Help up choose a book as the November 2009 eBook for the Mobile Read Book Club. The poll will be open for 7 days. We will start the discussion thread for this book on November 22nd. Select from the following books.

The Trial by Franz Kafka
The Trial tells the story of a man arrested and prosecuted by a remote, inaccessible authority.

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Karamazov Brothers (1880) is both a brilliantly told crime story and a passionate philosophical debate. The dissolute landowner Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov is murdered; his sons--the atheist intellectual Ivan, the hot-blooded Dmitry, and the saintly novice Alyosha--are all involved at some level. Brilliantly bound up with this psychological drama is Dostoevsky's intense and disturbing exploration of many deeply felt ideas about the existence of God, freedom of will, the collective nature of guilt, and the disastrous consequences of rationalism.

Persuasion by Jane Austen
Twenty-seven-year old Anne Elliot is Austen's most adult heroine. Eight years before the story proper begins, she is happily betrothed to a naval officer, Frederick Wentworth, but she precipitously breaks off the engagement when persuaded by her friend Lady Russell that such a match is unworthy. The breakup produces in Anne a deep and long-lasting regret. When later Wentworth returns from sea a rich and successful captain, he finds Anne's family on the brink of financial ruin and his own sister a tenant in Kellynch Hall, the Elliot estate. Al the tension of the novel revolves around one question: Will Anne and Wentworth be reunited in their love?

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Most peoples' knowledge of this probably comes from the 1960s musical, which I'm sure we've all seen innumerable times. The novel, though, is a VERY different beast, and definely written for an "adult" audience. It contains some wonderful writing, and has some unforgettable characters - Oliver himself, of course; Fagin, who runs a gang of child thieves and prostitutes, the professional criminal, Bill Sykes and his girlfriend Nancy, and many more. This is a wonderful, unforgetable book, which everybody should read at least once in their life. I commend it to everybody.

The Picture (or Portrait) of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Spellbound before his own portrait, Dorian Gray utters a fateful wish. In exchange for eternal youth he gives his soul, to be corrupted by the malign influence of his mentor, the aesthete and hedonist Lord Henry Wotton. The novel was met with moral outrage by contemporary critics who, dazzled perhaps by Wilde's brilliant style, may have confused the author with his creation, Lord Henry, to whom even Dorian protests, 'You cut life to pieces with your epigrams.'. Encouraged by Lord Henry to substitute pleasure for goodness and art for reality, Dorian tries to watch impassively as he brings misery and death to those who love him. But the picture is watching him, and, made hideous by the marks of sin, it confronts Dorian with the reflection of his fall from grace, the silent bearer of what is in effect a devastating moral judgement.

Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
Phileas Fogg rashly bets his companions £20,000 that he can travel around the entire globe in just eighty days—and he is determined not to lose. Breaking the well-established routine of his daily life, the reserved Englishman immediately sets off for Dover, accompanied by his hot- blooded French manservant, Passepartout. Traveling by train, steamship, sailboat, sledge, and even elephant, they must overcome storms, kidnappings, natural disasters, Sioux attacks, and the dogged Inspector Fix of Scotland Yard to win the extraordinary wager. Combining exploration, adventure, and a thrilling race against time, Around the World in Eighty Days gripped audiences upon its publication and remains hugely popular to this day.

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edward Abbott
A fascinating science-fiction story with some biting, funny satire of Victorian society, Edwin Abbott's Flatland still has a lot to say about modern life, mathematics, people, philosophy and our perceptions of reality. The story takes us to a two-dimensional world where all the inhabitants are flat geometric shapes, and who are all firmly convinced that "length and width" is all there is. But one enterprising shape discovers the existence of a third physical dimension, which leads to speculation about a fourth dimension - and that changes everything.

Orlando by Virginia Woolf
In her most playful and exuberant novel, Virginia Woolf writes the "historical biography" of Orlando, a young boy of nobility during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. A wild ride through four centuries, the novel shows Orlando aging, magically, only thirty-six years between 1588 and 1928. Even more magically, he also changes from a man to a woman.
Orlando enters the book as an Elizabethan nobleman and leaves the book three centuries later as a liberated woman of the 1920s. Along the way this most rambunctious of Woolf's characters engages in sword fights, trades barbs with 18th century wits, has a baby, and drives a car. As she explores Orlando's life, Woolf also explores the differing roles of men and women in society during various periods.

