LD4all Book Club: [Ishmael by Daniel Quinn]

I know this is sort of late, and I’m not quite planning to try to catch up before the next book but I got my hands on Dracula today. I just came across it in the bookstore, and here it is now. I hope it’s a good translation.

Besides that point, when’s the next book?

Didn’t get a chance to get in on this book, but I’ll jump in for the next one. Hopefully things will be more active by that time.

I’m done with the book. A question from me though, I’ve read all the spoilered parts but couldn’t see anything of this sort:

To the beginnings of the book…

SPOILER - Click to view

Dr. Seward, Quncey Morris and Arthur Holmwood had decided once to propose to Lucy on the same day, haven’t they? That’s a conclusion I came to, but I couldn’t be sure.

To the end-ish parts of the book…

SPOILER - Click to view

While they were still in Dr. Seward’s house, just before leaving for Dracula’s castle in Transylvania, Mina gathered everyone together and talked to them about something which is irrelevant right now. Then she asked Jonathan to read a prayer from the Bible (or I thought so, I was reading a translation and it may have been different). Then somebody said that his/her energy was being drained from him/her and s/he couldn’t go on. Who was it? Why was his/her energy being drained?

What I didn’t like about the book (with major spoiler)…

SPOILER - Click to view

How Dracula died so easily. I was expecting an epic battle scene, but all I got was… a death of some sort. It was weird. And the fact that Quincey died and they named their child after him.

What I really liked was how I could create very vivid mental images for people in the book, although they weren’t decribed way too much. For some reason, I have very specific faces for Lucy, Morris, Dr. Seward, Van Helsing and Arthur. I haven’t read a book that made me do that for a long time. And actually, I (most of the time) don’t visualise the faces of characters in books.

So that was my side from reading the book. It was an awesome read for me :happy:

Hmm, well I might start reading Dracula anyway if we are not starting with a new book soon? I have bought myself a e-reader so I would love to start on a new (classic) book!

Up to chapter 8

SPOILER - Click to view

Let’s start with the style of the book. I am reading the e-book version so I has no cover. I don’t really mind, maybe reading it open minded is better. Apparently there are different kinds of covers and I would be interested in the original cover.

I like the way the book is written, it gives me the feeling that I am someone who found all these diaries and letters and that I am solving a puzzle. I had some trouble reading at first, for I am not a native English speaker. I have read several books in English but this one is somehow different. It became easier to read later on :smile: Expect the part when Mina is with Lucy and this old man tells them stories. I have very much trouble figuring out what the man says, probably because I have no knowledge of English dialects.

I have been wondering about a things of the book though. Is this the first book with vampires described this way? For I could easily guess what all the signs meant, but I wondered what someone in that time would have thought. (When Jonathan is in the castle of Count Dracula)

I have also been wondering about ‘New Woman’. I am not familiar with them, but I suspect that it is a feministic group. Maybe someone can explain it to me? I haven’t read about the woman doing much. Apperently they were free whole day, waiting to be proposed :tongue: I also think that Mina is way too sweet to Lucy to be realistic. Deep down there should be some kind of jalousy, or something else. Mina tells often in her diary how sweet Lucy looks. I know that this is because the writer wants to point out how her condition changes in time, but I still think it is odd. Maybe the rest of the book will explain this behaviour.

I’ll better read the rest :content:

Will we do a second book? Although we hardly discussed this one :tongue:.

I just felt compelled to pick up a new one a propos du Dracula The review in that link just came out, and I’m itching to buy that book. Amazon’s reviews are just as positive. Anyone with me?

Actually I would feel like doing something completely different. But I am not a native english speaker, so someone else should pick the book :tongue:

I wish I found this topic earlier, is it too late to join?

I would love to be a part of this :smile:

No problem at all :content: We have finished Dracula and want to start with a new book. Any suggestions?

sweet, and I would suggest Ishmael by Daniel Quinn :smile:

it gets you thinking and everyone can take something from it

Ooo I have such a history with this book. It completely influenced me for a while there, and by overcoming its many arguments I learnt to think in higher levels, which is also of course in great part thanks to that book. It’s been so long since I last read it. Let’s do it? Guys, this is a seriously engaging book. You will get passionate about its arguments (positively and/or negatively) but the story itself is a thrill.

I completely agree with Bruno :smile: It drastically changed the way I look at things.

Fine with me :content: Need to find it first though :tongue:

Is it online as far as anyone knows? :smile:

Funny, i have Ishmael on the list of the next batch of books i get. Heard nothing but good things about it and it seems the type i like - makes you think, isn’t a closed narrow (albeit those can be engaging as well) waltz through the story.

It’s a copyrighted work, so forum rules forbid us from posting links to online versions of it. If it’s not against the laws of your country (as it isn’t in mine), search around. :smile:

oops! sorry for the link, didn’t know about that.

It’s a book worth buying though, you’ll definitely want it on your shelf :content:

I’ll be back home in less than two weeks. I really had no time to get into Dracula, but I’m definitely joining in the new one, whatever you guys end up going with. :happy:

So is the situation still “deciding next book” or is certain now?

I found a copy of Ishmael while I was randomly looking through some shelves and read a few pages. It already looks interesting to me.