Portland Readers discussion

So, I've lately been looking for Portland based groups to join and I recently found this one. However, I noticed that the latest activity seems to have been at least six months ago. Is anybody still out there and willing to discuss literature, or has this group died off?

Kathryn wrote: "So, I've lately been looking for Portland based groups to join and I recently found this one. However, I noticed that the latest activity seems to have been at least six months ago. Is anybody stil..."

I am! ...Or at least I'm willing to be...
Inactivity in the Portland group really bummed me out. It is actually the main reason I stopped coming to Goodreads.
But let's do it!
Maybe others will be inspired by our perseverance against great odds and start talking too!
Yeah!
Woo!

...So...
...Whaddya wanna talk about?

Sounds good to me! Hey, if we can't get others to come back and be active, at least we'll have developed one local friend to share our book obsession with!

Well, for one thing I see on your profile that you're reading As I Lay Dying and it looks like you've read a few photography books lately.

How is As I Lay Dying so far?

Are you big on photography? What kind of pictures do you like to take?

I figure part of the point of groups is to get to know people as well as the books they're reading, so tell me a little bit about the things you like to do. :) It looks like we're both working through some of the classics right now, or at least have them on a list to read at some point!

What are your favorite genres? What book or author would you consider a guilty pleasure? What was your favorite book as a child? What is your favorite book now? Do you prefer having a hard copy or reading ebooks?

Right now I'm reading a few books. I never seem to be able to stick to just one. Most of them are hard copies, but I have decided to try reading ebooks as well in an effort to give my poor sagging shelves a break.

The ebook I'm reading is The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. I'm in part three and so far it's quite good. I have to admit that I'd only ever known the story from the various movies that have been released. It's nice to finally be able to read the real story and pick up on the nuances that don't translate well into cinema. It's a much more serious story than I have been led to believe. The entire tone of the book is reminiscent of poetry, especially in dialogue.

I'm also reading another classic Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert. I'm not entirely sure what I think about it yet, but it's refreshing to find a book where I've had to look up some of the words to know what they're in reference to. I'm also enjoying how sensitive the author is to the character of Madame Bovary and showing the slow psychological spiral into the decisions she has been making. Nothing in her actions is impulsive so far, but as life has not become what she expected, the author allows you to see how time wears on a person. The plot advances a little slowly by modern standards, but so far it's been a relaxing read.

The third book I'm reading is a biography about Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek. I usually really enjoy biographies, but this one is written very dryly. There have been five or six interesting gems of information, but I believe the author David Alexander is focusing too much on the cut and dry facts and not enough on the anecdotes. He was hand picked by Roddenberry and had full access to the family and friends of Roddenberry, but so far two hundred pages in I'm still reading what seems like every little business letter that Roddenberry ever wrote, for every little project he ever worked on. I'm determined to finish it, but I'm convinced some editor could have easily taken out a third of the book and still had a complete biography.

The other two books I haven't gotten very far in. I don't know if you've ever seen the show No Reservations, but I'm reading a book by Anthony Bourdain who is the star. It's called A Cook's Tour: Adventures in Extreme Cuisines. He has a very sarcastic and harsh sort of humor which I find entertaining. He travels the world and samples all sorts of food in an area from the cooking of local families to the fanciest restaurants. What makes it interesting to me though, is he focuses a lot on what food has to do with each culture's history.

The final book I'm reading right now is Time Travel in Einstein's Universe: The Physical Possibility of Travel Through Time. I've been trying to broaden my knowledge of science in general as it hasn't been a subject I've studied much. So far this book has lost me at a couple small points, not having a background in physics, but for the most part it stays nontechnical and explains the possibilities of Time Travel in easy doses for the average reader. It's fairly fascinating, but one of those books you have to read a little at a time and then take time to digest.



Whew! Sorry for such a long post. I'm so excited to find someone to talk to about books I went a little crazy.

Oh dear, looks like I scared you away with my long post.

No you didn't, I promise! It's just been a super busy week, that's all. I do want to address the joys of photography (as both a hobby and a literary subject), and I have lots to say about both Kipling and Hemingway (masculinity in the Modern era is highly unpleasant, and yet so sad).

I just finished reading By Night in Chile for the second time, and had my mind blown again. Now I'm reading The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge and my intellectual/aesthetic world is being rocked again.

That's just the beginning. There's more where that came from. Possibly not until after the new year though.

Thanks for checking back! Can't wait to hear from you again!

Hm. Hello? I was in a book club (live) a couple of years ago, but unfortunately, we sort of melted away. I just want to talk about books!! :)

do it!
talk about them!

I'm still reading Rilke's The Notebooks... but I've gotten a bit sidetracked by The Inferno. Dark days call for dark reading, I suppose.