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Set in the Parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, Les Miserables follows Jean Valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving family. A hardened criminal upon his release, he eventually reforms, becoming a successful industrialist and town mayor. Despite this, he is haunted by an impulsive former crime and is pursued relentlessly by the police inspector Javert.

Apparently Classics is a very popular month. 9 books to choose from this month, and most, if not all of them are PD and free for the download.

BOb

Help up choose a book as the November 2009 eBook for the Mobile Read Book Club. The poll will be open for 7 days. We will start the discussion thread for this book on October 22nd. Select from the following books.

So that was supposed to say November 22 right?

I thought there were going to be a plethora of choices. :)

Looking forward to the result.

Thanks for doing this Bob. The underlying beauty of this BotM Club is that I become aware of books I had either never heard of or never considered reading.

Do I get a sticker that says "I voted"?:rofl: Thanks Bob. I really like this Book Club (even though I am still new).

Do I get a sticker that says "I voted"?:rofl: Thanks Bob. I really like this Book Club (even though I am still new).

No, but you get the satisfaction of knowing you made the world a better place. :D

Ooh I don't know what I want to vote for again!!! Argh!

Out of curiosity, I made a list of the word counts for the books' text files on Gutenberg ('Orlando' is available at Gutenberg Australia)

(I didn't exclude the Gutenberg top and bottom text.)

570,052 Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
355,186 The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
161,716 Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
86,392 Persuasion by Jane Austen
86,167 The Trial by Franz Kafka
82,190 The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
79,582 Orlando by Virginia Woolf
66,494 Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
36,790 Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edward Abbott

Interesting.

So that was supposed to say November 22 right?

Yes, sorry, fixed.

BOb

Go Dickens, go!!

:)

If you came up with The Idiot of Dostojevsky well, but in this list Kafka is superb.

Do I get a sticker that says "I voted"?:rofl: Thanks Bob. I really like this Book Club (even though I am still new).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/AnemicOak/iVoted.gif



;)



`

:rofl:

OK, here's this months where to get it list. Probably not all that needed this month, but I did it anyway. I only included free sources, but all of them are also available for sale at most eBook retailers.



The Trial by Franz Kafka

MobileRead (uploaded by Patricia)
IMP http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16018
LRF http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16016
PRC http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16017

Feedbooks
Various formats http://www.feedbooks.com/book/9

Manybooks
20 different formats http://manybooks.net/titles/kafkafraetext05ktria10.html

Gutenberg
Various formats http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7849



The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
MobileRead (uploaded by =X=)
IMP http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32207
LRF http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32205
PRC http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32206

Feedbooks
Various formats http://www.feedbooks.com/book/180

Manybooks
20 different formats http://manybooks.net/titles/dostoyevother05brothers_karamazov.html
http://manybooks.net/titles/dostoyev2805428054-8.html

Gutenberg
Various formats http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/28054



Persuasion by Jane Austen
MobileRead (uploaded by HarryT, zelda_pinwheel & Strether)
EPUB http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54999
IMP http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22434
LRF http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10391
PRC http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21457
PRC http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18732

Feedbooks
Various formats http://www.feedbooks.com/book/4337
http://feedbooks.com/book/51

Manybooks
20 different formats http://manybooks.net/titles/austenjaetext94persu11.html

Gutenberg
Various formats http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/105



Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
MobileRead (uploaded by HarryT & nrapallo)
EPUB http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54085
IMP http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21410
LRF http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10202
PRC http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17412

Feedbooks
Various formats http://www.feedbooks.com/book/56

Manybooks
20 different formats http://manybooks.net/titles/dickenscetext96olivr11.html

Gutenberg
Various formats http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/730



The Picture (or Portrait) of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
MobileRead (uploaded by Jellby & Dr. Drib)
EPUB http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34431
LRF http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11535
MOBI http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26867

Feedbooks
Various formats http://www.feedbooks.com/book/6

Manybooks
20 different formats http://manybooks.net/titles/wildeoscetext94dgray10.html

Gutenberg
Various formats http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/26740
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/174 | http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4078



Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
MobileRead (uploaded by HarryT)
PRC http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21072

Feedbooks
Various formats http://www.feedbooks.com/book/199

Manybooks
20 different formats http://manybooks.net/titles/vernejuletext9480day11.html

Gutenberg
Various formats http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/103



Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edward Abbott
MobileRead (uploaded by Stanart)
IMP http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1573
LRF http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15729
PRC http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15730

