A Mediocre Book Club- March (Unofficial)

@ruouttaurmind
I was gonna do this one shortly anyway, so yes.

@ruouttaurmind The movie is coming out soon too. I listened to it a couple of years ago- it was really good.

@ruouttaurmind I’m good with that one because I just read it!

@ruouttaurmind I actually see some topics for conversation in this one.

@ruouttaurmind
I love that book

That being said, the really young ones who did not grow up in a gaming household that I know read it were somewhat lost.

@ruouttaurmind I haven’t finished, so I can’t say for sure. I just haven’t felt like finishing it right now.

Just picked up android’s dream the other day. Haven’t started that either.

@ruouttaurmind

Due to the movie coming out soon, I went ahead and started Ready Player One today.

So far like the feel of it a lot. Just a little way into it at present.

(The writer prob was not an econ major tho, given his description of that particular possible situation. And I find the concept of The Oasis more interesting than appealing, in that I don’t think I’d ever want to “hang out” much as an Avatar [to do that feels like a waste of time] … But no prob. I can go with the fictional world as written.)

@f00l The author tells us that nearly every detail of daily life has emigrated to The Oasis. Beyond social interaction and entertainment, The Oasis has become the primary center of commerce as well. I’m afraid in this version of society you would be challenged to live a Oasis-free existence.

EDIT: Are you digesting this via electronic, audio or printed media?

@ruouttaurmind

Doing the audiobook. (love Wil Wheaton’s narration).

I don’t mind the idea that many people’s lives have migrated online, even to a massively dominant platform. (beyond Amazon-level domination)

I just dislike the ideas of wasting my time in an Avatar suit.

If we are not physically and corporeally present in a given setting, my reaction:

what then the point of a virtual body, aside from participation in forms of education and entertainment and social life specifically best suited to human bodies?

I’d personally prefer text or a text media mix, except when a physical body is notably useful in a given setting. And if I had to have an Avatar, I’d try (obsessively) to figure out how to make it invisible and undetectable.

But what a bore and a waste of time to wander around in an Avatar form. Or so it seems to me. I guess that’s just me.

Also, since the code is open source, freely available, and must be incredibly complex to support this universe, it can, one assumes (given everything known and proven about incredibly code) be hacked 16 quadrillion ways from Sunday.

Not minor hacks. Huge, universe and security breeching hacks. Takeover-level hacks. Zillions of them. Impossible to find and close all the holes before someone finds another one.

Also the education system seems like a bore that ignores every good practice that had come out of experiments and practices in online education.

In such a school system as described, not only is the teaching/learning system horribly backwards and inefficient (ignoring the possibilities of customizing teaching and practice for the student); I would also be, as Wade is, doing the the virtual equivalent of “reading under my desktop”.

Another thing: the “limerick”, on first reading, seems (to me) to point, as an obvious possibility, exactly to where the idea occurs to Wade that the limerick might point. It takes years for various hunters to get to that insight?

And many corporations, govts, and shadow organizations would be after the “prize”. Most by stealth. And many hunters who presented themselves to others as loners would be covertly working in alliance or fealty with some controlling tolerable or nefarious interest or other.

Other quibbles: in the rather risky physical world in which Wade lives, savvy predators and manipulators could set all sorts of motion detectors, trackers, and other tech to detect or track people/objects/movement/info and lay in wait for potential prey or information. So Wade would know this, and ought to be considering those risks with every move he makes, also.

Also Wade seems to believe in the promised Oasis privacy. WTF? I wouldn’t.

Also, by the storyline, The Oasis prevailed in a Supreme Court case to protect privacy.
What about hackers? Other governments? Corp hackers? NSA types? Internal security breeches? Does anyone now believe that the idea that we might have the legal right to privacy means that we actually have any privacy?

But these are quibbles. I can get right past all that and go with the fictional universe for this book. I really like this book so far.

Besides, I’m barely into the book. Much of this may show up or be resolved later as I get further.

