Thursday, June 01, 2006

The Horror! The Horror!


I'm reading The Poisonwood Bible and, in the process of reading and talking about it, Kizz said, and I quote:

It's a great book, huh? I read it ages ago and still remember certain specific images from it.

I'm also fascinated by the Congo and how weird and awful the missionary process was there. Might be time to go back and actually READ Heart of Darkness instead of just listening to the discussion and taking the test.


I took an entire semester's worth of reading, writing and thinking about this particular bit of Conrad's work, and I'd be more than happy to revisit the book and provide this space for thinking, questioning, ranting and learning. It's available free online (don't you just LOVE that?) and is, all told, about 95 pages, depending on how big the font is.

Any takers?

10 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

The Poisonwood Bible was an emotional read. I enjoyed it and didn't enjoy it at the same time.

I'd be interested in reading more of his work.

June 01, 2006 10:49 PM  
Blogger Mrs. Chili said...

Yeah, Pamela, that's how I'm making my way through the PB, too; I'm enjoying it (particularly Adah's voice, and some of the turns of phrases from the other women are just gorgeous) and dreading it at the same time. And I find it intrigueing that Nathan doesn't get to tell his story firsthand; the only time we get his voice is hearsay through one of his daughters. It's an interesting juxtaposition of the appropriated voice; while the women are still very much excluded from the power and control of the novel, the fact that the story is told exclusively through their voices challenges the idea that they were entirely powerless.

YAY for reading HoD, Pamela! That's ONE! Anyone else? Vanx? Kizz (it WAS kinda your idea...). Blue? Contrary? Sarah? Anyone lurking whose name I don't know?

June 02, 2006 7:39 AM  
Blogger Sarah @ All The Book Blog Names Are Taken said...

I read Heart of Darkness in high school and actually really liked it because it just wasn't like anything I had read before. I am not sure how to describe it, perhaps, 'strange' is a good word to use, but that doesn't seem to quite get it either. But it was good nonetheless, though sometimes discussing it in class was hard because some of my classmates didn't 'get it' - the whole Imperialism thing was lost on some of them, though that discussion in itself is kind of beat now.

I actually have not read The Poisonwood Bible yet, though the discussion is making me want to! I have always enjoyed reading, but with the busy semester I had last fall and everything going on lately, the last book I can actually say I read was 'The Kite Runner', which I definitely recommend. It's a slow read and something I normally wouldn't have been interested in had my aunt not insisted I read it. Since today is my day off, I may have to go to the library and check it out today so I actually have something worthwhile to contribute to the discussion :)

June 02, 2006 9:17 AM  
Blogger Mrs. Chili said...

The Kite Runner is next in my pile! I've heard nothing but good things about it and am excited to get to it.

June 02, 2006 10:12 AM  
Blogger MrsEvilGenius said...

I have a hard time reading what I term 'disturbing' books; things that are fiction but could well be fact because they happen all the time. They upset me so badly that I can't stop thinking about them.

So despite being a huge book whore, I might have to punk out on this challenge.

*hangs head and slinks off*

-Blue

June 02, 2006 3:55 PM  
Blogger Mrs. Chili said...

HAH! "A huge book whore." I LOVE it.

Don't slink off - I don't think any less of you for not participating in this book group - I would bow out of a reading of The Grapes of Wrath. We've all got our things. While we read HoD, Blue, start thinking about the next book we can aim for.

June 02, 2006 4:00 PM  
Blogger Kizz said...

I'm in. I've got like 3 copies since I keep thinking I WILL read it. And I'm reading Sophie's World - a lend from a friend - and I'm kind of hating it so I might need a break.

That being said, does everyone who's in realize that the first sentence (SENTENCE!) in Heart of Darkness is over 2 pages long?

I'm just saying.

What's the timeline for discussion?

June 02, 2006 5:00 PM  
Blogger Mrs. Chili said...

Yes, the first sentence is a doozie.

I'd like to see if I can pick up a few more takers before we dive in - besides, I've got to finish The Poisonwood Bible first or I'll get the two confused. How about we start on the 12th, whether or not more people decide to come along with us?

June 02, 2006 5:25 PM  
Blogger Mrs. Chili said...

Kizz, I think we're thinking of another book, because the first sentence in HoD is "The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest." I can't now recall which book had the wicked first line. Grrrr.

I finished Poisonwood Bible yesterday and I have to say that, on balance, I loved it. There are some specific lines I'll blog about later because they were not only examples of skillful use of language, but they put forth ideas that seem so simple and yet so revolutionary. I have to say that the book left me in a bit of despair for the state of the world and our continued trajectory, though.

So, I've got Sarah and Kizz in this book-group go-around. Anyone else? We start next Monday...

June 05, 2006 10:37 AM  
Blogger Kizz said...

I'm ready to start discussing the first 40 pages or so whenever anyone else is.

June 15, 2006 2:45 PM  

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