[2021] The Wild Discussion Showing 1,051-1,100 of 2,279

[Steven]

I like the book that inspired a tv show prompt. Definitely lots of options there. I like the building in title prompt as well. I’d vote for it in it said or on the cover though I’ll just do the title. I barely pay attention to covers

[Rachel]

I could have sworn I'd suggested a book with a house on the cover at some point, but I don't remember if I actually did or just thought of doing it, lol

I personally would prefer the building on the cover instead of in the title, since we already have quite a few title prompts, but I'd be okay with either.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Rachel, it looks like "A book with a house on the cover" was suggested in poll 3. It might be better to open it up to building instead? Although I do think it should either be cover OR title, not both. But that's just my personal opinion.

[Avery]

Do you guys think the “you read What?!” Prompt suggestion would be too close to the non-fiction prompt that just got voted in? I’m thinking about waiting a round or two to suggest it since it feels similar. I originally was thinking about it with microhistories. I really really love the idea though so I’d love to see it in a poll.

[dalex]

Avery wrote: "Do you guys think the “you read What?!” Prompt suggestion would be too close to the non-fiction prompt that just got voted in? I’m thinking about waiting a round or two to suggest it since it feels..."

Personally I never even considered the nonfiction angle when the prompt was first suggested so I don’t think it’s similar.

[Nadine in NY]

Avery wrote: "Do you guys think the “you read What?!” Prompt suggestion would be too close to the non-fiction prompt that just got voted in? I’m thinking about waiting a round or two to suggest it since it feels..."



I do think it's very similar and you are wise to wait a few polls. You clearly have your finger on the pulse of what this group wants :-) 99% likelihood that I'll still vote for it, it's just so fun!

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Yes, definitely bring it up at some point. Also, fiction would still work. I gave a couple examples previously of literary fiction. Plenty of sci-fi and fantasy could work too.

[Rachel]

Emily wrote: "Rachel, it looks like "A book with a house on the cover" was suggested in poll 3. It might be better to open it up to building instead? Although I do think it should either be cover OR title, not b..."

Thank you! I thought I'd suggested it somewhere, but didn't see it on the lists. I must have skipped past it somehow.

I was thinking the same about the "You read What?!" idea, since my mind immediately jumped to nonfiction/microhistories for that one. I'd probably give it a few polls before trying it, but I can see where it's not that similar either.

[Conny]

@Avery, if you would like to suggest the chapter title prompt, please go ahead! I suggested the wording "A book that uses something other than consecutive numbers to designate chapters" but it was your idea in the first place, so I am not planning to snag it away from you. (I already posted a suggestion anyway.)

[Sara]

I think the "You Read What?" idea is fun. I don't think it necessarily leans toward non-fiction. I thought of several books I might read and none of them were non-fiction.

I like "building in the title" but not fond of "house on the cover".

[Pam]

One of the things I thought about with the "You Read What?" is a long classic like Don Quixote or War and Peace. That kind of book is not so surprising in this group but for the general public it might be. A real life example - My husband was reading Moby Dick and had it sitting on his desk. A coworker saw it and asked him if he was reading it for a class. He told him no, it was just for pleasure. The guy told him that he'd rather take a stick in the eye than have to read that book!

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Pam wrote: "One of the things I thought about with the "You Read What?" is a long classic like Don Quixote or War and Peace. That kind of book is not so surprising in this group but for the general public it m..."

I thought that about Moby Dick before I read it, now it is one of my all-time favorites! (I did skim over some of the whale anatomy though).

The "you read what?" could also apply if you read in any other language than English, as most people are surprised by that (well, maybe not Spanish if you live in the Southwest). I was a French major and still read in French when I can and that impresses people

One more area of "you read what?" could be a specialized topic that interests you. I read Romancing the Vote: Feminist Activism in American Fiction, 1870-1920. It combines my interests in women's history and literature. It's basically an academic book and I wouldn't expect many other people to read it. It has no reviews on GR and the cover doesn't even show up. It's from 2006 and I found it in a used book store. I'm going to work it into a talk I am giving related to the anniversary of women's suffrage. Other people might have an unusual hobby or area of expertise that few readers appreciate.

[Sara]

Pam wrote: " The guy told him that he'd rather take a stick in the eye than have to read that book!
"

The kind of comment made by someone who has never read the book. I was talking to a lady the other day who said she hated Shakespeare and "all his stuff is trash", so I asked her which of his plays she had read and which she disliked the most. "Never read any of them," she said, "but we were supposed to read one in high school and I hated it." Figure that one out.

