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Reading Minds: The CoastGab Book Club

Started by PhantasticSanShiSan, October 23, 2008, 12:06:30 AM

eddie dean

Quote from: BobGrau on April 07, 2014, 02:26:01 AM
Someone mentioned Craig Ferguson on another thread, shortly after that I was looking for something to read and found I already owned his American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot. He starts by talking about Laura Bush's underpants. Good enough for me.


PS The last 2 or 3 Dark Tower novels feel rushed as hell upon re-reading. I understand him being freaked out by the accident of course, but he should have held back those versions for publishing if he died too soon, and kept working on the story at the same pace as he had before. Perhaps then Roland could have used a door to go back to Jericho Hill and pick up his horn.

And save Cuthbert to bring him back into the story. I enjoyed that character and would have loved to see how he and eddie interacted.
I can't even remember the details of Cuthberts death in that battle. All I remember is Roland felt like it was partly his fault.

Birdie

Quote from: eddie dean on April 30, 2014, 09:16:41 PM
And save Cuthbert to bring him back into the story. I enjoyed that character and would have loved to see how he and eddie interacted.
I can't even remember the details of Cuthberts death in that battle. All I remember is Roland felt like it was partly his fault.
But that is the point of Eddie- he is Roland's new Cuthbert, like Susannah is Roland's new Alain, calm and logical, thinking everything through. Those three personalities are the important unit within the ka-tet. I think Jake represents the lost childhood all of these characters, but ironically, and painfully, the others have to witness Jake lose what little is left of his innocence. Oy is trust and unconditional love, like Sheemie was in Mejis. I have also wondered if Jake is a potential young Roland in another world.
I thought the ending was very appropriate and like to think of how many times Roland has had to make the journey and if he will remember to pick up the horn this next time through. I think he will.

eddie dean

I just finished Stephen King's "Doctor Sleep", The sequel to the shining.
Slow going plot at first but I guess it was needed for character development & background of the girl and her family.  Dan Torrance's drinking issues and hitting bottom with the womans little boy reaching for the cocaine, has he says, "canny".  sad and disturbing. Classic King!
The ending was a bit of a letdown for me. Not the direction of the story, but  the final battle with Rose (woman in the hat). I was hoping for  a spectacular battle/struggle with the 3 involved (not including Billy). At least more involved than what it was.
Overall I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Some of the characters and story line references to Kings version of the first book, were new to me, because I only saw Kubrick's version of the story.  As King has mentioned, he didn't care for the way Kubrick modified the characters, their motivations and even who dies. I will probably feel the same way after I finish it. The "True" or "Real" story of the Torrance Family. (as King wrote in Dr. Sleep). I've already started it and it's a lot different so far.

I like Kubrick's movies, this one included, but what movie has ever lived up to the book?

eddie dean

Quote from: Birdie on April 30, 2014, 09:56:35 PM
But that is the point of Eddie- he is Roland's new Cuthbert, like Susannah is Roland's new Alain, calm and logical, thinking everything through. Those three personalities are the important unit within the ka-tet. I think Jake represents the lost childhood all of these characters, but ironically, and painfully, the others have to witness Jake lose what little is left of his innocence. Oy is trust and unconditional love, like Sheemie was in Mejis. I have also wondered if Jake is a potential young Roland in another world.
I thought the ending was very appropriate and like to think of how many times Roland has had to make the journey and if he will remember to pick up the horn this next time through. I think he will.

You are right, some of the finer character personalities and sublte relationships between them are not as clear in my memory because it's been a few years. Also I can be quite dense! heh heh.
I read a page on wikipedia, just yesterday, about DT's  related themes in King's  other stories:

QuoteHearts in Atlantis centers on characters named Ted Brautigan and Bobby Garfield. In the seventh book of the series, Ted is an ally to Roland's Ka-Tet. Bobby Garfield is possibly Jake Chambers' "twinner." The Low Men are also the people who are after Ted Brautigan. Father Callahan tells a story of his encounter with them

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_King_works_related_to_The_Dark_Tower_series

Pretty cool about Bobby G and Jake.
I don't even remember Ted B in  DT7!! Or I didn't make the connection to Hearts in Atlantis. I simply need to read the last 3  again!
I'm on the Shining now, next will be The Talisman, then Salems Lot, then Wolves, Song and DT 7.
Yeah I have a lot of time on my hands lately! :)

zeebo

Hey guys I haven't read much horror, but lately I'm in the mood for something spooky and suspenseful.  Any suggestions?

