The Restricted Section: A Question

[intotheheart.livejournal.com]

Members as of 06/09/05
Join the Restricted Section!

A Question

So, I'd like your suggestions on how to improve this club. Because we're getting some AWESOME responses from people about book choices, and then not so much with discussion, which is why I left the Hitchhiker's/Vanity Fair one open a little longer. Which, I understand, because some of us have ENOUGH to write on our school time. But, I want this to be more ACTIVE. I really enjoyed the Summer Reading Discussion and think that went fabulously, but it seems unrealistic to have that happen every month. And I'd love to continue having CHOSEN books per month, but I want those who aren't participating in the discussion for whatever reason a chance to participate more.

And... to spice things up a little, valid original (ie NOT SAID BEFORE) suggestions on how to improve the Restricted Section participation are worth 2 points to a maximum of 14 points per person. Don't forget to put your name and house!

♥

Comments

[karinablack.livejournal.com]

Sort, easily read but still deep would be fantastic. Perhaps poetry? Something easily obtained to fit within budget guidelines.

Hilarity: The Cat in the Hat! :)
Let's see how far we can discuss something so simple, what life lessons, if any, there are to be learned from that tenacious, irritating cat.

Maybe a book that could be read or downloaded online would be in fantastic order!

Karina, Ravenclaw

[karinablack.livejournal.com]

http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/ (http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/) has a listing of free online books, so members could read at their leisure and not have to run out and find/buy the month's selection. I'm new so PLEASE excuse me if this has been suggested before, I looked briefly through back posts and didn't see it...

Karina, Ravenclaw

[tangerinesidhe.livejournal.com]

My current problem is that I just don't have the time to read the books that are getting selected.

When I vote, I vote for the book that I would most like to read. If I'm not particularly interested in reading the book that gets selected, then I'm not going to read it. As far as HHTTG being selected--I read it a long time ago, and didn't really feel like reading it again. It's a really popular book, especially among the set of people who read HP, I think. I found it surprising that so many members of the club hadn't read it. (I'm assuming that everyone who voted for it hadn't read it, because I don't understand why someone who HAD read it would vote for it).

I'm not entirely sure how to improve the club. But, one idea I have is to have occassional discussions about books other than the monthly suggestions. While I don't always have time to get around to reading the monthly choices, I am still doing reading for classes and personal interest.

Perhaps we could have posts during the month to talk about other books that fit into the theme?

Destiny//Gryffindor

[intotheheart.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's the same with me.

And I did the general discussion post for my first one (For Awareness...) and well... haha look here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/hh_clubs/17513.html) and see the result. But maybe I'll try it again :D

[tangerinesidhe.livejournal.com]

Well, it was also your first one... it takes time for things to catch on sometimes.

Maybe we could also do something like Recommend me something posts.

Like a place where we can go and say, hey I really liked the following books, and I'm looking for something new to read--do you have any suggestions?

I think it could be fun, and it would also be a way for people to forge new friendships through common interests. Not quite sure how feasable it is logistically, but it's a thought.

Destiny//Gryffindor

[betta329.livejournal.com]

I agree. Some of the book choices are really long and I don't really have time to read two books a month along with school and everything else. Maybe a scavenger hunt or trivia rather than a discussion?

Elizabeth~Hufflepuff

[ararejul.livejournal.com]

I think that perhaps 2 books is unrealistic....now that i think about it...are we supposed to read both?

I haven't been commenting when I don't read both. Like last month I didn't have time to read either but I've read Hitchhikers before but didn't feel qualified to comment.

jul*gryffindor

[maggiedowney.livejournal.com]

Yep, of course you can comment if you're only read one :D

[siriusdenial811.livejournal.com]

Perhaps if, at the beginning of the month, when those who haven't read the chosen book ARE reading it, we could have short discussions on other books. Perhaps of the same theme, but ones we've ALREADY read. Its always fun to get other people's opinions and thoughts on your favorite books. I know that with school work, it takes me much longer than usual to finish a book. That could just be something to do during that lapse when everyone is reading that particular book of the month.

Ashley, Gryffindor

[ledbylove.livejournal.com]

My problem is that I haven't had time to read the assigned books yet :( Silly busy real life. Perhaps we could have some assigned/discussed shorter works, like poetry and short stories. Those would be something that could be read more quickly than a full novel and perhaps then more people would be able to read and discuss :)

[amaelgreenleaf.livejournal.com]

I'd like to join the Restricted Section, but I'm a nursing/psych major. It's pretty hard to read 2 books let alone one. =) What someone suggested already was what came to mind. Symbolism and understanding poetry is an excellent idea. And also since I say I may not be able to FINISH a whole book & squeeze in studying, why not suggest ONE specific chapter of a book to be discussed? =)

I hope that helps.

[literaticat.livejournal.com]

I think we should cut the "book of the month" and maybe do that ON OCCASION or FOR SPECIAL BOOKS or even during school vacations. INSTEAD, we promote more discussion of different books throughout the month. Someone mentioned that "everyone has read Hitchhiker's" ... (which is how I felt about Narnia, too, which is why I didn't vote for it) ... but there can be some great discussions about those ones. Like the moderator can put up discussion questions about one of these things that everyone has read, for example, a question about what people think of (for example) the movie Hitchhikers compared with the book, or whether people think (for example) that the Christian allegory portions of Narnia are heavy-handed, and whether the books are "literature", or as some would argue, propaganda...

