Book Club's topics - tribe.net

Cruise Book - Permanent Passenger: My Life on a Cruise Ship

Micha — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:09:01 GMT

If you are looking for a fun behind the scenes look at living and working on a cruise ship. I recommend Permanent Passenger: My Life on a Cruise Ship. I chronicle my life working for Carnival Cruise Lines and the long search for my dream job.

Permanent Passenger: My Life on a Cruise Ship has been ranked #1 on Amazon for lulu books and has received great reviews. Go to www.permanentpassenger.com to see more on book and www.michathemouth.com for articles and reviews.

Cheers and Beers
Micha Berman

posted in Book Club - 2 replies

Tom Robbins

joytastic — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 17:34:55 GMT

Okay - So I finished my third Robbins book and I'm going to take a break from him for a while. I finished "Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates." I've also read "Jitterbug Perfume" and "Still Life with Woodpecker."

So here is my question . . . Anyone know what his, and I can only call it, unnatural obsession with pyramids is?

I was really enjoying Jitterbug Perfume, so I picked up a third book - Fierce - and we went spiraling right back to the pyramid central theme - just like in Woodpecker. It's not the same story - but does anyone have a theory behind why, despite what seems like a great aptitude for different story telling techniques (Jitterbug is so vibrant and varied) he instead circles the drain, so to speak, on pyramids?

If I read more of his work - will I just be back to reading about how a pyramid might be the end all and be all of the central climax of the story?

~smile~
Meredith0.

posted in Book Club - 16 replies

Lilith Monographs series

leilahpublications — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:20:38 GMT

Thousands of years of myth and legend...awakened.

http://www.amazon.com/Lilith-Monographs-1-Immaculata/dp/1419644963/ref=nosim/?tag=leilahpublic-20/

© Joshua Seraphim Leilah Publications, LLC. All rights reserved.

Lilith's erotic cults linger in novenas to Mary Magdalene, from the cremation grounds of Kali, to orgies in Tibetan monasteries, the Carpocratians, Slavic poems to Baba Yaga, abbeys of the Black Madonna, and unnamed covens spilling ritual blood in the American Southwest desert. Her countless epithets in these cults of eros, are damned in print and song. Consequently, as much as Her erotic cults are damned they are celebrated...

Her "cults" now flourish as singsong brothels of culture across the face of the earth. The immensity of the digital global-age washes our cybershrines to Lilith's timeless Order in erotic excess. That which is beauty lies in the blackness. There is no more desire. There is no more bliss. There is no more mercy. There is no more dream.

The Wise Old Serpent-Mother is celebrated as erotic refrain after refrain in a parade of waiflike model-corpses across nightly entertainment, behind the veils of Muslimahs wailing in blood-filled mosques infesting ancient Babylon, She is the face of every frail beauty-Diva prostituted by corporate daddies, in the heroin needles of those who’s only prayer is death, in the deadly vanity of teenagers posing upon their digital and downloadable altars of self-adoration {think Myspace}, Lilith is the face in the bulimic puke of would-be-doll-girls, behind a masochistic society where sex is at once a mania and anesthesia. Over and over. Your hear Her gentle refrain in crumbling bell-tower of Man.

"The Lilith Monographs" is Leilah Publications' signature series. We examine in a series of three volumes sexuality and its relation to spirituality and religion, sex magic, the evolution of ancient goddesses, sexual prototypes, human psychology and sexual 'deviance,' and much more! The Lilith Monographs Volume II and Volume III release in Spring 2009 and 2010 respectively. Volume I Immaculata begins the series exploring the myth of the Virgin Goddess in Greco-Roman, Christian, and Egyptian mythos. It also contains Rites dedicated to Lilith, created by Joshua Seraphim. Volume II Lailah descends into ritual erotic techniques such as Karezza, Tantra, Kali worship, Buddhism & sexuality, and Sufi sex magic. Volume III {title to be announced} looks at the most deranged, grotesque, and "deviant" aspects of human sexuality such as sadomasochism, fetish, rape, bondage, submission & domination, and more.

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

Burning man novel and associated flap

Meadow — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 04:08:18 GMT

Just finished reading RJ Thomas "The Girl Who Tried To Catch The Man" which was great. Its set entirly at Burning man, and has caused a bit of a flap (for reasons i can't quite understand) on the Burning Man tribe forum. At any rate, its a really good read, and I've found myself going back and rereading sections, which I rarely do.

posted in Book Club - 3 replies

what are your favorite biographies / memoirs?

Eric — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:41:29 GMT

I like Biographies of people who lived interesting lives of all kinds.
Marginally successful people. Reformed degenerates. Criminals. Prison stories.
Respectable folk who have stories to tell.
I know you have read some good ones.
Try these...

"Look me in the eye" by John Elder Robison, funnier than his brother who wrote "Running with Scissors".

"You can't win" by Jack Black - career criminal in SF in the early 1900's

I got more

posted in Book Club - 2 replies

Boomsday

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:03:19 GMT

Anyone else reading/read this?

posted in Book Club - 1 reply

Books I recommend for summer

christina — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 07:51:44 GMT

If you are a guy you will probably not like these books but if you are a female who wants some light summer reading then these are good books I've read or am currently reading that I really enjoyed.

Sweethearts by Sarah Zarr
What looks like Crazy by Charlotte Hughes
Sushi for one? by Camy Tang
Eat, Pray, Love

posted in Book Club - 1 reply

Eat, Pray, Love

shakti411 — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 20:42:48 GMT

I'm about 1/3 of the way through this one because the real time book club I'm in is reading it as this month's selection. One woman in the group read it and loved it. My best friend actually gave me a copy not knowing it was this month's selection.

I'm finding it pretty trite. The author has her struggles with depression and I suppose tries to overcompensate by being funny or clever but it doesn't work for me. Maybe I've been reading too much Doris Lessing. I like something with much more depth. After coming off several books by Lessing with her towering intellect, this book seems like pure fluff. Or maybe I'm now too old for things written by young women? Or maybe it IS just fluff. I'd like to hear any other opinions on it. I'm looking forward to getting into her story about India and also working with the Indonesian shaman. Those topics are more up my alley, so to speak. But I don't look forward to forcing myself through this book to get to those chapters.

posted in Book Club - 7 replies

Vampires

Kevinw66 — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 19:37:05 GMT

I can't believe I am not just getting around to reading Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice. This book is great. Last year I read the Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, anothe amazing book. Maybe I like the Vampire genre. Does anyone else have any recommendations for Vampire books?

posted in Book Club - 35 replies

The Return of Desire by Gina Ogden

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:11:14 GMT

I love this book: The Return of Desire - A Guide to Rediscovering Your Sexual Passion, by Gina Ogden

I just finished it and plan on reading it again, starting tonight!

Basically, the author polled women and men using a survey she calls an ‘ISIS’ Survey and then meshed their answers with stories, anecdotes and exercises. An awesome read. It talks about everything from monogamy, dogma, spirituality, emotional intimacy, bisexuality, communication, masturbation, polyamory and sex toys. It's great to hear others stories and get to hear private experiences and conversations that we usually only share with our closest friends - plus, since the author is a therapist, she gives a very positive spin on desire.

www.ginaogden.com/promo/

Anyone else have good read recommendations??

I took this from the website:

In this book you will discover innovative ways to:

• Open up to the four energies that spark desire
• Create heart-to-heart communication in your sexual partnerships
• Transcend guilt, shame, and "good-girls-don´t" messages
• Heal the sexual wounds of abuse, addiction, affairs, and low self-esteem
• Enjoy sexual pleasure and joy throughout your lifespan— from new love, to parenthood, and even into your golden years, when desire can ripen, like fine wine.

Gina Ogden – a marriage and family therapist and passionate voice in the field of women’s sexuality - invites readers to look beyond sexual performance and offers engaging ways you can say "yes" to pleasure on your own terms. She suggests wise and lively approaches for overcoming roadblocks to intimacy, and encourages you to expand your capacity for love, creativity, compassion, and sacred union.

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

Merle's Door

jen — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:31:03 GMT

I am halfway through Merle's Door. One of the best dog/adventure books I have read. He is also so informative about the history of mankind's relationship with the domestic dog. If you are a dog lover, this is a must read.

posted in Book Club - 2 replies

Selling Books?

Fauxred — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:05:49 GMT

Would anyone be opposed to a fellow book worm who is soon moving out of the country listing some novels I cannot take with me?

posted in Book Club - 7 replies

What's Everyone Reading Continued...

Mon, 30 Aug 2004 18:23:13 GMT

Because I will only scroll so far.

Currently I'm reading a science fiction paperback I picked up at my fav second-hand store: "Clade" by Mark Budz.

Not bad at all.

posted in Book Club - 49 replies

Fantasy & Romance Author seeks feedback!!! Limited time free PDF version

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:26:32 GMT

Hi all! R. Leigh here....

I am the author of The Winds of Asharra, a 600 page combination Fantasy & Romance novel recently published (please check out our site at http://www.thewindsofasharra.com ). We are actively looking for feedback on WOA since it is a crossover product, appealing to both Romance and Fantasy readers (something that has our traditional publishers scratching their heads). We're in the midst of both book launch and site launch time (very hectic) and would like your input.

In keeping with this request for feedback we are now offering the 600 page PDF version of WOA for FREE on our site (sure, we are hoping you will browse it and eventually purchase either the paperback or hardbound version, we admit).

Please check out the FREE pdf version and let us know how we can best market WOA to fantasy and romance readers. We'd really like to help WOA finds its fullest audience. Several bookstores are already getting onboard but we really need some input how to promote this hybrid creature. Consider this as a request to become part of a focus group. We'd really like to know your thoughts about WOA and how to best market it to both Fantasy and Romance fans. Please help the Winds of Asharra reach its audience. Being a crossover product is hard enough as is! Spread the word and show the Big Guys that something new is possible. Help us be carried along by the Winds of Asharra!!!

