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| Thread: From Playboy to Hemingway |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 · NEXT» |
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violent_flower
Promising
Supreme Hero
Almost there.
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posted March 11, 2007 02:22 AM |
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From Playboy to Hemingway
We understand what the dictionary defines literature as; however what it is to an individual is something diverse to everyone. I was reading through some of my old textbooks and deciphering between good lit and unappealing lit. I love poetry, so of course I could not wait to crack open that particular part of the texts. It was filled with inspiring, notable, and defiantly worthy words to be read by the most defined being.
Then just as I thought, how brilliant were the choices of the authors for the book, I came across Pictured Poems By Allen Ginsberg, pg. 1143 “The old pond.” The old pond states this, “The old pond-a frog jumps in, kerplunk!” I do not have to be deeply stimulated to consider a piece of work “good literature”. I do however have to be somewhat thought provoked in order to consider it didactical. If a three year old wrote this, would we have been so quick to place it in a “literature” textbook? I think not.
A single word can provoke thought and simulate a wave of emotion from reading it, processing it, and giving it familiarity to our own lives. This did not do it for me in that manner; therefore to me I would not consider this to be provoking literature because it is not life worthy to me or educational, which is my definition of worthy literature.
All written word that has deep meaning to those that read it, tend to mean something different to that individual. In order for it to really stick with me and become part of me, it has to get my four humors stirred up.
Even though common work, such as that of Robert Frost, does provide a certain pattern so that one can differentiate it from another poets work, it still will mean something different for you than me. A writer of song sometimes writes based upon his own experiences. He throws all caution to the wind while wearing his heart on his sleeve for the entire judgmental world to point at. I enjoy the Counting Crows for their heavy lyrics because I relate them to my life. I recently seen them in concert and the lead linger would stop midway in a song and explain why he wrote it and how it pertained to his life.
Part of me was disappointed because now that song had whatever meaning that he gave to it, it was no longer my own. Instead of being able to use it as my journey away from reality it was now his journey and I felt myself mourning for him instead of me.
“The old pond” could hold special meaning to the one that stared at the blank paper until those thoughts came rushing out and placed just so. So I can see how one could consider that “good literature”. For me it means just what it says and I don’t find that it stirred up anything considerable or noteworthy for me.
So we as readers can place value on the words as we see fit. Just as an appreciator of art will visualize something in abstract art that another may look at with a tilted wondering eye of confusion. Literature cannot be placed in a single definition; it must be explored on deeper levels. Why you might ask? Because this is what humans do, they rip simplicity apart and they make it their own.
The most thought provoking piece of literature you have ever read, share it with me. Tell me why this piece made you unreliable for other tasks while you could not wait to fold over the last page.
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Learn how to duck and weave because I will throw truth at you all day!
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friendofgunnar
Honorable
Legendary Hero
able to speed up time
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posted March 11, 2007 03:32 AM |
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What's your book about VF, the one you're writing?
Here's my candidate for most gripping book ever. I opened it up at 10:00 one night and didn't do anything for the next 13 hours except flip pages.
A Cambodian Odyssey(5 stars)-a narrative of a Phnom Pen doctor during the civil war and the reign of the Khmer Rouge from 72-76(?)
Unbelievable, disturbing, unbelievably disturbing. This book explores the absolute depths of human depravity. It also makes me think about how much a child is able to be molded. Either into a ethical citizen, or a cold-blooded consciousless animal.
It is an excellent display of how bad luck in the form of continuous inept leadership can totally bring a country to ruin. The slide into human savagery is probably one of the most well documented in the history of the world.
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Consis
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Of Ruby
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posted March 11, 2007 04:44 AM |
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Embarrased To Admit . . .
Volume 1 of the Wizard's Spell Compendium for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. I was sick, nauseous, and light-headed with excitement. I could barely breath when I read through every last page and detail. Obsessive? Perhaps, but I could never have predicted my reaction to opening the book for the first time. I was enthralled, drunk, and in a state of utopia.
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Roses Are Red And So Am I
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violent_flower
Promising
Supreme Hero
Almost there.
