The Official Cult Book Club (thread)

57 replies jump to bottom
PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

Hey all.

I'm posting here to let you guys know that I have a poll open for the next book we discussed.

I'm not going to lie - the last discussion was a HUGE disappointment. I'm not sure that many people read/finished the book. I really really really want this one to be better.

We now have 73 (last time I checked) members. And it would be sweet if we could at least get half of them to vote. The poll only has 8 votes and it's been open for almost a week. I think it only has a day or two left.

Really - I want to see this book club be successful. So if you're a member - go vote. If you're not a member - feel free to join.

__________________________

tom9d
A thought is my friend.
tom9d's picture
From: Estonia
Joined: 02/19/2007
User offline. Last seen 1 day 3 hours ago.

It would help to post a thread in here every month with a link to the relevant page in the group...

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/group/official-cult-book-club

...otherwise, it's very easy to forget the group forums even exist, since most people are used to the book club threads being in this book club forum.

__________________________

[Ironman] 9:19 pm: Girls are NOT are sperm depositors

tom9d
A thought is my friend.
tom9d's picture
From: Estonia
Joined: 02/19/2007
User offline. Last seen 1 day 3 hours ago.

I mean honestly, I'm going to forget the group exists again in about five minutes. The threads should really just be here. I always paid attention when they were here.

The group section is like a giant black hole, as far as I'm concerned.

__________________________

[Ironman] 9:19 pm: Girls are NOT are sperm depositors

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

Yeah...

I don't even know what to say. lol.

I wish I could figure out a way to get the participation that I know it deserves. It's never been as good as I hoped.

We can just keep this thread updated. I can change the title to just be The Official Cult Book Club.

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

The Book Club has selected the next book.

It will be Knockemstiff by Donald Ray Pollock. So if you want to read it - or have read it - and want to discuss it. Go over to the book club in Groups.

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

We still need somebody to lead the discussion... it would be sweet if somebody volunteered

__________________________

Simon57
Simon57's picture
From: Scotland
Joined: 05/19/2007
User offline. Last seen 7 weeks 2 days ago.

I've signed up to it and posted on the Catch 22 thread / section / whatevers.

I'd no idea where it'd gone!

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

I started a thread in the Book Club group for Knockemstiff. I still would love for somebody to step up and lead the discussion.

Everybody please go in there and discuss!

__________________________

ScribblingDes
Fuck Pants
ScribblingDes's picture
From: louisiana
Joined: 02/16/2007
User is online

Wow, Tom's right. I thought the Book Club had gone on hiatus.

__________________________

Don't be a prick in the roses
No one's impressed with your lack of respect.
We're all black sheep and we know it
So don't fuck it up for the rest.

ScribblingDes
Fuck Pants
ScribblingDes's picture
From: louisiana
Joined: 02/16/2007
User is online

Wow, Tom's right. I thought the Book Club had gone on hiatus.

__________________________

Don't be a prick in the roses
No one's impressed with your lack of respect.
We're all black sheep and we know it
So don't fuck it up for the rest.

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

So what do I have to do to get this thing going?

Come on guys I'm reaching for anything here. Give me suggestions.

__________________________

Thessilian
Georgina K
Thessilian's picture
From: UK
Joined: 01/24/2009
User offline. Last seen 14 hours 45 min ago.

How do you choose books? Do people submit books, which are then voted upon? Whoever submitted that book title then leads the discussions for it?

Looking at current threads, I wasn't sure if people were reading the same novel, or where you'd see what the current one was etc.

__________________________

"What cha readin' fer??"

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

The Book Club is a Group - in the cult's Group section.

We have people recommend books and then we vote on them. The person who recommended the book usually leads the discussion.

At least that's how it used to be.

__________________________

Dennis
Webmaster
Dennis's picture
From: Los Angeles
Joined: 11/13/2002
User offline. Last seen 5 hours 14 min ago.

Hey Pete,

I was bored tonight and so I whipped up an official banner for the Book Club Group. It's a little boring, but it's something. A placeholder for now until someone comes up with something better.

You can toss it in your sig though if you like, and maybe promote the new Group and start a poll for February suggestions.

Just a suggestion. Wink

__________________________

Please go vote on my short film 'ICE CREAM!'
for the FilmmakingFrenzy.com contest!:::

Watch the film and vote here!

Join my new group!  Independent Filmmakers!

Thessilian
Georgina K
Thessilian's picture
From: UK
Joined: 01/24/2009
User offline. Last seen 14 hours 45 min ago.

Thanks Pete - I didn't see a current book for Jan or Feb, that's why I asked.

__________________________

"What cha readin' fer??"

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.
Dennis wrote:

Hey Pete,

I was bored tonight and so I whipped up an official banner for the Book Club Group. It's a little boring, but it's something. A placeholder for now until someone comes up with something better.

