Alana’s Comments (group member since Apr 19, 2013)

Alana’s comments from the Classics Without All the Class group.

I started going through all of the Holmes stories in another group and am doing them in order, so this was my first Holmes as well. I enjoyed it, though Sign of the Four is markedly better. I love all the deductions, it's fabulous!

Karena wrote: "Travis of NNY wrote: "I thought The Island of Dr. Moreau was very daring considering when it was written. The Invisible Man was good as well. I have been hearing alot of Quiet in multiple fgroups"..."

I didn't realize there was a TED talk, I'll have to check that out. I found the book fascinating and insightful.

"Please sir, I want some more!" That's awesome!

I started and abandoned Cloud Atlas this morning, so you'll have to let me know what you think.

I do, however, highly recommend Never Let Me Go.

I love that in Martel's interview he says he found three (or was it four?) separate shipwreck victims named Richard Parker. How bizarre!

I love seeing everyone's thoughts on this one. I, for one, was blown away by some excellent writing, brilliant imagery and incredible wit, something that is all too often lacking in modern literature. I didn't think I would like it as it was too "popular" and for the most part I find that overly popular books just don't do it for me. However, this will be one of the few five stars I've given for the year. I'll post my review after I've settled my thoughts enough to write it.

That was a fascinating article, thanks for sharing!

I actually had a pretty negative impression of hyenas from reading the version of them in the Earth's Children series, but having all that confirmed in this story just made them even more repulsive.

Great observations, I hadn't thought about it, but it does make sense. I knew green mattered, as he didn't get to see much of it in the ocean, but hadn't thought about the significance of the orange. In some ways, though, isn't it also what he's left behind? Everything that was orange has gone into the past.

Michael wrote: "I must say many a great theologians have contemplated and argued the case for god and I don't think many would cede that the argument for god isn't a rational one.
This seems to be an argument fo..."

well said

Gosia wrote: "Michael wrote: "The second part is all about the complexity of his faith under the circumstances and his struggle with it. Remember there isn't a "real" tiger on the boat."

A teacher in me would ..."

It more makes me think of "Castaway" with Tom Hanks. Richard Parker was Pi's "Wilson," although he didn't have a physical object. He created the personality in his mind to sustain him, so yes, "Richard Parker" did in fact save his life, but him running off into the jungle symbolized that he was here on land now and did not need him anymore. There was no need for a true goodbye.

I was horrified at first at the "real" version of events, but honestly, especially after reading Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption (which is incredible, by the way, I recommend it to everyone!) it just seems plausible and human. It's sad, but very true to human nature. We seem to devolve into animals when all hell breaks loose, so in a way, that's exactly what Pi saw. What a vivid, beautiful imagination, though! He had all the time in the world to come up with such a story and wow, what a great job! And yes, it's the story we would WANT told, if we had the choice.

This part dragged for me a bit, too. I agree, though, that it rather mirrors how boring it would be to simply be drifting at sea that whole time. I think the island was simply his mind creating something to keep him occupied, dreaming of his belly being full and having companions besides the tiger. But it certainly wouldn't be that far-fetched, either; there are some very strange creatures in our oceans. Hard to rule out anything until you know it unequivocally to be impossible, and even then...

The feces did gross me out, although I think none of us can imagine to what levels we would sink when stuck in that degree of hungry and depravity. None of us knows how we would face a situation until actually faced with it.

The other blind man did confuse me as well. I figured it was a hallucination until he described the body decaying and such afterwards, (view spoiler)[including in the hospital with the men questioning him (hide spoiler)]. I still can't quite figure that part out.

By the time the rescue happens, it almost seems anti-climactic, it happen so fast. He pretty much says "and then we landed and I was rescued," other than the bit about Richard Parker running off. But, then again, what else would there be to tell at that point? He probably was so delirious he didn't remember much anyway.

Rhonda wrote: "I didn't realixe Richard Parker wad a tiger until he was in the lifeboat with Pi. I even went back to the earlier references to see why I thought RP was a man. That totally cracked me up, and sure..."

That was me, too, I couldn't figure out why he was suddenly so scared of him! :)

Gosia wrote: "I just finished "Unbroken" by Laura Hinderbrand which is also a story about shipwrecks. I guess I can`t escape the theme,lol. I have to say that 'the death of the zebra' part really shook me up and..."

I too read Unbroken earlier this year and I kept thinking about descriptions in that book. Such a different experience (view spoiler)[Although after reading the end of this book, perhaps not so different. (hide spoiler)]

I didn't like the descriptions of all the ways he created his raft and such, but mostly because I just have a hard time visualizing things like that. I read Robinson Crusoe last year and had the same problem. I liked the ingenuity, but reading about every single step? I found myself fazing in and out.

I loved seeing his complete innocence in looking at these various religions and adopting them all completely and yet in his own way. As he says, he "just wants to love God." Watching the three religious leaders argue was funny, but disheartening, as all too often this is how the scene goes...if we're lucky.

Since I was listening in audio, I honestly hadn't paid close enough attention to realize that Richard Parker was the name of the tiger until Pi was trying to push the boat away from him. I kept thinking "what on earth is going on?" Actually, this scene has more significance having just finished the book (don't read this spoiler if you haven't finished!!!): (view spoiler)[Is this maybe representative of how he felt about the cook even BEFORE seeing his brutality on the boat? (hide spoiler)]

I think it's fascinating that everyone feels so differently about this first section. I was drawn in from the very beginning (though my audio version did not have the introduction and I went back and read it after just a few pages. I'm glad I did!) and am fascinated not only by the vivid descriptions but also by the "other point of view" on zoos and religions.

I liked that the father took them through the zoo and showed the dangers. A bit harsh? Perhaps, but also effective. Frankly, we live in the real world and their real world is a zoo. Too often we hear about some tourist climbing over a fence or sticking their arm where it doesn't belong even though there are signs and boundaries clearly marked. Education is the best safety net.

I also listened on audio and am very glad of this. The accent is there but not overdone and brings the story to life as if he's really sitting there telling it to me. The little English phrases he uses playfully are much funnier when listened to in the accent and the whole story just takes on a more far off land, good yarn kind of feel with lots of playfulness in it. I LOVED how he went about inventing his nickname! How clever and adorable!

Just finished Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. Wow, what a read! It's long, but boy, some good, interesting stuff in there!

I hadn't thought about it with the audio... that does make a huge difference with poetry, especially if you can get the author to read their poem.

When I was in high school we were the first class in an experimental advanced class that blended history with literature so we would be learning about a particular historical era and reading a major piece of literature going along with it. I really enjoyed that and thought it was a good way to teach not only the classics but the history that inspired them.

When I was in high school we were the first class in an experimental advanced class that blended history with literature so we would be learning about a particular historical era and reading a major piece of literature going along with it. I really enjoyed that and thought it was a good way to teach not only the classics but the history that inspired them.