See what I mean? Have book debates. And then DO the special "assigned books", but do them less often so that people aren't getting swamped.

Now I am rambling, sorry!

[livia-daemon.livejournal.com]

Perhaps we could discuss the Harry Potter books. We are all, obviously, quite obsessed with the story and know quite alot about them. Once or twice a month we could discuss a particular topic or a particular character. There's just so much source material that we could pick apart.

Is that too similar of an idea to the monthly debate in the common room?

Carolina // Ravenclaw

[bottledfizzyh2o.livejournal.com]

I like the idea that someone suggested about reading short stories. Like many people have mentioned before, between working and going to school there isn't much time to read whole books between the other books we need to read and textbooks, ahh. A lot of classic authors and modern ones write short stories in addition to their longer ones. Perhaps that could work.

Melissa, Gryffindor

[ararejul.livejournal.com]

hmmm. i have a really crazy idea so....yeah.

We are a literature club and not just a book club so i had a thought about maybe making writing assignments?

that might be alot like some other stuff out there but it was just an idea for the months that might be a little to busy to read (although i am NEVER to busy to read).

jul*gryffindor

[ararejul.livejournal.com]

Okay, not much of an idea but what if you extended the book timeline to 2 months during busier times (like school months). After 1 month you open for a free debate and then the second month do extra stuff like related to the book. I have no idea what, maybe a debate?

jul*gryffindor

[angeleyesjg24.livejournal.com]

Here's an idea: why not have people write book reports on books they are currently reading/have read? Then, we can compile these summaries and/or opinions into a book guide for members. This way, people who do not have time to read the assigned books will still have a way to earn points for their house. And the members of the community would have a great resoure for recommended books! I know I'd like such a thing...

Anna M // Ravenclaw

[angeleyesjg24.livejournal.com]

...sorry, just had another idea. Maybe have a graphics contest and/or submission where we find people that we believe are good representations of our favorite literary characters. Or, we can choose one book and have people find individuals who they believe represent those characters. Then, we can all vote on who we all believe is the best for a certain role.

We could even do this with Harry Potter characters. I've heard lots of people say that, for instance, Elizabeth Hurley would make a great Bellatrix. That could easily be a submission. To spice it up, it could be required that it be in the form of an icon, sigtag, etc.

Anna M // Ravenclaw

[jissa.livejournal.com]

Well, I think that the biggest problem is that while we all love to read, we are also busy people. Plus, when you have so many other books that you want to read (and maybe others that are assigned for class), reading others that are semi-assigned can be a bit tough to do.

What I think might be easier would be to use short stories. There are lots of good short stories available online (I know this because I actually ran a Sci-Fi and Fantasy book club at my college where we read a short story a week found by members on the internet).

Another possibility would be to read more some of the things written about writing that are available, such as Asimov's editorial on Poetry (http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0506/editorial.shtml). It seems like writtings like this might be good for bringing out discussion, as there less need to be deep and insightful (something I sometimes feel a need for in discussions of actual literature.)

Or we could even combine several of these things, and simply offer more possibilities each month. Instead of two books, we could nominate a book, a short story or poem, a piece of writing about writing (there most be a name for this!), and then maybe even a piece of fanfiction . . . Well, the fanfic would probably draw people in at least, although I think might quickly lead to flame wars.

[rocknrollpixie.livejournal.com]

I agree with what people have said before, that it is difficult to read books especially for the restricted section with real life commitments pushing in all the time!

I suggest that we still have themes to discuss as usual, but instead of having specific books to read we can discuss that theme in relation to any book that relates to it.

Eg in the recent theme which I believe was 'changes' we could still have the theme but no specific book and people could explain their favourite interpretations of this theme in novels they've already read. Thus not creating extra work for ourselves!

Then we could recommend books to read on the theme for people that want it, but not have to read them if you cant.

Pixie - Hufflepuff

[rocknrollpixie.livejournal.com]

Oh I just had another thought!

I'm training to be a teacher and I have to read a lot of kids books. There are actually a lot of great ones out there, and they're usually relatively quite short. So perhaps we could have a children's literature event one day?

Pixie - Hufflepuff

[my-badgers-27.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of reading poems and stuff like that. I think it would also be pretty cool if we picked a theme and had a discussion off of that, a theme of the month or something. Short stories would also work as people would have time to read them

[cherryblossomrd.livejournal.com]

If this has been suggested already, sorry, didn't scroll down.

I'm like a lot of you, I don't actually have the time to sit down and really read anymore, with two jobs, choir, and everything else I got going on. So, I remedied that buy starting to use Audio!books (as corny as it sounds). At first, I was like, yeah right, only old people do that, but to be honest, I pop it in the car on my drives to and from work, and (as I'm "reading" HBP again) I've gotten to chapter 17 in 3 days, and I haven't opened my hardback copy once. Now, if you don't want to actually buy them, cause they can be on the pricey side, I'm sure libraries carry them as well, I know mine does...

~B - Hufflepuff