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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
 Posted - 04/16/2006 : 04:01:48
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Book Club Book: A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
Amazon review:
A monument to sloth, rant and contempt, and suspicious of anything modern - this is Ignatius J. Reilly of New Orleans, crusader against dunces. In revolt against the 20th century, Ignatius propels his bulk among the flesh-pots of a fallen city, documenting life on his Big Chief tablets as he goes, until his mother decrees that Ignatius must work.
Aim to finish date is May 8th and you can start posting reviews and discussing the book on this date. Saves spoiling it for anybody who isn't finished, anyone who isn't finished by then I'd suggest avoiding this thread after that date.
If anyone wants to put forward a suggestion for the next book we can do this around then as well.
Enjoy! |
Edited by - starmekitten on 04/17/2006 16:35:56 |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2006 : 04:46:10
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Thanks for starting this up again, Tre.
My vote: Dunces.
Rationale: It has a cupcake on the cover. I'm trying to cut down on Tom Robbins. And I don't want to read a book about anybody dying in any way.
I’m the only one who can say that this light is mine
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PixieSteve
> Teenager of the Year <
Poland
4698 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2006 : 05:06:59
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my vote: the subject steve..
and my rationale being that it has steve in the title. and it invovles sex and drugs
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Edited by - PixieSteve on 04/16/2006 05:17:52 |
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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2006 : 10:31:47
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I lean towards A Confederacy of Dunces but don't mind all that much. I still picked all three of them :P
-
I tried doing that once, making every minute count. It gave me a headache.
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Llamadance
> Teenager of the Year <
United Kingdom
2543 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2006 : 12:12:35
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quote:
Originally posted by PixieSteve
my vote: the subject steve..
and my rationale being that it has steve in the title. and it invovles sex and drugs
whs
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11690 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2006 : 12:21:33
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You know what, I just listened to the Audiobook for Dunces (if you sign up on Audible you get a free book credit or something, well worth it but you have to give a credit card and remember to cancel your subscription - I still have my account there, but they put the prices up). I think that the audiobook may be better than reading the actual book. The narrator does such an excellent job giving them some New Orleans flair, I just don't think that I could have done as well in my imagination. That narrator has become the main character for me.
I'd be interested, I haven't had a new book since Cloud Atlas, but I don't mind if it's Dunces again. Such an enjoyable listen and pretty good all around. Anyone else ever try these audiobooks, I'm surprised how much I enjoy them!
 "If we hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominos will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate." |
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zub_the_goat
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
639 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2006 : 12:33:05
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| The confederacy of dunces looks to be the one im most curious about from the list-although, i think Tom robbins is fantastic, so those too are my favourites. |
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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2006 : 15:35:06
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I listen to a lot of books to radio adaptations but not so many audio books. There are some that appeal to me more than others though, childrens ones (like His Dark Materials) I'd like to hear and maybe the Rankin ones too. They're nice to listen to whilst doing other things. But I couldn't listen to an audio book and watch a film at the same time. Reading and film I can do stupidly well.
You Steves, I think there are more not Steves than Steves on forum so you might be out of luck.
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Broken Face
-= Forum Pistolero =-
USA
5157 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2006 : 16:30:25
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I've already read The Subject Steve (purchased for $1 in San Diego, CA), so i vote for Dunces.
-Brian
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2006 : 17:43:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Cult_Of_Frank
You know what, I just listened to the Audiobook for Dunces .... The narrator does such an excellent job giving them some New Orleans flair, I just don't think that I could have done as well in my imagination. That narrator has become the main character for me.
Let me momentarily derail the thread by saying that the best book narration EVER is Jeremy Irons reading the unabridged Lolita. Holy smokes.
I’m the only one who can say that this light is mine
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jimmy
= Cult of Ray =
USA
876 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2006 : 17:58:17
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I mentioned a couple days ago in the quitting thread Stephen King's On Writing- A Memoir of the Craft. I just read almost all of it again today on the trip to and from the cape. It's like being in a classroom w/ an excellent teacher- everything is presented in an interesting way- it's just a smooth comfortable book.
Bret Easton Ellis's latest Lunar Park. His best story and his best writing.
Just brought back to the library the collection that David Sedaris edited ( he also writes the introduction )Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules. It's got short stories by Dorothy Parker and Flannery O'Conner and others.
I didn't get a chance to read all the stories, but the one that I'm definitly glad I read was called "The Best of Betty". It's written in the form of 'Dear Abby' style letters and replies. It's funny in a strange way and has a surprise twist. Whether you buy it or get it from the library or just read it at Barnes and Noble, read this story you'll love it.
"Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." JOHN 15:14 |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11690 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2006 : 19:06:16
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Heh, I just read Stephen King's On Writing as well, pretty good stuff, I really enjoyed his perspective though I don't think I could ever write in that way. It does make a lot of sense to basically 'get into character' which is essentially what he's all about, in order to write the situations and dialogue that might result.
It made me want to read a Stephen King book, which, aside from On Writing, is something I've not yet done. I guess we had one book read to us as children in school, but that's different.
"If we hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominos will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate." |
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jimmy
= Cult of Ray =
USA
876 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2006 : 13:24:34
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There's so many SK books to choose from- I've only read about 1/5 of them. I had read the Shining years ago and enjoyed it, but I've tried re-reading it and didn't get very far.
A few years ago he put out a pair of books that are somewhat related, Desperation was by SK and the Regulators was written under his old alias Richard Bachman. The Regulators was good but very violent, and not just violent but callous.
If you'd like to try something smaller and more varied, try Night Shift or Everything's Eventual, one old, the other a newer collection of short stories.
"Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." JOHN 15:14 |
Edited by - jimmy on 04/17/2006 13:25:25 |
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Broken Face
-= Forum Pistolero =-
USA
5157 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2006 : 14:28:20
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So have we decided on Dunces? I'm going to the bookstore in the AM as part of my errands...
-Brian
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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2006 : 14:54:54
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looks like it
forum ebook |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11690 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2006 : 15:18:40
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I'm telling 'ya, though, audio's the way to go on Dunces. But it's a good book, I'll sit this round out of reading and discuss once that starts. Seemed fairly unanimous in favour of dunces.
So now what?
"If we hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominos will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate." |
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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2006 : 15:32:36
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Now we set a deadline, how does May the 8th sound? gives people more time to jump in if they want to and enough time for the slo-mo's to get through it.
forum ebook |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2006 : 15:37:40
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That's the day Flaubert died. Good enough for a literary deadline.
Sure. May 8.
I’m the only one who can say that this light is mine
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Broken Face
-= Forum Pistolero =-
USA
5157 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2006 : 16:30:49
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Sounds good - thanks for organizing Tre.
-Brian
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Broken Face
-= Forum Pistolero =-
USA
5157 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2006 : 20:15:08
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100 pages in - a quick read
-Brian
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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 08:26:17
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That's encouraging! I'm such a moron, I went to the nearest big shopping place today to put some money into my bank and stood outside ottakers for full on five minutes, frowning and smoking all at the same time, trying to figure out what it was I wanted from there.
Got home and remembered.
*special*
forum ebook - "on the road" theme - help wanted |
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offerw
* Dog in the Sand *
South Africa
1264 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2006 : 10:27:10
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I'll go find a copy someplace. Been wanting to read this for some time now.
wilhelm |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11690 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2006 : 09:55:31
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How's the progress going?
"If we hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominos will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate." |
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Broken Face
-= Forum Pistolero =-
USA
5157 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2006 : 09:58:56
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I need to get back into it - its been almost a week since i read any of it. Too busy i tells ya...
-Brian
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Llamadance
> Teenager of the Year <
United Kingdom
2543 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2006 : 10:35:49
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I've started it, about pg35 or so.
That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
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PixieSteve
> Teenager of the Year <
Poland
4698 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2006 : 11:28:41
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shall i bother picking it up?
FAST_MAN RAIDER_MAN - June 19th |
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Broken Face
-= Forum Pistolero =-
USA
5157 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2006 : 11:33:32
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i think it is steve. its been cracking me up.
-Brian
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Broken Face
-= Forum Pistolero =-
USA
5157 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2006 : 21:27:53
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i guess we've ditched the May 8 deadline...
-Brian
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11690 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2006 : 22:01:28
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I'm finished. ;)
"If we hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominos will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate." |
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zub_the_goat
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
639 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2006 : 01:01:39
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| me too (well kinda, i ended up skipping through the last part tbh) |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11690 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2006 : 07:19:31
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You can't skip through the last part!!!
"If we hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominos will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate." |
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zub_the_goat
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
639 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2006 : 07:22:30
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| I guess i found by the time hed got the hotdog job itd all got a bit repititious, i stopped caring |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11690 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2006 : 07:29:27
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Hmmm, never felt that way but I can see what you mean I suppose now that I consider it...
"If we hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominos will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate." |
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Erebus
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1834 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2006 : 10:33:12
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| Years ago I quit on it about a third of the way through due to redundancy. Disappointing, given all the hype. Maybe I should go back and read the last thirty pages. |
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book club - a confederacy of dunces