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posted March 11, 2007 04:51 AM |
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You played, so does Gootch, STILL!!!!
Quote:
What's your book about VF, the one you're writing?
I will disclose the manuscript for my book when it is finished.
Tisk, tisk, you need not to prod… Thank you for replying this sounds like a great book and something that I would read.
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Learn how to duck and weave because I will throw truth at you all day!
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friendofgunnar
Honorable
Legendary Hero
able to speed up time
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posted March 11, 2007 06:20 AM |
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Quote:
I will disclose the manuscript for my book when it is finished.
Is it naughty?
how naughty?
is it very naughty?
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Pomo
Famous Hero
The lone peasant
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posted March 11, 2007 02:31 PM |
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Many, many great books - although like Consis I've spent far too much time reading D&D manuals. 
I will just say a few that have really grabbed me over the past several years. First, Vernon God Little ... awesome book, very funny, tragic and ultimately uplifting (although I thought the writer's vengeance on the villains at the end was a bit over the top).
Also The Shipping News, Annie Proulx has an amazing way of using the language, and her characters are well, simply fantastic.
I'd definitely recommend these two to anybody who hasn't read them.
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linkTouched by His Noodly Appendage
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frostwolf
Famous Hero
livin' in a bottle of vodka
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posted March 11, 2007 10:17 PM |
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I would like to add, VF, that apart from the educational merit of books, or the power they have over the way we feel, there is also another criteria to which good literature can subscribe: that is the aestethic merit. A book, especially a poem, may be on a subject we totally dislike, or simply remain indifferent to. It may also hold no educational value. However, the way in which it is written may make it one of the most valuable things you have ever read. Apart from communicating something meaningful, the role of literature may also be to please the eye. No bettter example for this than poetry.
On the other side of the topic, I would like to mention that one of the best and at the same time underated books I have ever read is M. Shelly's Frankenstein. Some even went that far as to consider it a children's book. If you ask me, that's an insult to the author. The depht of the book is unbeliveble. It will make you shudder. If ypu do have the chance, do read it. Don't let the monster that's probably drawn on the cover fool you into thinking it's not serious. It's an amazing book.
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What can you expect from a world where everybody lives because they're too afraid to commit suicide?
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violent_flower
Promising
Supreme Hero
Almost there.
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posted March 12, 2007 12:04 AM |
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Thank you for your insight and the recommendation of the book. I realize to a great extent that not all note worthy book are considered educational in the virgin term. However educational can mean different things to people, to me it just means that I took something away from the words that taught me that even my dreams have dreams. Maybe it just taught me to be gentler or coarser in life. I could go on forever about what I mean by educational.
Just wanted to clarify that to you so you didn’t think I was being one-dimensional. Thanks for the post…
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Learn how to duck and weave because I will throw truth at you all day!
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bort
Honorable
Supreme Hero
Discarded foreskin of morality
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posted March 13, 2007 02:24 PM |
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I'm currently reading A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah. It's the memoirs of a child soldier in Sierra Leone during it's civil war. I wouldn't categorize reading it as "enjoyable" since the topic is more than a little depressing, but I will say that it is very well written and absolutely riveting and would definitely recommend it to anyone.
So anyway, this morning I didn't have time to make coffee so I stopped in a Starbucks on the way to work and what do I see for sale? A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah.
Then I realized that I'm a yuppie.
And I started to cry.
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Drive by posting.
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violent_flower
Promising
Supreme Hero
Almost there.
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posted March 13, 2007 11:14 PM |
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A yuppie because you were at the bookstore getting coffee? Well then that makes me a pure yuppie. I love to get coffee and roam the literature, just the smell of the new books get me. I have been hard pressed for time to read a lot lately. This thread was intended to help me with me new list of books I intend on tackling.
Thanks Bort for your insight and hey, here is a tissue for your tears…
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frostwolf
Famous Hero
livin' in a bottle of vodka
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posted March 14, 2007 12:53 AM |
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Sadly, this theread it seems isn't getting that many replies. Maybe we should start a new one "Less Heroes more reading" or something like that. Not that I have anything against Heroes...
Now back to the topic, one cannot go trough life without reading Homer's Illiad. My favourite book of all times.
