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Topic: Making the Virian Book Club work (Read 1732 times) |
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rhinoceros
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My point is ...
  
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Making the Virian Book Club work
« on: 2003-04-21 11:43:28 » |
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At the time that I am typing this, there are 3 suggestions for online texts which could be discussed live in IRC in the Virian Book Club on Fridays.
http://virus.lucifer.com/wiki/VirusBookClub
"Engines of Creation -- The Coming Era of Nanotechnology"
by K. Eric Drexler
http://www.foresight.org/EOC/index.html
suggested by David Lucifer
non-fiction, 381 pages
"Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom"
by Cory Doctorow
http://www.craphound.com/down/download.php
suggested by crw
fiction, 67 pages
"The Prospect of Immortality"
by R.C.W. Ettinger
http://www.cryonics.org/contents1.html
suggested by BJKlein
non-fiction, 194 pages
While discussing a 400 page non-fiction book is rewarding, it requires preparation. It does not seem to be something that we can just announce a week ahead and get over with. Certain steps should be taken before getting there. Of course, we could break it into parts and discuss it for 4 weeks or more, but even that would require some commitment to the topic which can be obtained only after geting ourselves somehow familiar with it. Even so, not everyone will have the inclination to make the effort required -- but some will.
I suggest that we follow a more long-term procedure for the lengthy non-fiction texts, involving discussion in the BBS and the mailing list before the IRC chat. The purpose is making ourselves familiar with a topic. Things can be a little bit easier if an already popular text is being discussed.
An opinion: I think that for a successful live book chat in IRC we need at least two persons very familiar with the text and at least two or three more persons partly familiar with the text and interested in the topic. I see this as a minimum requirement.
We could go for the 67-page "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom" choice for next Friday, because it is easily doable, but we should start working for the next one(s) from now.
More book suggestions will be useful, even for commercial printed books, fiction or non-fiction, especially if they are already popular books. From the responses, we can figure out the interest a book generates, which is an important factor. That is why I posted these rough thoughts here: any responses will be a good clue about the books everyone cares to discuss.
By the way, I am eagerly waiting for the Virus Monthly to appear. Maybe it will provide us with some good text to discuss in the Virian Book Club, with the author present.
On the way, we should also figure out if it will be a Virian-Book Club or just a Virus Book-Club. For the time being, it seems to be the latter.
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Mermaid
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Bite me!
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Re:Making the Virian Book Club work
« Reply #1 on: 2003-04-21 23:07:46 » |
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Quote from: rhinoceros on 2003-04-21 11:43:28 An opinion: I think that for a successful live book chat in IRC we need at least two persons very familiar with the text and at least two or three more persons partly familiar with the text and interested in the topic. I see this as a minimum requirement.
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I agree wholeheartedly. I also see the need for some semblence of structure..if only to minimise confusion. I think it was Lucifer who suggested this a while ago..the idea of reviews. Maybe everyone(in order)can present their review of the book and their opinion. The 'group discussion' can commence after the individual reviews.
Quote from: rhinoceros on 2003-04-21 11:43:28 More book suggestions will be useful, even for commercial printed books, fiction or non-fiction, especially if they are already popular books. From the responses, we can figure out the interest a book generates, which is an important factor. That is why I posted these rough thoughts here: any responses will be a good clue about the books everyone cares to discuss.
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Agreed again. The #vbc needs to be frequented by all and even at non scheduled chat hours...if only to share your latest book reading....(books in print, that is). Personally, I have gained from the insights and recommendations of many from the other chat channels. The idea is to encourage reading and encourage reading books from that shelf that you normally avoid.
It is not enough if you just read the book. One should also be able to communicate, narrate and inspire others to read. Book choice, like music, can tend to fall into a category where people get 'comfortable' and unwilling to explore. I, for example, am trapped in the 80s as far as music goes and require much prodding before I can appreciate anything that doesnt have big hair and awesome music videos.(help! help!)
I credit #virus and #sl4 for my recent library check outs. Blank Slate and Moral animal being the most recent. The last time I went to the library, I checked out Diamond Age, Prey and Darwin's Radio from the Fiction dept. Ursula LeGuin(courtesy: rhino) is not someone I am familiar with before #virus book chats. Neither are Neal Step. and Greg Bear. It is the rich input and rewards that #virus members reaped that encouraged many #virus regulars to start the Virus Book Club. I hope there will be an increase in attendence and suggestions from #vbc regulars as well as our soon-to-be-bookclub members/hiding-from-IRC virians.
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MoEnzyme
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infidel lab animal
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Re:Making the Virian Book Club work
« Reply #2 on: 2003-05-01 14:37:38 » |
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I agree that we need some semblence of stracture, but I think most of that can be decided by those involved. Mostly as Rhino pointed out, I think we need a minimum commitment from at least 5 Virians (at least two who have already read the work completely, plus three more interested people already in the process of reading it) to make it happen. But I don't think we should stop there. I think that if we have that kind of commitment, we would be remiss in our memetic interests as a church if we didn't advertise the particular book/event outside the CoV as well, on other BBS's and other online communities. If we can have five committed people, I see no reason that the ultimate event couldn't attract 10 or even many more, both within and without the CoV community. The more the merrier, and if it gets too crowded we can even schedule multiple chats. I wouldn't mind having that kind of problem. 
Love,
-Jake
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I will fight your gods for food,
Mo Enzyme
(consolidation of handles: Jake Sapiens; memelab; logicnazi; Loki; Every1Hz; and Shadow)
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rhinoceros
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My point is ...
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Re:Making the Virian Book Club work
« Reply #3 on: 2003-06-28 10:04:11 » |
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Why is the Virus Book Club section of the BBS not visible to the visitors? If it is because of some idea along the lines of developing "value services", I don't think this section will ever obtain that kind of value in this way, because if I have something book-related to post I will most likely post it somewhere else so that it can be read.
If there are no other reasons which I missed, I suggest that this section must be visible to all the visitors, at least for now.
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David Lucifer
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Enlighten me.
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Re:Making the Virian Book Club work
« Reply #4 on: 2003-07-01 15:12:47 » |
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ok 
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Logged
