Re: Now that you say that -- Northwest Nerds Bookclub

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Date Posted: 09:06:36 05/09/00 Tue
Author: Marla
Subject: Re: Now that you say that
In reply to: Chris 's message, "Now that you say that" on 10:18:48 05/08/00 Mon

I hear you on the attention span thing, although I find it to be less problematic when I am completely immersed in a story. In this case, I find the subject matter interesting (since I've never been to these places), but the "story" itself isn't getting my juices flowing. As for your quick pace on the basketball book, that just shows that it was a subject that captured your interest, and thus, your attention for more than 20 minutes. I don't think it says anything negative about you. I've always believed that it's not so much what you read as the fact THAT you read, period. Now, I wouldn't compare Entertainment Weekly with great fiction or classic literature, per se, but any book that gets you going is good enough for me.

Based on the system we've "established," Dave is next to pick, followed by me and you. I've already picked mine and am eagerly sitting on it until my turn comes around. I think Dave's picked his too. I personally wouldn't be upset if we shifted the rotation, but I don't want to speak for everyone else. If we can get agreement, you can jump ahead of me. My book's been sitting on the bookshelf for two months already. It'll keep!

> I'm completely tempted to stop where I'm at and just
> skip ahead to the next country. Even if it is just a
> puddle-jump away.
>
> Marla, I'm reading this in the exact same manner.
> It's perfect for reading on the El, because my
> attention span is lucky to last for 20 minutes.
> That's all strange because I enjoy what he has to say.
>
>
> In the meantime, I picked up a book on playground
> basketball and finished it in 3 days. Now does that
> tell me something about me or the books I read.
>
> I have a potentially good next book. I may even be
> able to pick it up at less than 5 dollars a piece.
> Tell me if I have a right to pick next.
>
> > Something to look forward to: Page 281 (at least in
> my
> > version) turns to a new country! Right after I posted
> > this message, I started the next chapter,
> > which...wouldn't you know...takes us to New Zealand.
> > Guess I should have kept my big mouth shut?
> >
> > > I'm 150 pages ahead of you and the subject is STILL
> > > Australia. I'm very tempted to skip ahead and see
> > > if/when Twain hits a new continent, but that would
> be
> > > pretty defeatist, no?
> > >
> > > So far, my reaction to the book is about what I
> > > expected it to be after reading the first 50 pages.
> > As
> > > a reader, I'm a very linear thinker, and the books
> I
> > > enjoy the most are those that follow a clear
> > > progression (Translation: have a specific plot).
> > While
> > > I'm finding Twain's commentary about the
> experiences
> > > he's living fascinating, I'm having a hard time
> > > maintaining interest. This is through no fault of
> > > Twain's (He is, after all, a terrific writer and
> > great
> > > humorist). Rather, I suspect my problem lies in my
> > own
> > > limitations as a reader. If I don't see all of the
> > > traditional elements of a novel--character and plot
> > > development, for example--"going somewhere," I
> don't
> > > allow myself to sink in for several hours of solid
> > > reading. Instead, I pick this thing up every few
> > hours
> > > and read a chapter or two. Then, I put it down and
> > > move on to something else. It's just not
> engrossing,
> > > nor, do I think, is it designed to be.
> > >
> > > All of that said, I find "Following the Equator" to
> > be
> > > a very compelling document of a great man's great
> > > journey. He dissects people and places and
> traditions
> > > that I will probably never in my life have the good
> > > fortune to witness firsthand. It is his depth of
> > > recording that keeps me reading, for he doesn't
> only
> > > touch on surface observations like the temperature
> > > (Can't believe the highs, though I suspect the
> region
> > > is like Arizona...really hot, but not unbearable
> > > because there's so little humidity...unlike
> Kansas!),
> > > but recounts with extraordinary detail the
> > > conversations he's had and the people he's met.
> > >
> > > Clearly, this book can't be a great novel. It's not
> > > conceived as such. But as a travelogue, it IS
> > > satisfying. It's not a genre with which I have any
> > > familiarity, but it's teaching me to read with a
> new
> > > mindset. More to follow...
> > >
> > > > I'm about 130 pages into Twain and I think I'm
> > going
> > > > to give this book to my parents due to the fact
> > that
> > > > nearly the entire first portion deals with
> > > Australia.
> > > >
> > > > I thought that the account of the civilized
> > servitude
> > > > of the pacific island "recruits" in Queensland
> was
> > > > really entertaining and informative. It really
> > made
> > > > me think of the sugar/rum industry of Antigua and
> > the
> > > > nearby island of Barbuda. I don't want to
> > disrespect
> > > > the history, so I'm hoping that Dave can
> elaborate
> > on
> > > > it later on. It basically evokes the thought of
> a
> > > > group of people cloistered and forced to
> reproduce
> > so
> > > > that their best attributes would be cultived.
> > > >
> > > > My favorite part thus far relates to the severity
> > of
> > > > punishment in Britain vs. that of Australia:
> > > >
> > > > When I was in London twenty-three years ago
> > > there
> > > > was a new penalty in force for diminishing
> > garroting
> > > > and wife-beating--25 lashes on the bare back with
> > the
> > > > cat-o'-nine-tails. . . That penalty had a great
> and
> > > > wholesome effect upon the garroters and
> > wife-beaters;
> > > > but humane modern London could not endure it; it
> > got
> > > > its law rescinded. Many a bruised and battered
> > > > English wife has since had occasion to deplore
> that
> > > > cruel achievement of sentimental "humanity."
> > > >
> > > > Now that's probably one of the points on which I
> > > would
> > > > diverge from the ACLU.

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Replies:

Re: Now that you say that--MY BOOK PICK -- David, 11:10:38 05/23/00 Tue