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Audrey  I can enter The Chamber

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Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 9:45 pm Post subject:
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| Penelope wrote: |
| I just thought how great it would be to live in a society where they had that 'Cafe Culture' - sat around drinking coffee and discussing what the hell it was all about... |
Oh, Penelope you have no idea. You're not the only one being jealous. I envy the café discussions... |
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WildCityWoman  Masters
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 11:39 am Post subject: About as crazy as Urantia?
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| Mr. Pessimistic wrote: |
The Xtian Bible. I just dont get it...
Atlas Shrugged. Characters are so shallow and thin and so is the 'plot'.
Mr. P. |
Ever try reading through Urantia Book? It's sort of an 'alien bible'.
Absolutely mind boggling to try and understand that. |
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WildCityWoman  Masters
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 11:42 am Post subject: Re: don't make me read...
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| FannieB wrote: |
Stephen King - I tried to read "It" when it came out and it just went on and on with too much detail about nothing. ick. Although I did read one of his latest, Cell, as a quick fluff read. Not my usual genre or storyline but fun for what it was. I've also gotten two copies of Liseys Story and can't get into it...again with the rambling detail...
I wish I could appreciate what others do about King. |
I agree . . . IT is one of the few books by SK that I didn't like. CELL . . . I listened to that on an audio version - the story itself is intriguing but the way he wrote it in that long dragged out way of his - tedious. |
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WildCityWoman  Masters
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 11:48 am Post subject: Heart of Darkness
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One of the books on here right now . . . I am going to do a few more pages - not fair to give up this soon, I guess.
I don't like it much though - I find the wordiness makes it a tedious read. Too much crammed into one sentence in narrative makes it difficult. |
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Constance963  Intern

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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 11:11 am Post subject:
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| DWill wrote: |
It could have been immaturity, but our great classic, Moby Dick, no way. I fell asleep many times over that. I was especially annoyed at the parts where Melville would talk about whaling, once "proving" that whales were so numerous in the oceans as to be inexhaustible. Should I go back and give the great albino another chance? Anyone out there admire this book?
With the strong exception of Huckleberry Finn, I don't much enjoy Mark Twain. Oh, also Ernest Hemmingway is a writer whose reputation as a great writer is a mystery to me. I'm always open to reconsidering any judgment.
Will |
I have to agree. I was required to read Moby Dick in 11th grade and couldn't finish it. I just read the Cliffs Notes and aced my test - in fact, I got the highest grade in the class
I never got Hemmingway either. I only read a Farewell to Arms, but it was so depressing and the characters were so blah, I never wanted to read anything else by him. |
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Penelope  Stupendously Brilliant Silver Contributor


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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 4:58 pm Post subject:
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Dickens - Dickens - Dickens
I just typed the name of the man who wrote Oliver Twist - three times - just testing.
The thing about Moby Dick was.....it made a great film.
Has anyone ever watched the film. Educating Rita? From the play by Willie Russell:-
How would you stage an Ibsen play? Put it on the Radio, she said. |
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WildCityWoman  Masters
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:58 am Post subject: Danielle Steele
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| I like the movies made from her books, but rarely read one of them. |
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veerwald Newbie
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:20 pm Post subject:
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Penelope  Stupendously Brilliant Silver Contributor


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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 6:38 pm Post subject:
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Hello Veerwald -
Test positive - Do you want to join in?
What books/authors have had an effect on your life?  |
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Constance963  Intern

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Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 2:29 pm Post subject:
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| I just recently finished reading "The Keep" by Jennifer Eagan and was disapointed with it. The premise was interesting and I had been excited to read it but I felt it was confusing and fell flat, but maybe I just expected too much. Has anyone else read this? |
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Penelope  Stupendously Brilliant Silver Contributor


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Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject:
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I will look out for 'The Keep' and read it when I come upon it. I have been recommended 'The Island' by Victoria Hislop' - shall we read one of them together and discuss Constance? ......because I sure as hell don't fancy 'No Country for Old Men'. I am told it is a really good film.....but I just don't feel as though I want to read about drug dealers.....
I am going to miss out on this one and join in later.
Excuse me everyone.....  |
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Constance963  Intern

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Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 2:55 pm Post subject:
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| Sure Penelope. I'd be willing to discuss "The Keep" with you if you would like to read it. I will check out "The Island" as well. I unfortunately had trouble getting into "Heart of Darkness" but I may give it another try. |
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Ophelia  Embodiment of Reason Silver Contributor


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Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:19 pm Post subject:
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Constance wrote:
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| I unfortunately had trouble getting into "Heart of Darkness" but I may give it another try |
Constance, have you seen the reference Carly gave about the audio version at project Gutenberg?
I'm sure you don't want to miss the discussion about Heart of Darkness.
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9343
Have you seen the film "Apocalypse Now"?
At this stage we are still discussing the book and I am wondering whether people will want to discuss the film as well.
I'd like to. |
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Randy Kadish Eligible to vote!
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:33 am Post subject: Literary Fiction
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This might ruffle some feathers, but I do not like so called literary fiction. I find most of it much ado about nothing, by that I mean I don't feel the authors have anything new to say, or even tell a good story. (I like intereting characters, but I also like interesting plots.)
I feel that good fiction isn't just accessible to the intellectual community. Good fiction deals with themes that are important and accessible to a wide audience.
Anyway, that's just my opinion,
Randy |
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Theomanic  I can enter The Chamber Bronze Contributor


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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:40 am Post subject:
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Books I have the most trouble with are books that have characters that seem entirely irrational. This effect is magnified if the book has done well critically, such as Away and The True History of the Kelly Gang. The rants I've had about those books, especially the latter novel. Whew! Maybe it's because I am a rational person myself, but I really don't like it when people act in a crazy fashion... when supposedly they're normal. As I said about True History..., that entire country needs a good dose of mood stabilizers.
As to Stephen King, I think he's a big hit or miss writer. I cannot believe the same man who wrote the Dark Tower novels also wrote Gerald's Game. The former being some of the best books I have ever read, the latter being among the absolute worst. I read his book On Writing and he said he thinks part of his success is due to how common his characters are. That anyone can relate to the people in his books... I think sometimes they're a little too common.
Other books I hated:
The Last Battle by C S. Lewis (the last Narnia novel) -- talk about being hit over the head with a Jesus shovel.
The Trial by Franz Kafka -- I'm sure it was quite an eye-opener in its time, but I found it to be dense and repetitive. One of the most unfulfilling books I've ever read.
Digital Fortress by Dan Brown -- I cannot stand this man's writing. Usually I accept that people may have differing opinions from mine, but if you disagree with me on this, you are wrong! Wrong wrong wrong. I also read Angels and Demons, and it was terrible too, but this book was worse.
I'm reading Moby Dick in a couple months, for a book club. I think it's April or May's book. Wish me luck! |
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