Classic Literature Book Club [Archive] - Literature Network Forums

Seabird111

04-20-2008, 07:00 PM

UPDATE!

Our book of the month is...

-dunanana-

Hello!

When I first joined yesterday, I really liked the idea of the book club, but I wanted to know if members could make their own book club.

I did some research, (asked like four people), and I found out that I could make my own book club if I posted it in this section of the forums.

So, I did. And you're looking at it.

Here's how this works...

Every month or two, I'll post a poll within this thread. This poll will contain the titles of around five books. Every member of the book club will be allowed to vote in said poll, and at the closing date of the poll, that month's book will be decided.

Now, for the types of books:

All books that we read per month will be classic books, classic books being anything that is considered Classic Literature. Books like Catch 22, Crime and Punishment, The Illiad, books like that.

Yay.

So, that leaves getting members to join.

If you wish to join, please, post a message saying, "I wish to join your book club," or something along the lines of that.

The first poll is up, soo... Join and vote!

Seabird111

04-20-2008, 07:03 PM

Member List:

-Seabird111
-Drkshadow03
-Djy78usa
-ben.!
-Joreads
-ntropyincarnate
-Tournesol
-Thelastmelon
-Captain Pike
-DapperDrake
-black butterffl
-Pensive
-betzen
-Oniw17
-_Shannon_

Dori

04-20-2008, 09:13 PM

Perhaps I will join, but nothing is certain at this point. :)

Drkshadow03

04-20-2008, 09:36 PM

I'll join. But I may or may not have time to participate. Depends.

djy78usa

04-20-2008, 09:55 PM

count me in. My vote's for Catch-22. Haven't read that one since high school.

ben.!

04-20-2008, 10:03 PM

I'm currently reading Catch-22, a chapter a night. So a book club about it would be cool! I'm in. :D

Joreads

04-20-2008, 11:59 PM

Count me in

Logos

04-21-2008, 02:05 AM

There already is a Forum Book Club here, perhaps you would like to participate in it :)

http://www.online-literature.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=15

--

ben.!

04-22-2008, 06:45 PM

I find the official online literature book club hard to keep up with...you guys read such different literature each month! It's awesome, just hard to keep up with.

I'm reading Catch-22 at the moment so if this book club picks that to discuss I can finish it hopefully in time to discuss. :D

ntropyincarnate

04-22-2008, 07:20 PM

Yeah I'll join but I don't know if I'll have time for it.

Seabird111

04-23-2008, 11:43 AM

There already is a Forum Book Club here, perhaps you would like to participate in it :)

http://www.online-literature.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=15

--

Ah, I asked Schez about that. She said I could make it if I put it here.

Also, I might join the official one, but I don't know... I don't know how I feel about a book dealing with a certain country every month... I'll dig into it more =).

If you are in the book club, please see the top part of the first post. There's an update that must be read.

Seabird111

04-23-2008, 03:42 PM

Well, three more votes for Catch 22 and that's our book.

Joreads

04-23-2008, 10:41 PM

Great does that mean that it is our read for May?

Tournesol

04-23-2008, 10:49 PM

Hi, count me in!

I've always wanted to read most of the books in the poll. THis is a great way for me to be compelled to read one, any one of the books is fine with me!

Seabird111

04-23-2008, 11:52 PM

Great does that mean that it is our read for May?

Nope, it needs 10 votes before it's our book :P.

Hi, count me in!

I've always wanted to read most of the books in the poll. THis is a great way for me to be compelled to read one, any one of the books is fine with me!

Awesome! Welcome to the Book Club.

ntropyincarnate

04-24-2008, 12:39 AM

Nope, it needs 10 votes before it's our book :P.

Couldn't that be kind of difficult though? I mean, what if no book gets 10 votes? It might be more workable to have a closing date for the poll and the book with the most votes wins.

thelastmelon

04-24-2008, 05:49 AM

I'll do my best to participate, but it might not be possible every month. I'm voting this time at least. :)

Captain Pike

04-24-2008, 09:45 PM

I want to try to be part of this. I came before and started to get involved must've forgotten. I'm going to subscribe to this thread so I can stay up to date. We haven't chosen to book yet, right?

_P.

Seabird111

04-25-2008, 10:41 AM

Couldn't that be kind of difficult though? I mean, what if no book gets 10 votes? It might be more workable to have a closing date for the poll and the book with the most votes wins.

I'll do the closing date next month. I just want to get a book started.

