Comments for 2nd Wednesday Book Club http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:19:54 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 Comment on Our next book is Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert by Kyle http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/2010/01/14/our-next-book-is-eat-pray-love-by-elizabeth-gilbert/comment-page-1/#comment-26 Kyle Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:19:54 +0000 http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/?p=111#comment-26 The publisher has some good discussion questions here: us.penguingroup.com/static/rguides/us/eat_pray_love.html - especially 1, 2, 4, 9, Other questions: How much does the publisher's advance affect the credibility of the personal triumphs? Did the author feel a certain obligation to perform/transform because of the premise of the book's pitch? Does the author really change as a result of this year of travel? What exercise illuminated her break from the past the most - indulging in Italy, sitting in India, or riding the bike around Bali? Is this memoir a personal indulgence or a universal narrative? The publisher has some good discussion questions here: us.penguingroup.com/static/rguides/us/eat_pray_love.html – especially 1, 2, 4, 9,

Other questions:
How much does the publisher’s advance affect the credibility of the personal triumphs? Did the author feel a certain obligation to perform/transform because of the premise of the book’s pitch?

Does the author really change as a result of this year of travel? What exercise illuminated her break from the past the most – indulging in Italy, sitting in India, or riding the bike around Bali?

Is this memoir a personal indulgence or a universal narrative?

]]> Comment on Some MORE thoughts about Team of Rivals by Kyle http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/2009/11/04/some-more-thoughts-about-team-of-rivals/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Kyle Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:18:14 +0000 http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/?p=87#comment-9 I won't be able to make it to the discussion, I am scheduled to speak at a conference. I really enjoyed the second half - it is where she makes most of her points about leadership, this seems to be her thesis. Looking back on the whole text, in light of Doris Kearns Goodwin's remarks on the TED talk, Lincoln had all of these leadership attributes in spades. The book was a case of lionizing, it did glance over his faults, but Lincoln's triumphs are too numerous and substantial to quibble about that. The Fort Stevens story and other visits to the front demonstrated his dedication to the soldiers carrying out the dirty work of the war. It is hard for me to sympathize with such risk-taking, as the consequences of him being killed in battle would seem catastrophic. I also heard in his tone that he did not expect to survive the conflict, and maybe this behavior was a demonstration that he was willing to die for the cause, just as the soldiers were. It was interesting to see how Lincoln avoided making the conflict specifically about slavery. It appeared there were many on both sides who did not support the position of their state, but more how that individual and how they felt the conflict would benefit them one way or another. For black regiments, you would have to say it was about slavery. For some soldiers, it was more about protecting honor and sovereignty. I still think slavery was a central issue in the conflict, but it was more nuanced than just saying the South was defending slavery and the North was fighting to abolish it. Without Lincoln's careful guidance, the conflict could have ended with a military victory, but moral/legal defeat on slavery. I won’t be able to make it to the discussion, I am scheduled to speak at a conference.

I really enjoyed the second half – it is where she makes most of her points about leadership, this seems to be her thesis. Looking back on the whole text, in light of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s remarks on the TED talk, Lincoln had all of these leadership attributes in spades. The book was a case of lionizing, it did glance over his faults, but Lincoln’s triumphs are too numerous and substantial to quibble about that.

The Fort Stevens story and other visits to the front demonstrated his dedication to the soldiers carrying out the dirty work of the war. It is hard for me to sympathize with such risk-taking, as the consequences of him being killed in battle would seem catastrophic. I also heard in his tone that he did not expect to survive the conflict, and maybe this behavior was a demonstration that he was willing to die for the cause, just as the soldiers were.

It was interesting to see how Lincoln avoided making the conflict specifically about slavery. It appeared there were many on both sides who did not support the position of their state, but more how that individual and how they felt the conflict would benefit them one way or another. For black regiments, you would have to say it was about slavery. For some soldiers, it was more about protecting honor and sovereignty. I still think slavery was a central issue in the conflict, but it was more nuanced than just saying the South was defending slavery and the North was fighting to abolish it. Without Lincoln’s careful guidance, the conflict could have ended with a military victory, but moral/legal defeat on slavery.

