Ken’s Comments (group member since Jan 21, 2020)

Ken’s comments from the The Obscure Reading Group group.

Ah, memories! It's been a long time since I've been called "Mr. Smarty Pants." Especially considering my SAT scores, which I've instructed my lawyer and my university not to reveal under penalty of law, á la Fordham and a Certain Someone -thing.

😇

I hear from him every day, often in stanzas.

For October, 2021, a spooky little month, we'll be reading a spooky little book by a spooky little author. You know her as Shirley Jackson. And you'll know her better thanks to reading our October selection, The Sundial.



Thanks to the 29 members who voted in our poll. Results should now be visible if you click POLLS on the group's homepage.

Paul wrote: "Wonderful range of books! Several niches to choose from."


Several riches to choose from!

Here we are, then: Day 2 of the 3-day voting period.

I will mass-message all group members tomorrow that Sunday is not only their day of rest, it is also their last chance to vote.

The October poll is up!

I hope I have everyone's nomination in there, but if you nominated a title and it's missing, please let me know IPSO FASTO so I can amend the poll.

Happy voting! You have till the end of the 29th, so mull it over, if you wish -- or vote today if you're sure as sunrises in the east.

Sandra wrote: "Love reading these teacher comments. During inservice(yawn), I sometimes acted like one of my incorrigible students. Or I sat in the back of the room and read. I’m sure my administration sighed wit..."

Sigh of relief, losing a good teacher? Somehow I doubt it!

Danielle wrote: "I have no ideas for nominations, and I'm bad at following through anyway, but I'm going to attempt to read Dante's Divine Comedy for the first time since my son has to read it for school. I've been..."

Good luck with the Dante, Danielle. That's pretty cool you're reading along with your son!

We teachers (me, the retired wing thereof) are always the worst offenders. I think of those "welcome back" assemblies in the auditorium around this time each year, where the admins talk endlessly up front and the teachers in the audience just chat away or devote themselves totally to their phones.

Ah, memories!

Last day for nominations. Tomorrow a.m. I'll send out the poll. As usual, some neat little picks to choose from.



P.S. Mason, I'll try to remember to include your nomination. Threw me a bit, placing it here vs. the messaging system. ;-)

FYI: This is Day 2 of 3 for nominating a book for our October discussion. Thanks to those who have already sent in a title!

That's it! I think "bated" is a shortening-bread version of "abated." And it's too early (on the east coast of Maine) to be munching on garlic or hashtags, so I hope you enjoy the clove (or bulb)!

We go to the Bard for the spelling. Specifically, the oft-taught (when I was young) and never taught (now I am old) Merchant of Venice:

Shylock:
Go to then, you come to me, and you say,
"Shylock, we would have moneys," you say so. . . .
Shall I bend low and in a bondman's key,
With bated breath and whisp'ring humbleness,
Say this:
"Fair sir, you spet on me Wednesday last,
You spurn'd me such a day, another time
You call'd me dog; and for these courtesies
I'll lend you thus much moneys"?

AJ wrote: "I'm already having some thoughts about this. Last time, I clearly didn't understand how the reading schedule went and was just beginning the book when everyone else was finishing! Duh me....."

Not to worry, AJ. "The hard way" is the best teacher, they say.

And me, I misspoke earlier, claiming October was "Classics month." Nope. Wrong. FEBRUARY is "Classics month," so when I put out a call for October nominations in but a few short days (we'll neeed 3 for nominations and 3 for the poll with a selection ready to go by Sept. 1st), it'll be for ANY ole obscurity (even if the author is well known).

Clarity. It's a wonderful thing. Sorry if I created confusion.

When we settled on a "three books a year" policy in this group, I figured it would be long, restful stretches of reading your own choices between shared reads.

And yes, it's that. But it's also amazing how quickly the reading months of October, February, and June come round!

Meaning: In just over two weeks, we will begin the process of nominating books for our October Obscurity.

All of which is my way of saying, at your leisure, get your thinking caps on, because tempus has a way of fugit-ing around here.

Darrin wrote: "Sandra wrote: "I loved The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle! I haven’t read Chekhov for ages, but I loved my Russian Literature class in college. Dostoevsky was my favorite though."
I would not have thought ..."


My Top 3 Russkies:

1. Tolstoy

2. Chekhov

3. Turgenev


After that, it gets messy. Maybe Pushkin or maybe Lermontov or possibly Gogol. I never fully warmed to Dostoevsky, though I may reread Crime & Punishment one of these years.

Sandra wrote: "I loved The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle! I haven’t read Chekhov for ages, but I loved my Russian Literature class in college. Dostoevsky was my favorite though."


Maybe I'll try Wind-Up Bird some day, though I've had bad luck liking that author.

Matthew Ted wrote: "I'm reading my way through "Don Quixote" and "Gravity's Rainbow" still. Two big books on the go is exhausting and exciting at once."


I have trouble reading two big boppers at the same time. I find I gravitate more toward one than the other, then keep reading that, orphaning the other.

Darrin wrote: "I am reading several good books right now including Haruki Murakami's The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle which I don't seem to be able to put down once I pick it up. It is an odd but compelling book and de..."

Think you'll like that particular Chekhov collection, Darrin. Er... Mr. "A" Team, that is. I was a "sometimes A" guy, never a "straight-A" guy.

Sue wrote: "Ken, I was thinking of the “enforced” reading because of all the rain we’ve had throughout the month. I usually read indoors...allergies continue to influence my decision. I forgot about your Adiro..."


True. Reading is both indoor AND outdoor sport. Cozy can be found in inner confines as well as the open outdoors.

And thank you for the morning laugh. Forgetting about "my Adirondack" made it sound like it's my pet -- which it comes close to being in the warmer months!