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"A Tale for the Time Being", by Ruth Ozeki: DISCUSSION Friday, July 29, 1:00 PM EDT
Tue, 2016-07-26 18:45
#1
"A Tale for the Time Being", by Ruth Ozeki: DISCUSSION Friday, July 29, 1:00 PM EDT
Tue, 2016-07-26 18:46
#2
(Assuming everyone is ready by then, I hope.)
Tue, 2016-07-26 18:51
#3
Left Turn
I've only managed to read to page 40 so far, so I have no hope of finishing the book by Friday. I've had difficulty getting into it due to the slow pace of the story.
Tue, 2016-07-26 18:54
#4
I'm sure Caissa will have finished by now. Let's wait to hear from infracaninophile. We're a small group, so I have no problem postponing our discussion if needed. For the time being.
Wed, 2016-07-27 06:59
#5
I finished the book on the weekend and have finished a few other books since. I am currently reading The Motorcyclist by George Elliot Clarke. It dovetails a bit with our last book. My best advice Left Turn is that it is a book in which you have to push ahead. It took me awhile to get any momentum reading it. If we need to postpone and we go witn a Friday, two weeks is better than one since I have a commitment next Friday at the scheduled time. Have you finished it Unionist?
Wed, 2016-07-27 09:41
#6
I finished it last weekend. As I said, I'm happy to postpone (and August 12 works for me). And I agree - just push ahead. I thought Left Turn's comment about the "slow pace of the story" was a bit (maybe unconsciously) ironic, given the time-centred theme of the book. One of the characters spends much of her time worrying about how slowly a particular story is unfolding!
Anyway, I loved the book, but it might not be for everyone. If LT and/or infracaninophile aren't actually planning to finish it, Caissa and I can also just schedule a chat at our convenience.
But it would still be really nice to carry on with the revival of the book club.
Wed, 2016-07-27 20:26
#7
Left Turn
I've now made it to page 50, and Nao's story is fortunately picking up, which will help me to read more. Ruth's story, not so much (yet), though I remain hopeful.
Wed, 2016-07-27 20:30
#8
I've now made it to page 50, and Nao's story is fortunately picking up, which will help me to read more. Ruth's story, not so much (yet), though I remain hopeful.
Nao's story, Ruth's story, same thing!
Wed, 2016-07-27 21:43
#9
infracaninophile
This is a GREAT book, it's amazing - very layered, so many themes and I love the intersection of science and ontology.. The footnotes slowed me down a bit as I'm a compulsive nerdy scholar type, but I was hooked when Schrodinger the cat made his appearance, as physics and the many-worlds hypothesis has been a big interest of mine (read Everett's stuff in watered-down form). Also cats. Mine isn't named Pesto, but should be. I figured the novel quite literally had my name on it when the cat-loving character named Oliver made his entree, as my middle name is Oliver (after my grandfather), and he was a science nerd like me - the Oliver in the story, I mean.
Also I see many similarities between this book and my favourite of the decade, Come, Thou Tortoise - maybe I'll expand on these connections ad nauseam since I won't have anything intelligent to say about this book except Wow!
Friday I'm in Guelph for the day and into the evening and away from the internet though.
Wed, 2016-07-27 21:54
#10
Glad you loved it, infra!
So maybe we should pick a different Friday?
Awaiting your pleasure(s).
As per Caissa's suggestion:
[color=blue][size=30]How about August 12?[/size][/color]
Wed, 2016-07-27 21:56
#11
infracaninophile
We're a small group, so I have no problem postponing our discussion if needed. For the time being.
Ha ha, good one! 
A soupcon of punnery and wordplay is another distinguishing feature of both this book and Come, Thou Tortoise.
Wed, 2016-07-27 22:58
#12
infracaninophile
As per Caissa's suggestion:
[color=blue][size=30]How about August 12?[/size][/color]
My trusty little appt. scheduler says I have a meeting at 2:00 pm on the 12th, but only for an hour and it's in the vicinity, so I can tune in before and after, with (hopefully) witty ripostes that cleverly obscure my lack of literary appreciation.
Thu, 2016-07-28 22:23
#13
Ok, I'm unilaterally and despotically POSTPONING our discussion sine die. And I'm open to suggestions other than August 12 - especially from those who have more left to read and/or busier schedules than mind.
Please suggest an alternate date by Monday, or else I'll dictate August 12!
Fri, 2016-07-29 17:28
#14
infracaninophile
August 12 works for me (except for taking a break in the middle - unless we start a tad later). That gives me a chance to read it again, as I know I missed stuff the first time around. And probably will the second, but will certainly grasp more of the subtleties with a repeat reading.
I wondered if the Ruth of the book was the author, and looked up some info about her. Turns out she lives in the same places as the Ruth in the book, has a husband of the same name and occupation as the Oliver in the book, but a cat of a different name. Whatever that means. But the real-life Oliver is also a passionate devotee of turtles! ( I rescue snapping turtles in my spare time and have a couple of Eastern Box turtles, captive bred in Canada, not wild-caught - a baaaaad thing - and it turns out novelist Ruth's husband has one, too. And likes snapping turtles).
It seems as though, in real life, as in the book, identities overlap.....
Scroll down 4 or 5 entries:
http://www.oliverk.org/weblog/
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See attachment here -- a lyrical paean to the past, as well as a mournful meditation on "progress"
http://www.oliverk.org/node/243
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edited to fix typo
Fri, 2016-07-29 18:06
#15
Turns out she lives in the same places as the Ruth in the book, has a husband of the same name and occupation as the Oliver in the book, but a cat of a different name. Whatever that means.
It means she couldn't get the cat to sign over its rights. Husbands are generally an easier sell.