Feedbooks
Various formats http://www.feedbooks.com/book/1596
http://www.feedbooks.com/book/1796

Manybooks
20 different formats http://manybooks.net/titles/abbottedetext95flat10a.html
http://manybooks.net/titles/abbottedetext94flat11.html

Gutenberg
Various formats http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/201
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/97



Orlando by Virginia Woolf
MobileRead (uploaded by Dr. Drib)
LRF http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12665

Gutenberg AU
HTML http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200331h.html



Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
MobileRead (uploaded by HarryT & Roy White)
LRF http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27915
LRF http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11130
PRC http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27916

Feedbooks
Various formats http://www.feedbooks.com/book/1559

Manybooks
20 different formats http://manybooks.net/titles/hugovictetext94lesms10.html

Gutenberg
Various formats http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/135

Thanks Brian!

Hey, maybe that's another element of the definition of a classic -- "available free for download from the public domain" :)

Thanks Brian!

Hey, maybe that's another element of the definition of a classic -- "available free for download from the public domain" :)

There are plenty of PD books I wouldn't consider classics though. :bookworm:

So, if the biggest vote takes the election, I guess that means that a minority is pretty much guaranteed to win? There should be runoffs till someone gets a majority, or the disenchanted might go out and burn bookstores...

So, if the biggest vote takes the election, I guess that means that a minority is pretty much guaranteed to win? There should be runoffs till someone gets a majority, or the disenchanted might go out and burn bookstores...

:blink:

Thanks for those links, AO!

Well, for the respondent who seemed confused -- the part about burning bookstores was a joke. But if the poll stops now, 10 people will have voted for The Trial, and 31 people for other books. That would make The Trial in the minority, right? Voting should continue till a book gets a majority, with the least-favored book or books eliminated each round and made to leave the island, with the remaining books participating in a new poll till a book finally wins a majority. Political conventions used to work that way.

Well, for the respondent who seemed confused -- the part about burning bookstores was a joke. But if the poll stops now, 10 people will have voted for The Trial, and 31 people for other books. That would make The Trial in the minority, right? Voting should continue till a book gets a majority, with the least-favored book or books eliminated each round and made to leave the island, with the remaining books participating in a new poll till a book finally wins a majority. Political conventions used to work that way.

No, we have the voting open for a set period of time and the one with the most votes wins. That way is too complicated for a book club with a set period of time for reading.

Ok, you're running the show, but (a) it really wouldn't be that complicated to do it the way I indicated, and (b) the method you are using guarantees that the same tired small list of classics will be chosen; that it, is just about impossible for lesser-known classics to be read because multiple people won't think about voting for them in one round. It tends to mean that the poorest read people (of classics) will make the choice of what the group will read, if you think about it, because they won't have heard of many classics except for a few super-famous ones, and the well-read people will think of many classics but they will split their votes among them.

But I wouldn't have thought 'The Trial' would be the obvious choice from the list.

I didn't vote for it - my choice never wins :( sniff.

Well, for the respondent who seemed confused -- the part about burning bookstores was a joke. But if the poll stops now, 10 people will have voted for The Trial, and 31 people for other books. That would make The Trial in the minority, right? Voting should continue till a book gets a majority, with the least-favored book or books eliminated each round and made to leave the island, with the remaining books participating in a new poll till a book finally wins a majority. Political conventions used to work that way.



Oh. :smack: Now I get it.

But I wouldn't have thought 'The Trial' would be the obvious choice from the list.

I didn't vote for it - my choice never wins :( sniff.


Hey, quit whining, mine didn't even get nominated. :p

Ok, you're running the show, but (a) it really wouldn't be that complicated to do it the way I indicated, and (b) the method you are using guarantees that the same tired small list of classics will be chosen; that it, is just about impossible for lesser-known classics to be read because multiple people won't think about voting for them in one round. It tends to mean that the poorest read people (of classics) will make the choice of what the group will read, if you think about it, because they won't have heard of many classics except for a few super-famous ones, and the well-read people will think of many classics but they will split their votes among them.

I think, in general, we aren't a poorly read group, and I'm not sure I see how your way would guarantee something lesser known would get selected. Not to mention that often when others have read the winning book, they'll go on to read another selection from the list. I expect that will be the case here.

But I wouldn't have thought 'The Trial' would be the obvious choice from the list.

