Book Nerd’s Comments (group member since Dec 20, 2018)

Book Nerd’s comments from the Never too Late to Read Classics group.

Karin wrote: "Good thing you didn't grow up in historical Iceland which, due to a lack of salt, preserved its food by fermentation so it was slightly rotten. I would have HATED that."
Ugh, yeah. But I guess we'd learn to tolerate it if we grew up there.

Vince wrote: "A lot has been said about the Aeneid's ongoing influence on Western literature, the most obvious reference being Dante's The Divine Comedy. One that I think is often overlooked is The Prose Edda, which says the Norse gods were refugees from Troy (and thus, of course, humans unworthy of worship - but still "superior" to northern Europeans)."

That's really interesting. I'd like to read The Prose Edda some time.

John wrote: "Book Nerd wrote: "To me coffee and alcohol are one step up from drinking out of a toilet."

It's funny that you say that because beer was mainly consumed in the past because all available water was basically toilet water. It was one of the few ways you were able to get enough fluids in your body without becoming ill from dysentery or whatever other fun things were in the water back then. Granted a lot of beers during that period were pretty low in alcohol content.
I don't see how that works. Alcohol dehydrates you.

I just really don't see the appeal of drinking something rotten. Or something bitter like coffee.

There is quite a bit of hunting. I know it's a product of it's time, just seems crazy and reckless these days.
They also do something crazy later on, you'll see.

To me coffee and alcohol are one step up from drinking out of a toilet.

Yeah, the Russian and Brit leaders have a very weird relationship and it gets weirder.

It's been a long time since I read this. Interested to see what people think of it.

Patrick wrote: "I don't know about you but I could read anything by Frank Herbert after reading his Dune series!"
He's my favorite sci-fi author. You really have to read Soul Catcher(though that's not actually sci-fi).

This reminded me oddly of The White Ship by H. P. Lovecraft.

It was pretty good. The whole exploration in a strange last when the world was still big is always cool.
There was a lot of trigonometry that I didn't really make an effort to understand and a lot of hunting.

I enjoyed it. It's interesting to see what it was like when things like this were new.

I don't think the type of ship was to blame. Stuff just happens.

shannon wrote: "The " aliens" in Childhoods End is not nearly as creepy as the ones in Lilith's Brood. I was just suspicious of the ones in Childhoods End."
I really wasn't. As Frodo said: I think a servant of the enemy would look fairer and feel fouler.

Yeah, it was sad. Things about endings always are.

Carol wrote: "While he is somewhat intrigued by Ojousan, Sensei doesn't become interested in a future with Ojousan until K discloses that K loves her."
I think it was just the kick in the butt he needed to do something about it.

Tracey the Bookworm wrote: "One thing I found interesting is the relationship between the narrator and this mentor/teacher. It seemed very natural and a very Japanese thing. Any other cultures where such a relationship would not be uncommon?"
It reminds me of the Greeks. Socrates and Plato and whatnot.

I've seen the Twilight Zone episode and many parodies of it so this was no surprise.

(view spoiler)[They give humans the technology to grow unlimited food and then eat the humans. They must just like the taste. :) (hide spoiler)]

It's basically Verne's experience riding this real ship. I imagine it's a lot like being on a cruise ship these days.

This is my favorite of Clarke's books. He has some good ones but some real stinkers of sequels.

A Floating City, published in 1871, enjoyed a popularity almost equal to that of Round the World in Eighty Days. The "Floating City" was the direct result of the trip which the author actually made to America in 1867, on the largest iron ship ever built. He gives us a faithful picture of the natural and usual incidents of an ocean voyage of those days, enlivening these by introducing a romance aboard ship. The pictures of the "Great Eastern," are of course exaggerated, not so much in words themselves as in the impressions they convey. But the pictures of New York and of Niagara are the genuine imprint made upon the great writer by his visit.

Classic spine-tingler that was made into an episode of The Twilight Zone. It's interesting to compare the original short story version to the Rod Serling screenplay. 1951 Retro Hugo Award Winner

To Serve Man

The Overlords appeared suddenly over every city--intellectually, technologically, and militarily superior to humankind. Benevolent, they made few demands: unify earth, eliminate poverty, and end war. With little rebellion, humankind agreed, and a golden age began.

But at what cost? With the advent of peace, man ceases to strive for creative greatness, and a malaise settles over the human race. To those who resist, it becomes evident that the Overlords have an agenda of their own. As civilization approaches the crossroads, will the Overlords spell the end for humankind . . . or the beginning?

At first I was annoyed that you don't really learn anything about Sensei or the narrator. What they study and what they talk about or even why they're friends. Seems like he just randomly stalked a guy on the beach. But then the story about his past gets interesting.
I get the feeling this is one of those stories that's a commentary on Japan in general?