GNR Women's Discussion - Part 2

[Fang]

I've never read Catcher, but this thread did get me wondering why it would inspire someone to kill, so I read the summary from Wikipedia to my hubby. He said, "the only person I feel like killing now is the person that wrote that boring shit!" 

I see why it was subversive when written because of the cussing, but these days that's nothing. There's much, much worse out there. I certainly don't see how Axl of all people would want to censor it. 

[dgnr]

3 hours ago, purplestargirl said:

Billie Joe Armstrong? I don't consider "Catcher In The Rye" punk rock at all. The main character comes off as a snobby rich kid who has a 'poor me' attitude. How is that rebellious and punk?

 

40 minutes ago, Fang said:

I've never read Catcher, but this thread did get me wondering why it would inspire someone to kill, so I read the summary from Wikipedia to my hubby. He said, "the only person I feel like killing now is the person that wrote that boring shit!" 

I'm gonna kill you all and sure as hell it isn't because of the book  Putting both Holden and Salinger down??? You...you...I don't even know!! You're hurting my feelings 

 
 

2 hours ago, MillionsOfSpiders said:

I'm a really sloooowww reader and I always end up getting half way through a book and then I'll just read the end and ruin it for myself.  Do it every time I read a fiction book. 

 

You can do it. I'm a slow reader too. Well, kinda  I read the first chapters really fast and then it take me ages to finish it. And I'm also one of those who goes read the end in the middle of the book. I need to know what's gonna happen, or else I may be crushed 
In high school I picked a random book at the library, didn't went to read the end and they end up killing a baby. I mean, who the fuck kills babies in books???? I was mourning that fictional baby for months. So now, I always read the end before get to attached to the characters  

[GuitarFanfromNYC]

Loving this WT book club we've started! Now we just need to drink some wine while we share our thoughts on the book of the month 

I loved catcher in the rye but it has been ages since I've read it. 

[Gabrielaerojas]

4 minutes ago, Oldest Goat said:

MyGNR Book Club? That's a great idea! A new book each month? I'll set the thread up in Anything Goes unless you want to.

Go for it! How do we pick the book to read?

[Gabrielaerojas]

Just now, Oldest Goat said:

Let's say there's 20 book club members, at the beginning of each month 5 of them pick one book each and then all 20 vote for one?

Fair enough

[Fang]

2 hours ago, Oldest Goat said:

MyGNR Book Club? That's a great idea! A new book each month? I'll set the thread up in Anything Goes unless you want to.

Yessss!! Are a lot of the books going to be connected to GN'R? I keep meaning to read Atlas Shrugged, and other books that influence the band/the members have mentioned. I still also need to read the story by Del James...

[purplestargirl]

Book club sounds interesting. I've read lots of books over the years because I enjoy reading. Unfortunately I'm broke and can't buy or read as many books as I want to. I also used to get in trouble in elementary school for reading books instead of paying attention in class. 

[purplestargirl]

Just now, Oldest Goat said:

They can be. Atlas Shrugged is a good choice imo. But they won't all need to be connected to GNR. Here's a few off the top of my head that I'll suggest:
The Tibetan Book of the Dead
Infinite Jest
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
The Bible
The Koran
The Torah
Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
Of Mice and Men
1984
Paradise Lost
Jane Eyre
Moby Dick
Heart of Darkness
Don Quixote
Tale of Two Cities
Wuthering Heights
Ulysses
Crime and Punishment
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

I still need to read Hitchhiker's. Has anyone ever read any books by Alan Dean Foster?

The Bible...that would be an interesting debate. 

[Gabrielaerojas]

4 minutes ago, Oldest Goat said:

They can be. Atlas Shrugged is a good choice imo. But they won't all need to be connected to GNR. Here's a few off the top of my head that I'll suggest:
The Tibetan Book of the Dead
Infinite Jest
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
The Bible
The Koran
The Torah
Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
Of Mice and Men
1984
Paradise Lost
Jane Eyre
Moby Dick
Heart of Darkness
Don Quixote
A Tale of Two Cities
Wuthering Heights
Ulysses
Crime and Punishment
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Can I choose to opt out of a given month, for example? If these are selected: bible, koran and torah, I won’t participate that month, e.g.

is the thread created already?

[Gabrielaerojas]

10 minutes ago, Oldest Goat said:

I'll create the thread now and wait for everyone interested to come sign up.