Birdie

Oh, holy crap, you are going to love the Shining! The first time I read it (when I was in high school) I was so scared, I actually went and climbed in bed with my mother. I think it was the thing about the clocks that freaked me out. Plus, a lot of things that don't make much sense in the movie, like the people in costumes, are explained (and cool). I think I read somewhere that his inspiration for the Shining was Poe's The Masque of the Red Death. Makes sense.
I loved the Talisman, too, and reread it a few months ago. I really wish he would continue that story. That one and Eyes of the Dragon.
I feel much the same way as you about Dr. Sleep. It was going so well, then it fell flat at the end. Sigh. I just have not been enjoying his post-accident books, other than Cell. That one was some awesome, survivors of some crazy apocalyptic shit storytelling, which is what King does best.

yumyumtree


b_dubb

"The Soul's Code: In Search of Character And Calling" - James Hillman

BobGrau

Took a break from ploughing through the Dune sequels (up to Children of Dune now: much better than expected) to reread Stephen King's IT for the first time in about 20 years - turns out Pennywise the clown's real name was... Bob Grey  :o

Jackstar

I really admire how you are spending your time, although personally, I found every Dune novel after Dune to be wildly self-indulgent shit.

I am probably wrong--it has been twenty years since I read them. The spice must flow. Also, Herbert is dead now, so his tendency to flagellate his literary phallus in public was probably a sign of his vision.


paladin1991

"The Spice Must Flow"  I love that mix.

BobGrau

Quote from: Jackstar on May 02, 2014, 01:44:26 AM
I really admire how you are spending your time, although personally, I found every Dune novel after Dune to be wildly self-indulgent shit.

I am probably wrong--it has been twenty years since I read them. The spice must flow. Also, Herbert is dead now, so his tendency to flagellate his literary phallus in public was probably a sign of his vision.

I'd often heard that about the sequels and tbh it's true of the first one too. But surprisingly enjoyable nonetheless. That's why I decided to slow down a bit and try to savour the meal.

BobGrau

I might as well admit it, I also read about half of Decision Points by George W Bush... Interesting, but I didn't have the attention span/political objectivity to finish.


Anyone who's interested in sixties music and the Laurel Canyon hippie scene of that time might enjoy the just published, Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon: Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops & the Dark Heart of the Hippy Dream, David Magowan.  I haven't read the book yet, but on his web site, he published about twenty chapters of what became the basis for it.  It's a fascinating read, and even though Magowan is a serial conspiracy theorist (he's written about 9/11, the Apollo program, the Boston Marathon bombings, and several others, although this is the only one that really grabbed me) and , he connects a lot of dots in a way that really makes you wonder if he's on to something.  For starters, a large percentage of the musical movers and shakers of the time, including Jim Morrison, Steven Stills, John Philips, David Crosby, Gram Parsons, and a host of others were the children of high-ranking military, intelligence, and diplomatic service personnel, and he makes an interesting case that the whole hippie scene may have been co-opted and manipulated by the usual sinister government forces.  I'm inclined to be skeptical of such claims, but after reading the case he lays out, it's definitely something to think about.  There were a number of mysterious murders and other deaths that may or may not have been accidental, high profile drug busts that never resulted in any serious charges, and just the fact that so many of the musicians were never drafted, even though they were eligible.  Charles Manson was also an integral part of the scene and hobnobbed with all the musical luminaries.  I still don't know whether to believe it, but I have to say he makes some persuasive points.

