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#139: Aug. - Oct. 2015 (Fiction)
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Taylor

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Penelope:
I often find that, with authors, they are more interesting than their books.
I like this, its funny, sometimes their books are more exceptional.
Consider what we are currently reading. Not saying Harper Lee isn't an interesting person, but her book has the greater cult of personality.
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Just bought the book this evening...tomorrow I play golf...after that I may read :)...
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Penelope wrote: It has crossed my mind that this is not terribly well written. Has anyone else thought this? I have, of course, only read the first two chapters so I might get used to the style.
Hi Penelope. I'm in here.I read a few reviews before deciding to get the kindle version. One describes it as meandering which fits the first chapter that I read.
She didn't actually want it published and it was her first novel,so I think Taylor is right about the neophyte aspect and it shows signs of that.
Still the first chapter was enjoyable and she is humourous which is a plus. My kindle tells me how many people underlined particular sentences, so I get this odd sense of other people's thinking about key themes or thoughts as they see it.

Good to see Lawrence,Lisa, Landroid,Taylor and Crystalline here too so it should be fun with various perspectives. Besides I need a break from all that theist vs atheist stuff.
"Ding dong" I'm guessing is cockney, derived from the bell ringing for rounds in boxing. Hopefully differences are amicable on this book and not quite in that category,though we can disagree on things in ways that are enriching for all.
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Flann 5:
My kindle tells me how many people underlined particular sentences, so I get this odd sense of other people's thinking about key themes or thoughts as they see it.


First, Glad to have you in the fiction group, its a good break, a chance to put down the gloves, and relax in the spa waters of fantasy.

With books I guess I'm a luddite, no e-readers for me, strictly paper, I don't know if I would find other people's underlined text helpful or a distraction, "Odd sense" has a reserved space in my own head. :lol:
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Taylor wrote:First, Glad to have you in the fiction group, its a good break, a chance to put down the gloves, and relax in the spa waters of fantasy.

With books I guess I'm a luddite, no e-readers for me, strictly paper, I don't know if I would find other people's underlined text helpful or a distraction, "Odd sense" has a reserved space in my own head. :lol:

Thanks Taylor. It's not totally escapist fantasy with the setting and racial tensions but I enjoy the literary expression of things for it's own value. Her prose style is deliberately fairly simple.
Some good humour with Cousin Joshua being incarcerated in the "state accommodations for the irresponsible."
And his slim volume of poetry being "so far ahead of it's time that no one has deciphered it yet."
I Download to my p.c as well as phone and I can adjust the print size and definition and it's better as my reading vision is not as good as it used to be.
I'd prefer the paper version normally but find the e-version better now.
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The racial tension, that's a thing in the good old USA. Someday we'll drop it.

"Write what you know" Isn't that what they say, I think we can safely add "Write how you know"

Not having grown up on your side of the pond, I have no idea if any of the stories that Harper Lee is about to lay out before you are relatable to you, with that said, in both books, [TKAM and GSAW] there are things going that are like home movies, for me its really just that relatable.
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LisaRose:

I think the writing is wonderful. She has a way of putting you in the room where the conversation is. Scout is now growing up without rosy glasses. Life has isn't flat, it has many layers.
Taylor:

I'm curious about this, " not terribly well written" Can you give a comparison example?.

It seems to me the writing doesn't have the smoothness one might find in the work of an author that has had a slow build up of material, a body of work that has enabled a fine tuning of style as is were.
I agree with you Lisa, you do feel 'in the room' and there is so much conversation that it would make a really good stage play or film, as did TKAM.

I agree is funny, humorous.

I know it isn't because I'm not American because I always think American writing is quite slick and I love the idioms that come here, from there. Like 'no way', and calling someone 'dood' and so forth....

I suddenly realised why I am finding it clunky......would you believe it's because I paid for the download onto my iphone. £8.00 and I had to enlarge the script so I could read it.....so I get about two sentences per page.......of course it seems clunky!! I must get a hard copy, I don't like screen reading in any case.

I still think it would make a really good play though.....What a lot of conversation!! :-D
Only those become weary of angling who bring nothing to it but the idea of catching fish.

He was born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world is mad....

Rafael Sabatini
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In searching for a hard copy I found this as part of a review and found it very moving:-

One thing I have learned in recent days since the killings in Charleston, justice for all is not possible in our times. We are working towards it, but, it seems desegregation was but one step. A sentence in Harper Lee's book stood out for me, "Prejudice is a dirty word, faith a clean one, both have something in common: they begin where reason ends."
Only those become weary of angling who bring nothing to it but the idea of catching fish.

He was born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world is mad....

Rafael Sabatini
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Taylor wrote:

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Flann 5:
My kindle tells me how many people underlined particular sentences, so I get this odd sense of other people's thinking about key themes or thoughts as they see it.


First, Glad to have you in the fiction group, its a good break, a chance to put down the gloves, and relax in the spa waters of fantasy.

With books I guess I'm a luddite, no e-readers for me, strictly paper, I don't know if I would find other people's underlined text helpful or a distraction, "Odd sense" has a reserved space in my own head. :lol:
I agree. Paper for me too. I got rid of my kindle. I like to hold a book, turn its pages. AHH. The pleasures of life. :roll:


Lisa Rose
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Penelope wrote:
LisaRose:

I think the writing is wonderful. She has a way of putting you in the room where the conversation is. Scout is now growing up without rosy glasses. Life has isn't flat, it has many layers.
Taylor:

I'm curious about this, " not terribly well written" Can you give a comparison example?.

It seems to me the writing doesn't have the smoothness one might find in the work of an author that has had a slow build up of material, a body of work that has enabled a fine tuning of style as is were.
I agree with you Lisa, you do feel 'in the room' and there is so much conversation that it would make a really good stage play or film, as did TKAM.

I agree is funny, humorous.

I know it isn't because I'm not American because I always think American writing is quite slick and I love the idioms that come here, from there. Like 'no way', and calling someone 'dood' and so forth....

I suddenly realised why I am finding it clunky......would you believe it's because I paid for the download onto my iphone. £8.00 and I had to enlarge the script so I could read it.....so I get about two sentences per page.......of course it seems clunky!! I must get a hard copy, I don't like screen reading in any case.

I still think it would make a really good play though.....What a lot of conversation!! :-D
Wow, it will take you a while to read that on your I Phone. LOL. I think that you will like the hard copy and might be able to share it, or start a library. :yes:


Lisa Rose
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