Joanna’s Comments (group member since Dec 27, 2013)

Joanna’s comments from the CPL's Book a Week Challenge group.

Keeping in theme this week with 52 Book's weekly thread...

Ready Player One is steeped in nostalgia. Nostalgia for a simpler time. Nostalgia for specific entertainments. The main characters get caught up in this nostalgia, first as it's this that leads to the creation of the OASIS and second when it becomes important for completion of the challenge.

Are there things you are nostalgic for? People? Places? Things? Environments?

Do you think nostalgia hurts or hinders us? Does it hurt or hinder the characters in any way? Or is nostalgia useful? If so, how?

Discuss!

Voting continues until April 15th for May's Online Book Club book. Great Expectations and The Hound of the Baskervilles are tied right now. Can we see if we can break that tie? Vote here!

Finally finished Ready Player One. I thought it was just okay (I know I'm in the minority here). It over explained stuff, in my opinion, and I thought there was at least a good 100 pages that could have been taken out without affecting the story. When action or dialogue was going on, the book was fun. Currently working on Slugfest which is a look at the 50 year history of Marvel vs. DC.

What are you all reading this week?

For anyone who has read Ready Player One, you'll know the book is steeped in nostalgia. We all have those things we look back fondly on. And we all have those go-to books that we read when we need a pick-me-up or want to feel good or books that we back fondly on. What are those books for you? What books do you look back on with fondness? For me, it's Dinotopia. I think I checked out the library's copy every week as a child (my parents were probably sick of that book by the time I could read on my own). I still reread it from time to time.

Let us know about your nostalgic reads!

I'm not a huge fan of poetry. Maybe because I am a very literal person and poems tend to have a lot of metaphors. But I actually read Paradise Lost for fun a couple years ago and loved it. I definitely need to reread it.

I've heard a lot about The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. I think I'll have to go take a look.

Ingrid wrote: "I enjoyed the book & the video game history. We see the movie Thursday. I already read up on the differences between the movie & the book so I’m not frustrated."

Smart. Based on what I've read so far, I can't see how they could do a direct translation to the screen. There definitely will need to be some major modifications.

I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the movie once you see it!

Welcome to a virtual world of 80's pop culture references!

Has anyone started Ready Player One? If so, what do you think of it? Have you seen the movie?

I'm 200 pages in and while I'm liking the book, I feel there's been at least a good 50 pages that could be deleted with no harm done to the story. I'm also having to work my way through all the 80's references. While an 80's baby, I was too young to appreciate it.

Let us know your first thoughts on the book!

Ready Player One is April's Online Book Club book selection. Be sure to pick up your copy today and get prepared for the new movie coming out on March 29th!

Welcome to my convoluted thoughts- 13 is a superstitious number indicating unluckiness. In thinking of 13, I started wondering about superstitious reading habits. Do you have superstitious reading habits? I can't think of any for me so that led me to think of generic reading habits.

What sorts of reading habits do you have? Do you have a special place you like to read? Do you have a drink you need by your side? A type of music?

I like to have a nice length of time to read; at least an hour. I also want music playing in the background. Curling up in a blanket on a couch is also preferable. But while these are my habits, I will read anywhere and at anytime if allowed.

Tell us your reading habits! Also let us know what you are reading this week!

How did everyone like the book? Did you finish? Are you still making your way through it?

I will admit, I was bad this month and didn't finish the book. Oops. My goal is to finish it by the end of April (in addition to working on April's book). I do really like the book and I'm curious to see where it goes. But with the style of writing, I find I can only handle a certain amount of it at a time before I need to read something else.

From the Simon & Schuster Reading Guide...

When Werner and Jutta first hear the Frenchman on the radio, he concludes his broadcast by saying “Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever” (pages 48–49), and Werner recalls these words throughout the book (pages 86, 264, and 409). How do you think this phrase relates to the overall message of the story?

(I'm still only 100 pages in but I saw this question on the guide and it struck a chord with me. Partly because I can already feel the narrative moving toward that overarching theme of opening your eyes and actually seeing- not just the physical, but spiritual. And it resonates with the title. I'll probably have deeper thoughts when I actually get further along in the book.)

Not a movie, but a play- Wicked by Gregory Maguire. I hated the book. I couldn't feel any sympathy for Elphaba and it was just way too depressing for me. The play on the other hand is amazing; I still can't believe they were able to take that book and turn it something so good on stage.

I also agree with Stardust. I enjoyed the book but I loved the movie.

"Marie-Laure drops her cane; she begins to cry.

Her father lifts her, holds her to his narrow chest.

'It's so big,' she whispers.

'You can do this, Marie.'"

- All the Light We Cannot See, pg. 37

I will admit, I'm still only 45 pages into this book at the moment (my goal is to finish it by next week). But one of the things that struck me from the first 45 pages was Marie's father and what he does for his daughter. When she looses her sight, he builds a model of the streets for her. He has her run her hand over it, memorize it. He uses this to help her learn to navigate the actual streets, with him there to help the whole time. What a father would not do for his daughter.

