The next meeting will be Sunday, January 16, 2005. It will be a brunch at Liz's house to discuss Liz's book Atonement. At the meeting I will be providing my selections for the March book. I will post food assignments in the comments to this blog before the meeting and Liz will email directions to her house. See you there.
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Monday, November 22, 2004
Meeting December 9, 2004
Hello Everyone,
The meeting that was scheduled for November 18 has been rescheduled to Thursday December 9, 2004 at 6:30 pm. We will be meeting at Asha's house to discuss Christine's book the Roaches Have No King. Chris will be presenting his three choices for books for the February/March meeting. I will send out a food chart and directions shortly.
The meeting that was scheduled for November 18 has been rescheduled to Thursday December 9, 2004 at 6:30 pm. We will be meeting at Asha's house to discuss Christine's book the Roaches Have No King. Chris will be presenting his three choices for books for the February/March meeting. I will send out a food chart and directions shortly.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
November 18 Meeting
Hello Everyone,
We will be meeting Thursday evening November 18, 2004 at 6:30 pm at Asha's house to discuss Christine's book the Roaches Have No King. Tanisha will be presenting her three choices for books for the February meeting. Asha will send out a food chart and directions. Please vote on Liz's book selections below so I can order the books and have them by the 18th.
We will be meeting Thursday evening November 18, 2004 at 6:30 pm at Asha's house to discuss Christine's book the Roaches Have No King. Tanisha will be presenting her three choices for books for the February meeting. Asha will send out a food chart and directions. Please vote on Liz's book selections below so I can order the books and have them by the 18th.
Monday, October 25, 2004
Das Book Club
OK, everyone. Mother Linda has finally coaxed me into publishing my selections (for discussion at the January meeting, or late December for you insane folks). Here they are, with links to the B&N review pages. Please vote.
Atonement, Ian McEwen
Atonement
My Name is Red, Orhan Pamuk, Erdag M. Goknar (Translator)
My Name is Red
Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides
Middlesex
Atonement, Ian McEwen
Atonement
My Name is Red, Orhan Pamuk, Erdag M. Goknar (Translator)
My Name is Red
Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides
Middlesex
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
October 17 Meeting
I just wanted to remind everyone that the next meeting to discuss Asha's selection, Mysteries of Pittsburgh, is Sunday October 17, 2004 at 10 am at Asha's house. Asha will be sending out directions as well food assignments. Liz will be providing her book selections for the Dec/Jan meeting. Please vote on Christine's selections for November so that I can order the books and distribute them at the meeting.
Monday, October 04, 2004
November book selections
My three book club choices, in no particular order:
Ordinary Wolves by Seth Kantner
Just published this year and still in hardcover. 322 pages, $15.40
Winner of the Milkweed National Fiction Prize (whatever that is). Set in unromanticized arctic Alaska, "captures the contrast between the wild world and our ravaging consumer culture". I’m only a few chapters into it, but I like it. It is a coming-of-age story told by a boy with two siblings raised by an artist father who has abandoned civilization to live in a sod igloo located a days sled journey away from an Eskimo village. The family lives a more primitive lifestyle than their Eskimo neighbors, and the boy’s brother and sister eventually abandon the tundra for the city. The boy reveres traditional Eskimo ways, loves wolves and an Eskimo girl, but is discriminated against because he is white. It is a story about a boy torn between two cultures, fitting in in neither, who tries to reconcile his wilderness experience with modern society.
The Roaches Have No King by Daniel Evan Weiss
Published in 2001, 249 pages (a quick read), $13.00 paperback
OK, I warned everyone that this book is sexually graphic and politically incorrect. That said, it is also very different from anything we’ve read before. A dark comedy about a society of roaches living in liberal legal aid lawyer Ira Fishblatt’s apartment, told from the point of view of a roach named Numbers. When Ira’s slob girlfriend "The Gypsy" moves out and new girlfriend Ruth moves in, Ira renovates the kitchen and the roaches start to starve. In desperation, Numbers thinks up crazy schemes to break up Ira and Ruth and regain control over the kitchen cabinets. Heather has convinced me that the book has literary merit and lots of things to discuss, in a controversial "what is art anyway?" sort of way.
The Corrections: A Novel by Jonathan Franzen
Published in 2001, 592 pages (whew!), $6.98 hardcover, $13.50 paperback
Haven’t read it, but it’s been on my list for awhile. It appears to be a modern Midwestern family drama. An elderly mother with a soon to be senile husband wants to bring her three dysfunctional adult children home for one last family Christmas together. While it seems to have mixed reviews, Scott recommends it, and Scott’s favorite(?) author David Foster Wallace apparently called it "funny and deeply sad...". Probably my third choice, but only because I haven’t read it yet.