Thanks for your time!

R. Leigh

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Shakespeare goes digital (X-post)

feiruz_al-bnefsagia — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:59:51 GMT

Why x-posted? It's Shake-freakin-speare!!!

From Reuters via Yahoo news: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080326/tc_nm/britain_shakespeare_digital_dc

A U.S. and British library plan to reproduce online all 75 editions of William Shakespeare's plays printed in the quarto format before the year 1641.

The Bodleian Library in Oxford and Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC have joined forces to download their collections, building on the work of the British Library which digitized its collection of quarto editions in 2004.

In the absence of surviving manuscripts, the quartos -- Shakespeare's earliest printed editions -- offer the closest known evidence of what Shakespeare might actually have written, and what appeared on the early modern English stage.

The project is designed to make all of the quartos, many of which are only accessible to scholars, available to the wider public.

The process of downloading the quartos will begin next month and take a year to complete.

Online visitors will be able to compare images side-by-side, lay one facsimile on top of the other, search plays and mark and tag the texts.

As well as highlighting more minor differences between copies of the same quarto, the digital database will also make it easier to study the often wide discrepancies between quartos, including some of Shakespeare's most famous lines.

"There will be countless new ways for scholars, teachers, and students to examine the quarto texts, particularly of 'Hamlet'," said Folger director Gail Kern Paster.

"You find out all sorts of things -- about how the copies went through the press, and also about the printing process," she added.

Shakespeare wrote at least 37 plays and collaborated on several more between about 1590 and 1613. He died in 1616.

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All Time Favorites

Lilly — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:47:41 GMT

I'll go first:
Mists of Avalon. (and most of Marion Zimmer Bradley's books)
Year of Wonders <--about the plague, but not boring at all. It's sick. In a very good way.
The Lost Art of Keeping secrets. <--about a couple of girls living in England in the 50s..They swoon over Johnnie Ray, and the main character falls for a young magician named Harry, who has crazy hair and two different colored eyes. I think I fell for him too.
Sandman Comics. And basically anything Neil Gaiman. Have read almost everything except American Gods.
Druids. The Greener Shore. Both by Morgan Llewelyn. V.good. Strong stories. Strong, intelligent men and women..
The Peaceful Warrior. (by Dan Millman--he also did 2 after this that I liked...)
The Celestine Prophecy. (we all know this one)

Okay. So, I am a lady, and my movie taste veers towards chick-flicks. So, perhaps anyone who is more into action or whatever the opposite of chick-lit is, may want to keep this in mind.... The books that fall into this possibly slightly-girly category are: The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets, And The Mists of Avalon (ever so slightly)....Still. It's GOOD shit.
Other fetishes include spiritual texts--obviously--Celestine Prophecy, Peaceful Warrior fall into this category.
Also, I kinda have a thing for celtic history (mists of avalon. druids. greener shore.)..Hmm. And a fascination with anything from British. Anyhoo.

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RIP Gary Gygax, Co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons (X-posted)

feiruz_al-bnefsagia — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:42:21 GMT

If it weren't for the creative guys at Tactical Studies Rules (TSR) I doubt we'd have the extensive fantasy- and mythology-based literature and games which are so popular and financially successful today.

Rest well, Gary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Gygax

Feiruz, a second-generation "gamer"

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

Magic Realism

Moobster — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:03:11 GMT

Ive read novels by Marquez, Haruki Murakami, and Jeneatte WInterson, and they are all fabulous writers. Can anyone recommend anyone else?

posted in Book Club - 3 replies

Some really good sci-fi....

stefographer — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:17:14 GMT

What Gibson did with 'cyberpunk' for tech lust.....

MARK BUDZ does similar with 'bio' lust .......

Some of the most enjoyable 'hard science',- but not brainiac masturbation- sci-fi i've read in awhile.....

The first i read by him "Till Human Voices Wake Us"..., kinda didn't light my fire.., but the structure and 'layout' of it was catchy, and kept me interested and discovering along the way, wondering if i was right, most of the way thru....

But it's what i'm reading now - "CLAUDE" that is knocking me out.......

Bioengeneering made normal, after devastating 'ecocaust'..... complete with 'circiutrees', 'nanimals' and 'ecotecture'......

'S cool shyt.....

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

non-fiction: Health, wellness, nutrition

999 — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 07:18:34 GMT

The truth about the drug companies
-marcia angell, MD

the writing diet
-julia cameron

and

Hidden food allergies
-james braly, MD
-patrick holford

thats what i am reading right now.

PLAN to read soon:

eat to live
-joel furman, MD

mindless eating
-brian wansink, PhD

Water, the ultimate cure
-steve meyerowitz

the wheat grass book
-ann wigmore

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Kevinw66 — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 03:50:56 GMT

I'm reading this book now. The opening is catching and I'm really enjoying it. Any thoughts on the book or any of Sara' other books?

posted in Book Club - 6 replies

The way to Christ is simple

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 06:02:08 GMT

God's Blessings often benefit all people. But many of His promises are only for His own children. If you're not sure that you're a part of God's family, He offers you this invitation. The way to Christ is simple:

1. Admit that you have a need.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:23

2. Believe that Jesus is God, the Son, who paid the wages of your sin.

For the wages of sin is death [eternal separation from God]; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:23

3. Call upon God.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:9

King James Version

The Holy Bible

ISBN 978-1-58660-198-0

Barbour Publishing

www.barbourbooks.com

posted in Book Club - 5 replies

For Halloween: "Capote in Kansas: A Ghost Story"

Kim — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:36:49 GMT

Was Boo Radley a real person?

Why didn't Harper Lee ever write another book, after TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD?

What did she see in Kansas, when she was with Truman Capote writing IN COLD BLOOD, that changed her life forever?

Did the ghosts of the murdered Clutters ever visit the very people who brought them back to life?

What made Truman Capote pick up the phone, in the final year of his life, and make one last call to his childhood best friend, now his almost bitter enemy? What does he say that sends her to a cemetery in the middle of the night -- where her family -- and their childhood secrets --are buried?

If those questions intrigue you, then you'll want to read the new novel by Kim Powers, CAPOTE IN KANSAS: A GHOST STORY. It's a sort of "fantasia" about two of our greatest and most mysterious writers, and the inescapable memories that bind them together. But more than just a book about Capote and Lee, it's about all our childhoods: when you played barefoot outside, late into the night, or pretended there was a haunted house in the neighborhood, and didn't understand the grown-up world of adults and death -- or understood it all too well.

Entertainment Weekly says: "Powers astutely summons the intense sorrow behind a life-long friendship gone awry."

Publishers Weekly calls it "welcome", "offbeat" and intriguing."

The Advocate calls it "dark and captivating."

Pulitzer Prize winner Oscar Hijuelos writes: “I thought I knew the story of Truman Capote and Harper Lee. I was wrong. Kim Powers brilliantly brings their strange relationship alive in a way a standard-issue biography never could. Weaving together fact, speculation and fantasy, he creates a sort of emotional biography that will haunt you long after the last page...just as the ghosts of the slain Clutters must have haunted them.”

Maybe best of all, Library Journal, in a starred review, has this to say:
"In his exceptional first novel, Emmy and Peabody Award winner Powers presents us with Truman Capote in the last year of his life. Addled by drugs and alcohol and despairing the wreck his shining life has become, he is plagued by the ghosts of the people whose deaths he chronicled in his greatest book, In Cold Blood. The now-old Harper Lee, or Nelle as she calls herself, is the only one who has a shot at understanding Truman—his childhood friend, she served as companion and researcher on the trip to Kansas that produced In Cold Blood. But Nelle has her own ghosts to exorcise having to do with why she never wrote a second book. In Kansas, Powers speculates, Truman exposed Nelle to her own sexuality, which she continues to suppress. And at his famous 1966 Black and White Ball, green with envy over Nelle's having won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, Truman spreads the rumor that it was he who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, not she. Powers, whose 2006 memoir, The History of Swimming, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick, succeeds brilliantly in blending fact and fiction to produce a sensitive portrait of two lost souls. Heartily recommended for public collections."

VISIT KIMPOWERSBOOKS.COM

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The world is flat

adrienne — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 02:12:52 GMT

for me it's eyeopening but maybe because I keep my eyes half closed!

posted in Book Club - 5 replies

THE EZEKIEL CODE - "I couldn't put it down!" "Entertaining and Enlightening"

Gary — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 07:41:17 GMT

For immediate Release:

October 4, 2007 - Everett, Washington -

THE EZEKIEL CODE
www.ezekielcode.com
By Gary Val Tenuta

It's all here in one puzzling page-turner of a novel: conspiracy, codes, secret societies, ancient mysteries, the prophetic Mayan calendar end-date of 2012, alternative interpretations of Biblical events, mystifying metaphysics, good guys, bad guys, murder most foul and, yes, even a touch of romance. All of this, and more, is intricately woven into the multifaceted storyline of THE EZEKIEL CODE.

Gary Val Tenuta - a Snohomish county resident, former contributing writer for Fate Magazine and a guest on numerous radio programs (including Dreamland, hosted by best selling author Whitley Strieber) - has crafted an exciting mystery novel with an esoteric edge that may upset certain segments of the population while at the same time enthralling others with it's alternative perspective on reality and its vision for the future.

