The Zone

by **John-Locke** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:54 pm

I've read Life of PI but don't own it anymore, I gave it to someone to read.

It's a good book but quite a long read.

I'd be interested to see peoples different opinions on the ending.

by **bluebottle** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:55 pm

do they eat pie?

by **ZombieZoneSolutions** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:56 pm

i think this is a fantastic idea Adam.

as far as suggestions, i'm really looking forward to reading Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. He wrote Remains of the Day. This new book looks like it leans into believable contempo sci-fi/horror territory...

from Amazon

All children should believe they are special. But the students of Hailsham, an elite school in the English countryside, are so special that visitors shun them, and only by rumor and the occasional fleeting remark by a teacher do they discover their unconventional origins and strange destiny. Kazuo Ishiguro's sixth novel, Never Let Me Go, is a masterpiece of indirection. Like the students of Hailsham, readers are "told but not told" what is going on and should be allowed to discover the secrets of Hailsham and the truth about these children on their own.

Offsetting the bizarreness of these revelations is the placid, measured voice of the narrator, Kathy H., a 31-year-old Hailsham alumna who, at the close of the 1990s, is consciously ending one phase of her life and beginning another. She is in a reflective mood, and recounts not only her childhood memories, but her quest in adulthood to find out more about Hailsham and the idealistic women who ran it. Although often poignant, Kathy's matter-of-fact narration blunts the sharper emotional effects you might expect in a novel that deals with illness, self-sacrifice, and the severe restriction of personal freedoms. As in Ishiguro's best-known work, The Remains of the Day, only after closing the book do you absorb the magnitude of what his characters endure. --Regina Marler

sounds neato, eh? it comes out in Paperback in late January... whattaya think?

other than that, i know i've had Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman starting at me from my "books to read" table for some time now...

by **Adam Balm** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:58 pm

Okay, speaking of Neil Gaiman, what about Anansi Boys? That just came out. Although alot of people here have already read it....

by **bluebottle** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:59 pm

i like JL's idea of starting with a classic that has huge ties into the world of cinema. 1984 and Hearts of Darkness are both excellent suggestions.

They're also cheap and easy to find...

by **Adam Balm** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:10 pm

Screw it, I'm putting King Kong on the list. It's timely, the novelization was just re-released, and it's only 200 pages.

by **Coldfire24** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:27 pm

Well someone send me a private message when we know what we're reading?

by **brainiac** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:36 pm

Ooooohh...Heart of Darkness. Good suggestion.

I've never actually read it and I know it gets a big mention in King Kong as well as Appocalypse Now and there must be other movies it influenced or film makers who used for reference... I just can't think of them at the moment.

by **Ribbons** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:51 pm

Apocalypse Now basically is Heart of Darkness, re-purposed for the Vietnam War and with a slightly different ending.

by **DennisMM** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:12 pm

Adam Balm wrote:Screw it, I'm putting King Kong on the list. It's timely, the novelization was just re-released, and it's only 200 pages.

I can handle that. It's available all over, including my local supermarket. This is the novelization of the '33 script.

by **Coldfire24** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:31 pm

make a poll for the love of all that is readable

by **DinoDeLaurentiis** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:46 pm

Heheh... I still have a my copy of a the Kong novelization from a the research I did back inna '76, eh? With a the Frank Frazetta cover anna everything!

by **Adam Balm** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:17 pm

Now will poll.

Okay, after consulting with a couple people, I've narrowed it down to five. (not necessarily my picks, but the ones I thought most people would want to read) I chose 5 based on advice from John Locke, anything more and you'd wind up with everyone with two votes on it, with no clear winner.

So there we are.

by **athenabodicea** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:37 pm

I vote 1984..lol

by **Coldfire24** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:38 pm

Thats one of my favorite books.

by **athenabodicea** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:42 pm

Big brother is watching... :roll:

by **Coldfire24** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:43 pm

He only watches chicks...

by **athenabodicea** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:43 pm

Hahahahaha....

Sorry for the threadjack Adam...

by **Coldfire24** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:44 pm

I wish they would do a faithful movie of 1984

by **Adam Balm** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:45 pm

Oh, and this thread will run for three days.

by **thomasgaffney** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:10 am

I voted Kong because I already read Heart of Darkness for school.

by **Adam Balm** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:11 am

So as of now, it's a three way tie between Kong, Superman and Heart of Darkness. Interesting....

by **ONeillSG1** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:24 am

Carolian wrote:Everyone just needs to read the Bible and stop typing so loud. I'm trying to sleep.

Let's all read the Bible, book by book! That's my suggestion, and I suggest it be implemented. We all know who's got my back on this one...

I've done that already, three times.

What about Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? The first book (same title) is only 140 pages or so and it's sci-fi/movie related.

It's a classic!

by **Adam Balm** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:34 am

I agree. Next time don't be late to the party.

Maybe next month. I'm looking for an excuse to re-read the whole series again anyway.

by **wonkabar** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:42 am

Hitchhikers sounds cool

by **ZombieZoneSolutions** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:47 am

i've already read Heart of Darkness a couple of times, but maybe it would be fun to revisit given that people are talking about it again...

