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| LOL! —Janny Monday, 09/06/2010 - 10:22 |
| LOL, Janny...it might just be a Woody's night! —Barbara K Monday, 09/06/2010 - 10:07 |
| Did everyone get thier tickets yet? If not, let me know. I can charge 2 tix and whomever I buy the extra ticket for can just give me cash or a check for their ticket. Please let me know. Cheers! Hey, is it a Woody'e night...? —Janny Sunday, 09/05/2010 - 05:52 |
OH I AM SUCH A DITZ...did not use discount code...forgot all about it : - (.
Oh well. Sarah and I have tickets : )! —Barbara K Friday, 09/03/2010 - 11:42 |
| Sarah and I have our tickets for Friday night, Sept. 17 at 7 PM. Hope to see you guys there! —Barbara K Friday, 09/03/2010 - 05:30 |
| Oh and I will post it as an event here as soon as I confirm with Robin. I want be able to include those details in the event posting. —Angie Friday, 09/03/2010 - 05:24 |
| Barb, I'll be there! If you haven't purchased your tickets already, be sure to use the discount code (bookclub) to get a 20% discount on your ticket. I have sent a message to Robin about arranging a Q&A. I'll let everyone know the details when I hear back from her. I'm really looking forward to seeing the show! —Angie Friday, 09/03/2010 - 05:03 |
OK, Guys. Check out -link-. All information about all Fringe Festival performances are listed on there. Our play only runs from Sept. 15 - 18...so we MUST get tickets for Friday night Sept. 17! Angie...you are in charge of setting up our Q&A session with the person who has been in touch with you.
Because we are buying individual tickets, I'm not sure if we will be able to sit together...but I'm sure we can live through watching the play alone : - )!. I'm excited about doing this!
There are several other interesting Fringe events...if anyone would like to do something, let me know! —Barbara K Friday, 09/03/2010 - 04:25 |
LOL, Angie...I wish I could help in the insanity department!
Let's do Friday then...it seems all can make it that night. I'll take my chances with God and The Book of Life...I've done worse things on Erev Yom Kippur, so ... I'll be worshipping in a different way!
I guess everyone should get their tickets. Why don't we post this as an event for the group! (And Angie...LOL...it appears you are now GROUP LEADER!). So post the event and we'll get our tics and go : )! —Barbara K Wednesday, 09/01/2010 - 14:24 |
Could you make Alberto's ex not be insane? Just kidding... sort of.
I have been stalling because there are strange goings-on with kid arrangements for that weekend and I thought it would be straightened out in a day or two, but it hasn't worked out that way. Right now it looks like I can definitely do Friday; Saturday is still up in the air. I hate to ask you to take your chances with God, Barbara, but for the moment, that is the only way I can be sure about being there. —Angie Wednesday, 09/01/2010 - 11:27 |
| OK, Guys...someone reassure me...how are we coordinating our planned evening at the play? How are we coordinating responding to the person who offered us a Q&A with the actors in the play? I am really excited about this...I want to be sure we actually accomplish this! What do we need to do...how can I help? —Barbara K Wednesday, 09/01/2010 - 08:15 |
Janny,
You misunderstood my post. I CAN make the play. Both Friday and Saturday are good for me.
—Sarah H Friday, 08/27/2010 - 17:57 |
| OK...Angie why don't you check back with Robin to be sure that if we attend on Saturday night she can schedule a Q & A for us. If not, I am certainly willing to go on Friday (and take my chances with God and the Book of Life for the year LOL). —Barbara K Friday, 08/27/2010 - 16:19 |
| Thanks, Ruthie! And Sarah, that's too bad that you can't make the play. For those of us who are going to play, why not plan for the Saturday evening performance. That way, Barbara won't have a conflict with Yom Kippur. —Janny Friday, 08/27/2010 - 16:14 |
| I can go to either the Friday night or Saturday play. —Sarah H Friday, 08/27/2010 - 13:18 |
On another note: "Savvy readers read the classics anyway. Why? Because they're free. From Aesop to "Zarathustra." From "Hamlet" to "Huckleberry Finn." They won't cost you a penny. These books are outside of copyright. Just go to Gutenberg.org and download them. Thousands of them. And they're better than most of the stuff published more recently anyway..."
-link- —Ruth Friday, 08/27/2010 - 05:51 |
| OK...let's target our date for the play as soon as possible so we can coordinate seeing the play and scheduling our Q&A session. I will attend on Friday or Saturday if that works for folks. I will reach out to Sarah to make sure she knows what we are planning. I am also going to speak to some other friends to see if they want to join us. —Barbara K Friday, 08/27/2010 - 05:27 |
| Since I will be unable to attend the actual book club at Angie's because of my class schedule, I would love to see the play. Friday or Saturday, 9/17 and 9/18 work for me. —Janny Friday, 08/27/2010 - 03:48 |
| Hi all, I can't commit to either the play or the book discussion at Angie's house in September because of family medical issues (requiring hospitalization). I'm going to try to make 9/22 at Angie's. Enjoy the play! —Ruth Thursday, 08/26/2010 - 15:48 |
Guys...Yom Kippur begins on Friday night Sept.17 and ends Saturday evening Sept. 18, I don't know how observant anyone is ...
I would prefer NOT to go on Friday night Sept. 17...but if it is the best time for everyone, I will attend that night. What a wonderful opportunity for us! We will have to develop good questions and look smart! —Barbara K Thursday, 08/26/2010 - 15:31 |
Great meeting last night ladies!
I received a message from Robin similar to the one Sarah posted yesterday. I contacted her to let her know that we would be reading The Sunday Also Rises as our next book and that we were going to try to organize a group trip to see the play. She has offered to arrange a Q&A for us with the artists after the show. So... who would like to go and what night would work the best? Our options are Wed. 9/15, Thurs. 9/16, Fri. 9/17 and Sat. 9/17. —Angie Thursday, 08/26/2010 - 11:17 |
Hello!
My name is Robin Barnes. I’m writing in hopes you can share an offer to your book club members (and all others you know who love literature) for our upcoming presentation of The Sunday Also Rises based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway.
Created and performed by acclaimed New York ensemble Elevator Repair Service, they use only the novel's words to create a full theatrical production (the company's stage interpretations of classic American novels by F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner, and now Ernest Hemingway have garnered critical acclaim across the world). This will be the centerpiece theater work of the 2010 Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe.
Performances take place from September 15-18 at the Arts Bank in Center City Philadelphia.
Tickets are $25-$30 ($15 for students), however you can save 20% on tickets by using the discount code bookclub when ordering in advance online or by phone.
Full details are here on our site: -link-? —Sarah H Wednesday, 08/25/2010 - 12:42 |
Sorry, Janny. Mine is Leo Bersani.
We'll miss you, Sarah. Enjoy dinner! —Angie Tuesday, 08/24/2010 - 18:16 |
| Just checked my copy of Madame Bovary, Janny...it's by Francis Steegmuller. Sorry...I know that is not the edition which you are looking for. —Barbara K Tuesday, 08/24/2010 - 15:04 |
| As someone with a small living space and way too many books, and as the owner of Amazon's Kindle, I have been following this issue very closely. If you love reading, you will love e-books. And, the ability to search for, find, and download a book in 30 seconds, no matter where I am? Priceless! Jason Epstein, longtime publisher has an excellent review of the issues in the New York Review of Books. See: -link-. Beyond that: bathtubs may be the book's best friend in the long run. —Jan Friday, 08/20/2010 - 08:49 |
| Interesting article about books (paper and electronic versions) on NPR: -link- —Ruth Friday, 08/20/2010 - 06:16 |
| When I initially suggested a farewell get together for Sarah I was thinking some time in the fall. Given that the latter part of August is a busy time, I vote for holding off till October or November. —Ervin Tuesday, 08/10/2010 - 09:40 |
| I skipped the intro. also...really cumbersome to read. Enjoying the story. —Barbara K Sunday, 08/08/2010 - 15:21 |
| Sounds like a good idea to plan it when we are together face to face. See you next book club. I'm REALLY enjoying The Scarlet Letter. I hope others are, too. The introduction was horrid so I skipped it. I'm so glad I did. —Sarah H Sunday, 08/08/2010 - 14:32 |
| I agree, I think we should try to plan this when we are face to face ...we have time and ought to plan for a time that is less hectic. —Barbara K Saturday, 08/07/2010 - 17:27 |
| I agree with Angie - if it's okay with Sarah, I think delaying our pot luck celebration may be easier to schedule in the fall for some of us. I know the rest of August and Sept. are busy for me. —Ruth Saturday, 08/07/2010 - 14:20 |
I don't get off work until 5, so that wouldn't be an option for me.
