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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2010 10:52:58 GMT
"Atlas Shrugged" was so popular when I was in undergraduate school.Goes to show how timeless some books are. Apparently, Ayn Rand is enjoying a real resurgence of popularity with an older set of readers as well. The "New Yorker" recently had a piece on her.I did not read the whole piece so I can't really expound upon.
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Post by existentialcrisis on Jan 7, 2010 7:11:29 GMT
To be completely honest, she's always infuriated me...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2010 10:37:17 GMT
To be completely honest, she's always infuriated me... Me too. One of my high school idols,whom I thought at that time to be the"know all,be all"fell madly in love with Rand's ideology. I desperately tried to embrace her as well and failed miserably. I realized,albeit much later,I was not "cult" material.At the time though, I was devastated.
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Post by bjd on Jan 7, 2010 12:37:17 GMT
I read Ayn Rand when I was in high school. I know one of my son's friends read one of her books a couple of years ago. I was surprised -- I would have thought it was all terribly dated by now, although I remember liking her books as a teenager.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2010 12:50:05 GMT
I read Ayn Rand when I was in high school. I know one of my son's friends read one of her books a couple of years ago. I was surprised -- I would have thought it was all terribly dated by now, although I remember liking her books as a teenager. The piece in the "New Yorker" which,as I say,I did not finish ,so, this may not be totally accurate,seemed to imply that the current popularity of Rand was amongst a large number of conservative,capitalist leaning Americans.
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Post by existentialcrisis on Jan 7, 2010 13:49:18 GMT
I stumbled upon her when I was in grade 10 or 11 and I was on a philosophy discussion forum. Don't remember the details, but I got into a heated argument about some moral issue with another member, who acted all high and mighty and referred me to Atlas Shrugged. (I've written elsewhere in this forum of the other odd coincidences that led me to reading her, i.e. hidden message on an inner flap of a box of cherry flavored rolling papers, etc.) I still haven't finished reading the book. Not only is it very thick with small type, but also filled with mundane details and lengthy descriptions of railroad tracks and steel factories .... and I've mentioned how much I hate descriptive writing... yuck. I think a "philosophical work" should be heavier on the philosophy and lighter on the description. Oh yeah, and most importantly, her prescribed morality is so black and white and revolting!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2010 13:59:40 GMT
Wow, I missed that post somehow,I know I would have remembered a hidden message scrawled on a pack of cherry flavored rolling papers...too funny. I remember hearing people say that "Atlas Shrugged", changed their life. That right there, had my antennae up very high.That coupled with the writing style you describe,sometimes which I can get past and enjoy,depending on the subject matter, I just simply could not "strap on".
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Post by existentialcrisis on Jan 8, 2010 7:31:23 GMT
Well basically, I had that argument on the philosophy forum. Then the secret message on the inner flap of the cherry flavored rolling papers. Then all of a sudden the book was sitting in the edge of the chalkboard in my grade 11 economics classroom. I asked my teacher if I could perhaps borrow the book. He said ok. I took the book home and starting reading it. I noticed on the inside flap of the cover, there was a written message to the original recipient of the gift of this book. It was a friend of mine's father (the only connection I can think of is that both him and my economics teacher were both British soccer-obsessed school teachers). Anyways, I never finished reading the book and I still own it... which i guess means I've stolen it. You'd think there would be a meaning behind all of this... that this book ought to have changed my life. But alas... it revolts me and I still haven't finished reading it. So... I'm getting it sent back up here and hopefully I'll soon see the meaning.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2010 15:11:42 GMT
I am moving into a reread of some favorites. I have always loved Michael Ondaaatje, and when his last novel "Divisadero",(2007) came out my husband bought it for me, I devoured it and loved it immensely. I realized that it is something I would like to reread and savour more perhaps, for it's beautiful writing. I began last night and have to say I'm so glad I did. I highly recommend this novel.
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Post by bjd on Jan 9, 2010 15:51:58 GMT
A friend in Canada sent me Divisadero when it came out on the pretext that some of it takes place near where I live. I did read it but don't remember much about it.