One '80’s ref in the missed by Wade, as far into the book as I have read at the moment:

The Oasis seems much (in both name and spirit) to hearken back to that legendary online community, The Well (which I once loved, I thought had died, and I regretted the loss. It seemed I was wrong. It’s still going, after some travails.)

The Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, normally shortened to The WELL, is one of the oldest virtual communities in continuous operation. As of June 2012, it had 2,693 members.[2] It is best known for its Internet forums, but also provides email, shell accounts, and web pages. The discussion and topics on The WELL range from deeply serious to trivial, depending on the nature and interests of the participants.[3]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_WELL

https://www.well.com/

(In the glory days of dial-up (AOL and CompuServe), The Well was a locus of the heights of quality interactions. The membership was much, much larger then. I was only rarely a member, if I recall, due to costs, free time spent running my own bbs and chasing other interests, and a lack of local good Well dial-up access points.)

@ruouttaurmind

The book really kicked in and got good.

About 3/5 of the way. V happy to be listening to this one.

Recommend.

@f00l Glad you’re enjoying this.

I had a longer, thoughtful response written out, but after clicking the Say it button, the website went into a all to frequently recurring tailspin and I lost the reply.

@ruouttaurmind

I didn’t mean the book kicked in 3/5 if the way through it

For clarity: the book kicks in pretty quickly. I was about 3/5 of the way into the book when I wrote the eval.

/giphy ambiguity

@ruouttaurmind

3 hours to go in terms of “audiobook time”.

Lots going on.

Still good.

Thanks for prompting me to do finally do this one. Now I really want that movie!

@f00l It’s going to be my first appearance in a theater in over 3 years. I’m totally geeked out about this movie.

@f00l
there were 2 last time. I didn’t look at the discussion of the Scalzi one cause I missed it

wonder of @narfcake or @thumperchick could bullhorn a locked topic with links for the topics for a day so we can all do whatever we do to note them
(i’ve found subscribe only works for replies to original topic, not replies to replies,

@Cerridwyn We haven’t actually started discussing Android’s Dream- swing by if you get around to it. I’ll try to ping you with new books- maybe @f00l can too?

@Cerridwyn @sammydog01
I thought there was a topic for that book?

@f00l There’s a topic just not much actual discussion.

@f00l @sammydog01
what sammy said

@mehbee Oh, that book is great.

@mossygreen I have not read it yet. I have a movie that is not necessarily my favorite but I tend to watch it each time it is on, called League of Gentlemen. It was made up of people for literature. It was such a fun movie that is has made me want to read the novels it references. Dorian Gray was one of the characters, Captain Nemo from 20,000 Leagues Below the Sea(I think that is the name and it will be the next one I offer for voting on!) and several others that were so interesting. Hope the book is as good.

@mehbee did you watch Penny Dreadful? Dorian Grey was in that.

@RiotDemon I have not watched that yet but it’s on my list.

@mehbee I really enjoyed it, but the ending left me a little underwhelmed. The journey was fun though.

@RiotDemon Well the journey is the most important part!

@elimanningface Noooo! The thread will still be there- stop by when you finish. It’s really good.

@elimanningface I agree. @f00l seems to go through 5 or 6 in a week! It usually takes me 3 or 4 weeks to finish about 200 pages.

@elimanningface

I use audiobooks while doing other things. That might help speed things up, if you have not tried them.

@elimanningface
depending on my work and gaming schedule, I read (not listen to) 3-5 books a week. When travelling, it might be 1-2 a day, depending on if flying or driving and if flying, how many layovers.
I have a tablet in the bathroom for light reading, usually free shit.
My nook lives with me
Right now I’m reading a British Fantasy Humor set of books I got for cheep and I’m enjoying.

I have a thought for that dare I call it genre next time.

I’d like to propose we limit it to one newish book a month that would be close to full retail and then go with older books that are usually less expensive and can be found used for those who do real book or deals for us E-Book lovers.

@Cerridwyn @elimanningface
Yeah, I vote trying to stay clear of recent bestsellers, because big recent books are $$$$, and the libraries will have limited copies and e-copies to borrow.