Seabird111

04-25-2008, 10:45 AM

Please see the first post for our book of the month!

thelastmelon

04-26-2008, 05:43 AM

May I ask: How are you choosing the classics that will be included in the poll? Are they classics that you want to read, or do you have some sort of list of books to choose from?

Anyhow, I'm ordering Catch 22 today, and we'll see if I manage to finish it in time. :)

DapperDrake

04-26-2008, 06:53 AM

"I wish to join your book club,"

I'll see if I can pick up catch 22 on Monday.

black butterffl

04-26-2008, 10:04 AM

i would love to join, however i cannot laways read the book you talk about since the library is kind of fare from my house. when i get my own car be sure i'll read everything :P

Seabird111

04-26-2008, 11:08 PM

Awesome! Thanks for joining.

As for Melon's question, the book is really just me thinking of classic books. I'll take suggestions for books as well.

Pensive

04-27-2008, 02:33 AM

I guess I am up for joining. The choice of books up for voting seems to be good. Have got Catch-22 and was thinking of starting it...

Seabird111

04-27-2008, 02:13 PM

Welcome to the book club, Pensive!

It's good that so many people want to read Catch 22. We will officially start reading it tomorrow :).

DapperDrake

04-28-2008, 08:17 AM

OK, I just picked up catch-22. So how does this work, do we wait until we've all finished (May 19th) then start discussing or do we start discussing as soon as we start reading?

TheFifthElement

04-28-2008, 08:29 AM

Oh cool! I'm reading Catch 22 at the moment and need a boot up the **se to finish it. Count me in!

Seabird111

04-28-2008, 06:41 PM

Awesome!

THE READING OF CATCH 22 BEGINS TODAY!!!!!!!!

For more info, please see the first post, top half.

Seabird111

04-29-2008, 07:10 PM

How's the book going for everyone?

ben.!

04-29-2008, 10:06 PM

betzen

04-30-2008, 12:23 AM

I would like to join this book club. I'll try to get Catch 22 this week.

thelastmelon

04-30-2008, 04:43 AM

How's the book going for everyone?

I still haven't got it. Maybe I'll get it on Friday or the beginning of next week.

TheFifthElement

04-30-2008, 05:23 AM

I'm up to chapter 19.

I'm finding Catch-22 very episodic, and it tends to switch POV rapidly, you may start the chapter talking about one character, then Heller will throw in one aside about another and your suddenly in a completely new scene.

Chaotic would be the way to describe this book! But I love it, it is funny and rather quirky.

Yes, crazy, chaotic, blackly comic and brilliantly written. I'm up to Chapter 22. My favourite chapters so far have been The Soldier in White and Lieutenant Scheisskopf. The whol Bologna episode is brilliant, and by far my favourite excerpt from the book (though there are many brilliant ones) so far has to be this:

People didn't stick their head into ovens with the gas on, jump in front of subway trains or come plummeting like dead weights out of hotel windows with a whoosh!, accelerating at the rate of sixteen feet per second to land with a hideous plop! on the sidewalk and die disgustingly there in public like an alpaca sack full of hairy strawberry ice cream, bleeding, pink toes awry.

'an alpaca sack full of hairy strawberry ice cream'. It's one of those images which will live with me forever.

Oniw17

04-30-2008, 05:32 AM

I need to read more classic books, so I believe I'll also enlist in this club. I'll be sure to visit the library tomorrow.

DapperDrake

04-30-2008, 05:44 PM

I'm taking it at a fairly relaxed pace, i'm just starting chapter 10. I'm quite impressed with it so far, well written and witty with a dark comic edge.

Seabird111

04-30-2008, 07:08 PM

I agree with all of those posts. They describe the book very well.

And welcome to Betzen and Oniw17. Great to have you both.

djy78usa

05-01-2008, 12:45 AM

I'm leaving tomorrow for two weeks in the woods, so I won't be logging on Litnet for a while. I will have my copy of Catch-22 with me, though, and hopefully I'll be able to catch up on all the discussions when I get back.

Joreads

05-01-2008, 02:07 AM

Seabird111

05-01-2008, 01:06 PM

Seabird111

05-01-2008, 01:07 PM

I am finding that I really need to concentrate on what I am reading or i wind up not knowing where I am. Other then that really enjoying it.

I would like to add Animal Farm to the list of books if that is OK with everyone

We've already decided our book of the month, it's Catch 22.

I'll put that up for next month, though.

