Meeting & Book Selection

Just a quick note by way of an update.  We had a very interesting meeting discussing the well written series, His Dark Materials.  Pullman can really twist your perceptions of how the world works.  

For the next read we have selected the latest book from Salman Rushdie, The Enchantress of Florence.  If you have not heard of the author (until recently, none of us had either), he has definitely had an "exciting" life...to say the least.  Here are a few good nuggets:  

• He was born in Bombay, India and speaks english with a superb british accent
• A book he wrote in the late 80's ticked off a lot of muslims and led to several protests, some of which were violent.  The protesters felt that he made an "irreverent depiction of the prophet Muhammad."  
• On February 14, 1989 Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa requiring Rushdie's execution (that's not something you want).  Apparently he still receives a "valentine's day" card from Iran every February 14th letting him know the country has not forgotten their vow to kill him. (just in case he started sleeping too soundly)
• August 3 1989 - an assassin was priming a bomb meant for Rushdie.  The bomb went off prematurely taking out two floors of a hotel and killing the assassin (whoops).  Salman Rushdie survived and spent the next decade largely underground.  
• In 2007 he received knighthood for "services to literature."  (I guess he is now Sir Rushdie)  Protests in some muslim countries resurfaced with Al-qaeda chiming in this time against Rushdie.   

Thus, it would appear that we are continuing with an unintended theme of controversial and/or banned books and authors.  And speaking of themes, one idea brought up at the meeting was to begin a political theme as the presidential election approaches...perhaps reading the biography/autobiography of each candidate.  Please weigh in if you have any thoughts or suggestions as to which biographies are the best and most insightful about the candidates.  

That's all for now.  Please feel free to post at the blog (http://scribblesbookclub.blogspot.com/) Happy reading.  

Tyler 

Which daemon are you?

Hey everyone~

Check out....http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/to take a quick 20 question quiz to discover what daemon best exemplifies you!

Can't wait to see all of you next week!

Tracey

July Book Club Selection!

Hello everyone,

Our next book club title is The Subtle Knife. and if we can squeeze it in, The Amber Spyglass. The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass are book two and three in the His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman. We had so much fun wondering what happened next to all of the characters that we decided to finish out the series.

The meeting occurs on Thursday, July 17 at 7:00 at Scribbles, the best coffee shop in town!

Our book club meeting went splendidly and the banana smoothie was rockin' too. My chicken salad on the croissant was the bomb too, yum! (Sandy, you're the best!)

So, if you liked The Golden Compass but you couldn't join us, now is your chance to find out what happens to Lyra!

C'mon all of you book clubbers, join us next month!
Tracey

Meeting Tonight

Hello All,

Don't forget about the meeting tonight at 7 pm.  Come on down whether you have finished the Golden Compass or not (or even started).  The discussion should be interesting.  

Tyler

June 19 - Golden Compass Book Discussion

Hello all,

We will be meeting on June 19 @ 7:00 at Scribbles to discuss The Golden Compass. I am excited by this title because I can't wait to discuss all of the controversy surrounding it. It will make for an energetic and lively discussion.

See you all then!
Tracey

little tid bits on the Golden Compass

Hello all,

A little more info on the religious perspective of Golden Compass. This is taken from Wikipedia.

It's kind of crazy that the archbishop of Canterbury has proposed that the series be taught as part of religious education in schools.

I hope you're enjoying the adventure. I am finding it to be a very easy and fast read.

tyler


Religious perspective

Pullman is a supporter of the British Humanist Association and an Honorary Associate of the National Secular Society. New Yorker journalist Laura Miller has described Pullman as one of England's most outspoken atheists.[7]
The His Dark Materials books have been controversial with some Christian groups. Peter Hitchens has argued that Pullman actively pursues an anti-Christian agenda.[8] In support of this contention, he cites an interview in which Pullman is quoted as saying: "I'm trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief."[9] In the same interview, Pullman also "acknowledge(s) that a controversy would be likely to boost sales. But I'm not in the business of offending people. I find the books upholding certain values that I think are important. Such as that this life is immensely valuable. And that this world is an extraordinarily beautiful place, and we should do what we can to increase the amount of wisdom in the world'."[9]
Hitchens views the His Dark Materials series as a direct rebuttal of C. S. Lewis's series.[10] Although Pullman has criticized C. S. Lewis's series The Chronicles of Narnia as religious propaganda, the two series have several things in common. Both feature children facing adult moral choices, talking animals, religious allegories, parallel worlds, and concern the ultimate fate of those worlds.
Literary critic Alan Jacobs (of Wheaton College) argues that in his recasting of John Milton's trilogy, Pullman replaces a theist world-view with a Rousseauistone.[11] Surprisingly Pullman has found some support from Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Others contend that Pullman's negative portrayal of the "Church" in His Dark Materials amounts to an attack on dogmatism and the use of religion to oppress, not on Christianity itself. Dr. Williams has gone so far as to propose that His Dark Materials be taught as part of religious education in schools. Moreover, authors of works dedicated to critical appraisals of religious themes in his writing have described Pullman as a friendly and generous debating partner[12].
Other Christian writers, such as Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware, while finding his anti-Christian position troubling, "also uncover spiritual themes within the books, which, like shafts of light, break through an otherwise gloomy universe—despite Pullman's best efforts to keep them out. In the end, the authors argue that Pullman offers an unwitting tribute to the God he intended to discredit."[13] in their book Shedding Light on His Dark Materials.

I'll try this one more time

Hello all,

Last week we had a wonderful meeting discussing Catch 22 and I’m truly sorry that some of you had to miss.  Surprisingly, there were a few more participants than usual, I believe eight attendees in all (but who’s really counting)…our constituency is growing and it was rather exciting.  As always, Sandy had some wonderful refreshments to offer and at the end of the meeting some of us stuck around for a bit of live music by a few talented local musicians.  The press wasn’t there, but maybe next time.  Be sure to attend the next meeting for your chance at fame.  

But I digress…

Before unveiling the title of our next book I would like to add that every single person at the meeting unanimously agreed that this should be the selection.  It is sure to arouse debate (which is usually good), controversy (hopefully not too much) and it even has a recent movie just in case you don’t find the time to read.  And the winner is…The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

When the movie came out I remember seeing some warning emails saying that we shouldn’t see it.  I will try and dig them up and post them on the blog (http://scribblesbookclub.blogspot.com/).  If anybody knows what I am talking about please also post it up (http://scribblesbookclub.blogspot.com/).  

We will notify you of the exact date and time for the next meeting in another email or on the blog.  Therefore, be sure to check your email and the blog site: http://scribblesbookclub.blogspot.com/

And feel free to contribute content whenever you like, don’t be shy or worried about saying something silly...only a few of us read it anyway.  

Ciao,

Tyler