I didn't vote for it - my choice never wins :( sniff.
I can see it was Orlando. I read it a long time ago, and would love to read it again and discuss it - but so far I am saving my vote in case another of the other ones I'd like need support (Trial and Dorian Gray) :)


Ok, you're running the show, but (a) it really wouldn't be that complicated to do it the way I indicated, and (b) the method you are using guarantees that the same tired small list of classics will be chosen; that it, is just about impossible for lesser-known classics to be read because multiple people won't think about voting for them in one round. It tends to mean that the poorest read people (of classics) will make the choice of what the group will read, if you think about it, because they won't have heard of many classics except for a few super-famous ones, and the well-read people will think of many classics but they will split their votes among them.
It is a bit convoluted, but I read this as if you expect people who have not read many 'classics' to select the most well-known or 'famous'?
I can't agree. You forget we are an international group :) I have read well-known (in Denmark) Danish classics, but few, if none, English classics - though apparently well-known in English speaking countries. My favourite in this list is Orlando - certainly not super-famous. I'm sorry, but I'm not quite sure what your point is? Most of the books nominated got three nominations and were listed - it might be the same 'tired' list of classics, but one that was support for. It wasn't like a lot of books were left by the wayside after a bloody battle (so to speak)....

Ok, you're running the show, but (a) it really wouldn't be that complicated to do it the way I indicated, and (b) the method you are using guarantees that the same tired small list of classics will be chosen;

First, we are not choosing a world leader here, just a book to read in a friendly little book club.

Secondly if you go back to the previous classic months you will see that while I think there were one or two duplicates each poll has had different and unique selections.

BOb

Part of what I said is debatable, but it is not debatable that the method in use makes it highly likely that the winner is going to be a book most people did NOT vote for. This means that fewer people are likely to participate in the actual reading.

Kafka is my all-time favorite author, or in the top few, and I'm always happy to read The Trial again, but I would have been happier with The Castle or Amerika. Everything Kafka wrote is fantastic.

I'm sorry if you don't agree, but I'm just stating my opinion. Do what you like, have fun.

Part of what I said is debatable, but it is not debatable that the method in use makes it highly likely that the winner is going to be a book most people did NOT vote for. This means that fewer people are likely to participate in the actual reading.


Yes, it's quite possible with this many books nominated. However, I guarantee you the book with the most votes will win.

The idea is that you read the book that gets the most votes... to expand your horizons. If you just want to read any other book of course there is nothing keeping you from that. ;)


I'm sorry if you don't agree, but I'm just stating my opinion. Do what you like, have fun.

No worries. Your opinion is certainly welcome. :thumbsup:

BOb

Part of what I said is debatable, but it is not debatable that the method in use makes it highly likely that the winner is going to be a book most people did NOT vote for. This means that fewer people are likely to participate in the actual reading.

I hear what you're saying and can only speak for myself, but so far the books I vote for don't seem to win, but I still read the winner. For me part of the 'fun' is possibly reading something I might not otherwise read.

For me part of the 'fun' is possibly reading something I might not otherwise read.

Yes, that's the big attraction for me too. :)

Kafka is my all-time favorite author, or in the top few, and I'm always happy to read The Trial again, but I would have been happier with The Castle or Amerika. Everything Kafka wrote is fantastic.

As an aside from someone who just found mobileread this week, it sounds like the nominating process might be at fault, not the voting process. Perhaps a short period of open comments on potential noms, before they go to a vote, would satisfy?

For example, had I been leaning towards nominating The Trial (perhaps because it is the only Kafka I vaguely remember from high school) then the comment above would have easily swayed me towards nominating The Castle instead.

As an aside from someone who just found mobileread this week, it sounds like the nominating process might be at fault, not the voting process. Perhaps a short period of open comments on potential noms, before they go to a vote, would satisfy?

Isn't that really what the nomination thread is for. To discuss the nominations and why each book must get three nominations to be added to the vote?

BOb

Hey.. Whatever wins, I'll probably join along. It will probably be slow going for me as I tend to have multiple books going at the same time. Currently actively reading 4 books on my Kindle right now, with "Truman" getting the most time. :bookworm:

Hey.. Whatever wins, I'll probably join along. It will probably be slow going for me as I tend to have multiple books going at the same time. Currently actively reading 4 books on my Kindle right now, with "Truman" getting the most time. :bookworm:

Truman as in Turman Capote or Harry S. ?? :D

A biography?

Truman as in Turman Capote or Harry S. ?? :D

A biography?

