November 14 - Moby Dick

[LizzieAnn]

It was 155 years ago today, in 1851, that Herman Meville's Moby Dick was first published in the United Sates BY New York publisher Harper & Brothers

[fanuzzir]

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DC wrote:
Catcher in the Rye is on my list of Books Best Appreciated Before Reaching Twenty, along with The Brothers Karamazov, the novels of Hermann Hesse and Thomas Wolfe, and many others. These books speak strongly to the narcissism of youth, and offer grand philosophical truths in the form of pizza slices--large, hot, rich and dripping, and irresistible to the teenager, but heavy on the stomach of the adult.

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Wow. I love that metaphor. And I just had pizza today for lunch. You also make me want to read this thing now.

[fanuzzir]

Ok, Ok, I give up. Moby Dick is calling alot of people--anybody want to start a thread?

[Laurel]

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fanuzzir wrote:
Ok, Ok, I give up. Moby Dick is calling alot of people--anybody want to start a thread?

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Would it be better to announce a starting date, say Dec. 1 or 15 or sometime in January, in order to include as many people as possible?

[Laurel]

Is there any way the books we're planning here can get into the Coming Soon list? Or on our own Coming Soon list?

[donyskiw]

I agree with Laurel. I just received my Whitman volume in the mail and I've read the first seven chapters of The House of the Seven Gables. At some point I need to get some chores done. That lighting the house by candlelight trick so I don't see the dirt only works during the evening.

Denise

[LizzieAnn]

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Laurel wrote:

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fanuzzir wrote:
Ok, Ok, I give up. Moby Dick is calling alot of people--anybody want to start a thread?

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Would it be better to announce a starting date, say Dec. 1 or 15 or sometime in January, in order to include as many people as possible?

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Great idea Laurel! It would be easier for most of us to have a particular start date in mind (with some time to begin the book) instead of just jumping in.

[woodhouse]

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Laurel wrote:
Is there any way the books we're planning here can get into the Coming Soon list? Or on our own Coming Soon list?

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I think that’s a great idea. What interested me in joining this group was the prospect of reading classic literature that I haven’t had the chance to yet, and sharing that experience with others. However, I find it difficult to be prepared to discuss in depth any book in this genre at the drop of a hat. A "coming soon" announcement would give me time to read-up and be prepared to discuss.

[fanuzzir]

Allow me to give the moderator seal of approval to Laurel's wonderful idea. I only need to figure out the best way to publicize the announcement--whether as a header, or a new thread. I also think that we should wait until at least 12/15, for there's a good discussion going on still in Thoreau and Hawthorne's Seven Gables, less so in Whitman; there's one just starting up on Catcher in the Rye at the moment as well. I'll have this announcement up if not tomorrow then the next day; in the meantime, get your harpoons ready!
Bob

[holyboy]

I'll vote for Catcher in the Rye first, then we can do Moby dick later.

[fanuzzir]

You'll be seeing an announcement soon for our discussion of Moby Dick; please join the ongoing discussion of Catcher in the Rye at your leisure!

[Beeku]

My vote is defintely for Catcher in the Rye. It is the quintessential novel of adolescence... not to mention how about the whole mystery around assassins owning this book??? Although maybe more of a coincidence considering most of here obviously either own or at least have read this fantastic book!

[donyskiw]

Bob, If it's one of Barnes and Nobles Classics series, you can have them put a picture of it up along with the "Buy Moby Dick" link at the top right next to the Whitman book.

I received my Whitman volume and I'm thoroughly enjoying Leaves of Grass.

Denise

Message Edited by donyskiw on 11-20-200610:44 AM

[Laurel]

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donyskiw wrote:
Bob, If it's one of Barnes and Nobles Classics series, you can have them put a picture of it up along with the "Buy Moby Dick" link at the top right next to the Whitman book.

I received my Whitman volume and I'm thoroughly enjoying Leaves of Grass.

