Poughkeepsie Book Club Forums

[Announcements] Re: Decanuary Meeting

Frank — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:08:06 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: Re: Decanuary Meeting
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:08 pm

Ok - no more orders please. See you tonight.

[Announcements] Re: Decanuary Meeting

terwilleger — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:58:49 GMT

Author: terwilleger
Post subject: Re: Decanuary Meeting
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:58 am

Sherry and I will be there
we'll take 3 meat/sausage/or pepperoni

[Announcements] Re: Decanuary Meeting

pudgy groundhog — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:05:41 GMT

Author: pudgy groundhog
Post subject: Re: Decanuary Meeting
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:05 pm

I'll be there!

Passing on pizza this time.

See y'all tomorrow!

[Announcements] Re: Decanuary Meeting

Paul8246 — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:55:33 GMT

Author: Paul8246
Post subject: Re: Decanuary Meeting
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 5:55 pm

Obviously I will be attending on Wednesday.

I'll go for sausage pizza and/or mushroom.

I'll pick up a few soft drinks, if you want anything else please BYOB.

[Announcements] Re: Decanuary Meeting

sparrowhawk — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:34:00 GMT

Author: sparrowhawk
Post subject: Re: Decanuary Meeting
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:34 am

I will be there! 2 cheese please, or pepperoni if not.

[Announcements] Re: Decanuary Meeting

blackwolf — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:32:36 GMT

Author: blackwolf
Post subject: Re: Decanuary Meeting
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:32 am

I will be there and prefer 2 sausage but will have cheese if that isn't possible.

[Announcements] Re: Decanuary Meeting

Frank — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:30:33 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: Re: Decanuary Meeting
Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 4:30 pm

Thanks Paul.

Book club is 7pm on Wednesday, January 25.

Paul is hosting. Directions are here:

http://www.pokbooks.com/directions-paul.html

Nominations go here:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=326

If you are coming, please post in this thread so I can get a head count. If you are bringing guest(s), include that information too.

If you would like pizza, please include in your post how many slices and of what kind, from the following list. I'll do my best to satisfy everyone's request.

* Meat Pizza
* Vegetable Pizza
* Mushroom Pizza
* Cheese Pizza
* Grandpa (Grandma Margherita) Pizza

Thanks.

[Meerkats, Mindreaders, and Martians] Re: March Book Nominations

pudgy groundhog — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:02:00 GMT

Author: pudgy groundhog
Post subject: Re: March Book Nominations
Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 8:02 pm

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

From Amazon:

At once wildly original and stuffed with irresistible nostalgia, READY PLAYER ONE is a spectacularly genre-busting, ambitious, and charming debut—part quest novel, part love story, and part virtual space opera set in a universe where spell-slinging mages battle giant Japanese robots, entire planets are inspired by Blade Runner, and flying DeLoreans achieve light speed.

It’s the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday’s riddles are based in the pop culture he loved—that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday’s icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes’s oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt—among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life—and love—in the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.

A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
Are you ready?

Hardcover edition is 384 pages. No paperback.

Amazon rating: 4.5/5 stars (534 ratings)
Goodreads rating: 4.3/5 stars (9059 ratings)

Library has 19 copies, there are currently eight checked in. I don't think acquiring the book from the library will be an issue.

[Announcements] Re: Decanuary Meeting

Paul8246 — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:15:18 GMT

Author: Paul8246
Post subject: Re: Decanuary Meeting
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 12:15 am

I'm willing to host at my place.

86 Jackman Dr
Apt A
Poughkeepsie
(Ridgefield Apartments)

With my dining room chairs we should have enough seating.

[Announcements] Re: Decanuary Meeting

sparrowhawk — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:46:12 GMT

Author: sparrowhawk
Post subject: Re: Decanuary Meeting
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 5:46 pm

I have a tentative other meeting that evening, so I may not even be able to attend. Will let you know.

[Meerkats, Mindreaders, and Martians] March Book Nominations

Frank — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:35:01 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: March Book Nominations
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 2:35 pm

Nominations time!