Ordinary Wolves by Seth Kantner
Just published this year and still in hardcover. 322 pages, $15.40
Winner of the Milkweed National Fiction Prize (whatever that is). Set in unromanticized arctic Alaska, "captures the contrast between the wild world and our ravaging consumer culture". I’m only a few chapters into it, but I like it. It is a coming-of-age story told by a boy with two siblings raised by an artist father who has abandoned civilization to live in a sod igloo located a days sled journey away from an Eskimo village. The family lives a more primitive lifestyle than their Eskimo neighbors, and the boy’s brother and sister eventually abandon the tundra for the city. The boy reveres traditional Eskimo ways, loves wolves and an Eskimo girl, but is discriminated against because he is white. It is a story about a boy torn between two cultures, fitting in in neither, who tries to reconcile his wilderness experience with modern society.
The Roaches Have No King by Daniel Evan Weiss
Published in 2001, 249 pages (a quick read), $13.00 paperback
OK, I warned everyone that this book is sexually graphic and politically incorrect. That said, it is also very different from anything we’ve read before. A dark comedy about a society of roaches living in liberal legal aid lawyer Ira Fishblatt’s apartment, told from the point of view of a roach named Numbers. When Ira’s slob girlfriend "The Gypsy" moves out and new girlfriend Ruth moves in, Ira renovates the kitchen and the roaches start to starve. In desperation, Numbers thinks up crazy schemes to break up Ira and Ruth and regain control over the kitchen cabinets. Heather has convinced me that the book has literary merit and lots of things to discuss, in a controversial "what is art anyway?" sort of way.
The Corrections: A Novel by Jonathan Franzen
Published in 2001, 592 pages (whew!), $6.98 hardcover, $13.50 paperback
Haven’t read it, but it’s been on my list for awhile. It appears to be a modern Midwestern family drama. An elderly mother with a soon to be senile husband wants to bring her three dysfunctional adult children home for one last family Christmas together. While it seems to have mixed reviews, Scott recommends it, and Scott’s favorite(?) author David Foster Wallace apparently called it "funny and deeply sad...". Probably my third choice, but only because I haven’t read it yet.
Thursday, September 23, 2004
"The Namesake" Links
Jasmine asked that I post the following links for our discussion this weekend on The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri:
Author Bio
Author Interview
Reading Guide
Author Bio
Author Interview
Reading Guide
Friday, September 10, 2004
September 26 Meeting
We will be having a brunch meeting Sunday September 26 at Heather's beach house in Frederiksted at 10 am to discuss Jasmine's selection, Namesake. Heather will send out directions via email. Christine will be bringing her book selections for November and I will bring copies of the Mysteries of Pittsburgh for the October meeting.
Monday, August 16, 2004
nextnextbook
Here are my suggestions for the next next book:
The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, Michael Chabon
at the risk of turning this into a gay-themed book club, I read this book a few months ago and liked it very much. This is Chabon's first novel, he wrote it when he was 24; Chabon won the pulitzer prize for a later book. It is the story of a young man's first summer after graduating college. It is about growing up and the search for self-knowledge and -understanding. It is a simple, relatively straightforward narrative -- boy meets boy, boy meets girl, boy gets boy, boy gets girl, boy is confused -- but I think there is plenty to talk about. I found it to be an engaging and fast read, Chabon's writing is terrific. And it's a mere 300 pages!
The Autograph Man, Zadie Smith
We read Zadie Smith's first novel, White Teeth, way back in the beginning, remember? This is her second. It could be fun to compare the two. I read this recently, and liked it a lot. The basic story is about the life of a professional autograph collector/seller and his quest for the elusive autograph of Kitty Alexander, a reclusive '40s movie actress. Of course, like White Teeth, it is multicultural -- the main character is half-Chinese and half-Jewish, his girlfriend and best friend are black Jews, the book is filled with quotes from and references to the Kabbalah, and there's quite a bit of zen buddhism. This book is funny, clever and entertaining, but underneath it is also dark and sad, about "deferred mourning and arrested development, the attraction to and repulsion from emotional engagement" (the guardian). Most importantly, Scott, there are references to Wittgenstein. It's only slightly longer than Mysteries at 330 pages, but there's a lot of interesting stuff going on with the narrative -- some reviewers think too much -- like chapter headings taken from the kabbalah, a few diagrams, a couple pop quizzes. In sum, there is a lot to discuss. It's definitely a more challenging read than Mysteries, but I found that the writing is so good that it moves fast.
