall into this "noir crime/mystery" genre?

Booksy wrote: "Would "The Postman Always Rings Twice" by James M. Cain fall into this "noir crime/mystery" genre?"

Definitely! Hardboiled is the detective based story while a Noir story has a protagonist that is either a victim, a suspect, or a perpetrator. (that's how I tell the genres apart anyway)

Booksy wrote: "Would "The Postman Always Rings Twice" by James M. Cain fall into this "noir crime/mystery" genre?"

That's funny you mentioned that one. I was just thinking about that story.

Noir crime/mystery sounds interesting. I would love it if we read some culture clash stuff. I always seem drawn to that. I'd especially love to reread "Cry, the Beloved Country". I love that book!

That could be interesting, do you have an idea of what 4 books we should use?

I just recently read The Killer Inside Me (mentioned above) and I really did not enjoy it at all. That makes me not so interested in other books of this genre. But if some members have read the ones that are being proposed to vote on, and have positive things to say about those books, then I'll be okay with it.

How about books with a victorian setting?

My suggestion for this category would be Gillespie and I

"The Last of the Mohicans" I've never read it, but I've heard it's good.
Something with aliens and humans would be good, though I'm not sure what. Maybe even "The Island of Dr. Moreau"
I'd love to read a mystery, or horror type book with cultures clashing. I'd really rather other people came up with them though, so I get to be introduced to some new stuff! By the way, thank you for this group! You do a great job being inclusive and kind to newcomers.

I love the idea about the Victorian setting, Philippa!

How about a month for post-colonial literature? There's a lot of fabulous Indian, south-east Asian, or African authors out there.

Try Ben Okri, Chinua Achebe, Nadine Gordimer (sort of), Michael Ondaatje, Barbara Kingsolver, Salman Rushdie, Arundhati Roy

ya, that's another great idea!

So many themes we'll have polls lined up for years to come :P

lol

Knowledge Lost wrote: "That could be interesting, do you have an idea of what 4 books we should use?"

Culture clash would be interesting. It would be easy to come up with a lot of books about, for instance, immigrants moving from one culture to another. Victoria's idea of post-colonial literature could involve culture clash, bringing these two themes together.

Love the culture clash idea. There are even some Sci-Fi books that would fit that bill.

Agree with the culture clash idea!

Kim wrote: "So many themes we'll have polls lined up for years to come :P"

That's okay. We'll start filling in 2012 and 2013...lol

Brad wrote: "Love the culture clash idea. There are even some Sci-Fi books that would fit that bill."

Although, I'd prefer if this group didn't have all that much of sci-fi in it... we have so much in our SciFi&Fantasy group!

I'm with you on that one, Xeni.

I saw Rushdie mentioned, maybe a religion-associated fiction theme in the future.

The Satanic Verses
A Prayer for Owen Meany

Mayyyyybe Cat's Cradle

I can't think of another 3rd or a fourth, but I've read those three so would vote for another

♥Xeni♥ wrote: "Although, I'd prefer if this group didn't have all that much of sci-fi in it... we have so muc..."

I don't think we'll be doing very much sci-fi here. We're trying to keep things varied and not repeat ourselves with themes or genres too often.

How about a bildungsroman (coming of age novel) month?

If the wikipedia lists are anything to go by, there's a lot of unusual coming of age novels that defy the usual 'protagonist goes to school, embarks on some kind of journey, returns home mature and wise' plot structure.

At the extreme end of weirdness there's The Tin Drum by Gunter Grass. Also featuring atypical themes are Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, or The Chrysalids by John Wyndham.

More conventionally there's The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce, Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham, Romulus My Father by Raimond Gaita, or A Separate Peace by John Knowles.

Oh god... anything BUT The Tin Drum. I had to read that in the original my last year of school and not only was it really really freaky, but Gunter Grass's writing is so weird.

Otherwise, it's a good idea!