This is for our March book club meeting.

The crucial pieces of information we want are:

1. Title and Author
2. Description
3. Length
4. Hardcover only?
5. Top Amazon review value and average review value
6. Availability in local libraries

Also, to try to select books that are more appropriate to the book club, we could use information such as:

* Availability of discussion guides
* Existence of other book clubs that read the book
* The title appears on college reading lists

These items are aimed at trying to get books that lend themselves to discussion. If we all read the greatest book in the world but it's so straightforward that the only thing we can think to say about it at the meeting is that we all agree it's the greatest book in the world, that's rather lame. We would just like to put the "book" back in "Book Club" a bit.

[Announcements] Decanuary Meeting

Frank — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:34:11 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: Decanuary Meeting
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 2:34 pm

Book club is 7pm on Wednesday, January 25.

Any hosting volunteers?

[Meerkats, Mindreaders, and Martians] Re: February Book Nominations

terwilleger — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:20:16 GMT

Author: terwilleger
Post subject: Re: February Book Nominations
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:20 am

Daemon by Daniel Suarez

Soon after the death of Matthew A. Sobol from brain cancer, a computer daemon is activated. Its first mission: to kill anyone and anything that stands in its way. Detective Peter Sebeck is called in to investigate the death of two programmers who worked for a computer game manufacturer, CyberStorm Entertainment.

* Hardcover: 448 pages
* Publisher: Dutton Adult; 1ST edition (January 8, 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0525951113
* ISBN-13: 978-0525951117
* Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
* Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds

Greatest. Techno-thriller. Period. Experts have long feared the Internet doomsday scenario. Daemon is arguably more terrifying.”
— Billy O'Brien, former Director of Cybersecurity and Communications Policy at the White House

swimming in the ocean.”
—Chicago Sun-Times
“Daemon is wet-yourself scary, tech-savvy, mind-blowing!”
—Paste Magazine
“This is a techno-thriller with a healthy dose of techno but absolutely no letdown on the thrill.”
—Slashdot.com

Daemon and Freedom™ comprise a two-part novel by the author Daniel Suarez about a distributed, persistent computer application, known as The Daemon, that begins to change the real world after the original programmer's death.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that Walter F. Parkes, who produced the 1983 film WarGames, has optioned the film rights to Daemon with Paramount Pictures.

[Announcements] Re: November/December Meeting

Frank — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:23:21 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: Re: November/December Meeting
Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 6:23 pm

Orders are closed. See you tonight!

[Announcements] Re: November/December Meeting

blackwolf — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 20:02:30 GMT

Author: blackwolf
Post subject: Re: November/December Meeting
Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 4:02 pm

I will be there and two pieces of meat please.

[Announcements] Re: November/December Meeting

Paul8246 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:35:51 GMT

Author: Paul8246
Post subject: Re: November/December Meeting
Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 8:35 pm

I'm disappointed I can't make it! I'm going to be in VT this weekend. Hope everyone has a good time!

[Announcements] Re: November/December Meeting

DanEGurl — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:20:29 GMT

Author: DanEGurl
Post subject: Re: November/December Meeting
Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 2:20 pm

I will be there. 2 slices of mushroom, but if no one else wants it I'll eat whatever. Also, I haven't read a single book this year so white elephant gift suggestions are welcome.

[Announcements] Re: November/December Meeting

pudgy groundhog — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 02:14:28 GMT

Author: pudgy groundhog
Post subject: Re: November/December Meeting
Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 10:14 pm

I'll be there. Two sliced of meat please.

And save room - I'm going to bring some cookies!

[Announcements] Re: November/December Meeting

terwilleger — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:41:26 GMT

Author: terwilleger
Post subject: Re: November/December Meeting
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 2:41 pm

Sherry and I will be there.

we'll have 4 slices meat

[Announcements] Re: November/December Meeting

sparrowhawk — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:20:48 GMT

Author: sparrowhawk
Post subject: Re: November/December Meeting
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 8:20 pm

2 slices cheese! And Dave will have 2 slices meat (pepperoni).

