Thursday, September 07, 2006

Book club, 1

With the Ayn Rand quotes (that I loved) and the talk of a book club and a resident librarian among us, it seems inevitable to give the blog book club a shot. I'll plan on writing a few things about the book Middlesex in 2 weeks, and it would be fun if anyone is interested if you could give it a read in the mean time and perhaps gear up for your own posts and/or comments on the book. It's not just a book about a hermaphrodite (although it is), but it's a cultural story about all the influences over multiple generations that gave identity and confusion to the protagonist. I read it recently for the first time and it's one of my favorites. It got a Pulitzer Prize and explores many things that are relevant to us all (like love, culture, identity and not fitting social norms), but it's also funny. Because it is quite long I'd say get started and take a few notes in the mean time if you are interested!

Just a suggestion, but I propose someone else take the initiative to invite people to read a book in a few weeks and thereby take turns.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would love to do this. There is no guarantee I'll actually have time to finish reading, but I'll definitely give it a shot.

Can cheese fries be involved? I kind of want some right now. *dialing Training Table*

Anonymous said...

Whoops - again, that was me without signing. Dumb beta.

Unusual Dude

Scot said...

Aw, we rarely go to the Training Table anymore. Used to all the time, but the lure of the unhealthy cheese fries must be resisted (not that I eat healthy :-), but R does). Gosh, I’m hungry.

Anyway, I’ll try to read the book too. Generally, most of what I’ve read on various intersexed folks has been from journal articles. Not much art, emotion, or poetry there, and a change would be nice :-).

Anonymous said...

I haven't had a cheese fry in months. Surely that makes me entitled? (Or at least, self-justified.)

UD

Loyalist (with defects) said...

I game too. But I'm unsure about the cheezy fries. hmm, maybe I'll have a nice chocolate bonbon instead.

and just in case my sign in thing doesn't work - it's me
Loyalist

Samantha said...

I'm in--but I think, as the one who's been blogging the longest, I should get to choose the first book. If I have to wade through my stupid sex book for therapy, my misery needs company. So I suggest we all read "And They Were Not Ashamed". Then you can tell me what you think, and I'll pretend those are MY thoughts when I talk to my therapist.

Still not knowing what cheese fries are, those are optional.

Anonymous said...

Scot, I agree with your assessment that the cheese fries are glorious. And that you MUST get sauce.

OK, we have to find a happy compromise. Which book first? Since I've already started Stephenie Meyer, that's my vote, although I have wanted to read "And They Were Not Ashamed" too. Which puts "Middlesex" at the bottom of the list for me, but it still sounds interesting.

Wow, am I ever non-committal. Someone decide.

UD

AttemptingthePath said...

I'm game, as I was telling Loyalist we should get Tshirts that say Gay Mormon Book Club. and we'll just keep them in our closets

-L- said...

I'm going to have to whip up some homemade cheesefries, what with there being a shocking lack of Training Tables in my current locale. But, it will be well worth it. I don't remember how the sauce tastes, though, so someone's going to have to remind me so I can make an imitation.

As far as book choice goes, I think I got dibs fair and square by stealing all the thunder and initiating the first official book club post. So neener. Actually, there's no reason we can't read all three books simultaneously and post whenever and whatever you want. I'm going to be posting on Middlesex on Sept. 25, so everyone can decide whether it sounds interesting or not and whether you'll have any time to read it.

The nice thing about blogs is that even after the post and comments have started, you can come back weeks later and still contribute to the discussion if you want. Happy reading!

-L- said...

ATP, you just totally made my day.

Unknown said...

I love it.
I've read Middlesex but that's fine because it's one of my favorites and I'm interested to hear everyone's comments. Eugenides is fabulous.
I would suggest we read "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" next... I think you would all LOVE it.
I actually listed links on my blog sidebar of the books I've read in 2006. But I took them off after 10 minutes because it started to feel like my "homepage", which, considering the topic of the blog (my heartwrenching soul), it just didn't feel right. Maybe I'll start a new "book club" blog with my thoughts on the books we're reading. Or maybe I'll just comment on all of your blogs and posts about the books. Hmmmm... we'll see. But I love the idea. Thanks for taking the lead.

Anonymous said...

My favorite sentence in a comment so far: "So neener."

UD

Anonymous said...

You mean people actually have time to read??? Amazing. Oh, how I wish I could join in the fray. But being a full time student, working full time, single mom, suffering from epstein-barr virus ... I'll just watch from afar and enjoy vicariously.

I'd love to be able to read "Middlesex". I have to (I must mean "get to" - on some level) do a 75-minute presentation on intersexuality on 9/20 for one of my classes. Amazing subject ...

But here I am whining about time, time, time - and somehow a doctor in training has time to read? How's that work!? LOL

Kim Mack

Samantha said...

Was anything decided here? It sounds to me like we're all making/buying our own version of cheese fries (I hate ignorance), reading our own books, and laughing at ATP's t-shirt comment. WHAT KIND OF A CLUB IS THIS????

-L-: Are you the president/facilitator/maindude?

I so need organization and delineation in my life.

-L- said...

Cheesefries optional.

Recommended books so far include:
-L-: Middlesex
Samantha: And They Were Not Ashamed
UDude: Stephenie Meyer trilogy
JohnGalt: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

I lean toward doing them in that order (the order they were suggested), but that's kind of undemocratic. But hey, this is blog land, and I guess I just decided I'll post on Middlesex and if anybody reads it or not is up to them. Seemed like a good way to just move forward without all the hassle of voting on books, but it's not very structured to just say "whoever wants to post next, go ahead". Maybe a poll...

Anonymous said...

okay, i have my copy of middlesex and will start on it pronto.

and for the 'who's king of the mountain debate' -- i believe that it may have been my aug 30 comment on preferring my wife's book club to tv sports that planted the seed for a blog book club. and we all know how important planting seeds are in mormondom

santorio

B.G. Christensen said...

Okay, so Sam will never read this because once again Google Reader managed to hide a post from me until a month after it was posted, but I take umbrage at her claim of being "the one who's been blogging the longest." Excuse me? Am I not in this club just because I don't keep my GMBC t-shirt in my closet?

>mutter mutter grumble grumble<

Seriously, I think this is an excellent idea, and not just because you linked to me while justifying it, but I've effectively eliminated all my leisure reading time for the next, oh, two years. I'll register for membership and a t-shirt when I'm done with school (again).