I will post some links if i can figure out how.
The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, Michael Chabon
at the risk of turning this into a gay-themed book club, I read this book a few months ago and liked it very much. This is Chabon's first novel, he wrote it when he was 24; Chabon won the pulitzer prize for a later book. It is the story of a young man's first summer after graduating college. It is about growing up and the search for self-knowledge and -understanding. It is a simple, relatively straightforward narrative -- boy meets boy, boy meets girl, boy gets boy, boy gets girl, boy is confused -- but I think there is plenty to talk about. I found it to be an engaging and fast read, Chabon's writing is terrific. And it's a mere 300 pages!
The Autograph Man, Zadie Smith
We read Zadie Smith's first novel, White Teeth, way back in the beginning, remember? This is her second. It could be fun to compare the two. I read this recently, and liked it a lot. The basic story is about the life of a professional autograph collector/seller and his quest for the elusive autograph of Kitty Alexander, a reclusive '40s movie actress. Of course, like White Teeth, it is multicultural -- the main character is half-Chinese and half-Jewish, his girlfriend and best friend are black Jews, the book is filled with quotes from and references to the Kabbalah, and there's quite a bit of zen buddhism. This book is funny, clever and entertaining, but underneath it is also dark and sad, about "deferred mourning and arrested development, the attraction to and repulsion from emotional engagement" (the guardian). Most importantly, Scott, there are references to Wittgenstein. It's only slightly longer than Mysteries at 330 pages, but there's a lot of interesting stuff going on with the narrative -- some reviewers think too much -- like chapter headings taken from the kabbalah, a few diagrams, a couple pop quizzes. In sum, there is a lot to discuss. It's definitely a more challenging read than Mysteries, but I found that the writing is so good that it moves fast.
I will post some links if i can figure out how.
funfinnishfood
Hi,
Linda & Scott are hosting and making a dish with meat. Heather is bringing a vegetarian dish (or two?) that is Finnish in origin and can serve as an alternate main dish. I am sure Lori has enough on her mind without worrying about what Finns eat, so I will bring salad, bread and appetizer. Christine could you please bring dessert. If someone thinks we need a starch in addition, let me know.
Asha
Linda & Scott are hosting and making a dish with meat. Heather is bringing a vegetarian dish (or two?) that is Finnish in origin and can serve as an alternate main dish. I am sure Lori has enough on her mind without worrying about what Finns eat, so I will bring salad, bread and appetizer. Christine could you please bring dessert. If someone thinks we need a starch in addition, let me know.
Asha
Good Bye, My Friends
Well, a few of you heard on Saturday night that Matt and I are leaving St. Croix. My father has just recently come home from the hospital after suffering from a gastric bleed. This is just one more thing in a line of health problems that he has developed over the past few years. So, after many tears, soul searching and discussion, Matt and I have decided to move home to Indiana where we can be closer to family. I have bought my plane ticket and will be leaving on Saturday, August 28th. I will be at Book Club on Thursday night and I hope I will get to see all, or at least most of you, there.
So, if any of you need televisions, books, potted plants, a TV stand, dishes, tupperware, etc. Please come over!!! We have several things that will not be going with us that we would love to find homes for.
Also, Matt and I are desperately trying to find a buyer for our 25' sailboat, Nau-ti-gal. We are asking $3,000, but we are really just looking for an offer. We would also be interested in a payment plan. Basically, make us an offer!
So, if any of you need televisions, books, potted plants, a TV stand, dishes, tupperware, etc. Please come over!!! We have several things that will not be going with us that we would love to find homes for.
Also, Matt and I are desperately trying to find a buyer for our 25' sailboat, Nau-ti-gal. We are asking $3,000, but we are really just looking for an offer. We would also be interested in a payment plan. Basically, make us an offer!
Monday, August 02, 2004
August Meeting
The August meeting of Das Book Club to discuss Troll: A Love Story will be held at Linda and Scott's house on Thursday,August 19, 2004. At the meeting Asha will be providing her book selections for the October meeting. If that date does not work please let me know asap. If that date does not work we can set the date earlier in August,wait until September, recruit someone else to host or meet at a restaurant. Please let me know one way or another via the comments.
