4 Trips to the beach
3 Job interviews
2 New friends
1 Unsecured wireless network in the neighborhood
0 Cloudy days
Innumerable: Times I've been accosted by homeless people or honked at by Hispanic men
We are moved in and I am finally getting around to posting a blog. I'm not sure if I'll be able to post pictures (due to the instability of the mooched wireless). Actually, now that I get around to it, there isn't much to write. I'm just looking for a job and waiting to hear back from the interviews while Ryan goes to school all day. He really likes law school (whew) and thinks of it as applied philosophy. I like L.A. a lot because it is sunny and warm, and without a job, I have been driving regularly to the beach (I can get there in about 20 minutes) and watching some really terrible daytime tv. It is a little stressful not having a job and knowing that soon there will be bills to pay, but I'm trying to make the best of it.
My question is: since we have all finished the book except for Katie, what should our new read be? I'm currently enjoying reading without the pressure of having assigned reading hanging over me for the first time since high school. I'm in the middle of Bleak House by Charles Dickens, I highly recommend it and think it would be a good book club book, except that I am 660 pages into its 800 total. If you all want to catch up, than it is a great book. Otherwise, not having any ready suggestions, I propose reading an old classic. One of Jane Austen's lesser read novels (Northanger Abbey is supposed to be her masterpiece) or Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (that Harold Bloom praises), something like that might be nice. But I'm up for other suggestions.
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I'd love to do a classic next and Jane Austen is a favorite. Plus, it could get Mary in a British-type mood, and she can say things like Right-o and splendid!
That would be fun. I've never actually read Alice in Wonderland before so that appeals to me too. What does everyone think about a C.S. Lewis classic like the Screwtape Letters of the Great Divorce or the Problem of Pain? I like all the suggestions so far. How does this work? Do we just take a turn choosing or do we vote? Or do we just lash it out between ourselves on this here blog?
Also, if we decide on Jane Austen can we choose a less popular one? I've read P & P, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Persuasion more times than I'd like to admit. But there are other books by Austen that I've never read. Just a thought. I could certainly always give P & P another go-around.
Or, (sorry I just went back to reading after my nice little break of blogg reading and Swedish fish). Or, would anyone be game for reading a good classic economics book such as the Wealth and Poverty of Nations by David Landes? I just started and it seems pretty good...
Hmmm? Hmmm? Any takers?
Mary, if we do a Jane Austen, I would like to do a rarer one as well. The way this works varies. Sometimes we lash out at each other, but we seem to have been rotating from one person's choice to another. We don't have a bossy pregnant member to be the deciding vote anymore, but I still see Erin as the spearhead of this so I usually cede all major decisions to her. Actually, an economics book sounds possibly interesting. I'm just enjoying reading.
Wachasayin' Cathy? Me, Bossy? :)
We do have a pregnant lady though. Let's ask Carol. I think that should be our criteria for being a book chooser...you have to be growing a fetus. Who's next?.....Cathy? :)
I'd like a rarer Jane Austen, as well. Or, the other day, believe it or not, I was looking at Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations". Go figure. I'm up for anything.
I've got it. I think we should read "Eventide" by Stephanie Meyer. Best. Book. Ever. I just LOOOOOOVE vampire love stories. They're so easy to relate to.
"I'm picking up on some sarcasm, here"
"Good, 'cause I'm laying it on pretty thick".
(name that movie)
I can't name that movie! (But it does sound familiar). I'm all for the pregnant woman being the decider, just don't expect any buns to be cooking in this oven for quite some time. I actually think the econ book would be interesting as well. My vote might be to do the one that Mary has to read for class, then do a classic afterwards. But, I'm flexible; we must wait for Carol to make the decision.
More Importantly: The Emmys are being held less than 1 1/2 miles from my apartment! I ran past the building this morning and they were laying the red carpet! Hollywood! Glitz! Glamour! It's everything I've been dreaming of. We're trying to decide if we should go stand by the red carpet on Sunday and try to get a view of Steve Carrell. What do you guys think?
Tommy boy?
The Wealth and Poverty of Nations is interesting but getting a little tedious. Just so everyone knows up front, it's over 600 pages. And a lot of it is history. It's great I just wish it would pick up the pace a little. If we do Econ, let's read something else, like "The Wealth of Nations" (without the Poverty part. Do you already have a copy Erin?) Or let me make another econ suggestion tomorrow, when I'm done with this book and on to the next one. I just think I can find something a little more exciting for everyone. Is no one interested in C.S. Lewis?
Cathy, you only live 1 & 1/2 miles away from the emmy awards? Wow cow.
Silent Carol, it looks like the decision is up to you. And do you have any opinions Katie?
I would do C.S. Lewis, but I'm not as interested. I found an Honors Thesis at BYU about how even though he uses the same vocabularly as Mormons, he actually has very different definitions and meanings for words, so when Mormons quote him, he's actually meaning something quite different than what they interpret it as. But, it is insightful stuff still, so whatever.
p.s. I went to the beach again today and we're going tomorrow!
The pregnant lady gets two votes, one from me and one from my soon to be Texan baby. If you're thinking of econ books how about a more modern one, called The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman. I think it would be easier to get through, and more applicable to today.
I just finished Jon Stosell's (20/20) Lies, Myths and Downright Stupidity and he quotes Adam Smith's theory of the invisible hand a lot. So that's interesting ya'll mentioned that book. He also talks about the scare of overpopulation in the world and states if you took the whole world's population and put it in TEXAS it still wouldn't be as densely populated as NYC. Did I tell you TEXAS is the biggest and the best!
Carol, you're awesome. My Dad is reading that book. Did you like it?
I've read the Screwtape Letters before and it's an interesting, quick read.
I like Carol's idea...and she is the pregnant one....
Have fun at the beach Cathy.
Hey, I think Mary suggested that book a couple of posts ago. My dad read it and liked it a lot too. Plus, I learn from US Weekly that lots of celebrities are reading it!
Wow Carol, that Texas pride comes across loud and strong. I don't think I've ever heard you say (or write) y'all before.
We could also do an Ayn Rand book. The NY Times just wrote an article how it was one of the most influential business books ever. I've read it before, but it's been a while. Just another suggestion to throw in the pot.
Here's a link to the article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/15/business/15atlas.html?em&ex=1190001600&en=2959fe5398fc21f5&ei=5087%0A
What Ayn Rand? Altas Shrugged? Ryan's in the middle of that and this one boy gave Mary that book for Valentine's Day. I wouldn't mind reading it, but it is like 700 pages.
I was talking about Atlas Shrugged. It is a bit lengthy, though.
Yeah, here's actually a funny thing about Ayn Rand. My literature teacher told me that Rand wasn't a very good writer, but her philosophies are interesting to discuss. Then,one of Ryan's philosophy professors told him that she was a good writer but not a very good philosopher. Any other opinions about the author of Anthem?
I read that article on Ayn Rand in the New York Times today too. I can't handle reading another one of her books. Sorry but I forgot that the reason I read Atlas Shrugged in the first place was because it was a Valentine's Day gift. Thanks for reminding me Cathy. Made me smile. Anyway, what a non-romantic book. Ahhh. As I read the article about Ayn Rand I did remember however how much I don't like her or her philosophy. Let's be selfish! And weird! And narcissistic! I didn't know people still take her seriously. Maybe it has something to do with the 400,000 copies of her book that are donated annually to AP students. Ugh. Ayn Rand.
I cast my vote for the World is Flat.
i'm good with the`world is flat.
ps when i type without proper capitalization and punctuation it means i'm holding sam. :)
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