From its cliff-hanger prologue to its stunning and unforgettable conclusion, THE EZEKIEL CODE is a skillful blend of fact and fiction with likable, vividly developed characters: Zeke Banyon, a handsome Catholic seminary dropout who now runs a homeless shelter in Seattle's old waterfront district and Angela Ann Martin, an attractive young widow who just wants a simple part-time job at the shelter. But a single twist of fate turns their simple lives upside down when together they stumble onto a mysterious code and a rumor about a lost scroll penned by the prophet, Ezekiel, thousands of years ago. They soon find themselves thrust into a world of secret societies, metaphysics, mystery, and murder as they jet across continents in a race to understand the code that will lead them to an ancient artifact of profound importance. Dodging rogue Jesuit priests at every turn, they soon discover it's not just their own lives that are in danger but the lives of everyone on the planet.

The clock is ticking… the code must be deciphered… and only one man can save the world - if he can just figure out how - before it's too late.

THE EZEKIEL CODE, a metaphysical mystery/adventure on a grand scale (and already a potential nominee for the 2008 EVVY Awards!), is available now (www.ezekielcode.com).

••••••••• "Entertaining and enlightening" ••••••••••

"This is a course in high strangeness. If you want to know and understand the secret of nine, the Merkaba, alchemy, 2012 and a hundred other streams of knowledge this is the book for you. Gary Val Tenuta has pulled it all together into a fascinating and entertaining novel that challenges the reader to actually think." - Jay Weidner, documentary film producer and co-author of Mysteries of the Great Cross of Hendaye

Read the cliff-hanger prologue and a sample chapter at www.ezekielcode.com.

The Ezekiel Code
By Gary Val Tenuta
ISBN -13: 978-1-4327-0650-0
688-Page Paperback (6x9)
Published by Outskirts Press (www.outskirtspress.com)
Contact the author: TheEzekielCode@aol.com

posted in Book Club - 11 replies

Fantasy Author asking for some feedback

Mark — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 10:53:49 GMT

Hi everyone,

I’m very happy to say that I’ve just had my debut novel published and would love to swap thoughts and opinions on what makes a compelling read. Obviously, some of my motivation is market research, but if I don't ask people who are interested in books who can I ask! With this in mind, what do you think attracts a potential reader? Would it be the front cover like mine below or is it more likely to be on the strength of the synopsis? Just how important is the cover art and what really determines our decision to invest the time to actually sit down and read a book? As a new author, I feel these questions are very important, so any insights you can give will be greatly appreciated. It may help me not to make the same mistakes if I ever get around to writing another one! :)

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/9805/magiclandsamazonfe8.jpg

posted in Book Club - 13 replies

Hi everyone

cindy — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 06:47:53 GMT

I just wanted to say 'hi'.

posted in Book Club - 2 replies

The Father of Hollywood

Gigi — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:55:08 GMT

Hobart Johnstone and Gigi Whitley are considered the patriarchs who presided over the creation of Hollywood. Their city has forever changed the course of history, portraying visions of glamour and romance to a degree unmatched anywhere else. Nestled in hills covered in towering eucalyptus and orange groves, Hollywood was built as part of a grand scheme by visionary developer HJ Whitley, “The Father of Hollywood.” Why did the Los Angeles Times and others in the community give him this title? Whitley Heights was the Beverly Hills of yesteryear, and some of the most impressive homes in Hollywood are located there. Stars like Jean Harlow, Ethel Barrymore, Charlie Chaplin, Marion Davies, W.C. Fields, Harold Lloyd, Carole Lombard, Rudolph Valentino, and many others lived and held legendary parties in the Heights. How did he get them to settle there? What was the magical draw this amazing man possessed? Learn the true story of how Hollywood got its name. To find out more go to www.TheFatherOfHollywood.com.

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The Witch of Portobello

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 08:49:07 GMT

From the Publisher:
How do we find the courage to always be true to ourselves—even if we are unsure of whom we are?

That is the central question of international bestselling author Paulo Coelho's profound new work, The Witch of Portobello. It is the story of a mysterious woman named Athena, told by the many who knew her well—or hardly at all. Among them:

"People create a reality and then become the victims of that reality. Athena rebelled against that—and paid a high price."
Heron Ryan, journalist

"I was used and manipulated by Athena, with no consideration for my feelings. She was my teacher, charged with passing on the sacred mysteries, with awakening the unknown energy we all possess. When we venture into that unfamiliar sea, we trust blindly in those who guide us, believing that they know more than we do."
Andrea McCain, actress

"Athena's great problem was that she was a woman of the twenty-second century living in the twenty-first, and making no secret of the fact, either. Did she pay a price? She certainly did. But she would have paid a still higher price if she had repressed her natural exuberance. She would have been bitter, frustrated, always concerned about 'what other people might think,' always saying, 'I'll just sort these things out, then I'll devote myself to my dream,' always complaining 'that the conditions are never quite right.'"
Deidre O'Neill, known as Edda

Like The Alchemist, The Witch of Portobello is the kind of story that will transform the way readers think about love, passion, joy, and sacrifice.

......

A friend of mine that works at Harper Collins sent this to me here a while back and I - having a dozen plus library books out - just never got to it. I just finished it and turned back to the first page to read again. It is an amazing book - one of those books that holds up a mirror that we don't necessarily WANT to look into, but need to anyway. It completely blew me away!

- Micael

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Library book request - Dynamic Belly Dance

Ramona — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 23:49:04 GMT

Would you like to read a book about the art of belly dancing filled with beautiful photos and illustrations?

If yes, please ask your public library to add to their collection:

Dynamic Belly Dance, The Joyful Journey of Dancemaking and Performing by Ramona
ISBN 978-0-615-13326-3

This book is available to library distributors. If your librarian has questions about availability or needs further info/excerpt/details, go to www.DynamicBellyDance.com

Thanks so much! I'm the author of this new book, and need your help in getting it into libraries.

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

Summer 2007 read(s) in hindsight

Fulano — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 01:30:16 GMT

A friend was telling me how she discovered (and subsequently joined the mass cult of) Francesca Lia Block one summer almost a decade ago. Another told me how he’d always associate the summer of 2000 with The Brothers Karamazov (not exactly my idea of a summer read, but hey…). When asked, I had to admit that this summer would probably go down as the summer I read Jean-Claude Izzo’s Marseilles Trilogy. Has anyone else read this guy?

Izzo’s categorized as a noir writer, but that really doesn’t do him justice. Let me just say, it's amazing how thoroughly Izzo conveys life in Marseilles. One feels one's been there, lived there, suffered there. And now, after reading about it I'm secretly glad I don't live there. But I think you’d be hard pressed to find an author of Izzo’s stripe who writes as well as he does about food. In fact, the Marseilles Trilogy is best read with an abundance of finger foods at hand. Oh, and a glass of wine. Start with “Total Chaos”, then “Chuormo”, and finish the triple course, as I’m about to do, with “Solea”. Sure, his plots can get a bit murky at times, but that’s not why you’ll love him. A perfect summer read.

Hey, I know it ain’t over yet… But when you look back, what book(s) might you associate with summer 2007?

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non-fiction junkie

dragon — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 02:12:13 GMT

can you give me some reccomendations? true crime, auto biographies, and biographies?

thanks!

posted in Book Club - 7 replies

BookFlix?

Emma — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 17:21:18 GMT

I just joined NetFlix, and it's great. I love the flexibility. It got me thinking though, what I REALLY need is a BookFlix. And there are semi-similar programs (mostly run by local groups).
The only really obvious problem (aside from people not reading like they used to. sad!) is that books are more easily damaged/lost than dvds..
Anybody have comments? Criticisms? A lot of money to fund my crazy venture?

posted in Book Club - 11 replies

fantasy

dontknow — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 23:57:45 GMT

I not really a fantasy reader, but for some reason I have been having a craving for it. Maybe fantasy is the right word, maybe its not. Books with fairies, witches, warlocks, elves and the like would be great. Something like Lord of the Rings or Mists of Avalon. I might be being to vague, but I have faith in you readers to give me some good reads! I just remember reading about fairy princesses and unicorns when I was younger and I loved being taken away into those magical lands. Now I would like something like that, but a bit more sophisticated.
Thanks!

posted in Book Club - 14 replies

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

shakti411 — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 23:16:44 GMT

Has anyone read it? If so, did you like it?

She's the author of "Behind the Scenes at the Museum."

I read "Case Histories" in order to keep my word for the reading group I just joined. It's a once-a-month face-to-face group of about 8 women. We meet at a restaurant and eat while we discuss that month's book.

At first the book seemed really frivolous and cutsie. I'm more of a serious type and like more literary things--I LOVED "The God of Small Things," for example. This book seemed more wordy, descriptive, even flowery at first, than the two previous books I had just read, which I imagine made the contrast even sharper. They were "Birth of Venus" and "The Namesake." I found both of those to be written in a more sparse style. But I kept on with the book because I had given my word to the group. I thought I'd give them three months and see how I like it before dropping out. I didn't want to have to spend my precious time reading frivolous stuff.

So I sort of forced myself to continue reading "Case Histories." Once I got into the middle, it really grabbed me! I had read reviews on amazon.com by other readers and knew that three stories would all come together somehow in the end. So I was intrigued by the mystery that created. By the end of the book, I decided it was one of the best books I have ever read! It made me laugh and feel sadness, too. Some places hit so close to home, it felt like the author had read the depths of my mind. I'd say she understands human motivations and impulses at a pretty deep level.

I have had "Behind the Scenes..." sitting on my bookshelf for a very long time. I tried reading it once before and found it to be very frivolous and cute in the beginning. So I had put it back on the shelf. Now I'm reading it commitedly. Comments by reviewers on the back of it sound a lot like a description of "Case Histories," in that they describe how deep the author manages to get into the human psyche.