I like them; we may have to work them in

Just a thought for the noir mystery/crime theme - James Elroy L.A. Confidential or The Black Dahlia
Another theme might be medieval / Inquisition - like Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose

Good choices :-)

How about for January we did the theme "Best of 2011".
The options (for the poll) could be books that had won awards ie the Man Booker or topped bestseller lits for large parts of 2011.
There are just so many awards now every year and whilst I'd love to read them all there's never enough time/money so this way we could all at least get to read one.

Philippa wrote: "How about for January we did the theme "Best of 2011".
The options (for the poll) could be books that had won awards ie the Man Booker or topped bestseller lits for large parts of 2011.
There a..."

Wow.. we are already towards January :D
I like this idea Philippa. Specially since I dont keep up with the lists much so this would provide me with an opportunity towards it as well

I love it! We should do it, but may have to be for a Febuary read (vote in January)

Knowledge Lost wrote: "I love it! We should do it, but may have to be for a Febuary read (vote in January)"

That makes sense :) Ooooh I'm quite excited to do February's book and to see what comes up on the poll :)

It will be interesting

Some thoughts on the culture clash theme,
The Magic Mountain - Mann
Zorba the Greek - Kazantzakis
Roots - Haley
Shogun - Clavell

On the theme of combined SF-culture clash (speculative fiction) -
Bradbury's:
Fahrenheit 451
The Martian Chronicles
Dune - Herbert
Ender's Game - Card

How about a theme for a specific city? Such as books based on/in/about New York or London or Paris or any other city?

How about street lit/urban fiction. Not fantasy, but realism, like Behind the Hood , ROMPER STOMPER , Once Were Warriors , that sort of writing (all from New Zealand and Australia).

That wouldn't be bad but I don't know how good Romper Stomper would be as it's a novelisation.

I was thinking we should have a Goodreads Author month. We have a few GR authors in this group so maybe we should have a look at some of their books.

Sounds good, who do we have here that wants to suggest their book?

Kim wrote: "That wouldn't be bad but I don't know how good Romper Stomper would be as it's a novelisation.

I was thinking we should have a Goodreads Author month. We have a few GR authors in th..."

Marita A. Hansen who wrote Behind the Hood is in this group. She readily speaks about her book on here in the New Zealand groups, so we can ask her. In relation to Romper Stomper, I'm afraid I haven't read it, just saw the movie. And Once Were Warriors is an either love it or hate it book because of the unusual combination of action,speech, and thoughts all into one.

Knowledge Lost wrote: "Sounds good, who do we have here that wants to suggest their book?"

I'm late to the parade. Just noticed I was being talked about. I'm happy to suggest my book Behind the Hood Thanks :)

How about a memoir theme? I haven't thought of anything specific in that category but this year I've read 3 memoirs that were very interesting. Rob Lowe, dawn French and another girl who isn't as important as she thinks she is but inspired me to maybe write my own memoir.
It could be something like Diary of a young girl or Eat pray Love or running with scissors. Other people will have better recommendations. I'd love to hear them

an Indie theme every now and then. Find a good Indie book (Maybe "Plain Jane: Brunettes Be Ware" or something.) Maybe not often. Just a thought. It may have already been mentioned.

Mary wrote: "How about a memoir theme? I haven't thought of anything specific in that category but this year I've read 3 memoirs that were very interesting. Rob Lowe, dawn French and another girl who isn't as i..."

Please not Eat Pray Love, how about something by A.J. Jacobs

Has the book group ever done banned books? In college we once did the first book written by an author. I find banned books to always be spectacular and the first book written by a specific author could be interesting. You see where they started. Also, I think books about 9/11 would be a FABULOUS topic!!!

I agree with Knowledge Lost about No Eat Pray Love, there has got to be something more interesting or lets have everyone pick a good memoir they like and then discuss them? its just an idea.

I also like the idea of reading banned books but please no Twilight or Lord Of The Rings being our banned book suggestions, please spare me.

HI, I'm new. I love novels that have insight into people and life. I also love dance. Not into poorly translated/written books that feed on the need to be titillated like 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' which should have been seriously edited to a third of its size or the orginal title kept. I would like to befriended by others in the group.