Welcome to the (New) Book Explorers Club

[Teapharm03]

I also read "Moloka'i'.....It was one of the best books I read.....who would have thought that a book about leprosy would be so good....it's a must "read"..

[ljsngallegos]

I have been very impressed with how enthusiastic the posts on this board are.  I have been looking for a long time for a local book club with no success and have recently been looking online for a book club without much success.   Is this an organized book club where we all read one book and discuss it, or do people just post there thoughts about books?  I am new to this whole thing and would welcome any response.  ljsn

[ande]

Welcome Lisa! What a nice thing to say about Book Explorers.

The answer to your question: all of the above. Right now we are discussing a new book called Feather Man by Rhyll McMaster. A few times a year I do a first-come, first served giveaway of an advance reading copy of a book that is being supported by the Literary Ventures Fund of which I am the editorial director. Then we discuss it over a period of a few weeks. And then the author joins us (see Feather Man discussion schedule for more info).

In between those times I write a weekly blog on authors, reading, the publishing industry, my on-going battle with finding shelf space for books  --  basically, all things books.

I like to say that we are a judgement-free zone. If you love a book tell us. If you don't tell us that, too. Book Explorers have a Just Read It List, which I encourage you to add to. These are the books that you finish and immediately want to hand to a friend and say: Just Read It. I created that list because at the time all the big book awards had nearly identical lists of winners and, well, there are so many good books and the award lists seemed so limited.

At one time had a Just Put It Down List where I urged Book Explorers to stop slogging through books they weren't enjoying. It's okay: Just Put It Down! Even if your entire family, book group etc say it's the best book they've ever read.

So jump in and join the conversation. Happy to have you.

Ande

[Melissa_W Moderator]

Lisa,

In addition to Ande's "Book Explorers" there are a number of other groups on the site for different genres and concepts.  Click on "Browse Book Clubs" for a listing.

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ljsngallegos wrote:
I have been very impressed with how enthusiastic the posts on this board are.  I have been looking for a long time for a local book club with no success and have recently been looking online for a book club without much success.   Is this an organized book club where we all read one book and discuss it, or do people just post there thoughts about books?  I am new to this whole thing and would welcome any response.  ljsn

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[Lila]

I'm so glad that I found this book club! 

Currently I'm reading "Teacher Man " by Frank McCourt. He's the author of "Angela'sAshes".

[Everyman]

The Feather Man discussion was great, Ande.  Are you considering any more such events for us in the future? 

[ande]

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Everyman wrote:

The Feather Man discussion was great, Ande.  Are you considering any more such events for us in the future? 

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Thanks, EM. It was really terrific for me, too. I plan on doing these discussions a few times a year though I don't have a specific date for the next one.

Ande

[Everyman]

Ande -- will you be coming up with any new books for us to discuss here, to while away the long winter evenings?

[Timbuktu2]

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Lila wrote:

I'm so glad that I found this book club! 

Currently I'm reading "Teacher Man " by Frank McCourt. He's the author of "Angela'sAshes".

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Teacher Man made me laugh out loud several time.  I read parts of it aloud to my high school age daughter and she loved it too.  McCourt is a great writer, isn't he? 

[Timbuktu2]

 I'm in the middle of Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers.  Has anyone else read this?  I'm about to scream!  In this book, as in his others, he sucks you in with what seems to be a scientific, fact filled argument and then turns out to be a politically correct argument.  I'm always left feeling duped and manipulated and not quite trusting in his facts, much less his interpretations.  In reading this book I swing from being impressed by his ideas and interpretations to realizing that much of it is obvious.  Just curious if anyone else has had this experience with his work?

[Sunltcloud]

I don't even know if I have introduced myself in this group; I usually just read the posts but today when I saw your post, Timbuktu2, I had to respond. I am so glad you voiced your opinion on Gladwell's writing; I thought I am the only one who is not impressed. I've only read "Blink" but I had lots of problems with his "finding facts and fitting them to the occasion" style.

For instance he says, that people walk slower when coming from a test that uses scrambled words that have to do with aging. I think the words Florida, wrinkles, bingo, grey etc were used.

He says: "The results from these experiments are, obviously, quite disturbing. They suggest that what we think of as free will is largely an illusion much of the time, we are simply operating on automatic pilot, and the way we think and act - and how well we think and act on the spur of the moment - are a lot more susceptible to ouside influences than we realize."

Just going from observing myself, I might walk slowly because I am in deep thought after a test. Or I might speed up my walk because the subject excited me. I simply can't believe that a few wrinkles would make me slow my pace.

Another paragraph deals with choices. He says: "Conventional economic wisdom, of course, says that the more choices consumers have, the more likely they are to buy, because it is easier for consumers to find the jam that perfectly fits their needs."

I find unlimited choices a bit confusing and even unnecessary. I'm much happier if I only see five oat cereals instead of fifteen. Same with cough and cold medicines. I get angry for having to use my valuable time to read through so many symptoms and spending money for one product only to find out that, aha, two days later my nose is dripping and I should have bought the other one.

I felt manipulated throughout the book, much the way I feel manipulated by advertising. But most of all I can't believe that decisions made in a "blink" have more value than those made upon detailed consideration. Sure, we have to trust our instinct quite often, but I feel that the need for knowledge is never superceded by instant decision making. I might select a puppy for the family because I feel a sudden impulse or the dog's eyes "speak to me," but having read about the breed's genetic construction and knowing that the cute, tiny creature might grow up to be a supersized killer or remain a dainty decoration carried around on a pink pillow should not be underestimated.

