March 06 BotM Thread - 1984

[brainiac]

So, in the spirit of cooperation and geek love, I'm picking up the ball for Adam, who has other issues to deal with right now, and asking if anyone still wants the monthly book discussion thread?

If yes and you are actually going to read it and discuss it, vote on the limited but pithy choices above. (These were the top 3 vote getting titles in Feb. after A Scanner Darkly.)

The winner will be named by March 8 (or so) and we'll have the rest of the month to read and discuss.

If not, vote accordingly and we'll let this thread die a quick death.

[havocSchultz]

ZOMBIES on tha mutha fuckin cell phone!!!

[Flumm]

Nicely done Braniac, I'm sure he'll appriciate it. I'd love to participate, but I've got about all the input I can handle at the minute. I'd encourage others to try the best they can though...

After all, a community isn't a community if people don't commute... no that's not right...



Bah, you know what I mean!

[havocSchultz]

except - that unfortunately - this place is all but a ghost town at these times of the night (or whatever the hell time it is where everyone else is...) - i so wish i had more time to read... i did just finish Cell a coupla weeks ago though because my girlfriend works in a bookstore - so she borrowed for a little while whe it came out - and she read it and liked it so i finally decided to make some time... so i voted for Cell...and besides - everybody knows that Everybody Poops won last month...Crapcists...keeping the Poop down...

[ONeillSG1]

Still waiting for HGTTG.

It was supposed to be this month. Oh well, here's hoping for April.

[brainiac]

Remind me again what HGTTG stands for?
I can add it to the poll if you want?

[Iconoclastica]

Have a Good Time To Get off . . . on whatever dirty mag you're reading you sceevy bastard!

[thomasgaffney]

Have a Good Time To Get off . . . on whatever dirty mag you're reading you sceevy bastard!

IPAMPILASH!!

Hitchhikers has been added to the poll...

[Iconoclastica]

hehe I love being durnk - gaffnety, ou're a good man!

[thomasgaffney]

hehe I love being durnk - gaffnety, ou're a good man!

Iconny, I said this in another thread, but I'll buy all your beer for life if you post drunk in the Zone more often.....

[Iconoclastica]

I stand by what I said, gaffney - u r a god!

[thomasgaffney]

I stand by what I said, gaffney - u r a god!

I'm going to hold you to that. I'm also going to print out this post to remind you about it when you sober up

[Iconoclastica]

hehe it's ok we all know kirk comes first in ur life

[thomasgaffney]

hehe it's ok we all know kirk comes first in ur life

IPAMPILASH!!

[Iconoclastica]

after that . . . only thing I hve left eoto say si that ai voted forr 1984, just cusea I wrote am 80 page papre on (wel, that and orwell in genral) it and I"lk be happy to voice my iopinon . . .

[thomasgaffney]

after that . . . only thing I hve left eoto say si that ai voted forr 1984, just cusea I wrote am 80 page papre on (wel, that and orwell in genral) it and I"lk be happy to voice my iopinon . . .

Ringer! Vote for something that you haven't already read!

j/k.....

[buster00]

after that . . . only thing I hve left eoto say si that ai voted forr 1984, just cusea I wrote am 80 page papre on (wel, that and orwell in genral) it and I"lk be happy to voice my iopinon . . .

Bizarroclastica am KILL Super Friends!



I shouldn't even be showing my av in here...I slacked on January and February.


But I have read (and love) HHGTTG...and I've meaning to read the rest of the "trilogy." So I voted for it.

[Iconoclastica]

Bizarroclastica am KILL Super Friends!

hehehe . . . yes, I am bizarre, and a damn skilled typist when I'm drunk if I may say so myself. clever, buster



I stand by my vote for 1984 . . . I've read all of the above, but it's my favorite by far (no hate on the hitchhiker's guide though . . . I'm convinced that the towel has some profound underlying existential link to the mankind's struggle with the meaning of self)

[Petri]

1984 is a excellent (and timely) book and I wouldn't mind reading it again. But I need an excuse to go buy The Cell so everyone vote for that.

[havocSchultz]

1984 is a excellent (and timely) book and I wouldn't mind reading it again. But I need an excuse to go buy The Cell so everyone vote for that.

there's ZOMBIES...on tha MUTHAFUCKIN cell phone...

and there's not a GOT-DAMNED THING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!!!!

except not vote for it...bastards...

[thomasgaffney]

*cough* CELL *cough*

[lyra belacqua]

Not that I mind, but are we ever going to read a non-geek book? It's the lit teacher in me asking.

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Such as?

[Ribbons]

Well Heart of Darkness wasn't really a "geek" book, I wouldn't say. I know what you're saying lyra, but I think that the best way to encourage participation early on is to read those types of books, or ones that are tangentially-related to some movie or something.

[Petri]

Such as?

I haven't read the book, but for dudes it doesn't seem to be that hard.

[lyra belacqua]

Such as?

I haven't read the book, but for dudes it doesn't seem to be that hard.

I'd read that.

Or something classic. Granted Heart of Darkness is a classic, but it's definately more geek. It's classic Campbell, which most geek stories are based on-even the old ones. I just haven't been reading along because I haven't been that interested in the books. I'd give anything to have a reason to plunge into my copy of Watchmen or one of my many non-fiction books I have lying around, like Bringing Down the House : The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions .

Just askin'.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

you want a reason to read "The Watchmen"?

how 'bout it's (arguably) the greatest achievement in comic book form, EVAR.

i'm just bitter we've only chosen books I've read already, hence my vote for A Princess of Mars...and the fact I ain't readin' Cell, no matter if it wins or not.

[lyra belacqua]

you want a reason to read "The Watchmen"?

how 'bout it's (arguably) the greatest achievement in comic book form, EVAR.