Maybe, since Sarah isn't leaving until the first of the year, we could put this off until October. That would put it past summer vacation and first of the school year craziness, but before the holiday rush starts. We might be able to get a larger group together that way. —Angie Saturday, 08/07/2010 - 08:38 |
| Would it be easier to plan the potluck dinner before a book club meeting? For example, have dinner at Jan's at 5pm before the Sept. Wednesday night meeting. Just an idea. Then, again, maybe 7 is even a push for people on a weekday night. —Sarah H Saturday, 08/07/2010 - 06:31 |
I can make Aug. 15th,; 22nd & probably 29th are out.
Good idea, Jan. —Ervin Friday, 08/06/2010 - 13:15 |
| I can do the 22 and the 29. —Janny Friday, 08/06/2010 - 07:16 |
| I can make Aug. 15...but not 21 or 22. I think this will have to work on a majority rules basis... Weekend of 28 abd 29 also works for me... —Barbara K Thursday, 08/05/2010 - 13:24 |
| We're planning to get away for a little while as soon as Alberto's summer semester is over. We haven't finalized dates yet, but it will be one of the two weekends Sarah mentioned. If a date for Sarah's dinner is chosen before A and I decide what we are doing, I will plan around it, otherwise - I may or may not be able to make it. —Angie Thursday, 08/05/2010 - 12:55 |
| We should probably follow Sarah's open dates since she is the guest of honor. However, none of them work for me -- so I'll see anyone coming to the next discussion, including Sarah, at my house on Wed. 8/25 @ 7 pm. —Ruth Thursday, 08/05/2010 - 11:41 |
| Aug. 14, 28, 29 do not work for me. The 15, 21, and 22 right now look good. —Sarah H Thursday, 08/05/2010 - 10:29 |
| Okay, comrades, let's try to get this done. Which of the next three Saturdays or Sundays (in August) work best for people? —Jan Thursday, 08/05/2010 - 09:49 |
| This sounds like fun! Weeknights are better for me. Hopefully, we can figure this out. Thanks for the suggestion and for hosting, Jan! —Janny Wednesday, 08/04/2010 - 16:37 |
| Oh, yeah, Angie... bring Dante and that other guy, Alberto, who you hang out with too, if you wish. Love to have everyone. That goes for all spouses, including and especially, Eric, who has sometimes added his wry take to our readings. —Jan Wednesday, 08/04/2010 - 10:09 |
| Wonderful response. Except for this Friday I am open through the rest of August. Then I am booked from Sept. 3 through the 17th. Weekdays and Sunday nights are possible too, as long as I know far enough in advance. —Jan Wednesday, 08/04/2010 - 10:06 |
I love the potluck idea as well!
After mid-Sept., it will be tough for me to get solo time on the weekends, but if no one minds me bringing a date (Dante, of course), a wekeend get-together would be great. —Angie Wednesday, 08/04/2010 - 07:48 |
| I concur with Barbara that potluck dinner at Jan's to honor Sarah is a great idea and lovely invitation. August is getting busy for me, so I hope it's later since Sarah will still be in the Phila. vicinity for awhile. —Ruth Wednesday, 08/04/2010 - 07:04 |
| Oh, Jan, what a great idea and a lovely invitation. I second this idea...a potluck dinner at Jan's! —Barbara K Tuesday, 08/03/2010 - 15:27 |
| Count me in on the dinner. In fact, I would be glad to host a potluck at my house, this month or later. More relaxed, less expensive, more intimate, less pressed for time. But, I will follow the group's wishes. I know I will miss the group's muse when she goes to Beantown. —Jan Tuesday, 08/03/2010 - 08:44 |
| I would love to have dinner with everyone. I'm going to miss you guys and gals like crazy! If you want to wait until after Aug., it will have to be on a weekend. I know scheduling things on the weekend can be a little difficult for some. I love you all. —Sarah H Tuesday, 08/03/2010 - 05:17 |
| I think dinner is a great idea...but Sarah is not leaving until beginning of next year...so we have time to plan something nice and special. —Barbara K Tuesday, 08/03/2010 - 04:54 |
I concur, Erv and Angie!
And thanks, Erv. My pleasure.
Sarah, would you enjoy dinner with your book club members? (Not to put you on the spot or anything). Other members please weigh in. —Janny Tuesday, 08/03/2010 - 04:24 |
Great idea, Erv. I'm in.
Fantastic meeting last week everyone. I love that even when I don't enjoy the book, I know that I can still look forward to an interesting discussion. —Angie Monday, 08/02/2010 - 18:05 |
Janny, as always you were the perfect gracious host.
A suggestion: Why don't we take Sarah out for dinner as a farewell before her departure for Boston.
If you're in, please indicate.
Erv —Ervin Sunday, 08/01/2010 - 17:01 |
| It was a good meeting! We benefitted by having Ervin back and by having new members. Glad you chose coming to the meeting last night, Barbara. Even when I do not enjoy reading the book itself, I always enjoy discussing it with our book club. Thanks, too, for your generousity, everyone! —Janny Thursday, 07/29/2010 - 06:13 |
| Truly enjoyed our meeting last night. Nice to see everyone and thanks to our new members who contributed a great deal! —Barbara K Thursday, 07/29/2010 - 05:52 |
I am interested in the following events. Would anyone like to go with me?
Free Fairmount Concert series at the Mann Center: Tues. Aug. 3 11:00am Rhapsody of Rock
Mann Center Tues. Aug. 10 11:00am Dance Voyage
Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania $7 Monday, July 26 or
Tuesday, July 27 or
Wednesday, July 28
10 am-4 pm
Ballet X
Saturday, July 24 @ 2 pm
The Wilma Theater $15 —Sarah H Friday, 07/23/2010 - 14:52 |
| Hi Sarah, Unfortunately August 1st I'm working but if you (or anyone else) would like to join Janny and I to the museum on Thursday August 12th, we're shooting for that date. I'm so happy I've found a group of diverse, SMART, interesting women! I will miss you all at this month's group. ENJOY! Best, —Jennifer Wednesday, 07/21/2010 - 10:56 |
| If you're willing to go the first Sunday in August, I could join you. I would love to go. If that doesn't work for you, no worries. —Sarah H Wednesday, 07/21/2010 - 09:52 |
| Thanks Janny! Yes, I LOVE Temple Grandin's work! Does Thursday August 12th around 12noon work with your schedule for a Philly Museum visit? I will really miss this month's group. I know that we're far away from discussing next month's book choice but since I won't be at the group I was wondering if anyone would be interested in reading Walden by Thoreau. I've always wanted to read it in it's entirety. Just a suggestion...if noone's interested I'm open for whatever else everyone decides on! Hope all is well with everyone! —Jennifer Tuesday, 07/20/2010 - 11:48 |
Good luck in your new job, Jennifer! You will be missed! Barbara, I am pleased that you chose to attend our forth-coming book cub meeting! On another note:
I would like to join you, Jennifer, on one of your museum excursions in August if the date works out for me. And, since you enjoy writing about animals, I am curious to know if you are familiar with Temple Grandin's work?