I just read (in 2 days) a detective story by Donna Leon -- an American who lives in Venice and her books are set in Venice. I like them and found this one at the library. And I just started to reread a collection of travel writing by Evelyn Waugh from the 1930s.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 9, 2010 16:01:52 GMT
*pricks up ears*
Divisadero completely escaped me -- I didn't know there was a recent Ondaaatje novel. The English Patient is one of my all-time favorites.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2010 16:14:34 GMT
*pricks up ears* Divisadero completely escaped me -- I didn't know there was a recent Ondaaatje novel. The English Patient is one of my all-time favorites. The scenario and much of his style in this novel is very reminiscent of Jim Harrison, Bixa. I think you might like.
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Post by Kimby on Jan 11, 2010 17:32:32 GMT
Don't want to high-jack this thread, but will quickly recommend In a Sunburned Country, by the insanely talented Bill Bryson. Thanks bixa, but I just finished re-reading that one. Read it years ago, but wanted to read it after having researched the geography of australia. Means a lot more now. Not to continue a threadjack, but I read it a THIRD time after we got back, having now been to the places he'd written about. Back to the thread, Just finished reading Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood, who also authored another favorite, The Handmaid's Tale. www.amazon.com/Alias-Grace-Novel-Margaret-Atwood/dp/0385490445I was interested to see the heated debate about Atlas Shrugged. It's on my favorite book list.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2010 21:32:57 GMT
I am so curious about how you liked or didn't(must have liked some to finish such a long book) Alias Grace,Kimby. I read it about two years ago. I did like it very much. Some skin crawling scenes,and some downright beautiful. Atwood nails human nature big time.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 12, 2010 4:08:56 GMT
Alias Grace and Handmaid's Tale are maybe Atwood's two best books, I think. Interesting they came up right now, concerned as they are with the condition of women. I just started The Vagrants, by Yiyun Li, lent & recommended by a friend. It is so immeasurably sad that after the first couple of pages I thought about setting it aside. However, there is a quiet, compelling strength to it that is telling me to keep reading.
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Post by tillystar on Jan 12, 2010 9:31:02 GMT
I agree and I am deciding which one to put on my next list of 5!
Well, I finished The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. I was left feeling a little disappointed. It was a good book, well-written, a good story and interesting, but the reviews on the cover had told me I would be terrified by this chilling, creepy tale...and I wasn't. I so wanted to be!
Anyone got any recommendations for a good tale to scare myself? I have an urge for this now!
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Post by bjd on Jan 12, 2010 9:47:40 GMT
I like almost all of Atwood's books, but Handmaid's Tale about the least! I really liked her early books set in Toronto -- the Robber Bride, Edible Woman, Cat's Eye. Also the Blind Assassin and Alias Grace. Am a bit less enthralled with her science-fictiony stuff, although I read Oryx and Crake.
No scary recommendations for you, Tilly -- I don't read that kind of thing.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2010 10:20:58 GMT
I really don't like Atwood's sci fi stuff either. She has a new one out now I believe. Alias Grace was the last I read of hers. I did love Cat's Eye.
Tilly,just woke up,will ponder this one.
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Post by tillystar on Jan 12, 2010 10:25:25 GMT
Not a fan of the Sci-fi stuff either - Oryx and Crake made me want to poke myself in the eye but I couldn't stop reading. It's telling that Mr Star who is a real Science Fiction geek loved it and wouldn't touch her other stuff with a barge pole.
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Post by hwinpp on Jan 12, 2010 10:28:32 GMT
You're up early!
I'm off soon, Cas.