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What can you expect from a world where everybody lives because they're too afraid to commit suicide?
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bort
Honorable
Supreme Hero
Discarded foreskin of morality
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posted March 14, 2007 01:08 AM |
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See, I wasn't in a bookshop, I was in a regular everyday Starbucks that wasn't attached to a Barnes and Nobles or Borders or anything.
It's then that I realized that my reading habits can be placed into the category of "People who get their book recommendations from Starbucks."
It's truly horrifying, as someone who was non-conformist in the exact same way as all my friends were in high school to realize that you're not nearly as unique as you thought you were.
Like that time I was in a bar and realized that the music they were playing was basically my iPod on shuffle. *sigh*
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Drive by posting.
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violent_flower
Promising
Supreme Hero
Almost there.
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posted March 14, 2007 02:39 AM |
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Really Bort? I picture you to be anti-typical ipod shuffle. *Sighs*
I’m from Seattle so getting book recommendations from Star Bucks makes you a completely reliable personality to me. I have a reliable HC member that has given me a bit of reflective insight about you. I don’t know why you have not stood out to me before, maybe because you’re not typical controversial, not a typical same thread thrower, or your intellectual spammer. I thought that I knew all the great writers on here and had already embraced them and took our relationship out of HC, I guess I missed you.
Loved the thread as to why president Bush should not be reelected not just because we share the same thoughts, but it was well written and insightful. “I was full of angst until I realized how darn attractive I am,” ok this was not only one of your best but on of my favorites that I have read on here. My cloves have gotten me a few other things and a sexy voice is not on of them. I’m glad that you found yourself and hope that the mirror you look into now still treats you as well as it did then.
Thanks for the post.
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Daystar
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Back from the Dead
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posted March 14, 2007 03:36 AM |
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The Sight and Fire Bringer are a pair of good books by David Clement-Davies.* They both have intriguing tales of prophecy, legend, and near magic. I recomend both. Fire Bringer is a real page turner, and The Sight should be read after it (chronological order) I really like the Sight's refreshing female roles.
*ALL HAIL!
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How exactly is luck a skill?
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violent_flower
Promising
Supreme Hero
Almost there.
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posted March 15, 2007 06:27 PM |
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I will add this to my list of books. When I go to the book store I read the last page first, I can tell just by that if the book is worth reading to me.
Thanks Hun..
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Learn how to duck and weave because I will throw truth at you all day!
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violent_flower
Promising
Supreme Hero
Almost there.
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posted September 25, 2007 12:29 AM |
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I need more book titles. Please
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Learn how to duck and weave because I will throw truth at you all day!
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Corribus
Hero of Order
The Abyss Staring Back at You
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posted September 25, 2007 03:59 PM |
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The first book off the top of my head: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. Undeniably some of the most beautiful prose ever written in the English language.
But the best, most thought provoking book I have read in a long time was undoubtedly East of Eden by John Steinbeck. It was just fabulous.
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violent_flower
Promising
Supreme Hero
Almost there.
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posted September 25, 2007 05:28 PM |
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Thank you Corribus, is this fiction that you re referring to on both accounts?
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Corribus
Hero of Order
The Abyss Staring Back at You
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posted September 25, 2007 05:46 PM |
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Yes they are both novels. Note that the former deals with somewhat a controversial subject matter, especially for the time it was written (a man falling in love with a teenaged girl). The latter is the more enjoyable read (IMO) because the characters are so colorful and the layers of allegory are so deep, but I also recommend the former, if nothing else, just for the beauty of the language. I read dozens of books a year so if you need any other recommendations let me know.
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Consis
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Of Ruby
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posted September 25, 2007 09:38 PM |
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bort,
It could be worse: You could be an Oprah's Book Club or New York Times yuppie. I really shouldn't say that because many of those books are of high quality. I think I would consider myself more of a yuppie to public school teacher unions. I find their material always seems to be directed to what actions we can take in the here and now to improve the future for our children. Everything from lunch menus to classroom size. I feel it's appropriately measured: not too militaristic & not too socialistic/religious.
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Roses Are RedAnd So Am I
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