Tah-tah for now. —Janny Tuesday, 07/20/2010 - 08:29 |
| Barbara...I will definitely Google Madame Bovary, thanks for the suggestion! I checked Block Buster (I know...fleeting attempt :) for the Chabrol film and as I suspected, they didn't have it. I don't belong to NetFlix. By the way...To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my all time favorite books! I hope you all enjoy the group discussion and sorry for not being able to attend. I look forward to seeing what next month's read is! One last thing...I'm on this very creative tangent right now with my writing and painting and if anyone from group would like to go to the Philly Museum or Philly Zoo (I write a lot about animals) one day in August, please let me know! Thanks. —Jennifer Sunday, 07/18/2010 - 12:55 |
| Hey, guys...just wanted to share with you that I spent the weekend reading To Kill a Mockingbird and it is an absolutely glorious book. In many ways, the style reminds me of Madame Bovary! I am very much looking forward to our meeting! —Barbara K Sunday, 07/18/2010 - 07:23 |
| Ahhh, Jennifer, sorry you can't be there. If you Google Madame Bovary you can find some good background info. and questions that help you think through more of the issues in the book. Did you ever rent the Chabrol film of Bovary? —Barbara K Sunday, 07/18/2010 - 04:26 |
| Hi All! I've just read the last few days of postings. As it turns out, I was hired at a new job and am scheduled to work the evening of Wednesday, July 28th. Just like Barbara, I can't be in two places at once and given it's a new position, I'm not at liberty to start flexing me schedule. I wanted to post this notice asap so aomeone else that wants to attend can take my place. I LOVED the book and wish I could be there for the discussion. Hope you are all staying cool in this heat! Best, Jennifver —Jennifer Saturday, 07/17/2010 - 16:29 |
| Ahh, the blessed power of persuation works again. : ) —Janny Saturday, 07/17/2010 - 06:54 |
| LOL, Janny! What a compelling invitiation! Thank you! I will probably be at Book Club! Too good a book to miss the discussion! —Barbara K Saturday, 07/17/2010 - 06:25 |
| Ervin. you are welcome to come to book club. Barbara, you can't be in 2 places at once, so come to my house for book club. You love the book, so come and discuss it with us. Pretty please. —Janny Friday, 07/16/2010 - 18:40 |
Hi people... Finally a book that peaks my interest & I'd like to attend but the boat is full. Oh, well, such is life.
Maybe at some future date.
Erv —Ervin Thursday, 07/15/2010 - 09:59 |
Oh Gosh, guys...I have a conflict for the night of Madame Bovary...a chance to see a performance of Carmen from the Metropolitan Opera in HD film with my Classical Music Group.... but I LOVED Madame Bovary and I am anxious to discuss it with the group. Hmmmm...how to be in two places at once?
OK...I'm giving this some serious thought. Hope you all read the book! —Barbara K Wednesday, 07/14/2010 - 04:40 |
Hi, Jennifer.
Glad you enjoyed the meeting! I have not seen Madame Bovary as a movie, but I Googled it and there were two versions. The original, directed by Vincente Minnelli, was done in 1949. It stars Jennifer Jones and James Mason (James Mason, incidently, played HH in the original Lolita which is by far the better movie!). There is a 1991 version directed by Claude Chabrol which stars Isabel Huppert which I would bet would be excellent. So, take your pick and enjoy! —Barbara K Saturday, 06/12/2010 - 11:27 |
| Hi There! I just wanted to say it was a pleasure meeting all of you this past Tuesday evening! I really enjoyed everyone's view on H.H. from Lolita and finally meeting most of you in person. I've had technical trouble the past few days with my computer otherwise I would have posted this note earlier. I look forward to reading Madame Bovary (just bought it!) and seeing everyone again on July 28th...(is that the correct date for our next group?). Also, Barbara, I think you mentioned there was a Mdm. Bovary movie? I'd like to rent it after I finish the book. Is there just one adaptation? If not, which one would you recommend? Thanks! —Jennifer Friday, 06/11/2010 - 16:20 |
| As disappointed as I am that I won't be able to be there, I think that is the right call, Sarah. Have a great time everyone! —Angie Thursday, 06/03/2010 - 07:21 |
| I can be there either night. I!just restated my availability because I knew how important it was for all of us to be there. So sorry for the confusion everyone. —Janny Wednesday, 06/02/2010 - 19:19 |
| It's so tempting to reschedule, but I know our 2 new members have worked hard to be able to attend. I want to make sure they are still able to join us. I'm so sorry I won't be able to see you, Angie and Janny. —Sarah H Wednesday, 06/02/2010 - 14:10 |
| Thanks guys, but I wasn’t asking for you to reschedule again. I just wanted to let you know that I wasn’t going to be able to make it. If the 9th works for everyone else, I wouldn’t be opposed to a change, but please don’t feel like it has to happen. —Angie Wednesday, 06/02/2010 - 07:20 |
| OMG...well, June 9 works for me, but we can only change this if everyone who has already RSVP'd agrees. —Barbara K Tuesday, 06/01/2010 - 12:21 |
| Is everyone available on June 9, Wednesday which was the originally scheduled date (I think).My work schedule changed. —Janny Tuesday, 06/01/2010 - 09:05 |
| UGH! I just found out a few minutes ago that Cordelia's end-of-year choir concert is the night of the 8th. I am never going to get to talk about this book :) Everyone please keep excellent notes and fill me in later. —Angie Tuesday, 06/01/2010 - 08:39 |
| I look forward to attending, discussing Lolita and finally meeting the group of what sounds like wonderful women!
—Jennifer Thursday, 05/20/2010 - 15:00 |
| YAY! I'm glad we changed the date and that we will have a big crowd! —Barbara K Thursday, 05/20/2010 - 14:26 |
| June 1 isn't good for me, although I can cancel something else I have if that is the best date for everyone. I am good for Tuesday June 8. How is that for everyone? —Barbara K Wednesday, 05/19/2010 - 15:51 |
| Tuesdays are good for me, except the 15th. Alberto's birthday. —Angie Wednesday, 05/19/2010 - 12:42 |
| Tuesdays are good for me. I could do Tues. June 1, 8, or 15. —Sarah H Wednesday, 05/19/2010 - 12:32 |
| Guys...Mondays or Tuesdays are good for me...and it looks like Lolita is a book we MUST be talking about...so ... maybe Tuesday, June 8 or Tuesday, June 15? Janny, Sarah, Angie...what say you? —Barbara K Wednesday, 05/19/2010 - 12:03 |
Hi Everyone,
I am unavailable June 16th. It is my anniversary, but I do want to discuss this book. Wed, Thurs, and Friday are my regularly scheduled evenings. If I stay there I will never be able to come to a meeting Wednesday nights. I realize I am a fairly new member and Wed. was the established night when I joined the group. Is there the possibility of a Monday or Tuesday night meeting even just for Lolita? What is everyone's availablity like for either of those evenings though June?
On another note: Jennifer please do not worry about your "flake factor" at this time. Come to the next book club meeting and we'll discuss that with you : ). Thanks guys! —Janny Wednesday, 05/19/2010 - 05:11 |
Thanks, Barb. I would also be happy to host on the 9th.
I do hope we can find a good date for this meeting, because I am very eager to discuss it. It is one of those books that simply must be talked about. —Angie Wednesday, 05/19/2010 - 05:05 |
Sarah,
I think it is important that Angie be able to attend the next book club discussion. If the 9th is a problem for you to host I can do it. I can host on June 9, 16, or 23...whatever works best for the group. —Barbara K Tuesday, 05/18/2010 - 17:02 |
| I can't do June 16. It is graduation day at Alberto's school, which means he and most of my regular babysitters will be unavailable to watch Dante. Any chance we could try for the 9th instead? —Angie Tuesday, 05/18/2010 - 16:01 |
| Oh my goodness...well I hope we can get a group together for June 16...because I really love reading this book and want to be able to discuss it! —Barbara K Tuesday, 05/18/2010 - 13:54 |
I am canceling book club for this month. It's funny. It's like the curse of Lolita. The last time I hosted Lolita, attendance was a problem, too. Strange.