I feel a little levity coming my way though, so if you've got recommendations for something that's entertaining without being mindless, and quirky but not cutesy lay 'em on me. In the meantime, I'll be brushing up on my Steinbeck.

...Jeez...when did I become this person?
...sigh...

Weird. Your first response didn't pop up as a notification for me Ashley. Sorry about that!

Oh hello Baconthecat! Welcome to the pretty much dead looking Portland Readers Group... Heh I guess it'll become our own private group since very few people seem to be interested in talking about books in this group. haha

Hi!! :D Wow, Ashley, you are reading some pretty heavy books... The closest I've gotten to reading The Inferno is Matthew Pearl's "The Dante Club", which is set in the late 1800s and involves real-life historical literary characters (Longfellow, Holmes, etc.) who are dedicated to translating The Inferno, but there is someone out there determined to make sure it never sees the light of day. It took a while for me to really get into it (the various people were confusing to me), but once I did, it's really exciting and suspenseful.

I LOVE photography! Do you have a website where I can see your photos? I have a little Canon Rebel XTi (5 years old now), but I haven't taken her out in a few months.

Kathryn, you are reading a lot of really interesting books! I used to do that, read a few books at once, but I had to stop because I found I was not enjoying them as much as I could have because I had to keep diving back into them. Which ones have you finished and really loved? I get so mad when I finish a book and hate it.

Which ebook reader do you have? We received a Nook for Christmas, but because we both have iPads and there is a free Nook app, we returned it. I personally love to smell paper, so I HAVE to have a physical book, although I've read a little bit on my iPad as well.

I just finished Philip Roth's "The Plot Against America", which offers an alternate version of history where Charles Lindbergh becomes President, but because he publicly has ties with Adolf Hilter, the Jewish communities in America are very worried, with some of them moving to Canada. Gentiles are also openly saying discriminating remarks to Jews, and nationwide programs have been established to systematically move Jews to farmlands to Americanize them. It's told through the eyes of a 9-year-old Jewish boy in Newark, and besides being very thrilling, is also sad, funny, tender, and chilling. It's scary how realistic it seems. Thoroughly researched and incredibly detailed. This is my first Roth book, and I'm excited to read another one.

I am now reading Paulo Coelho's "The Valkyries".

Okay... Waiting for you guys! :D

Hi, Everyone,
I'm currently reading Crime and Punishment and Mansfield Park.
First, I'll say that I am really enjoying Crime and Punishment. It's my first Dostoevsky and I like his pace and description. I love Tolstoy, but his slow pace can become tedious at times (although it really pays off in the end).
Second, just getting into Masfield Park. Second Austen I've read. I so enjoyed the first, I just had to get into a second. I find it a nice balance to the weightier and darker Crime and Punishment.
I was reading Empress but lost interest and have put it down. I almost completed it too. It's like the author is trying so hard to get through all these events in this woman's life that she forgot to make the heroine engaging.
Anyway, I love to discuss books too! I'm usually a one-book-at-a-time gal, but sometimes, I just can't help myself :)

Bacon -

I find that reading several books at once allows me to focus on each of them better and enjoy them for the contrast in genre. Sometimes I feel like picking up a biography, sometimes I just want some fluff in a fantasy novel. I find if I allow my whims of the moment to dictate which book I focus on, I end up feeling overall better about it. I find it pretty easy to keep involved in most of the books I read, at least enough so that I don't feel I'm diving back into them after a long absence, even if it has been. Of course there is always the occasional book that diverts my attention from the others until I finish it.

I'd say of the books I mentioned above, the ones I enjoyed most were The Jungle Book and A Cook's Tour. The Jungle Book surprised me as only a small fraction of it was dedicated to Mowgli's story. It was really a collection of short stories switching between wild and tame animals of both the land and sea. Each story had a different point the author was trying to get across. I also found it quite enjoyable that he created a "song" for every animal. I'm usually not a huge fan of poetry, but each one was clever, easy to read and quite enjoyable. I can't wait to get the second one.

A Cook's Tour was also great. Having seen the author's shows before I had his voice in my head as I was reading it. I think I'll get his next one in audiobook form. It's detailed, honest and mixes both the homey and edgy qualities of each city he visits well. There is always a bit of history on the countries he goes to stuck in there, which makes it more interesting to me. I can't read it on an empty stomach though!

Madame Bovary...was worth a read once. I don't feel I'll ever need to read it again, but it was interesting, showing an unsympathetic character in brutal honesty, but at the same time allowing you to see how easy and even expected it was for her to become so selfish and air-headed.

I haven't yet finished Time Travel in Einstein's Universe, not for lack of interest - but because I had to return it to the library, but I will soon be checking it out again.

