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This summer (next three months) we will be reading East of Eden by Steinbeck:-John Steinbeck, East of EdenQuote:
It would be absurd if we did not understand both angels and devils, since we invented them.
Please post your opinions and questions on the book here
Book Club Procedures
looks like i will be reading it again....oh well. i suppose i could dust off my, list of "read before i die" books, lol.
I'm off to a rousing start. I finished the first chapter.
Was Steinback a genious? I have read first six chapters and I have really found them brilliant. First of all, writing style is extremely good and the story line is very well-constructed. If the story will remain like this, it is going to be my favourite book. I am really excited about the later chapters that I don't want to go to sleep. Either I want to read it or discuss it. Ah, poor Adams, how his father forced him to the army, it made me really sad and Samuel Hamilton is going to be one of my favourite characters if he is really like as author has described him. I have loved the writing style of Steinback actually, hoping that it would remain that good even in later chapters!!!! This man, Steinback is really good with words!
Spoiler
Oh, and I have found out now that the narrator is the grandson of Samuel Hamilton. I thought that he would be related to Trask Family, ah my poor guess but this is more exciting. I even have a little pity for the brother of Adam (ouchers, I have forgotten his name) though he might not deserve it, but what can we do about that if we just feel it. Did anyone else feel pity on him?
I am still waiting for my copy to arrive. Can't wait to start!
Oh yeah, it is fun Scher! I hope that your copy will arrive soon!
Right now, I am going to start 15th Chapter and still it is fun. The thing which has most attracted me is the style of the narrator. For example, look at this sentence:
On some places, narrator's style is funny or ironic and on others, it is very serious but this is what I am liking about it.Quote:
Liza Hamilton was a very different kettle of Irish. Her head was small and round and it held small round convictions. She had a button nose and a hard little set-back chin, a gripping jaw set on its course even though the angels of God argued against it.
Liza had a finely developed sense of sin. Idleness was a sin, and card playing, which was a kind of idleness to her. She was suspicious of fun whether it involved dancing or singing or even laughter. She felt that people having a good time were wide open to the devil. And this was a shame, for Samuel was a laughing man, but I guess Samuel was wide open to the devil. His wife protected him whenever she could.
Originally posted by me:
Ah, I guess that now, this guy (Charles) really deserves some pity, he is no harm infront of Cathy, wife of Adam. That girl is a b****. (don't like the word but can't help myself from using it for that woman) Poor Adam, too simple to understand the cleverness of Cathy... I wonder what's going to happen next in the novel but huh, I want a break to make my own story that what will happen next.Quote:
I even have a little pity for the brother of Adam (ouchers, I have forgotten his name) though he might not deserve it, but what can we do about that if we just feel it. Did anyone else feel pity on him?
This novel is engaging!
So far I have no pity on charles. Well maybe a little after the letter that Adam recieved...But still he did beat up adam (twice) let alone come after him with a hatchett.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pensive
can't wait. :)
But papaya, you have not seen Adam's father's funeral yet. When you will look at the attitude of Charles after his father's death, you might/will start to pity him, I think.Quote:
Originally Posted by papayahed
Oh, I have finally reached Part 3 (Chapter 23) of the novel. It is pretty good, very good indeed, the novel.
Uptill now, I have loved the character of Samuel, so free, knowing things, so interesting and a character which can never make you feel bored while reading it. I have not got only one thing and that is, why does Samuel call his wife Liza, "Mother?" Can anyone explain this to me, please?
That part where Samuel came to Adam to name his twins was really funny and worth reading.
Generally, A husband will use Mother as a pet name. As in the Mother of his children. In this case it is a lable. He could call her "wife," for instance.
OK, I do feel a little bad for Charles, especially whe he starts question about his father.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pensive
I told you, didn't I? :pQuote:
Originally Posted by papayahed
I finished the novel last night, oh no, in the morning. In the last twenty chapters, it grew so much interesting that it really gripped me. What a pity that Samuel died? Oh well, there were other interesting characters as well such as Amra, Cal, Aaron and Dessie (oh yeah, I loved the sound of Dessy)
And Lee, the china man, sometimes he interested me even more than Samuel did. His tales, stories, philosophy, I found it all interesting.
What really made me angry while reading the book was Kate (Cathy) calling Adam Trask, Mr Mouse but then I liked the way Adam left her, poor him, he took the first bold step. Oh well, I think that there was no other choice as well.
There were other touching moments in the book as well for example when Cal meets Katty for the first moment and the way characters in the book acted after the death of someone.
Cathy was a complex character to me, indeed very complex. This book contains some of the very interesting but complex characters I have come across. This should be a must read. :D
Your done already???? Holy Carp!
So far my favorite line is (and I'm paraphrasing here):
The chowder blew out both ends.
Which chapter are you reading Papaya? Have you met Lee yet? How did you find his character?Quote:
Originally Posted by papayahed