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Does anyone have an idea for how we can have an awesome fiction discussion?
- DWill
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Re: Does anyone have an idea for how we can have an awesome fiction discussion?
I agree it's probably true that having an overarching theme helps to sustain an interest and therefore a discussion. In this regard I'll note the theme that gave Booktalk its start (Chris tells us): atheism, religion, and critical thinking. Books on those topics surely account for the most sustained levels of participation. Branching out from there has been more difficult because there hasn't been the same opportunity to tap into the interests of a more defined community.
- geo
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Re: Does anyone have an idea for how we can have an awesome fiction discussion?
I meant to thank Stahrwe for doing this. Very useful. Atlas Shrugged had a lot of participants, probably due to the book's political undertones. Moby Dick is up there too. So different reasons for wanting to participate in a discussion perhaps? Maybe to argue a political perspective as in Atlas, and to explore universal themes of the human condition in Moby Dick.stahrwe wrote:I have attached a ranking of 26 fiction books discussed on BookTalk.org over the years. By far, the most discussed book was Conrad's, The Heart of Darkness with 681 replies. However, I believe its number one ranking is not valid as that discussion included students, not just BT members.
On the other hand, I sense a growing reticence to discuss matters of atheism and religion on BT. We've covered a lot of terrain over the years.DWill wrote:I agree it's probably true that having an overarching theme helps to sustain an interest and therefore a discussion. In this regard I'll note the theme that gave Booktalk its start (Chris tells us): atheism, religion, and critical thinking. Books on those topics surely account for the most sustained levels of participation. Branching out from there has been more difficult because there hasn't been the same opportunity to tap into the interests of a more defined community.
-Geo
Question everything
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- Robert Tulip
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Re: Does anyone have an idea for how we can have an awesome fiction discussion?
I had a good chat with a friend the other day about Disc World by Terry Pratchett, which is a very highly regarded series of atheist fantasy, but which I have read none of, despite being a massive true believer in the turtle at the bottom of the universe, which gives Disc World its entire spin.DWill wrote: the theme that gave Booktalk its start (Chris tells us): atheism, religion, and critical thinking. Books on those topics surely account for the most sustained levels of participation.
A relevant discussion is at https://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article ... PQxCoiGPIU
His 44 Discworld novels could be broadly described as comic fantasy, or fantasy satire, and yet that's really just the starting point for the immense variety of complicated ideas they explored in such a fun, joyous way.
Perhaps strangely for someone whose work is so grounded in atheism, Pratchett has had a profound impact on my religious faith.
Pratchett had a lot to say about religion. In 1992 book Small Gods, he joked that 'gods like to see an atheist around ... gives them something to aim at'. He also had more cutting things to say about religious faith, including this observation during one scene: 'They were engaged in religion. You could tell by the knives (it's not murder if you do it for a god).'
What set Pratchett apart from many other critics of religion of these times was his recognition of the basic human need for meaning, and the beautiful way so many of his books tried to find a positive, life-giving way to exist in a universe where gods either don't exist, or aren't worth believing in.
- Chris OConnor
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Re: Does anyone have an idea for how we can have an awesome fiction discussion?
This is indeed a great discussion with plenty of valid points being made. Stahrwe, thanks for breaking down the fiction discussions like that. It sure helps to see which books generated the most interest.
Moby Dick was right up there near the top and that one is a classic. I've always thought reading the classics is not only entertaining but also educational and it contributes to our cultural literacy. I'm not sure if a book being a classic is enough to guarantee a decent book talk but it does seem to be a positive.
I'd actually be game for a super short fiction book or even one really famous short story. We could do one short story and start the discussion May 1st. Or is that too limiting?
I just Googled "famous short stories" and up popped Jack London's "To Build a Fire" and Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery." Both would stimulate discussion, especially The Lottery.
I'm all ears. What should we do?
Moby Dick was right up there near the top and that one is a classic. I've always thought reading the classics is not only entertaining but also educational and it contributes to our cultural literacy. I'm not sure if a book being a classic is enough to guarantee a decent book talk but it does seem to be a positive.
I'd actually be game for a super short fiction book or even one really famous short story. We could do one short story and start the discussion May 1st. Or is that too limiting?
I just Googled "famous short stories" and up popped Jack London's "To Build a Fire" and Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery." Both would stimulate discussion, especially The Lottery.
I'm all ears. What should we do?
- Chris OConnor
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Re: Does anyone have an idea for how we can have an awesome fiction discussion?
All this talk about short stories is exciting to me. I think we've been missing out on a great opportunity for some quality discussions over the years. Many members struggle with the time commitment of our book discussions, but with a short story discussion they might be more inclined to give it a shot.
I just moved the "Short Stories" forum up from the "Special Forums" section into the "Fiction Book Discussion Forums" section where it belongs. Short stories are indeed works of fiction or they'd be called essays or articles right? Maybe the category "Fiction Book Discussion Forums" needs to be changed to "Fiction Discussion Forums." I renamed it from simply "Short Stories" to "Short Story Discussions" hoping that little extra word sends a message that the forum is to be used for discussing short stories.
I just moved the "Short Stories" forum up from the "Special Forums" section into the "Fiction Book Discussion Forums" section where it belongs. Short stories are indeed works of fiction or they'd be called essays or articles right? Maybe the category "Fiction Book Discussion Forums" needs to be changed to "Fiction Discussion Forums." I renamed it from simply "Short Stories" to "Short Story Discussions" hoping that little extra word sends a message that the forum is to be used for discussing short stories.
- DB Roy
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Re: Does anyone have an idea for how we can have an awesome fiction discussion?
I started one "They Crying of Lot 49" in the General Discussion folder but nobody seems interested. Awesome discussions require participation.
- Murmur
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Re: Does anyone have an idea for how we can have an awesome fiction discussion?
Regarding that book by Guy de Maupassant, I wrote about it here:Murmur wrote:Here are some possibilities.
1. Volume IV of Complete Original Short Stories of Guy De Maupassant
I recommend Volume IV only due to the size of this work. In particular, I recommend Volume IV because it has the Horla story in it. I heard this story in four different radio plays, and each play told the story in a different manner.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3090/3090-h/3090-h.htm
2. Famous Modern Ghost Stories
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15143
3. Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M. R. James
Part 1 only.
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8486
4. Myths and Tales from the White Mountain Apache by Pliny Earle Goddard
This one is a bit short.
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/53113
5. Legends of the Gods by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge
This is regarding ancient Egyptian myth stories.
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9411
6. Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4018
7. Twenty-Five Ghost Stories
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/53419
post162650.html#p162650
I no longer recommend that particular volume of that particular book.
- Chris OConnor
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Re: Does anyone have an idea for how we can have an awesome fiction discussion?
I'm going to lock this thread and create a poll right now. Hopefully all of you that suggested books vote in this poll.
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