Book Discussion - May 7th- 6pm Freed-Montrose Library - CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES by Toole (also reminder about play performance)
A Aman
We will be discussing CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES by John Kennedy Toole next Thursday, May 7th at 6pm at Freed-Montrose Library. Claudia will be leading the discussion. I'm not sure at this point whether we will be upstairs or downstairs so check the downstairs conference room first.
Also for those who have tickets for ROCK 'N ROLL at the Alley Theatre, it is this Sunday, May 3rd at 2:30 pm. I've made dinner reservations for us afterwards at Bierra Poirettis Restaurant adjacent to the Alley Theatre. Here's a link to info that has directions to the Alley Theatre as well as parking info. There are numerous garages plus on Sunday afternoon, it is likely there will be street parking but no guarantees. Fee for garage parking is usually $5.00. . There are a couple of entrances to the garage adjacent to the Alley which is convenient. One garage entrance is next to the restaurant entrance to Bierra Poiretti's Restaurant on Louisianna St.
http://www.alleytheatre.org/Alley/Directions_EN.asp?SnID=98972529
But if you can't seem to locate the Alley Theatre garage, any of the garages in the area should work. They don't usually allow late seating so be sure to give yourself enough time to find parking.
Also, the Houston Great Books Council is hosting a series of workshops to promote quality of book discussion. The first one is scheduled for May 9th at Houston Community College's West Loop Center (located at the SE corner of 610) from 10am to 1pm. More details about cost, links to the readings and how to sign up can be found at
http://www.houstonbookclubs.org/HoustonGreatBooks/
And don't forget we have an election coming up in June when we will elect new books so be thinking about titles to submit for our ballot.
Looking forward to the play and the discussion.
--Alice
http://www.houstonbookclubs.org/Montrose
http://www.houstonbookclubs.org/blog/
http://groups.google.com/group/MontroseGreatBooks
http://www.houstongreatbooks.net/groups/Montrose.html
http://www.houstonbookclubs.org/GreatBooksGuide.htm
UPCOMING READING SELECTIONS
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-- May 3, 2009 Live performance of ROCK 'N ROLL play by Tom Stoppard at the Houston Alley Theatre will be attended by members of our book club who have purchased tickets. Dinner reservations made following the performance at Bierra Poiretti's Restaurant adjacent to the Theatre. No requirement to attend the play for those who might just want to join us just for dinner but please let Alice know so she can make sure reservations cover everyone.
-- May 7, 2009 CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES by John Kennedy Toole (publ 1980) 352 pages
Pulitzer Prize winner in 1981
Setting is New Orleans in the early 1960s. The central character is an intelligent but slothful man still living with his mother at age 30 in the city's Uptown neighborhood, who, because of family circumstances, must set out to get a job. In his quest for employment he has various adventures with colorful French Quarter characters. Many locals and writers of New Orleans think that it is the best and most accurate depiction of the city in a work of fiction.
-- Claudia will lead discussion
-- June 4, 2009 TOO LOUD A SOLITUDE by Bohumil Hrabal (self published in 1977) 112 pages
Considered one of the greatest Czech writers of the 20th century, the man whom Kundera considers to be one of his masters. Tells the story of an eclectic and dimwitted old man who works as a paper crusher at a hydraulic press in a dark cellar in Prague. Using his job to save and amass astounding numbers of rare and banned books, he is an obsessive collector of knowledge. The books that he must destroy become his whole life, his only companions.
--Jo will lead discussion
Note: At end of discussion in June, group will vote on new titles for upcoming reading list..
-- July 2, 2009 SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES by Ray Bradbury (publ 1972) 317 pages
About two thirteen-year-old boys who have a harrowing experience with a nightmarish traveling carnival that comes to their Midwestern town. The carnival's leader is the mysterious "Mr. Dark" who bears a tattoo for each person who, lured by the offer to live out his secret fantasies, has become bound in service to the carnival. Novel places emphasis on the more serious side of the transition from childhood to adulthood.
-- Cassie will lead discussion
-- August 6, 2009 MAIN STREET by Sinclair Lewis (publ 1920) 448 pages
First American to win Nobel Prize in 1930.
Captures the aura of small town America which requires conformity to tradition and social standards in exchange for recognition, respect and love from one's neighbors, versus the City as depicted by Washington which seems to offer freedom and individuality precisely because there's no one there who cares about you or what you do.
--Susan will lead discussion