Seabird111

05-01-2008, 01:24 PM

DapperDrake

05-01-2008, 02:59 PM

I'm not sure, if a book doesn't get too many votes then chances are many of the members wouldn't be thrilled about reading it. That's the point of the polls really, to make sure that as many members as possible want to read the book that's chosen.
You could always recycle some of these books into another poll though, with other new choices of course.

IMHO

DapperDrake

05-01-2008, 03:04 PM

The whole Bologna episode is brilliant,

Definitely agree, the interaction between Aarfy and Yossarian is hilarious and at the same time gives insight into the way people handle fear differently under a pressure situation.

thelastmelon

05-01-2008, 03:20 PM

Hey, I have an idea for the book club:

What if we used the books from the poll, and then read them all in the order of greatest to least, (in votes). That way, we wouldn't have to add a new poll every month.

Who likes this idea?

I'd prefer new polls, so that the books that are chosen are books that we really want to read, and that other books could be added to. Cause now there are four classics there that one of us (you) chose, and it'd feel better if everyone got a chance to be a part of the election.

So, I'd prefer new polls. And as DapperDrake suggested, maybe you could recycle some of the books into the new poll, but at least start one.

Seabird111

05-01-2008, 08:27 PM

Mmk, it's decided. New polls.

Joreads

05-01-2008, 09:04 PM

We've already decided our book of the month, it's Catch 22.

I'll put that up for next month, though.

I am reading Catch 22 now and really enjoying it. I thought Animal farm would be good for the list. Something I have always wanted to read

Seabird111

05-02-2008, 11:00 AM

We could put it up for next month :D.

Seabird111

05-05-2008, 08:05 PM

Does anyone disagree with that?

thelastmelon

05-06-2008, 12:44 AM

We could put it up for next month :D.

Does anyone disagree with that?

No, I don't. I read Animal Farm earlier this spring and it truly was an amazing book. It's worth reading and discussing. :) So of course it can be a part of next month's poll.

_Shannon_

05-06-2008, 08:16 AM

I'm up to chapter 19.

I'm finding Catch-22 very episodic, and it tends to switch POV rapidly, you may start the chapter talking about one character, then Heller will throw in one aside about another and your suddenly in a completely new scene.

Chaotic would be the way to describe this book! But I love it, it is funny and rather quirky.
I like to think about the timeline in Catch 22 as sort of illustrative of how we remeber things, particularly how we remember traumatic events. So often when we think about the past, we recall events and specifics in a non-linear way. There is an odd mix of vividly recalling details, but hazy on generalities--and firm memory of generalities, while skimming over details. It's as though our brain cannot handle the entire recollection all at one time, and so reveals the memories bit by bit.

LOL! I haven't had my second cup of coffee- and so that might be totally incoherent....

Another advantage of the non-linear narrative structure in Catch-22 is that it keeps the reader in the dark, just like the troops who are fighting. Our limited knowledge of the story, I feel, helps us to empathise with the characters who often have no idea what directive or instruction will be given next from the higher ups.

LOL! Oh and I guess I am in for this book club :) I haven't posted on here in forever...but wuld like to start again.

thelastmelon

05-06-2008, 03:32 PM

Don't think I'll be able to participate this month. I ordered the book over a week ago, but probably won't get it until Friday or so, so I won't be able to finish it in time, not with this amount of books to read for school.

I'll read Catch 22 when I can though and then add my thoughts. :)

DapperDrake

05-06-2008, 04:52 PM

I'm about 4/5 through, I'm holding off saying anything about it until I've finished though. I'm sure there are plenty of topics to discuss with this book but I rarely pick up on these things without prompting - even so there are two or three points I'd like to go over.

DapperDrake

05-07-2008, 03:59 PM

I like to think about the timeline in Catch 22 as sort of illustrative of how we remeber things, particularly how we remember traumatic events. So often when we think about the past, we recall events and specifics in a non-linear way. There is an odd mix of vividly recalling details, but hazy on generalities--and firm memory of generalities, while skimming over details. It's as though our brain cannot handle the entire recollection all at one time, and so reveals the memories bit by bit.

Yes the non-liner time line as you put it is a central aspect of story's structure, I like the way you can instantly anchor yourself in the story despite it jumping around chronologically by the number of missions Colonel Cathcart has set. Whenever the time line jumps there's quickly a mention of the target number of missions at that time.

And I like the point you've brought up about remembering traumatic events, I think this is a powerful theme in the story, it sort of builds in intensity to a crescendo at the end. Snowdon dying is the main aspect of that theme, throughout the story we keep revisiting Snowdon's death, revealing a bit more about it each time until the full traumatic impact on Yossarian is revealed at the end when Yossarian opens Snowdon's flack jacket.

