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.

Lianne (The Towering Pile) wrote: "Am I correct in assuming that 1Q84 mentions 1984? Obviously the title is a reference to it but my copy doesn't have a preface or introduction.

If so, I think that'll be my book for..."


From: https://blog.prepscholar.com/allusion...

1Q84 (2009) by Haruki Murakami
The allusion here isn't a specific quotation but rather the title of 2009 bestselling novel 1Q84 by Japanese author Haruki Murakami.

While English speakers might not see the connection right away, the title of this dystopian novel is an allusion to George Orwell's 1984. How? You see, in Japanese, the letter "Q" is pronounced the same way as the number nine, making the title sound as if you're saying "1984" or "one nine eight four" in Japanese.

Brandy wrote: "I just reread The Great Gatsby, I think that can count for this one??"

👍

Welcome Amy. I hope you will find some more books off the list to add to your read column. Feel free to join us in our group reads and discussions if you are interested.

Great to see you here.

Tim wrote: "Nostromo (I think it's on the list)"

Indeed it is!

Welcome Kathleen. I like that goal of trying out as many of the authors as possible. That's a great way to tackle the list. The list has quite a few authors with multiple books on the list. I guess it'll give you a good idea of what you want to tackle first.

I'll look forward to your thoughts on Embers. I am going to be starting it in the next couple days. Don't worry about being late (I am looking at you also, Tere (and welcome!)). The discussion remains up after the reading period is over and we are happy to extend the discussion anytime you are ready to join it.

Glad to have you with us.

In case you are wondering, the blind guy in the movie Contact is not in the novel Contact

Starting The Rings of Saturn by W.G. Sebald

Finished King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard. More in the group read thread.

Bob wrote: "Sean wrote: "The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O'Connor. I loved the organization of this book. I just love the writing here."

I have enjoyed everything by her that ..."


Same! Her writing is amazing.

I enjoyed the sense of adventure. However unlikely it all seemed. But I guess that's kind of the point. I imagine for the time it was written this was quite the young man's dream. This and books like mentioned above, Treasure Island and the like.

I have to say that the book is a bit of a victim to the thinking of the time. Of course it all comes off as very racist now. Very much class oriented way of thinking. The Africans were portrayed as not worth more than being servants. Mentions of the unattractiveness of African women. Even the unsuitability for a white man to be in love with one. (view spoiler)[ Even Foulata had to die to keep her from creating an "awkward" situation with Good. But she did die.... he didn't abandon her. And there was plenty of evidence that he did love her. (hide spoiler)]

However, there was also a lot of praise for the Kukuanas. Quatermain surely admired them. He described their magnificence and their warrior abilities over and over in many ways. But it really was all tempered with a sort of, "considering they are savages" undertone. But, even all this and they definitley sitll considred Ignosi and Infadoos friends and as close to equals as they could.

Adventuresome for sure!

Update

U - Umbopa - King Solomon's Mines - 1/30/22

I suspect a few will use this book for Q

Dina wrote: "Update

X - Xi Qiaomu - Contact by Carl Sagan 1/30/22"

Copy Cat!

Oh wait.... I haven't finished yet... but I'm reading it now and that's my plan as well.

I had planned to use The World According to Garp for this one. But I think I will use our current group read, King Solomon's Mines. It's got a lame guy in who had his legs crushed by a boulder. It's also got an old witch who is so old she gets around on all fours.... disability indeed.

I am starting Contact by Carl Sagan

The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O'Connor. I loved the organization of this book. I just love the writing here.

Hello Emily. Welcome to the group. It can be quite daunting jumping into this list of 1318 books. It's hard to make a general recommendation without knowing your preferences or what you have already read. I would suggest heading over to the group's bookshelf. There you will find the books organized by topic, setting, and era. That can be one way to choose a book. Another popular method is to pick a book at random... here's one for you: Keep the Aspidistra Flying.

But maybe an even better idea is to start King Solomon's Mines or Embers.

The former is our current group read, and the latter is our next one.

Update

T - Francis Marion Tarwater - The Violent Bear It Away - 1/30/22

Update

I - Ivan Ilych Golovin - The Death of Ivan Ilych - 1/28/22

The Death of Ivan Ilych. Another short one. And fairly straight forward and easy to read.

Told you I would see you soon. Starting The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O'Connor.