I think it's best if all of us read whatever gets voted in each month, that way everyone's choices get a fair shot and the selection stays diverse. But it's up to you if you opt out.

Understood. 

[Fang]

33 minutes ago, Oldest Goat said:

They can be. Atlas Shrugged is a good choice imo. But they won't all need to be connected to GNR. Here's a few off the top of my head that I'll suggest:
The Tibetan Book of the Dead
Infinite Jest
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
The Bible
The Koran
The Torah
Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
Of Mice and Men
1984
Paradise Lost
Jane Eyre
Moby Dick
Heart of Darkness
Don Quixote
A Tale of Two Cities
Wuthering Heights
Ulysses
Crime and Punishment
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Great list! Have been dying to read 1984. Some of these I already have read. Of Mice and Men was great yet sad. 

If we're going to have religious texts may I suggest the Poetic Edda? It is old Norse texts, which happens to be my religion. On the other hand though, some may want to steer clear of religion because it so often causes fights. That's a position I definitely understand. 

[Tori72]

Wow, book discussions. I'm falling in love with this thread even more. I'm up for it.

I need to read all you have written over the weekend. I've red Salinger and some of the books above. I so gave up on Ulysses, I couldn't follow at all. But I'm willing to give it another try. 

Do you want to read only classics?

[Lio]

27 minutes ago, Tori72 said:

 I so gave up on Ulysses, I couldn't follow at all. But I'm willing to give it another try.

This! It would take me months to read Ulysses, assuming I would succeed in reading it this time. I read part of it at uni, and it is on my bucketlist, but to read that now would be almost impossible, juggling that with work and family. I think I would need a month off to read that. It's difficult enough as it is to start with, and then there's the chapter without interpunction

I'd love a book club, but I think the religious books and Ulysses are a bit over ambitious, @Oldest Goat. Didn't you say you'd only read a handful of books? I would recommend starting off with a classic, maybe, but one that is a bit more accessible?

[Padme]

1 hour ago, Oldest Goat said:

Atlas Shrugged is a good choice imo.

NEVER!!!! I hate that woman. Her books have been a bad political influence in the U.S. I understand where she is coming from. Her family lost everything during the Russian revolution. And they ended up being refugees in the U.S. But she pretty much believed selfishness is a good thing. Thanks but no thank you

[Fang]

1 minute ago, Padme said:

NEVER!!!! I hate that woman. Her books have been a bad political influence in the U.S. I understand where she is coming from. Her family lost everything during the Russian revolution. And they ended up being refugees in the U.S. But she pretty much believed selfishness is a good thing. Thanks but no thank you

I agree Ayn Rand messed up U.S. politics. I don't like her views, but that's partly why I want to read it. Knowing what the "other side" has to say can help me tear apart their argument lol. 

I wonder why Axl had a song about the book. He doesn't seem the type to agree with Rand either, so it might have been another case of a song about a book he doesn't like.

[purplestargirl]

14 minutes ago, Padme said:

NEVER!!!! I hate that woman. Her books have been a bad political influence in the U.S. I understand where she is coming from. Her family lost everything during the Russian revolution. And they ended up being refugees in the U.S. But she pretty much believed selfishness is a good thing. Thanks but no thank you

Are you talking about Ayn Rand?

[Padme]

2 minutes ago, Oldest Goat said:

Well, on the plus side if it is chosen then during the discussion you can criticize and eviscerate it all you want!
(assuming you're signing up?)

Since you are at it, don't forget to read My Struggle by... Adolf or Das Kapital by Karl  I rather read books that inspire the French Revolution

1 minute ago, purplestargirl said:

Are you talking about Ayn Rand?

Yes!!!

[purplestargirl]

10 minutes ago, Fang said:

I agree Ayn Rand messed up U.S. politics. I don't like her views, but that's partly why I want to read it. Knowing what the "other side" has to say can help me tear apart their argument lol. 

I wonder why Axl had a song about the book. He doesn't seem the type to agree with Rand either, so it might have been another case of a song about a book he doesn't like.

Neil Peart from Rush was a fan of her works and her writings influenced some of the songs he wrote for Rush.

[Padme]

13 minutes ago, Fang said:

I agree Ayn Rand messed up U.S. politics. I don't like her views, but that's partly why I want to read it. Knowing what the "other side" has to say can help me tear apart their argument lol. 