I would like to discuss this book with more people. Since the next few weeks are tough for everyone, let's just move it to next month. I propose June 16. Please let me know if that works for you or not. I can't do any later because I will be traveling for a few weeks. —Sarah H Tuesday, 05/18/2010 - 13:35 |
| My daughter is returning home from Egypt next week, and it gets busier after then for a few weeks because of graduation, family medical issues, so please don't reschedule just for me. —Ruth Tuesday, 05/18/2010 - 08:15 |
| I can make it this week or next...please let me know ASAP what you are doing so I can properly arrange my schedule. —Barbara K Tuesday, 05/18/2010 - 08:05 |
| I'm okay with pushing back a week if that works for everyone else. —Angie Tuesday, 05/18/2010 - 06:48 |
| It looks like only two others besides me will be able to make the Wednesday meeting this week. Can we move it to next week? Let me know what you think. Thanks! —Sarah H Monday, 05/17/2010 - 14:02 |
| I really enjoyed our meeting last night. Thanks always for providing bright, insightful discussion! Looking forward to our next meeting in May. —Barbara K Thursday, 04/22/2010 - 03:34 |
| Thanks, Sarah! I enjoyed the article very much. Gives us new information to discuss when we meet! —Barbara K Sunday, 04/04/2010 - 06:48 |
Check out this article about scientific insight into why we like to read fiction. The first page is so-so. The second page of the article is interesting, I think.
-link- —Sarah H Saturday, 04/03/2010 - 10:54 |
Hi everyone. As originally promised, I'm posting about Lantern Theater's (a great little theater that focuses on the classics) production of Henry IV. Dates are from April 1 - May 2nd (the latter dates usually offer 1/2 prices). I've gone to 3-4 previous theater productions & found them to be of high quality.
If there's group interest we can do dessert or a meal along with the show. First week there's usually director's discussion of play. Tickets tend to run in the $20s. Please let me know if you're interested & if its midweek (cheaper) or weekend performances. —Ervin Monday, 03/29/2010 - 11:16 |
| Sarah and Angie, as we have agreed I have changed the date to April 21, 2010. It gives us another week to be prepared to discuss our Epic! —Barbara K Saturday, 03/27/2010 - 05:23 |
| Janny, I am really sorry you can't make it! If we rescheduled for the following week would that work for you (although I would have to check with the others to see if that would be ok for them)? I am away the week before, so that can't work. If we don't see you in April, hope to see you in May! —Barbara K Thursday, 03/18/2010 - 17:17 |
Hi there, everyone,
I just want to let you know that I do, in fact, have an important rehearsal on Wednesday, April 14 since that is our hell week and we open on the 16th. I thought we opened the week later, unfortunately. I am so sorry to inform you of this since I was really looking forward to the up coming book discussion. I hope to see you on the next go 'round. PS Barbara, I was really looking forward to coming to your home. —Janny Thursday, 03/18/2010 - 08:07 |
| As always, Jan, your input is appreciated. Hope you will be joining us! —Barbara K Wednesday, 03/10/2010 - 15:29 |
| Here's some words from your ghost member... Stephen Mitchell has a translation. I would read any thing by him. He has a great translation of the New Testament, poetry from the Sandscritt, and my faves, lovlely translations of Rilke's poetry. Also, years ago John Gardner, the novelist, did a translation that is supposed to be pretty damned good. Boo! —Jan Wednesday, 03/10/2010 - 12:57 |
| God Bless all of you! I don't think it makes that much difference which version one reads...but we are going to need some background information and additional resources to make sense of this one! I will do some additional researching. I am looking forward to discussing this very much! —Barbara K Monday, 03/08/2010 - 13:12 |
As always, and with so many things in life, there are too many choices!
Its always interesting and helpful to the group that different editions of the books we choose to read, are read. It adds perspective and interest. I am looking forward to listening to those who will be reading a different edition than I. Cheers! —Janny Monday, 03/08/2010 - 09:13 |
| I was looking at different versions online. It looks like the book that you recommended, Jan, has a lot of great reference material, but several of the reviews said that this particular translation was more "accessible" than others and perfect for high school and college students. I've found with other books we’ve read that "accessible" usually means that the flavor of the original language was sacrificed in favor of readability. There are arguments to be made for both accessibility and accuracy, so I’ll let everyone make up their own mind as to which they would prefer. I just wanted to throw the information out there. —Angie Monday, 03/08/2010 - 06:04 |
| Hey, guys...I was looking at different editions of Gilgamesh at Borders last night. The Penguin Edition has a very nice introduction and a time line to help make sense of the time period of the poem. I think we are going to need additional reference material other than the Epic poem alone. I will also pick up Sparks' Notes. —Barbara K Saturday, 03/06/2010 - 08:03 |
I LOVE the original movie Wall Street...every time I watch it I get more out of it. Gordon Gecko (MIchael Douglas) was the classic Master of the Universe at that time and would most certainly have quoted Sunday Tzu. I told you, it was very big in sales then!
(PS fogive my typos in my post yesterday...there's no way to correct a mistake...I am embarrased that I wrote SUNDAY TZU! Don't know what I was thinking!). —Barbara K Friday, 03/05/2010 - 04:40 |
| Hi all, I was talking about "The Art of War" with a colleague, who reminded me that Michael Douglas's character in "Wall Street" referred to it. The sequel is coming out soon - if you see it or the trailers, note his cell phone that is returned when he leaves prison. :-) Anyway, thanks for coming despite the challengies of directions and the effects of my long, busy week on me after 10 p.m. or so. —Ruth Friday, 03/05/2010 - 02:24 |
| Hey, guys. I was listening to Terry Gross on NPR this afternoon and she had an interview with a reporter who was embedded with a unit in Iraq. This unit faced the greatest casualties to any one unit Iraq. The soldiers became so angry and unmanageable they refused to follow orders. One of the commanders commited suicide! She just wrote a book, "They Fought for Each Other" to discuss these events. All I could think of was all the lessons of Sunday Tzu! Amazing! —Barbara K Thursday, 03/04/2010 - 12:50 |
Hi! It was a very enlightening and fun meeting last night. I realize just how much I appreciate being a part of this group.
The edition I have of The Epic of Gigamesh is translated by Danny P. Jackson, and is published by Bolchazy-Carducci. ISBN-978-086516-352-2. This is the recommended edition of the professors in the program Natalie is in. Just a suggestion. See you next month. —Janny Thursday, 03/04/2010 - 04:55 |
Message from Barbara:
Hey, guys...I have heard reports about snow on Wednesday. We need to set up a "phone tree" or some messaging system to contact one another in case we need to cancel/reschedule our book club.
Ruth, I have Angie and Sarah's numbers...so you can reach me (609-790-5097) and I can contact them... I don't know how people may want to proceed with contacting one another in case of snow...but this is my suggestion!
Now, if only we could all do something to STOP ALL THE DARN SNOW that would be even better! —Sarah H Sunday, 02/28/2010 - 12:08 |
| I heartily concur, Jan. Wonderful discussion, as usual. It was great that everyone was able to make it. —Angie Thursday, 02/04/2010 - 12:33 |
| Hey, Ruth! You got the event posted right away! Wonderful! I'm going to start my reading this weekend. Looking forward to our meeting. —Barbara K Thursday, 02/04/2010 - 12:22 |
| What a great group, and dicussion we had last night. The whole club showed up! Seems like we have the opposite problem of "lame excuses." Keep it up, gang. Thanks. —Jan Thursday, 02/04/2010 - 12:18 |
| I rented Cheri from Netflix. —Jan Tuesday, 02/02/2010 - 19:09 |
Jennifer,
It is hard to find Cheri On Demand...it is Comcast On Demand not HBO. Go to the Comcast On Demand site and I went in either under All Movies (you have to pay for it...it is not free at this time) or under Romance. —Barbara K Tuesday, 02/02/2010 - 15:27 |
| Jennifer, Relax. We accept flakes such as the rest of us, and only tolerate non-flakes. Sounds like you are taking good care of your fiance. Not by any chance a May/September romance? Just kidding. —Jan Tuesday, 02/02/2010 - 12:30 |
| Hi all, I watched the movie too, and I think I may know which part of the movie that Barbara is referring to as not as well adapted from the book as other scenes. Agree that the sets and costumes were magnificent. —Ruth Friday, 01/29/2010 - 08:32 |
| Hey, guys...I watched the movie Cheri twice...is it fun! To see the characters on screen is delicious! The costumes, the sets! Very good adaptation of the book...except for one part which I'd like to discuss with group! See ya' Wednesday! —Barbara K Friday, 01/29/2010 - 06:00 |
Barb, Thanks for the heads up. It will be fun to watch the movie after I finish the book.
