Originally posted by StarrmanI don't know...who wants the job? Apply here and I'll choose.
Nobody really seems to have much to say on this book, which funnily enough seems to be in keeping with the style of it. Would someone else like to choose the next book? I suppose since I passed to rwingett, he should pass to someone new. Who ya gonna nominate?
Originally posted by rwingettI read Candide ages ago. I didn't realize it until now, but it reminds me of Vonnegut's Sirens of Titan in some way, maybe the black humour.
I think it was the best of all possible books. 😉
It's true that the style was very sparse, but was still very enjoyable. Quite humorous in parts, such as:
And with that they clapped him into irons and hauled him off to the barracks. There he was taught 'right turn', 'left turn', and 'quick march', 'slope arms' and 'order arms', how to a ...[text shortened]... ught a prodigy by his comrades. 😀
Anyway, I'm glad I finally got around to reading it.
"The Men had marched to the parade ground to the sound of a snare drum. The snare drum had this to say to them:
Rented a tent, a tent, a tent;
Rented a tent, a tent, a tent.
Rented a tent!
Rented a tent!
Rented a, rented a tent."
This just before an execution.
I read an excellent article about Jules Verne in this month's Smithsonian Magazine. It's their contention that his writing is much better than he is usually given credit for. Instead of just being gung-ho adventure stories, they often had a darker side to them. One they talked about that sounded particularly interesting is From The Earth To The Moon. It's set in post Civil War America where they build a very large cannon to shoot a rocket to the moon. You can read the first three chapters at amazon.com, and I have to say it's seems pretty darn good. Mr. Verne had quite a sense of wit. I wouldn't mind suggesting this book for a future reading. I'd recommend reading a bit to see what you think:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0553214209/ref=sib_dp_pt/102-5240717-7237701#reader-page
Originally posted by rwingettI have seen the film of this and if it's anything like the book I can reccommend it. It certianly has a great deal of wit and spares no mercy when dealing out sarcasm at the insignificant human squabbles that surround the event. I have always loved JV, although it has been a while since I read him and I have not yet read From the Earth to the Moon.
I read an excellent article about Jules Verne in this month's Smithsonian Magazine. It's their contention that his writing is much better than he is usually given credit for. Instead of just being gung-ho adventure stories, they often had a darker side to them. One they talked about that sounded particularly interesting is [b]From The Earth To The Moon[/b ...[text shortened]... k:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0553214209/ref=sib_dp_pt/102-5240717-7237701#reader-page
Originally posted by StarrmanI didn't read it recently, but I've read it a couple of times in the past. So I should be good to go if anybody wants to start talking.
So, it's way past deadline and everyone seems to have forgotten about this. Did anyone read 'The Trial'? I must confess I have not managed to get to a bookshop and locate a copy. What about the rest of you. Does anyone want to set this rolling again?
Originally posted by StarrmanThe due date was Palm Sunday with Holy Week around the corner. I genuinely tried
Yes, well that doesn't help. Anyone else still around that wants to partake in this or should we leave it to rest?
to read it, but was unable to do so.
If we wish to reconvene with this book, then that's ok with me. If we want to push to
another book, that's fine, too.
Let's not let this rest.
Nemesio