[Wendy]

Robin P wrote: "I thought that about Moby Dick before I read it, now it is one of my all-time favorites! (I did skim over some of the whale anatomy though)."

It's one of my favorites, too! They don't tell you that the first part is essentially a romantic comedy, complete with the "only one bed" trope played to great effect... Melville can be *funny*. Its there on the first page, with Ishmael trying really hard not to knock people's hats off. I first read it in my 20s and lost my momentum in the whaling lore parts. I read it again last year (late 30s) and it was a completely different experience for me. Got caught up in all the feelz and flew through it on a big emotional wave, and had a book hangover at the end. Would definitely recommend, though maybe it's one of those books that works best at a certain time of life.

[Pam]

Sarah - That person you mentioned sounds a bit like me! I always say that I don’t like Shakespeare. I think it is due to being forced to read his works in high school. I don’t remember being thrilled by anything, especially Paradise Lost, we read in British Lit. Some day I will give Shakespeare another try! I will also try Moby Dick. My mom just recommended it to me and it’s one of my husband’s favorite books.

[Nadine in NY]

Wendy wrote: "Robin P wrote: "I thought that about Moby Dick before I read it, now it is one of my all-time favorites! (I did skim over some of the whale anatomy though)."

It's one of my favorites, too! They don't tell you that the first part is essentially a romantic comedy, complete with the "only one bed" trope played to great effect... Melville can be *funny*. Its there on the first page, with Ishmael trying really hard not to knock people's hats off. I first read it in my 20s and lost my momentum in the whaling lore parts. I read it again last year (late 30s) and it was a completely different experience for me. Got caught up in all the feelz and flew through it on a big emotional wave, and had a book hangover at the end. Would definitely recommend, though maybe it's one of those books that works best at a certain time of life."


Wow you make the book sound great! I had to read Billy Budd, Sailor in high school and I HATED it. The only other book I hated that much was A Tale of Two Cities (which was the only assigned reading in all my years of school that I was unable to finish) - a few years ago, I gave AToTC another try, and ... still hated it. So I figured it was a given that Melville is also not happening for me. But now I wonder ...

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Well, Moby Dick is kind of a glorious mess. Early on, there is an ode to chowder and one critic said the book is like a chowder - all kinds of odd bits sticking out here and there. It reminds me of Shakespeare (not a plus for some of you!) in that it veers from comedy to tragedy to instructional. Some chapters are soliloquies, some are lyrical descriptions, some are farce, some are tall tales. There are a lot of throwaway lines that are very deep when you think about them. A few years after my first read, I did a community ed course where we read Moby Dick a few chapters at a time and discussed them, and we never ran out of things to discuss.

The book I hated in high school was Silas Marner. I have since read other books by George Elliot and liked them, so I suppose I should try it again. This kind of thing could fit under the second chance prompt.

[dalex]

Shakespeare is meant to be performed, not read. That's what I always tell people who claim to hate Shakespeare. Get a basic idea of the storyline and characters, go see a play, and then tell me your opinion of Shakespeare.

[Wendy]

Pam wrote: "So I figured it was a given that Melville is also not happening for me. But now I wonder ..."

I hope you do! for what it's worth, I read Billy Budd a few years ago and I much prefer Moby Dick. (I don't remember Billy Budd having much humor, either). Robin is absolutely right, the book is kind of a glorious mess. Melville likes to nerd out about whaling details (like how the harpoon ropes are coiled in baskets, and the men have to throw water on the rope when it's zipping off after the harpoon so it doesn't catch on fire), but I like him best when he's writing about people. The inter-racial friendship between Ishmael and Queequeg is sweet (and kinda romantic) and surprisingly modern for the time, as Ishmael realizes and corrects his false assumptions. I also like how Melville portrays the hierachy among the officers on the ship--there's a particularly funny dinner scene to illustrate it. First Mate Starbuck is one of my favorite characters as the One Sane Man aboard and I love watching him agonize over how to slow down the runaway train that is Captain Ahab. Gah, I've worked myself up and now I want to reread it!

ETA: here's an article from the Guardian called Subversive, queer and terrifyingly relevant: six reasons why Moby-Dick is the novel for our times. I really changed the way I approached this book.