I found a noticeable acceleration toward the later part of the story beginning with Kid Sampson's death, from that point on Yossarian's friends start dropping like flies and the whole mood of the book changes becoming much darker and we begin to find out what Yossarian's behaviour in the earlier parts of the book were all about.

There is so much going on with this book I hardly know where to begin! There's the constant tension of the number of missions always being edged up just out of reach. There's the caricature of the senior officers, culminating in Lieutenant Sheisskopf - the incompetent, nuts, and one dimensional training officer being promoted to Colonel, then Lieutenant General in command of the whole wing! I loved the way Major Major was a cadet who was made a Major purely by an administrative error with his name - in fact there are many instances of the author "sending up" bureaucracy in the air force, like when Doc Daneeka "died" in MacWatt's crash just because he was on the flight log.

Great book :)

Seabird111

05-08-2008, 05:30 PM

It sure is...

_Shannon_

05-08-2008, 08:47 PM

I find it very, very interesting that Slaughterhouse Five uses the same sort of non-linear timeline technique to talk about Dresden. It isn't quite the same (you know- with time travel and all); however it seems almost like a defense mechanism to sidle up to the horror of what has been experienced. Also SF like Catch 22 makes a firm point of how farcical bit players are in the war when loked at individually. I think both novels use of humor and light hearted languafe is something which resonates with me deeply, as self-depricating humor is very often how I has chosen throughout my life to convey intensely personal, overwhelming happenings in my life. It often isn't even done for me...but rather for the person with whom I'm speaking- so that they don't feel overcome with what it is I am telling them.

Seabird111

05-10-2008, 07:48 PM

That makes sense, Shannon. I have yet to read Slaughterhouse Five, but I can see what you mean.

Seabird111

05-13-2008, 06:12 PM

Maybe we should read S5 for our next book :D.

_Shannon_

05-14-2008, 11:50 AM

LOL- well I'd be able to participate --I just read it!:thumbs_up

Seabird111

05-14-2008, 06:55 PM

Rofl!

djy78usa

05-17-2008, 09:32 PM

It's funny that you mention slaughter house five. I forgot to pack my copy of Catch-22 for my training exercise out in the woods, so I was left with nothing to read (and nothing to discuss on this thread when I returned home). When I arrived at the USO at Raleigh-Durham Airport enroute to Fort Bragg, I picked up a donated copy of slaughter house, and ended up reading that during the exercise.

Seabird111

05-20-2008, 09:43 PM

Very nice! I really, really need to read that. I've heard that Kurt Vonnegut is an excellent writer, and I really need to read something of his.

Cadi

05-23-2008, 02:56 PM

This book club sounds great. I love classics.
I'll keep checking to see when the next poll is up.

betzen

05-23-2008, 09:58 PM

Another advantage of the non-linear narrative structure in Catch-22 is that it keeps the reader in the dark, just like the troops who are fighting. Our limited knowledge of the story, I feel, helps us to empathise with the characters who often have no idea what directive or instruction will be given next from the higher ups.

That's a really good point, Shannon. You really do feel the confusion that the characters have. It's even more pointed when you understand that many of the officers are making the decisions on a whim, or for incomprehensible reasons, like to get into the Saturday evening post!

This was my first time reading this book, and I really loved it. I liked how it ended on a hopeful note, but it wasn't a completely neat "happy ending".

I couldn't get used to Milo as a character. The characterization was great. At first, I liked & sympathized with him, but as time went on, you see how greed and manipulation overcome the rest of his personality. He has such a gift for it. It's amazing how Heller can put in some parts that are so extreme, they're comical (like Milo getting away with bombing his own men) but then the other parts have a realism that balances it and makes it believable.

As far as the writing goes, I enjoyed the repetition and language used, that seemed to highlight the way the war appeared to the characters. What I mean is, the conversations banter back and forth repetitively, with each side misunderstanding each other even more, and coming to no sort of resolution. Like the conversations throughout the book that say, "Are you crazy?" followed by, "You are crazy!" It seems like that is how the characters could see the entire war--repetitive senseless dying of different men, repetitive increases in the number of missions, and all of it getting more unbelievable and crazier. It makes the chaplain's deja vu understandable, too. That may be a stretch, I don't know! But it's an idea.;)

DapperDrake

05-24-2008, 06:47 PM

so, is it time for a new poll yet?

thelastmelon

05-25-2008, 02:55 AM

so, is it time for a new poll yet?