Linda
Linda
Thursday, July 29, 2004
Hieros Gamos
Book Reviews and Other Links for Troll: A Love Story
Asha emailed and asked whether we could add links to book reviews to the blog. Indeed we can! In fact, some might say that providing links to various and sundry sites is the raison d'etre of blogging.
To get us started, I'll throw up a few for Troll:
From the publisher, Grove Atlantic: Troll, by Johanna Sinisalo Grove has also provided a Reader's Guide
From The Village Voice: The Humanoid Touch: What's Related to Human Beings and Smells Like CK One?
From USA Today: Timely Troll: It's a Myth Thing
From straight.com: Troll, by Johanna Sinisalo
From Creative Loafing Atlanta: Finnish Your Troll
From The Queer Book Club of Washtenaw County, Michigan (which is mirroring our selections, with Book of Salt being next in line): Troll, by Johanna Sinisalo
UPDATE: Here's a few more:
From the Helsingin Sanomat: Should the Human Standard always be a White Hetrosexual Male?, and a profile of the author, Johanna Sinisalo.
Check out The Finnish Institute of Artic Zoology, and its press release. (Hint: spell the URL backwards.)
Some troll links here, here, and here. (That's small-t troll.)
You should also know that, less than twenty miles from my hometown of Madison, Wisconsin, is Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, a village settled in large part by Norwegian immigrants. It is known (in typical, myopic American fashion) as "The Troll Capital of the World" and its main drag has been dubbed "The Trollway," a street guarded by statutes of trolls carved from tree trunks.
"Troll" also means a lot of different things.
For example, on the internet, "troll" is "is a slang term for a person who posts messages intended to incite conflict. Sometimes, so-called 'trolling' is a clever way of improving discussion, but often it merely derails discourse and erodes civility."
In gay slang, "troll" is used both as a verb to describe cruising for sex and, derogatively, as a noun by young gay men to describe older, undesirable gay men.
To get us started, I'll throw up a few for Troll:
From the publisher, Grove Atlantic: Troll, by Johanna Sinisalo Grove has also provided a Reader's Guide
From The Village Voice: The Humanoid Touch: What's Related to Human Beings and Smells Like CK One?
From USA Today: Timely Troll: It's a Myth Thing
From straight.com: Troll, by Johanna Sinisalo
From Creative Loafing Atlanta: Finnish Your Troll
From The Queer Book Club of Washtenaw County, Michigan (which is mirroring our selections, with Book of Salt being next in line): Troll, by Johanna Sinisalo
UPDATE: Here's a few more:
From the Helsingin Sanomat: Should the Human Standard always be a White Hetrosexual Male?, and a profile of the author, Johanna Sinisalo.
Check out The Finnish Institute of Artic Zoology, and its press release. (Hint: spell the URL backwards.)
Some troll links here, here, and here. (That's small-t troll.)
You should also know that, less than twenty miles from my hometown of Madison, Wisconsin, is Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, a village settled in large part by Norwegian immigrants. It is known (in typical, myopic American fashion) as "The Troll Capital of the World" and its main drag has been dubbed "The Trollway," a street guarded by statutes of trolls carved from tree trunks.
"Troll" also means a lot of different things.
For example, on the internet, "troll" is "is a slang term for a person who posts messages intended to incite conflict. Sometimes, so-called 'trolling' is a clever way of improving discussion, but often it merely derails discourse and erodes civility."
In gay slang, "troll" is used both as a verb to describe cruising for sex and, derogatively, as a noun by young gay men to describe older, undesirable gay men.
Monday, July 19, 2004
The Book of Salt - reviews, interviews etc.
Here are some interesting links about the Book of Salt.
Interview of the Author on Bookbrowse
Time Magazine (Asia) Interview
New York Times Review
Review in Mostly Fiction
Book Page Review
Readers Guide
Interview of the Author on Bookbrowse
Time Magazine (Asia) Interview
New York Times Review
Review in Mostly Fiction
Book Page Review
Readers Guide
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
food
Hi
Here are the food assignments for next week. If you are assigned food and cannot make it, please let me know asap, by blog.
Jasmine is host and main dish maker
Linda salad
scott veggie
christine starch
tanisha dessert
lori appetizer
sorry i will be off-island, but will call in -- jas what is phone number and what time should i call
Asha
Here are the food assignments for next week. If you are assigned food and cannot make it, please let me know asap, by blog.
Jasmine is host and main dish maker
Linda salad
scott veggie
christine starch
tanisha dessert
lori appetizer
sorry i will be off-island, but will call in -- jas what is phone number and what time should i call
Asha
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