@f00l Libraries? Do those still exist?

@Cerridwyn @elimanningface @f00l Just sent a brand new title to a friend. Author isn’t necessarily a blockbuster name (Jonathan Kellerman). Book was $19 plus tax. Not a fortune, but enough to add up quickly after a few new books were purchased.

I think it’s important to stick to less recent titles so libraries might have it, and paperbacks and Kindle (and hopefully Audible) versions are available. Used paperbacks from eBay book dealers in my experience have been mostly in VG to like new condition, and typically cost between $2 to $4ish including shipping. But a book has to be on the market for a year or two before the dealers have them readily available.

@elimanningface @f00l @ruouttaurmind
bn has a network of used sellers, some well known nationally.

Personally I don’t care if it’s on Kindle. If it’s an E-book, my nook will read it without conversion (unless it comes from Amazon of course)

This is just my personal gripe here. Everyone assumes anyone who reads an ebook reads it on a kindle. I know a fair number who don’t. Many read on their ipads, or their phones using generic reader apps or google books or whatever. Got my first ebook before amazon even knew what they were. I loved that Sony. And my bathroom tablet is a free something I got with my phone from verizon a couple years ago.

But most of the time I agree. I don’t see problem with nominating them if people say up front these are full price books. Sometimes best sellers are sought out enough you might get a group of people willing to purchase them.

I buy books at full price if I think they are worth it, rarely NYT best seller types, but I pre-ordered The Martian after an NPR interview with Andy Weir and have no regrets at all. I really enjoyed it.

@Cerridwyn @f00l @ruouttaurmind If no one will say it, I’ll say it - why no love for “The Cat in the Hat?” That book is an American treatsure and it hasn’t been mentioned once. Also, Animal Farm. Just the debate alone would make for great discussion.

@Cerridwyn @elimanningface @ruouttaurmind

Kellerman is a regular bestseller. I like him, but his series varies in quality.

I suggest we stay clear of recent big $ books because it’s not like we are going to run out of good things to read. Lots of good stuff out there.

So why not go for books that have thick listings with used booksellers, and where the local libraries will have copies and e-copies.

For used books, I do eBay plus

www.bookfinder.com

Which covers new and used books for sale at the big booksellers, plus the smaller sellers that list thru alibris and abebooks, and also bookfinder has listings for books put up as direct listings by non-monster-sized booksellers.

Many charity booksellers list used books thru bookfinder.

For rarer books, bookfinder sometimes locates copies in Europe or Japan.

And if you have a local Half Price Books or similar, those are always a fun visit.

<Abebooks is now owned by Amazon>

@Cerridwyn This sounds fun! I just ordered a used copy from Amazon. My daughter just took a class in noir- I think she’ll like it too.

@sammydog01
I wanted to let you know, I read it.
I loved the references. I read doc savage, never the shadow, and the references to players in the pulp era, from Orson Wells, to Bob Heinlein are near and dear to my fan heart. (And my daughter is a lovecraft nut, so know a lot about old HP)

Like RP1, it is a fiction book full of memories from long ago, and like GoB, it has a fair bit of fact strewn in with the story. I really hope you like it.

@mossygreen I loved the first half of that book. I think of it every time I go to Ikea.

@sammydog01 I made a special trip to Ikea after I read it.

@ruouttaurmind Or maybe even just some specific short stories?

@ruouttaurmind
not my favorite to read, but i know some like my daughter prefer it. I probably wouldn’t buy a series I didn’t already own (and most of those are actual books). But I like the idea for those who do. you could even vote for genre for a month and then books.

@Cerridwyn I’ve been reading to reread Frankenstein for awhile from the perspective of it being about Mary Shelley being kicked out of her house by her dad, so I definitely second this.

@Cerridwyn @mossygreen I’ve tried a few times to get through it. I don’t prefer the literary style of that era. To me, Frankenstein didn’t age well. As can be said for most of the “classics”.

