Slap Book Club: Like Reading Rainbow but with Sk8ers

[SneakySecrets]

Anyone have any interest in a slap book club?  Like stuff that isn’t related to skating.

[lamfordie]

Im totally down for that.

Currently Im reading 2 books, a biography on Wernher Von Braun and Beyond the God Particle by Leon Lederman

[MorningSesh]

I’d be down

[Síota]

Hell yeah. I'd rather read than watch mindless telly. Mostly read historical books. Sign me up

[modern life is war]

I'd be down as long as the choices were reasonable

[SneakySecrets]

Ok I was thinking about how to go about choosing what we are all agreeing to read and I have some suggestions:

-Recommendations should be more short stories/novella type stuff instead of some 1400 page behemoth to lessen the time investment for everyone, making it more likely people will actually participate.

-Classics and things with broad appeal over some weird little sub genre with niche appeal no one but you cares about.

Leave your suggestions and I’ll make a voting thing and maybe we’ll start something here.

My suggestions are:

“Harrison Bergeron” - a dystopian science fiction short story by Kurt Vonnegut

“Animal Farm” - the classic George Orwell novel

[matty_c]

Yeah keen I’d be down for the Vonnegut one

[fineslime]

Im totally down for that.

Currently Im reading 2 books, a biography on Wernher Von Braun and Beyond the God Particle by Leon Lederman

Care/ dare to share about Beyond the God Particle? I love quantum physics.

[Síota]

Yeah keen I’d be down for the Vonnegut one

Same. Might need help finding a copy thou as live in France and fuck Amazon

[modern life is war]

 I will go and try to find the Kurt Vonnegut book today. I've already read 1984 too many times.

What actually happens in a book club though? My mum has been in a book club for my whole life with some of her friends but it just seems like an excuse for middle class women to get drunk together once every few months.

[modern life is war]

I'm actually really down to read some sci-fi stuff right now. I've been trying to get into the genre. I wrote it off when I was in university but I recently read Dune and I was just like oh fuck yeah this is sick. Since then I'm now up to the 4th book in the Dune series although I think after this one I will not bother reading the next two. I tried to read a couple of Robert Heinlein books too but I find his writing style very jarring so I didn't finish either of them.

[childhood]

I believe I’ve got digital copies of all of Vonnegut’s books, I’ll check when I’m home later and upload them if anyone wants em

Think I also have all of Cormac McCarthy’s books, except the most recent two. I’d be super down to do Blood Meridian, would give me a reason to re-read it & analyze it more.

[modern life is war]

I'd love to read Blood meridian too, that's another classic I've never read.

[Síota]

I believe I’ve got digital copies of all of Vonnegut’s books, I’ll check when I’m home later and upload them if anyone wants em

Think I also have all of Cormac McCarthy’s books, except the most recent two. I’d be super down to do Blood Meridian, would give me a reason to re-read it & analyze it more.

Please do. I'd rather read a physical copy thou.

Also I have no idea what a book club is like we read and discuss? Sounds good.

[Jehoshaphat Augustus]

TLDR: Maybe start a poll on what book the club should read and then determine deadlines? Is that how this works? I'm in dawg.

I believe I’ve got digital copies of all of Vonnegut’s books, I’ll check when I’m home later and upload them if anyone wants em

Gnarx3 Please upload my brethren!

I bought Slaughterhouse 5 on Audible and THEN found out it's read by James Franco. Not only is he out here predatoring minors and teaching classes at prestigious colleges: this dude fucking slurs every other pages while reading with -1000 tonality. I can't even do it.  I'm like 82 years old and just started reading my first Vonnegut book, he fully ruined my intro to Vonnegut.

I 'finished' blood meridian last month and would love to know what the fuck was going on there. I had to have no country for old men explained for me too but i'm a fan of everything from Suttree to The Road. The road was the only one I didn't have to immediately look for CliffsNotes to remedy my stupid ass. I'm too intimidated to start CMacMc's newest book.

[sometimeperhaps]

In for Vonnegut or McCarthy.

Vonnegut is my guy.

