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Project Gutenberg - http://www.gutenberg.org - A database of over 17000 books available online. If you can suggest books from here, that'd be the best. SparkNotes - http://www.sparknotes.com/ - A very helpful Cliffnotes-esque site, but much better, in my opinion. If you happen to come in late and need to catch-up, you can get great character/chapter/plot summaries here.  For recommendations on future material, suggestions on how to improve the club, or just a general rant, feel free to PM me. Past Books of the Month [for BOTM before 2014, refer to archives] 2014: January: Ursula K. LeGuin - The Left Hand of Darkness February: Mikhail Bulgalov - Master & Margarita March: Richard P. Feynman -- Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! April: James Joyce -- Dubliners May: Gabriel Garcia Marquez -- 100 Years of Solitude June: Howard Zinn -- A People's History of the United States July: Mary Renault -- The Last of the Wine August: Barbara Tuchtman -- The Guns of August September: Jane Austen -- Pride and Prejudice October: Roger Zelazny -- A Night in the Lonesome October November: John Gardner -- Grendel December: Christopher Moore -- The Stupidest Angel 2015: January: Italo Calvino -- Invisible Cities February: Karl Ove Knausgaard -- My Struggle: Book 1. March: Knut Hamsun -- Hunger April: Liu Cixin -- 三体 ( The Three-Body Problem) May: John Steinbeck -- Cannery Row June: Truman Capote -- In Cold Blood (Hiatus) August: Ta-Nehisi Coates -- Between the World and Me September: Wilkie Collins -- The Moonstone October:Seth Dickinson -- The Traitor Baru Cormorant November:Svetlana Alexievich -- Voices from Chernobyl December: Michael Chabon -- Gentlemen of the Road 2016: January: Three Men in a Boat (To say nothing of the Dog!) by Jerome K. Jerome February:The March Up Country (The Anabasis) of Xenophon March: The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco April: Plain Tales from the Hills by Rudyard Kipling May: Temple of the Golden Pavilion by Yukio Mishima June:The Vegetarian by Han Kang July:Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees August: Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov September:Siddhartha by Herman Hesse October:Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse November:Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain December: It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis 2017: January: Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut February: The Plague by Albert Camus March: The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin April: The Conference of the Birds (مقامات الطیور) by Farid ud-Din Attar Current: I, Claudius by Robert Graves Book available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J3W9JQW/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 About the book: quote:I, Claudius (1934) is a novel by English writer Robert Graves, written in the form of an autobiography of the Roman Emperor Claudius. Accordingly, it includes the history of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty and the Roman Empire, from Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 BC to Caligula's assassination in 41 AD. quote:The I, Claudius novels, as they are called collectively, became massively popular when first published in 1934 and gained literary recognition with the award of the 1934 James Tait Black Prize for fiction. They are probably Graves's best known work aside from his myth essay The White Goddess, his English translation of The Golden rear end and his own autobiography Goodbye to All That. Graves later claimed that they were written only from financial need on a strict deadline. Nonetheless, they are today regarded as pioneering masterpieces of historical fiction. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Claudius About the Author quote:Robert von Ranke Graves (also known as Robert Ranke Graves and most commonly Robert Graves; 24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985)[1] was an English poet, novelist, critic and classicist. In a way similar to Oscar Wilde, Robert Graves was a Celticist and student of Irish mythology, by the influence of his father Alfred Perceval Graves a celebrated Irish poet — with William Wilde these families were inheritors of the Gaelic revival. He produced more than 140 works. Graves's poems—together with his translations and innovative analysis and interpretations of the Greek myths; his memoir of his early life, including his role in the First World War, Good-Bye to All That; and his speculative study of poetic inspiration, The White Goddess—have never been out of print.[2] Irish literature deeply affected Graves' White Goddess theories, specifically the genre aisling. Historical Context quote:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Claudius Pacing Just read, then Post. Please bookmark the thread to encourage discussion. References and Further Reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Claudius_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Caesars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutarch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacitus http://mentalfloss.com/article/65267/12-things-you-might-not-know-about-i-claudius http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10096739/I-Claudius-what-HBO-can-learn-from-the-BBC-classic.html Final Note: Thanks, and I hope everyone enjoys the book!
