Each year, I try to read a frequently challenged or banned book during Banned Books Week (September 24-30). I have very particular feelings about the concept of banning or suppressing works of fiction because they do not fit into a particular worldview (I’m staunchly against it). Do I think every book should have an audience and be read? Probably not. However, I do believe in our ability to choose for ourselves what we should read, and that banning or challenging books which only serve to […]
Discussion Topics: In Praise of Hatred
Our September book club is coming up quickly, we’re just two weeks away. Our non-western literary fiction choice In Praise of Hatred by Khaled Khalifa has lots for the reader to absorb and think about. Our group chat about this book will get going around 2 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday September 13th, both here and in our Facebook group, the Book Chat. Book Club is open to anyone and everyone. If there’s a topic, thought or opinion you’d like to see addressed, leave a comment down below […]
Book Club Discussion Post: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
We have reached the day – it’s time to discuss The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. There have been many positive, and introspective reviews of the book both since our announcement of its choice for this book club, and over the years of Cannonball Read’s existence. So, let’s dig in and talk about the why’s and how’s with this book, and some larger thematic conversations as well. Let’s start with a few ground rules: Since we’re anticipating lots of conversation, […]
There was an incident, it was curious (and also at night) and then things really started to get interesting.
One of the benefits of dragooning your friends into doing the Cannonball Read with you is that they are another great source of book recommendations. I’m not sure when exactly Ale suggested The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time to me, but I have a feeling it was sometime around when she read Marcelo in the Real World last year. Both books feature protagonists with Asperger’s Syndrome, and Ale suggests Marcelo to people who enjoyed Curious Incident. Audible did me a favor […]