Biography.. Harry S. "Truman" by David McCullough

I'm more and more impressed with Truman the more I read.

And did you know that Truman's middle name is just S. ?

No I did not know that. :)

Thanks!

AnemicOak: Thanks for the "sticker"! Had my nose stuck in a book for a few days:bookworm:. Besides having to go to work:angry: So, that's what took me so long to notice!

I don't mind the voting process. Joining in the Book Club reminds me of books I read long ago and may want to read again. It also introduces me to new ones. I selected a new one (to me anyway) as it sounded interesting to me. My selection was not based on what others were voting for. Reminds me of elementary school. We had to nominate someone for something (can't remember what), same type of process as this. Then everyone voted. There was no, uh, process of elimination, I guess you would call it.

So what is The Place to download The Trial in mobi?

Edit: Feedbooks has it free here (http://www.feedbooks.com/book/9[/url) for all formats.

Since I paid $1 for an Agatha Christie book at Amazon, I always look at Feedbooks when the prices are low at Amazon. You all probably knew better already.

I guess it's time to wrap up Verdant Skies so I can get to this one...

Edit2: Did you guys know this book was unfinished by Kafka? Darn. Just like Mozart's Requiem, it may be a great work, but it is unfortunate to have to wonder which parts are original and which parts aren't.

We have a Winner!

So what is The Place to download The Trial in mobi?


It is in our own library uploaded by Patricia in Mobi format

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16017&highlight=Trial

so I am sure it is brilliantly formatted.

BOB

Not my first choice, but hey, what the hell.

Ah well, so be it. An interesting book, certainly.

Ah well, so be it. An interesting book, certainly.

This is why I love the Book Club. This is likely something I would never have read on my own. I hope I like it!

Not my first choice, but hey, what the hell.

Actually, I was going to nominate Dante's Inferno, seeing you want to read about hell. But, I decided not to.

BOb

Actually, I was going to nominate Dante's Inferno, seeing you want to read about hell. But, I decided not to.

BOb

Too late. Nominations are closed. :p

Actually, I was going to nominate Dante's Inferno, seeing you want to read about hell. But, I decided not to.

BOb

:rofl:

That's on my Reader, and I started to read it. That lasted about five minutes.

Too late. Nominations are closed. :p

Grumble, grumble... :(

hm, kafka is one of my favourite authors, and i haven't read the trial in years. perhaps i'll join you this month. :)

Has anyone seen Breon Mitchell's translation of The Trial in ebook form?
http://www.amazon.com/Trial-Franz-Kafka/dp/0805209999/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257043756&sr=1-2


I know the David Wyllie translation has the advantage of being PD, but I've been told that the Mitchell translation is many times better and that some things don't come through in the Wyllie translation.

I'll be reading 'The Trial' this month... Looking forward to it..

Excellent! I've never read Kafka and my boyfriend has and said he enjoyed....hmm can't remember what it was that he read now...but I'm looking forward to it anyway! My eReader was shipped from the US on Friday so I should have it this week, and The Trial will be the first book that I read on it :D

Excellent! I've never read Kafka and my boyfriend has and said he enjoyed....hmm can't remember what it was that he read now...but I'm looking forward to it anyway! My eReader was shipped from the US on Friday so I should have it this week, and The Trial will be the first book that I read on it :D


Congrats! What did you buy/order? Kindle I'm guessing?

Kafka has a few well know stories -- The Metamorphosis in particular. In the Penal Colony is the one that always sticks in my mind (in fact I can't get rid of it and wish I could)

Has anyone seen Breon Mitchell's translation of The Trial in ebook form?
http://www.amazon.com/Trial-Franz-Kafka/dp/0805209999/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257043756&sr=1-2


I know the David Wyllie translation has the advantage of being PD, but I've been told that the Mitchell translation is many times better and that some things don't come through in the Wyllie translation.

The David Wyllie translation is most certainly not in the public domain; it is a copyrighted work.

The David Wyllie translation is most certainly not in the public domain; it is a copyrighted work.
What's this then:
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7849

Edit: Oops, you're right. My bad. Sorry.

Congrats! What did you buy/order? Kindle I'm guessing?