Okay! That's the first book review I've ever written!

posted in Book Club - 2 replies

I'm the thousandths member

aschleigh — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 23:24:58 GMT

It said 999 before I clicked join and now it says 1000.
What do I win?
I read that Call Me Crazy, Anne Heche book. It was interesting. Not as deep or self reflective as I thought it could be but interesting.
I reading Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach PHD , over again , whenever I am having trouble accepting myself radically.
Anybody have a Power of Now type book to recommend?

posted in Book Club - 3 replies

The Rape of Nanking

minorswing — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 20:08:59 GMT

anyone else read the new English-language version by Iris Chang? Holy shit I can't believe the Japanese massacred so many of my people in one month. From now on, I'm boycotting all Japanese goods until an official government apology is issued, which will never happen.

Did anyone hear how the war criminals in Japan are still celebrated as war heroes? That's sick, if you ask me...

posted in Book Club - 7 replies

Suggestions for books to "read" on a week long road trip?

dandysparkle — Fri, 18 May 2007 00:28:25 GMT

Any suggestions for good reads to tackle on a road trip?

I am going on a week long road trip with my boyfriend and we both love to do the books on disk thing when we travel. (We are driving from one end of the US to the other...)

We have differing tastes in books...

I like Dan Brown, he thought it was okay. I adore Harry Potter, he got lost after book four. Both of us were okay with Michael Crichton, but actually preferred the movies to the books... He reads Sci-Fi/Fantasy, I like mystery and best sellers. My favorite Author these days is Diane Mott Davidson or Amy Tan, his is Terry Pratchett or William Gibson...

Any suggestions on something that we might both enjoy?

posted in Book Club - 3 replies

Social Sampler - a new social networking event

scott — Fri, 11 May 2007 08:00:55 GMT

Social Sampler

meet and talk with other book readers...

http://www.SocialSampler.com

Try something new... Meet someone new...
28 activities 7 rooms 6 hours 300 chairs 10,000 square feet
6 pm to 12 midnight Saturday May 26
$12 general - $6 Students with ID
each Fourth Saturday of the Month
Oakland Veterans Hall
200 Grand Avenue, Oakland CA 94610
info Scott (650) 326-6265
scottFNW@pway.com
Light refreshments. Large parking lot. Casual comfortable attire. All ages.
Average age 30. Average attendance 150 - 250.
A non alcohol event. Join, watch, or wander activities. several helpful hosts

CONVERSATION TABLES: Movies, Books, Relationships, Culture, Tech, Dining, Humor, Random Chat, Artists, Networking, Writers, Harry Potter, Pets, Weather, Vacations; DANCING: Waltz, Swing, Latin SOCIAL : Board games, Card games, Social games, Sing alongs, Script Read alouds, Costumers club, Toys, Food sampler

Conversation Tables
Each Conversation table has a different theme such as Movies, Books, Relationships, Culture, Tech, Dining, Humor, Random Chat, Artists, Networking, Writers, Harry Potter, Pets, Weather, and Vacations.

Each table has a deck of cards with a different topic on each card. Each card is turned over one at a time. People talk about the topic as they wish until everyone who wants to talk is finished. Then the next card is turned over. For example, for the Movie Table, topic cards include “Your favorite movie?” “Your favorite actor?” “Your worst movie experience?” “Your favorite theatre” “Your favorite movie snack?”. Similar topic cards decks are set on each conversation table. You may participate or just listen. You may join or leave any table at any time. There is a host at each table to answer questions.
Movies Table May 26 -a table each for Spiderman III, Shrek III, Pan's Labyrinth, movies in general.
Books Table Recent book discussion, writing, literature, business of authorship
Relationships Table Romance and Relationships discussion
Culture Table Symphony-dance-opera-ballet-theatre
Technology Table Technology, computers and science fiction
Dining Table cooking, fine dining, restaurant, food, cooking experiences
Humor Table Read Jokes, write cartoon captions
Random Chat Table There are 100 cards: "What was the oddest thing you have ever seen?""What is your worst hair day?" “What was your worst job experience?" "Most embarassing moment?"
Artists Exchange Table Exchange techniques, shows, art
Networking Table Business Networking: startups, marketing strategy, IPO, financing
The Writers Exchange Table mutual help for new writers and authors
Harry Potter Table movies, books and trivia
Pets Table cute pet stories, pet health
Vacations Table favorite vacations, budget vacations, dream vacations
Weather stories Table Everyone has interesting stories about weather. Blizzards, hurricanes, earthquakes, hail

Dancing
Waltz Dancing Dj music for Waltz, Polka, Congress of Vienna, Bohemian National Polka
Swing Dancing Dj music for Lindy, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, Shag, Balboa, Blues dances
Latin Dancing Dj music for Salsa, cha cha, samba, mambo, bachata, cumbia dances

Games Room
Social games including charades, acronamatic, the question game, story time, WHAT IF? There are social board games in the room: pick up a social board game, select a table, and invite other to play with you. You may leave any game at any time. All games stop after 30 minutes so that everyone can try other games.

Board games including cranium, outburst, monopoly, Pictionary. There are social board games in the room: pick up a board game, select a table, and invite other to play with you. You may leave any game at any time. All games stop after 30 minutes so that everyone can try other games

Card games including Hearts, Holmes Card Game, Magic: Mamma Mia, other. There are many decks of cards and many specialty card decks. Pick out a game, select a table, invite others to join. You may leave any game at any time. All games stop after 30 minutes so that everyone can try other games.

Social Rooms

Toys
Legos, Tinker Toys, K’nex, Erector sets, modeling clay, group jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzle. You are welcome to play with the toys and invite others to join you.

Script read-alouds
reading aloud scripts from TV, plays, movies, such as the Simpsons, Seinfeld, Friends, Mash, All in the Family, Hamlet, Shakespeare in Love,Buffy, Coupling, American Beauty. There are many scripts on the table. Pick one that you would like to read aloud. Select a table, invite others to join in. Everyone selects a character, and start reading aloud.

Food Sampler There is a different food sampler each Social Sampler. Some food sampler themes are ice creams, chocolates, coffees, potato chips, cookies. Odd Ice Creams with be sampled for May 26: Avacado, Buko (Baby Coconut), Ginger, Green Tea, Halo Halo (Buko, Langka, Ube, Pineapple, Mongo &Sweet Beans), Langka (also known as Jackfruit, a relative of the Fig), Lychee, Mango, Thai Tea, Sweet Coconut, and Ube (purple Yam).

Costumers Club activities include swap or sell fabric, clothing, or costumes' sewing circle talk; or meet potential new clients about new costumes, tuxes, or gowns; or finish a costume in a 'stitch and bitch' session. This is a group for costumers and seamstresses who make costumes, gowns, wedding dresses, and clothing for such events as Renaissance Faire, Dickens Faire, Science Fiction costume masquerade balls, Halloween balls and events, Sea of Dreams NYE, Anon Salon events, Costume cons, Belly Dancers outfits, Greater Bay Area Costume Group events, Art Deco's Gatsby picnic, Newport Week, San Francisco Waltzing Society, Friday Night Waltz New Year's Eve formal Waltz Balls, Peers and Gaskells formal balls.

Sing alongs
Sea Shanteys are songs traditionally sung by sailors to accompany and set the rhythm for certain kinds of heavy, repetitive work on board ship—raising and trimming the sails, raising the anchor, and working the pumps.

Musicals are the songs from musical plays and movies, such as Sound of Music, Grease, Singing in the Rain, Brigadoon, Hair, My Fair Lady, Oklahoma, Guys and Dolls.

Folk songs are just that: traditional folk songs

posted in Book Club - 2 replies

New Belly Dance book

Ramona — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:58:16 GMT

Info at www.DynamicBellyDance.com includes the "I love bellydancing" commercial, author reading an excerpt, reader comments and info.The book has lots of photos, and discusses the relationship of dance and nonverbal communication, plus techniques for dancemaking, dance psychology, understanding how music is created, and more. Readers who are actresses, psychologists, dancers, and theatre-lovers say this book gives them a lot of food for thought. Autographed copies available via the website.

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

christine — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 00:26:33 GMT

A very old man with enormous wings!

My daughter has to write an essay about this short story, and frankly we are abit lost.
ANy views comments are welcome!

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

REALLY good sci-fi ....

stefographer — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 18:16:29 GMT

Almost finished with "Counting Heads" by David Marusek......

Some of the best sci- fi i've read since William Gibsons' stuff....., and along the same uber-future vein.....

posted in Book Club - 17 replies

I am Pencil by Sam Swope

jenlee — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 14:01:06 GMT

I just finished this book and I was very impressed. This tells the story a author who decides that childern need to have the abiltiy to tell their own stories. He teaches a class elem. stundents and finds that his story becomes a part of theirs. I recommend this book to anyone who loves childern and their power to make anything become "real". I found it to be inspiring.

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

World Book Day

Val — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 13:22:00 GMT

It's World Book Day (in some parts of the world!) so here are my five faves for the day... "The Invitation", Oriah Mountain Dreamer; "Fire in the Head (Shamanism and the Celtic spirit)", Tom Cowan, "Conversations With God", Book 1, Neale Donald Walsch, "Believing in Faeries (A Manual for Grown-ups)", Marcia Zina Mager - and any collection of Rumi!

posted in Book Club - 1 reply

xpost Where do you buy used books online?

Tentacular — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 00:15:26 GMT

I used to live in a town with a wonderful second-hand bookstore. Now, alas, i do not. And I'm broke. But I MUST have books. So where do you all buy used books online?

thanks!

posted in Book Club - 8 replies

Traveling books

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:54:42 GMT

I have a friend that is traveling soon and I wanted to get him a good book. Here are the issues with him. He doesnt read very much because he looses patience reallllly fast with books. But, a flight from here to downunder is, long. The only book that I am aware that he has actually finished was The Divinci Code. Really simple reading. Any help?

posted in Book Club - 3 replies

Your Favorite Self Help Book

MRRAAOOOWLf..feh..eh — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 20:11:01 GMT

Which book was most helpful ?

posted in Book Club - 36 replies

Awesome Downloads

Gem — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 03:03:46 GMT

Hi!