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May 9, 2017 02:50
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Sweet, will be starting this soon.
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May 9, 2017 21:28
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Same. Have had it on the shelf forever am psyched to have a reason to read it
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May 10, 2017 05:05
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This is a really good book. I'm not sure how historically accurate it is, but I found it extremely enjoyable. Recent I read "Count Belissarius" by him, which was also very good but not as amazing.
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May 11, 2017 18:52
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Walh Hara posted:This is a really good book. I'm not sure how historically accurate it is, but I found it extremely enjoyable. Recent I read "Count Belissarius" by him, which was also very good but not as amazing. I'm no classicist but my understanding has always been that Graves was and that this book is as historically accurate as it can be given the premise, the subject matter, and the limited and politicized nature of the historical record.
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May 11, 2017 19:11
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I read I, Claudius and Claudius the God a few years ago. I don't have time now for a re-read, but hope there's some discussion where I remember enough to contribute. Graves used some of the saucier tales from ancient sources to keep it interesting. Most of it's accurate in that it was contemporary, but there were biases. Though I vastly preferred I, Claudius, Herod's letter about Jesus in Claudius the God might be my favorite passage from the two.
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May 12, 2017 02:50
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livia is actually good
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May 12, 2017 05:38
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A goon recommended me this book a while ago and it is now my favorite, thanks goon. Also the BBC mini series from the 70s is worth watching, Derek Jacobi is an excellent Cla-Cla-Claudius.
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May 12, 2017 18:45
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I recently read Augustus, and just started this, so it really is interesting visiting the same time period at the beginning of this book with mostly the same story. I think one of the inconsistencies that surprised me was in Augustus, Julia hated Tiberius, but her father says she has to do her duty no matter how awful a person he is. In this book, Julia begs her father and maybe Livia, I forget, to have her marry Tiberius. it's Tiberius who wants nothing to do with her because he is happily married..Also, in this book it is never really mentioned how repulsive Octavius finds Tiberius and does everything in his power to find a different successor. Anyway, I am enjoying it a lot. Edit: Also, great that in this book he gives a reason for Octavius not having kids with Livia which is absent from Augustus. Rusty fucked around with this message at 03:02 on May 13, 2017 |
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May 13, 2017 02:43
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About 20% in, jolly good reading so far.
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May 15, 2017 12:02
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my bony fealty posted:A goon recommended me this book a while ago and it is now my favorite, thanks goon. I think you are underselling it. The production budget isn't exactly one the level of Game of Thrones but other than that it's great. I own it on DVD and have watched it multiple times. Derek Jacobi is the perfect Claudius, Brian Blessed hams it up as the perfect Augustus, and Patrick Stewart wears a wig. What more do you want?
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May 15, 2017 13:44
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Derek Jacobi is perfect, period. I saw him play Richard II back in the day--the best theatre moment of my life. Just started this last night, not quite what I expected.
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May 15, 2017 15:57
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General Emergency posted:I think you are underselling it. The production budget isn't exactly one the level of Game of Thrones but other than that it's great. I own it on DVD and have watched it multiple times. I suspect you might not have Game of Thrones on HBO today, without I Claudius on BBC back then.
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May 15, 2017 16:15
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Ha, about a third of the way in now. Pretty sure I'm going to go straight on to the sequel and then track down the BBC series, this poo poo is great. The Livia character was also inspiration for Tony's mother in The Sopranos, right?
