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

Book club meeting and new book selection

Vonnegut and Heller - The Next Novel

Great rap on Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller...enjoy!

Book Club Title for May 22

Our next selection for Book Club is Catch 22 by Joseph Heller.

I will be posting more info on the book when I have more time!

Okay, I have more time!

Check out this link to Time magazine's 100 top novels: http://www.time.com/time/2005/100books/the_complete_list.html Any future book club selections in this list?

Have a good one clubbies!

T

Scribbles Book Club Selection for April 24

Hello bloggers!

I'm sitting in my apartment with the sun shining through my curtains and I am grateful that winter is past! Hallelujah!

I hope that you enjoyed The Glass Castle and found it triumphant and thought-provoking.

The book that has been chosen is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

Here is what Amazon.com has to say:

Mark Haddon's bitterly funny debut novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, is a murder mystery of sorts--one told by an autistic version of Adrian Mole. Fifteen-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone is mathematically gifted and socially hopeless, raised in a working-class home by parents who can barely cope with their child's quirks. He takes everything that he sees (or is told) at face value, and is unable to sort out the strange behavior of his elders and peers.
Late one night, Christopher comes across his neighbor's poodle, Wellington, impaled on a garden fork. Wellington's owner finds him cradling her dead dog in his arms, and has him arrested. After spending a night in jail, Christopher resolves--against the objection of his father and neighbors--to discover just who has murdered Wellington. He is encouraged by Siobhan, a social worker at his school, to write a book about his investigations, and the result--quirkily illustrated, with each chapter given its own prime number--is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
Haddon's novel is a startling performance. This is the sort of book that could turn condescending, or exploitative, or overly sentimental, or grossly tasteless very easily, but Haddon navigates those dangers with a sureness of touch that is extremely rare among first-time novelists. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is original, clever, and genuinely moving: this one is a must-read. --Jack Illingworth, Amazon.ca --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

I hope that you enjoy it and I look forward to seeing everyone on April 24 at Scribbles!

If you have any questions, please throw an email my way!

Enjoy this sunny day!

Traey

And the winner is.......

Greetings!





Your suggested book titles went into the hat, and the winner is, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls! The Glass Castle is a memoir. The first line reveals to the reader what kind of life the author lived:

"I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster."

Such a great first line! I hope you all enjoy it and don't forget our next meeting is March 20 at 7:00 at the Scribbles Cafe. Wear your sandals, it will be the first day of Spring you know! (Thank goodness!)

I will be posting links to The Glass Castle on here very soon!

Happy Reading!

Tracey

Book Club Meeting Cancellation - 2-21-08

Greetings everyone!

I hate to tell everyone this, but Sandy and I have decided to cancel the bookclub meeting tonight because of the inclement weather. (Now as soon as I send this, the sun will come out and it will be 70 degrees!)

I have a suggestion for us that we discuss Mayor of Casterbridge at our next meeting which is on March 20th (the first day of Spring) at the beginning and then discuss our March book at the end of the meeting. Or, we can simply meet and let the conversation guide us.

Now, here is the question readers, what to read next? I've already received some suggestions on the blog, but I wanted to solicit everyone for their picks. If everyone can get them to me by Sunday, February 24, I will place your titles in a hat and choose the next read. So, please I know that there is something out there that you've been eyeing!

Take care everyone and be safe tonight and I am so sorry to have to cancel!

Sincerely,
Tracey (859) 908-0777

Meeting next Thursday!

Hello readers!

Don't forget our book club meeting on Thursday, February 21 @ 7:00 at Scribbles Cafe in Alexandria, Kentucky! I look forward to seeing you all then and be ready to choose a book for next month.
My pick? Atonement by Ian McEwan

What's yours?

Tracey

What have you read lately?

Hello Scribbles Book Clubers!

I wanted to share just a titles that were excellently written and were read by me in the past month or so.

Flawless Skin of Ugly People by Doug Crandall
Chosen by a Horse by Barbara Richards
Confederacy of Silence by Richard Rubin

These are just a few but I have read many that I have forgotten about over the years, sort of like people that you meet that you enjoy and then you lose track of them only to be reminded of them through an old photograph or a chance meeting.

If you are looking for a place to record your old friends you should try this sight:
Library Thing, I have a friend that has recorded over 2,000 titles.

Look forward to seeing you all on February 21 at 7:00! Keep reading, ya'll!

Book Club Questions

Here are a few questions that you can ask yourself as you read. We will pose these questions to our bookclub at our next meeting. If you can't make the meeting, feel free to respond online.

However, if you don't want to ask yourself these questions, don't. It's your perogative. Everyone has their own experiences and journeys while they read and there really isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to read a book. (I'm sure every English professor will disagree!)

• What was unique about the setting of the book and how did it enhance or take away from the story?
• What specific themes did the author emphasize throughout the novel? What do you think he or she is trying to get across to the reader?
• Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?
• How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?
• In what ways do the events in the books reveal evidence of the author's world view?
• Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way?
• Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?

The Mayor of Casterbridge - What I'm thinking...

Here is a place to start posting your comments! What are you thinking as you are reading?

Our first meeting!

NEXT MEETING: FEBRUARY 21, 2008 7:00!!!!!

The first meeting of the Scribbles Book Club commenced on January 17 @ 7:00. We had three members present, Vivian, Tyler, and Tracey. We had a suprise when a reporter from The Community Recorder, Chris Mayhew, arrived and interviewed our group and took pictures for an upcoming article. ( He also joined our group!) Also, Sandy, our wonderful Scribbles hostess had a chance to sit down with us and talk books. We think she's read everything in the store!

Our Scribbles club members had a great time discussing our favorite titles and chose our first book for discussion.

We have chosen: The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy for our next meeting on February 21 at 7:00.

If you would like a quick synopses of the book, summary, main characters, click on this link: http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmMayor01.asp

If you would like more information on Thomas Hardy, summaries, analyses, and would even like to read the book online, click on this link: http://www.online-literature.com/hardy/

More scholarly interpretations here: http://www.yale.edu/hardysoc/Welcome/welcomet.htm

Walk the Hardy Trail - discover more about Casterbridge, England here: http://www.lymeregis.com/hardy_country/

FAQs:

What if I don't read the book, do I still come? Sure! Come and listen to the discussion and visit with people in your community. Have some coffee and just chill!

What if I don't like it? There are alot of books that I love and many that I do not. Come share why you didn't. Book clubs aren't there for judgement, they are there to listen and learn.

What if I can't make the meetings? No problem! Post on the blog and try to make it next time!

Where can I find the book? You may order the book directly from Scribbles. Just talk to Sandy. Campbell County Public Library owns copies of the book, audios, and movies. You may also find copies of the book at other library systems around our area such as the Kenton County Public Library and the Clermont County Public Library.

NEXT MEETING FEBRUARY 21, 2008 @ 7:00 AT THE SCRIBBLES CAFE IN ALEXANDRIA!!

Welcome to Scribbles!

Our first meeting is January 17 @ 7:00. I am very excited and a little nervous to tell you the truth. We will be getting to know each other and will be choosing a book. I think that once I have a book in my hand and something to discuss I will feel better.

I am reading a book called The Book Club Companion to help me along the way. I also am trying to collect websites that will help our members guide their selections, here is one of them.
http://www.stopyourekillingme.com