@mossygreen @ruouttaurmind

https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/the-scifri-book-club-frankenstein/

that’s part 1
you may or may not find it interesting from this perspective.

@Cerridwyn @mossygreen @ruouttaurmind

To me, Frankenstein didn’t age well. As can be said for most of the “classics”.

Ouch.

Many of the classes aged very well.

And many of them are quite wonderful reads once one is in middle-age or beyond, and has the necessary perspectives. They are not modern entertainment tho.

It helps to remember that they (pboty people and characters) moved at a much slower pace, had different concerns, and lacked our competing sources of entertainment.

I tend to read them with (very uneducated) slight economic, political, and sociological perspectives.

These issues (whatever the issues in the books might be) were important then.
These issues affected one’s economic, ethical, and social well-being, and the well-being of family, and the breasdth of one’s opportunities and sense of security during an era when being poor was horrible.

That makes these “classic” books much more interesting to me.

I can’t comment on Frankenstein tho. Never read it.

@Cerridwyn You folks are costing me big bucks. I just bought the audiobook. The unabridged version has two choices- Dan Stevens, the guy from Downton Abbey and some guy I’ve never heard of. I chose Dan Stevens. If anyone is interested the audiobook is significantly cheaper on Amazon than Audible even though I haven’t bought the Kindle book. It seems like that happens a lot. There is an abridged version so be sure to check the lengths if you want audio.
/giphy Dan Stevens

@sammydog01
I have never been able to get into audio books. I just plain don’t enjoy it. I might enjoy listening, for 5 or 10 minutes then I’m done. Bought that entire selection of stuff for cheap back on meh, never got far.

Hey, wonder if there is something on there that people would agree to do. I bet 99.99% are public domain and available for just a few bucks in e book everywhere.

@Cerridwyn @sammydog01

Audiobooks are a mostly uncontrolled ongoing huge sucking $$$$ expense in my life. And they make me happy.

I have imported stuff on CD or cassette from EU when I wanted it and couldn’t get it here (back when a lot of audiobook recordings had never sold digital downloadable or streaming rights in the US, and the North American physical copies were scarce or super expensive.)

Many audiobooks. Many sources. Much moolah.

@Cerridwyn I hear you- I prefer my kindle. But I spend a lot of time driving and doing mindless chores so there is a place in my life for audiobooks. Especially ones read by Tom Hiddleston.

@f00l,

Many of the classes aged very well.

And many of them are quite wonderful reads once one is in middle-age or beyond, and has the necessary perspectives. They are not modern entertainment tho

Don’t misunderstand my intent. I’m not suggesting the premise and plot of said classics don’t hold up, but rather the prose of the era inhibits my ability to enjoy the story. Half the effort of reading the story is consumed interpreting what I’ve just read. I suppose if I spent more time reading such works it would come without as much effort. Or not. I’ve tried Melville so many times, but always give up. It’s just excruciating. I know Moby Dick is a phenomenal story which has been the inspiration for hundreds of divergent literary and cinematic works. I just get bogged down in that damn flowery tail chasing style of Melville’s. Or rather of Melville’s era.

@ruouttaurmind
I do understand that.

There are times when the prose or the descriptives just kinda wear me out.

@f00l @ruouttaurmind
I think the fact that I grew up reading that stuff makes it easier, but that being said there are some I wanted to read so bad, and just couldn’t.

Canterbury Tales was one of those

@Cerridwyn

there are some I wanted to read so bad, and just couldn’t.

Moby Dick. I go back to it a few times a year hoping something will change for me, but no dice. I even got the audiobook hoping that might make it more palatable.

@ruouttaurmind
I honestly don’t know if i’ve read that. I don’t think so.

On the other hand, I’d read about everything Jules Verne ever wrote before Junior High, a bit of Robert Lewis Stephenson, among others. My love for books and reading was instilled in me very young. I was reading Heinlein by the time I was 10, and went through everything of interest in my small town library long before I left for college.

My daughter reads, but never like I did/do. I love being lost in a good book (that’s a nomination for April.)