[Wendy]

dalex wrote: "Shakespeare is meant to be performed, not read. That's what I always tell people who claim to hate Shakespeare. Get a basic idea of the storyline and characters, go see a play, and then tell me you..."

I completely agree. It usually takes the first act to even warm up into the language, but by then the emotional hooks are set. I went in cold to a local production of Richard III, and the main actor was so darn good. His interpretation and delivery alone kept me interested until I had oriented myself to the plot.

[Alicia]

Now, I'm going to read Moby Dick as part of my reading challenge next year. You've all convinced me!

[Sarah]

Is it just me who hated Moby Dick? Maybe I read it at the wrong time like Wendy said but I hated it so much I'm not going to give it another chance anytime soon

[Sarah]

Thanks for all the feedback regarding my building-prompt idea! :)
Taking into account that a phrasing with an "OR" is not ideal, I'll submit it as originally written :)

[Sara]

I think Moby Dick IS the great American novel. Melville's stroke of genius. I have read it twice and ready to go for three. The second time around I found so many things I had missed the first time and I suspect it will be that way on the third.

[Nadine in NY]

Sarah wrote: "Is it just me who hated Moby Dick? Maybe I read it at the wrong time like Wendy said but I hated it so much I'm not going to give it another chance anytime soon"


LOL obviously I can't say since I've been avoiding that novel, but ... I'm definitely on the struggle bus with Count of Monte Cristo, and it seems like everyone else just flew through that book and loved it, so ... maybe it's not just you?

[Alicia]

Nadine wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Is it just me who hated Moby Dick? Maybe I read it at the wrong time like Wendy said but I hated it so much I'm not going to give it another chance anytime soon"


LOL obviously I can..."

For Count of Monte Cristo, are you reading the original version or the abridged version? That's definitely on my list of books to read, but I never know which version I should pick up.

[Nancy]

I remember reading Moby Dick in high school and being one of the only people who read the whole thing, I really liked it. I haven't read it again since then though.

A Tale of Two Cities, on the other hand, I couldn't get through.

[Nadine in NY]

Alicia wrote: "Nadine wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Is it just me who hated Moby Dick? Maybe I read it at the wrong time like Wendy said but I hated it so much I'm not going to give it another chance anytime soon"


LOL ...


For Count of Monte Cristo, are you reading the original version or the abridged version? That's definitely on my list of books to read, but I never know which version I should pick up."



I accidentally started with an abridged version, then I switched to the original version, then I completely stalled out and stopped reading. I haven't picked it up in three or four months. My plan is to try an audiobook version as soon as I finish my other reading.

[Ellie]

dalex wrote: "Shakespeare is meant to be performed, not read. That's what I always tell people who claim to hate Shakespeare. Get a basic idea of the storyline and characters, go see a play, and then tell me you..."

Yes! I dislike reading plays in general, but I'll happily watch Shakespeare performed.

[Jillian]

Nancy, I have been trying to read a Tale of Two Cities for a couple of years now. I start it and then get distracted by other books and make no progress and temporarily abandon the book. One of these years I will read it.

[Pam]

Now, if someone would submit the “book relating to a marine animal” suggestion (which was suggested last year), we could all read Moby Dick! 😬 I still like that prompt but I had other options I was considering.

[Sarah]

Pam wrote: "Now, if someone would submit the “book relating to a marine animal” suggestion (which was suggested last year), we could all read Moby Dick! 😬 I still like that prompt but I had other options I was..."

Haha, I think it was me who suggested that last year and I'm the one who doesn't like Moby Dick! *facepalm*

[Nancy]

Jillian wrote: "Nancy, I have been trying to read a Tale of Two Cities for a couple of years now. I start it and then get distracted by other books and make no progress and temporarily abandon the book. One of the..."

Let me know how that works out for you!

[Sarah]

Nadine wrote: "Alicia wrote: "Nadine wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Is it just me who hated Moby Dick? Maybe I read it at the wrong time like Wendy said but I hated it so much I'm not going to give it another chance anyti..."

Are you in the middle when you don't know who any of the characters are any more because they've nearly all changed their names? That section is confusing but it comes back together eventually

[Wendy]

Nadine, I read the abridged version of Count back in high school, and didn't realize it until I was half-way in (it was the only copy available at the bookstore). I really enjoyed all the revenge machinations at the time, and years later purchased the full version, though I've yet to tackle it again. I can only really take on one or two long books a year these days, and I'm nervous it either won't hold up, or the unabridged version will be much more dry than I remember.