[Announcements] Re: November/December Meeting

Frank — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:50:12 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: Re: November/December Meeting
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:50 am

The votes are in.

Book club is 6pm on Saturday, December 3.

Daniela is hosting. Directions are here:

http://www.pokbooks.com/directions-daniela.html

Nominations go here:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=323

If you are coming, please post in this thread so I can get a head count. If you are bringing guest(s), include that information too.

If you would like pizza, please include in your post how many slices and of what kind, from the following list. I'll do my best to satisfy everyone's request.

* Meat Pizza
* Vegetable Pizza
* Mushroom Pizza
* Cheese Pizza
* Grandpa (Grandma Margherita) Pizza

Also, this is the white elephant gift exchange. Please bring a gift (under $10) to share. Relate it to one of the books we read this year. Extra points for creativity!

[Announcements] November/December Meeting

Frank — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:10:47 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: November/December Meeting
Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 8:10 pm

Due to the holidays, our November meeting has historically been held during the first week or so of December.

We also tend to do a small white elephant gift exchange related to the books we've read over the year.

So:

Please vote above on which date(s) you can attend

Please bring a small (less than $10) gift that you can relate to one of our books from 2011

Once we get closer I'll decide on a date based on the votes.

[Meerkats, Mindreaders, and Martians] February Book Nominations

Frank — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:06:54 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: February Book Nominations
Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 8:06 pm

Nominations time!

This is for our February book club meeting.

The crucial pieces of information we want are:

1. Title and Author
2. Description
3. Length
4. Hardcover only?
5. Top Amazon review value and average review value
6. Availability in local libraries

Also, to try to select books that are more appropriate to the book club, we could use information such as:

* Availability of discussion guides
* Existence of other book clubs that read the book
* The title appears on college reading lists

These items are aimed at trying to get books that lend themselves to discussion. If we all read the greatest book in the world but it's so straightforward that the only thing we can think to say about it at the meeting is that we all agree it's the greatest book in the world, that's rather lame. We would just like to put the "book" back in "Book Club" a bit.

[Announcements] Re: October Meeting

Frank — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:13:01 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: Re: October Meeting
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 6:13 pm

Orders are closed. See you tonight.

[Announcements] Re: October Meeting

pudgy groundhog — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:48:22 GMT

Author: pudgy groundhog
Post subject: Re: October Meeting
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 9:48 pm

I'll be there. Two slices of meat please!

[Meerkats, Mindreaders, and Martians] Re: Decanuary Book Nominations

pudgy groundhog — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:46:38 GMT

Author: pudgy groundhog
Post subject: Re: Decanuary Book Nominations
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 9:46 pm

1. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa, Stephen Snyder (Translator)
2. From Goodreads:
He is a brilliant math Professor with a peculiar problem--ever since a traumatic head injury, he has lived with only eighty minutes of short-term memory. She is an astute young Housekeeper, with a ten-year-old son, who is hired to care for him. And every morning, as the Professor and the Housekeeper are introduced to each other anew, a strange and beautiful relationship blossoms between them. Though he cannot hold memories for long (his brain is like a tape that begins to erase itself every eighty minutes), the Professor’s mind is still alive with elegant equations from the past. And the numbers, in all of their articulate order, reveal a sheltering and poetic world to both the Housekeeper and her young son. The Professor is capable of discovering connections between the simplest of quantities--like the Housekeeper’s shoe size--and the universe at large, drawing their lives ever closer and more profoundly together, even as his memory slips away. The Housekeeper and the Professor is an enchanting story about what it means to live in the present, and about the curious equations that can create a family
3. 192 pages
4. Available in paperback
5. Amazon is 4.5/5 stars (145 reviews) and Goodreads is 3.92/5 (2,795 ratings)
6. eleven copies in the library (six currently checked in, I don't think availability will be an issue)
7. reading guides available online with discussion questions

[Announcements] Re: October Meeting

blackwolf — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:29:05 GMT

Author: blackwolf
Post subject: Re: October Meeting
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 11:29 am

I will be there and will take two pieces of pizza please - meat and/or grandma is fine with me.