Who has fulfilled this role in your life? Is there a person who has been your support system and helped you through life? Are you someone's support system?

Talk about these special people in your life.

For me, it's my mom and my best friend. No matter what is happening, I can call them up, talk, and feel better able to handle whatever it is life is throwing at me. And even when life isn't hard or stressful or bad, they're there just to be with, to hang out with, to go have fun with. We all need that, too, in our lives.

April's Online Book Club book will be Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

Reserve your copy today

Voting continues until March 14th for April's Online Book Club book. Let your voice be heard! Vote here!

March 14th is Pi Day (3.14, get it?). In honor of that, us nerdy people tend to either bake or buy pies to celebrate. This got me thinking about food, particularly book food. I've read so many books where they describe delicious food; it's hard sometimes not to just run out and buy it!

What is your favorite food you've read about in a book? Have you ever attempted a recipe you found in a book? Not in a book, but my roommate found a recipe for a food seen in a video game and made it. It was delicious (Tales of Zestiria's mabo curry buns, in case anyone was curious).

Tell us about your favorite book food (or your favorite food you like to eat when reading)!

March's book is All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

Has anyone started the book yet? Or read it previously? If so, what are your thoughts so far on it?

I will admit, I'm not nearly as far into the book as I was hoping to be. I'm roughly 50 pages in. So far I am liking it, though he has an interesting writing style. Almost more telling then showing? Or maybe that's not quite right. Regardless, I enjoyed how it opened up in the middle of the action and then it jumped backwards. Because now I want to know how Marie-Laure and Werner got to where they are in the beginning.

Let us know your first thoughts!

Melissa wrote: "What a wonderful choice! I listened to the audio version through one of the of the library's digital apps, and it was amazing."

Excellent! I'm glad to hear it. I've heard good things about the book so I am excited to really dive into it.

Lyn wrote: "I just finished Sunrise Canyon by Janet Dailey
about a father that grapples with PTSD after returning from war,also about a woman that runs a horse program for troubled youth
I have alot I want to ..."

I understand. Real life does tend to interfere with all my reading plans, too. It would be so nice if we could all just retire to a beach and read.

Ann wrote: "I loved The Alienist (and the book that came after- The Angel of Darkness). I don't recall a supernatural element, mostly psychology in its beginning as a science that can help solve crimes. ."

Okay. I was just curious because the trailer for the show seems to almost have a supernatural vibe to it. But I can definitely see the psychological aspect.

How did everyone like the book? Did you finish? Are you still pressing through? Did you decide to give up?

Let us know what your final thoughts on the book were (and even if you haven't finished yet, please comment after you are done; these threads will be open all year for the books).

I will admit, I enjoyed the book way more than I thought I would. I liked the characters and it was interesting looking through someone else's eyes. I thought the ending was satisfying, even if I wonder how close it mirrors reality. But that's the joy of romance books- they can blur that line and you leave with a happy feeling in your heart.

Ingrid wrote: "I am finishing Thr Alienist. It was really good & so descriptive of New York during the time period. The subject matter was a bit uncomfortable, but still worth the read.
The Annihilation Trilogy ..."

I'm really interested in reading The Alienist. I keep seeing commercials for the new series on TNT and while I'm not sure it's something I want to watch, I think I want to read it. Question, though- is it more historical fiction or is there some sort of supernatural component to it?

Hm. That will definitely make for a very interesting movie. You'll have to let us know how well it follows the plot of the book!

Happy... spring? I don't know about you all, but this weather has me super confused. The high 70s one day and back to the 50s the next. My coworker fears we may get one more round of snow in March. But who knows?

Have you all been enjoying the warmer weather?

What is everyone reading this week? I have been so bad with my reading. I don't think I've finished a book, even a simple book, in two weeks. But March 1st is Thursday and my plan is to buckle down and do all the reading! My (probably unattainable) book goals: Fruits Basket, All the Light We Cannot See, Beren and Luthien, and The Hand of Dinotopia.

Wish me luck!

My copy of A Bollywood Affair came with a handy discussion guide. One of the questions stuck out to me: Samir is still reeling from abandonment as a child and yet he puts himself in a position where Mili abandoning him is almost inevitable. Do you think we tend to put ourselves in positions where our worst fears come true? And if we do, why do you think that is?

I go back and forth on this one. On one hand, I can see where having experienced something, we tend to avoid even the hint of it at all costs. We avoid certain places, certain types of people, certain things because they are triggers from our fears.

On the other hand, I also see where we can get so used to a feeling that we just wallow in it without attempting to break the cycle. Samir has abandonment issues and it almost seems like he just wants to keep the cycle going; he's so used to feeling that he is the type of person people would abandon, he doesn't want to change to break the loop.

What your thoughts and opinions on this?

Sorry for the late post, but March's book is: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

Reserve your copy today!