GoodBooks' Journal (original) (raw)
Hi everybody!
For those of you who read Italian, I just opened 
apuntate, a community where we read and discuss books together chapter by chapter.
The first novel running is The Count of Montecristo, Alexandre Dumas père’s most famous novel (starting today!), an engrossing story of love, betrayal and vengeance… if you’re interested, feel free to join us and spread the word! :)
I did a friends only post on it last year (it was the centennial), with a comment from John Stewart:
"If you're like me and have James Joyce's Ulysses, you haven't read it. You opened it up and read it and just stopped."
If you don't know what Bloomsday is, where here you go.
( Read more...Collapse )
| Poster: |  elyonna |
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| Date: | 2004-07-14 22:29 |
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| Security: | Public |
Since I'm in Ireland doing Celtic Studies for the summer, and really getting my fill of "Tain Bo Cuillinge," I'm in a mythological mood. Any suggestions that are a bit more obscure? Collections of myth from any culture are good, also translations of original stories, and stories based strongly upon myth.
Thanks!
Sorry for the promotion, but I think there are probably quite a few LJ users in lit communities like these who would be interested to know that I've just created the first English-language Livejournal community devoted exclusively to Russian literature: russian_lit
If you're interested in joining, I'll hope to see you there sometime. Thank you.
cross-posted to broken_glasses, classiclit, classics, books, learn_russian, world_litterae, literary_theory, ourbookclub, lit_addicts, goodbooks
Hi everyone. Im not sure if this is allowed. If it's not I apologize..but here it goes...
This is a community promo.
Hi everyone! I am encouraging you all to join the newly formed community... the_lj_bookclub
It is a bookclub, for book lovers that like to read all different genres, from fiction to nonfiction to poetry to chick lit to erotic lit to classics to history..etc
The official club reading doesn't began until May, hopefully by then the club will have enough members for intelligent discussion.
How the bookclub works can be found in the user infothe_lj_bookclub
Please jointhe_lj_bookclub
Nevermind, I guess I won't start The Wings of The Dove. Instead, I started T.C. Boyle's The Tortilla Curtian last night, after my father recommended it. He thought I would be interested as we have a slightly similar taste. Yes, our opinions slightly differ on historical pieces (he is in favour, whereas I am not so much), but overall we tend to like the same things.
I only read the first chapter, passing out due to dehydration. But, I like it so far. I definately will enjoy it.
My class requires me to read Beloved by Toni Morrison. I cannot wait till I get my hands on that book.. I've read The Bluest Eyes and because of that book, she became my favorite author. (Even though I have not read from many authors..)
| Poster: | pinkus |
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| Date: | 2004-03-21 22:13 |
| Subject: | newbie! |
| Security: | Public |
Hey all...
I am a new member! I love books. In fact, I have a second interview to schedule for a local bookstore. I am very excited. A week or so ago, I bought The Wings Of The Dove, because I have been meaning to read it for quite some time now. Plus, I love buying books. Has anyone read this? I am very excited to start, although it is 700 pages long. That's okay, I think I can handle it.
-Ellie
| Poster: | xserious |
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| Date: | 2004-03-20 22:52 |
| Subject: | NEW. |
| Security: | Public |
I just currently finished Death of a Salesman and Day of the Locust.
I'd first like to say--Miller is just so amazing. His words are simple, succinct and powerful. I love both The Crucible and Death of a Salesman. Absolutely wonderful.
Day of the Locust is highly entertaining.. I say you should all read it also. :)
| Poster: | stinkoman20x6 |
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| Date: | 2004-03-05 16:35 |
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| Security: | Public |
Hi Everyone. Im new.
I like good books. I think thats kind of...well..self explanatory.
Anyways, I'm doing a research paper on Dostoevsky(Specifically Crime and Punishment and Notes from Underground). My thesis is about Dostoevsky's use of emotion to help to reveal human thought, stuff like that.
I got suffering, pride, and guilt so far.
Can give me any suggestions?
Much Appreciated--
Stinkoman
| Poster: | ex_r0ck746 |
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| Date: | 2004-03-04 15:30 |
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| Security: | Public |
I learned to walk; since then have I let myself run. I learned to fly;
since then I do not need pushing in order to move from a spot.
Now am I light, now do I fly; now do I see myself under myself. Now there
danceth a God in me.--
Thus spake Zarathustra.
(-Friedrich Nietzsche)
I'd like to know people's opinion of Nietzsche's work. feel free to comment.
| Poster: | nobodygetsme |
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| Date: | 2004-02-23 00:25 |
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| Security: | Public |
I was wondering if any of you could help me out. I'm looking for good annotated editions of Canterbury Tales, Paradise Lost, The Divine Comedy and 1001 Nights. I'm hoping I can find ones that are unabridged, uncensored, and unbowdlerized and as close to the original text as possible (in the case of Canterbury Tales and Paradise Lost) and with side-by-side translations of the Italian/Arabic of Divine Comedy/1001 Nights (also a side-by-side would be nice for the middle english of Canterbury Tales and Paradise Lost, because as much as I like the authenticity of the middle english text, I's dumb and need help making sense of it). But any help any of you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
| Poster: | fish_flakes |
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| Date: | 2004-01-27 12:07 |
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| Security: | Public |
What does everyone think of Ray Bradbury?