[Deputy Wendell]

this is a great idea that i'd be down to participate in, but between teaching a class i've never taught before this semester and trying to research/write the third chapter of my dissertation, i know i will probably have trouble keeping up with more reading

i've read almost everything from McCarthy and there's lots there to tussle with--i might be able to contribute based off of memory, even if i can't necessarily keep up wit the reading. all of that being said, short-stories seem solid and one of my all time favorites is Flannery O'Connor...either way, it looks like there's a free pdf of her collection A Good Man is Hard to Find here

https://www.boyd.k12.ky.us/userfiles/447/classes/28660/a%20good%20man%20is%20hard%20to%20find.pdf

edit: upon looking further, that pdf does not have all of the short stories--for one, it's missing "Everything That Rises Must Converge" which is a favorite. here's a long url to the whole collection on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Stories-FSG-Classics-ebook/dp/B009LRWWMM/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1675020108&sr=1-2-9e7645f9-2d19-4bff-863e-f6cdbe50f990

[fineslime]

 Advice Not Given: A Guide To Getting Over Yourself by Mark Epstein (Epstein didn't kill himself) changed my life. It's written by an American psychologist who studied Buddhism for decades. It blends western psychology and traditional Buddhist ideals and goes deep into the Eightfold Path while making it palatable for Westerners and first timers interested in Buddhism.

I highly recommend it for anyone interested in mindfulness and traditional Buddhist beliefs.

[Big Baby Jesus]

I’m down. Would actually love this.

[Atiba Applebum]

Advice Not Given: A Guide To Getting Over Yourself by Mark Epstein (Epstein didn't kill himself) changed my life. It's written by an American psychologist who studied Buddhism for decades. It blends western psychology and traditional Buddhist ideals and goes deep into the Eightfold Path while making it palatable for Westerners and first timers interested in Buddhism.

I highly recommend it for anyone interested in mindfulness and traditional Buddhist beliefs.

It’s fiction, but you might enjoy “When I’m Gone, Look for Me In the East”.  It’s about two brothers in Mongolia tasked with finding the reincarnated spirit of a teacher

[Candied cigarettes]

Also down. Currently working on a book called On Zionist Literature and it’s interesting but kinda academic for what I want to read rn. I’m really into the historical/ non fiction genre- some standouts include Nothing to Envy, it’s basically a realistic look at life in North Korea. Another one is Ghosts of Gold Mountain, basically a story about the chinese people that built the Transcontinental Railroad

[SneakySecrets]

TLDR: Maybe start a poll on what book the club should read and then determine deadlines? Is that how this works? I'm in dawg.

Expand Quote

I believe I’ve got digital copies of all of Vonnegut’s books, I’ll check when I’m home later and upload them if anyone wants em

[close]

Gnarx3 Please upload my brethren!

I bought Slaughterhouse 5 on Audible and THEN found out it's read by James Franco. Not only is he out here predatoring minors and teaching classes at prestigious colleges: this dude fucking slurs every other pages while reading with -1000 tonality. I can't even do it.  I'm like 82 years old and just started reading my first Vonnegut book, he fully ruined my intro to Vonnegut.

I 'finished' blood meridian last month and would love to know what the fuck was going on there. I had to have no country for old men explained for me too but i'm a fan of everything from Suttree to The Road. The road was the only one I didn't have to immediately look for CliffsNotes to remedy my stupid ass. I'm too intimidated to start CMacMc's newest book.

Happy there is so much interest.  I’m also new to the book club thing but I believe that’s the gist.  We’d read like a chapter week, then come back here and say what we thought.

I actually downloaded the Kurt Vonnegut story and it’s literally only 6 pages, haha.  I had read it a long time ago in high school and I always thought about it from time to time- but I don’t know if there is enough to talk about.

I actually just bought Blood Meridian and have liked other Cormac McCarthy books so I’m putting my vote down for that one too.  Seems shortish, of general interest.  Then move on to some of the other good suggestions.

Anyways, I’m just the person that came up with the idea, so if everyone wants to read something else that’s cool too.

Also TL;DR I’m for discussing Chapter One of Blood Meridian in 2 weeks.  One week for everyone to get the book and another to read a chapter.  Does that sound agreeable?

[Urtripping]

Lurk the Books to Read thread and you all have put me on to very good stuff. This is a good idea!

[Deputy Wendell]

Expand Quote

TLDR: Maybe start a poll on what book the club should read and then determine deadlines? Is that how this works? I'm in dawg.

Expand Quote

I believe I’ve got digital copies of all of Vonnegut’s books, I’ll check when I’m home later and upload them if anyone wants em

[close]

Gnarx3 Please upload my brethren!

