The Modern Library 100 Best Novels Challenge discussion

The December 2011 read.

I have posted the schedule and my thoughts under another heading. So please refer to that when we begin. Than we can make our comments here. That way the syllabus is easily available.

I love finding resources here is link to the movies and books mentioned in the Movie Goer.

http://www.kevinstilley.com/the-movie...

Sounds great, Gregory! I've got my copy and have begun to read it.

As an aside, Walker Percy also wrote The Message in the Bottle: How Queer Man is, How Queer Language is, and What One Has to Do with the Other. Which although it is nonfiction is certainly worth a read if any of you find you like his writing style.

To get us going in discussion here is a thought:

The author describes the movie house experience to be as important as the movie he goes and sees:

There is a danger of slipping clean out of space and time. It is possible to become a ghost and not know whether one is in downtown Loews in Denver or suburban Bijour in Jacksonville. So it is with me. Page 75

why? What does this have to do with the search?

The difficulty of reading a desultory, rambling story where the protagonist touches only lightly on his philosophical musing, is that we are still trying to get to know the characters. After finishing the first 2 chapters I am only thinking: what does this all mean? I only have an inkling because I read an overview and this is exactly what the story is.

True that I agree that this story does ramble. However, keep at it, it does work to show how one conquers the malaise that hangs over life. Also check out the Paris Review interview with Walker Percy, you can see what his goal was when writing the novel. Anyway good luck and thanks for your comments.

All right, I know I'm way late-- but I just finished this last night :).

I thought it had some nice prose in it and was existential as some pointed out, but it didn't grab me much. Perhaps, like "Appointment in Samarra" it will have a delayed effect.

I was really hoping for more profundity after having read his other novel.

This was not my cup of tea. I tried reading the poem all the way through and I was lost. I reread it 4 lines at a time and read the notes, but that took away from the flow. Sorry, I didn't like it

Shawn wrote: "All right, I know I'm way late-- but I just finished this last night :).

I thought it had some nice prose in it and was existential as some pointed out, but it didn't grab me much. Perhaps, like ..."

When you said his other books which one(s) were you admiring? The list only has the one book by the author, I am interested in reading the one you felt was compelling. Because I agree this book did not feed me like I felt it should have. Thanks Gregory

The other novel by him is:

The Message in the Bottle: How Queer Man is, How Queer Language is, and What One Has to Do with the Other

Really great read, I thought.

I will have to check it out. I will put it on my to read list thanks Gregory