FOT SUMMER OF 2012 READING CHALLENGE

[~L]

Just for fun, it you are a current Doctor Who fan,  watch this to see what the cast is reading.  http://www.bbcamerica.com/doctor-who/videos/what-are-the-stars-reading/
I am now reading on the new "Marilyn Monroe: The Passion and the Paradox" biography, by Lois Banner. So far, it focuses on Marilyn as a feminist, a bi-sexual, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, who was raised in foster homes and orphanages, and says that she became a cultured intellectual who marketed her sex goddess image for PR and fame. She was severely underpaid for her work in films, while her image today, fifty years, after her death is still making millions for others.
Also reading Dan Ariely's "The (Honest) Truth about Dishonesty: How we lie to everyone--Especially Ourselves."  Basically, he's a Ph.D psychologist and behavioral economist, who says we all lie for a variety of reasons at different times which vary only due to the perceived consequences. 

[Kevin from Pittsburgh]

I got sidetracked from my previous list.  Just about done with Confederacy of Dunces and finished Legend of a Suicide before that. 

I seem to be on an Alaska trajectory when I noticed Caribou Island and The Yiddish Policemen's Union next in line.  Any Alaska themed suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

I worked in Ketchican and Juneau for about 18 months, so I'm guessing this is my subconscious putting myself back there.  I loved every minute of it!

[dudep]

I'm really liking Generation A, which is a few years old now but still feels pretty zeitgeist-y (and is more than tolerable, despite what appears to be a conscious effort to make it zeitgeist-y).

[~L]

Finished "The World of Downton Abbey". A great book for fans of the series, full of historical and behind the scenes details, fashion and customs, beautiful photographs of the locations and actors. Any written or printed material used in the show all had to be created individually in the style, as any real time period printed matter would look to old to use, some of these graphics are pictured in the book. 

[~L]

Finishing up my summer reading with "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer, and trying to get to "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn before it is overdue!

[wood and iron]

The last of my summer reading was finally getting around to reading Freedom by Jonathan Franzen and Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. This was the first Franzen I've read and while I totally understand the "middle class white people ennui" genre is pretty played out, a lot of the book was affecting for me (except the portions with the son. I gave no shit about him).

Cloud Atlas was beautifully written and I was fully pulled into each segment. However, the whole "six stories intertwine" sounds much more tricky than the device actually is. There are recurring themes and motifs but it's not some technical writing achievement. The previous story is just referenced in the next. So that whole part was kind of a let down. But a good book nonetheless.

[buffcoat]

Atlas Shrugged for the sixth time  Why?

[jimswanson]

Gonna finally slog my way through the entirety of "Infinite Jest" by David Foster Wallace (lifetime attempt #3). I love it, probably moreso than I would have years ago when I first tried to read it, but it can get pretty alienating for long stretches.

I've read it 3 times. Pretty amazing, stuff. I am currently reading The Broom of the System; not as fully realized, but there's some pretty amazing stuff in there too.

I finished it a few weeks ago, and it easily became one of my favorite books of all time, if not THE favorite. So happy I gave it another chance, and it probably wouldn't have had nearly the same impact if I would have stuck with it in my late teens.

[Kevin from Pittsburgh]

A Confederacy of Dunces should never be made into a movie
Little, Big might work as a movie, if handled correctly
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning was turned into a TV movie in the UK, I think

On to Caribou Island and The Yiddish Policemen's Union next.  We may have to start thinking about a Fall/Winter Reading Challenge!

[~L]

A Confederacy of Dunces should never be made into a movie
Little, Big might work as a movie, if handled correctly
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning was turned into a TV movie in the UK, I think

On to Caribou Island and The Yiddish Policemen's Union next.  We may have to start thinking about a Fall/Winter Reading Challenge!

Yes, onward to the Fall/Winter Reading Challenge!

[Kormod]

change the title of the thread its not summer anymore