Kafka has a few well know stories -- The Metamorphosis in particular. In the Penal Colony is the one that always sticks in my mind (in fact I can't get rid of it and wish I could)

no, funnily enough ;) I've ordered an astak ez reader pocket pro (I can't remember which of those letters was meant to be capitalized, so I've decided not to capitalize at all). I wouldn't mind a Kindle but it was beyond my budget.

no, funnily enough ;) I've ordered an astak ez reader pocket pro (I can't remember which of those letters was meant to be capitalized, so I've decided not to capitalize at all). I wouldn't mind a Kindle but it was beyond my budget.

Ah, thanks. The Pocket Pro is a fine ebook reader.

no, funnily enough ;) I've ordered an astak ez reader pocket pro (I can't remember which of those letters was meant to be capitalized, so I've decided not to capitalize at all). I wouldn't mind a Kindle but it was beyond my budget.

Ah cool, you went with the Pocket Pro. Welcome to the club. Which colour?

^ I got it in white...was going to get black but it was sold out. And white will go better with all my geeky mac gear :)

Did you guys know this book was unfinished by Kafka? Darn. Just like Mozart's Requiem, it may be a great work, but it is unfortunate to have to wonder which parts are original and which parts aren't.

The unfinished part isn't the ending. I believe everything you read will be Kafka.

I've never read kafka so I may join in this month as soon as I finish Travels with My Aunt.

There was a movie version of The Trial starring Anthony Perkins; it'll be interesting to compare the two.

The David Wyllie translation is most certainly not in the public domain; it is a copyrighted work.

Fine, fine my bad. It's available for free, better? Regardless, I'm told the other translation is a lot better so I still wonder if anyone has seen it as an ebook. As far as I can tell it's not available.

In honor of the reading of The Trial, I am posting the beginning of an article that appeared in the Oct. 15 Economist.

The lines in The Trial that reminded me of this article are these:

"And why am I under arrest?" he then asked.
"That's something we're not allowed to tell you."

Here is the beginning of the article, titled "Barbara Streisand Strikes Again":

THIS week a national newspaper ran a fascinating story about absolutely nothing. The Guardian reported on its front page on October 13th that a question had been tabled by an MP in Parliament, but that the newspaper could not reveal “who has asked the question, what the question is, which minister might answer it, or where the question is to be found”. The reason, it explained no less cryptically, was that “legal obstacles, which cannot be identified, involve proceedings, which cannot be mentioned, on behalf of a client who must remain secret”.

The contorted language was the result of a “super-injunction”, an increasingly common form of gagging order that forbids the media not only from reporting certain information, but also from reporting that they have been forbidden from reporting it. The gag in question was granted last month at the request of Trafigura, an oil firm, to prevent publication of the details of a report related to the dumping of toxic waste in Côte d’Ivoire. Trafigura’s lawyers at Carter-Ruck, a firm that specialises in shutting up newspapers, warned the Guardian that mentioning the injunction would place it in contempt of court, even after it was referred to on October 12th in Parliament. Yet proceedings in both Houses have long been reported under privilege—that is, without fear of prosecution for contempt.

Minutes after the Guardian’s bowdlerised article was published online, internet sleuths found the censored material on the Parliament website and published it on their blogs and in their tweets. By lunchtime, shortly before several newspapers were due to challenge its position in a High Court hearing, Carter-Ruck lifted its opposition. The firm and its client were left to observe an example of what bloggers call the “Streisand effect”, a phenomenon named after the unfortunate singer whose efforts to block publication of an embarrassing photograph served to spread it around the internet at once.

End of quote from The Economist. Now, if that isn't Kafkaesque, what is?

Fine, fine my bad. It's available for free, better? Regardless, I'm told the other translation is a lot better so I still wonder if anyone has seen it as an ebook. As far as I can tell it's not available.


I bought a kindle addition for .99. As I am new to kindle and not figured out how to download. .99 was worth not messing with it for me.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Trial-mobi...7167519&sr=1-1

In honor of the reading of The Trial, I am posting the beginning of an article that appeared in the Oct. 15 Economist.

The lines in The Trial that reminded me of this article are these:

"And why am I under arrest?" he then asked.
"That's something we're not allowed to tell you."

Here is the beginning of the article, titled "Barbara Streisand Strikes Again":
.... Now, if that isn't Kafkaesque, what is?

Just goes to show you that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

and that good writing that presents the human condition will always be relevant.

Fine, fine my bad. It's available for free, better? Regardless, I'm told the other translation is a lot better so I still wonder if anyone has seen it as an ebook. As far as I can tell it's not available.

