August 28, 2013

Pale Fire, Vladimir Nabokov - September 23, 2013

We'll meet September 23 at Julie's house to discuss Pale Fire by Nabokov.

There's so much out there.  If there's a topic that interested you, Google it - it's been written about.

A few of the big topics that I look forward to discussing:  who is really the narrator? what is Nabokov saying about the relationship between artists and their art? what is Nabokov saying about the relationship between reader and author? what is Nabokov saying about writing and reading (written communication)?

Here are a few of the things I came across:
If you find anything interesting, let me know and I'll add it.  I'll be adding things throughout the month too, so check back for new links.

August 15, 2013

The Robber Bride - August 26, 2013

We'll meet August 26 to discuss The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood. Location is TBD.

Supplemental materials:

  • Reading Matters review, including a couple questions for discussion:  1) Is Zenia a vampire? and 2) Was she a mean-spirited tart intent on stealing husbands, or an angel in disguise rescuing her female friends from the men that would destroy them?
  • Literary Transgressions discussion questions
  • Reading Group Guides discussion questions
  • Wikipedia entry for The Robber Bridegroom fairy tale.  Notes that Atwood's version contains a number of references to fairy tales and folklore.
  • Random House Resources collection of resources about this book - has a translation of the Brothers Grimm version of The Robber Bridegroom AND Margaret Atwood's poem, The Robber Bridegroom
  • NYTimes review
  • The Independent review
  • Reconnecting with the Past: Personal Hauntings in Atwoods' The Robber Bride, Donna Bontatibus
  • Luminarium web page for The Robber Bride, with links to all kinds of supplemental materials
  • Bull Calf review
  • Guardian interview with Atwood, in which she speaks about duality in fiction
  • NYTimes interview with Atwood about The Robber Bride