[Announcements] Re: October Meeting

sparrowhawk — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:30:39 GMT

Author: sparrowhawk
Post subject: Re: October Meeting
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 7:30 pm

2 slices of cheese please!

[Announcements] Re: October Meeting

terwilleger — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:01:00 GMT

Author: terwilleger
Post subject: Re: October Meeting
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:01 pm

Sherry and I will be there. we'll have our usual 3 meat slices. Im at 20% of the book, hope to make 100% over weekend.

[Announcements] Re: October Meeting

Frank — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:30:30 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: Re: October Meeting
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:30 pm

Book club is 7pm on Wednesday, October 26.

I'm hosting. Directions are here:

http://www.pokbooks.com/directions-frank.html

Nominations go here:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=321

If you are coming, please post in this thread so I can get a head count. If you are bringing guest(s), include that information too.

If you would like pizza, please include in your post how many slices and of what kind, from the following list. I'll do my best to satisfy everyone's request.

* Meat Pizza
* Vegetable Pizza
* Mushroom Pizza
* Cheese Pizza
* Grandpa (Grandma Margherita) Pizza

Thanks.

[Announcements] Re: October Meeting

Frank — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:28:10 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: Re: October Meeting
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:28 pm

Thanks Brad, but I think I'll host again this month. If the turnout is as weak as last month, we'll end up playing board games anyway, and they are all here.

[Announcements] Re: October Meeting

terwilleger — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:41:10 GMT

Author: terwilleger
Post subject: Re: October Meeting
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 3:41 pm

I can host

[Announcements] October Meeting

Frank — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:19:08 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: October Meeting
Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 10:19 pm

Book club is 7pm on Wednesday, October 26.

Any hosting volunteers?

[Meerkats, Mindreaders, and Martians] Decanuary Book Nominations

Frank — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:18:08 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: Decanuary Book Nominations
Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 10:18 pm

Nominations time!

This is for our Decanuary book club meeting.

The crucial pieces of information we want are:

1. Title and Author
2. Description
3. Length
4. Hardcover only?
5. Top Amazon review value and average review value
6. Availability in local libraries

Also, to try to select books that are more appropriate to the book club, we could use information such as:

* Availability of discussion guides
* Existence of other book clubs that read the book
* The title appears on college reading lists

These items are aimed at trying to get books that lend themselves to discussion. If we all read the greatest book in the world but it's so straightforward that the only thing we can think to say about it at the meeting is that we all agree it's the greatest book in the world, that's rather lame. We would just like to put the "book" back in "Book Club" a bit.

[Announcements] Re: September Meeting

Frank — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:33:06 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: Re: September Meeting
Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 5:33 pm

Ok - no pizza orders and a very small turnout. That's ok - see you tonight!

And feel better Steph!

[Announcements] Re: September Meeting

blackwolf — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:27:16 GMT

Author: blackwolf
Post subject: Re: September Meeting
Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 5:27 pm

Cancel my pizza order - I will be getting dumplings instead@

[Announcements] Re: September Meeting

blackwolf — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:00:11 GMT

Author: blackwolf
Post subject: Re: September Meeting
Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 5:00 pm

If I am the only pizza orderer I am willing to get dumplings instead.

[Announcements] Re: September Meeting

sparrowhawk — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:14:34 GMT

Author: sparrowhawk
Post subject: Re: September Meeting
Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:14 am

I hurt my right ankle over the weekend and am limiting my driving to only what is absolutely necessary so that I heal in time for my vacation. Therefore, I am sorry to say I will not be coming down for book club today. I am also sick, so you probably do not want me around anyway .

[Announcements] Re: September Meeting

blackwolf — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 20:20:27 GMT

Author: blackwolf
Post subject: Re: September Meeting
Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 4:20 pm

No on the cupcakes - $40 for a dozen is just too much money!

