New Leaf New Themes! Time to Sound Off!

[Catlady]

Tsk tsk, if you guys had just voted for Something Wonderful when I nominated it, you'd know all about "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's great musical South Pacific.

Here's a piece about the song and the controversial message of the musical from NPR.

And here's the song from the original Broadway cast recording.

Nowadays, "Carefully Taught" is often sung in a medley with Stephen Sondheim's "Children Will Listen"; it's an especially interesting juxtaposition because Oscar Hammerstein was a surrogate father to Sondheim.

[gmw]

I haven't seen either version of South Pacific. After missing the reference above, I did listen to both 1958 and 2001 versions of the song. Still no bells. "Some Enchanted Evening", yep, I know that one. I could even hum a few bars of "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" - no idea where I picked that up from. But "You've Got to be Carefully Taught" was a complete blank for me. Interesting lyrics for the era.

[issybird]

So where do we stand? Catlady’s made several suggestions and I could remove the one in the tentative list if that would clarify things or solicit more input. I like Revenge myself! And for the Rainbow theme, I admit I’m partial to Chasing Rainbows since Charlie wants to retain the word, but what should come after the colon? Charlie? Bueller?

I also never did come up with something different other than my abortive shot at works in translation. How about something like Tower of Babel: Other Cultures? Not necessarily a work in translation, but at least a different POV than our typical Anglophone/Angloplace one? Knowing that people are free to interpret it as they will?

We’re not in dire straits, but it might be good to take advantage of the lull between the poll and the next discussion to hammer this out.

[gmw]

Since I abused your original "lost in translation: other tongues" you could do something like: Found in Translation: Other Cultures.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

So where do we stand? Catlady’s made several suggestions and I could remove the one in the tentative list if that would clarify things or solicit more input. I like Revenge myself! And for the Rainbow theme, I admit I’m partial to Chasing Rainbows since Charlie wants to retain the word, but what should come after the colon? Charlie? Bueller?

How about Chasing Rainbows: The World of Colour? Gives us rainbows, colour, and the world. That should be broad enough to cover pretty much anything.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by CRussel

How about Chasing Rainbows: The World of Colour? Gives us rainbows, colour, and the world. That should be broad enough to cover pretty much anything.

Done!

Originally Posted by gmw

Since I abused your original "lost in translation: other tongues" you could do something like: Found in Translation: Other Cultures.

I’m torn. I don’t want to trespass on Bookpossum’s Journey theme. And then, if people don’t want to read translated works, they don’t want to read translated books! I’m also still fond of the watery theme, especially in line with KISS. I’ll think about it another day or so.

To everyone: Changes and additions can still be made. If Catlady would weigh in, that would push me to make up my own mind, and then maybe we could set our calendar if there’s nothing else new.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by issybird

To everyone: Changes and additions can still be made. If Catlady would weigh in, that would push me to make up my own mind, and then maybe we could set our calendar if there’s nothing else new.

I do like my initial Revolution suggestion and it got a couple of positive comments, but so did Carefully Taught, so I'm torn. No one has commented on Down the Rabbit Hole, which I think could be fun, but I must be the only one, so I'll save it for the future.

Does anyone have strong feelings for or against Revolution and Carefully Taught?

[Dazrin]

I really like Down the Rabbit Hole but as you noted it is just calling for a fantasy or science fiction nomination which I know is not your preference. I'm not sure if I would nominate something like that or if I would go for some form of microhistory that delves deep into one specific thing.

Of the three, Revolution would be my second choice, I like it and think we could get a good variety of books nominated with it.

I'm not fond of "You've Got to be Carefully Taught" personally. It is a great idea and the controversy around the whole South Pacific production is very interesting but unless you know about that or dig into the song it isn't obvious what the intention is.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I really like Down the Rabbit Hole but as you noted it is just calling for a fantasy or science fiction nomination which I know is not your preference. I'm not sure if I would nominate something like that or if I would go for some form of microhistory that delves deep into one specific thing.

I've resigned myself to the fact that all roads lead to science fiction with all you science fiction fans. As was noted, Translations gave us Ursula Le Guin, so nothing is safe! And I think there are other options for this category, like conspiracies and twisty thrillers, which I do like.

Of the three, Revolution would be my second choice, I like it and think we could get a good variety of books nominated with it.

I'm not fond of "You've Got to be Carefully Taught" personally. It is a great idea and the controversy around the whole South Pacific production is very interesting but unless you know about that or dig into the song it isn't obvious what the intention is.

Well, the suggested theme wasn't about the song per se, but an expansion of the earlier School Days theme--education/teaching of all kinds in school and out; the song itself is about teaching hatred, but the use of the title isn't meant to limit the theme.

I don't have any specific books in mind that I would nominate for any of these; I just like them because they seem broad enough to play with.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I do like my initial Revolution suggestion and it got a couple of positive comments, but so did Carefully Taught, so I'm torn. No one has commented on Down the Rabbit Hole, which I think could be fun, but I must be the only one, so I'll save it for the future.

Does anyone have strong feelings for or against Revolution and Carefully Taught?

I like Revolution. It is different than anything that we have done.

[Bookpossum]

I think both sound good Catlady, so if you have no preference, toss a coin and save the other for next time.

Issybird I don’t think your theme will be too close to mine, especially if we separate them in terms of which month each one comes up. I rather like the Tower of Babel though.

[Victoria]

Originally Posted by Bookpossum

.Issybird I don’t think your theme will be too close to mine, especially if we separate them in terms of which month each one comes up. I rather like the Tower of Babel though.

Issybird, I don’t think they’re similar either.

Catlady I like the rabbit hole too! I don’t think it’s tied to sci-fyi either. It’s a great metaphor and am I’m sure everyone’s found themselves falling in one at one time or another.

I like revolution as well, but I think the rabbit hole is more creative / evocative. But all three themes could work well.

[Catlady]

OK, I'm going to go with Revolution and leave the other two on the table for future use by me or anyone else who wants them.

Issybird, I like the Water theme. It could go so many ways: ecology, pirates, great explorers, historic floods. If you use Life's a Beach, that adds summery beach reads as well.

[issybird]

I like water, too, but I’d also like to get outside our usual.

I’m bringing up the rear, but how about something like Tower of Babel: Culture Jam? Could be works in translation or other places, but it could also be about culture itself, high or low.

[Bookpossum]

I have tried to think of something else watery, but it's too late at night for me.

I hadn't come across the phrase "Culture Jam" before, but it makes for an interesting clash in juxtaposing such a term with the ancient story of the Tower of Babel.