The 2015 Annual Reading Challenge Discussion Thread - Page 11

Nyssa · 02-09-2015, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

^Fugitive Pieces.

Too depressing. I rarely read or watch anything that has to do with Slavery or the Holocaust; I find the subject matter emotionally draining and I end up feeling sad and miserable - sometimes for days after.

HomeInMyShoes · 02-10-2015, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Too depressing. I rarely read or watch anything that has to do with Slavery or the Holocaust; I find the subject matter emotionally draining and I end up feeling sad and miserable - sometimes for days after.

I can appreciate that. Some times I like draining; sometimes not.

Luffy · 02-11-2015, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Too depressing. I rarely read or watch anything that has to do with Slavery or the Holocaust; I find the subject matter emotionally draining and I end up feeling sad and miserable - sometimes for days after.

I also never read anything with that subject matter, but NOT because it's too emotional. My reaction to that is that I am reluctant to get immersed in the story and I dread the book will be sad and grim(like you) BUT UNLIKE you I also feel that a book like The Book thief(a book that I had to abandon) is using the time period to easily and basely manipulate my emotions (which is of course what any book will try to achieve ) but I feel the holocaust thing is too obvious a setting and I feel I'm being taxed and subjugated...if that makes sense at all. I don't want to be aware that I'm being manipulated.

Nyssa · 02-11-2015, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luffy

I also never read anything with that subject matter, but NOT because it's too emotional. My reaction to that is that I am reluctant to get immersed in the story and I dread the book will be sad and grim(like you) BUT UNLIKE you I also feel that a book like The Book thief(a book that I had to abandon) is using the time period to easily and basely manipulate my emotions (which is of course what any book will try to achieve ) but I feel the holocaust thing is too obvious a setting and I feel I'm being taxed and subjugated...if that makes sense at all. I don't want to be aware that I'm being manipulated.

I understand what you're saying.

The subjects are just too real and close to home for me.

My great, great, great grandmother (There may be one more "great" in there - I'm not sure) was a 12 year girl, when she was forced (like all the others with her) off of a slave ship, right off of the coast of the Bahamas. The captain was trying to avoid being caught, as slavery had just been abolished.
Thankfully, she survived the swim, which is how my mother's family and I came to be Bahamian. Her name was Georgette.

Luffy · 02-12-2015, 01:41 AM

Yes, I can understand. My own ancestors came from India to work as indentured laborers in Mauritius. The working conditions were not good. There were (and are) people of African origins on the same island who had been slaves. So I can empathize.

issybird · 02-12-2015, 09:56 AM

Nearly halfway into February and I'm falling off pace on several fronts. I've had little reading time in the past couple of weeks. The situation isn't dire yet, but I need to do some serious mustering of my wits. Well, that's why it's a challenge and not a walk in the park.

HomeInMyShoes · 02-12-2015, 10:30 AM

Hmmm...reading in the park? Although the weather might not be the best yet. I did manage to do some outdoor reading on Saturday though. In a chair on the freshly shoveled patio. The sun is actually starting to feel warm now and it was nice for a half hour. I should have taken a picture. I think it's the earliest outdoor reading I've ever done. It felt decadent.

BelleZora · 02-12-2015, 01:23 PM

Reading in the park? I've read (and slept and lived) outdoors in Death Valley National Park this entire month. Still behind, but that's because the last books read have been especially long. Also behind because I'd forgotten how incredible is the night sky. Our world is so well lit that it is easy to forget we can go where it is dark and be staggered by the immense beauty in just looking up.

HomeInMyShoes · 02-12-2015, 01:50 PM

^Agreed. There are groups trying to bring back the night sky. I think it's a worthy cause. I need to take my son camping this year to show him what the sky really looks like.

WT Sharpe · 02-12-2015, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

^Agreed. There are groups trying to bring back the night sky. I think it's a worthy cause. I need to take my son camping this year to show him what the sky really looks like.

I hear you. Where I like, the night sky offers no clue that we're living on the edge of a spiral galaxy. I'd like to take an ocean cruise sometime just to see the Milky Way.

HomeInMyShoes · 02-12-2015, 04:54 PM

^Travel. Camping just a couple of hours from home is a great one, but the one that really struck me was looking at the night sky in Patagonia. It was like I woke up on a different planet. There were no points of reference. No Big or Little Dipper, no Orion's belt. All those familiar things were gone. That was so cool.