I spent quite some time last night fruitlessly searching for an ebook version of the Breon Mitchell translation. The thing I found most surprising was that most sites did not say who the translator was...the only time a translator was shown was when it was David Wyllie.

I even downloaded several preview versions to see if the actual ebook noted the translator. The answer was always "no".

Seems odd and I am disappointed...willing to pay for a Mitchell translation (also noted elsewhere to be better).
d

I spent quite some time last night fruitlessly searching for an ebook version of the Breon Mitchell translation. The thing I found most surprising was that most sites did not say who the translator was...the only time a translator was shown was when it was when it was David Wyllie.

I even downloaded several preview versions to see if the actual ebook noted the translator. The answer was always "no".

Seems odd and I am disappointed...willing to pay for a Mitchell translation (also noted elsewhere to be better).
d


I've looked at all the various shops I usually buy from and it doesn't appear that the Mitchell translation is available as an ebook.

Amazon in particular is TERRIBLE about translations. You often have to read READER COMMENTS, for gosh sake, to find out who the translator is. Worse yet, I have seen books listed with ratings COMBINED for different translations, so you can't tell which translation is liked and which is not, unless a reader happens to be so specific -- and let's face it, many readers seem translation-oblivious.

It is probably the publisher's fault, ultimately, but really -- it's not a big secret that many great classics ARE NOT WRITTEN IN ENGLISH!! Amazon should realize that, and as a reader service, should insist that publishers specify that information.

I don't care if the translation is hundreds of years old, the identity of the translator is essential artistic information, unless the tranlator is unknown, in which case THAT should be explicitly specified.

In the case of The Trial, the Project Gutenberg version doesn't seem bad, though it's probably not the best out there. It's the one I'm reading for this goround.

One of the "problems" with reading a translation is knowing how much of the "author" you're reading, and how much of the translator. I often wonder, for example, with authors like Shakespeare, who is, of course, one of the true masters of the use of language - can it really be translated into a different language, and still remain Shakespeare?

Yes, much hangs upon the translation. You don't just translate words, you basically have to re-tell. A good translator needs to have some talent for storytelling and have a good udnerstanding of language. If you've ever tried translating from one language into another, it will be very obvious.

There is much of culture embedded in language, and I don't think you can really make a translation that is 100% as good - but on the other hand, I personally don't think I get all the nuances of an English language text, so I am not sure which would best; native text in English or a good translation into Danish :)

In this case, I am going to find a translation into Danish, as I don't see much point in reading a translation from German to English when neither is my native tongue.

One of the "problems" with reading a translation is knowing how much of the "author" you're reading, and how much of the translator. I often wonder, for example, with authors like Shakespeare, who is, of course, one of the true masters of the use of language - can it really be translated into a different language, and still remain Shakespeare?

Yes, that's why I'm extremely skeptical of poetry translations. It just seems poetry in particular can only be read/experienced in the original language -- unless perhaps translated by the author themselves. I also must say that I've read quite a few poetry translations that seemed very well done. Of course I do not have the original to compare to.

Well, I voted Dickens, but was outnumbered by the Kafka clan. (who had probably already read Oliver Twist)

I read half of The Trial and found that it sucked. It is the first book in a long time that I started and had no desire to finish.

Started reading The Count of Monte Cristo instead. Awesome book. At first, I was pretty shocked at how slow it was going. I had spent hours reading, and was still only at 2%. Now that I'm at 20% I'm hoping it'll never end.

I too decided to skip this month. I'm currently reading the new John Irving - Last Night on Twisted River. It's great so far. Also have a Dickens part way done and a list of to-reads.

And I too have decided to skip Kafka.

I've tried. Really..

But I've got too many other books on the Kindle that are more fun and readable.

Charlie Chan Omnibus, Truman, My Life in France and Swords Against Death. :bookworm:

I gave up as well, It may of been the translation, but I could not "plod" my way through it.
I am looking forward to reading the comments about it and see if it can re-interest me. It is only an "archive click" away. :)

What I want to know is. are you truly reading it, apparently reading it or deferred reading it?

That is a very important question... but before you answer, let me explain to you what each of them means.

I will start with truly reading it. To truly read it you must read it from start to finish. You must read every word, actually looking at the words as you read them. You must notice every sentence, how it starts and how it stops. Most of the sentences will start with an upper case word and end with a full stop. However, some sentences will try to trick you and end with a question mark or some times, but very seldom end with an exclamation point. You will of course see that some of the sentences contain quotations marks, which are generally super scripted above the line of text. These quotes will generally indicate when someone is saying something. What they are saying isn't important, although it could be. But, be sure that they did say something. Of course, no on truly reads this book. That is out of the question....

