Question: Was anyone else pretty shocked by the modernness of Werther's characterization of clinical depression?

I was thinking about this comm and how it can be used?

I think the choice of novel for the next month should be announced with the first discussion of the present one. That gives people time, not only to find the book (some people hate reading books on their computers and prefer dead tree form) but to read it and think about it.

Also, I think people could be encouraged to post more. Instead of only having discussions, people can post information about the author, stuff about the novel's era, who were the author's mentors or disciples, was he or she part of a movement, was the movement a reaction to a historical event, what to read next if you liked this book or if someone's read about the same concept but --in their opinion-- better executed.

I don't know how you feel about fanfiction or fanart, but if people have drabbles or ficlets or poems they can post them that month. What else? Oh! Movies. Maybe if we choose classics that have been made into movies, somebody can watch and give a review.

Soundtracks, people can post what they listen to while reading the book--

Maybe we could make a list of what we'll read in the next f4-6 months, with an eye to diversity and female and PoC and subversive writers as well as Nice White Males.

Anyway, just some ideas, hope that's okay. Thanks.

Edited 2009-05-26 10:57 pm (UTC)

I think you can give little prods to people. For example, right now you just asked me to help you with the non nice white male authors and I'm gonna get on that.

I think maybe everytime you post a discussion you can ask for volunteers to do this or that. That's how I do it in a slash community I participate in. I post a discussion and then when some poor innocent replies in the comments I answer their comments and give them little prods. I also make the prods part of the discussion.

I always threaten offer them sexual favors, but you can do something else. 8D

You should also think about tags. Maybe that would be a good way to announce to people that they're welcome to post whatever they want, by asking them to use specific tags.

I'll come back soon with some suggestions for the N-NWM list.

Okay here's a list:

1. The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon
(there's also Lady Murasaki with The Tale of Genji if you don't like that one)
2. Their eyes were watching God by Zora Neale
3. The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
4. The Lover by Marguerite Duras
5. The Diaries of Anais Nin (I think they're as fictional as they are factual.)
6. Labyrinths by Borges
7. The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bowen
8. Hopscotch by Cortazar
9. Rebecca by Du Maurier
10. Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
11. The Charioteer by Renault
12. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
13. All Quiet on the Western Front by Remarque (chosen because there aren't many books written about the German side in WWI)
14. The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector
15. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
16. A Personal Matter by Kezaburo OE *
17. Memento Mori by Muriel Spark
18. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (chosen for subversive)
19. Wide Saragasso Sea by Rhys (we could read this one after {if} we read Jane Eyre since it's the story of the madwoman in the attic)
20. The English Teacher by R.K. Narayan

We could also look into something by Ngugi Wa Thiong'o. I didn't add him because I wasn't sure which of his novels would be good.

Has anybody read The Bride Price by Buchi Emecheta?

Oh, and I didn't know if Rusdie was too contemporary.


You can search through these and combine the usual classics with some of them. Maybe make a theme. If we're talking about man v.s. man we can have a NWM give his POV and then a PoC. If the classic isn't overly long we could even make a comparative reading. That may be too much, but just throwing it out there-- Thanks!

Edited 2009-05-27 12:26 am (UTC)

Cool!

Wide Saragasso Sea looks awesome regardless. I think I'm gonna read that regardless. 8D

WTF is with me and my little infatuation with the word "regardless." Regardless, regardless.

I think that would be a cool choice and would add variety, since we already have some women and NWM on it.

HOLY CRAP!! Just saw the list! Gorgeous. <3