[Kathy Jo]

Moby Dick was on my list for this year, but my sister and I are doing a book club and one of her picks knocked it out. I mean, I could still read it this year, but it's not looking good!

[Nadine in NY]

Sarah wrote: "Are you in the middle when you don't know who any of the characters are any more because they've nearly all changed their names? That section is confusing but it comes back together eventually .."


I'm getting to the end of the Franz section. Franz has met the Count in a hotel and they are talking about some hangings in the town square. I can only assume Dumas lost the chapter that helpfully explains all the new names and who the heck Franz is. I know one of the guys ends up being the son of some other guy we already met, but I only know that by Googling.




Wendy wrote: "Nadine, I read the abridged version of Count back in high school, and didn't realize it until I was half-way in (it was the only copy available at the bookstore). I really enjoyed all the revenge m..."


Oh go ahead and give it another try. You will probably enjoy it more than I am since you will know what's coming, it'll be easier to keep track of who's who and which things will be important later. It's not dry, it's just confusing. And a bit rambling in parts. Some parts are just crazysauce. Like when Franz meets the Count on his island and they have some sort of acid trip and the statues talk to him?

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Dumas wrote in installments and by the word, and he had co-writers, so sometimes things don't match up in earlier and later parts of his books (as opposed to Dickens who did meticulous plotting.) There are a couple instances of that in The Three Musketeers, where someone is shocked at a big secret, but actually it was revealed to that same person in an earlier chapter. I love Dumas but he wasn't the meticulous type.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

For any fans of Dumas, I am starting on Aug 30 to lead a group read of the Musketeer cycle, 6 books from 3 Musketeers through Man in the Iron Mask on the GR group called The Reader's Review. We will read about 5 chapters a week, and you can do just one book or more. If you want more info, feel free to contact me.

[Wendy]

Nadine wrote: "Like when Franz meets the Count on his island and they have some sort of acid trip and the statues talk to him?."

Ha! I don't remember that! I have a sneaking suspicion it didn't make it into my expurgated abridged version. Yes, rambling I could see. I wondered what all that extra verbiage could be, comparing my two very different-length versions. I mainly remember Edmond Dantes, Mercedes, and the two antagonists/friends.

[Avery]

Okay, y’all convinced me we can and we will submit “you read what?!” To the next poll! Anyone feel free to submit, but I think I like dalex’s concise wording... and italics/bold/capital letters are a MUST when submitting it haha!

A book that might cause someone to react “You read what?!?”

[Sara]

lol. Looking forward to this one making the list, Avery.

[Katie]

Wendy wrote: "dalex wrote: "Shakespeare is meant to be performed, not read. That's what I always tell people who claim to hate Shakespeare. Get a basic idea of the storyline and characters, go see a play, and th..."

Richard III is one of my favorites! Definitely a compelling lead character there.

[Katie]

I really struggled with Count when the part totally shifted from Edmund in the jail to the time years later. I definitely put it down for months after that happened because I felt like it was a whole new novel, and I was invested in the first novel, not in this new thing. Eventually I got past that, but it was definitely a struggle.

[Nadine in NY]

Katie wrote: "I really struggled with Count when the part totally shifted from Edmund in the jail to the time years later. I definitely put it down for months after that happened because I felt like it was a who..."


Solidarity!

[Milena]

I am at about 80% and really enjoying The Count of Monte Cristo. And I still have no idea what's going on. I am curious if it will all come together, or if I will need to read some sort of plot summary. But things are really happening now!

[Jette]

Nadine wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Is it just me who hated Moby Dick? Maybe I read it at the wrong time like Wendy said but I hated it so much I'm not going to give it another chance anytime soon"


LOL obviously I can..."

My DD had to read TCoMC for AP English. I told her how much I loved it and encouraged her throughout. She was so mad when she reached the ending and it was different than she expected. I don't think she will ever let me forget that. (BTW...I think the ending was perfect!)

[Nancy]

Is anyone else amused that today's Google Doodle is Alexandre Dumas?

[Nadine in NY]

Nancy wrote: "Is anyone else amused that today's Google Doodle is Alexandre Dumas?"


hahaha thanks to reddit, I only just NOW realized it was him!!

[Nancy]

Nadine wrote: "hahaha thanks to reddit, I only just NOW realized it was him!!"

Reddit is where I saw he was the GD!