Discussion

The Transformative Power of Literature
The world of literature possesses a remarkable capacity that extends beyond the boundaries of time and place, providing readers with an extraordinary opportunity to submerge themselves in a diverse array of worlds, both familiar and foreign. Through the pages of books, individuals are granted a unique chance to inhabit the lives of a myriad of characters, thus gaining insight into their distinct perspectives.
By Norma Kaufman2 years ago in BookClub
Dune is Not About Oil
The prompt for the Book Club challenge is funny because it was David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation that introduced me to Dune. Dune was one of my favorite movies as a kid. It was one of my top picks at the library, besides all the Star Trek and Universal monster movies I could get my hands on. My love for the Dune universe grew in the 90s, with the books from Brian Herbert. Despite this, I would not read the first novel until 2017. Why, I am unsure. Since then I have dove as deep into the Dune universe as I can. I still have not finished the original series, due to a combination of work and school. Well, also after acquiring a copy of the encyclopedia, I decided I wanted to have the time to sit and read the series with that as my companion. Because if Dune does nothing else, it raises a lot of questions for the reader. Both in and out of the universe.
By Atomic Historian2 years ago in BookClub
Blissful Serendipity
Salt Lake City Once upon a time in the enchanting city of Salt Lake City, Amanda, a hardworking soul who had been putting in extra hours at work, yearned for a break from the non-stop hustle. One day, Amanda decided to escape the demands of work and headed to the beach, seeking solace in the gentle waves and warm sand.
By Praise izehi 2 years ago in BookClub
All the Books I read in August 2023
I went away twice for some extended weekends. In those bags I had already picked up the books I was planning on reading and popped the in my bag. It was fun reading last month’s stuff and especially reading books that people from Vocal had written as well.
By Chloe Gilholy2 years ago in BookClub
The Alchemist
The Alchemist, written in two weeks by Paulo Coelho because in his words the story “was already written in his soul”. This is basically how I felt when I first read it.
By Julia Alfred2 years ago in BookClub
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Introduction The books we read as teenagers for class were never our favorite books. They were just different. Full of complex themes and ideas that adults made us read for…reasons. They were a means to an end, things that you needed to study and memorize for tests and exams, rather than things to be simply enjoyed. For what seemed like the longest time, enjoyment meant escaping from these books as fast as possible.
By Louis T2 years ago in BookClub
Ten Writers I Can No Longer Read
One of the things I have learned after many years of reading and writing is that you are allowed to dismiss what you once loved; you are allowed to give up on writers who no longer speak to you and have set up a barrier in your mind to enjoyment of their work. I do not mean that I care that deeply about their political, racial, psychological or emotional issues (the list of acceptable writers would be incredibly short if I dismissed the ones who did not reach such high standards). I am simply concerned with what is on the page and how it makes me react, as Vladimir Nabokov once stated, “between the shoulder blades” (where you really do feel the work).
By Kendall Defoe 2 years ago in BookClub
Murder In The Family By Cara Hunter
So, I have a confession to make. I had not read a book in close to 10 years because I didn’t ever feel the need too. As soon as I left school, I put reading behind me and never looked back, until recently. I had some extra money, a suggestion for a book that was right down my alley from my boyfriend and went for it. I lost myself in this book, something I am not used to doing but very much enjoyed. This book had such a unique concept to it that I had no chance in resisting as soon as I opened the front cover and turned that first page, I was hooked.
By YesItsMocha2 years ago in BookClub
A Brief Thought: Brave New World
Reading Brave New World felt like waking up. It’s one of those stories that, despite being fiction, reflects reality on a scary accurate level.
By Jaye Ruggiero-Cash2 years ago in BookClub
"Nevermore"
Poetry. When people hear this word, they often think of romance, rhymes, and stimulation. They aren't wrong. Poetry intends to stir emotion and encourage reflection, utilizing vivid language to depict striking visuals. It's incredible, the way poems evoke self-examination, leading us to see parts of ourselves within them, regardless of what the poem might be about. It's subjective, but isn't that just an innate trait we, as humans, possess? The tendency to project ourselves in everything?
By B2 years ago in BookClub
Gift
No other book has had so much effect on me like The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov. And I’ve read many, like most of Russians do. In the beginning of 80s I was lucky to borrow a copy of Khudozhestvennaya Literatura magazine dated 1973 where a full complete uncut version of the book had been published, a surprising oversight by government. There I was, in my early 20s, born and raised in Soviet Union, gone through all the pre coordinated by government stages of a proper soviet child. Patriotism, obedience, and loyalty to the state where the Communist Party had absolute power over everything, were inflicted at each stage, from kindergarten to university.
By Natalia Grin2 years ago in BookClub
The GULAG Archipelago
I've lived long enough now to feel that books rarely change me. Probably the last one was Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt that I read in 2004 or 2005, early in my doctoral program. Even then I wouldn't say that it changed me as much as it shook me in realization that human history was full of misery and suffering universally until quite recently and that we are probably living in the best human times in terms of life's comfort and personal security. And it all is incredibly fragile.
By Lana V Lynx2 years ago in BookClub