Yeah, I've been hearing that for awhile, that's why I bought the book. I just haven't cracked it open yet. I have soooooo many books, I'm way behind. Most of the ones I own are one's I can't wait to read, I just am bad at juggling my books with library ones. This summer will be better-I'll get to more.

[Coldfire24]

Which should I read on spring break Slaughterhouse 5 or H@rry Potter and the Goblet of Fire?

[lyra belacqua]

Which should I read on spring break Slaughterhouse 5 or H@rry Potter and the Goblet of Fire?

You're on fuckin' break=H@arry Potter.

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Just a remember to read ALLA the Watchmen, eh? The Dino, he gave a the copy to some a putz, anna he skip alla the magazine excerpts anna diary entries anna such, anna just read a the funny book sections, eh? Anna then he ask a the Dino, "what's a so great about it, eh?"

Goddamn... he just a dinna get it. I took a the gift back anna fire his ass from a the movie set, eh?

[Coldfire24]

Yeah and all the ladies love the Potter thanks Lyra oh I don't know if you saw but I told you I loved you earlier this week.

[Bean]

Cold you know what my answer would be

I voted 1984 for the record. I want a setting to discuss it!

[lyra belacqua]

Yeah and all the ladies love the Potter thanks Lyra oh I don't know if you saw but I told you I loved you earlier this week.

Yes, I did. I'm sorry I didn't get an "I love you" back, but you know it's true.

Try Slaughterhouse Five when you have some time to digest.

[unikrunk]

you want a reason to read "The Watchmen"?

how 'bout it's (arguably) the greatest achievement in comic book form, EVAR.

Yeah, I've been hearing that for awhile, that's why I bought the book. I just haven't cracked it open yet. I have soooooo many books, I'm way behind. Most of the ones I own are one's I can't wait to read, I just am bad at juggling my books with library ones. This summer will be better-I'll get to more.

CRACK IT NOW
Everyone, prepare for utter fanboy bullshit from unikrunk:

Watchmen is part of a holy comic book trifecta - all Moore.

Unrelated stories, but the best writing in the medium ever IMHO

Miracleman - (fucking brits can still get this I think, we ex-pat Canadians living abroad are screwed)

V for Vendetta

Watchmen

[Coldfire24]

I will I bought it and I'm looking forward to reading it. Oh to be on Topic I say Princess of Mars cause i've never read it but 1984 is one of my all time favorites.

[Iconoclastica]

seeing as how it sounds like most of us have already read 1984, I'm thinking a better idea might just be to start a discussion thread on it (at least if it's not the one that wins).

hehe . . . imagine that - ACTUALLY starting a new thread, and talking about something that interests a lot of us . . . wow, novel concept, eh?

[Keepcoolbutcare]

I love big brother.

[Iconoclastica]

I love big brother.

personally, I'm a bigger fan of Room 101 than of Big Brother himself . . . it's so deliciously sadomasochistic . . . it feels like Amsterdam

[Coldfire24]

Wow you've done things i've read about on websites that have no words.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

has anyone read Pynchon's introduction to the book, which I believe is available from the latest printing, the new Orwell centenial edition?...good stuff.

[Iconoclastica]

Wow you've done things i've read about on websites that have no words.

what, you've never broken someone's will and convinced them that they'd rather be oppressed than be free? Damn, what's your sex life like, then?



(sorry, not EFBR . . . )



Seriously though . . . I love the themes of the novel. I wrote an 80 page thesis correlating Orwell's life experiences with his themes and characters in 1984, Animal Farm, and Down and Out in Paris and London, and have read almost all of his works, including his short stories that are often overlooked. He was a god among men and damn insightful . . . considering the shit he saw in Burma and during the Spanish Civil War, it's no wonder he was able to pull together such terrifying concepts into something so timelessly effective . . . especially considering how many people have borrowed from his ideas since . . . his is a concept that won't die soon . . .

[Keepcoolbutcare]

quick question then...which is more relevant, 1984 or Brand New World?

[so sorry]

I liked this 1984 alot:


(yeah, its a terrible joke, but somebody had to do it)

[Seppuku]

I liked 1984 a lot (preferred Down and Out in Paris and London though for personal reasons), but Brave New World's so good it kicks '84 into a room full of giant rats and lets them have at it.

[unikrunk]

quick question then...which is more relevant, 1984 or Brand New World?

I don't know which one is more relevant, but I like BNW better.

Meh, screw it, with our "better living through chemistry' western culture, I will go with Huxley's stuff as more relevant to today's socio-political climate.

[Iconoclastica]

quick question then...which is more relevant, 1984 or Brand New World?

I think 1984 is far more relevant than Brave New World, because Brave New World is more of a combination of bioethical concerns and the politics that lead to such . . . 1984 is more of a dissection of human nature in general, in my opinion (I'll gladly elaborate if I'm not boring you to tears)

[Fried Gold]

Bellyfeel this Nineteen Eighty-Four thread.

[Seppuku]

quick question then...which is more relevant, 1984 or Brand New World?

I think 1984 is far more relevant than Brace New World, becaus Brave New World is more of a combination of bioethical concerns and the politics that lead to such . . . 1984 is more of a dissection of human nature in general, in my opinion (I'll gladly elaborate if I'm not boring you to tears)

I agree, 1984 was more about living in dystopia, rather than the dystopia itself. I guess I'm just more of a Huxley fan (come on, the dude came up with The Doors' name!); there are a few flaws for sure, the whole Pure Native thing was a bit misguided. 1984 just didn't take me out of this world enough (eenteresting no?), and Brave New World described it in grizzly detail, from the foetuses in the bottles to Soma...it just seemed more like Sci-fi.

[ZombieZoneSolutions]

I love big brother.

So does David Bowie.

(Best rock opera album EVER! Diamond Dogs, of course.)