tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367682155970735252.post2922810107142441499..comments2024-01-30T20:59:06.397-08:00Comments on Man Book Club: Back to Waco, by George!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367682155970735252.post-78439963008829510342008-05-17T13:03:00.000-07:002008-05-17T13:03:00.000-07:00I've got three recommended choices for June readin...I've got three recommended choices for June reading. Since we're heading into the busy summer season, I've chosen 3 relatively short books, all in the 200+- page range (you're welcome in advance). These could be easily read on the beach.<BR/><BR/>My first choice, and the one I hope the group will choose, is The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner. It won the National Book Award. Stegner is one of my favorite authors. Angle of Repose is one of my all time favorites, but it exceeds the 500 page limit. I read Spectator Bird about 20 years ago and would look forward to re-reading.<BR/><BR/>My other choices are: The Bushwacked Piano by Thomas McGuane (winner of the Richar and Hilda Rosenthal Foundation Award), a light-hearted, sad/funny book that is fun to read.<BR/><BR/>Finally, my other suggestion is The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, a trove of Vietnam war related accounts (fictional) on a handful of veterans that are very powerful.<BR/><BR/>Amazon has info on all of these. See you Tuesday.Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04847460025802387961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367682155970735252.post-7432517841140610292008-05-07T14:50:00.000-07:002008-05-07T14:50:00.000-07:00Two things: as strong as the Coen brothers movie i...Two things: as strong as the Coen brothers movie is of NCFOM, the novel is even stronger. You guys cannot go wrong choosing it, or choosing any Cormac McCarthy novel really. The best McCarthy (IMHO) is Blood Meridian, but beware as it's also the toughest to read, then make sense of. I've made the journey with the Judge three times and feel like I've just begun to plumb the depths of all that McCarthy has packed into that novel. But the effort pays off in spades; I've done BM with two book groups and both times it rated a unanimous thumbs up. <BR/><BR/>Second, I agree w/ George about The Long Way Gone, powerful topic and worth the read and discussion, but chronologically flawed with only so-so writing. A better book that covers the same ground is Dave Eggers, What is the What. One of the Apes pitches it every time we toss possible picks around, and although it hasn't been chosen yet I predict it will be. Maybe it'll be our first joint Man Book Club/Great Apes read!<BR/><BR/>Great being in touch with fellow readers. Any initial insights into the Saramago book yet? Best wishes to all!Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16659858335748179668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367682155970735252.post-70219290099239703372008-05-06T15:18:00.000-07:002008-05-06T15:18:00.000-07:00For discussion purposes A Long Way Gone would be a...For discussion purposes A Long Way Gone would be a good book. While the wrting is not as sharp, the content and subject matter is strong. Just prior to reading A Long Way Gone I also researched the information which said the story could not have happened as it did based on time frames, ages, etc... Still, with what is going on around the world today it opens up insights for thought.<BR/><BR/>GeorgeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367682155970735252.post-48895546480963199542008-05-02T09:25:00.000-07:002008-05-02T09:25:00.000-07:00I should have mentioned that George also read his ...I should have mentioned that George also read his other proposed selections (No Country for Old Men and A Long Way Gone)and he told us that No Country would have been a superb choice. Perhaps another time?andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12017834763548542404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367682155970735252.post-70541004865235557652008-04-30T09:33:00.000-07:002008-04-30T09:33:00.000-07:00Jeff, thanks for the insight on Saramago and for t...Jeff, thanks for the insight on Saramago and for the list of upcoming Great Apes titles. You have some real gems on that list. We'll see if we can ever coordinate on the same book and month. Could be an interesting discussion, indeed.andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12017834763548542404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367682155970735252.post-56816431292026162482008-04-29T02:50:00.000-07:002008-04-29T02:50:00.000-07:00ManBookers- Sounds like your Steve Martin bio disc...ManBookers- Sounds like your Steve Martin bio discussion went well, maybe better than the book! That happens sometimes when a so-so book can still generate some good talk, and it's *always* worth meeting!<BR/><BR/>I don't think you could have gone wrong with any of your three choices, but *Blindness* will generate more discussion than either of the other two. Saramago is a wonderful writer who really should be more widely known in the US. He poses lots and lots of thought-provoking questions and situations without being preachy or moralistic. I am already looking forward to your May meeting report.<BR/><BR/>The Great Apes selected these titles for the coming months: May The Willow Field, William Kitteredge (a Montana set novel); June Driving Mr Albert (Einstein) and the author escapes me at the moment; July Master and Margarita (a Russian cult classic); Aug/Sept The Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Diaz (recent Pulitzer winner); and Oct The Long Goodbye, Raymond Chandler. <BR/><BR/>The October meeting will be here in Chicago and the Chandler book is Daley's most recent One Book One Chicago pick.<BR/><BR/>Maybe one month both groups could read the same title and we could do some sort of cyber discussion via emails or the blog. Not sure how we'd share the food and drink, but we could share the discussion!Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16659858335748179668noreply@blogger.com