Sarah, You have certainly not failed us. You've had so much going on.. for the last couple of years now. And I don't think there has been much push to be more organized until very recently.
I think that geting together to have a discussion about the direction of the the group is a great idea, but I think it we should schedule that separately from our book discussion meeting. So many good ideas have come up and I would love to discuss them in depth without feeling tired or rushed to get home. It may not be necessary in the future, but at least for this initial discussion. I know everyone else's schedules are pretty tight, so it may not be feasable, but that would be my suggestion.
Jan, I don't think it is necessary to post both here and Facebook. I post there more often, because I am already there and my thoughts tend to run past 1000 characters. Verbosity 'r' me. But I read everything posted here as well. —Angie Friday, 01/22/2010 - 08:12 |
| I was just thinking after the last book club meeting that I should probably take notes during our brainstorming sessions when we throw out so many phenomenal book titles. Alas, I feel that perhaps I have failed the club in my lack of organization. If someone would like to take on a secretary type role or even leader in this aspect of planning and strategizing and organizing that would be FANTASTIC! I'm a bit overwhelmed at the moment with my change in jobs. Sorry. —Sarah H Thursday, 01/21/2010 - 14:46 |
| I would LOVE to read The Art of War and The Prince for our next book club meeting! I think we need to talk about direction when we are all together. I don't think anything has gone any further than our discussions on Facebook. —Barbara K Thursday, 01/21/2010 - 14:31 |
| Hey, Book-Buddies- Are we prepared to discuss the next direction for the group? Where are we now in that discussion? What have we decided? Hitherto untouched literatures? The Great Books lists passed around recently. Let's talk and decide. And must one post everything twice, here and on Facebook? —Jan Thursday, 01/21/2010 - 09:34 |
| Thanks for the tip, Barbara —Jan Thursday, 01/21/2010 - 09:30 |
| Folks, wanted to let you know that the movie Cheri is on HBO on Demand. It starts Michelle Pfeiffer and it got very good reviews when it came out this summer. I have just finished the book and I want to watch the film before our meeting. See ya' on the 3rd! —Barbara K Wednesday, 01/20/2010 - 15:08 |
Folks...I had put the link as mauckingbirdtheatreco.com AND THAT IS INCORRECT...IT IS
-link- —Barbara K Monday, 01/18/2010 - 17:58 |
| Guys...check out my Facebook page. A production called The Threshing Floor...a very complex look at James Baldwin at the end of his life...will be performed at the Adrienne Theater on Jan. 31, 2010. Would love to have company seeing this if anyone is interested. Check out -link-. for more info. Feel free to contact me if you are interested! —Barbara K Saturday, 01/16/2010 - 09:19 |
| Hey, guys...just wanted to let you know that our next book, Cheri by Colette had come out as a movie this past summer starring Michelle Pfeiffer. It had gotten very good reviews. So, you may want to watch movie as well as read book. I had to order book from a different library than my own. There was a copy in Barnes and Noble. —Barbara K Saturday, 01/09/2010 - 07:19 |
| Happy new year to you as well, Erv! —Barbara K Wednesday, 01/06/2010 - 09:58 |
| Just popping in to wish everyone a Happy New Year. —Ervin Tuesday, 01/05/2010 - 11:04 |
| Hi everyone! Just wanted to remind you we have planned to do our gift exchange this month in book club. I have my gift (and I would be perfectly happy to keep it if someone else neglected to bring something to exchange with me!). See you Thursday! —Barbara K Monday, 01/04/2010 - 12:42 |
| Hi Everyone! I would love to participate in a gift exchange so count me in. Also, thanks for the various suggestions and recommendations. Always helpful and interesting! —Janny Sunday, 12/13/2009 - 07:35 |
| I'd be up for a gift exchange as well. It is always fun to do this : D! —Barbara K Sunday, 12/13/2009 - 07:09 |
Sarah,
I think a gift exchange is a wonderful idea. I'm on board.
Jan, Thank you, thank you, thank you for the Joseph Fox recommendation! Not only did I just pick up a copy of Pinoccio, I found the most wonderful art books for toddlers, and they (the store, not the toddler art books) were able to score me an advanced copy of the HCL pop-up book I posted about on Facebook. What a fantastic store! —Angie Friday, 12/11/2009 - 10:16 |
| This gives me a chance to plug the best book store in the city: Joseph Fox, on Samson, between 17th and 18th. They carry just about all the New York Review reprint series, which is a great source for neglected classics. They have them on the carrosels in the back, near the archtecture books. Fabulous stuff. The whole bookstore is a trap, so be careful of your wallet! —Jan Monday, 12/07/2009 - 11:08 |
| Hey, guys, it is very hard to find this copy of Pinocchio in a book store. I ordered mine on-line from Amazon. They have used and new copies. I paid about $10 for the book (but I did have to pay for shipping). —Barbara K Monday, 12/07/2009 - 06:47 |
I would love to do a gift exchange at the next book club meeting to celebrate the holidays. Would anyone else be interested?
The ground rules would be to not spend more than $10, and be prepared to give it to either gender. —Sarah H Saturday, 12/05/2009 - 07:45 |
-link-
See the link for a historical overview of Pinocchio. —Sarah H Thursday, 12/03/2009 - 16:44 |
| Enjoyed the meeting last night. For a short, comical play, we had a good, long discussion! —Barbara K Thursday, 12/03/2009 - 05:05 |
| Hey, guys, I don't know if anybody is as corny and goofy as I am, but I just organzied a movie group event for Sing Along Sound of Music at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute. Check my movie group on this site for details. I'd love if anyone of you wanted to join me to sing off key! —Barbara K Wednesday, 11/25/2009 - 05:23 |
| The graph is so perfect! —Sarah H Tuesday, 11/17/2009 - 16:43 |
Jessica Hagy posted an entry on Frankenstein at the Indexed blog:
-link-
This is a brilliant blog if you like snarky humor with venn diagrams, graphs, and equations :) —Eric Tuesday, 11/17/2009 - 08:52 |
| Hey, folks...I am reading The Picture of Dorian Gray and I would strongly recommend that if you have time read this as well as the play for our next meeting. This book is FABULOUS, wonderful, delicious! It has really helped me get a much better handle on the characters in the play we are reading and Wilde's style and character focus. I find it is really helping me think of questions and issues I would like to discuss with the group! —Barbara K Saturday, 11/14/2009 - 10:34 |
| Spend money on a book that might definitively answer the question "What is a classic?" when we have so much fun arguing about it endlessly with our book group? No way! —Jan Wednesday, 11/11/2009 - 09:29 |
| I'm glad you both appreciate these resources, Barbara and Jan. I don't have them, but will check the library. Also, I think I saw that they're available via Amazon for less than $20. —Ruth Wednesday, 11/11/2009 - 09:26 |
| Those are wonderful resources, Ruth. Thank you for bringing them to our attention! If you own either (or both) please bring them to our next meeting. I have often wondered what exactly defines a classic, why the specific book we have chosen is considered a classic, and other such thoughts. These guides sound like wonderful companions to our discussions. —Barbara K Tuesday, 11/10/2009 - 15:38 |
| Sound like good guides, Ruth. Next time, why don't you bring them along. I have referred sometimes to Harold Bloom's The Western Canon, but as one might imagine, it is somewhat narrow in perspective. —Jan Tuesday, 11/10/2009 - 10:33 |
Since I'm still a newbie, I may have missed a discussion on using/rejecting the following resource for choosing classic literature:
"The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had" (2003), is a guide to reading the classic works of fiction, poetry, history, autobiography, and drama. Norton has also published "The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home" (with co-author Jessie Wise).Originally published in 1999, this bestselling guide to education in the classical tradition was revised and updated in 2004 and again in 2009.
