Literary Short Vote • June 2013 - Page 2

HomeInMyShoes · 06-06-2013, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caleb72

It's funny. Here I was thinking that I'm so tired of Murakami books being picked. Then I looked through the history of both book clubs and the poor sod hasn't been picked once....and I voted for Forster.

Talk about getting things backwards.

We nominate him a lot, but he never wins. It seems odd that After the Quake is the Murakami novel we read. I really think we should have been reading one of his novels with one of the book clubs at some point. I've seen After the Quake on my library's shelves before. I just requested it.

I'm far enough in my reading challenge this year to start entertaining other selections more.

Bookpossum · 06-06-2013, 06:31 PM

I haven't read anything by Murakami, so this will be an interesting exercise for me. Our library has several copies but most are out on loan at the moment. I hope to get hold of a copy next week.

sun surfer · 06-07-2013, 01:44 AM

Murakami it is! The discussion thread will be up soon. I've discovered that the title should actually be written as "after the quake" so I'll correct that for the title of the discussion thread. Also, it seems that one of the short stories was made into a Japanese film. I wonder if the film is available.

Bookpossum · 06-08-2013, 02:29 AM

A bit off-topic, but by a strange coincidence, the film of I Served the King of England is going to appear quite late at night on our multi-cultural channel, so I shall set the recorder going. I'm interested to see it after the discussion above.

issybird · 06-08-2013, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookpossum

A bit off-topic, but by a strange coincidence, the film of I Served the King of England is going to appear quite late at night on our multi-cultural channel, so I shall set the recorder going. I'm interested to see it after the discussion above.

Let us know what you think. I'm still interested in giving the book a try and got a copy for cheap with one of those huge Kobo coupons last weekend; the perennial difficulty is seeing what makes it to the top of my next-read list.

Bookpossum · 06-08-2013, 08:32 AM

Will do.

I think we need to organise to get more than 24 hours in a day in order to have more reading time.

issybird · 06-09-2013, 08:45 AM

A head's up to those who were interested in Flannery O'Connor: today's Kindle Daily Deal has her complete short stories (579 pages) as well as her two novels for $2.99 each.

I own these in pb, but I don't think I can resist at this price; certainly not the short stories, which would be handy reading when out and about.

paola · 06-09-2013, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

A head's up to those who were interested in Flannery O'Connor: today's Kindle Daily Deal has her complete short stories (579 pages) as well as her two novels for $2.99 each.

I own these in pb, but I don't think I can resist at this price; certainly not the short stories, which would be handy reading when out and about.

not in the UK - ah, the pleasure of geographical restrictions...
EDIT: but can get around that with kobo, so got the complete short stories for the price of a cappuccino - thanks for the heads up!

Bookpossum · 06-13-2013, 09:05 AM

Okay, so I have just watched I Served the King of England. It was ... odd. I remember Closely Observed Trains so well for its juxtaposition of hilarious day to day happenings at the little station and the horror and tragedy of the Second World War which makes its presence felt so brutally at the end of the film. One of those endings you never forget.

This story was somewhat similar in that we follow the central character as a young man before, during and after the Second World War. I felt it tried to be light-hearted but it didn't really succeed so well for me as the earlier film. I won't go into the details as that would detract from your reading of the book, issybird. However I don't think it matched Closely Observed Trains and maybe that's true of the two books also.

I usually prefer to read the book before I see the film, which I would guess is true of most of us in this Club. However, time gets away from me, so this time I'm making do with the film.

I'll be interested to hear what you think about the book, issybird, if/when it gets to the top of the heap.

desertblues · 06-18-2013, 10:43 AM

He, he, and I find myself reading the other nominations almost every month. Now I'm almost through The orphan masters's son. Very, very interesting. Somewhat cruel, but heart rendering.

I don't seem to find whose's nominated it.

sun surfer · 06-18-2013, 01:29 PM

Glad you're liking it desertblues; you're tempting me to read it now! I was the one who nominated it, but it was for the general club.

desertblues · 06-18-2013, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sun surfer

Glad you're liking it desertblues; you're tempting me to read it now! I was the one who nominated it, but it was for the general club.