You may of course think that you want to truly read it. But, before you decided let me tell you of the other two methods of reading the book. Because you need to full information of each method to decide which method you will use. Each method has some advantages and some disadvantages.

=======

BOb

@pilotbob :rofl:

I'm glad we read Kafka because I think I've given Dickens enough tries. Especially Oliver Twist, which I once forced myself almost halfway through before I gave up. He is unbearably boring to read.

Actually, I voted for Orlando, because I would really like to read it again and discuss it, but it got too few votes. Oh, well.

Not sure how,but I've generally glossed over the MR book club usually....and this caught my eye because I am a huge Kafka fan (I've already read this particular)...but generally,what I do enjoy most about participating in a book club,is often forcing myself to read through something-and usually what happens is I either don't finish it,or decide to look and see if there's something else the author has written that captures my interest...

And now I sit,looking at myself wondering...a THIRD book club...sheesh...and still on my list of things to do is finally do one of the seasonal reading challenges that I see my friend is hooked into on Goodreads...

Looking forward to the discussion-and going to re-read the book...after finishing the two books for this weeks book club meeting and author teleconference. :)

Happy reading !!!!

I read half of The Trial and found that it sucked. It is the first book in a long time that I started and had no desire to finish.

I haven't even been able to get half way through it. It's just not clicking with me.

I may give it one more try, but....

Come on Nemic, you can do it!! It's not a long book, one more heave!

I'm really dragging my feet on "The Trial," I haven't even downloaded it yet. I might pass this month.

I'm really dragging my feet on "The Trial," I haven't even downloaded it yet. I might pass this month.

You must read it. It's on the list.

You must read it. It's on the list.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I read the first page. Does that count?

I've just started and I find it really fascinating. It's not 'easy' as 'light' novels are, but its eerie and surreal atmosphere draws me in.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I read the first page. Does that count?

That's a different list: 1001 Pages to Read Before You Die. I haven't seen that one yet. I hope someone posts a link.

OK, I'm stumped. Why so many votes for a book no one wants to read?

Or almost no one, anyway.

OK, I'm stumped. Why so many votes for a book no one wants to read?

Or almost no one, anyway.

Hey! Don't lump me in with those guys. Mine didn't even get nominated! :eek: :(

To be honest I think it's one of those books like The Sound and the Fury that everyone wants to read, but it takes a lot of effort on the part of the reader.

Well, turns out I cannot read this moth's book as I lent my 505 to my mother-in-law while her 500 is away on upgrade. Might have it back on Monday. But if not, I'll ask my wife if I can borrow her 505 after I finish the book on Monty Python's Life of Brian. Yes, it's a hardcover.

Well, turns out I cannot read this moth's book as I lent my 505 to my mother-in-law while her 500 is away on upgrade. Might have it back on Monday. But if not, I'll ask my wife if I can borrow her 505 after I finish the book on Monty Python's Life of Brian. Yes, it's a hardcover.

You could read it on your PC. :D

Of the nine nominees, I'd already read six.

Not the winner, though - no such luck.

OK, I'm stumped. Why so many votes for a book no one wants to read?

Only 20% of the votes went for The Trial, that's less than half-way to a majority.

Only 20% of the votes went for The Trial, that's less than half-way to a majority.

Yes, but no other got more than 20%... so your point is?

BOb

OK, I'm stumped. Why so many votes for a book no one wants to read?

Or almost no one, anyway.
I'm reading it - just not finished yet, I started late. I'm treating much like a puzzle. The events in the book can so obviously be read as symbolic of something else, so I'm noting all those things that could be the key to understanding what Kafka may have meant. It gets really interesting that way.

anyone can send me a link for Around the World in 80 Days?
I'v searched for a while,but found nothing.

many thanks

on MR LRF http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10293 (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10293)

On MR Mobi / Prc http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21072 (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21072)

Project Gutenberg http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/103 (http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/103)

anyone can send me a link for Around the World in 80 Days?
I'v searched for a while,but found nothing.

many thanks

Have you looked in MobileRead's own E-Books section:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/ebooks.php?order=desc&sort=dateline

It appears to be available in both Mobipocket (.prc) and Sony (.lrf) format:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21072
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10293

Cheers,
Marc