You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

We will be reading S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst.

So far we have Casceil, Lisa and me in for the ride and we're happy for more to join us! At the moment it looks like we'll be starting some time next week.

This is a spoiler free intro guide to how to read the book from whoisstraka.
If you are considering to get the book, this video shows what it looks like with the inserts.
Here is a pictured list of each insert by sfiles22 in case they got mixed up or dropped out.

Oooh, I am excited about this! Yay :)

I'll add the link to the buddy read calendar.

Thanks Janice! You are so fast :)

Casceil, are you up to starting next week?

I think so. I'll be reading at least one other book, so I may not be as speedy a reader as at other times, but it should be okay. I looked at the intro guide to how to read this book. Looks like a challenge.

There was a lot of hype about this book about a year and a half ago. I decided not to add it to my TBR list.

That's good, no need to hurry - unless it turns out to be crazily gripping :P
I'm going to suggest Tuesday April 4th as starting date.

I was intrigued by the concept and made a choice between House of Leaves and S. and found S. more appealing. Also it's my only unread paper book after 100+ ebooks that makes this even more intriguing :)

Oh, right, concerning "challenging" - I think our plan of keeping it straight forward is the best:

Strategy
Read the main story as is goes along with the notes, pausing each chapter for a quick internal review of the chapter and getting the margin notes into perspective. The following tiny spoiler about the margin notes is probably necessary to avoid being spoilered by a specific kind of margin notes: (view spoiler)[Black colored notes can be given less focus as they seem to contain spoilers as they were written at a later point in time. (hide spoiler)]

As far as I understand the main story is the the book itself: The Ship of Theseus by V.M. Straka. The margin notes are made by Jen & Eric who are writing each other notes. The inserts I am not quite sure myself yet.

Here is a spoiler on what the different colors of the margin notes mean, taken from whoisstraka, the intermediate reading guide.

How Do I Tell What Order Jen & Eric Wrote in the Margins?
(view spoiler)[
Pencil
Eric wrote in pencil while taking notes during his early reading(s) of Ship of Theseus before he met Jen.
Blue (Jen) and black (Eric)
This is the first pass of notes between Eric and Jen after they “meet” in the margins.
Green (Eric) and orange (Jen)
This is the second pass of comments between Eric and Jen after their relationship has deepened.
Purple (Jen) and red (Eric)
This is the third set of comments between the two, after they have met in person.
Black (both Jen and Eric)
These are the final set of notes and include their comments after they move to Prague. (hide spoiler)]

Have you read House of Leaves, Stephan?

No, I have not. If S. turns out good I might consider reading House of Leaves, too though!

Btw I've been editing my last post for strategy info

Unfortunately, I'm going to pass. I would have to order it in from the library and that takes a couple of weeks. It does sound intriguing and perhaps one day I'll get around to it.

I have House of Leaves and started it, but struggled with the footnotes in the footnotes. I think if I read the different parts separately like they were separate stories, I might get along better with it. Someday.... in the meantime, I've leant it to a friend.

Just a reminder that people mark their spoilers.

Sure thing Janice, thanks for letting us know! Maybe there'll be a reread at some point, Tejas Janet is also interested but can't join right now.

Concerning spoilers, should I have marked my comment on the black margin notes too? I am always happy to be corrected when I make a mistake! I added another spoiler tag, in case that's what you were referring to.

To be honest, Stephan, I hadn't read your message about strategy other than to give it a cursory look, so I didn't pick up on any possible spoilers.

I was thinking more along the lines of a newbie to the group may not know the way we approach buddy reads. :)

I have this book. For some reason I feel reluctant to break its seal! So it has been sitting on the shelf pristine and unread.

I'm going to attempt to join in. BUT I have to confess that I've been flaking on Buddy Reads lately.

Almeta, I do hope you will participate. I know what you mean about the seal. It took me a while, too. But it looks like a fun adventure.

Janice wrote: I was thinking more along the lines of a newbie..."

Awwww *blush* :) Thanks

Hi Almeta :) I'm sure we'd all love you to give it a try and enjoy the buddy read! No obligations! Please? ;)

I've read of people carrying it along in their gym-bag to give it a more authentic used feel, like Eric & Jen having handled it all the time :)

Yep, Casceil, let's make it an adventure!

I haven't broken the seal yet, either. In fact, I haven't even taken the book out of its plastic wrapper! I'm looking forward to this buddy read. It sounds like it will be a unique experience.

Oooh, opening the book tomorrow!

I looked at the book enough over the weekend to determine that a magnifying glass would be useful, so I bought one Saturday. The footnotes to Ship of Theseus look pretty small to me, but then I am very nearsighted.