You can toss it in your sig though if you like, and maybe promote the new Group and start a poll for February suggestions.

Just a suggestion. ;)

Thanks Dennis - get me that banner and I'll use it

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

There's a poll for the March book... Everybody should go and vote. Please

__________________________

nobodysloss
nobodysloss
nobodysloss's picture
Joined: 06/21/2007
User offline. Last seen 3 weeks 5 days ago.

New Book Club poll for March 09

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/group/official-cult-book-club

Vote and read!

__________________________

There's no such thing as perfect writing, just like there's no such thing as perfect despair.

Haruki Murakami

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

So we picked a book... Opened a thread... And now we're waiting on participation. Come on guys! Post your thoughts for Watchmen.

I know a lot of you have already read it because I see a lot of people around here recommending it. I'm awaiting your thoughts. Wink

Oh - here's the link:

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/group/official-cult-book-club/march-09-watchme...

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

New poll open in the book club. Go vote!

__________________________

super_canti
Stephen Spencer
super_canti's picture
From: TX
Joined: 03/27/2009
User offline. Last seen 9 weeks 3 days ago.

^already voted.
Franny and Zooey

__________________________

"My hopes lay shattered like a mirror on the floor
I see myself and I look really scattered
But I lived my broken dreams"
- Daniel Johnston

roos.14
roos.14's picture
Joined: 12/14/2008
User offline. Last seen 7 hours 15 min ago.

I loved Franny and Zooey! Smile Big

__________________________

Someone must have slandered Josef K., for one morning, without having done anything truly wrong, he was arrested.

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

This is the last day to vote in the book club poll. It's super close with two books having ten votes and one book having eleven.

The poll ends at 5 (my time) so get your vote in if you haven't voted yet.

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

So it seems we have a tie...

I really don't know what to do because this hasn't happened that I remember.

I can reopen the poll and urge more people to vote or I can take some suggestion. What do you guys think?

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

The poll will open for like 5 more days...

But I can call it now if you guys wish. Franny and Zooey is winning. (And I voted for The Lost so that's not why I'm asking.) Wink

__________________________

Thessilian
Georgina K
Thessilian's picture
From: UK
Joined: 01/24/2009
User offline. Last seen 14 hours 45 min ago.

I didn't vote for Franny and Zooey either but my copy is in the post now! Smile

__________________________

"What cha readin' fer??"

mirka
Administrator
mirka's picture
From: Tangled up in Blue
Joined: 02/27/2003
User offline. Last seen 1 hour 42 min ago.

I didn't vote because I am so incredibly biased. Franny and Zooey is probably my favorite book of all time. I have read it so many times, and I am going to read it again.

I am really looking forward to the discussion!

__________________________

I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of inflections
Or the beauty of innuendos,
The blackbird whistling
Or just after.

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

So everyone knows - Franny and Zooey is April's book and Mirka is going to be the discussion leader.

Get to reading!

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

Oh and here's the link:

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/group/official-cult-book-club/franny-and-zooey...

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

I'm gonna be posting a poll soon for May's book.

I'd still love to see some more discussion about April's book Franny and Zooey.

Thanks!

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

May Poll is up!

Get to voting!

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

It looks like Pygmy is going to be our selection (big surprise lol).

If anybody would like to be the discussion leader on this one - let me know.

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

Nobody wants to lead the discussion on this one?

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

I just can't understand how Pygmy kills the poll - everybody votes for it - and then nobody discusses it.

__________________________

monkeywright
Since 1862.
monkeywright's picture
From: Los Angeles
Joined: 12/05/2004
User offline. Last seen 1 hour 14 min ago.

I'm about 60 pages from the end (and its getting harder to keep going). But when I finish, I'll share some thoughts.

__________________________

"To fail to embrace my dreams now would be a disgrace so great that sin itself would not be able to find a name for it." - Werner Herzog

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

It's just that the book got 30 votes. And only 5 comments. And one of the comments is mine - I didn't vote for it.

We should have at least 30 comments since all these people voted and wanted to read and discuss this particular book.

__________________________

samanywhere
aesthetic voyager.
samanywhere's picture
From: MO
Joined: 05/22/2009
User offline. Last seen 23 hours 45 min ago.

Ha, I just came in this part of the forum to find somewhere to talk about how Franny and Zooey is probably my favorite book ever, and found out it was last month's book club read Smile That's awesome. What a fantastic book. I love everything Salinger has ever written and I've found a way to write every free response essay I've ever had through high school about Catcher but, something about F&Z just subtly takes the cake.

__________________________

this is why we don't have nice things.