I'm Gem and I'm new to the community. I hope I haven't been over posting this. I love to read and write and I'm so glad to have found so many tribes on here dedicated to books and I can't wait to read some of the recommendations.

I'm writing to suggest that some of you consider looking at http://www.wildshorepress.com. I'm one of the authors, but that isn't the only reason I'm posting. (They are looking for authors though, so if you are looking to submit work...) Dr Donald Elwell has a few books already up (In the Shade is amazing, and the upcoming Ganymede Protocol and Coyote trilogy are equally wonderful) and Mai Reynold's Zarabeth's World is entirely adorable. Jim Henriques, a musician from the band Science NV, will also soon have a few science fiction novels coming out. The books are available in hard copy, but if you opt for a download the price is much lower.

Well, Thanks for your time and I can't wait to read some of the other recommendations on here!
Love and HEARTS
Gem Oddfellow

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

For the record ......

stefographer — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 03:05:09 GMT

......... Full disclosure.

STILL haven't been able to bring myself to actually FINISH 'Fledgling'.......

It's been about 5 months since i got down to these last 60+ pages......

AND CANNOT BRING MYSELF TO FINISH it.....................

I'm a punk-ass bitch.

smile

I think i'll have to re-read some of the first i read by her -

("Mind of MY Mind" - http://www.amazon.com/Mind-My-Octavia-E-Butler/dp/0446361887
review - http://www.sfreviews.net/mindofmymind.html#

"Patternmaster" - http://www.amazon.com/Patternmaster-Octavia-E-Butler/dp/0446362816
review - http://www.sfreviews.net/patternmaster.html )

..... or at least get some joy from spreading her around.....

The thread i started about it.........
http://tribes.tribe.net/readerstribe/thread/c9bca896-44ce-4a7f-88c0-36b4012f55da

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

erotic recommendations

adillus — Sun, 04 Sep 2005 03:23:36 GMT

my book club theme for the month is "the erotic", which i am to chose a book for. i am a fan of the likes of ondaatje and nabakov, rather than anything traditionally found in the romance section. any recommendations for a well written story with some hot passages would be greatly appreciated.

posted in Book Club - 24 replies

Overrated books

aaron — Mon, 21 Jun 2004 12:45:02 GMT

Ever pick up a book, so excited by the hype or reviews and end up not liking it, even accounting for your opposing preferences or tastes.

posted in Book Club - 64 replies

Whatcha get?

onyxhawke — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 17:30:53 GMT

Anyone get any good books for the Holidays?

I did not, just several gift certificates. None of them to my fave store. Oh well, i'll live. :-)

posted in Book Club - 10 replies

Big Book Sale

Arion — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 19:06:15 GMT

Book Oasis of Livermore is closing after thirteen years. All books have been slashed to 60% off. Bookcases, chairs, furnishings and more are negotiable. All offers will be considered. Large stock of Science Fiction, Romance, Thriller, Education, Self-Help, Cookbooks and more. Take advantage of this sale before it's all gone. Doors close for good soon! Directions at www.bookoasis.biz

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

White Mischief by James Fox

milkyway — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 20:57:55 GMT

I read this book almost 20 years ago and reread it recently. White Mischief tells the true story of an unsolved murder of an English lord in Kenya (the story was also made into a feature film). Both readings were equally fascinating for me--impressive detective work and an unforgettable portrayal of a deeply self-indulgent and exploitative culture.

posted in Book Club - 1 reply

The Gormenghast Novels by Mervyn Peake

Glenn_B — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 15:11:27 GMT

I dug through the old fantasy & trilogy threads and didn't see them mentioned. A tribe search didn't turn up much either, just some fleeting references. Are these books really that obscure? Is it much more so in America than in Peake's native England? He seems to be passed over in favor of Tolkien.

Well, these three novels certainly don't deserve to be buried & forgotten. They're among the best I've ever read! The isolated fantasy outpost Peake dreamed up is beyond easy description or comparison. It lacks the supernatural settings of much fantasy fiction. No dragons, wizards, or spells in here. The language itself is the magic. Peake writes like no one else I know of. His painterly words and descriptions (he actually was an artist, as well as an author) are really something to be savored and re-read. It's a brooding fairy tale, written for adults (keep you dictionary handy) with prose that will spark your own imagination.

These novels did take time & effort to get through, however. It's over 1,000 pages in the combined paperback edition. And Peake takes it slow, taking his time to describe, in intricate detail, all the numerous details of his alternate world and its eccentric characters. Sometimes he takes several pages to describe a single moment or particular aspect of a character's thoughts. I had to put it down halfway through, simply from fatigue of mind & imagination. But I resumed it a month or two later with relish and an increasing appreciation of Peake's genius.

What are your thoughts? Have you seen the BBC adaptation?

posted in Book Club - 12 replies

Kids Literati

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 04:00:23 GMT

I want to let you all know about my children's book review blog called Kids Literati. I post reviews of my favorite kids books, classics from my childhood, the best of my kid's bookshelf, and new releases. Check it out and let me know what your favorite books are that I should review!

Kids Literati - Kidlit Book Blog
www.kidsliterati.squarespace.com

posted in Book Club - 4 replies

New Pynchon book out this month

Sat, 04 Nov 2006 21:31:44 GMT

Thomas Pynchon's new book _Against the Day_ looks really good. yey!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Against_the_day

if you are planning on reading it and want to discuss with other as you do, check out our new tribe:
http://tribes.tribe.net/againsttheday

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

Secret History by Donna Tartt?

Miss Julie — Thu, 11 May 2006 17:30:09 GMT

Anyone read this one? I'm about finished re-reading it and it's devouring my brain. I just wondered if anyone else had read it and thought: "Holy crap, I need therapy." It starts off so deceptively charming and quickly turns very dark.

Also, I know Tartt wrote another novel, Little Friend, which received mixed reviews and I'm wondering if it's worth a try -- anyone read that?

posted in Book Club - 14 replies

Heal or steal

Robert — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 19:56:24 GMT

Healing or stealing.

"Leave and breathe with all your heart because life goes on" This is a lyric that rings true and even when there is a deficiency with every system there is an adaptation that compensates for this. Kleptomanics treatment for thier deviance is an voltage which is foddered or fostered by societal activation which effortlessly best reinforces this inherently dysfuntional trait as it can grossly be generalised that taking something that is not yours or is not earned is not recognised with respect or endowed with elevated social status unless garnered thorough honest hard work and with efficient mechanisms like honesty, fortitude and reverence much like that which is evident in the profoundly uncomplicated and effortlessly veracious sincere utterances of Fortune 500 CEO's.

But enough of the understated remarks and let us realign duplicit dealings with the ill habit of pick pocketing, shoplifting and salemanship as remarkly direspected means of earning a living unless you are the third capo di tutti capi in line and have a mission to feed your family becuase this really is what it is all about. If you don't feed your family will not survive and that is often disregarded as an admirable trait in a court of law unless you are O.J Simpson then please don't hesitant to make that allegedly lewd, malicious, and treacherously beautiful lady "sleep with the fishes".

So what started as a licence to live and let live has moved under the guise of criminal intent to a comtempibly despicable grey area of honourable actions and respect. Hmm, how simple it can be to be a well-adjusted positively contributing member of society even when diagnosed with a incurable , mentally rooted Freudian profiled illness such as kleptomania.

Ooohh someone make my mummy come into the room dressed as Mother Theresa, i just contributed my illgotten gains to the benefit of psychiatric research and i got the need to watch her suckle on my primary gamete producer effusively. Opps i just gave up the innucuous rationale for urban deviance so please guys don't look away when steve comes to you inviting you over for a night cap. He has done his fair share for society and will also include his room mate Christina.

PS: Please don't get industrous with this material :)
reply to this post

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

"The Demon Under the Microscope"

Tom — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 17:28:56 GMT

Yes, it's my book, just released last week, so I'll let the critics do the talking (below). BookTV is filming me tonight! See www.thomashager.net if you want to know more. Tom

“The fascinating story of the world’s first antibiotic. . . . A rousing, valuable contribution to the history of medicine.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Grips the reader from the first paragraph. . . . a story of dedication, luck, tragedy and triumph that’s still relevant today.” – Bookpage

“Highly entertaining reading. . . . it is testament to Hager's skill that the inherently unsexy process of finding the chemicals that might help conquer strep is as exciting as an account of the hunt for a Russian submarine.” – Publishers Weekly

“A well-told tale of trail-blazing science.” – Booklist

“Highly recommended.” – Library Journal

“This is a grand story, and Mr. Hager tells it well, describing the birth of a new era in medicine -- soon to include penicillin and streptomycin -- and the difference it made to mankind. One can easily imagine 'The Demon Under the Microscope,' like 'Microbe Hunters' before it, inspiring in young, idealistic readers the enthusiasm for medical research and the zeal for healing that generates great physicians.” – Wall St. Journal

“Surprisingly entertaining. . . . [Hager’s] enthusiasm for the search for a ‘magic bullet’ drug in the early 20th century is infectious. He convincingly credits sulfa drugs for some of the most revolutionary and catastrophic moments in medicine. And anecdotes about the famous people affected – from Calvin Coolidge to Eleanor Roosevelt – are narrative spoonfuls of sugar.” – Entertainment Weekly

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

lucky reads

adillus — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 12:58:30 GMT

i need to find a book dealing in some way with the idea of Luck, for my bookclub.
i'd love any suggestions for a good read.
thanks!

posted in Book Club - 3 replies

Essay Collections

Glenn_B — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 19:26:58 GMT

I recommend "How to be Alone" by Jonathan Franzen & "A Collection of Essays" by George Orwell.