I bought Slaughterhouse 5 on Audible and THEN found out it's read by James Franco. Not only is he out here predatoring minors and teaching classes at prestigious colleges: this dude fucking slurs every other pages while reading with -1000 tonality. I can't even do it.  I'm like 82 years old and just started reading my first Vonnegut book, he fully ruined my intro to Vonnegut.

I 'finished' blood meridian last month and would love to know what the fuck was going on there. I had to have no country for old men explained for me too but i'm a fan of everything from Suttree to The Road. The road was the only one I didn't have to immediately look for CliffsNotes to remedy my stupid ass. I'm too intimidated to start CMacMc's newest book.

[close]

Happy there is so much interest.  I’m also new to the book club thing but I believe that’s the gist.  We’d read like a chapter week, then come back here and say what we thought.

I actually downloaded the Kurt Vonnegut story and it’s literally only 6 pages, haha.  I had read it a long time ago in high school and I always thought about it from time to time- but I don’t know if there is enough to talk about.

I actually just bought Blood Meridian and have liked other Cormac McCarthy books so I’m putting my vote down for that one too.  Seems shortish, of general interest.  Then move on to some of the other good suggestions.

Anyways, I’m just the person that came up with the idea, so if everyone wants to read something else that’s cool too.

Also TL;DR I’m for discussing Chapter One of Blood Meridian in 2 weeks.  One week for everyone to get the book and another to read a chapter.  Does that sound agreeable?

chapter one of Blood Meridian sounds like a plan

[Atiba Applebum]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

TLDR: Maybe start a poll on what book the club should read and then determine deadlines? Is that how this works? I'm in dawg.

Expand Quote

I believe I’ve got digital copies of all of Vonnegut’s books, I’ll check when I’m home later and upload them if anyone wants em

[close]

Gnarx3 Please upload my brethren!

I bought Slaughterhouse 5 on Audible and THEN found out it's read by James Franco. Not only is he out here predatoring minors and teaching classes at prestigious colleges: this dude fucking slurs every other pages while reading with -1000 tonality. I can't even do it.  I'm like 82 years old and just started reading my first Vonnegut book, he fully ruined my intro to Vonnegut.

I 'finished' blood meridian last month and would love to know what the fuck was going on there. I had to have no country for old men explained for me too but i'm a fan of everything from Suttree to The Road. The road was the only one I didn't have to immediately look for CliffsNotes to remedy my stupid ass. I'm too intimidated to start CMacMc's newest book.

[close]

Happy there is so much interest.  I’m also new to the book club thing but I believe that’s the gist.  We’d read like a chapter week, then come back here and say what we thought.

I actually downloaded the Kurt Vonnegut story and it’s literally only 6 pages, haha.  I had read it a long time ago in high school and I always thought about it from time to time- but I don’t know if there is enough to talk about.

I actually just bought Blood Meridian and have liked other Cormac McCarthy books so I’m putting my vote down for that one too.  Seems shortish, of general interest.  Then move on to some of the other good suggestions.

Anyways, I’m just the person that came up with the idea, so if everyone wants to read something else that’s cool too.

Also TL;DR I’m for discussing Chapter One of Blood Meridian in 2 weeks.  One week for everyone to get the book and another to read a chapter.  Does that sound agreeable?

[close]

chapter one of Blood Meridian sounds like a plan

I’d recommend a dedicated post for the book and update with the Chapter number as you advance

[childhood]

This should be all of Vonnegut's stuff, and everything Cormac McCarthy did (excluding the two that came out recently)
https://wetransfer.com/downloads/b3b29bfcd97410dd5284af83cf35a38c20230130011726/2daf81305ec1e1586fc28744ea4d32ac20230130011743/c23ec7/grid

[matty_c]

Fuck yeah thanks for all the books. I get pdfs off the internet all the time but just realised epubs are A LOT easier to read on a phone

So we’re reading blood meridian?

[Síota]

hell yeah thanks @childhood

So its Blood Meridian? First chapter?

[childhood]

Yeah let's do it

The schedule should probably be adjusted/figured out at some point (Blood Meridian is 23 chapters + an epilogue, but I don't think it'll take us ~5 months to get through it), but doing a chapter a week at first sounds good

[RoaryMcTwang]

I'd be down too. I've read Blood Meridian so I'd be more down for the Vonnegut, but can do both (Blood Meridian is one of the best books I've read so no problem reading it again). So what's the current plan, the thread kind of lost me at some point