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May 16, 2017 08:49
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For next month I'm probably going to pick either Nixonland or All the President's Men. Maybe Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72
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May 22, 2017 00:07
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:For next month I'm probably going to pick either Nixonland or All the President's Men. Maybe Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 Depends on what part of RMN's career you want to focus on. Nixonland revolves around the '68 and '72 elections and pretty much ignores Watergate. Nixonland also takes a deeper dive into Nixon's personality and motivations than ATPM, which is more on the "just the facts" side. Selachian fucked around with this message at 00:04 on May 23, 2017 |
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May 22, 2017 23:57
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I'd like an excuse to finally read Nixonland Also y'all knew that Robert Graves wrote this book after the ghost of Claudius appeared to him in a dream and demanded that he do so, right
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May 23, 2017 05:10
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Really loving I, Claudius so far. I read ATPM back in high school so I would probably vote Nixonland or Fear and Loathing first, but would read any and all since it has been so long since I last read ATPM (and undoubtedly didn't get much from it begin a smooth-brained teenager)
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May 25, 2017 16:12
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:For next month I'm probably going to pick either Nixonland or All the President's Men. Maybe Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 What? You're not going to go with "Claudius the God"? Shame. This thread reminded me that I have both books from years ago; I'm rereading them now, and they're still great. Claudius really comes across as a real person, somewhat awkward in the construction of his private writing. They're really interesting books that pack a lot of amazing history into them.
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May 27, 2017 00:16
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My classical history professor praised this book, but when i mentioned his greek myths series, he told me they were "next to worthless" due to his origins/footnotes on the myths being completely wrong. However i have found nothing to confirm that.
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May 27, 2017 19:36
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rocket_man38 posted:My classical history professor praised this book, but when i mentioned his greek myths series, he told me they were "next to worthless" due to his origins/footnotes on the myths being completely wrong. However i have found nothing to confirm that. Yeah, he was right. See e.g. the reception subheading on the wiki for The Greek Myths. Or, for a more comprehensive takedown of virtually everything he says, see this review. That was written in 1955, and the book's merit in the eyes of scholars hasn't improved since then. Graves' mythological work is, as a general rule, batshit. The Greek Myths are less batshit than The White Goddess, which is extraordinarily batshit, but it's batshit nonetheless. They're both good reading, but their scholarly value is nill. chernobyl kinsman fucked around with this message at 02:02 on May 28, 2017 |
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May 28, 2017 01:56
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Pigsfeet on Rye posted:What? You're not going to go with "Claudius the God"? Shame. This thread reminded me that I have both books from years ago; I'm rereading them now, and they're still great. Claudius really comes across as a real person, somewhat awkward in the construction of his private writing. They're really interesting books that pack a lot of amazing history into them. My general thought process is that these BotMs are kindof a tasting tour, so I generally avoid sequels -- I figure my work is done by pointing out the first one, and people who like it can continue on to the sequel and discuss that too if they want. That said, sure, I can include it in the poll (which I should be getting up sometime this weekend). Any other suggestions besides Nixon Lit?
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May 28, 2017 05:32
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chernobyl kinsman posted:Yeah, he was right. See e.g. the reception subheading on the wiki for The Greek Myths. Or, for a more comprehensive takedown of virtually everything he says, see this review. That was written in 1955, and the book's merit in the eyes of scholars hasn't improved since then. Good to know actually. I have a copy of The White Goddess and I never got that far into it because it kept tripping my bullshit flags.
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May 28, 2017 05:33
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:Good to know actually. I have a copy of The White Goddess and I never got that far into it because it kept tripping my bullshit flags. its still interesting imo, its just not, uh, true. but, then, it isn't really trying to be a scholarly work, so i guess it's not fair to judge it as such. this is what graves said about it a few years after writing it, which i think is really funny: 
chernobyl kinsman fucked around with this message at 00:58 on May 29, 2017 |
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May 29, 2017 00:54
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After sort of quote can't help but like the guy.
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May 30, 2017 16:51
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Finished and went straight on to the sequel, about a quarter of the way through that now... Herod Agrippa is a hilarious motherfucker.
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May 30, 2017 17:02
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C'mon peeps. Gimme some good suggestions, I need a couple more.
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May 31, 2017 05:41
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Just finished this book. The Caligula arc is legitimately absurd. Did anyone else find this book unexpectedly funny at times? I'm definitely going to get the sequel from the library pretty soon. As for suggestions, Denis Johnson recently died, so one of his books could be the BOTM. Angels, Fiskadoro, and Jesus' Son all seem to be generally well-regarded. edit: to sell you all on Denis Johnson, here's a pdf of a short story that he did: Car Crash While Hitchhiking.