Which ones do you folks like? Is Chuck Klosterman any good? Was Chuck Palahniuk's recent collection worth buying (I liked his early novels well enough)?

posted in Book Club - 2 replies

Celebrate your freedom to read (Xposted)

feiruz_al-bnefsagia — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 17:48:30 GMT

From: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/09/celebrate-your-freedom-to-read.html:

What was your favorite book when you were in school? Did F. Scott Fitzgerald give you an inside look at a world of glamorous parties where the wealthy fell in love and went home with their feelings hurt? Did Holden Caulfield speak directly to your inner misanthrope? For decades, literary classics such as The Great Gatsby and The Catcher in the Rye have had a profound impact on millions of readers. Yet every year, there are hundreds of attempts to remove great books from schools and libraries nationwide. Fortunately, the American Library Association and many other organizations are fighting back with Banned Books Week, taking place this year Sept. 23-30.

For 25 years, libraries and bookstores nationwide have been celebrating the freedom to read during Banned Books Week, which is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the Association of American Publishers, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the National Association of College Stores, and endorsed by the Library of Congress Center for the Book.

Now Google has joined the party. At google.com/bannedbooks, you can use Google Book Search to explore some of the best novels of the 20th century which have been challenged or banned. And while libraries and bookstores around the country celebrate the 25th anniversary of Banned Books Week with special readings, displays, and more, you just might end up with a visit to your local library or bookstore and an old favorite or a new banned book in hand.

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

Found a Book

turtlebeanz — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 06:59:03 GMT

I find books all the time. I find them in my building and in weird locations outside. And the weird thing is, it's so often something I wind up being really happy to read. Like some good book fairy knew what I was needing and left it just where I'd be walking. Does this happen to anyone else? Maybe I'm a book manifestor.

posted in Book Club - 3 replies

LibraryThing!

justsayjo — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 02:26:51 GMT

is addictive
www.librarything.com
it limits you to 200 books unless you pay them, though $10 doesn't seem so bad for a library archiving addiction :)

posted in Book Club - 12 replies

Life in a small town / village

Dragonsp — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 07:52:58 GMT

I really liked the Miss Read books when I read them a few years ago. I've been using the Amazon recommendations software to get book rec's to request from the library (sorry, Amazon, I'm just cheap that way), and it came up with the Life in Mitford books.

Finished the first one (At Home in Mitford), and I loved it. It's a bit long, but if you just think of it as a zillion serials all bound together, then it's not as bad as it looks :)

Nice and sweet and calming and reminiscence-inspiring. Highly recommended.

posted in Book Club - 2 replies

Favorite Historical Fiction

Glenn_B — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 00:01:58 GMT

I'm new to the genre & I just finished "Flashman" by George MacDonald Fraser and loved it. What are some of your favorite historical novels?

posted in Book Club - 42 replies

Cut down your favourites list

justine — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 10:29:37 GMT

www.abillionbooks.com
Do you find you have a whole list of book sites (amazon, alibris etc.) in your favourites list making it irritatingly time-consuming to scroll through to find the one you want? I replaced at least eight bookmarks with this single bookmark to make it easier to get where I want to go. Has anyone else tried it yet? Okay, now to fess up. I developed the site myself but I honestly didn't figure out that use for it until the site was up and running. Feedback please!

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

Tip Toe into Joyce

mikmms — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 00:20:25 GMT

A thought...
I wonder if anyone is interested in reading James Joyce's DUBLINERS in a casual, book-club type group. Honestly, this book changed my whole life and the way I look at art in general. My not-so-secret hope is that other folks would fall in love with Joyce's work as I have and we could later go through Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and then maybe even Ulysses. But we would take it slowly and keep things about the joy of our subjective reading experiences, rather than the drudgery of 'decoding' the prose. If you've ever wondered what all the hubbub is about but been intimidated by your first perusal of any of these works, this might be a group for you.
I know there's a lot of hot air on tribe about doing stuff and then nothing really happens, but I've successfully organized numerous gatehrings here, so if you're interested in this, do let me know and something good WILL happen!

Cheers all!
:)
Mike

posted in Book Club - 11 replies

tomorrow wed-28th Summer/Paris

abha — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 20:00:10 GMT

Reminder:
Book reading from new novel That Summer in Paris.
7pm on June 28th at the Chelsea Barnes & Noble (675 Sixth Avenue at 22nd Street).
Free

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

A book for bibliophiles...The Shadow of the Wind...Zafon

heather_m — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 03:41:43 GMT

This book is something. Anyone else read it? This one was lyrical and textured; a suspense, a romance, great characters.

posted in Book Club - 1 reply

New Reads + List of Likes

ninjaberry — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 00:29:13 GMT

~greetings~

i'm searching for new reads - to get an idea of what i enjoy, here's a short list of what i enjoy:
The diaries of Anais Nin
The Bell Jar
Cunt by Inga Muscio
Corelli's Mandolin
Kerouac
Ginsberg
Francesca Lia Block
The Never Ending Story

Those are some titles/authors i can think of off the top of my head. I'm also reading essays by E.B. White, and enjoy feminist and food activism books. I'm looking for something inspirational for myself (as a writer and english major in college).

Any thoughts are lovely! Also, i've struggled with science fiction - i've had ursula deguinn recommended (i think that's how her name is spelled), but i've been turned off to the style. anything fantastic to check out?

love and ninjaberries,
Witch Baby

posted in Book Club - 14 replies

Misquoting Jesus

Dragonsp — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 22:40:15 GMT

(by Bart D Ehrman)

Excellent treatise on the hows and whys the New Testament has been altered through time.

The author focuses mostly on the first several centuries CE (leaving out my favorite stories of mistranslation, which came with the King James), discussing how amateur scribes, scholars, and professional scribes were all responsible for the Bible as we know it today not being *exactly* the way it was.

It's said to be the first book that deals with Biblical textual criticism written for the layman; certainly, it's the first that I've seen. Very readable, very interesting, and very detailed. Two thumbs up :)

posted in Book Club - 3 replies

The Celestine Prophecy

adrienne — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 06:26:31 GMT

I feel everybody read this book alreay, I just got it in my hand...
Any thoughts?

posted in Book Club - 15 replies

new tribe that may be of interest

hilarysunflower — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 20:07:35 GMT

For all you C.S. Lewis/Chronicles of of Narnia fans, especially those interested in the new Narnia films being made, there is a new tribe you may want to join:

http://tribes.tribe.net/narnia

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

New Dark Fiction Available Now

magdalenos — Mon, 22 May 2006 21:10:24 GMT

I am very pleased to announce that my short story Collection, "Shaytan Rising" is now available from Lulu Press.

From the press release:

"Shaytan Rising is a collection of five short stories which examine the dark sides of the self. Kyle Sennett wrote Shaytan Rising , compiling five of his best short works. The title story SHAYTAN RISING tells the tale of a man who finds himself inexorably drawn to a dark force that he cannot identify until he becomes that dark force himself. SHE is the tale of the Old Gift and the terrifying creature who is its keeper. CONFESSIONS OF A DJINI takes a more humorous tone, exposing the secrets of the wish-granting spirits eternally tied to their lamps. In BACKLASH we meet Jessica, who has returned to her family home and her family's secrets. And finally in THE CIRCLE we meet a coterie of magicians who are plagued by an urge demon, Abraxas, and the machinations of their own superiors within their secret Order."

PLEASE SUPPORT A NEW AUTHOR AND BUY MY BOOK. IT'S ONLY $14.99

http://www.lulu.com/content/311163

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

Mel Brooks loves my new book!

joebobmichael — Mon, 22 May 2006 20:23:04 GMT

hi all I have a quirky book out called Man, Interrupted. I have two oscar winners on the cover and I'm working on the screenplay now. go to www.amazon.co.uk to check it out. I'm from Lousiana and still live here. Jim if you read it give me some feedback at joebobmichael13@yahoo.com best Jim

posted in Book Club - 1 reply

Any other Thomas Berger fans here?

Sun, 21 May 2006 20:43:34 GMT

The guy's such a stylistic chameleon, I wonder if anyone's enjoyed all of his literary forays. I've enjoyed a good many: Orrie's Story, Suspects, The Feud, Neighbors, Little Big Man, Meeting Evil, and Best Friends.

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

dog lovers book

hilarysunflower — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:26:18 GMT

Okay, so it's not exactly great literature, but it's certainly entertaining and a must-read for all true dog-lovers out there... Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan. I just read it on a cross-country flight and it had me laughing and crying and totally engaged for the whole trip.

If you've ever loved a dog, you'll love this book.

posted in Book Club - 3 replies

so... i wrote a novel.

kristopher — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 00:53:42 GMT

i hope you guys don't think this shameless self-promotion is off-topic or anything - but the tribe is called 'book club' and the description says to recommend a good read. not to mention, the whole distribution paradigm is rather unique and some of you might dig that too - we tried to keep it as purely pro-artist and pro-audience as we could.

anyway, it's called Click. you can read it for free at www.anothersky.org and even buy a very cool trade paperback of it at a price you set. people seem to dig it, maybe you will too.

another sky press (the publishing company), and what it stands for, is pretty much as important to me as the novel itself. this project was the culmination of years of effort and i'm trying to do it right from start to finish. if you dig it, spread the word - i need all the grass roots i can get.

the goofy mumbo jumbo marketing speak:

Intelligent fiction for the mentally unhinged. Click is urban grit of the highest order - a first person romp through the unreality of an unnamed metropolis in which the protagonist is stalked by his inner demons while half-heartedly trying to save the world. Fun and excitement for the whole dysfuntional family, Click is not to be missed.

the 'back of book' blurb:

Click's hero is experiencing glitches in the universe. He may have tapped into a strange ability which gives him control over the world around him. Or, there's the disturbing possibility that he's a case study in paranoid schizophrenia. After all, they might be after him.