Denise

Message Edited by donyskiw on 11-20-200610:44 AM

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Good idea! Then people could order it and be ready. And it IS a Barnes & Noble Classic:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781593080181&itm=1

[Choisya]

Fanuzzir: I notice that most sections on the Book clubs page have a 'General Discussion' page wherein readers can recommend and discuss their favourite novels with a view to their inclusion in future B&N lists. This section does not have one and consequently the threads discussing American Classics seem to have degenerated into a 'free for all' of recommendations. Can this be rectified please and can you direct readers back to discussions of the books? Thanks a lot

[leakybucket]

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fanuzzir wrote:
Allow me to give the moderator seal of approval to Laurel's wonderful idea. I only need to figure out the best way to publicize the announcement--whether as a header, or a new thread. I also think that we should wait until at least 12/15, for there's a good discussion going on still in Thoreau and Hawthorne's Seven Gables, less so in Whitman; there's one just starting up on Catcher in the Rye at the moment as well. I'll have this announcement up if not tomorrow then the next day; in the meantime, get your harpoons ready!
Bob

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I would like to see each book being discussed here get its own "box." New "boxes" are being put up in all the other groups every day but not this one, yet this is one of the most active groups on the whole board! There is a lot of good stuff being discussed but the "outsider" doesn't know it because it is lost under American Classics--and I might add that it is a very long list to go through to find the threads. Leave American Classics for general discussions and new suggestions but start a new box when initiating a new book discussion. I bet it would get a whole lot of new participants. Also it would be nice to set it up so those of us who have not read the book yet get some sort of chance to read it and participate in the discussions as "first" readers. I for one haven't read Moby Dick nor could I breeze through it in a few hours and jump into some of the deeper concepts of the book. A nice organized set-up would be most helpful.

And how about a "box" for "Other Classics?"

Bucky

P.S You succeeded, Daphne!

[Laurel]

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leakybucket wrote:

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fanuzzir wrote:
Allow me to give the moderator seal of approval to Laurel's wonderful idea. I only need to figure out the best way to publicize the announcement--whether as a header, or a new thread. I also think that we should wait until at least 12/15, for there's a good discussion going on still in Thoreau and Hawthorne's Seven Gables, less so in Whitman; there's one just starting up on Catcher in the Rye at the moment as well. I'll have this announcement up if not tomorrow then the next day; in the meantime, get your harpoons ready!
Bob

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I would like to see each book being discussed here get its own "box." New "boxes" are being put up in all the other groups every day but not this one, yet this is one of the most active groups on the whole board! There is a lot of good stuff being discussed but the "outsider" doesn't know it because it is lost under American Classics--and I might add that it is a very long list to go through to find the threads. Leave American Classics for general discussions and new suggestions but start a new box when initiating a new book discussion. I bet it would get a whole lot of new participants. Also it would be nice to set it up so those of us who have not read the book yet get some sort of chance to read it and participate in the discussions as "first" readers. I for one haven't read Moby Dick nor could I breeze through it in a few hours and jump into some of the deeper concepts of the book. A nice organized set-up would be most helpful.

And how about a "box" for "Other Classics?"

Bucky

P.S You succeeded, Daphne!

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Yes! We need a way for the classics to "get more respect"! We can't chat with the authors, but we can certainly chat with each other and with generations of discerning readers about these great, lasting works of art. Since the whaling voyages always left New England on Christmas Day, I suggest we begin Moby Dick right around that time. (Bucky, if you're coming along you'd better patch up that bucket.)

Laurel (aka Daphne)

[fanuzzir]

I'm not sure what you mean by "boxes," but if you meant that the threads can be hard to find, then you're right. I'm going to be working hard to bring some more intuitive design to our page, so bear with me, as it may take a few days. In the meantime, the message list still works as a list of threads, though one can go one for several pages. Thanks for your suggestions.

[fanuzzir]

Choisya, thank you for your helpful suggestion. If it is a matter of adding a feature for general discussion on the site, I will speak to the BN people, but if it you mean to start a thread under the heading general discussion, then that could also become a free for all, which is what several of these threads already are. Let me look at other sites and see what organizational resources are available.

[fanuzzir]

Thanks so much Laurel and Denise for your help here. I've already talked to the BN book club editor and told him that people will be ready for the discussion soon; there will be a new announcement to replace Whitman's Leaves of Grass promotional material. Now that you have your copy, I'll look for you in the favorite poems and song of myself threads; as Whitman would say, you will find me there.