Bond and Beyond Book Club

Okay folks, this is where we'll talk about each chosen book, while reading it.

I just ordered it, looks like serious stuff.

I can't wait to dig back into this book.

Count me in when and if the copy I ordered arrives - it seems to be taking forever.

What are the rules of this thread? Presumably we should use spoiler tags quite a bit, given that we'll all be at various different stages of the book. Then again, maybe none of us should even be discussing LANCELOT at all until we've fully read the thing?

ETA: Okay, I've now received my copy and plan to start reading it later today.

Loomis wrote:

What are the rules of this thread? Presumably we should use spoiler tags quite a bit, given that we'll all be at various different stages of the book. Then again, maybe none of us should even be discussing LANCELOT at all until we've fully read the thing?

Yeah, how do we want this to work, Sharky?

Loomis wrote:

ETA: Okay, I've now received my copy and plan to start reading it later today.

:)

Harmsway wrote:

Loomis wrote:

What are the rules of this thread? Presumably we should use spoiler tags quite a bit, given that we'll all be at various different stages of the book. Then again, maybe none of us should even be discussing LANCELOT at all until we've fully read the thing?

Yeah, how do we want this to work, Sharky?

I've never been big on spoiler tags, to be honest. Childish invention. I think we'll just read and comment as we go along. Listing what chapter we're at, of course.

Am only in the mid of chapter 2. Reads a bit like a Stephen King setup, the protagonist a massive suppression case, on the other hand he's alluding to terrible events in the past and I'm not sure how much he really doesn't remember. One fine piece:

"The only way I could stand my life in Louisiana, where I had everything, was to read about crummy lonesome Los Angeles in the 1930's. Maybe that should have told me something. If I was happy, it was an odd sort of happiness."

Like it so far.

I've cracked open my copy. But since this stroll through LANCELOT is a return visit for me, I wonder if I should hold off on my thoughts until at least a few of you folks have finished. Don't want to get ahead of anyone.

Come on Ambler. Join the club.

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Avarice wrote:

I've never read it.

You can now. You've got 3 months and counting.

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Sharky wrote:

Harmsway wrote:

Loomis wrote:

What are the rules of this thread? Presumably we should use spoiler tags quite a bit, given that we'll all be at various different stages of the book. Then again, maybe none of us should even be discussing LANCELOT at all until we've fully read the thing?

Yeah, how do we want this to work, Sharky?

I've never been big on spoiler tags, to be honest. Childish invention. I think we'll just read and comment as we go along. Listing what chapter we're at, of course.

I don't see anything particularly childish about spoiler tags, and they've saved a number of films from being, well, spoiled for me when reading about them on forums. That said, I think we should all hold off on discussing LANCELOT till we've finished it. After all, no one reviews a film after seeing only ten minutes or half an hour of it (well, I guess they do, but they shouldn't ;) ).

Avarice wrote:

I seem to remember suggesting An American Dream by Mailer or Platform by Michel Houellebecq got me booted out of the last book club I joined. One or the other.

I loved Houellebecq's EXTENSION DU DOMAINE DE LA LUTTE and LES PARTICULES ELEMENTARIES - thought the film version of the former (entitled WHATEVER over here, as I recall) was great, even though it opts for a more "Hollywood" ending than the book's and makes the protagonist a much older man, while the movie adaptation of the latter (forget the title but it stars Moritz Bleibtreu and Franka Potente) was a damp squib.

PLATFORM I quite liked but wouldn't class it alongside those two other books.

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Yes, please, hold off on anything that could be termed a spoiler for a while.

Alright, if you're hellbent on spoilers - use spoiler tags:

["spoiler"][/"spoiler"]

Without the quotation marks.

Thanks Sharky.

I've finished my reread of LANCELOT. I worried that LANCELOT wouldn't be as compelling as I remembered. I was pleased that LANCELOT remained a very powerful work, at least for me, and I am glad I nominated it.

Almost finished reading it.

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I get home with my copy on Wednesday, I'll start it then.

Starting it. School is getting in the way. Good to hear it's just as good as you recalled Harms.