One of the things I wrote down when I read the book still makes me shake my head: "We need to respect the fact that it is possible to know without knowing why we know and accept that - sometimes - we're better off that way."

I want to know why I know; I don't like to be blindfolded and fed by an author with what he claims to be reality, fact, and scientific truth. Before I accept the meal in front of me I want to rip off the blindfold and give the ingredients some thought.

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Timbuktu2 wrote:
 I'm in the middle of Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers.  Has anyone else read this?  I'm about to scream!  In this book, as in his others, he sucks you in with what seems to be a scientific, fact filled argument and then turns out to be a politically correct argument.  I'm always left feeling duped and manipulated and not quite trusting in his facts, much less his interpretations.  In reading this book I swing from being impressed by his ideas and interpretations to realizing that much of it is obvious.  Just curious if anyone else has had this experience with his work?

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[Timbuktu2]

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Sunltcloud wrote:

I don't even know if I have introduced myself in this group; I usually just read the posts but today when I saw your post, Timbuktu2, I had to respond. I am so glad you voiced your opinion on Gladwell's writing; I thought I am the only one who is not impressed. I've only read "Blink" but I had lots of problems with his "finding facts and fitting them to the occasion" style.

For instance he says, that people walk slower when coming from a test that uses scrambled words that have to do with aging. I think the words Florida, wrinkles, bingo, grey etc were used.

He says: "The results from these experiments are, obviously, quite disturbing. They suggest that what we think of as free will is largely an illusion much of the time, we are simply operating on automatic pilot, and the way we think and act - and how well we think and act on the spur of the moment - are a lot more susceptible to ouside influences than we realize."

Just going from observing myself, I might walk slowly because I am in deep thought after a test. Or I might speed up my walk because the subject excited me. I simply can't believe that a few wrinkles would make me slow my pace.

Another paragraph deals with choices. He says: "Conventional economic wisdom, of course, says that the more choices consumers have, the more likely they are to buy, because it is easier for consumers to find the jam that perfectly fits their needs."

I find unlimited choices a bit confusing and even unnecessary. I'm much happier if I only see five oat cereals instead of fifteen. Same with cough and cold medicines. I get angry for having to use my valuable time to read through so many symptoms and spending money for one product only to find out that, aha, two days later my nose is dripping and I should have bought the other one.

I felt manipulated throughout the book, much the way I feel manipulated by advertising. But most of all I can't believe that decisions made in a "blink" have more value than those made upon detailed consideration. Sure, we have to trust our instinct quite often, but I feel that the need for knowledge is never superceded by instant decision making. I might select a puppy for the family because I feel a sudden impulse or the dog's eyes "speak to me," but having read about the breed's genetic construction and knowing that the cute, tiny creature might grow up to be a supersized killer or remain a dainty decoration carried around on a pink pillow should not be underestimated.

One of the things I wrote down when I read the book still makes me shake my head: "We need to respect the fact that it is possible to know without knowing why we know and accept that - sometimes - we're better off that way."

I want to know why I know; I don't like to be blindfolded and fed by an author with what he claims to be reality, fact, and scientific truth. Before I accept the meal in front of me I want to rip off the blindfold and give the ingredients some thought.

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Timbuktu2 wrote:
 I'm in the middle of Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers.  Has anyone else read this?  I'm about to scream!  In this book, as in his others, he sucks you in with what seems to be a scientific, fact filled argument and then turns out to be a politically correct argument.  I'm always left feeling duped and manipulated and not quite trusting in his facts, much less his interpretations.  In reading this book I swing from being impressed by his ideas and interpretations to realizing that much of it is obvious.  Just curious if anyone else has had this experience with his work?

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Well said Sun!  He starts with his agenda and find facts that fit.  His agenda may have some truth to it but the evidence he provides is not good!

 

Yesterday, I took my l7 year old daughter and her friend to dinner.  I mentioned the book and my daughter's friend said that she saw an interview with him and she wanted to read it.  But, she said, from the interview, he didn't sound very convincing.  She said he didn't seem to realize that coorelation is not causation.  This is a l7 year old talking!  She said pretty much everything I had thought while reading his books.  I asked where she'd learned all of this?  She said advanced placement psychology.  

 

What's shocking is how few have this level of understanding how easily people can be duped.  I know a Dr. who quoted a study in Outliers that I found incredibly flawed, and I'm not a scientist!  

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, it's nice to be validated.

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[Sunltcloud]

I am always quite happy when I hear about or see young people willing to look beyond. It gives me hope. What a wonderful age to experience the world with an open heart and a searching mind.  

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Timbuktu2 wrote:

Yesterday, I took my l7 year old daughter and her friend to dinner.  I mentioned the book and my daughter's friend said that she saw an interview with him and she wanted to read it.  But, she said, from the interview, he didn't sound very convincing.  She said he didn't seem to realize that coorelation is not causation.  This is a l7 year old talking!  She said pretty much everything I had thought while reading his books.  I asked where she'd learned all of this?  She said advanced placement psychology.  

What's shocking is how few have this level of understanding how easily people can be duped.  I know a Dr. who quoted a study in Outliers that I found incredibly flawed, and I'm not a scientist!  

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, it's nice to be validated.

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[Timbuktu2]

I know what you mean Sun.  I felt like hugging her on the spot!  A kid who thinks!

There is hope!