Phil’s Comments (group member since Apr 15, 2016)

Phil’s comments from the Classics for Beginners group.

☯Emily wrote: "Thanks for leading the discussion, even though it probably has been discouraging. A few months ago, a book I nominated for another group "won." However, not one person other than myself made any co..."

I'm not too down about it. Having it on the schedule motivated me to get it off my TBR in a timely manner. Anyway, the thread will stay open, so maybe more readers will stop by.

This book has been chosen as a group read three times on Goodreads, and the other two instances resulted in even shorter threads than this one. That strikes me as odd for a book that is this important. By contrast, Atlas Shrugged has had 14 group reads, and The Alchemist has so many that I stopped counting after 25.

Anyhow, Malcom X's frequent references to his red hair and reddish skin made me curious, so I pulled up this youtube clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qCl8...
His patience and self-discipline in this interview is incredible.

This one is more fiery and similar to the style of the book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNsWy...
It contains his infamous response that he is thankful every time a plane of white people crashes, and he prays for more plane crashes.

I was also curious about Elijah Muhammad. I wanted to see what was so hypnotic about him. Here's a clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISlYH...
It's actually an audio clip, because I found it more interesting than a lot of the low-quality videos out there.

Here's a famous quote from the book:

I’ve had enough of someone else’s propaganda. I’m for truth, no matter who tells it.

My question is, does the rest of the book bear this out? After twelve years of being taken in by Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X leaps into Sunni Islam with both feet. It doesn't seem to melike he's developed the skill of separating truth from propaganda.

It reminds me of the last 50 pages of Native Son, when Bigger Thomas decides that if he just trusts in Communism, that will solve all his problems. Compare that with the critical thinking on display in books like The Fire Next Time or Invisible Man.

I gave that some thought, Gisela, and I think I'll respond over on the spoilers thread.

I finished yesterday. Here's my review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Ultimately, this one goes on the shelf next to Atlas Shrugged for "books I don't really agree with, but they help me understand what other people are thinking." Alex Haley is a better writer than Ayn Rand, though.

Well, here's my review if that helps you decide:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

That's interesting, Gisela. I picked this book because it is considered an American classic, and it describes American history. I'm a little surprised to see that something so specific to the US has so many readers in other countries.

My review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I thought the book was surprisingly artsy, and the holes were part of that.

The pink ticket system is not very concretely explained. I think there is technically consent involved- you don't have to accept it when someone puts out a ticket on you- but the social norm is to accept all requests. However, it is clear that this is not the way the human mind is wired, and as D's soul awakens, he begins feeling the attachment and jealousy that the ticket system was intended to prevent.

As far as banning freedom, or being liberated from choice, that's not far fetched at all. I remember a dictator- I think it was Quadaffi- explaining at one point that his people had evolved beyond the need for democracy. Many nations and groups have chosen to eliminate choice because it caused chaos of one kind or another. Some citizens embraced the simplicity of that.

This is the place to discuss the book as a whole.

This autobiography has changed many lives, much like The Alchemist and Atlas Shrugged. How did it affect you?

Hi, everyone! I'm wrapping up the last week of school today, so I haven't had time to read more than the first chapter of this famous and influential book.

Even though it's 500 pages, the first chapter is compelling, and I predict that this will be a pretty quick read.

Who's in? Who's reading it for the first time, and who's already read it?

This is connected to a lot of my favorite books, so I'm excited to read it.

Nina wrote: "Phil wrote: "The Autobiography of Malcolm X"

Phil, would you be willing to lead if it wins?"

Yes, I can lead.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Mr review, which covers the castration and unreliable narrator angles:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

In defense of St. John-

I read him as struggling with repressed feelings. I think he had a very deep thing for Jane, but he hid it behind religion. He thought the authority of missionary work would make the relationship safer and controllable. He could have had a happy ending if he had been honest about his feelings for Jane, and approached her on an equal footing.

About Blanche-

I think Rochester was seriously planning to settle for Blanche until the fortune-teller episode. After he was sure of his feelings for Jane, he was just using Blanche to make Jane jealous.

Blanche is one of at least three ditzy pretty girls in the book. Looks like Bronte had an axe to grind!

RitaSkeeter wrote: "I finished my re-read last night. I had set it down for quite awhile (combination of work being crazy plus getting a bit sick of it).

I have more empathy for Paul than I've had previously, but I ..."

I thought the early parts about Walter and Gertrude were a compelling character study, and the later parts about Paul were less compelling.

Anyone reading this for a banned book challenge should be aware that the free/cheap public domain version is the as-published censored text, whereas you can shell out more for a restored text.

The censored bits are not that many, so I solved it by just looking them up online and reading the free version. Basically, every time it says "shoulders," the restored text says "breasts." And for some reason, Paul tries on a pair of women's stockings at some point.

Myst wrote: "Boring. 4 drunk men who never seem to work and always mooching off others for food, money and alcohol."

Ha ha. I don't think anyone can justify the "morality" of the main characters. D'Artagnan's treatment of Kitty is especially shocking.

The book was originally serialized. At the beginning, D'Artagnan's goal is to join the three musketeers. The title doesn't fit the end of the book so well because the end wasn't written yet when the serial began.

The Cardinal represents the Catholic church, and France was a Catholic nation. I wasn't surprised when the Cardinal turned out to be not all bad. I was, however, confused about why Buckingham is portrayed so sympathetically. Isn't he the enemy?

Biblio wrote: "We have the best moderators :D Thank you for organizing this discussion! It's a great idea to make plans for the following year.

I joined too many groups on Goodreads and this one became woefully ..."

Agreed. I really appreciate the mods starting this conversation.

This book has a special place in my heart. I found it on a bookshelf in the basement when I was 12 and read it. It was the first "grown up" book I'd ever read.

I remember thinking, "Wow, a guy gets convicted for not crying at his mom's funeral and has a really mundane, anticlimactic execution. So the moral is that people are stupid, they care too much about shows of emotion, and death is meaningless. French people are weird."

I've been thinking that my pubescent brain was probably not equal to such a classic book, but maybe I did get the main idea after all.

Dj wrote: "This is the first Capote work I've read, my take on the book.

Now this book is considered amongst the best if not the best true crime novel of all time.
Being a work of non fiction it's a grim sto..."

Interesting thoughts, DJ. I loved this book in my late teens, when I felt like I was outside society. Maybe I would like it less now that I have a well-established niche with work and family.