Author Susan Wise Bauer was educated at home by pioneering parents, back when home education was still unheard of. She earned an M.A., M.Div., and Ph.D. She has taught at the College of William & Mary in Virginia for sixteen years. She also has written two series of world history books, one for adults, the other for children. —Ruth Tuesday, 11/10/2009 - 10:14 |
| Angie, I could not agree with you more. And I would be loath to distinguish between books written for children and those written for the eternal child in each of us. Look to William Blake's poems "Songs of Innocence and Experience." How about Defoes's Robinson Crueso? All literature grew up from the tales told around the fire, mostly to enchant, with mythmaking and explanations of the cosmos thrown in as an afterthought. It is the human imagination that is the wonder, not our pathetic attempts to sum it all up. This is just one man's aesthetic, but it's the truth, dammit! —Jan Tuesday, 11/10/2009 - 06:36 |
| Sticking with smaller, more manageable reads for the month of Dec. has always been our M.O., and has made it possible for me to continue to view book club as a source of pleasure rather than a source of stress this time of year. —Angie Tuesday, 11/10/2009 - 06:33 |
Erv, I too have to disagree with you on children's lit. The best children's books examine the same issues of morality and the human condition that are found in the “great works,” albeit in a way that a younger mind can relate to and understand. Two significant themes of our last book were alienation and the importance of parental approval/affection. The same themes are present in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The Giver delves into the conflict between the individual and the “greater good,” and the dark underpinnings of a utopian society every bit as well as Brave New World. If one chooses not to do the hard work of focusing on subtext and reflecting seriously on the deeper meanings of these books, it is entirely the fault of the reader, not the books themselves.
No one is suggesting that we move away from more difficult reads forever. Barbara offered what I thought was a wonderful solution to the problem of too many obligations and too little time around the holidays.
(cont.) —Angie Tuesday, 11/10/2009 - 06:24 |
Erv,
I don't know where or from whom you got the impression there are "ambiguous feelings about reading the classics." We are all in this group because this is our literature of choice. There are many definitions and lists of classics...including Classic Children's Literature. Moreover, many of the "great books" we are reading are part of the curriculum for 13, 14, and 15 year olds. Just to be open and honest with you, I feel the tone and substance of your posting was insulting and demeaning. —Barbara K Monday, 11/09/2009 - 15:57 |
| Thank you, Jan! Well said. —Barbara K Monday, 11/09/2009 - 15:07 |
Erv, You are obviously, through no fault of your own, deluded about the weight and heft of great Children's literature. Mental work? Complexity? Serious reflection? You, dear Sir, need to be reminded of the lofty matter withing this key component of the Classics. To wit: 'The time has come,' the Walrus said,
'To talk of many things:
Of shoes -- and ships -- and sealing wax --
Of cabbages -- and kings --
And why the sea is boiling hot --
And whether pigs have wings.'
Ahem, beat that, Tolstoy! —Jan Monday, 11/09/2009 - 11:08 |
| Angie, This may be becoming far too civilized. But, I accept your gracious redrawal, and thank you for you kind consideration of the puppet story. As someone suggested some time ago all classics are eventually the same i.e., the Christ story re-told, one of death, rebirth and transformation, with a bit of Jonah and the whale thrown in for good measure. —Jan Monday, 11/09/2009 - 11:01 |
Hi gang, Came back from Great Books Weekend yesterday.
I feel strongly about not doing children's stories. I always thought the main purpose of the Classics Book Club was to read the Great Works, not the little ones .
I realize there's ambigious feelings about doing the great classics - their stories & characters tend toward the complex, there's a lot of subtext that requires focus & serious reflection. All add up to mental work.
Thus, these readings are more difficult . But the rewards outweigh the difficulties - a richer appreciation of the human condition and morality issues; and great personal growth & increased sophistication that comes from immersion in the great works.
OK, I'll get off my soapbox now. —Ervin Monday, 11/09/2009 - 10:56 |
Jan, With humblest apologies, I withdraw my suggestion. Further, I promise to hide the offending tract away the next time I host. I read The Wizard of Oz once several years ago, and I don't recall the writing being remarkable enough to inspire strong feelings one way or another. I thought perhaps I was missing something, but now I suspect that the writing truly was that unremarkable, hence your distaste. I'm strangley relieved to know I can safely eliminate the entire Oz oeuvre from my must-read list.
I just read the Times review of Pinocchio that you mentioned. I had no idea just how far Disney strayed from the original story (though I can’t say I’m surprised). It sounds like a very interesting possibility. —Angie Monday, 11/09/2009 - 10:51 |
| LOL! I love when we all write to each other on the board! Well, since Jan put it so sweetly and delicately, I think we need to rule out The Wizard of Oz! —Barbara K Monday, 11/09/2009 - 08:37 |
| Dear Angie, It is with the utmost respect that I greet your suggestion, so it with a trepidation verging on horror that I want to in the most delicate way dissuade our group from selecting the book which I am sure you put forward with the best of intentions, but I feel I must speak out as I absolutely DETEST all of the writings of Mr. Baum. There, I said it, and I am very very sorry. Well, somewhat sorry... —Jan Monday, 11/09/2009 - 06:09 |
| Barbara, great suggestion on the Children's Lit! There are so many good options. I love those already suggested, but I will throw one more out there: The Wizard of Oz. —Angie Monday, 11/09/2009 - 05:31 |
| It would be great to hear some biographical info. at the meeting. I am planning to read Dorian Gray...but it seems so different than this play, I'm not sure if it will help me relate. Glad I have the group to help with discussion : )! —Barbara K Sunday, 11/08/2009 - 12:41 |
| It may help to get a compilation of Wilde's other work - poetry, "fairy tales," other plays, even his short novel, "The Picture of Dorian Gray." I may also pick up some biographical /background info, as I did with Mary Shelley. —Ruth Sunday, 11/08/2009 - 12:35 |
| I just finished reading The IMportance of Being Earnest...and we all better bone up on the time period when it was written and info. about Wilde...because I really need more context in order to understand this play! HELP! —Barbara K Sunday, 11/08/2009 - 11:12 |
| I'm glad this idea is getting such a positive response! —Barbara K Sunday, 11/08/2009 - 04:33 |
| Jan, those are SUPER ideas! I think it would be very interesting to read Pinocchio. And I haven't read Wind in the Willows in decades! I think we definitely have some options to look at (we can also include Alice in Wonderland!). —Barbara K Saturday, 11/07/2009 - 10:03 |
| Barbara, I think that is a great idea. But, please NOT MARGARET. How 'bout something more substantial but clearly classic like Wind in the Willows, something by E. Nesbitt (The Railway Children, Five Children and It). There is a new translation issued by New York Review of "Pinocchio" that is supposed to be excellent. I bought the paperback edition some months ago but have yet to pick it up and read it. Apparently, it is much more subtle a story than the Disney version. Duh! —Jan Saturday, 11/07/2009 - 07:05 |
| Hey, Guys...I was thinking of something light to pick for our end of the year/beginning of the year next meeting...I was thinking what if we did Children's Literature...I have never read Where the Wild Things Are or In the Night Kitchen. Or what if we read Judy Blume's "Hey God, It's Me, Margaret." Any thoughts? —Barbara K Friday, 11/06/2009 - 14:46 |
| Thanks, Barbara. It was my pleasure and thanks to those who brought libations and treats. Glad it was worth it for you! Looking forward to our next meeting at Erv's. —Janny Friday, 11/06/2009 - 10:46 |
Janny,
Thank you for the lovely hosting job you did last night! Your home is beautiful and I love being able to sit around a table and discuss our book. Great discussion...great food...which made up for the part of the evening where my Phillies lost the game! Oh well...wait till next year! —Barbara K Thursday, 11/05/2009 - 13:31 |
| Hey, guys...I am planning on attending the meeting...hope traffic isn't too bad because of SEPTA strike. I may need to check out the TV from time to time to see what is happening with game. And, I'm out the door at 9 PM : - )! Thanks for understanding! —Barbara K Tuesday, 11/03/2009 - 12:26 |
Janny--you are so adorable.
"Just an aside: I do have a TV on the first floor for anyone who wants to keep up with the game, should there be one. " (Janny) —Sarah H Saturday, 10/31/2009 - 08:55 |
I'm fine with the scheduled date.
