Jon’s Comments (group member since Mar 24, 2020)

Jon’s comments from the UWM Libraries' Book Lovers Short Story Club group.

Laura wrote: "This story reminded me of how I imagine daughters grew up in China during the 1990s. My sister was born in 1999, and my family adopted her two and a half years later. She was abandoned in a hospita..."

Interesting comment! It is really interesting to read this story because it gave its audience a unique perspective. What I have always liked about Morrison's writing is that she often writes morally grey if not down right morally repugnant protagonists. I liked this story because while I disagree with the protagonists perspective I can see the reasoning for why she raised her child the way she did. Ultimately, I think this story is an excellent snapshot of Morrison's writing prowess.

Interesting comments! I agree with Laura's analysis that there does seem to be theme and even a critique of colonialism. I think what struck me was not just was the device horrific, but so the entire concept of a "penal colony" it is hard for me to separate my personal perspectives and what Kafka's themes are; however, I will say that he does not write a shining endorsement of the penal colony concept.

This last story has all of the classic aspects of a Toni Morrison story. It is a grim story about a mother justifying raising her child in a loveless home and It also deals with themes of racial discrimination which has the trappings for a great Toni Morrison story. To get discussion started, I will ask what do you guys think of the mother in this story? The link to this story is below:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...

I hope this book club gave you guys something to occupy some of your COVID-19 free time and thank you everyone for participating!

Laura wrote: "The link is broken."

Sorry about that Laura! Does this one work?

http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/~raha/79...

Hey Everyone!

Another week brings another short story! This week it is the famously grim story of a penal colony written by Franz Kafka. for discussion this week I thought I would attempt to broaden our discussion by just asking people to post any thoughts, questions, etc... that you might have on this material. Personally, while I found this reading compelling, it might be to dark for my taste. What does everyone else think?

https://www.kafka-online.info/in-the-...

Lastly, the poll for next week will select our last story for this fun little online book club. I decided that instead of picking new materials we could pick from popular stories from our previous polls that were not the chosen story for that week. So, if there was a popular story you voted for but was beaten out by a different story then now is your chance to have your voice be heard

Great analysis Laura! I agree that Lovecraft's strong word choice helps the reader feel immersed in his world. Personally, there are very authors who can make relate to characters solely through word choice and Lovecraft is one of them. Particularly when I read any story in Cthulhu mythos as his language always makes me feel like I'm reading something I should not be reading, but in a compelling way.

Hey Everyone!

We had some fantastic discussion this week on the Poe reading! I am excited to post that the winner for next week's story is The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft! It is available for free at the link below!

http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/t...

To get discussion started I though I would add some of my initial thoughts!

H.P. Lovecraft is one of America's most famous authors who unfortunately has a mixed reputation due to the racism that is sometimes present in his work. That being said, he has a masterful way with word choice that makes his descriptions truly seem unknowable. So I thought I would ask what your favorite word was in this reading? mine was "cyclopean"

Laura wrote: "It was his fault that everyone there became trapped and then died from the virus - I mean plague - but I don't think he is the antagonist. If anything, humans as a whole could be viewed as the anta..."

Interesting comment Laura! what do you think that they sick person who brought the Red Death in the first place?

This weeks story is the masque of the red death. A somber tale by Edgar Allen Poe that deals with opulence, plague, and self isolation.

https://www.poemuseum.org/the-masque-...

To get discussion going, do you think Prince Prospero was the antagonist of the story? why or why not?

Personally I think that one of themes of this book is importance of a great cataloging system and ultimate uselessness of disorganized information. what do you guys think?

Hello Everyone!

This April is National Poetry Month! So, i decided to create a thread that people can use to post their favorite poems! ill start with this:

Do not go gentle into that good night
by Dylan thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light

This story is by Jorge Louis Borges and is about a mysterious library that seems to contain every book ever written.

available for free at this link:

https://sites.evergreen.edu/political...

To get discussion going: What did you guys think of this story? Do you guys think there is a clear theme?