Was there talk of a BE read?

Thu Nov 4 00:34:05 UTC 2021

OK, now I’m confused.  Are you all starting a BE group read or an ATD group
read?  I was interested in an ATD group read.

David Morris

On Wed, Nov 3, 2021 at 5:34 PM Mike Weaver <mike.weaver at zen.co.uk> wrote:

> My return to the list (after a year of failed attempts to subscribe) was
> partially driven by me currently reading BE. I'm only reading a few
> pages a day, and will probably finish it in a week or 10 days, after
> which I'd be quite happy to go through it again at a faster pace.
>
> I did wonder whether a different approach might work, not a chapter by
> chapter read but a discussion on particular aspects - the themes, the
> range of characters, the take on the city...
>
> Or how about a read based around the BE wiki? Discussions triggered by
> group readings of the featured articles? Approach the book indirectly?
>
> The chapter by chapter approach has the advantage of being accessible to
> newcomers to the book, but returning to the list after a couple of years
> away, what I see is a much reduced bunch of familiar male contributors
> suggesting in the absence of anything new from Pynchon that the list may
> have been reduced to its core all of whom will be familiar with the book.
>
> Cheers
> Mike
>
>
>
> On 03/11/2021 16:29, Joseph Tracy wrote:
> > The last 2  or 3 times there was a group read, they petered out, in one
> case rather early. I thought it was quite possibly that the pace was too
> slow. I suggested this and a quicker  pace. You disagreed and insisted on
> your time frame. I did not continue the argument but went with the plan and
> was one of the last participants as interest disappeared. I still do not
> know for certain that I was right about the pace being the problem or part
> of the problem but since Mike Weaver(I think) was interested in BE at same
> time as I was reading it I suggested  a group read with a faster paced
> schedule. I also said we should be open to slow it if there was more that
> people had to say on a  given chapter/segment. I was not surprised at your
> disagreement but since no one else had your concern I felt hopeful to start
> when Michael expressed interest. You are welcome to join and even slow the
> pace down through active participation. I feel we have all read the book
> and are ready for a discussion driven, topic driven, text drive
> consideration that is bit more free ranging, but it is really up to how
> people participate. I do not want to override and am not a natural
> organizer but simply thought to move along at a pace that keeps people
> involved and see if that works any better to keep interest and
> participation.
> >
> > I am sorry you feel this way and hope you will change your mind, perhaps
> consider listening to the audio version.
> >
> >> On Nov 3, 2021, at 3:50 AM, Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> Joseph,
> >>
> >> Your inability to ever compromise, an opinion, or YOUR only way,
> despite my attempt to work out something different is why I will not be
> participating. You mostly want
> >> to write your mini-essays, many decent, not allow a group read to
> happen even close to the way others in the group may need to participate
> comofrtably.
> >>
> >> So it goes. Just you being you.
> >>
> >> Mark
> >>
> >> On Tue, Nov 2, 2021 at 11:33 PM Joseph Tracy <brook7 at sover.net <mailto:
> brook7 at sover.net>> wrote:
> >> My email provider’s server went out sunady so i has been several days
> since I wrote this. The daes would have to be adjusted but I just wanted to
> see if anyone Michael is interested.
> >>
> >> I put out a question a little while back to see who might be
> interested. We may only get 3 or 4. Love to see more. My idea was to move
> faster than we usually do, no concern about spoilers, more holistic,  just
> leaving the floor open for new input as we move along.  More about
> digesting and understanding what we can about the novel, and testing ideas
> against text than than a finegrained study.
> >> How about we start with 4 days per chapter and if that is not working
> make adjustments.   If people go deeper into sentence by sentence, or a
> particular sentence/paragraph/pattern we stretch the 4 days to fit the
> interest.  If someone wants to go back to an  earlier segment just do it.
> Also looking in the archives as we move along might be fun. Suggestion:The
> audible version moves right along if people have a hard time making time to
> read.  Each host can decide where their focus lies and others can add. I
> was in a group read of ATD called Chumps of Choice where each host of the
> segment did a minimal summary. quite nice IMO. I will also be putting out
> at  the beginning a list of most characters with description and key story
> roles. More through than the Pynchon wiki, I think.
> >>
> >>
> >> Tentative plan
> >> start in 4 days on Wednesday November3
> >> Michael if you are up for 1st chapter I will take the second on the 7th
> Nov
> >>
> >> Others?
> >>
> >> Input?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>> On Oct 30, 2021, at 9:49 PM, Michael Bailey <
> michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com <mailto:michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com>> wrote
> >>>
> >>> Thought i sniffed the 4711 cologne in the  air.
> >>>
> >>> Who’s assigning bits?
> >>>
> >>> I’d like to participate, please.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Thanks,
> >>>
> >>> Michael Lee Bailey
> >>> --
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