He is one of my favorites.
hey, i'm reading "the fall" by camus. it's excellent.
any idea on what i could do a term paper on for it? any ideas would be appreciated....thanks!
| Poster: | rumplesnort |
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| Date: | 2003-12-08 22:05 |
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| Security: | Public |
does anyone know what genre the book metamorphisis would be classified under?
you know the guy turns into the cockroach same old same old.
Sorry for the cross-posting, guys, but I thought that it would be of interest to more than one of the communities of which I'm a member.
The Moviegoer
It's enjoyable. A good thing to read if you're feeling cyncial. Also, if you're looking for an easy, philisophical read it's a quick byte. It's got a lot of Kierkegaard in it.
Memorable Quotation:
"What do you seek-God? you ask with a smile.
"I hesitate to answer, since all other Americans have settled the matter for themselves and to give such and answer would amount to setting myself a goal which everyone else had reached- and therefore raising a question in which no one has the slightest interest. Who wants to be dead last among one hundred and eighty million Americans? For, as everyone knows, the polls report that 98% of Americans believe in God and the remaining 2% are atheists and agnostics-which leaves not a single percentage point for a seeker. For myself, I enjoy answering polls as much as anyone and take pleasure in giving intelligent replies to all questions.
"Truthfully, it is the fear of exposing my own ignorance which constrains me from mentioning the object of my search. For, to begin with, I cannot even answer this, the simplest and most basic of all questions: Am I, in my search, a hundred miles ahead of my fellow Americans or a hundred miles behind them? That is to say: Have 98% of Americans already found what I seek or are they so sunk in everydayness that not even the posibility of a search has occurred to them?
"On my honor, I do not know the answer."
ha, how's that for existiential angst?
What are your thoughts on this book?
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
I'm almost finsihed with this book.. and so far I LOVE it. I thought I'd find it rather cliche, but it's very levelheaded for its time. The subject matter, which is based on the author's life, is fascinating. He's a recovering "lunatic".. it's got all sorts of philisophical musings, and there's something about it that makes it soothing to read.
Memorable Quotations:
1. "Then his mind's eye looked up and caught his own image and realized where he was and what he was seeing and . . . I don't know what really happened . . . but now the slippage that Phaedrus had felt earlier, the internal parting of his mind, suddenly gathered momentum, as do the rocks at the top of a mountain. Before he could stop it, the sudden accumulated mass of awareness began to grow and grow into an avalanche of thought and awareness out of control; with each additional growth of that downard tearing mass loosening hundreds of times its volume, and then that mass uprooting hundreds of times its volume more, and then hundreds of times that; on and on, wider and broader; until there was nothing left to stand.
"No more anything.
"It gave way under him."
I just thought that was such an accurate depiction of a nervous breakdown.
2. "But to tear down a factory or to revolt against a government or to avoid repair of a motorcycle because it is a system is to attack effects rather than causes; and as long as the attack is upon effects only, no change is possible. The true system, the real system, is our present construction of systematic thought itself, rationality itself, and if a factory is torn down but the rationality which produced it is left standing, then that rationality will simply produce another factory. If a revolution destroys a systematic government, but the systematic patterns of thought that produced that government are left intact, then those patterns will repeat themselves in the succeeding government. There's so much talk about the system. And so little understanding."
interesting, especially in the wake of the 60's.
What did you all think of this book?
Has anyone read Lila also by Pirsig? What did you think of it?
| Poster: | gavinahand |
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| Date: | 2003-09-10 15:35 |
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| Security: | Public |
X-posted
There is a new community called Book Swaps. http://www.livejournal.com/users/book_swaps/
check it out. email gavinahand@hotmail.com for questions.
If I'm not allowed to post this here, I apologize and I'll delete it.
a quick note, and I don't know if this applies to all areas, but...
Kurt Vonnegut will be on NPR's Morning Edition Weds. morning.
| Poster: | gavinahand |
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| Date: | 2003-09-05 22:06 |
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| Security: | Public |
X-posted
If any of you want to be a part of this, tell me. And I will send it to you. [here's the description]
"Have you all heard of this paperback chain letter thing that seems to be going around? Easier than some and more fun, I think, you get the letter and send a paperback to the first person on the list and put your name on the list. Send out 6 copies of the letter and you get 36 books in the mail."
I have 9 more to send(I got 2). So please. If you want to be a part of this, and you will really send the book... comment with your name + address or email gavinahand@hotmail.com w/your name + address.