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Villains and Monsters: Discussion of episode aired October 2
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I mean, we better have an interview with a whale or Moby Dick doesn't count! Haha.I'm curious to see of they got J.K. Rowling for an interview.
Kim wrote: "I mean, we better have an interview with a whale or Moby Dick doesn't count! Haha.I'm curious to see of they got J.K. Rowling for an interview."
It doesn't look as though they did :(
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I'm curious to see of they got J.K. Rowling for an interview."
Funny.
I'm disappointed she isn't on the interview list. Maybe disappointed enough to not vote for Harry Potter today.
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I dnf Gone Girl. Maybe someone will persuade me to give it another shot.
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Watched and it was OK- not as good to me, personally, as last weeks.
J. wrote: "I just finished the Watchers and I can see parallels between that and Frankenstein. I wonder if the episode will go there."It did go there, you were right!
Nancy, it could have been a scheduling thing. Stephen King-same. Either when they actually went all the way up to Bangor, he was on the road with the band, or doing press for the new book. Or then again, both of them have tons of money, so maybe they couldn't be arsed.
I noticed an increase in upspeak and vocal fry in this episode...and every time it was really starting to get on my nerves, they'd cut to another person, or the person would take it down a notch.
Interesting........my usual zone-in on small details......you know how they often have someone saying "You should vote for this book because...."? Well, I noticed that the person who spoke after "Gone Girl" just said, "Get out there and vote!" Not, "you should vote for this book".
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I didn't see the whole show yet, but I saw that part. She had a sour look on her face before she said that, and it made me wonder what the interviewer said.
I spent the whole day in the Emergency room. Not fun at all.
J. wrote: "I just finished the Watchers and I can see parallels between that and Frankenstein. I wonder if the episode will go there."I just started Watchers too. Didn't really plan to as I'm reading Frankenstein this month, and also War and Peace this whole fall, but it came available from my library e hold and I only get those 2 weeks.
I liked the episode. My takeaways: 1) renewed my interest to reread The Stand, my favorite SK novel! I read it sooo long ago. It’s one of several I have been voting for.
2) renewed my interest to read The Watchers. I went to a GR book club meeting this summer where one member talked enthusiastically about it. I’ve never read any of his books.
3) I wish they wouldn’t give away so much of the plot of Dorian Gray! This is the 2nd episode that a presenter did that. It’s a short book as it is! It’s a good story (novella) but I don’t understand why it would be someone’s favorite.
4) Sounds like there is more to Frankenstein than is presented in the movies. I guess I’ll plan to read it!
5) I STILL have no interest in reading Moby Dick, despite my husband telling me it’s such a great book! Maybe when he reads The Stand, I will read Moby Dick. BTW, I found out this past week that there is an Emoji Dick book! There is also one completely told in artwork created by the author. I tried to read the latter but got quickly bored.
NancyJ wrote: "Linda Abhors the New GR Design wrote: "Interesting........my usual zone-in on small details......you know how they often have someone saying "You should vote for this book because...."? Well, I not..."Oh, I'm so sorry! Hope all are okay.
Bonnie wrote: "J. wrote: "I just finished the Watchers and I can see parallels between that and Frankenstein. I wonder if the episode will go there."I just started Watchers too. Didn't really plan to as I'm rea..."
I've never read anything by Koontz, but after hearing the premise of the book, might consider it, when I get time.
Pam wrote: "I liked the episode. My takeaways: 1) renewed my interest to reread The Stand, my favorite SK novel! I read it sooo long ago. It’s one of several I have been voting for.
2) renewed my interest t..."
Every year, I say I'm going to go, and then I'm either out of town or forget.
New Bedford, MA has a celebration of Melville's birthday with a public 24-hour reading of MD. Not just a reading, but I think it's a "you may sign up to do part of the reading" reading. If you make it through until morning, you receive a copy of the pop-up book signed by one of his descendants (can't remember if it's the great or the great-great grandson). And there's a brunch, too. It happens in the days right after New Year's, which is why I'm often gone or forget to go.
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I didn't like it as much as previous episodes. It seems like they weren't sure exactly how to approach the theme and just tried to cover everything. It made it hard to watch for me, because it seemed all over the place.
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It did go there, you were right!
Nancy, it could have been a..."
Surprising even myself on that one!
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I just started Watchers too. Didn't really plan to as I'm rea..."
Same. I was waiting until the end to reaf some of the bigger thrillers because they are not my thing, but my e-hold came through last week so I took the plunge.
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I just started Watchers too. Didn't really pla..."
To Linda and Pam:
This was my first Koontz. I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would. I'm not a Thriller person, but it was endearing.
J. wrote: "Linda Abhors the New GR Design wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "J. wrote: "I just finished the Watchers and I can see parallels between that and Frankenstein. I wonder if the episode will go there."I just ..."
Good to know! I think it's also why people who normally don't enjoy King like "Pet Sematary"
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I just ..."
Re Watchers.. was it really scary? Calling it "endearing" gives me a whole other view of it. I love dogs, and I think I would find a vicious dog more scary than a fantasy monster.
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Lol, the dog as character was what made me consider reading it! :P
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Your new takes on Moby Dick remind me of the Brick books - classics told through LEGO re-enactments. There's one for Frankenstein (Brick Dracula and Frankenstein). I've run into them when browsing but haven't ever read one cover to cover. The artistry of the LEGOs makes me laugh though.I read excerpts of the real story behind Moby Dick - can't recall the name right now - when I was an ESL reading teacher and the students loved it. I would like to read Melville's Moby Dick someday but may need help from a really well narrated audio book...
Cathy wrote: "Your new takes on Moby Dick remind me of the Brick books - classics told through LEGO re-enactments. There's one for Frankenstein (Brick Dracula and Frankenstein). I've run into them when browsing ..."It was the story of the Whaleship Essex. Philbrick wrote a novelized form of the tale.....In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex. but can't recall an earlier book, that Melville would have known. I thought he'd just heard the tale.
On a similar note, Poe'sThe Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, related to a different story, was pretty gruesome, as well.
The Great American Read
Books mentioned in this topic
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex (other topics)The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket (other topics)
https://www.pbs.org/the-great-america...
How do novels featuring our favorite villains and monsters help us understand why people behave badly? We examine the evil characters in our favorite novels, to find out why we go to the dark side. We also meet authors who have created some of our best-loved villains.
Books in this episode:
A Game of Thrones
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
And Then There Were None
Beloved
Gone Girl
Frankenstein*
Handmaid's Tale
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Moby Dick
Picture of Dorian Gray
Rebecca
The Watchers
The Stand
*denotes a group read book