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Monday 29 December 2008

EED Book Club - Ramp Up Blog [DrDave]


I don't read enough anymore, not since I nuked the whole commuting thing. It's mostly just an hour on a Sunday night in the bath with a beer. And I certainly don't read outside my comfort zone. It's all 800 page sci-fi page turners, or clichéd fantasy 10 book epics.I need an excuse to read more, and read better.

So let's start an EED Bookclub. The idea is that we take it in turns to pick a book, each go off and read it, then discuss it - probably in a blog. The turnaround time should be about a month, but that's not set in stone, neither is the choice of book. But here's a few pointers that I think would make good guidelines for selections:
  1. Consider the length. Even with a turnaround of a month, some people read slower than others. While we'd all like to be able to fit in books 1-10 of Robert Jordan's Wheel Of Time series, it simply isn't practical. 2-300 pages seems a good compromise.
  2. Consider the genre. Let's face it, we all are pretty well versed with sci-fi/fantasy genre books. And while there's plenty of good thought provoking stuff out there, it might be nice to expand our horizons. Not saying we need to dig up the Brontes, but let's think outside the box.
  3. Consider the discussion. Since it would be a good to get some serious discussion going on the books we read, the books themselves should be interesting. You might like to pick up the latest Dean R. Koontz, but it's probably not got the kind of literary depth that would provoke comment.

Of course, all of that is entirely at the discretion of the book nominator.

So, if you're interested (and this isn't limited to EED only, if any UKG or others fancy getting involved) then post on this blog. I'll make a list and put them in the hat and draw out the nomination order. To aid those who want a two month turnaround, we'll pick one book in advance and they can dip into every other discussion.


11 comments:

  1. I'm in. My suggestion is "The Kite Runner". Aparently the first english book translated from afgan? Not something I'd normally read, not brand new and dead popular so cheap at �£3.50 on amazon or easily borrowable at libraries, and not to bad a size at 350 pages. It's also a film that I've not seen for extra fun once the books done.

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  2. Count me in. Suggest sticking with good stuff though rather than any old shit. So nice cheap classics would get my vote, along with some well received modern stuff (e.g. Booker-nominated stuff is probably a safe bet).

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  3. Sounds like a great idea. I second the suggestion about cheap classics; I'm definitely not as well read as I should be.

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  4. "Suggest sticking with good stuff though rather than any old shit"

    How do we discern the good stuff from the old shit? Isn't that the point of a book club? :)

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  5. Okay. I've put everyone into a CyberHat and drawn the order of book nomination, and come up with the following: Spiny Muz Slim Shedir Suit Lotta Kiigan Vagga Dave AmSo Spiny and Muz, if you would be so kind as to nominate a book each then reading can commence. Spiny's for the first month, Muz's for the following (but the slow readers can get started now).(anyone else who wants to be involved, I'll tack you on to the end of the list)

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  6. Just to clarify. The nominator doesn't have to have read the book already. In fact, ideally, everyone should come to it fresh. The idea is we all read at the same time.

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  7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

    How'dya like them apples?

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  8. Well done Spiny. Nice cheap one to start off with:

    "In a house haunted by memories, the past is everywhere ... As darkness falls, a man caught in a snowstorm is forced to shelter at the strange, grim house Wuthering Heights. It is a place he will never forget. There he will come to learn the story of Cathy: how she was forced to choose between her well-meaning husband and the dangerous man she had loved since she was young. How her choice led to betrayal and terrible revenge - and continues to torment those in the present. How love can transgress authority, convention, even death. And how desire can kill."

    Amazon link

    See you all in a month!

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  9. The Time Machine - H. G. Wells

    Project Gutenberg

    Dead tree version from Amazon; there are a bunch of other editions too.

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  10. Cheers Muz, good choice. Remember, this is for the next month and only those who wish to do it bi-monthly should start Muz's yet.

    Read on!


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