Brain Pain discussion

Hello Everyone !

I hope you are all well and getting ready for a little holiday celebrating. After perusing my copy of the Mayan calendar, it looks as though tomorrow could be the end of time as we know it, so I thought it best to send this message today while the internet is still up. As a precaution, my father-in-law René and I will be sitting down in his wine cave to start drinking the 200 or so bottles of fine Bordeaux wines he has stored. We talked it over and decided that if the world did end, it would be torture to go through all eternity thinking, “Merde! We should have finished off the St. Emilion!” We’ll uncork the first bottle around 2 pm – wish us luck…

I posted descriptions and outlined reading/discussion schedules for our three 2013 reading projects. Top choice in the polls was Magic Realism, but there was enough support for the Faust project, as well as continuing with reading formally difficult tomes via “The Spine”, that with many members input, I was able to put together a nice selection of literature for the year.

Description and Schedule for Magic Realism can be found here:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_...

Description and Schedule for Faust thru the Centuries can be found here:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_...

Description and Schedule for The Spine 2013 can be found here:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_...

Normally, my position is that members can pick and choose whichever books appeal to them most. This year, however I’m going to suggest two ideas for members to consider.

First: For the Magic Realism project, read ‘The Golden Ass’, the Borges short story selections, and at least two or three of the later novels. Since this project is a thematic read, I am hoping that as we read each book, we can include a discussion of how the different authors have incorporated magical elements into their novels, and how approaches to magical representation vary by era and culture.

Second: For Faust thru the Centuries, try to read the short chapbook from 1587 that is the primary source of all subsequent versions of the story. If you don’t have time to read all the selections, be sure to at least read Goethe. Again, this project is a thematic read, so the more versions of the legend you read, the more layered our discussions can be as we again see how the legend changes with time and by culture. Also, there are two movies included which should be fairly easy to rent or buy or watch on youtube. We will be reading three stage plays – Marlowe, Goethe, and Mamet – so you will likely enjoy seeing the legend performed in the two film versions.

BTW, the Faust project will conclude in June. To fill the gap for the rest of the year, I’m planning a “Spotlight on Nabokov” project that will include four novels, a collection of his lectures on literature, and his autobiographical “Speak Memory”. I’ll post details for this project at the beginning of spring.

Alright then, it’s just a few hours until I have to start my end-times drinking spree. Enjoy your holidays and ask your questions in the “Descriptions” threads, or send me a message. If you’re new to the group, hello and welcome!

Happy Holidays and see you soon – I hope!!!

Jim