He's falling apart and to make matters worse, his girlfriend may just be crazier than he is. Forced to face his fears and come to terms with his own flawed nature, he must discover what it means to truly evolve.

thank you,
kristopher

posted in Book Club - 8 replies

buk? Interesting concept...

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 03:47:50 GMT

It's not a book, per se, it's a pamphlet. They're cheap, some are famous, some are classics, some are new. Seems like an interesting idea. Anyone read these? Have opinions?

(http://www.bukamerica.com/index.html)

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

looking for a book

Omar — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 14:34:50 GMT

I heard of a book once about how to raise a boy to not be emotionally shut down, but I can’t remember what the title of the book was. If anyone knows the book that I’m talking about please refresh my memory. I’d really like to read this book so that I would become a good father to my 5 month old baby boy. I think the book was titled “something something …don’t cry’.

posted in Book Club - 2 replies

When Heaven Freezes Over-Anne Rice finds Jesus

Andrew — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 22:37:10 GMT

You want true stories of the undead? You got'em!!!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9785289/site/newsweek/

posted in Book Club - 20 replies

New Tribe invite Positive recognition for the one who made us possible: "My Parents Did It!"

Avastar — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 06:56:39 GMT

Everyone has someone: Parent, Surrogate, Teacher, Sibling, who has made all the difference in their life. A new tribe "My parents Did It!" seeks to honor the one person who made the goodness in us possible. Please come to "My Parents Did it!" to post positive recognition for the one who made your life best.

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

First Chapters

Avastar — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 03:01:16 GMT

I once attempted to publish a novel that was turned down repeatedly. A publishing friend told me that no matter the rest of the novel the first chapter is the only one that counts - If a reader can't get through it without a blink and a yawn the novel is dead.

So I've come here, to lovers of books - to find a test audience for the new beginning to my novel. I hope you won't yawn, but if you do I hope you will tell me where and what caused the loss of attention.

You'll firnd the first chapter of Quest of the Seven Keys posted on my Bio page in the Blog section. If you would be so kind, please take a glance and let me know if you, as a serious reader, would wish to read on after that chapter. Thank you all in advance for both positive and negative comments.

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

George R.R. Martin's Feast of Crows

Thamos — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 04:44:19 GMT

Has anyone read Feast of Crow's Yet? This is his fourth book in what is appearing to a very Epic "Song of Ice and Fire" series. I am very interested in speaking to anyone who wants to talk about the series.

posted in Book Club - 17 replies

bookcrossing.com

kristendvineyard — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 19:47:27 GMT

have any of you had experience with this? I love the idea! Why didnt i think of it!! hahhah...

posted in Book Club - 8 replies

serial novel with a twist

Josh — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 16:46:01 GMT

Hi everyone,

I would like to announce the launch of my new serial novel project called "Murkworld".

Each week a new chapter will be made available for free at www.plothinge.com and in libraries and schools across Canada. The end of each installment ends with the following week's chapter being able to proceed in one of two directions. An upcoming real-world event is given and the possible outcomes of that event are assigned to the two possible plot directions.

For example, at the end of a chapter, Captain Cogs is trying to outrun a fleet of Navy ships. A real-life event that is scheduled to occur during the following week is then selected, like the outcome of a political election. The reader is then informed that if Candidate A wins the election the following week, then Cogs will successfully outrun the soldiers and escape from their clutches. If Candidate B wins however, Cogs will find himself at the mercy of the military and sentenced to walk the plank!

The following week’s chapter will then unfold based on which Candidate wins. It’s an exciting formula that blends fact with fiction in a very unique way!

You are cordially invited to visit www.plothinge.com for more information and to join this fun and exciting storytelling adventure!

Thanks
Josh

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

would you like to have a try?

culturalman — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 08:45:45 GMT

I made a group: "American English", I want to put an introduction article and an introduction poem there. Any 1 can have a try to write a poem or/and an article for my group, you can also choose 1 for me. please reply the invitation I posted in my group. I 'll let my group members to vote and decide which one is the most suitble. thank you very much indeed! you can refer to my introduction writing, of course that is not a good one.^_^

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

recomend me a book pls

culturalman — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 02:39:29 GMT

I have some sparetime now,so wanna translate an English book into Chinese,but the book must at least have these conditions as following(otherwise the publishing houses in China won't be willing to publish it or you have pay the publish money by youself):
1.the book hasn't been translated into Chinese yet.
2.it's popular or welcomed by many people.
3.I don't have money to pay for the author,but if the publish house is willing to pay for the author then it is ok,but I guess it's impossibe now 'cause the severe publishing competition in China now.
4.the book isn't too thick.
5.seems we can preview the good selling in China.
6.novels are hard now 'cause too many,seems a book about culture,science,music,pets,celebs,pop singers,immigrants....would be better.
7.I can co-operate with the author or the recommeder.
in a word,I can't pay money to the publishing house for this book 'cause I say honestly I dont have money to risk now.I wanna earn a little from this book at least I don't lose money.
many thanks!^_^
from "American English"group: small potato

posted in Book Club - 3 replies

Become a book reviewer

bobs — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 21:27:21 GMT

(Not sure if this is UK only)

Are you a bit of a lit chick? If you love books and sounding off about them then apply to be a New Woman book reviewer (and that means getting FREE BOOKS!). You must be willing to read a minimum of one book within three weeks and comment in writing on each of them. Plus, your review could go in the pages of New Woman magazine and website. To apply :
http://www.newwoman.co.uk/book_club/join.asp

posted in Book Club - 4 replies

Deep Survival

trevtherev — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 06:25:12 GMT

appearing in the popular paperback section. A quick read, not professinal prose but told by an aficionado and practioner of the subject matter. Supposed to answer the question why some folks live to tell the tale of harrowing circumstances while others succumb to the elements. The analysis and explanation are non-extraordinary but the stories of near death escapes and failures are engrossing even though they are told intertwined and intermingled with commentary. I will certainly look at nature with a wary eye in my next sojourn therein.

posted in Book Club - 2 replies

2 + 2 Excellent book for managers!

Quddus — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 23:27:17 GMT

Formula 2+2-- the Simple Solution for Successful Coaching. By Allen and Allen, is probably one of the best coaching books out there.

They've also written another book which uses the same system for the educational sphere.

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

book donations

Aisha — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 14:16:32 GMT

Please excuse a cross posting...

Harry N. Abrams and its various imprints, including Stewart, Tabori & Chang, are collecting books to send to the New Orleans Public Library, which lost eight branches in the devastation following Hurricane Katrina. The company, which has gathered hundreds of books and hopes to send more than 1,000, is also urging others in the book world to make donations to the library. Hardcovers and paperbacks for adults and children are welcomed. The library will decide whether books will be added to its collection, given to destitute families or sold to raise money.

Titles may be dropped off at Abrams offices at 115 W. 18th St. in New York City or sent directly to:

Rica A. Trigs
Public Relations Department
New Orleans Public Library
219 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70112

Contact: 504-421-7055 or rtrigs@gno.lib.la.us.

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

Any nice recommendations for humour?

Wed, 21 Jul 2004 15:19:43 GMT

Im looking for a nice book for a nice laugh... any recommendations?

posted in Book Club - 51 replies

Anne Rice's Christ

MartyLuthor — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 12:24:07 GMT

Is anyone else appalled at this book ?

how the holy heck do you go from the Vampire to the Christ...I mean unless he is one....

posted in Book Club - 5 replies

Need an recommendation for dulcimer making/building.

Thu, 10 Nov 2005 14:04:50 GMT

I'm looking for a good book on making or building dulcimers and other stringed musical instruments,mainly mountain dulcimers.Some thing that goes into good detail and explains clearly and has excellent photos is ideal.Everything I've been finding lately is poor quaility and not worth the money.So any recomendations would be highly apprieciated,thanks.

posted in Book Club - 3 replies

A Dictionary of Maqiao

joytastic — Tue, 15 Nov 2005 18:51:01 GMT

So I've just started this book, by Han Shaogong, and I was wondering if anyone else has read it?

It's been really interesting so far, even if it is a slow read, it has been translated, with the author's permission, and it is such an interesting take on writing a biography based book. Having read some of the other fiction/biography based novels from the Cultural Revolution in China, I find this one to be very interesting as it talks more about the community and less about the person actually narrating.

So, anyone else have any opinions on the subject?

~smile~
Meredith

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

julie and julia

zenjenn — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 21:41:03 GMT

great book, especially if you have a hidden chef inside ya

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

John Fowles (Obituary)

bobs — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 08:09:07 GMT

John Fowles, the novelist who died on Saturday aged 79, combined a rare narrative instinct with a scholar's interest in literary form; as a result he enjoyed the unusual distinction of both professorial attention and enormous sales.

A solitary man who shunned both the London literati and the society of his neighbours at Lyme Regis, Fowles was concerned, above all, with the existential freedom of the individual, with his scope for choice and the energy with which he wrestled with the mysteries of existence.

He provided few solutions in his work, preferring to allow the answer to a question to be itself another question. For he believed that "Mankind needs the existence of mysteries. Not their solution." His own work, sometimes labyrinthine in its complexity, rarely deviated in style or content from this maxim.

