Sean’s Comments (group member since Jan 30, 2019)

Sean’s comments from the Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die group.

I'm really happy to see so many people participating. This is going to be the first time I have really read a book like this in this much detail as well. Normally I would push myself through a long book quickly, thinking that I need to get it out of the way. I'm hoping to get much more out of this book this go-round.

The March Thread is posted. We will be finishing up Volume 1. Books 5-8.

In March, we will be discussing the end of Vol 1.


Book Fifth - The Descent
Book Sixth - Javert
Book Seventh - The Champmathieu Affair
Book Eighth - A Counter-Blow

Bucket wrote: "Hello, I'm Kara (or Bucket)...."

Welcome to the group!

Are you a Detective Inspector by any chance?

:P

Diane wrote: "You could have a pretty big playlist just from the songs based off of 1984 alone."

and one popular TV show (at least in UK and USA)

That list reminded me of another favorite song of mine Billy Budd by Morrissey

Andi wrote: "Sean wrote: "I have a Spotify playlist with them on it. I added the others listed here as well."

Would you consider sharing you Spotify playlist? I'd be interested in listening to it! :)"

See if THIS LINK works. Can't do spotify on this computer so I can't check it.

Looks like I have a lot to add to it, but here's what I have so far.

Diane wrote: "~White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane (Alice in Wonderland)."

This one popped up last night for me as I was catching up on watching new The Stand series during the closing credits.

Karina wrote: "Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. I think this is a first of his that I am reading and so far, it's interesting."

Interesting is definitely a word for Vonnegut

Ellinor wrote: "But I like it so much that I already completed our February part."

Jasmine wrote: "I was so caught up in the story that I made it to chapter 8."

Haha. Well, now you can go back and read those parts again in March. That'll slow you down. :P

I've been listening to this song by AViVA for weeks now. and it just struck me right this second when it played again. Titled "Rabbit Hole" obvious connections to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass.

Andi wrote: "Ian wrote: "Brett Easton Ellis' Less Than Zero is named after an Elvis Costello song."

So it goes the other way around as well. :)

Wow, so many finds, Sean!"

I'd also been keeping a list (figures!). I have a Spotify playlist with them on it. I added the others listed here as well.

GREAT TOPIC!

There are probably many, but The Editors recently came out with a song called FRANKENSTEIN. Probably many references to Dracula as well.

David Bowie's Space Oddity is a take from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Bear Hands has a recent song called Reptillian. Some of the lyrics go: Stranger in a Strange Land.

You're Still Beautiful, Baby by The Church talks about Dorian Grey. And so does James Blunt's Tears and Rain.

Don't Stand So Close to Me by The Police has a lyric that goes: "Just like the old man in that book by Nabokov". It's a reference to Lolita.

Deep Blue Something has a song called Breakfast at Tiffany's. (great song!)

Moon Taxi has a song called Hometown Heroes with lyrics that say "One for all and all for one." Is that a real reference to The Three Muskateers or just something that they are said to have said? I can't remember.

Twin Atlantic has a song called Barcelona with a lyric that goes, "I've had enough of Clockwork Orange living."

The KONGOS has a recent song called Lord of the Flies.

Weezer has a song called The Grapes of Wrath

Rose wrote: "The Time Machine"

Nicely done!

Debbie McGreevy wrote: "Sorry if my book isn’t on the list. I’m just figuring this out."

Nope it's not. Although many have said it should be.

Welcome to the group!

Lol. I have noticed that too. Wondering if you were aware of what group you were posting to.

:P it's all good. Are you reading from the LIST as well?

Bucket wrote: "I finally hit 200 this week with Lives of Girls and Women. Woohoo!

It seemed to take forever to get to 200, but maybe that's because #199 was A Dance to the Music of Time..."

Awesome! Congrats!

It was dark, dark, dark. Everything was dark. Even the sex scenes were dark. Sex using death and violence as motifs.

I can't say I didn't like it. I actually liked it quite a bit. Yes I found the characters irritating. All of them! I agree with that statement made in the Scavenger Hunt. But I still liked the book. I found it compelling. I wanted to see who did the murder. I wanted to see if/when/how they would get paid the blackmail money. I was rooting for these losers despite myself. They didn't deserve anything and it was hard to believe the lengths they were going to to get it, but I still was rooting for them.

Even so, the end didn't bum me out. I thought it was fitting.

Rosemary wrote: "In fact I thought all the old men were shown in a very sympathetic light in this book - Roth's typical man seems to be a hot mess when young, hard-hearted in middle age, and adorable in old age."

That's very interesting. I hadn't really noticed it while I was reading. But I can totally see what you are saying now.

Also just started The Guermantes Way, 3rd volume in In Search of Lost Time.

Update


Q - Quaitbay - Miramar - 2/17/21