(speaking of Heart of Darkness and the Apocalypse Now connection -- the docu Hearts of Darkness, about Coppolla [and his entire crew, basically] going completely bonkers in Cambodia whilst shooting Apocalypse Now is a MUST SEE FILM for everyone here; especially the aspiring directors inthe audience. brilliant, hilarious, and shocking... see it now!)

oh and, Adam, Anansi Boys is on my list too, but i'm waitin for paperback...

by **wonkabar** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:48 am

Too bad it's not on DVD

by **ZombieZoneSolutions** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:53 am

yeah, i think it's outta print now... you could probably track down a VHS somewhere... effing brilliant film! the footage of Dennis Hopper freaking out is priceless. and Coppolla essentially having a nervous breakdown on camera. its amazing. everyone who was there went completely nuts. and little Sophia was there! could you imagine growing up around that madness? it must have been both absolutely amazing and completely terrifying at the same time.

by **buster00** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:40 am

I went Darkness...I get enough Superman in my Recommended Daily Allowance...

by **wonkabar** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:42 am

It should have been included with Redux...lame that it wasn't.

by **ONeillSG1** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:57 am

If THGTTG is next, I guess Heart of Darkness is a good choice. It will be the 4th time going through it, but I'll see if I could find my notes on it from college.

"The horror, the horror."

by **bluebottle** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:40 am

I voted Superman cuz i want to read it anyway.

by **Agent Alonzo** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 4:28 am

I suggest 'Love songs for passing strangers...', only problem being I only came up with the idea while I was taking a shower before I came to work, and I am very lazy... So you may have to wait a few decades...

by **DennisMM** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:07 am

I went with Heart of Darkness because it's readily available most everywhere, it's brief, and it covers universal themes. Also, it can be an excuse to watch Apocalypse Now for Zoner Movie Club.

by **burlivesleftnut** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:57 am

God Heart of Darkness is dull. Fuck all of you.

by **havocSchultz** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:11 pm

i voted "vengeance" cause i figure it has the best chance to have the coolest pictures in there... and i can't believe there are no pop-up books on the poll - when i was a younglin my parents bought this cool sex-ed pop-up book... i learned a lot - then i poked my eye out... oh well... i guess sometimes it could make you go blind...

by **Ribbons** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:44 pm

by **DennisMM** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:26 pm

burlivesleftnut wrote:God Heart of Darkness is dull. Fuck all of you.

It's one hell of a lot more interesting than Ethan Frome. I think I was being punished, though I can't imagine for what.

by **Adam Balm** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:28 pm

Well, at least it's short.

by **ZombieZoneSolutions** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:55 pm

DennisMM wrote:I went with Heart of Darkness because it's readily available most everywhere, it's brief, and it covers universal themes. Also, it can be an excuse to watch Apocalypse Now for Zoner Movie Club.

ah yes! i like the way your thinking... Apocalypse Now is my favorite film. and it's definately Coppola's best. ironically, it's also the project that broke his mind...

nothing like watching a man go insane through arte.

by **DennisMM** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:15 pm

Adam Balm wrote:Well, at least it's short.

Not short enough. God. I had to read it in high school, and I'm fortunate it didn't put me off anything more serious than comic books.

by **Colin** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:25 pm

I voted for In Cold Blood because whoever wants to read Heart of Darkness needs to be shot in the kneecaps.

by **Adam Balm** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:26 pm

Zing!

(Okay, I dared him to say that, so nobody get pissed.)

by **Pacino86845** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:27 pm

Hahahahahahhahahaaha!!! You guys are like Sonny and Cher.

by **CthulhuKid** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:31 pm

(looks around puzzled)

Why is everyone getting shot in the kneecaps...?

I've learned two things this week. I have no F'ing idea what Impampaishla (or however you spell it!) is, and that I better not piss off Colin... or address him directly... or look him in the eye...

IF short is the goal... then I vote NOT In Cold Blood.

by **Pacino86845** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:34 pm

IPAMPILASH is a term first coined by our resident celebrity, Mr. Dino De Laurentiis. It's an acronym that stands for "I Piss A My Pants I Laugh A So Hard."

by **bluebottle** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:36 pm

i think that people who have no interest in being a part of the book club are voting for hearts of darkness because they hate us.

by **Adam Balm** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:37 pm

No doubt.

by **DennisMM** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 7:30 pm

I'd have picked It's Superman!, but it's not available at the local libraries and no copies are available from libraries that participate directly with CSU. CSU Interlibrary Loan fucked me over. Whoever processed the book put the wrong "pull date" on the slip that accompanied the book -- the date the book would be removed from our hold shelves. Items are held for ten days.

The date written on the slip was the date the book arrived! The morning ILL worker shelved it. I checked the shelves, saw the book, and planned to get it after work. The afternoon ILL worker checked the pull dates on the ILL books and pulled it.

When I saw this I immediately e-mailed the head of ILL, but the book was on its way to the next patron, in another city. Since then I haven't been able to locate a copy that will be available soon.

I just checked the Prospector (participating libraries) list, and two copies are due next week. I'm ordering one now.

by **ZombieZoneSolutions** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 7:36 pm

if everyone is leaning more in a short classic pulp direction, how about something like JOHN CARTER OF MARS, then? isn't there a movie version coming out soon?

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