But Fowles's fiction was never merely dry, intellectual sparring. He was a writer possessed of an expansive imagination, whose gifts as a storyteller meant that his dramas were played out beyond the conflicts of the inner self. His narrative genius led to three of his novels being filmed, two of them to critical acclaim.

Fowles had no specific writing routine; working when the mood took him, he would write the first draft of a novel in a couple of weeks before laying it aside, continuing with another project and then developing the original draft over a period of months or years. This method revealed the singular nature and range of his interests and the quixotic nature of his mind, qualities which enabled him to fashion one of the most interesting bodies of work in modern fiction.

John Fowles was born in Essex on March 31 1926. His father, Robert, was a suburban cigar importer and his upbringing in "a small town dominated by conformism - the pursuit of respectability" fostered in him "an intense and continuing dislike of mankind en masse". He was educated at Bedford School where, in addition to being Head Boy, he excelled both as a scholar and as a cricketer.

He trained for two years in the Royal Marines, but never saw active service, after which he read Modern Languages at New College, Oxford. His studies in French literature profoundly influenced his intellectual development, for he devoured the existentialists Sartre and Camus, and perceived Gallic medieval myth as the font of modern fiction.

After graduation Fowles taught English at the University of Poitiers before moving to Anargyrios College on the Greek island of Spetsai. Inspired by the beauty of the landscape and the proud individualism of the Greeks, he began writing creatively, completing and reworking novels - specifically The Magus (1965) - which he felt were of insufficient quality to be published.

Returning to England in 1952, he lived and taught in London, constantly working to hone his fictional technique, analysing and imitating those he considered masters of the art - Defoe, Flaubert, Hemingway and Lawrence.

The Collector (1963) was the first manuscript he sent to a publisher, deeming it to be satisfactorily completed. Narrated successively by its two central characters, the novel told the story of a sad, lonely psychopath who abducts a beautiful girl with whom he has become obsessed, and whom he holds in a cellar in a desperate attempt to win her love.

A tortuously realistic portrayal of obsession, the book introduced themes that were to remain central to Fowles's work - the individual's struggle for physical, psychological or artistic freedom and the author's hatred of timid convention. It also explored the divide between the existential "Us" and the mind-numbed "Them," an antithesis expressed by the richness or poverty of his protagonists' language.

The book became an instant bestseller and was rapturously received by the critics, although Fowles took exception to those who portrayed it simply as a sex-and-crime thriller; he described it as an allegory, with the victim representing intelligence and culture, and the kidnapper symbolising a moral bankruptcy born of materialism. Inevitably this invited the charge of elitism, yet Fowles had endeavoured to attach sympathy to both characters, a point he made clearly in his second work, The Aristos (1964), in which he stated that one cause of all crime is "maleducation".

The enormous success of The Collector, which was made into a film starring Terence Stamp and Samantha Eggar, freed Fowles from financial concerns. He gave up teaching and moved to Lyme Regis. He had always believed that a writer needed to live in exile, and Lyme Regis allowed him to be both part of English culture and isolated from it.

His success also removed him from the constraints of commerciality. Indeed, when writing The Aristos he deliberately set out not to produce another best-seller or to become falsely pigeon-holed as a thriller-writer. Subtitled "A Self-portrait in Ideas", the book explored the author's views on a wide range of subjects, his idea being that: "If you put down all the ideas you hold it would amount to a kind of painter's frank self-portrait." The book was quizzically received, critics being surprised by Fowles's switch from fiction to a statement of personal philosophy.

In 1965 Fowles finally published The Magus, the novel on which he had been variously engaged since 1952, and on which he continued to work after its publication, ultimately producing a revised version a decade later.

This book, which became required reading for students, describes an English teacher in Greece who becomes involved with a fabulously wealthy magician, the "Magus" of the title, who draws him into a "godgame" psychodrama involving the construction of a parallel fantasy universe. Elaborate, complex and often criticised for being pretentious, Fowles's novel drew heavily on Shakespearean and Homeric allusions which gave the work the aura of myth. Fowles's intention was no less than to create a fable by which his protagonist - and implicitly the reader - might impose some order on the meaningless cosmos in which he exists.

The book was moderately received by the critics, who all agreed that, even if the novel did not quite come off, there could be no doubt about the scope of Fowles's ambition. He adapted it himself for the screen, but later attacked the film (starring Anthony Quinn and Michael Caine) as "a disaster" and vowed never to adapt another of his own works.

The French Lieutenant's Woman (1969) was successfully filmed, albeit adapted by Harold Pinter without assistance from the author. In the novel, a triangular love story, Fowles convincingly evoked the Victorian world with remarkable acuity. Highly experimental both in its form and its erudition, the book won the WH Smith literary award and the International Association of Poets, Playwrights and Novelists Silver Pen Award. It was an unexpected (to Fowles) commercial success.

After the self-conscious artifice of The French Lieutenant's Woman, Fowles published a collection of his poems in 1973 which were strikingly spare by comparison with the richness of his fiction.

The Ebony Tower (1974), a collection of long, short stories and a translation of Eliduc, a French medieval romantic poem, sifted themes of art and literature. In the stories Fowles developed his ideas about the primacy of language, the centrality of ideas as a condition of human freedom and the eternal mystery at the core of an individual's existence.

The book, which was televised in 1984, betrayed Fowles's love of French culture and landscape. Although he rarely travelled, when he did it was invariably to France. At Lyme Regis, Fowles had all that he needed - tranquillity, the countryside, the sea, wildlife, his library and his jazz collection. His was not a temperament that demanded society. But it was one of his rare excursions, to Hollywood to discuss a screenplay, that inspired Daniel Martin (1977).

He described this novel as "emotionally autobiographical", and it concerned the quest of the eponymous screenwriter to discover his true self by recapturing his past and assessing his relationships during a trip to England to visit a dying friend. In so doing, Martin discovers "what had gone wrong, not only with Daniel Martin, but his generation, age, century; the unique selfishness of it, the futility, the ubiquitous addiction to wrong ends".

Fowles was an omnivorous reader whose fertile mind required wide-ranging stimulation. This was reflected in his own work, not only in his fiction but also in the variety of his published material. His love of the natural world and its importance in his writing were reflected both in his assertion that he "came to writing through nature" and in four books of photographs for which he provided an introductory text: Shipwrecks (1974), Islands (1978), The Tree (1979) and The Enigma of Stonehenge (1980).

Throughout the next decade Fowles continued to publish at his usual unhurried pace. Two novels, Mantissa (1982) and the historical drama A Maggot (1985), were well received, in addition to his works of local interest, A Short History of Lyme Regis (1982) and Lyme Regis Camera (1990).

In 1998 Fowles announced that he was setting up a trust in order to leave Belmont, his 18th-century house at Lyme Regis, to a group of academic institutions to be run as a writing centre for students.

In his last work, Wormholes (1999), a collection of essays, Fowles indicated why he so often left his characters at a fork in the road. A passionate lover of nature, he explained that he described human life as an ecologist might describe a patch of ground - not to control its diverse complexity, but to appreciate it as poetry can be appreciated.

The first volume of his memoirs, called simply Journals, was published in 2003, but not everyone was impressed - Robert Nye described them as "often boringly self-involved and self-important, even repulsive in what [they reveal] about him". The second volume is due for publication next year.

John Fowles married Elizabeth Whitton in 1954. She died in 1990, and he married secondly, in 1998, Sarah Smith.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/11/08/db0801.xml

posted in Book Club - 0 replies

Book Club's topics - tribe.net

Cruise Book - Permanent Passenger: My Life on a Cruise Ship

Tom Robbins

Lilith Monographs series

Burning man novel and associated flap

what are your favorite biographies / memoirs?

Boomsday

Books I recommend for summer

Eat, Pray, Love

Vampires

The Return of Desire by Gina Ogden

Merle's Door

Selling Books?

What's Everyone Reading Continued...

Fantasy & Romance Author seeks feedback!!! Limited time free PDF version

Shakespeare goes digital (X-post)

*All Time Favorites*

RIP Gary Gygax, Co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons (X-posted)

Magic Realism

Some really good sci-fi....

non-fiction: Health, wellness, nutrition

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

The way to Christ is simple

For Halloween: "Capote in Kansas: A Ghost Story"

The world is flat

THE EZEKIEL CODE - "I couldn't put it down!" "Entertaining and Enlightening"

Fantasy Author asking for some feedback

Hi everyone

The Father of Hollywood

The Witch of Portobello

Library book request - Dynamic Belly Dance

Summer 2007 read(s) in hindsight

non-fiction junkie

BookFlix?

fantasy

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

I'm the thousandths member

The Rape of Nanking

Suggestions for books to "read" on a week long road trip?

Social Sampler - a new social networking event

New Belly Dance book

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

REALLY good sci-fi ....

I am Pencil by Sam Swope

World Book Day

xpost Where do you buy used books online?

Traveling books

Your Favorite Self Help Book

Awesome Downloads

For the record ......

erotic recommendations

Overrated books

Whatcha get?

Big Book Sale

White Mischief by James Fox

The Gormenghast Novels by Mervyn Peake

Kids Literati

New Pynchon book out this month

Secret History by Donna Tartt?

Heal or steal

"The Demon Under the Microscope"

lucky reads

Essay Collections

Celebrate your freedom to read (Xposted)

Found a Book

LibraryThing!

Life in a small town / village

Favorite Historical Fiction

Cut down your favourites list

Tip Toe into Joyce

tomorrow wed-28th Summer/Paris

A book for bibliophiles...The Shadow of the Wind...Zafon

New Reads + List of Likes

Misquoting Jesus

The Celestine Prophecy

new tribe that may be of interest

New Dark Fiction Available Now

Mel Brooks loves my new book!

Any other Thomas Berger fans here?

dog lovers book

All Time Favorites