Just a reminder that book club is meeting on Saturday the 20th at 10am at my house unless someone has a suggestion that is more convenient.
Everyone should have Tree of Smoke by Dennis Johnson completed by then.
I finished it on Monday night and am looking forward to discussing the second half.
Thanks to those of you who showed up yesterday. It was nice hearing your thoughts on this book. You guys gave me some stuff to think about that I hadn't considered regarding Johnson and his book.
For those of you that couldn't make it. We will be meeting again next month on Saturday July 19th. Same time and same place (unless someone else would like to host the meeting or if the time is inconvenient to a lot of you). We want to have the book completed for the meeting.
Happy Reading.
Based on suggestions from the last post I took a hold of the reigns and selected a book for us to read.
After reading countless reviews for all of the books suggested I think we should start with Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson. Frankly Gravity's Rainbow scares me and while I'm up for the challenge I didn't want to lose book club members before we begin.
Unfortunately I am going to be out of time this weekend. So we will meet for the first time on Saturday the 21st. I think 10am sounds like a nice time to meet. It's not too early, for those of you with a hangover from Friday night and it's not too late for people who want to be productive on Saturday. I don't care which downtown coffee shop we meet at, one with plenty of room would be nice. I'm open to suggestions.
Back to Tree of Smoke, the book takes place between the years 1963-1983. Since we are 11 days away from the 21st, I think we should read through 1967 (which is page 266). 1968 was a big year, it's 100 pages long so that'd be a nice place to start for the second meeting. And this way with a smaller number of pages to read you can find a copy at the used book store, now that i've acquired one of four available copies at the library.
Please everyone come on the 21st with outside research and thoughtful comments.
I'm looking forward to meeting you all at the blog party on Thursday the 19th at the Rocket Room at 4pm.
The following books have been suggested for our first read.
Thomas Pynchon - Gravity's Rainbow
Vladimir Nabokov - Speak, Memory?
Cormack McCarthy - The Road or The Crossing
Dennis Johnson - Tree of Smoke
I haven't read any of these books so I have no preference. I guess the book with the majority of favorable responses will be the chosen one.
I am the new NEWSPEAK! intern and i'd like to revive the book club from last summer. However this time I think the club should meet at least once before folding.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what book we should read first?
For those of you following the Buffy Season 8 Darkhorse comics, I've got a treat for you, from the upcoming issue #16:
(Yes, that's Buffy—fighting fucking Fray.)
Science Fiction Novelist Clarke Dies at 90
All Things Considered, March 18, 2008 · Trailblazing science fiction novelist Arthur C. Clarke has died Tuesday in Sri Lanka. He was 90 years old. Having written some 100 books, Clarke is perhaps best known for 2001: A Space Odyssey. Russell Galen, Clarke's longtime agent, talks with Melissa Block. [NPR]
This from the Pride Center:
An Anthology of Colorado Springs’ GLBT Stories
Summary: In order to raise awareness of the universality of human experience, and the unique challenges resulting from the personal experience of prejudice and discrimination, the Colorado Springs Pride Center, with support from the Pikes Peak Arts Council, will publish an anthology of work submitted by local gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons in June 2008. It is anticipated the anthology will be distributed at no cost to the public, funded by local advertising and grants; writers will retain all rights and not receive any monetary compensation.
Topics for Submission: Childhood Knowing, First Love, Coming Out to Family and Friends, Discrimination in School, Discrimination at Work/in the Military, Local History of Dissent, Marriage, Parenthood, Health Care, Aging, Spirituality.
Submission Guidelines:
Poems – no more than three per person, max 40 lines/poem
Memoir/Essay/Creative Nonfiction – no more than two, max 1200 words/piece
Short Fiction – one per person, max 2000 words per story
Photographs – one per person, B & W, jpg format for submission
Mail copies (no originals will be returned) to: PO Box 607, Colorado Springs, CO 80901, or bring by the Pride Center: 2508 E. Bijou Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80909.
Process:
All submissions must be mailed by March 21. A committee of local authors and select representatives will evaluate submissions for publication, to coordinate the solicitation of advertising and direct the graphic design and layout of the anthology. Chosen authors and artists will be notified by April 21; printing and/or public reading will be completed by June 30.
They wrap them in plastic:
Makes sense from the standpoint of commerce based on the intrigue of a cover (most of which are gorgeous, btw, like these three), but not from the standpoint of the intrigue of the writing inside.
Probably old news to most of you, but Norman Mailer died yesterday. Sure, he became a coot of the highest order in his declining years, but Mailer will be remembered for his relentless iconoclasm, antiestablishment bent and always-erudite pen. Plus, motherfucker invented the alt-weekly, won like a zillion Pulitzers and National Book Awards and still found the time to headbutt Truman Capote. Wave goodbye to one of the last truly famous American man of letters.
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