[Announcements] Re: September Meeting

blackwolf — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:15:17 GMT

Author: blackwolf
Post subject: Re: September Meeting
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 10:15 am

I will be there and I would like two meat please - sausage preferred. Also if all goes well I might bring cupcakes from the Moxie Cupcake.

[Announcements] Re: September Meeting

sparrowhawk — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:08:08 GMT

Author: sparrowhawk
Post subject: Re: September Meeting
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 7:08 am

2 slices of cheese please!

[Announcements] September Meeting

Frank — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:50:29 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: September Meeting
Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2011 8:50 pm

Book club is 7pm on Wednesday, September 28.

I'm hosting. Directions are here:

http://www.pokbooks.com/directions-frank.html

Nominations go here:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=319

If you are coming, please post in this thread so I can get a head count. If you are bringing guest(s), include that information too.

If you would like pizza, please include in your post how many slices and of what kind, from the following list. I'll do my best to satisfy everyone's request.

* Meat Pizza
* Vegetable Pizza
* Mushroom Pizza
* Cheese Pizza
* Grandpa (Grandma Margherita) Pizza

Thanks.

[Meerkats, Mindreaders, and Martians] November Book Nominations

Frank — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:48:09 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: November Book Nominations
Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2011 8:48 pm

Nominations time!

This is for our November book club meeting.

The crucial pieces of information we want are:

1. Title and Author
2. Description
3. Length
4. Hardcover only?
5. Top Amazon review value and average review value
6. Availability in local libraries

Also, to try to select books that are more appropriate to the book club, we could use information such as:

* Availability of discussion guides
* Existence of other book clubs that read the book
* The title appears on college reading lists

These items are aimed at trying to get books that lend themselves to discussion. If we all read the greatest book in the world but it's so straightforward that the only thing we can think to say about it at the meeting is that we all agree it's the greatest book in the world, that's rather lame. We would just like to put the "book" back in "Book Club" a bit.

[Announcements] Re: August Meeting

DanEGurl — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:59:40 GMT

Author: DanEGurl
Post subject: Re: August Meeting
Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 10:59 am

I'm only a maybe, if I show it'll be late after tennis. No pizza for me.

[Announcements] Re: August Meeting

pudgy groundhog — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:31:31 GMT

Author: pudgy groundhog
Post subject: Re: August Meeting
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:31 pm

I'll be there. I will either eat at home or get something on my own.

[Announcements] Re: August Meeting

Paul8246 — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 21:56:33 GMT

Author: Paul8246
Post subject: Re: August Meeting
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 5:56 pm

I should be there. I might be late though, around 8 if I have to pull a late shift at the emergency operations center at work.

I'll eat before the meeting.

[Announcements] Re: August Meeting

blackwolf — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:19:00 GMT

Author: blackwolf
Post subject: Re: August Meeting
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 3:19 pm

I will be there and am willing to go in for food or eat before I get there or bring something for me.

Daniela

[Announcements] Re: August Meeting

George — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:34:51 GMT

Author: George
Post subject: Re: August Meeting
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 1:34 pm

Maybe Dave would want to go halfsies on a Sicilian Rustica?

I'll be there

[Announcements] Re: August Meeting

sparrowhawk — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:32:40 GMT

Author: sparrowhawk
Post subject: Re: August Meeting
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 1:32 pm

I will be there, of course.

Since it is at my house, I am okay with providing my own food, but others, please let me know what you want to do.

[Announcements] Re: August Meeting

Frank — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:27:08 GMT

Author: Frank
Post subject: Re: August Meeting
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 1:27 pm

Thanks!

Book club is tomorrow (August 31) at 7pm. I won't be doing a pizza poll this month - I'm out of town and not coming to book club.

If you are coming, please drop a note in this thread so Dave and Steph know who to expect. Feel free to bring your own food, or perhaps once people gather at book club, you could order pizza if enough were interested.