08-20-2015, 02:27 AM | #1 |
Bah, humbug!
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August 2015 Discussion: Dhalgren (spoilers)
The time has come to discuss the August 2015 MobileRead Book Club selection, Dhalgren by Samuel R Delany. What did you think?
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08-20-2015, 04:55 PM | #2 |
(he/him/his)
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I couldn't get past the first two chapters. Abandoned and hated. Life is too short to spend it reading books that don't appeal. What really annoys is that we had several other, far better, books in the original lineup that would have been a pleasure to read (or re-read). Ah, well, it just goes to show that not all books work for all readers.
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08-20-2015, 06:24 PM | #3 | |
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Quote:
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08-20-2015, 11:43 PM | #4 |
a toy panda
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I started it, then got an review copy to read, and has yet to return. I also felt it lack "urgency" in the first two chapters
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08-21-2015, 09:18 AM | #5 |
Bah, humbug!
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I got the first two chapters under my belt but I've had difficulty convincing myself to go on. They had the consistency of a dream journal; in fact, I strongly suspect the entire book is one man's extended and padded dream journal. I may yet finish it; the writing has a poetic style that presents a certain appeal, but I find the surreal quality of the story tends to wear thin.
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08-21-2015, 12:12 PM | #6 |
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I liked it as a teenager, but I couldn't have said exactly what it was about.
Anyway, currently I'm only about halfway through. There'a a lot of stuff I didn't remember. I hope to finish it this weekend. The Millions article about the book. http://www.themillions.com/2010/06/d...-r-delany.html Interviews and video at SF Signal. http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/201...-grand-master/ His short story, Aye, and Gomorrah, can be read at The Internet Wayback Machine (You may have to Select All the text or copy and paste to read it): http://web.archive.org/web/200804301.../delany31.html |
08-21-2015, 01:33 PM | #7 |
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Delaney must have been on some seriously strong illegal drugs when he wrote Dhalgren. It makes no sense. Maybe if we too were "stoned/high/out of our minds" we might understand it.
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08-21-2015, 04:20 PM | #8 |
o saeclum infacetum
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Well, heck, if everyone's going to read just the first two chapters, I can do that too. I did check it out of the library. It was the 800 pages in its entirety that made me pass.
Now I'm curious. |
08-21-2015, 04:26 PM | #9 |
Bah, humbug!
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I have to admit, now I'm becoming more curious, also. But the first chapter doesn't strike me as much of a drug trip as it does of a dream. Ulysses is the drug trip. At least the 10% I read was.
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08-21-2015, 05:43 PM | #10 |
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I was so engrossed in Dhalgren that in my effort to stay awake I almost missed my stop this morning. But I am reaching towards end of the second chapter. Hopefully the third chapter will have something more about where this is going.
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08-21-2015, 07:12 PM | #11 |
Wizard
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Read the first chapter. Not my cuppa tea. I think I'll move on to something better.
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08-21-2015, 08:43 PM | #12 |
The Dank Side of the Moon
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08-21-2015, 08:45 PM | #13 |
The Dank Side of the Moon
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I'm truly aghast at the reaction to this my favorite book of all time. Sigh.
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08-23-2015, 01:08 PM | #14 |
The Dank Side of the Moon
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All the smoke from the western wildfires is blowing in across the mountains making Denver feel much like Bellona today....
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08-23-2015, 07:03 PM | #15 |
Bah, humbug!
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I think Dhalgren's your favorite book largely because of the poetic imagery, Kenny. Am I right?
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