Casceil wrote: "I looked at the book enough over the weekend to determine that a magnifying glass would be useful, so I bought one Saturday. The footnotes to Ship of Theseus look pretty small to me, but then I am ..."

Hmm, I am pretty shortsighted too so I might also have to use a magnifying glass for the footnotes. I think I have one somewhere, but I'm not entirely sure where it is. Probably lurking in the depths of a drawer somewhere!

I hadn't even flipped through it yet so I did that now, some writing is quite small indeed. Also the "pencil" writing can be very light. I just got my first varifocals though, so glasses are uptodate and ready to be abused by our book.

I've also got a notepad ready on my smartphone for notes, hoping that it doesn't get too complicated!

I am going to be a day or two late in starting now. I completely forgot that I'm supposed to be reading Tigana with a non-Goodreads friend and we were meant to start yesterday, but I didn't as it had completely slipped my mind! So I'm going to concentrate on making some headway on that for the next couple of days and then I will pick this up. I will be playing catch up with you but I don't mind :)

current position: finished foreword, at page 3

I didn't check my watch but I think I just spent far over an hour on the foreword (like 10 pages)! And those footnotes - I hadn't even seen them previously, they are so small.. First impression? Very involving and I feel no hurry at all. I think this will take a while and I'll read other stuff aside of it - not because it's to dry or anything, but because I don't want to force it and it does take some concentration. The theories of Jen & Eric are already taking on forms in my mind.

The story hasn't even begun and we know some things about Jen (view spoiler)[and her ex Jacob (hide spoiler)] and Eric (view spoiler)[and his problems with his mentor Prof. Moody (hide spoiler)]. And all those doubts and questions! (view spoiler)[Was FXC schizophrenic and if so how much is imagined? Did Straka even exist? Is the whole thing a hoax? (hide spoiler)]

My dog is now lying at my side under a blanket, warming me, the book is opened and lying on my dog (she doesn't mind heavy stuff on her, she must've been a pillow in her last life), it's raining. I can hear the rain prattling down through the kitchen window, which is slightly open and some cool air is seeping in. Can't be bothered to get up and close it, warm dog, blanket & all... The reading light is turned on - can't remember when I used it last, ereading usually!

page xiii, foreword: (view spoiler)[Wtf.. chapter 10 missing the last page? Cliffhanger much? (hide spoiler)]

Have 163 pages of a current book to finish before it is due back to the library tomorrow.

I'll be joining you shortly.

Almeta, that's great - very happy you're joining in :) Good luck getting your book finished by tomorrow!

current position: page 5

'Most people decide what they think early on + don't change their minds' (p 3 Eric)
I've got a theory already. With all those references to identity, nobody having seen VMS, the books all being written in different languages and the quote 'But the focus on the Writer and not the Work dishonors both' (p vii), I personally think (view spoiler)[VMS is not one but many people. (hide spoiler)]

current position: ch. 1 finished, p. 37

Wow, the very end of chapter 1 (view spoiler)[the story turns from a dark eerie fiction to straight out horror! (hide spoiler)] Without the margin notes I guess I would be more immersed into the story itself and I might have been less surprised. Maybe it'd be a better idea to read only the story for one chapter and then reread it together with all margin notes. What do you think?

Stephan wrote: "My dog is now lying at my side under a blanket, warming me, the book is opened and lying on my dog (she doesn't mind heavy stuff on her, she must've been a pillow in her last life), it's raining. I can hear the rain prattling down through the kitchen window, which is slightly open and some cool air is seeping in. Can't be bothered to get up and close it, warm dog, blanket & all... ."

Sounds like an idyllic place to be. Enjoy!

Janice wrote: "Sounds like an idyllic place to be. Enjoy!"

I'd wouldn't go so far to call my little 30m2 1-room flat for 2 people idyllic, but the situation definitely is wonderful, and it's always what you make it out to be, right? So I do consider myself to be quite lucky :) Especially with my wonderful SO (who unfortunately doesn't read) and sweet dog.

Stephan, I'm still on the forward, but I read the text first and then went back for the margin notes. Based on what you've said, I plan to follow that same approach for Chapter 1.

Yes, Casceil. I'd recommend that to everyone now. I've stumbled over several situations by now, where I was wondering what Jen & Eric where meaning, when simply having read the chapter would have explained it nicely.

So for Almeta & Lisa:
We have found that reading the story of a chapter first and then going back to read all margin notes and making sense of them is the most fun way to explore this book.

Stephan, the first insert is a letter in English and what looks like it might be a German version of the same letter. I don't read German. Are they the same?

