In Cold Blood In the Lead

It looks like In Cold Blood is in the lead as a selection for the next book. I have not watched the movie, although it is sitting at home. Perhaps I should reconsider. We should have a final decision on this matter shortly. Stay tuned.

Other Book Suggestions

In addition to In Cold Blood here are some possibilities that I have gathered:

• Ulysses
• Peyton Place
• Silent Spring
• Tropic of Cancer or Tropic of Capricorn
• Slaughterhouse-Five
• The Magnificent Ambersons
• Humboldt's Gift
• The Awakening
• Fear of Flying
• Gravity's Rainbow
• One Hundred Years of Solitude

Any particular thoughts about these? Has there not been a book that you wish someone would push you to read? We could be that collective someone?

How About...

Several of us were talking about our options and we didn't want to pick a classic just for the sake of picking one. Somehow we got around to the subject of Truman Capote and then we wondered about In Cold Blood. I would imagine that with the movie and with the popularity of Capote over the years, some of us may have read that book. None of us here had. I also wondered whether, given the diversity of ages across the group (I hope that was expressed politely), some may have even read it when it was new. Additionally, one of our male colleagues expressed an interest in joining us if we choose that book. Thoughts?

Time For Next Selection?

A number of you have registered and a couple of you have posted. On the whole, this little experiment is progressing. I have been told that I will not be receiving The Fountainhead through iBorrow. Can't say I'm too surprised. My batting average would not get me in Cooperstown where iBorrow is concerned! Anyway...I'm pleased to have read it and am open to some suggestions if the Club would like to continue with this project now that we have a proper forum. What book has been sitting on the shoulda/oughta shelf of your life just waiting for a motivating boost from a friend?

I thought of this blog when I just read an interview with a novelist, Nancy Horan, in PW (May 7th issue). It seems she's just written a fictional account of Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress, Mamah Cheney. It's called Loving Frank. Might be of interest to you Fountainhead readers?

Hi everyone. I probably shouldn't even be posting comments when it's been so long since I read this book but.....I just read Erica's post and wanted to thank her being honest about not being totally on board. I think that many of us will read the same book at different times in our lives and may react a certain way one time and another way the next. I guess that's what happened to me with Rand. I felt like she was beating me over the head with her philosophy of individualism. I prefer subtlety.

Also, I believe that this book was considered quite shocking when it was first published so I'm wondering what you all think is the subtext here. I suspect it has to do with religion - or, in this case, a lack of it. Was it controversial for Rand to propose that there's no higher power than the individual, perfect human being? Wasn't there a lot of discussion about her being an atheist or, at least, a proponent of an atheistic world view?

My Time with Ayn

I finally finished the book. Roark's speech at his second trial became a little tedious. As a cheerleader for my profession, I can understand his steadfast adherence to his ideal's and standards of behavior. I tend to be a little on the severe side. After a couple of pages of his speech, however, I was a little weary. Nevertheless, I didn't want Roark to compromise and I'm glad he got the girl in the end. Is Rand spinning in her grave that, for me, her complex objectivist tome boils down to a stubborn idealist getting the girl?