I don't think I've read anything by M. Atwood, maybe I'll give it a try.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2010 11:41:32 GMT
HW, try "The Handmaid's Tale".I am now remembering that it was my husband who turned me onto which is novel in and of itself because, I don't associate him with fiction at all.(at least of the literary brand... )
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Post by Kimby on Jan 12, 2010 17:27:42 GMT
I am so curious about how you liked or didn't(must have liked some to finish such a long book) Alias Grace,Kimby. I read it about two years ago. I did like it very much. Some skin crawling scenes,and some downright beautiful. Atwood nails human nature big time. I have a neighbor who's a retired librarian and avid reader who turns me on to some of the more interesting books I've read lately. She really wanted me to read Alias Grace, and though it took me forever to start it (I even took it to Australia and back and to Sanibel and back without opening it!), once I started it, there was no doubt I'd be finishing it. A most unusual tale, and I did not realize till it was over that it was based on a true story. I liked how the author captured the life of an immigrant domestic servant in the mid-1800's, how the book explored mental illness and mid-1800's medical understanding of mental illness, the bits on the occult and charlatans practicing it, and how you never really knew who was a "good" person and who was not. I liked the author's use of letters in part to tell the story from different viewpoints. Spoiler alert: I did not like the doctor's relationship with his landlady and how that bizarre twist re-directed the whole tale. And I was disappointed to read in the afterword that the happy ending was the author's creation, as Grace disappeared in real life after her pardon.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 12, 2010 23:11:29 GMT
Hmmm. Reading what you wrote makes me want to read the book again, Kimby. Also, you bring up something important -- the fact that sometimes we'd like to say something about a book that shouldn't be revealed to someone who hasn't read it yet. Thus, a Spoiler button has been added. Simply write your text, highlight it, then click on the spoiler button. The result will look and function like this: Clicking on the Spoiler bar in a message will reveal the hidden text. This should allow for more expansive conversations about books, movies, and tv.
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Post by Kimby on Jan 12, 2010 23:43:50 GMT
Thanks for adding that. I fixed it.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2010 2:28:15 GMT
Yes,an excellent synopsis of Alias Grace ,Kimby. I did know it was based on a true story going into it. Truthfully, I don't know if I could reread it any time soon. In fact, I gave it away.There were too many parts I am recalling now that were very disturbing,although, I was riveted by it at the time.
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Post by traveler63 on Jan 15, 2010 1:36:54 GMT
Thanks Bix for the explanation of "spoiler". I was going to ask.
I have just started a biography of Madam Cliquot. It is very interesting. I think anyone who has a love of champagne would be interested in the story.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 15, 2010 22:29:52 GMT
Oh ~~ I'll bet that is full of fascinating historical detail, T63. Is she your alter ego? I'm still on The Vagrants, and hope this author writes many more. She is amazingly talented and has a deceptively simple, subtle touch. Because of her name, I had to look on the jacket flag to see if she is a man or a woman. She writes about both genders and all ages equally convincingly.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2010 7:39:30 GMT
I am reading a very nasty book called "Kill Your Friends," about the British music industry.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 18, 2010 8:04:24 GMT
Sounds jolly. I finished The Vagrants, a book that was well written and satisfying right to the end. Then, with great glee, I picked up The English Major. I must say my glee has not flown out the window, but it's pretty darn dissipated. The thing is, I truly like and admire Jim Harrison, not least because of the exquisite profundity, excellent writing, and beautifully crafted plot that are hallmarks of all his books. I wouldn't say the book is entirely lacking in those things, but it just seems so slight compared to his other books. The title character was a teacher in a small town for years, then gave that up to run the farm his wife inherited. When the book opens, Cliff is sixty years old and at loose ends because his wife has left him for another man. The farm has to be sold, and our hero sets out on a road trip to visit the 48 contiguous states. I don't want to give away any plot twists, but suffice to say that none of it is boring and much of it is quite amusing in a way reminiscent of Walker Percy's Love in the Ruins. I am enjoying the book and I think others would as well, it's just that I'd hate to see it be anyone's introduction to this usually sterling author. Also, in a painful instance of seeing an idol's feet of clay, there were some unforgiveable grammatical errors. Twice (twice! so not an accident) he uses "infer" when he means "imply". In another unfortunate sentence he says a particular group "is more jauntier and happier" than another. I cringed just writing that! The humor running through the book is of the laconic, throw-away, self-aware, ironic variety that I find particularly American. However, the humor in this book differs from that of Charles Portis, for instance, because it lacks that underlying barely-controlled antic edge that characterizes Southern literary humor of this same vein.
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Post by bjd on Jan 18, 2010 12:59:35 GMT
I'm dividing my reading between A Short History of Byzantium by JJ Norwich and One Hundred Years of Solitude by G Garcia Marquez.
The history book makes me want to go to Istanbul to see the old churches -- or what remains of them. Am re-reading the Marquez book in Spanish -- I read it the first time in the 1970s, so it's like reading a completely unknown book.
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