CRussel · 02-15-2015, 06:26 PM

Really struggling with my challenge this year. Not the total # of books - I'm a bit behind in that but I expect to catch back up - these things go in cycles. But where I'm having problems is in keeping accurate and up to date records of what I buy and read. I need to be more immediate in recording purchases, including $0 purchases, or I completely lose track.

Stephjk · 02-16-2015, 05:28 AM

I'm currently reading the first in the Game of Thrones series and am finding it hard going, despite having seen the tv series. I don't think fantasy is really for me! In order to keep going I'm interspersing GoT with some childhood favourites that my small niece reintroduced me to a few weeks ago. They're such short stories that I hope I can surpass my goal this year.

Luffy · 02-16-2015, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephjk

I'm currently reading the first in the Game of Thrones series and am finding it hard going, despite having seen the tv series. I don't think fantasy is really for me! In order to keep going I'm interspersing GoT with some childhood favourites that my small niece reintroduced me to a few weeks ago. They're such short stories that I hope I can surpass my goal this year.

That's a logical approach to reading books you aren't about to complete. It took me a long time to begin reading GoT. I've only read the first four. I intend to begin on what is arguably the weakest in the series in a couple of months' time. I too am not sold on fantasy as a genre for me.

Stephjk · 02-17-2015, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luffy

That's a logical approach to reading books you aren't about to complete. It took me a long time to begin reading GoT. I've only read the first four. I intend to begin on what is arguably the weakest in the series in a couple of months' time. I too am not sold on fantasy as a genre for me.

I don't know why I chose to read GoT as I'm not really sure if I enjoyed the tv series! I'll probably just read the first one and then move on to something that is more my style.

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02-12-2015, 01:41 AM	#155
Luffy Wizard Posts: 4,464 Karma: 429063498 Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Mauritius Device: Kindle Paperwhite 4	Yes, I can understand. My own ancestors came from India to work as indentured laborers in Mauritius. The working conditions were not good. There were (and are) people of African origins on the same island who had been slaves. So I can empathize.

02-12-2015, 09:56 AM	#156
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,329 Karma: 234636059 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	Nearly halfway into February and I'm falling off pace on several fronts. I've had little reading time in the past couple of weeks. The situation isn't dire yet, but I need to do some serious mustering of my wits. Well, that's why it's a challenge and not a walk in the park.

02-12-2015, 10:30 AM	#157
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	Hmmm...reading in the park? Although the weather might not be the best yet. I did manage to do some outdoor reading on Saturday though. In a chair on the freshly shoveled patio. The sun is actually starting to feel warm now and it was nice for a half hour. I should have taken a picture. I think it's the earliest outdoor reading I've ever done. It felt decadent.

02-12-2015, 01:23 PM	#158
BelleZora Wizard Posts: 1,442 Karma: 25151986 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Seattle, US Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Libra 2, Pocketbook Verse Pro Color	Reading in the park? I've read (and slept and lived) outdoors in Death Valley National Park this entire month. Still behind, but that's because the last books read have been especially long. Also behind because I'd forgotten how incredible is the night sky. Our world is so well lit that it is easy to forget we can go where it is dark and be staggered by the immense beauty in just looking up.

02-12-2015, 01:50 PM	#159
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	^Agreed. There are groups trying to bring back the night sky. I think it's a worthy cause. I need to take my son camping this year to show him what the sky really looks like.

02-12-2015, 04:54 PM	#161
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	^Travel. Camping just a couple of hours from home is a great one, but the one that really struck me was looking at the night sky in Patagonia. It was like I woke up on a different planet. There were no points of reference. No Big or Little Dipper, no Orion's belt. All those familiar things were gone. That was so cool.

02-15-2015, 06:26 PM	#162
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,296 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	Really struggling with my challenge this year. Not the total # of books - I'm a bit behind in that but I expect to catch back up - these things go in cycles. But where I'm having problems is in keeping accurate and up to date records of what I buy and read. I need to be more immediate in recording purchases, including $0 purchases, or I completely lose track.

02-16-2015, 05:28 AM	#163
Stephjk Cruiser Posts: 525 Karma: 1157886 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: on a small yacht! Device: kobo glo, samsung galaxy tab note	I'm currently reading the first in the Game of Thrones series and am finding it hard going, despite having seen the tv series. I don't think fantasy is really for me! In order to keep going I'm interspersing GoT with some childhood favourites that my small niece reintroduced me to a few weeks ago. They're such short stories that I hope I can surpass my goal this year.