Probably, one of us should contact the Phillies & let them know that the Wednesday game conflicts with our bookclub meeting & ask them to change the game date. —Ervin Friday, 10/30/2009 - 06:51 |
Janny,
Thanks for your patience...we must seem a little bit nuts to you : )! —Barbara K Thursday, 10/29/2009 - 15:01 |
| Just an aside: I do have a TV on the first floor for anyone who wants to keep up with the game, should there be one. —Janny Thursday, 10/29/2009 - 12:03 |
| OK. I'll see all who can make it at my house on Wednesday, November 4 at 7:00PM as previously planned. We will miss those not in attendance and will look forward to seeing them at the next book club meeting : ). —Janny Thursday, 10/29/2009 - 12:00 |
Guys...I can't believe all the posts happened and I missed them! I was wondering if anyone was going to respond to the Phillies issue...and after having my comment on there for about a week, I figured it was a non-isse.
I DO NOT expect any changes to be made in scheduling the meeting. If this were 3 or 4 weeks before the meeting, I could see changing it...but at this late date, don't do that to yourselves...it is too complicated. Besides, we don't even know if there will be a game that night! Keep the meeting at the appointed time...I will try to make it! —Barbara K Thursday, 10/29/2009 - 11:30 |
| Ok, I don't really hear anyone screaming that yes they would like to reschedule. It sounds like it possibly would not be necessary anyway. Thus, it sounds like we should keep it as is. I would be worried that rescheduling would make us lose even more than we are already losing. —Sarah H Thursday, 10/29/2009 - 10:32 |
| Just my 2 cents. If we are to change it, I can't make it on Mondays or Tuesdays. 11/11 is fine for me (this is a problem for Angie). Friday is the beginning of the Fall book retreat, so I wouldn't be able to do it. Whatever you people come up with is fine with me, including my unavailability. —Ervin Thursday, 10/29/2009 - 07:29 |
| Hi everyone. I have been quite the voyeur here-just sitting back and seeing how this all pans out. I must, at this point, give my POV. This month's meeting was difficult schedule from the begining. We are already a week past the regularly scheduled meeting, no? Angie suggested 11/3 or 11/6. 11/3 works for me. Is anyone else interested in 11/3? If not then I will suggest Wednesday, 11/11. Please let me know which, if any of these dates work for you. If not, fellow members of the club who have had experience with this kind of thing in the past, please advise. Since the event will be at my house, I am unsure how to proceed. Thanks so much for your timely input! —Janny Thursday, 10/29/2009 - 07:01 |
I don't think it is going to be an issue, because Jimmy Rollins has already assured us that the series will only go 5 games.
All feelings about sports aside, I'm thinking we should consider postponing. I'm really excited to discuss this book and with Erv already a maybe and Jan out, losing Barb's perspective as well would be very disappointing to me. That said, I am out of town on the 11th, and I would be terribly disappointed to not be able to make the meeting myself. So, in my perfect world, where everything revolves around my wishes ;) I would reschedule on Tuesday - 11/3, Friday 11/6(to avoid WS action) or Tuesday 11/10. But I will bow to the wisdom of the group. —Angie Thursday, 10/29/2009 - 06:30 |
Sarah, I'm of 2 minds about the Phillies vs. the bookclub meeting. Of course, bookclub discussions are much more important & meaningful than any sports event. For those with Philly fever, taping is an option that allows you to do both.
I, personally, have come to view professional sports as primarily business enterprises (I've been reading John Dewey, which is leading me to wax philosophic. So, my apologies for my transgression). There's no team anymore in professional sports. Just a collection of athletes providing the illusion of there being a team. The owners call it the Philadelphia Phillies but they threaten to relocate every time their lease expires, unless a new stadium is built for them on the public dime. This proves there is no Philadelphia inherent in what they do, just a transient location. They play in the evening, in cold, unplayable weather, just so they can get more TV eyeballs.
WHEW. All that said, if the meeting were changed, I wouldn't strenously object. —Ervin Wednesday, 10/28/2009 - 14:07 |
| Erv, It would be interesting to hear your interpretation of Frankenstein through the prism of Dewey's pragmatism, but unfortunately I will not be able to make it to the meeting. Have fun, gang! —Jan Wednesday, 10/28/2009 - 11:53 |
| Will anyone else want to see the Phillies play and need to miss the bookclub if the world series is still going at that time? —Sarah H Wednesday, 10/28/2009 - 10:45 |
| Hi Gang, just want to let everyone know that there's a 50+% chance I'll be able to make the Frankenstein meeting. I'm plowing through the 3rd book, John Dewey's Art as Experience & if I can finish it & read 2-3 chapters of Shelley, I'll come. —Ervin Wednesday, 10/28/2009 - 09:13 |
| Guys, I just need you to know...our book club meeting is scheduled on what could be Game 6 of the World Series featuring the Phillies. If it comes down to a game 6...and if we could possibly win it that night...I will NOT be at book club...I will cheerfully take the Flake Factor demerit to watch my team! —Barbara K Thursday, 10/22/2009 - 06:33 |
| I have just ordered a copy of Frankenstein from Borders. It is ISBN #0486475824. I found it on the Borders' website. The book "includes an unabridged text of the classic novel plus a complete study guide. Chapter by chapter summaries, explanations and discussion of plot as well as a question and answer section. You can order from the Borders' site...but there is a shipping charge. I am a Border's club member, so I received a discount on the book. The book is only $5.99. —Barbara K Saturday, 10/10/2009 - 11:54 |
| I think we need to determine where to find the 1818 version...if it has to be ordered on Amazon (as Angie found she had to do), you gotta do it fast! I have an 1832 version which I am going to read. I am aware of some of the differences in copy, so it will be interesting to get both perspecitves. Also, go to your local libraries and check what they have. —Barbara K Saturday, 10/10/2009 - 05:58 |
| Wow! What interesting dialogue. I have felt compelled to just read and learn. And what I have discovered is that I would like to read the 1818 version if it is available. I will check the Borders and Barnes and Noble in my area. I am happy that I am not the only one in our group to have not started the book. Do we have a collective decision on the 1818 version? I think if this is an importantt piece to our discussion that we had better decide soon for obvious reasons : ). —Janny Saturday, 10/10/2009 - 04:58 |
Wow, Angie...you have really researched this and I appreciate it! I can go over to Borders right near me and see if they have a copy. I'll write down the publishing information and then maybe I can discover on-line which version it is. I figured out the one I have by a forward that was written and dated.
I am getting more and more curious about reading this! I want to get started soon! —Barbara K Friday, 10/09/2009 - 13:31 |
Sorry I didn't give you the nod, Barbara. The article that you sent was the reason I started looking for more information on the difference between the two texts.
I know for certain that the Norton Critical and the Oxford World's Classics editions are the 1818 text, and the Penguine Classic and Enriched Classics editions are the 1932 text. In most cases the book descriptions don't tell you which text is used. I had to figure it out by reading the comments on Amazon's website. There are some people out there who are quite vocal about their preference for the 1818 text and leave low ratings on the books using the 1832 text. I went to the Borders, Borders Express and Barnes & Nobel in center city. Sadly, Borders and Borders Express did not have a single copy of Frankenstein between them. The Barnes & Nobel only had their paperback edition, but I couldn't tell which text it was and the woman working the fiction section that day wasn't any help. I ordered the Norton from Amazon. —Angie Friday, 10/09/2009 - 05:51 |
It's funny this should come up. The article I had referred to on my Facebook page addresses this as well. I have an old copy of Frankenstein (published in 1965...I bought it when a hardback book cost $1.50!) it is the 1832 text. We need to determine what editions there are of the 1818 text. I can check Borders and Barnes & Noble this weekend...I'll also try to check at my local library.
I think it might be very interesting if we read different editions! But, review the Newsweek article, because it does discuss these differences! —Barbara K Friday, 10/09/2009 - 04:46 |
| Angie, You should write. What a concise, succinct, tersely written overview of the matter. I think I catch your drift, and believe you are recommending we all read the earlier, 1818, text. Is that right. If so, I agree. W Thank you. What say you all. And, finally, Angie, do you have an edition readily available? What should be buy? —Jan Thursday, 10/08/2009 - 16:21 |
Glad you are going to make it, Barbara.