You can check out his original essays here - http://davesweb.cnchost.com/

I don't know if he's ever been on C2C, but I think he'd make a good guest.  He'd also probably be an excellent guest for Jimmy Church, given his background in the music biz.

albrecht

Quote from: Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost on May 12, 2014, 01:08:49 PM
Anyone who's interested in sixties music and the Laurel Canyon hippie scene of that time might enjoy the just published, Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon: Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops & the Dark Heart of the Hippy Dream, David Magowan.  I haven't read the book yet, but on his web site, he published about twenty chapters of what became the basis for it.  It's a fascinating read, and even though Magowan is a serial conspiracy theorist (he's written about 9/11, the Apollo program, the Boston Marathon bombings, and several others, although this is the only one that really grabbed me) and , he connects a lot of dots in a way that really makes you wonder if he's on to something.  For starters, a large percentage of the musical movers and shakers of the time, including Jim Morrison, Steven Stills, John Philips, David Crosby, Gram Parsons, and a host of others were the children of high-ranking military, intelligence, and diplomatic service personnel, and he makes an interesting case that the whole hippie scene may have been co-opted and manipulated by the usual sinister government forces.  I'm inclined to be skeptical of such claims, but after reading the case he lays out, it's definitely something to think about.  There were a number of mysterious murders and other deaths that may or may not have been accidental, high profile drug busts that never resulted in any serious charges, and just the fact that so many of the musicians were never drafted, even though they were eligible.  Charles Manson was also an integral part of the scene and hobnobbed with all the musical luminaries.  I still don't know whether to believe it, but I have to say he makes some persuasive points.

You can check out his original essays here - http://davesweb.cnchost.com/

I don't know if he's ever been on C2C, but I think he'd make a good guest.  He'd also probably be an excellent guest for Jimmy Church, given his background in the music biz.
YES! Though I would rather him be a guest on Dark Weekend, Jimmy Church, or even CTM. I just don't think George could handle the interesting subject and theory without name-dropping, lame questions, etc. The whole Laurel Canyon and weird government connections of folks in the music scene and the cult stuff is a very interesting subject. If on C2C then I demand Knapp for the show!

ps: I recall Mae Brussell, RIP, had some theories very similar on how the "hippie" and "music" movement was infiltrated and high-jacked (or controlled). I think she also had some shows on Manson and the scene and government connections but it was a long time ago, so I might be wrong.

eddie dean

I'm almost done with Kings 11-22-63! Fascinating story and perfect for the paranormal crowd here at bellgab!
Time travel through a mysterious portal to 1958. The main character lives in the past for 5 years to try to stop the JFK assassination in 63'. Time Paradox and the butterfly effect are central in this novel.
I should finish it tonight, It's great so far!
I hope the ending doesn't fall flat like Dr. Sleep.

b_dubb

I watched a pretty interesting doc about JFK assassination last night. JFK: The Smoking Gun. Oswald fired two shots. Secret Service fired one. The one that blew up Kennedy's skull.

onan

Quote from: eddie dean on May 12, 2014, 10:05:52 PM
I'm almost done with Kings 11-22-63! Fascinating story and perfect for the paranormal crowd here at bellgab!
Time travel through a mysterious portal to 1958. The main character lives in the past for 5 years to try to stop the JFK assassination in 63'. Time Paradox and the butterfly effect are central in this novel.
I should finish it tonight, It's great so far!
I hope the ending doesn't fall flat like Dr. Sleep.

Wife says she loved the book. Ending was logical but sad.

Quote from: albrecht on May 12, 2014, 08:16:17 PM
YES! Though I would rather him be a guest on Dark Weekend, Jimmy Church, or even CTM. I just don't think George could handle the interesting subject and theory without name-dropping, lame questions, etc. The whole Laurel Canyon and weird government connections of folks in the music scene and the cult stuff is a very interesting subject. If on C2C then I demand Knapp for the show!

ps: I recall Mae Brussell, RIP, had some theories very similar on how the "hippie" and "music" movement was infiltrated and high-jacked (or controlled). I think she also had some shows on Manson and the scene and government connections but it was a long time ago, so I might be wrong.

I already mentioned Jimmy Church, because of his background in the music business, and he also has the right interviewing chops for that topic.  And completely agree that GK would be the ideal C2C host for that interview.