Gene Roddenberry's biography was the most disappointing. There were some interesting parts in the book for sure, but overall I stand by my original philosophy - in most cases one should not hand pick their own biographer. The man was a journalist with no experience in biographies and it shows. He really needed an editor as the book could have been a third of the size without sacrificing quality of information. He was obsessed with putting in every single business letter Roddenberry wrote regarding every unheard of show he'd ever worked on, regardless of importance. I have a detailed review of it on my profile if you're really interested.

As to my ebook reader - I don't have an official one. I have a 2nd generation ipod and that works well enough for me. I too find the lure of book scents too charming to discard most of the time. However, I've found that I will over time read a book on my ipod usually while commuting late at night. When it's too dark to read a real book, or I'm trying not to disturb someone sleeping, I pull out the trusty ipod to get my fix. :)

I hadn't heard of The Plot Against America, but you make it sound fascinating. I'll have to add it to my to read shelf. I haven't read much alternative history, is it a favorite genre of yours? Do you have any other recommendations? I also haven't read The Valkyries yet. How are you liking that?

Whew... sorry for my epically long posts. I seem to be unable to restrain myself when it comes to books.

Ashley wrote: "do it!
talk about them!

I'm still reading Rilke's The Notebooks... but I've gotten a bit sidetracked by The Inferno. Dark days call for dark reading, I suppose.

I feel a little levity coming my..."

Ahh the Inferno, that is another one on my to read list that has been hanging out on my sagging bookshelf. How is it so far?

Hmm. Well if you're in to fantasy and satire at all I'd recommend Terry Pratchett books. If you're interested I can name some specifically. Also, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein is a great book if you like sci-fi with philosophy inserted flawlessly into the story. It's a book that gets your brain turning with ideas, without overwhelming it.

Gloria wrote: "Hi, Everyone,
I'm currently reading Crime and Punishment and Mansfield Park.
First, I'll say that I am really enjoying Crime and Punishment. It's my first Dostoevsky a..."

Gloria - Have you ever read War and Peace by Tolstoy? I'm currently reading it and I've found that as hard as people claim it is to get through, I think they're mainly just confused by the plethora of characters and intimidated by a 1500 page book. It's very enjoyable so far. Crime and Punishment is one I started a long time ago, but I wasn't in the right mood and set it down again. How is it? I've been thinking about hunting for my copy again.

Hello everyone, this is my first experience with a reading group. I will be moving back to Portland in a few weeks, so I thought I'd check this out. Can't wait to be back in my favourite city..

Welcome Teddy. We three are trying to revive the Portland Group. Care to join us? ;)

Where have you been living? You traitor to Portland! haha

Kathryn wrote: "Welcome Teddy. We three are trying to revive the Portland Group. Care to join us? ;)

Where have you been living? You traitor to Portland! haha"

Haha, yeah, I wish I wouldn't have left Portland. I've been in North Carolina for a little over a year, big difference..

Yeah, I'll be around here as often as I can to see what's going on. I actually just downloaded War and Peace from amazon last week, haven't started it yet though. I sometimes have a hard time reading classics, so I'm trying to get into the habit.

War and Peace is amazing so far. I'm reading it with one of my other groups Bookish. Let me know what you think when you start. I ended up getting the Constance Garnett translation, as I read the first twenty pages of about six different translations and it was by far the most readable. :) What translation did you get?

North Carolina - I've been there before. There are some pretty cities, but it's definitely a different atmosphere from what I could tell.

Let me guess - first on the back in Portland agenda is Powells?

I've been reading a lot of classics lately. I've found that some of them aren't great books and some of them are amazing, just like anything else. If there is anything you're thinking of reading, I can give you my opinion if I've read it! I've found though that most classics are hard to read mostly because people over analyze them. Sure, they should make you think, but dissecting every paragraph is a bit excessive.

Hello! I am still here, I am just delayed in my replies at the moment... Read on, good people! I will be back when I have time to write something of substance. :)

I have Briggs' translation of War and Peace, from Amazon Kindle.

Yeah, Powell's will be one of my first trips trips once I get back in town, even though I get the majority of my books digitally now, I still enjoy the real thing too. And I love Powell's.

I agree, when reading recreationally, over analyzing isn't a good idea. Recreational reading is supposed to be relaxing..

Kathryn wrote: "Gloria wrote: "Hi, Everyone,
I'm currently reading Crime and Punishment and Mansfield Park.
First, I'll say that I am really enjoying Crime and Punishment. It's my first..."

