Modified Book Club!

This is the forum to discuss non-footbag movies, TV, music, videogames, and art.
User avatar
Jeremy
"Really unneccesary"
Posts: 10178
Joined: 08 Jan 2003 00:20
Location: Tasmania

Modified Book Club!

Post by Jeremy » 29 Oct 2004 02:33

Hey - I thought a cool idea would be to have a book club - where everybody in it reads the same book and then we discuss it and try to out do each other in our literary knowledge and eloquence! :P

So here is the first book - it's a collection of short stories - so we can comment after each story and people who come in late can still be part of the next story.

We Can Remember It For You Wholesale By Phillip K Dick - it's Volume 5 of "the collected stories" My edition was printed in 2000 and the publisher is Gollancz!

The story the book is named after is the story that inspired "Total Recall" - as you will see if you've seen the movie - only really a small part of the story is connect.

http://www.iblist.com/book4446.htm

Because there is a range of different Phillip K Dick short story collections - I'm going to list the each story in the book here. If you have a collection of PK Dick stories that has some of these than you can still take part but just not on each story! - we'll be reading them in order once we get enough people who have their hands on the book (3-5 should be enough although I'd like a lot more!)

The Little Black Box
The War With The Fnools
A Game Of Unchance
Precious Artifact
Retreat Syndrome
A Terran Odyssey
You Appoinment Will Be Yesterday
Holy Quarrel
We Can Remember It for You Wholesale
Not By Its Cover
Return Match
Faith Of Our Fathers
The Story To End All Stories For Harlan Ellison's Anthology Dangerous Visions{/i] (this is so short I'll write it out when we get to it so everybody can take part!)
The Electric Ant
Cadbury, The Beaver Who Lacked
A Little Something For Us Tempunauts
The Pre-Persons
The Eye Of The Sibyl
The Day Mr. Computer Fell Out Of Its Tree
The Exit Door Leads In
Chains Of Air, Web Of Aether
Strange Memories Of Death
I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon
Rautavaara's Case
The Alien Mind


Phillip K Dick was a science fiction writer and philosopher from the cold world war. You can see many political statements and views in his work. He is not an amazing writer but he has an amazing sense of humour and imagination. His works have inspired many more modern sci fi writers and many movies - including the Matrix movies. He is also somebody who isn't afraid to be controversial and to piss people off. Two of my favourite stories of his in this collection - Faith Of Our Fathers and The Pre-Persons had very big reactions and he actually recieved a number of death threats relating to these stories. He was also a pacifist and won a number of awards including a HUGO award (the top sci fi award) for his book - The Man In The High Castle.

Once we finish this book someone else can choose the next one - but please don't ask or submit any ideas until I ask for them!

User avatar
zachatree
Happy Hippy Hoffa
Posts: 2026
Joined: 07 Jul 2004 11:59
Location: Pennsylvania
Contact:

Post by zachatree » 29 Oct 2004 04:48

awSOmE thread jeremy, i read alot, some tims 3 or 4 books at a time. i dont watch all that much and i have to take a 2 hour bus ride home from school... i read alot on the bus and alot. I think i have read every gary paulsen book he has ever wrote, witch is like 60 books. Right now im reading a pretty cool book.. its called go ask alice anonymous, its a real diary of a 15 year old girl in the 1960s, she gets in to drugs she uses lsd and shoots up speed befor she even sees pot. Im hafe way in it and enjoy it alot, theres a movie for the book to i was told.

User avatar
Jeremy
"Really unneccesary"
Posts: 10178
Joined: 08 Jan 2003 00:20
Location: Tasmania

Post by Jeremy » 29 Oct 2004 05:02

Cool - so are you going to find a copy of the book I'm talking about and take part in the book club? I think you'd really enjoy the book and would take a lot out of it!

off topic - Gary Paulsen is awesome - I loved his books for a while. Although I thought the plot for the third hatchet book was a bit thin.

