MobileRead May 2010 Book Club Nominations

[John F]

I'll second (or third) The Odyssey.

A lot of great choices this month.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Kim is an orphan boy in India in the late 1800s. He becomes involved in an old Lama's search for a sacred river, and in a British spy ring, playing the "Great Game".

"The book presents a vivid picture of India, its teeming populations, religions, and superstitions, and the life of the bazaars and the road."
..........— The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. Ed. Margaret Drabble and Jenny Stringer. Oxford University Press, 2007.

It's also a very good read.

Last time we read a book about India, it was awful. Are you sure this one is actually good?

[beppe]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Last time we read a book about India, it was awful. Are you sure this one is actually good?

Kim is a great book. As expected the good guys are all on one side, with white hats, and the bad guys are all on the the other side, with black hats.
Not only adventures but noble feelings among which dominate loyalty, courage and self sacrifice. There is also a high spiritual figure. With some suppressed tears, Rule Britannia triumphs. If you were anti British, you had to eat your liver. If not you could smile a lot. Nowadays who cares.

The basic theme of LOR, that is of the small ones that are crucial in the final victory of the good big ones against everybody's foe, is taken from Kim. (IMHO)

A nice discussion is quite possible.

[beppe]

Originally Posted by Ea

Well - and I'm not necessarily suggesting it - "A doll's house" - I had to sit through it in school, I've seen it at least twice with friends and/or family - and apart from the plays of Holberg there is no more well-known play in Denmark (in my generation). It's also a truly great play - and after having read "The children's book" by Byatt I am even more amazed by the play. But all in all I prefer plays to be seen rather than read sol I can't really propose it. My alternative proposal would be a fairytale by the brothers Grimm.

Thank you Ea. Therefore I waive the idea of a play. If you propose one fairytale by Grimm Bro.& Co. of your choice, I will second it happily.

Your post gives life to my old idea of reading just few chapters of a large book. Look what happened last time. The egg and I is light and shortish, nevertheless very few of us were able to finish it in time. The discussion has been valuable but somehow mutilated.

I really would like to propose a reading from Anna Karenina, but it is too long and intense, while few chapters (the one at the beginning of the 2nd part, for my personal inclination, but any other part will be fine) might be acceptable. I would like to see your comments on this, and if there are some positive, I will make my proposal accordingly.

An other aspect of my point is that I do not see yet in Classics a Classic Classic, for adults I mean, but just Classic for youngsters. Except Huxley.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Last time we read a book about India, it was awful. Are you sure this one is actually good?

Wasn't that "A Passage to India"? It's a quite different book from "Kim" - still good, but Forster isn't everyone's cup of tea, of course.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Ea

Wasn't that "A Passage to India"? It's a quite different book from "Kim" - still good, but Forster isn't everyone's cup of tea, of course.

well Jon's kinda different as well

but we love him!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Last time we read a book about India, it was awful. Are you sure this one is actually good?

I think you mean "I didn't enjoy it" rather than "it was awful", Jon. E.M. Forster is generally considered to be a pretty good writer, regardless of your personal thoughts about his writing.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by kennyc

well Jon's kinda different as well

but we love him!

Even if he doesn't love Forster

[beppe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I think you mean "I didn't enjoy it" rather than "it was awful", Jon. E.M. Forster is generally considered to be a pretty good writer, regardless of your personal thoughts about his writing.

E.M. Forster is a great one!

You English literature experts. Hello!

Would it be a big literary mistake to consider John Fowles an heir of Jon. E.M. Forster?

I would like to propose The French Lieutenant's Woman but it is not in the Domain. Is anybody against proposing A Room with a View by Foster?

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by beppe

Thank you Ea. Therefore I waive the idea of a play. If you propose one fairytale by Grimm Bro.& Co. of your choice, I will second it happily.

I have read The Importance of Being Earnest... by Oscar Wilde. It is really funny and a pretty quick read. Actually my family read it together one night with each of us taking one or two of the characters.

If I had thought of it I would have nominated it last month.

THIS IS NOT A NOMINATION BTW.

BOb

[khalleron]

My I offer a correction? It's 'The Three Musketeers' not 'The Three Muskateers.'

Thank you.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Ea

Wasn't that "A Passage to India"? It's a quite different book from "Kim" - still good, but Forster isn't everyone's cup of tea, of course.

Yes, it was A Passage to India. I found that a total mess with no value. It was dull at best.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Ea

Even if he doesn't love Forster

A Passage to India is the only Forster book I've read. I have no idea if any of his others would be to my liking.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by beppe

E.M. Forster is a great one!

You English literature experts. Hello!

Would it be a big literary mistake to consider John Fowles an heir of Jon. E.M. Forster?

I would like to propose The French Lieutenant's Woman but it is not in the Domain. Is anybody against proposing A Room with a View by Foster?

I agree, "The French Lieutenant's Woman" is a modern classic.
Although I think Fowles is more the heir of Thomas Hardy myself; "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" for example.

[beppe]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I agree, "The French Lieutenant's Woman" is a modern classic.
Although I think Fowles is more the heir of Thomas Hardy myself; "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" for example.

Oh, what a nice thing. That is what I was looking for, something written with sensibility and attention for details. Rich in feelings, without ... That is why I was thinking of Anioshca Karenina. Stumbled upon Ibsen...

Please, do find something like that in the English literature and not so pessimistic and depressing or childish so that we all can have a real good time reading and discussing.