Catcher in the Rye or Moby Dick?

[fanuzzir]

Please join us in the discussion of Catchter in the Rye in the thread Catcher in the Rye/Criminal Minds thread!

[willowy]

Maybe I just missed that message but was there a particular date to start Catcher in the Rye? I'm having hard time with House of the Seven Gables so I may start tackling Catcher in the Rye instead since its been over a decade since I've read that!

[leakybucket]

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fanuzzir wrote:
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.

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What I mean by "Boxes" are those things with green borders. Right now there are only two "boxes" under "Literary Classics":

Literary Classics
- Frankenstein
- American Classics

This is what the "outsider" sees as the major items being discussed under a major category. You can organize what is in the boxes somewhat by making little "folders". It seems to me that if a book is having a serious discussion it should have a separate "box". That will mean this box is only for this book and an outsider can readily see ths book is being discussed and join if they are interested. Another book can have another box. General discussions and deciding what to do next are appropriate for the box labeled "American Classics" but once they become serious book discussions then should be moved to its own "box" with an appropriate start date so people can plan their participation and join in without having to wade through endless other topics.

Bucky

[Kael124]

I don't know if anyone considers Sci-Fi as Classics, but I would love to tackle "Stranger in a strange land" by Heinlin again. I read it when I was a tadpole and still consider it to be one of the best books I've ever read. Does anyone grok what I'm saying?

[Everyman]

I'll be interested to see whether you like Stranger in a Strange Land as much as an adult as you did as a tadpole. I found it very appealing as an unsophisticated reader, but re-reading it as an adult I found it turgid and juvenile.

Message Edited by Everyman on 11-23-200605:33 PM

[fanuzzir]

Ill forward your discussion to the online editors.

[fanuzzir]

Don't worry about joining the Catcher in the Rye--that's a thread I encouraged other people to lead, and so far no one is taking it up. Right now I'm commited to Hawthorne, Thoreau, and less to Whitman; I'm gearing up for The Jungle in January. I'd say the House of the Seven Gables is my focus now.

[Choisya]

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leakybucket wrote:

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fanuzzir wrote:
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.

---

What I mean by "Boxes" are those things with green borders. Right now there are only two "boxes" under "Literary Classics":

Literary Classics
- Frankenstein
- American Classics

This is what the "outsider" sees as the major items being discussed under a major category. You can organize what is in the boxes somewhat by making little "folders". It seems to me that if a book is having a serious discussion it should have a separate "box". That will mean this box is only for this book and an outsider can readily see ths book is being discussed and join if they are interested. Another book can have another box. General discussions and deciding what to do next are appropriate for the box labeled "American Classics" but once they become serious book discussions then should be moved to its own "box" with an appropriate start date so people can plan their participation and join in without having to wade through endless other topics.

Bucky

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Fanuzzir: I very much agree with leaky bucket here and hope that you can get the techie people organised to do this soon. The nearer we can get to the old format the better and it rather looks as if you are getting into this - hurrah! When you set the Synopsis?/Beginning, Middle & Endings/Summary? up Bob, don't forget to include (immoveable) Introductions and Community Room Sections too - the latter for chat and book recommendations etc. (BTW I think the word Discussion should be kept for the proper book discussions. 'General Discussion' is too vague and Community Room is friendlier.)

I bought a cheap edition of Moby Dick today (my old edition is too valuable to use for our purposes here) but did not get the Upton Sinclair because I want to know whether you are using the Original edition or the 'Doubleday' one? I am really looking forward to discussing these within a structured environment with old friends - it is like getting a really nice Xmas present! Thanks Fanuzzir - you're a brick!

(Can you also prevail upon the techie people to give us the facility to mark messages as Read/Unread so that 'read' posts temporarily disappear/collapse from our boards. This was a really useful facility and enabled readers to see at a glance where the current state of the discussion was at, yet allowed us to recap if necessary. )

[Choisya]

Good to see you back Everyman - I hope you are fully recovered and will be joining the 'structured' discussion which Fanuzzir/Bob is setting up for Moby Dick and The Jungle? BTW I think you would have enjoyed Michael Cox's Meaning of Night. I know you do not like modern novels but this one is a mystery written in high Victorian style about Victorian times, with lots of classical references.

[pmath]

Folks, is it time to move on from MD to TCitR, since we aren't discussing another classic American novel until March 5? We have three weeks!

BTW, I've never read TCitR, but I'm currently reading Curtis Sittenfeld's Prep:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?EAN=9780812972351

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fanuzzir wrote:
Believe it or not, these two novels have alot alike: they are both loved by some of our most frequent contributors to the American classics book club. Let's take a straw poll and figure out which one you want to read together.

[ziki]

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pmath wrote:
Folks, is it time to move on from MD to TCitR....--snip---

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not sure pmath
ziki

[fanuzzir]

We have Hemingway as our featured discussion for Feb., but I would be prepared to discuss some "minor" Melville, like the novella "Benito Cereno," or something short if people are motivated. Keep in mind that we have Huckleberry Finn scheduled for March, so if you want to get ahead, that can be your 3 week goal.

We tried to float a Catcher thread and it didn't take. A preview: there might be a return to Thoreau, Walden to be specific for April, or maybe Emerson.
Bob

[donyskiw]

I'll be there for Huck Finn.

Denise

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fanuzzir wrote:
We have Hemingway as our featured discussion for Feb., but I would be prepared to discuss some "minor" Melville, like the novella "Benito Cereno," or something short if people are motivated. Keep in mind that we have Huckleberry Finn scheduled for March, so if you want to get ahead, that can be your 3 week goal.

We tried to float a Catcher thread and it didn't take. A preview: there might be a return to Thoreau, Walden to be specific for April, or maybe Emerson.
Bob

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[B8Caster]

I pick this book up everytime I see it at a used book store to give to friends. It was/is one of my most influential books growing up. RAH is really one to make you think. I wonder, did he really "invent" the waterbed and the waldo?

Don.

Message Edited by B8Caster on 02-18-200707:44 AM

[JaneGallagher]

DEFINATLY The Catcher in the Rye!!!!!

[Cupcake316]

Definitely Catcher in the Rye. That is easily one of the most amazing books I have ever read. It is just such a manic, passionate novel I have read it like seven times and feel different every time. I really feel that it is a book everyone should read once every couple of years.

[platinumpink]

I read Catcher in the Rye.

[kiakar]

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platinumpink wrote:
I read Catcher in the Rye.

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Moby Dick was a good read. The sections of dissecting a whale wasnt that interesting to me. But some enjoyed it.

[socalifgirl]

I have to go with Catcher in the Rye...it struck me when I was a teenager and has remained with me for years.

[GeorgesJacques…]

    As a teen, how can i not choose Catcher in the Rye?  It's basically the epitome of teen angst novels.