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May 31, 2017 10:37
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rngd in the womb posted:Just finished this book. The Caligula arc is legitimately absurd. Did anyone else find this book unexpectedly funny at times? I wouldn't say it was unexpectedly funny, as I was pretty familiar with the absurdity and tragi-comedy of early imperial Rome already, but the Claudius narrator/character is indeed a hoot.
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May 31, 2017 12:01
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rngd in the womb posted:Just finished this book. The Caligula arc is legitimately absurd. Did anyone else find this book unexpectedly funny at times? I'm definitely going to get the sequel from the library pretty soon. As for suggestions, Denis Johnson recently died, so one of his books could be the BOTM. Angels, Fiskadoro, and Jesus' Son all seem to be generally well-regarded. If you like that, you absolutely must watch the BBC series -- John Hurt goes all-out in playing Caligula and it's awesome.
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May 31, 2017 15:18
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:C'mon peeps. Gimme some good suggestions, I need a couple more. The White Boy Shuffle by Paul Beatty is hilarious, fun, deep, and painful. I also really want to hear the opinion of someone who isn't a college professor.
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May 31, 2017 16:42
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Selachian posted:If you like that, you absolutely must watch the BBC series -- John Hurt goes all-out in playing Caligula and it's awesome. Oh gently caress! John Hurt as Caligula? SOLD.
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Jun 1, 2017 06:29
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:C'mon peeps. Gimme some good suggestions, I need a couple more. The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell could make for an interesting discussion. e: Or if you want politics, House of Cards by Michael Dobbs. Crashbee fucked around with this message at 06:39 on Jun 3, 2017 |
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Jun 1, 2017 21:16
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rngd in the womb posted:Oh gently caress! John Hurt as Caligula? SOLD. Trust me, he goes all loving in.
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Jun 2, 2017 03:39
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I'm only about halfway through, but the first 75 pages were kind of a slog, even as a casual history buff. It's really picked up since then and I'm eager to finish it.
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Jun 3, 2017 07:16
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Robert Graves did - to my mind - such a good job with the details and the overall history that it seems almost believable that it was Claudius' autobiography. The parts about the oracular guidance - both the ancient rhyme and the one spoken to Claudius - are a really nice touch. The only thing that was slightly jarring was the use of the term "assegai" instead of javelin, but apparently a lot of people have had that comment over time. Livia was quite the mistress of manipulation and murder, as well, especially with her smearing poison on the figs in the garden so that she could poison her husband.
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Jun 3, 2017 19:33
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Also he did an impressive job differentiating between a shitload of characters who mostly had variations of the same name and were mostly related to each other in a big old tangled up ball of gently caress.
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Jun 3, 2017 22:20
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Groke posted:Also he did an impressive job differentiating between a shitload of characters who mostly had variations of the same name and were mostly related to each other in a big old tangled up ball of gently caress. Claudius posted:In compiling my histories of Etruria and Carthage I have spent more angry hours than I care to recall, puzzling out in what year this or that event happened and whether a man named So-and-so was really So-and-so or whether he was a son or grandson or great-grandson or no relation at all. I intend to spare my successors this sort of irritation. Robert Graves had a classical education himself and I've always felt that he got a lot of satisfaction from writing this passage.
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Jun 5, 2017 19:24
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I've read and re-read I, Claudius and Claudius the God I'm not sure how many times. I will have to re-read them again thanks to this thread. It was thanks to this book that I became interested in Ancient Rome and the Julio-Claudian Emperors. Claudius was the family member they didn't deserve.
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Jun 12, 2017 21:57
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rngd in the womb posted:Oh gently caress! John Hurt as Caligula? SOLD. I just started on this, having on purpose not read much about the adaptation, and it drat well has BRIAN BLESSED [1] as Augustus, too. [1] Can't really use lower-case letters to write that name.
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Jun 15, 2017 07:49
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