Reading Journal – 6/2/2008 & Book Club Report

June 2, 2008

in Memes & Miscellany

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: In honor of Professor Foster’s impending new book, How to Read Novels Like a Professor, I’m doing a casual rereading of the original. What a lovely book. The Introduction captures, for me, the feeling of sitting in an actual college literature class.

The Book of Lost Things: I requested this book from my library on the recommendation of several bloggers. The beginning of it just breaks your heart. I’m now only about 100 pages in and the plot is quickly moving towards fantasy – what with the weird wolf/humans created by Little Red Riding Hood’s more illicit activities appearing on the scene. I’ll be posting a review of this pretty soon, I’m sure.

Bible: Still plugging away at Numbers. And, for those of you wondering, the numbering of the people ends around chapter ten. Now we are into a lot of whining and striking by lightening.

The New Yorker: I currently have the May 26, 2008 issue stashed in my purse. Not too much has grabbed my attention as yet. I’m halfway through a short story by John Updike called “The Full Glass.” The story didn’t quite capture my full attention. We’ll see if the ending can rescue it. I also skimmed through an article by Jeffrey Toobin on a McCain Court. I was a bit offended by its extreme liberal tone, so Mr. Toobin lost a little of his credibility (earned by most of The Nine) with me.

BOOK CLUB REPORT

Both of my book clubs met last week. First up was a small book club that consists of myself and two other women. We read The Alchemist. I think everyone liked it. Discussion centered more around the individual ramifications of the message, rather than the writing itself. I like the concept of a Personal Legend. The problem is that everyone’s Personal Legend is, well, personal.

Next up was my regular book club. I hosted. About five people attended. We read The Shell Seekers. Unfortunately, I read the book back in January and had loaned out my copy, so I couldn’t review. I wasn’t much help in the limited discussion that ensued. Though I wasn’t much help on specifics, this much I know: READ THE SHELL SEEKERS! Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale is up for June.

Buy How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines or How to Read Novels Like a Professor: A Jaunty Exploration of the World’s Favorite Literary Form at Amazon.com.

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