User avatar
zachatree
Happy Hippy Hoffa
Posts: 2026
Joined: 07 Jul 2004 11:59
Location: Pennsylvania
Contact:

Post by zachatree » 29 Oct 2004 05:10

The hunt? i thought it was a good read but ya, it was little short.

i think im gonna cheek in to my libeary for it for sure :)

canadian girl
Shredalicious
Posts: 101
Joined: 11 Jan 2004 05:38
Location: Ontario Canada

Post by canadian girl » 29 Oct 2004 06:25

Just wanted to say that I think this was a really good idea on many levels!! Props Jeremy!!! Unfortunetly I can't participate yet, I have to study for my exams, and there is NO TIME TO READ!! Isn't that horrible??
Anyways, off topic (sort-of) has anyone read "The DaVinci Code"? I have been dying to read it for ages, so that is the book that is definetly on the top of my list. But the publishers won't put it out in soft-cover yet because people are still buying the hard-cover edition....and I can't afford the hard-cover!!! Grrr.... Anyways, very good topic!!!!
Marita Obst

User avatar
shaggster
Orange Julius
Posts: 667
Joined: 07 Nov 2003 20:08

Post by shaggster » 29 Oct 2004 06:47

i really like the book "to kill a mockingbird" but i suppose so does everyone else :lol:
Dick Butkis

ednie
Shredalicious
Posts: 110
Joined: 06 Jun 2004 04:48
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

Post by ednie » 02 Nov 2004 03:44

hi jeremy
we studied bladerunner which is based on p.dick's 'Do androids dream of electric sheep; it is a coincidence that you decided to choose phillip as your writer its just a pity his name has so many genital connotations
other than that a good choice
there is a really interesting interview on the web that some guy cooked up
http://www.devo.com/bladerunner/
its the posthumourous interview at the bottom of that page
i'd give the direct link but it doesn;t work like that
i will read phillip after exams
when did this arts leisure thing happen
i wonder if anyone else reads books
lynton does
also as much as to kill a mocking bird was also a book i read i never liked either of the kids much
i found it annoying that the author was so racist
it was so unfair the way he made the black guy die
obviously it wasn;t his fault!

User avatar
Jeremy
"Really unneccesary"
Posts: 10178
Joined: 08 Jan 2003 00:20
Location: Tasmania

Post by Jeremy » 02 Nov 2004 13:47

Hey Dan!

I'm a big fan of Phillip K Dick!

Regarding "To Kill A Mockingbird" - I think the racism was what made the book so powerful - I don't think the Harper Lee was a racist - but rather he was commenting on a racist society! I dunno - I might be way off though - I interpret everything so that it has a message I like ;)

FlexThis
Post Master General
Posts: 3025
Joined: 14 Nov 2003 16:27
Location: San Diego, CA

Post by FlexThis » 02 Nov 2004 15:10

Image
Last edited by FlexThis on 13 Jul 2005 09:46, edited 1 time in total.
Go out and shred already.
~Damon Mathews

User avatar
Jeremy
"Really unneccesary"
Posts: 10178
Joined: 08 Jan 2003 00:20
Location: Tasmania

Post by Jeremy » 02 Nov 2004 16:01

LIBRARY!

Online would be cool - I'll have a look to see if I can't find some good stuff!

ednie
Shredalicious
Posts: 110
Joined: 06 Jun 2004 04:48
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

Post by ednie » 03 Nov 2004 16:26

lol
i was just kidding before
of course i knew that the whole idea of the novel was irony
do you think that i wouldn;t have learnt that when i studiesd it at school
my teacher was so dumb, but anyway
i think that it is a good suggestion if we just read something thats on the net
if phillip is there then that is good
other wise i 'd suggest reading something thats online and short
the metamorphisis by kafka would be a good one
http://www.kafka.org/transl/english/metamorphosis.htm
i think that this story would be better considering that vasek is froom prague and so is franz kafka

ericksonj
Atomsmashasaurus Dex
Posts: 809
Joined: 26 Jul 2003 04:02
Location: Eugene, OR