I'm thoroghly enjoying it. I find it hard to put down. Much quicker pace than Tolstoy. I haven't read War & Peace, mostly due to intimidation of the size. It's on my list, though. I'm a fan of Pevear and Volohonsky translations of Russian novels. Very accessible style.
Finished Masfield Park and I found it a satisfying read. More so because I hadn't seen a movie about it and didn't know how it would end. Although, I find Austen's endings rather annoying. It's always too quick and ties everything up into a pretty little bow. It's like she feels compelled to wrap up every little sub-plot and provide an overt commentary on the character's nature. The endings seem so out of place with the pace of the rest of her novels.

Kathryn wrote: "War and Peace is amazing so far. I'm reading it with one of my other groups Bookish. Let me know what you think when you start. I ended up getting the Constance Garnett translation, as I read the f..."

Ugh - I'm all for just enjoying the novel. That's the main intent, in my opinion. I think you miss the beauty of the novel's form if you attempt to inspect and disect it. I have found many classics to be classics for a very good reason - that they are immensely readable.

Gloria wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "War and Peace is amazing so far. I'm reading it with one of my other groups Bookish. Let me know what you think when you start. I ended up getting the Constance Garnett translation,..."


That's why I'm actually enjoying War and Peace with this particular book group I"m in. We're not dissecting it as you'd expect a book group to do. I feel classics are ruined that way as well. Instead, it's more like talking about a t.v. show with some friends. Everyone has their favorite characters, everyone is musing on what might happen next, but not seriously trying to figure it out. It's more of a social support group for a book that at first looked intimidating. It's also been a source for those of us members who know a bit more about the history of that time period to be a resource for others, to help them understand what is going on with the war which has been confusing for some and what led up to it.

"I'm thoroghly enjoying it. I find it hard to put down. Much quicker pace than Tolstoy. I haven't read War & Peace, mostly due to intimidation of the size. It's on my list, though. I'm a fan of Pevear and Volohonsky translations of Russian novels. Very accessible style.
Finished Masfield Park and I found it a satisfying read. More so because I hadn't seen a movie about it and didn't know how it would end. Although, I find Austen's endings rather annoying. It's always too quick and ties everything up into a pretty little bow. It's like she feels compelled to wrap up every little sub-plot and provide an overt commentary on the character's nature. The endings seem so out of place with the pace of the rest of her novels"


That's certainly one thing that has always annoyed me about Jane Austen. I do enjoy her books, but everything ends happily and quickly. It's like she just suddenly ran out of steam at the end of her books and just said to heck with it. I've found most of the Austen books to be worth a read once or twice. I think Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility have become highly over rated. People act as if she wrote nothing else!

Kathryn wrote: "Gloria wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "War and Peace is amazing so far. I'm reading it with one of my other groups Bookish. Let me know what you think when you start. I ended up getting the Constance Garne..."

How fun. I'm glad to know so many are enjoying it. Something to look forward to in my future reading adventures. I usually juxtapose light and heavy reads and will probably have a break from Russian lit after Crime & Punishment, but it's certainly on the list!

Hi! Just joined Goodreads a couple of weeks ago. I live in Laurelhurst. (waving at everyone)

Hi, vard! Waving back from my downtown job.
Welcome to Goodreads :)

(Also shaking my fist at Kathryn above for her dissing of Beloved Jane! Seriously, I agree that she has a tendency to tie things up too neatly, but her storytelling and prose are so snarky and clever that I find it easy to overlook all that and forgive her.)

Oh you must shake your fist at me as well. I'm the one who brought it up. I have only read two of her books and liked them both immensely. But the endings bug me....can't help it....
At least we can agree that the beginnings and the middles are fantastic :-)

I'm here...

Anna wrote: "I'm here..."

Yay! Me too!

What are you reading?

I've been reacquainting myself with Faulkner, with occasional excursions into the Preacher comic book series by Garth Ennis. Oddly enough, it was the comic book that brought me back to Faulkner (take that comic book naysayers!). Both deal with themes of lineage, patrimony, sin, and justice in a world characterized largely by the (apparent) absence of God, and in surprisingly similar ways. So, when I found myself thinking "Man, this comic book is so...Faulknerian," going back to the man himself seemed like the right thing to do.

Reading Go Down, Moses alongside the Preacher series has been pretty intense. And pretty amazing. In each case, I'm totally floored by the grace, complexity, and unadulterated rage with which both authors treat the idea of undeserved and misused power, the characters' indignant attitudes toward God and the cold, cruel, depraved universe he apparently created.

I was just thinking about reading three short novels by Faulkner. Never read him.

I'm here !
http://maphead.wordpress.com/

I just finished Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons, which is HILARIOUS. I am reading a few books simultaneously/intermittently, including Middlemarch, Daniel Deronda, The Brothers Karamazov, and The House at Sugar Beach.