I Read Therefore I Am discussion

Comment as soon as you like, but please hide any spoilers.

Just arrived at chapter 8 bk one and so far I'm enjoying it (view spoiler)[ I'm a bit embarrassed about how long it took me to recognise the Three Wise Men though <\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

Am at chapter VI, book I, also thoroughly enjoying. Gained one major insight in an area of particular personal interest already. Good stuff.

Just picked up my copy from the library today. :0)

Yay :0)

Just finished this month's chunk and although I could do with a few less descriptions of the gorgeousness of Ben Hur ( after all, we know exactly what he looks like - Charlton Heston) I'm enjoying it. So far, though, I can't see why it's on the 1001 list. Perhaps this will become more apparent in next months instalment.

Although I've never read the book (my favorite movie), I look forward to reading along with everyone. I'm interested in the author's use of point of view. So far (Book Second), Wallace is a master. Although tedious at times, the descriptions are extremely vivid.

Just started this last night, so I'm a little behind most of you

Not as behind as me Ellie! I'm going to have a third attempt at this starting tomorrow. If I don't make it this time it's for Barter Books (second hand book shop) I'm afraid.

So here's the problem. I live in Hong Kong, and trying to get a book shop to order in Ben-Hur has proven impossible. On top of that, the public libraries only have the John Kennett "made for schools" retold edition.... I really can't afford to buy the book off of Amazon because the shipping costs more than the book is worth.
I might just have to read the "made for schools" copy to get the gist, but sit this one out. :(

If you go to the book link on Goodreads, here, and scroll down to where it says "Get A Copy", to the far right, it says "Download ebook". If you click on that, you might be able to get a copy that way. I'm not sure if that helps, but I thought I'd try! :-)

Thanks. I just can't stand reading off of a screen, particularly a book as long as Ben-Hur. It gives me serious headaches, and I also don't own a kindle. I realise the whole e-book thing could save me a lot of money, and one day I will get one, I'm sure. But when I've tried reading on a kindle before, I've found the text to be blurry (just me, apparently), and on a computer screen the headaches start quite quickly.

Jena wrote: "Thanks. I just can't stand reading off of a screen, particularly a book as long as Ben-Hur. It gives me serious headaches, and I also don't own a kindle. I realize the whole e-book thing could save..."

Jena, I know exactly what you mean. I HATE reading on the computer and, in fact, won't do it. I do have a Kindle for situations such as yours though …… and you're right, it has been a big money-saver, but I still choose to read in book form over anything else.

But apparently we're in the minority! :-)

Cleo wrote: "Jena wrote: "Thanks. I just can't stand reading off of a screen, particularly a book as long as Ben-Hur. It gives me serious headaches, and I also don't own a kindle. I realize the whole e-book thi..."

Good to know there are still a few of us left in the world!! My Dad's the same. We'd both rather spend money on books and have an impressive display around the house, than have a collection of books on a tablet.

:)

So.... it turns out the public library does have a copy of Ben-Hur, it's just on loan, and won't be available until the end of May! I may be behind everyone else in their reading, but at least now I can participate!

Hi Jena - glad you're going to be able to join us in a while - I'm trying to give as much advance notice as possible for group reads now, to give people more of a chance to find copies - I'll be announcing the next Quarterly Read and July's monthly read in a couple of days.
There's nothing better than real books - but an e-reader is a good 2nd best if you have a small house and a husband who regards piles of books as clutter :0)

I'm up to page 15 and I'm already irritated by it labouring the story of the nativity. I suspect if I don't get past this I'll abandon it yet again so I'm fast forwarding to Book 2 and keeping my fingers crossed.

I'll keep my fingers crossed!

@Lee - you may uncross your fingers - it didn't work. I just can't read this book. It reads too much like the bible and if I wanted to read the bible, I'd - well - read the bible!!!

If you can nerve yourself for one more attempt - Ben Hur finally makes an appearance (and the film starts) - Book 2, Chapter 6. :0)

@ Hilary, the first part you have to just slog through. I kind of enjoyed it because, after being exposed to Westernized ideas of the wise men, I was happy to have real characters that I could learn about and appreciate. It does get better ----- their appearance diminishes and Ben Hur comes to the forefront! It starts to get exciting. Get ready for some clashes between the Romans and the Jews!

OK. Attempt four coming up. I'll start at Book 2 Chapter 6 as you suggest Lee. Actually I was only a few pages off there when I abandoned it last night. Fingers and toes crossed this time.

@ Cleo @Lee thank you ladies for the encouragement..I have started to enjoy it and am hopeful of making it to the end. I may even feel the need to continue reading past our stopping point for the month.

Hilary wrote: "@ Cleo @Lee thank you ladies for the encouragement..I have started to enjoy it and am hopeful of making it to the end. I may even feel the need to continue reading past our stopping point for the ..."

Yeah, Hilary! Good news! If it's a classic, I always try to keep plugging along at least until half-way. I hated The Picture of Dorian Gray until about 75% of the way through and suddenly I understood the point of what I had read and it ended up one of my favourite books.

@ Hilary - Hooray! - if only we'd found the point at which Mason & Dixon starts being readable :0)
@ Cleo - you've got more will power than me - if I'm struggling with a book I start skipping and only go back and read it properly if something grabs me.

Lee wrote: "
@ Cleo - you've got more will power than me - if I'm struggling with a book I start skipping and only go back and read it properly if something grabs me. …"

Don't get me wrong ….. I want to do that, but there are just so many instances where I've learned that if I keep going, I'll love the book. It doesn't always happen but it does more times than not, so I force myself. And yes, sometimes it can take willpower …… :-) I only follow this "rule" for classics though. With modern books, if I don't like them after a couple of chapters, I chuck them (modern books are written for immediate gratification, so I feel that I'm justified. ;-) )

That's a good distinction to make - after all there has to be a reason that a classic became a classic :0)