I have been meaning to post - I'm sure you've all figured this out already, but just in case - in trying to find a good copy of Frankenstein, I realized that there are two different versions out there: the 1818 text, which was the first version to be published (anonymously), and the 1932 text, which was a revised version published under Shelley’s name. For many years, only the 1932 text was available, but in the last 20 or 30 years scholars began making the case that the 1818 text was the superior version, both on its merits and because the 1932 text represents a serious departure from the ideas Shelley originally wrote about. It was scrubbed to be more socially acceptable and palatable to a wider audience. I have a feeling that we will have a very conflicted discussion of the book if we are all reading different versions of the book. Or perhaps, it will add an interesting twist. Either way, I just wanted to make sure people were aware of it. —Angie Thursday, 10/08/2009 - 12:42 |
| I will be at book club on November 4! Wouldn't miss it! Now, I have to start reading the book ; )! —Barbara K Wednesday, 10/07/2009 - 14:45 |
Hi Barbara,
I just logged on and received this notice. To tell you the truth I am so happy to hear that you will be attending the up-coming book club meeting because I, among others, I am sure, would've missed you and your input immensly iif you were unable to attend.
If you find that you cannot make the meeting, after all, please inform me asap so I can do my best to reschedule the meeting accordingly.
Thanks so much,
—Janny Wednesday, 10/07/2009 - 11:08 |
| Hey, Angie! Thank you for your thoughtfulness! I have determined that I will skip my other meeting and attend book club...so don't worry about changing the date. —Barbara K Tuesday, 10/06/2009 - 17:15 |
| Sarah,..thoughtful response as usual. I should have elaborated more. By losing his car/pulpit, Haze is reduced to simply being a practitioner of his peculiar christian gospel. Its obvious that he remains a man of continued faith rather than rejecting it. I don't have a strong view of what his self infllicted punishment means. It could mean humbling himself before God or to show a complete rejection of the material world & a complete embrace of the spiritual world ( he's happy to give his landlady his complete monthly stipend). I share Angie's view that his behavior is definitely Christ like. I agree with you that his punishment is not an atonement for sins committed. —Ervin Tuesday, 10/06/2009 - 09:05 |
Just catching up on the discussion here. I agree that there is irony in Hazel's actions after he loses is car. He gives up on preaching the Church Without Christ and begins living a very Christ-like life.
Now to open this old can of worms - I know that we typically don't change the date of meeting after we set it, but given the fact that it is over a month away, I just want to throw out there that I wouldn't have a problem with rescheduling so that Barbara would be able to attend. —Angie Tuesday, 10/06/2009 - 07:46 |
| Sarah...I agree with you, the "Practice what he preaches"comment does not ring true with the story. My take was that as a character he was trying so hard to escape and rebel and remove himself from his origins...but as he lost everything important to him he reverted back...right back to the suffering of Christ...as if the journey of suffering would make him whole and give him a "father" he had rejected and a family he had run from. —Barbara K Sunday, 10/04/2009 - 06:46 |
| Ooo, I like that insight. However, when I start to think about the "practice what he preaches" part, I have serious qualms. He begins to punish himself, but what he was preaching was actually the opposite. He was telling people they should not let anyone feel guilty for their actions. If you want to go to a prostitute, go to a prostitute. There is nothing wrong with that. Then, why is he punishing himself? Because he thinks he did something wrong? According to who? Himself? Eric says it could be as simple as him suffering in order to prove he is better than Hawks. —Sarah H Saturday, 10/03/2009 - 08:36 |
| OH GOD, guys...I have a terrible conflict with the night of Nov. 4. There is a Classical Meetup Group I am supposed to attend (and finally got into after being on the waiting list). I am going to have to rethink my schedule...but I really want to read Frankenstein! —Barbara K Saturday, 10/03/2009 - 04:48 |
Great meeting, everyone.
One further addition to the analysis below, Haze's car being forced off the cliff by a policeman (which we mentioned in passing in our discussion) has symbolic & story development significance. Haze's car is his pulpit (he preaches on top of it) so its removal is equivalent to being removed from congregates (or lack thereof). The car episode leaves him no choice but to turn inward & practice what he preaches. —Ervin Friday, 10/02/2009 - 10:05 |
| Reading through these posts I see that Erv's plea to provide context, historical and cultural, is being provided naturally, just as one might suspect from this group of avid readers. I am reading Vindication: A Life of Mary Wollstonecraft by Lyndall Gordon. One of the reviews of this book on Amazon states: "It is understandable, however, that nearly one-third of this book is devoted to Wollstonecraft's posthumous legacy and reputation... Her daughter by Godwin lived to marry the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and their daughter Mary Shelley went on to write Frankenstein. It is just as well that Wollstonecraft's many 19th-century critics did not realize this, as they searched for insults to throw at the immoral mother of feminism, "Frankenstein's grandmother" would have suited them very well." —Jan Friday, 10/02/2009 - 08:14 |
| That story has always bugged me... Sorry; couldn't resist. —Jan Friday, 10/02/2009 - 08:05 |
| Angie--Excellent! I was a little worried I was the only one reading Metamorphosis. —Sarah H Friday, 10/02/2009 - 06:13 |
| Ooo, I like that. It makes complete sense when you put it that way. Ironically, then, the people he first approaches as the gorilla run away rather than want to touch him, which would seem truly tragic then. He became the gorilla hoping that in this suit people would want to approach him and touch him, and then the opposite happens. So sad. —Sarah H Friday, 10/02/2009 - 06:08 |
| I agree with Ursula...the gorilla had people fearful of him, wanting to prove their bravery by touching him...he had everything Enoch did not...and Enoch's character seemed primal, worked on instinct not thought...so he was more "bestial." But, it is still very weird and very sad! —Barbara K Friday, 10/02/2009 - 05:52 |
| Ursula's take on the gorilla suit: Enoch stole it because he wanted people to shake his hand. It was a way out of his alienation and lonliness. When you think about it that way, it is less weird and more tragic. —Angie Friday, 10/02/2009 - 05:07 |
| Hey, folks. Someone sent me an article from Newsweek on the novel Frankenstein. I have posted it on my Facebook page...you are welcome to check it out...or look it up directly on Newsweek.com. I haven't even read the article yet...just wanted to let you guys know! —Barbara K Thursday, 10/01/2009 - 14:35 |
| Not to worry, Sarah. You won’t be reading Metamorphosis alone. I found my copy last night, and I’m going to read that while I wait for Frankenstein to arrive from Amazon. —Angie Thursday, 10/01/2009 - 10:51 |
Great meeting last night! Wise Blood won't go down as one of my favorite book club reads, but I would say that it sparked some of our liveliest discussion.
Ruth and Jan: You both mentioned picking up bios of Mary Shelly. When you do, would you post them here? Based on the little bit of research I did this afternoon, I think I am going to pick up a bio as well (this woman was fascinating), but I thought I would avoid the books the two of you read. A different bio might give different insights.
For anyone returning to Frankenstein and looking for a different take on it - Barnes & Noble had an interesting book that contained Mary Shelly’s original text and Percy Shelly’s revision. (Mary Shelly did a final revision after her husband’s and that is the text that was published.) From the skimming I did, it appears that Percy Shelly was an enormous influence on the tone and themes of the book. I’d pick it up myself, but I don’t want to muddy the waters until I’ve read the text as it's widely known. —Angie Thursday, 10/01/2009 - 10:44 |
| Hi Everyone. I hope I am correct in posting the date for our next book club meeting as Wednesday, November 4. Initially, I posted the wrong date, so if you see October 28th, please disregard and wait for an update with the correct date. Thanks very much and thank you all for your insights last night. It was fun! —Janny Thursday, 10/01/2009 - 07:16 |
| Barb, just catching up. Been to over 20 countries & this was one of the best trips ever. —Ervin Monday, 09/14/2009 - 09:36 |
| Jan, As always, a great reception for the group. Your hospitality & conviviality made this a memorable evening, A welcome to Janny & Ruth and look forward to seeing you both at future meetings. —Ervin Monday, 09/14/2009 - 09:33 |
my events
Angie