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.
samanywhere wrote:

Ha, I just came in this part of the forum to find somewhere to talk about how Franny and Zooey is probably my favorite book ever, and found out it was last month's book club read Smile That's awesome. What a fantastic book. I love everything Salinger has ever written and I've found a way to write every free response essay I've ever had through high school about Catcher but, something about F&Z just subtly takes the cake.

You should definitely go and discuss it then! You will have to join the Book Club to do that. I'm sure you can figure it out. Welcome to the Cult. And here's the link to the thread:

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/group/official-cult-book-club/april-2009book-c...

__________________________

super_canti
Stephen Spencer
super_canti's picture
From: TX
Joined: 03/27/2009
User offline. Last seen 9 weeks 3 days ago.

Still have no monitor, so I can only briefly post whenever I can. Unsure

__________________________

"My hopes lay shattered like a mirror on the floor
I see myself and I look really scattered
But I lived my broken dreams"
- Daniel Johnston

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

June poll up and ready for voting.

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/poll/june-09-book-club-poll

It'll be up for 2 weeks.

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

We will be discussing The Road by Cormac McCarthy for the month of June.

JKabol is going to be the discussion leader.

Everybody get to reading! Smile

__________________________

JKabol
i just wanna be a real boy
JKabol's picture
From: my wife said it was okay
Joined: 12/03/2003
User offline. Last seen 5 days 20 hours ago.

so it's official..

let's make this official. shine your boots and load your pistols. pull out your best credentials, for this one-
(big snoop dogg, a bastardized quote haha)

.

filled with spoilers, so for the few of us still out there living in a cave who've not yet bled with this book, cut some teeth with it this week-

i'm looking forward to this. my first time leading a discussion. i feel comfortable, though. i loved the book and so did my woman. (we've poured through countless discussions over it.) i always keep a pantry full of dry foods, stocked. the dread about a completely collapsed economy coupled with the culpable swift blows of the harsh life this novel depicts is strong reason behind that fact, i'm sure. any novel, especially one as far out there are this one, with the post apocalyptic storyline of a dying world of ash and gloom shadowing the embedded love a father has for a son, that promotes in you a readjustment of personal values, even in the smallest of degree, deserves introspection.

on one end, i am surprised that we've not yet discussed officially this novel
on the other, i am glad we are getting to this before the motion picture

not my favorite story type, but it was so brutally well written..

i'd like to delve into how much is too much to deal with. should he have let her take the son's life with hers? was he selfish, letting his love overpower the struggle the son has to endure for years of pain in a world in which even cows are as extinct as the grass dying out? or was it valiance, true and pure?

there is much to be discussed, pros and, of course, nate dogg chiming in with his proverbial censure now and again, and phil hitting straight on..

some of us have discussed this novel over the years in the forums, but this will be the first time the discussion has a single home. i'll work on a syllabus over the next week to work from and hopefully i can for myself nail down what it is about this novel that so internally captivated me physically and psychologically-

kabol

..

__________________________

I'm a real nice guy, loyal to his family and friends, like to help old people and I play well with children, but there is a very dark side to the moon. A predilection for the psychopathic, I have a history of violence I would like to herald always as ancient history. But some guys just wont listen, just wont let go.

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

June's book is The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

Discuss here:

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/group/official-cult-book-club/june-09-discussi...

__________________________

klausw205
Frank was here, went to get beer
klausw205's picture
From: Tuscaloosa
Joined: 10/06/2008
User offline. Last seen 3 hours 21 min ago.

can we make suggestions on future nominations?

I would love to see Less Than Zero by B.E.E up as a possible pick!
Also, just picked up Gravity's Rainbow, but I'm sure that's too long a read for this book club...at least for now.

bring the heat kabol...you have at least one person ready for this discussion.

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

I'd love to get some BEE in there.

We DO vote on it though. I will put some BEE in the next poll though!

__________________________

Ninja Dog
Ninja Dog's picture
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Joined: 05/08/2009
User offline. Last seen 4 days 14 hours ago.

If you put Ellis on the poll, I'll surely vote for it. I've only read American Psycho and Less Than Zero, but I'll gladly re-read either one. My next book to pick up is Glamorama- I hope to have that one next week.

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

I figure with the holiday and all I would wait a little bit to post a poll.

I'm going to try and get one up today sometime or maybe tonight.

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

Hope everybody had a good holiday!

Here's the July Book Club poll. Open and awaiting your votes.

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/poll/july-09-book-club-poll

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

July's book (yes I know we're getting a late start) will be The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

Does anybody want to step up and be the discussion leader?

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

Come on guys - nobody wants to step up and be the discussion leader?

__________________________

PGoutis01
PGoutis01's picture
From: Michigan
Joined: 06/03/2004
User offline. Last seen 10 hours 5 min ago.

So we will most likely let the discussion for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo bleed into August and just hold off picking a new book until September.

Things are really hectic for me right now and we got a late start on this one too.

__________________________