@Cerridwyn I’ve tried Jules Verne, but can’t get into the usual suspects. Treasure Island is one of my favorite books, but that’s the only RLS I’ve read.

@Cerridwyn @ruouttaurmind

I read a lot of Stevenson in elementary school. Great stuff.

/image “treasure island”

@f00l @ruouttaurmind
have you read it again as an adult, where it is more than just a digging for treasure story?
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe is another good one for reading differently as a child and as an adult

@Cerridwyn @f00l Reread it maybe 8 mos ago. Great story. Sadly there hasn’t been any film adaptations which do it justice.

@Cerridwyn @ruouttaurmind The only RLS I ever read was The Black Arrow at age 10 and I loved it. I still want to camp under an overturned tree one day.

@Cerridwyn @ruouttaurmind

Have not read Stevenson as an adult.
I did a Defoe binge a few years back.

I don’t wanna re-do him right now, but found his books fascinating. I really liked Moll Flanders.

@f00l I never cared for Dafoe, especially after his role as the Green Goblin.

@sammydog01
never heard of him

@Cerridwyn He’s a horror guy. I bet @riotdemon has heard of him.

@RiotDemon @sammydog01
ah okay
that’s a genre that i don’t really enjoy the modern writers of. too much gore not enough story.

now, i can read h p lovecraft

@Cerridwyn He’s good too.

@Cerridwyn @sammydog01 if it’s not Stephen King, I usually have no idea.

@RiotDemon @sammydog01
somewhere around Cujo I couldn’t read him anymore.

@Cerridwyn because you didn’t like his writing or too fucked up?

@RiotDemon
too fucked up
too much gore for just the sake of gore, not the story line

@Cerridwyn @RiotDemon @sammydog01 I like most older King books. I did not like Cujo book or movie. I seem to go in streaks with King. I read several and then I am done for a time. I enjoy the inside story touches that you find when reading about characters from other books in new ones.

@mossygreen
you’ve just made me wonder if different genres age differently for different people.

I’ve never tried Hammett, but Chandler was one of those I can never get into it because of writing style type of reads.

@Cerridwyn Honestly, I don’t think I’ve read Chandler in 15-20 years. I reread Hammett every few years because I have a 4-novel collection that I always say I’m going to give away, but oh, I should read it first, and then I end up keeping it.

Back in my early 20’s I preferred Chandler for his more flowery style. Hammett was much better at plot structure, but I was not impressed by his more pedestrian prose and leaned towards his Continental Op stories more than the novels. Also, I knew a lot more about Hammett’s personal life because he showed up in biographies of S. J. Perelman and always thought he was a huge jerk.

Anyway, they are very different, and if you like detective mysteries but are not crazy about a lot of adjectives and local color you should give him a try.

@Cerridwyn @mossygreen

down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid …

@sammydog01
Ballard is a pretty interesting writer.

Don’t think he went thru life as “Mr Happy” tho.

@f00l I looked him up- he wrote Empire of the Sun. I saw the movie. That might be a good choice too.

Ready Player One- Ernest Cline

Portrait of Dorian Grey- Oscar Wilde

Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates- Tom Robbins

Chinatown Death Cloud Peril- Paul Malmont

Horrorstor- Grady Hendrix

Frankenstein- Mary Shelley

Bethany’s Sin- Robert McCammon

The Thin Man- Dashiell Hammond

High Rise- J. G. Ballard

Feel free to add any I missed.

@ruouttaurmind There are three of us at least. Maybe give it a couple of days?

@ruouttaurmind @sammydog01
If it’s not on the front page… much sadness I missed it

@Cerridwyn
We are discussing possible book choices for March 2018.

Nominate! Vote!

@f00l @ruouttaurmind @sammydog01
I voted

but i wish bumping threads really bumped threads

and I wish weird gravedigs didn’t mysteriously show up on the front page

Thanks, @sammydog01! I just finished Detroit Charlie LeDuff (good!) and have one more book to finish before starting the book of the month…from January . I voted for Frankenstein by the way.

ignored again