Post by ericksonj » 05 Nov 2004 17:57

FlexThis wrote: What would be super is online reading material. That way I can participate and actually look like I'm working at work instead of reading a book at work.
I'm all for that... I Hate working! If we could find some online books, then I can kill sooo much time at work and seem like I am working like a madman. :wink:

I am at work right now and I hate it :x
Always Shreddin
James Erickson
Eugene Footbag Association (Orton, Nasty, Me)
w/ new additions (Casey, Alex, Eddie, and Shawnell)

hacksterbator
Washed-Up Child Star
Posts: 4141
Joined: 12 Jul 2003 18:33
Location: Winterpeg, Manisnowba
Contact:

Post by hacksterbator » 05 Nov 2004 20:22

nu-unh, YOU'RE a modified book club!!!

edit: wow, no idea what i was thinking. how ever since i have made a post in the thread i feel obligated to read the book, so read the book i shal!
Last edited by hacksterbator on 06 Nov 2004 01:11, edited 1 time in total.
A.G.

User avatar
Jeremy
"Really unneccesary"
Posts: 10178
Joined: 08 Jan 2003 00:20
Location: Tasmania

Post by Jeremy » 05 Nov 2004 21:19

ok - online books it is!!

Here is the first one!

http://freeeliterature.com/ebooks/The%2 ... 0Wells.htm

The Time Machine by H G Wells!

Feel free to give your thoughts on the book as soon as you've finished reading it!

Zjeezy
Egyptian Footgod
Posts: 1356
Joined: 06 Oct 2003 17:18
Location: MItten
Contact:

Post by Zjeezy » 07 Nov 2004 15:52

jeremy, i will be getting a copy of this book. i love the idea of a book club and i will try and it get this week. im hoping the local book store carries it so i dont have to order if offline.
zach jahner

User avatar
Jeremy
"Really unneccesary"
Posts: 10178
Joined: 08 Jan 2003 00:20
Location: Tasmania

Post by Jeremy » 07 Nov 2004 16:51

Cool! I started reading it last night. Only the first chapter though (i've read it before too!)

Note that you can read the book for free by clicking on the link I gave!!

:D

Zjeezy
Egyptian Footgod
Posts: 1356
Joined: 06 Oct 2003 17:18
Location: MItten
Contact:

Post by Zjeezy » 07 Nov 2004 17:45

ya but that way i wont be able to read it while im out on the go. it wont be that much money for a book and i will just add it to my collection.
zach jahner

BainbridgeShred
Post Master General
Posts: 2352
Joined: 10 Nov 2004 23:22
Contact:

Post by BainbridgeShred » 11 Nov 2004 10:12

Anyone like JD Salinger?

Catcher in the Rye? Franny and Zooey?

Anyone?

User avatar
DoctorJay
Fearless
Posts: 540
Joined: 20 Sep 2002 05:46
Location: bielefeld/germany
Contact:

Post by DoctorJay » 11 Nov 2004 12:30

I do not want to disturb this thread- but these days I try to read as much as possible in English and I determined that Dramas are the way to go for me.

Easy to read
Short
Lots of conversation
A good message
Most of them are in a school version , which includes explanations of unknown words.

If you take a drama sometime I definately will join the book club, othwerwise I have not that much time so my visits will be rare.

Good idea , Jeremy !
Jochen Bauer

Paradox Feet Footbag Club
http://www.paradoxfeet.de

Website:
http://www.jochen-bauer.net

User avatar
Jeremy
"Really unneccesary"
Posts: 10178
Joined: 08 Jan 2003 00:20
Location: Tasmania

Post by Jeremy » 11 Nov 2004 16:13

I'm not sure what you mean by a "drama" - The Time Machine by HG Wells is pretty dramatic!! ;) - Do you mean like a stage play - Like Shakespear or Tenesse Williams?

I like JD Salinger - Catcher in the Rye is one of my favourite books.


How many people are actually reading "The Time Machine" - all you need to do is click on the link - maybe print it out if you like.

I'm up to chapter 4. So far my favourite part has been: "My fear grew to frenzy" - if only this would happen to me ;).

Post Reply