I wonder why Axl had a song about the book. He doesn't seem the type to agree with Rand either, so it might have been another case of a song about a book he doesn't like.

I already know enough of her ideas. I pass, sorry. But you read whatever you want 

1 minute ago, purplestargirl said:

Neil Peart from Rush was a fan of her works and her writings influenced some of the songs he wrote for Rush.

I know that

[Tori72]

Just now, Padme said:

Since you are at it, don't forget to read My Struggle by... Adolf or Das Kapital by Karl  I rather read books that inspire the French Revolution

Oh oh ...  To put those two books into one sentence. Well. To read Karl Marx is quite interesting. Gives you great insight in how capitalism works. Hitler I refuse. 

[Padme]

1 minute ago, Tori72 said:

Oh oh ...  To put those two books into one sentence. Well. To read Karl Marx is quite interesting. Gives you great insight in how capitalism works. Hitler I refuse. 

Yes, but Marx inspired the wrong kind of change. I'm not sure he meant that. But unfortunately that happened. 

[Lio]

On that subject, it is always crucial to understand where someone else is coming from. In that regard it may be useful to read Rand, Marx or even Hitler. You can't debate or can't convince anyone of your convictions without understanding why their convictions are what they are. So I wouldn't say no to any book, however controversial it may be. I'm not at an age where I could suddenly become a nazi or communist after reading a book. But imo, it's important to know why things happen. Knowledge of history is very important to prevent history repeating itself. Those books may help you understand better, without getting any sympathy for their cause.

Not saying anyone should read anything they refuse too, just saying that it may be useful to read them.

[MillionsOfSpiders]

7 hours ago, dgnr said:

You can do it. I'm a slow reader too. Well, kinda  I read the first chapters really fast and then it take me ages to finish it. And I'm also one of those who goes read the end in the middle of the book. I need to know what's gonna happen, or else I may be crushed 
In high school I picked a random book at the library, didn't went to read the end and they end up killing a baby. I mean, who the fuck kills babies in books???? I was mourning that fictional baby for months. So now, I always read the end before get to attached to the characters  

That's exactly why I always read the end half way through, I don't want a character I like to die or end up heartbroken  Then it takes me ages to read the rest. 

I usually just stick to factual books like history or books detailing a band/musician  I like. 

Someone gave me a Dean Koontz book years ago for my birthday called Odd Thomas and I read that about five times since, I wouldn't normally read books like that but I've read quite a few of his now. 

[Tori72]

Book discussions shouldn't be about convincing someone. It is about discussion and exchange of reading experience, philosohpie etc. You cannot become a communist after reading Marx, where's that coming from. Regarding Hitler, I simply cannot stand his - how can I say that in english, limited vocabulary - hatred for humans and for jews in particular. It makes me sick, mentally, physically. I do not need to read the words of this ... person. I simply read history books, watch documentaries, read novels on the holocaust, etc. And I've done that a lot.

Whatever you want to read, feel free. If reading Hitler I suggest reading Anne Frank or watch a documentary of the Nuremberg Trials, or even Shindler's list.

Also, @Padme, what you're referring to might be Stalinism, or Lenin's influence on Russian politics. It's quite a dfference. Marx is more a philosophical examination of 19 century England and thus gained political weight. It is not a manifest of what to do. Especially not in 20th century Russia (or other countries). Marx is a basic understanding of capitalist economy and how it effects everyday, private lives, manifests class system etc. at his time.

Edited January 8, 2018 by Tori72

[Padme]

39 minutes ago, Lio said:

On that subject, it is always crucial to understand where someone else is coming from. In that regard it may be useful to read Rand, Marx or even Hitler. You can't debate or can't convince anyone of your convictions without understanding why their convictions are what they are. So I wouldn't say no to any book, however controversial it may be. I'm not at an age where I could suddenly become a nazi or communist after reading a book. But imo, it's important to know why things happen. Knowledge of history is very important to prevent history repeating itself. Those books may help you understand better, without getting any sympathy for their cause.

Not saying anyone should read anything they refuse too, just saying that it may be useful to read them.

History taught us that unfortunately way too many people found those ideas amazing. And we ended up with revolutions, wars and millions of people dead. The world divided in two for many decades. Even today we still have white supremacists and two Koreas. Historians and Philosophers must read those books as part of their reaserch. But I still don't see the positive side of individuals reading about terrible ideologies.