The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie

or

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

or

Rabbit, Run by John Updike

I have also always wanted to read Lady Chatterley's Lover, D.H. Lawrence but haven't yet.

Let me know what you all think.  Where are Rory's suggestions? 

Ooh, let's do Brave New World, because I happened to read that not long ago, so I can cheat :)

I did get the last book, but it was from an Amazon reseller and took yonks to arrive - think I got it a week or two ago.  It's on my desk, staring at me in an accusing manner.  Which is my excuse for why I haven't discussed it yet.

Also, I subscribed to the RSS feed for this forum, and I've seen a couple of messages, but when I came here just now to the actual site, there's loads more messages...so stuff was happening and I didn't know.  I guess my RSS reader (bloglines) missed a bunch of messages.  I mean, they were mostly messages moaning about how boring the book was, but still :)

So yeah - Huxley.  And I'm an Alpha-Plus, so you have to do what I say, you bunch of stupid Epsilons.

I read The Satanic Versus ages ago, and didn't really understand what the controversy was all about. Then again I haven't read Brave New World, so I think I'd vote that way too. But I'm not sure they're Disruptive enough, having really enojyed 1984 I think any other distopian novels are going to be preaching to the converted as far as I'm concerned.

There have to be some good philosophy books on ethics that would stretch everyone's minds - but I don't know any.

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The one, the only, the undisputed king of the world.

I've read the first three of those books, but not Lady Chatterley's Lover, so would be happy to read that. I really enjoyed the Satanic Verses, and would be happy to re-read that. I also enjoyed Brave New World, but I have to admit I didn't really like Rabbit, Run.

 

All three sound like great choices, but I'd vote for Brave New World. But I'm sure in time we will read the other ones as well.

One thought about speeding things up. I once did a book club in which the discussions were via Yahoo chat. Worked out very well. People did the reading by a particular date, and then everybody got online at once (weekend late morning turned out well), and lots of ideas flew.

Casius: Yahoo chat seems like a good way to go.  In other book clubs that I have been in, we take turns choosing the book.  I suggest that since Rory is still not showing up to make his suggestion, (*ehem) that we appoint Casius to choose the next book.

I think that we should be given a week or two to obtain chosen book.  (Please choose a book that is fairly easy to get ones hands on.)  I think 3-4 weeks should be sufficient time to read the book.

Are we ready to move on to the next title? 

   

Sorry for radio silence. Yahoo chat is great, but it's hard to do a whole book in one go. We would need to do smaller chunks if we discussed via chat. Also, in the name of full disclosure, I have to warn that chat has the side effect of favoring the faster typists and leads to one-liner analysis rather than deeper paragraphs. Maybe a bit of both would be a good idea: chat sessions with time for longer posts between as people digested the discussion.

With respect to books, I don't mind throwing out ideas, but I don't want to push anything on the group. People should be excited about whatever we go for next. I would rather come to some consensus.

I happened to pick this book up yesterday:
http://www.amazon.com/Outlaw-Bible-American-Essays/dp/1560259353
Lots of good writers. Check out the TOC. Not sure. Could be too discombobulated, or could be really good fun. I could be talked into something else though.

Doesn't seem like we are getting much action on this forum as of late.  Casius, the book you suggested seems just fine to me.  I have been reading both of Sen. Barack Obama's books.  So until we all choose something, I will keep my mind occupied.  I will keep checking back.  I hope you all choose something soon.

Well, I think we should be reading 'Naked conversations' by that blog-master Robert Scoble.

He's the greatest, he's my hero; I link to him but he gives me zero :-( *

*please picture me in cheerleader outfit while repeating that to yourself. It'll help. honest.

 

HEHEHEHEH!