OOP book club
 

I have been kicking around this idea for a few days and wanted to see what everyone thought of it. I thought it would be a great idea to have an OOP book club. I figure there are two ways to implement this.

1) Have one book that all interested parties read and then discuss at various points in the book.

2) Have people of different political stripes form smaller groups and take turns reading literature from their own side.

I think number 1 is probably better for this forum but majority rules apply. Maybe after discussion we can set up a poll and vote if you are serious about participating.

Obviously political, policy, and political history are obvious choices for subject matters. I would recommed we avoid junk of the Franken/Coulter variety and try to hone in on more in depth works but this is certainly open to interpretation. I think it would be a lot of fun and facilitate some great discussions in here. Let me know what you think. Having said all that, starting on Sunday I will be limited in my ability to participate for the next 3 weeks because I will be doing an exercise in Nevada. [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

Re: OOP book club
 

The best part would be all the contentious arguing about what book to read. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

For the 'liberals' we would have to start with a book they could comprehend, for example: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess. The Conservatives could start with an excellent book by Richard Hofstadter: Anti-intellectualism in American Life. But then there is no common gound for discussion. In other words, the forum continues on like it always has. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

To be serious, I suppose this would be an interesting thing to undertake. Perhaps someone could put together a book list and we could all vote on the text to tackle.

-Zeno

Re: OOP book club
 

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The best part would be all the contentious arguing about what book to read.

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I anticipated this part taking the better part of at least a week. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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To be serious, I suppose this would be an interesting thing to undertake. Perhaps someone could put together a book list and we could all vote on the text to tackle.

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I think it would be fun but the resounding silence thus far leads me to believe that there is no real desire to generate some genuine intellectual discourse. I guess we will just continue on with the standard attempts at one-upsmanship and arguing about silly political political posturing. Perhaps some responses are forthcoming.

Re: OOP book club
 

I like this idea. My only problem is that I am incredibly busy right now and so probably could only participate if the reading were to take place at a fairly leisurely pace.

Staying away from polemical trash is a good idea. Maybe something historical would be a good way to start.

Re: OOP book club
 

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I like this idea. My only problem is that I am incredibly busy right now and so probably could only participate if the reading were to take place at a fairly leisurely pace.

Staying away from polemical trash is a good idea. Maybe something historical would be a good way to start.

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Sam,

Yeah my full intent was to proceed at a fairly leisurely pace. I dont have a lot of time right now myself but I wanted to at least float the idea.

Re: OOP book club
 

I would participate. i suggest that we start with the liberataian party platform. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] (hack, where have you been...?)


and, as long as we're considering the idea, i have to suggest:

"No-No Boy" by John Okada. It was the very first asian-american novel, about a japanese american youth who had served two years in prison for refusing the draft in world war 2.

It is neither liberal nor conservative, and it's thematic threads deal with issiues as diverse as (dis)enfranchisment, social welfare (or wether to reject welfare), and what it means, at the very core, to be an american. Additionaly, it is extrodianarily well written, and can be read in (it's hard not to read it in) a few hours.

(of course, it's about the japanese american experience and the city of seattle, so i feel a special;= connection to the book, being a japanese from seattle.)


But if that's to on-the-fringe for most participants (and i assume that it is) we could always do 'democracy in america' by DeToqueville.

Or a different letter from the Fedralist each week.

(Sorry, I've been drinking, so i'm gonna waste all of our time by listing a few of my political favs)

Farenheight 451- Ray Bradbury
Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 1972- Hunter S thompson
The Making of the President 1960- Theodore H White
The Civil War- Shelby Foote
Slaughterhouse Five- Kurt Vonnegut
Julius Ceaser- William Shakespere
etc, etc

happy Mardi Gras!!! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: OOP book club
 

I'd be up for this.

Re: OOP book club
 

I like number 1.

Re: OOP book club
 

I'd be up for it. I would suggest that a mixture of fiction and non-fiction would be good. Preliminary title suggestions:

Johnny Got His Gun by Trumbo
Invisible Man by Ellison
Savage Inequalities by Kozol

Re: OOP book club
 

I would be up for this.