Stephan wrote: "Yes, Casceil. I'd recommend that to everyone now. I've stumbled over several situations by now, where I was wondering what Jen & Eric where meaning, when simply having read the chapter would have e..."

Thanks for the heads up, Stephan. I will take that approach when I start.

Casceil wrote: "Stephan, the first insert is a letter in English and what looks like it might be a German version of the same letter. I don't read German. Are they the same?"

I ordered a copy last night ,so hope to join in soon! It's being delivered to work (gets here a day earlier and I can maybe start at lunchtime). I read German, so if you can wait until then, I can check for you Casceil.

Casceil wrote: "Stephan, the first insert is a letter in English and what looks like it might be a German version of the same letter. I don't read German. Are they the same?"

I would have liked that - but it's actually Swedish :) I can see it looking similar with the Umlauts (äöü) but I can only understand a very general gist - but it does look like a literal translation.

I'm not joining, but this book sounds like quite an adventure and interactive experience to read!

Also a bit daunting and taking a lot of effore to be honest, which is why I'm skipping it ;-)

Annerlee :) Thanks for joining us - wonderful! This is getting better and better!

Peggy wrote: "Also a bit daunting and taking a lot of effore to be honest, which is why I'm skipping it ;-)"

I know what you mean :) Now that I'm actually reading it though, it seems to be not really any effort at all, more like making room for it, taking some time to read and not hurrying it.

I am finding it takes a fair amount of both effort and time to get anywhere with this book. I've read through the "Ship of Theseus" text for Chapter 1, and I'm on my way back through it with the margin notes, but I've only gotten through about 10 pages with notes and inserts, and it's bedtime. I'll try again tomorrow. At the moment I don't have any comments. I'm not sure how many levels I am supposed to be reading this on.

Casceil wrote: "...I'm not sure how many levels I am supposed to be reading this on.
"

I think I'm going to suggest to us including myself to "KISS" - "keep it simple (s)" and not try and catch everything immediately. If we really want to, we can delve into all interesting aspects as deeply as we like - later on. Let's not forget this is to be a fun ride, an adventure, and that's all we are supposed to - have fun :)

I've been getting caught up a bit myself. Several times I was thinking, "Wait, there was this side note somewhere a few pages back that was referencing what I'm reading now." and then I'd be going back, not finding the notes and then taking ages looking for it.

When I reread a chapter with the margin notes now, I am going to try and register and be fascinated by them without falling into the trap of trying to understand each minutia.

Today I'm reading chapter 2, I wonder what's going to happen on that ship and how "dark" it's going to get!

Keeping it simple sounds like good advice. Some things come together after I think about them a bit. Like the capuchin monkey we see twice in Chapter 1.

What about it? I'm interested in your thoughts.

I've been a good buy, just finished the story of ch. 2, now back to the notes!

current position: ch. 2 finished, p. 69

I tried our new approach and it was easier than the previous all-in-one method, so: thumbs-up! I am really wondering where I am going to be when I finish the story! Am I going to be very involved and go deeper? I hope so! I am definitely going to go and read guides and spoilers then.

Casceil, case you are going to ask ;), telegram 1 from p. 38 is indeed German and correctly translated!

Oh right, Casceil, have you read House of Leaves? Or Lisa, Almeta, Annerlee?

Stephan wrote: "Oh right, Casceil, have you read House of Leaves? Or Lisa, Almeta, Annerlee? ..."

Sounds like a loaded question...
From the little I know, it seems to have a similar concept to "S", with footnotes etc. Possibly an inspiration?

How about you Stephan?

Wasn't supposed to be loaded :) Just wondering if one of us has experience with this kind of book.

Nope, I haven't read it, I only remembered Casceil asking me.

I have read most of House of Leaves. My reasons for not finishing it had more to do with time constraints and general chaos in my life, rather than any lack of merit in the book. I enjoyed what I read of it, and I was very glad I was reading it with other people, because they pointed out things I would have missed. I was reading it in connection with two different group reads, one in "Brain Pain" and one in "Twenty-first Century Literature." Both occurred around the same time, in fall of 2012. I know both discussions were archived, and they are probably still accessible.

Good to know and thanks for the info. It'll come in handy in case I want to read it too.

I haven't read House of Leaves. It's been on my radar for a while, but I haven't bought it yet because it looks pretty intimidating. However, if I enjoy 'S', I might give it a go.

Stephan wrote: "...Oh right, Casceil, have you read House of Leaves? Or Lisa, Almeta, Annerlee? ..."

I have not read it, however I also have House of Leaves on my home bookshelf.

Must have been interested in these formats for some reason.☺