It should be. :)

Seabird111

05-27-2008, 11:54 AM

'Tis. Sorry I haven't been on that much guys.

THIS MONTH'S CHOICE OF BOOKS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Some books from the last poll will be re-used.

-One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
-1984 by George Orwell
-Animal Farm (by popular demand) by George Orwell
-The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Enjoy :D.

djy78usa

05-27-2008, 01:37 PM

I think Animal Farm and 1984, though fantastic books, have been read and discussed ad nauseum. I've never read Cuckoo's Nest, but I love the movie, so that's where my vote's going.

DapperDrake

05-27-2008, 02:21 PM

I just finished 1984 last night, good book. I might skip this month, I have a taste for French and Russian Lit at the moment.

_Shannon_

05-27-2008, 04:22 PM

My husban has been pushing me to read Cuckoo's NEst --so that's my vote,

Seabird111

05-27-2008, 05:40 PM

Excellent. Two for Cuckoo's Nest.

Joreads

05-27-2008, 07:28 PM

Animal Farm gets my vote

thelastmelon

05-28-2008, 01:25 AM

Animal Farm has my vote as well.

Seabird111

05-29-2008, 10:11 PM

Two for Cuckoo's Nest, two for Animal Farm.

thelastmelon

05-31-2008, 07:57 AM

Two for Cuckoo's Nest, two for Animal Farm.

When will the voting end? You never mentioned a date.

betzen

05-31-2008, 08:32 PM

My vote is for The Jungle.

slobone

06-01-2008, 07:19 AM

Umm... May is over! Is there a thread for June?

thelastmelon

06-01-2008, 07:26 AM

Umm... May is over! Is there a thread for June?

It seems like the creator of the Classic Literature Book Club has chosen to use the same thread as last month. So if you want to vote, Slobone, simply write here which of the following books you would like us to read now:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
1984 by George Orwell
Animal Farm by George Orwell
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Seabird111

06-02-2008, 09:53 PM

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest: Two Votes!
Animal Farm: Two Votes!
1984: Zero Votes!
The Jungle: One vote!

Thank you for clearing that up Thelastmelon.

BTW, voting ends this weekend.

Joreads

06-02-2008, 10:57 PM

Lets hope that we don't have a tie and have to read two books:D

slobone

06-03-2008, 12:48 AM

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest: Two Votes!
Animal Farm: Two Votes!
1984: Zero Votes!
The Jungle: One vote!

Thank you for clearing that up Thelastmelon.

BTW, voting ends this weekend.
One vote for none of the above. I've already read both Orwells & I'm not particularly interested in the other two. See you in July!

bej6s

06-03-2008, 02:11 PM

I vote for Animal Farm.

Seabird111

06-05-2008, 07:36 PM

Sigh, three for Animal Farm...

Joreads

06-09-2008, 07:43 PM

Does anyone know when we are going to decide on the book?

Adopt

06-09-2008, 10:13 PM

I'd love to join. I need to get some reading in this summer anyway.

thelastmelon

06-10-2008, 04:50 AM

Does anyone know when we are going to decide on the book?

Seabird said this past weekend. So it should be decided already.
I think Animal Farm by George Orwell has won the voting. :)

Seabird111

06-10-2008, 02:26 PM

Gah! I forgot to vote.

Welcome, Adopt! Glad to have you.

And this month's book... ANIMAL FARM BY GEORGE ORWELL!

Joreads

06-11-2008, 12:38 AM

This is a great I read it in one sitting. I look forward to discussing here

Seabird111

06-11-2008, 07:10 PM

Go ahead and discuss it now :D! It's be great to have some early discussion.

Joreads

06-17-2008, 01:18 AM

I love the way Orwell uses human features to describe the animals. For example in chapter 1 when he says that Clover "is yet to get her figure back after her fourth foul"

The Green Flag that the animlas use is a copy of the USSTR flag in negative with the green background and red characters

And how the various animals represent real people

Napoleon – Stalin
Snowball – Leon Trotsky
Pilkington – Winston Churchill
Frederick – Hitler
The Dogs – KGB
Boxer - Russian peasantry
Old Major – Marx or rather Lenin teachings of Marx as Lenin made the revolution
Squealer – Molotov minister of propaganda
Minimums - Maxim Gorky a poet
Mr. Jones – Tsar Nicholas II Romanov the last Tsar