]]> Comment on Some thoughts about Team of Rivals by Kyle http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/2009/10/07/some-thoughts-about-team-of-rivals/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Kyle Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:36:18 +0000 http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/?p=78#comment-8 Nashville Literary Conversation with Pulitzer Prize-Winning Doris Kearns Goodwin Saturday , Nov 7, 2009 10:00 am Location: Nashville Public Library, Auditorium Nashville Literary Conversation with Pulitzer Prize-Winning Doris Kearns Goodwin
Saturday , Nov 7, 2009
10:00 am
Location: Nashville Public Library, Auditorium

]]> Comment on Ballot for Books – Spring 2010 by Gael Stahl http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/2009/09/11/ballot-for-books-spring-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Gael Stahl Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:11:56 +0000 http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/2009/09/11/ballot-for-books-spring-2010/#comment-7 Great service, and thanks to Bryan and team that set this up. This will be a quality improvement if we use it. I like the nominated books: Columbine – Dave Cullen, Valis – Philip K. Dick, Zeitoun – David Eggers. The Vagrants – Yiyun Li. 1776 – David McCollough, Inherent Vice – Thomas Pynchon, Country: The Twisted Roots of Rock-n-Roll – Nick Tosches, Letters from the Earth – Mark Twain, Poor People – William T. Vollmann I would much like to read and discuss any of them, especial Valis by Dick (Michael Dirda keep writing how good he is), Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon (because I've never dared to try to read him and this is short and gets rave reviews), and Poor People by Vollman and the Columbine book by Cullen (because Bryan recommend both and I loved the reviews I read of Columbine. Great service, and thanks to Bryan and team that set this up. This will be a quality improvement if we use it.
I like the nominated books: Columbine – Dave Cullen,
Valis – Philip K. Dick, Zeitoun – David Eggers. The Vagrants – Yiyun Li. 1776 – David McCollough, Inherent Vice – Thomas Pynchon, Country: The Twisted Roots of Rock-n-Roll – Nick Tosches, Letters from the Earth – Mark Twain, Poor People – William T. Vollmann
I would much like to read and discuss any of them, especial Valis by Dick (Michael Dirda keep writing how good he is), Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon (because I’ve never dared to try to read him and this is short and gets rave reviews), and Poor People by Vollman and the Columbine book by Cullen (because Bryan recommend both and I loved the reviews I read of Columbine.

]]> Comment on Some thoughts about Team of Rivals by librarianbryan http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/2009/10/07/some-thoughts-about-team-of-rivals/comment-page-1/#comment-6 librarianbryan Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:56:51 +0000 http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/?p=78#comment-6 Yes! Doris Kearns Goodwin will be here at NPL for a lecture in November! Yes! Doris Kearns Goodwin will be here at NPL for a lecture in November!

]]> Comment on Some thoughts about Team of Rivals by Lady Gaga http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/2009/10/07/some-thoughts-about-team-of-rivals/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Lady Gaga Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:26:42 +0000 http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/?p=78#comment-5 Won't Ms. Goodwin be coming to NPL as the Literary Award Winner? Will there be a lecture open to the public? Won’t Ms. Goodwin be coming to NPL as the Literary Award Winner? Will there be a lecture open to the public?

]]> Comment on What This Website is For… by Anonymous http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/2008/02/14/what-this-website-is-for/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Anonymous Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:52:00 +0000 http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/2008/02/14/what-this-website-is-for/#comment-4 This is a great way to communicate! Best of luck with this endeavor...<br/>-crystal This is a great way to communicate! Best of luck with this endeavor…
-crystal

]]> Comment on What This Website is For… by Anonymous http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/2008/02/14/what-this-website-is-for/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Anonymous Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:19:00 +0000 http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/2008/02/14/what-this-website-is-for/#comment-3 This is a really great idea! I hope I can attend some meetings. The time is difficult for me. I AM finally reading No Country for Old Men; wish I could have heard the discussion.<br/>Julie This is a really great idea! I hope I can attend some meetings. The time is difficult for me. I AM finally reading No Country for Old Men; wish I could have heard the discussion.
Julie

]]> Comment on What This Website is For… by Jai http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/2008/02/14/what-this-website-is-for/comment-page-1/#comment-2 Jai Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:31:00 +0000 http://2ndwednesdaybookclub.nashvillepubliclibrary.org/2008/02/14/what-this-website-is-for/#comment-2 This is exciting. This looks like a good list of books. Now, if I can just rearrange my lunch on the 2nd Wednesdays.<br/><br/>Bryan, Thanks for all your hard work. This is exciting. This looks like a good list of books. Now, if I can just rearrange my lunch on the 2nd Wednesdays.

Bryan, Thanks for all your hard work.

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