Another fascinating book that covers the sixties conspiracy angle is, Acid Dreams: The CIA, LSD, and the Sixties Rebellion, by Martin A. Lee and Bruce Shlain.  They make a compelling case for the Summer of Love in SF as being used by the CIA to study the effects of LSD on a large, concentrated population.  Wouldn't surprise me in the least.  The book also goes into great detail about the flamboyant, yet shadowy, Captain Al Hubbard, who was sort of a Johnny Appleseed of acid.  If you've never heard of him, check him out.  His story is extraordinary.

Jackstar

Quote from: b_dubb on May 12, 2014, 10:46:25 PM
Secret Service fired one. The one that blew up Kennedy's skull.
I wonder how Johnson took care of his men after his coup. I wonder if they were all put on a helicopter, that then got blown up.

Also, I wonder if The Dark Tower will be made into a series with as many episodes as Game of Thrones is going to end up having.

onan

Don't know if I will read it; but I will chuckle at the cover for a few days


paladin1991

Quote from: onan on May 14, 2014, 04:57:36 PM
Don't know if I will read it; but I will chuckle at the cover for a few days


That is awesome.  I'm gonna hunt up a copy.

zeebo

Quote from: paladin1991 on May 15, 2014, 12:17:41 AM
That is awesome.  I'm gonna hunt up a copy.

Hope you don't catch any flak for it.

eddie dean

Quote from: onan on May 13, 2014, 06:12:54 AM
Wife says she loved the book. Ending was logical but sad.

I finished 11-22-63. Good book! The ending was sad but I wasn't disappointed or let down, like I was with the end of Dr. Sleep.
It's interesting how King describes the past as being obdurnate and resistant to change.
How a seemingly minor interaction can have unforeseen consequences in the future.

bigchucka

Quote from: BobGrau on May 02, 2014, 01:31:46 AM
Took a break from ploughing through the Dune sequels (up to Children of Dune now: much better than expected) to reread Stephen King's IT for the first time in about 20 years - turns out Pennywise the clown's real name was... Bob Grey  :o

Couple months ago I did the same thing with the Herbert novels.  I thought the wheels started to fall off after Children... what I'd recommend getting is the House Atredies/Harkonnen/Corrino "pre-Dune" trilogy his son co-wrote.  What made these books so good was that they found a safety deposit box with Frank's notes.  Helped in writing the prequels, and to help finish the Dune saga.

zeebo

I've only ever read the first Dune.  I've heard it's worth reading up through God Emperor of Dune.  I have so much sci-fi to read though I don't know if I should bother.  Thoughts?

bigchucka

Quote from: zeebo on May 16, 2014, 06:55:11 PM
I've only ever read the first Dune.  I've heard it's worth reading up through God Emperor of Dune.  I have so much sci-fi to read though I don't know if I should bother.  Thoughts?

I'd go that prequel trilogy, then Dune... Dune Messiah... Children... God Emperor... is Chapterhouse: Dune the next? Or was it Heretics?  Around then is when I started losing interest.  I read on Wiki how they ended the series.  Might actually read the books sometime.

Is sci=fi the main style you are interested in?

I went back a couple pages.... tried George RR Martin but stalled out.... try The Eye Of The World by Robert Jordan.  The Wheel Of Time.....I know people who got into those books, and they aren't even readers...  That, and the series is finished, even though Robert Jordan died before he finished the guy who finished the books is pretty good in his own right.  Brandon Sanderson.  He's known in the fantasy fiction community as being a master in creating "magic" systems.

McPhallus

Quote from: zeebo on April 30, 2014, 11:18:17 PM
Hey guys I haven't read much horror, but lately I'm in the mood for something spooky and suspenseful.  Any suggestions?

I recommend the original Dracula by Bram Stoker.  I'm not a horror fan, but Stoker knows how to tell a story.

Lair of the White Worm is another book Stoker wrote, although it's more difficult to get into.

Quote from: McPhallus on May 16, 2014, 07:50:59 PM
I recommend the original Dracula by Bram Stoker.  I'm not a horror fan, but Stoker knows how to tell a story.

and Dracula is free.

How about some BBC radio drama based on stories?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4extra/programmes/genres/drama/horrorandsupernatural/all


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