I would if you can spare the time. It takes a while to 'get into' the book, but then it is very good.

View Poll Results: Short Vote • June 2013, Multiple Choice
In a Free State by V. S. Naipaul	4	26.67%
Berlin Stories by Robert Walser	5	33.33%
A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O'Connor	4	26.67%
After the Quake by Haruki Murakami	7	46.67%
The Oil Jar and Other Stories by Luigi Pirandello	6	40.00%
The Celestial Omnibus and Other Stories by E. M. Forster	6	40.00%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 15. You may not vote on this poll

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06-06-2013, 06:31 PM	#17
Bookpossum Snoozing in the sun Posts: 10,137 Karma: 115423645 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: iPad Mini, Kobo Touch	I haven't read anything by Murakami, so this will be an interesting exercise for me. Our library has several copies but most are out on loan at the moment. I hope to get hold of a copy next week.

06-07-2013, 01:44 AM	#18
sun surfer languorous autodidact ✦ Posts: 4,235 Karma: 44637926 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: smiling with the rising sun Device: onyx boox poke 2 colour, kindle voyage	Murakami it is! The discussion thread will be up soon. I've discovered that the title should actually be written as "after the quake" so I'll correct that for the title of the discussion thread. Also, it seems that one of the short stories was made into a Japanese film. I wonder if the film is available.

06-08-2013, 02:29 AM	#19
Bookpossum Snoozing in the sun Posts: 10,137 Karma: 115423645 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: iPad Mini, Kobo Touch	A bit off-topic, but by a strange coincidence, the film of I Served the King of England is going to appear quite late at night on our multi-cultural channel, so I shall set the recorder going. I'm interested to see it after the discussion above.

06-08-2013, 08:32 AM	#21
Bookpossum Snoozing in the sun Posts: 10,137 Karma: 115423645 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: iPad Mini, Kobo Touch	Will do. I think we need to organise to get more than 24 hours in a day in order to have more reading time.

06-09-2013, 08:45 AM	#22
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 20,224 Karma: 222235366 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: H2O, Aura One, PW5	A head's up to those who were interested in Flannery O'Connor: today's Kindle Daily Deal has her complete short stories (579 pages) as well as her two novels for $2.99 each. I own these in pb, but I don't think I can resist at this price; certainly not the short stories, which would be handy reading when out and about.

06-13-2013, 09:05 AM	#24
Bookpossum Snoozing in the sun Posts: 10,137 Karma: 115423645 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: iPad Mini, Kobo Touch	Okay, so I have just watched I Served the King of England. It was ... odd. I remember Closely Observed Trains so well for its juxtaposition of hilarious day to day happenings at the little station and the horror and tragedy of the Second World War which makes its presence felt so brutally at the end of the film. One of those endings you never forget. This story was somewhat similar in that we follow the central character as a young man before, during and after the Second World War. I felt it tried to be light-hearted but it didn't really succeed so well for me as the earlier film. I won't go into the details as that would detract from your reading of the book, issybird. However I don't think it matched Closely Observed Trains and maybe that's true of the two books also. I usually prefer to read the book before I see the film, which I would guess is true of most of us in this Club. However, time gets away from me, so this time I'm making do with the film. I'll be interested to hear what you think about the book, issybird, if/when it gets to the top of the heap.

06-18-2013, 10:43 AM	#25
desertblues Home for the moment Posts: 5,127 Karma: 27718936 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: travelling Device: various	He, he, and I find myself reading the other nominations almost every month. Now I'm almost through The orphan masters's son. Very, very interesting. Somewhat cruel, but heart rendering. I don't seem to find whose's nominated it.

06-18-2013, 01:29 PM	#26
sun surfer languorous autodidact ✦ Posts: 4,235 Karma: 44637926 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: smiling with the rising sun Device: onyx boox poke 2 colour, kindle voyage	Glad you're liking it desertblues; you're tempting me to read it now! I was the one who nominated it, but it was for the general club.