Saturday, March 19, 2011

Our next book is The Life and Times of Tristram Shandy, gentleman by Laurence Sterne

Laurence Stern's great masterpiece of bawdy humor and rich satire defies any attempt to categorize it. Part novel, part digression, its gloriously disordered narrative interweaves the birth and life of the unfortunate "hero" Tristram Shandy, the eccentric philosophy of his father Walter, the amours and military obsessions of Uncle Toby, and a host of other characters, including Dr. Slop, Corporal Trim and the parson Yorick. A joyful celebration of the endless possibilities of the art of fiction, Tristram Shandy is also a wry demonstration of its limitations. 

Come discuss The Life and Times of Tristram Shandy, gentleman Saturday May 21st at the Main Library in the 3rd Floor Program Room at 11am. Feel free to bring food and drink.  

Friday, March 18, 2011

Some thoughts about Not the End of the World

- Stories about Trudi and Charlene bookend the collection. What do you think about Trudi and Charlene's attitude about what is "not the end of the world"? Why do these two stories open and close the collection?

- Buffy the Vampire Slayer? What about Joss Whedon in general? 

- Are TV shows and video games the mythology of today?

- These next ones are borrowed from discussion questions which appeared in the paperback edition of the book:
How do you think Eddie's relationship with his mother affects his attitude? Do you think June is a good role model for him?
 Fielding's doppelganger has a lot more fun than Fielding ever does. What do you think that says about Fielding's choices? If your doppelganger were free to do whatever he or she wanted, what would he or she be doing?
Discuss the ways in which people at the edges of your life - the people you sometimes see at parties, who date your distant relatives, who pass you on the way to work - are living their own stories as well as influencing yours. Where, how often, and in what ways does your life overlap with theirs?
The entire list of discussion questions can be found here.

Come discuss Not the End of the World Saturday March 19th at the Main Library in the 3rd Floor Program Room at 11am. Feel free to bring food and drink.