Author Topic: Book Thread  (Read 41582 times)

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Book Thread
« Reply #60 on: December 16, 2006, 06:23:04 pm »
Whenever I find a really good book, I usually try to read it on more than one level. First of all, I enjoy the story for what it is: a romance, an action yarn, a coming-of-age piece, or whatever. Secondly, I make note of the historical and geographic aspects of the book and what it tells me about time and place. Next, I pay attention to the symbols introduced by the author and what they mean. Finally, I read the story for its theme or meaning, and try to understand what the story and those similar to it are saying about the human condition. This last is called the "mythical" or "archtypical" aspect of the story.
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Offline delalluvia

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Re: Book Thread
« Reply #61 on: December 16, 2006, 10:45:03 pm »
Whenever I find a really good book, I usually try to read it on more than one level. First of all, I enjoy the story for what it is: a romance, an action yarn, a coming-of-age piece, or whatever. Secondly, I make note of the historical and geographic aspects of the book and what it tells me about time and place. Next, I pay attention to the symbols introduced by the author and what they mean. Finally, I read the story for its theme or meaning, and try to understand what the story and those similar to it are saying about the human condition. This last is called the "mythical" or "archtypical" aspect of the story.

That sounds like a lot of work.  ;)  I just look at the subject material and see if I like anything about it.

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Re: Book Thread
« Reply #62 on: December 16, 2006, 10:51:28 pm »
Yes, I do that too, della. For instance, today I read a little of The Last of the Mohicans, and decided I didn't want to read it. Ditto with The Book of Ruth. But then I picked up The Red Badge of Courage, and enjoyed it. And then, I started reading Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, and that was best of all. It's special books like this one, that I start reading on multiple levels.
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Offline delalluvia

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Re: Book Thread
« Reply #63 on: December 16, 2006, 11:29:01 pm »
Yes, I do that too, della. For instance, today I read a little of The Last of the Mohicans, and decided I didn't want to read it. Ditto with The Book of Ruth. But then I picked up The Red Badge of Courage, and enjoyed it. And then, I started reading Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, and that was best of all. It's special books like this one, that I start reading on multiple levels.

I'm a pretty big fan of modern writers who really get into depth about people and motivations, their thoughts, etc.  That's why it took me so long to get through 'Lord of the Rings'.  It was written in a mythological action adventure style that did nothing for the characterization that I look for.  I'm not sure, because I haven't read it, but I was thinking a book like 'Last of the Mohicans' would be the same.

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Re: Book Thread
« Reply #64 on: December 17, 2006, 03:11:14 pm »
Here's a Link to The Last of the Mohicans online:

http://www.americanliterature.com/LM/LMINDX.HTML

by James Fenimore Cooper

Let me know what you think of it. I had slow going with it. As for contemporary novels that delve into feelings, this is a somewhat difficult area because it is rather out of fashion to expound on feelings and motivations these days. But I would recommend Memoirs of a Geisha, Like Water for Chocolate, The Corrections and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
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Offline Ellemeno

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Re: Book Thread
« Reply #65 on: December 18, 2006, 04:37:03 am »
Here's a Link to The Last of the Mohicans online:

http://www.americanliterature.com/LM/LMINDX.HTML

by James Fenimore Cooper

Let me know what you think of it. I had slow going with it. As for contemporary novels that delve into feelings, this is a somewhat difficult area because it is rather out of fashion to expound on feelings and motivations these days. But I would recommend Memoirs of a Geisha, Like Water for Chocolate, The Corrections and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.


I haven't read Like Water for Chocolate, but I loved the other three.  The Corrections is timely for this season, though not very jolly.


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Re: Book Thread
« Reply #66 on: December 18, 2006, 01:16:22 pm »
Like Water for Chocolate might make a good candidate for our next book club discussion. It's set in Mexico, and is considered to be one of the first and best examples of the magical realism genre.

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Re: Book Thread
« Reply #67 on: January 02, 2007, 01:30:07 pm »
Momentum is building to read "The Last of the Wine" by Mary Renault. Thanks to injest for sujesting this, and starting a topic about it!!

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Re: Book Thread
« Reply #68 on: June 15, 2007, 10:08:43 am »
Some good recommendations for summer reading!
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Offline michaelflanagansf

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Re: Book Thread
« Reply #69 on: July 15, 2007, 05:47:03 pm »