Ep #15: Mr. Lem, Kinda Like Phlegm...We'll Leave it at Lem

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What happens when you mix Solaris, alcoholic Otter Pops, and three Tators? The fifteenth episode of the podcast! Jeane, Jared and Karena talk about their favorite books this month along with Jared's many degrees of separation for Solaris's author Stanislaw Lem and they find out what books will be on the next polls! 


Where's My Bookmark? And other books we mention

• Bonk (not to be confused with Boink)
• The Phantom of the Opera
• Fingersmith
• Hunted
• The Secret History
• Dawn of the Dreadfuls
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
• Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Websites we Mention:

• Why is Leaving a Book Half-Read is So Hard
• Placing Literature

Book Association

So, it's our last week with Solaris as our book of the month.  This week, we'll link the classic science fiction novel with other books that include characters that sacrifice themselves in the name of love. Thanks to our ShelfTator Angie for her help as well! Next month, we'll turn to The Phantom of the Opera.

A Tale of Two Cities

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...so starts this novel about the French Revolution. For the love of one woman, two men vie for her hand. A sacrifice of all sacrifices is made. This one is a personal favorite of mine that I read in high school and loved, even though Dickens has a tendency to over describe. The whole plot of this book was incredible.

Of Mice and Men

A love of a different kind is displayed here as Steinbeck tells the story of two men traveling the Salinas Valley to find employment. One of the men, George, acts as a caregiver to Lennie, a simple minded man, and tries to shelter him from the harshness of migrant life and people.

The Road

A father sacrifices his health and, ultimately, his life, to teach his son survival skills amidst a post-apocalyptic world while traveling to their final destination, the West Coast. 

What are some novels you enjoyed that involved love and sacrifice?

Book Association

It's week three of Solaris. Last week we pulled up classic science fiction titles, and the week before we linked Solaris with other George Clooney movies that were previously books. This week the theme is classic (traditional and contemporary) fiction books written by doctors. Stanislaw Lem was actually a research assistant who purposefully failed his final examinations to avoid becoming a military doctor, but for our purposes, we'll use that. 

The Kite Runner

Khaled Hosseini was an internal medicine physician who practiced for ten years until a year and a half after The Kite Runner was released. 

Of Human Bondage

W. Somerset Mougham was a physician, but quit when his book Liza of Lambeth sold out in a matter of weeks. 

Gargantua and Pantagruel

 François Rabelais seems to be a man of his time, a true Renaissance man as he was not only a physician and writer, but also a humanist, monk and Greek scholar. 

As always we can't add every book to the list, so what are some of your favorite books by doctors turned writers?

Book Association

Last week we linked our book selection Solaris with George Clooney movie adaptations that were previously books (for the silly factor). This time let's link up Solaris with other books that classic science fiction tales. 

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep 

After a war kills millions and brings some species to extinction, it becomes a status symbol to own animals. If you can't afford that, there's always an android cat that will never barf in your shoes. 

The Invisible Man

After Griffin creates a tonic that renders him invisible, he begins to slip into madness. Probably from the lack of ladies locker rooms in the late 1800's in which to utilize his newfound attribute. 

Contact 

What's a sci-fi list without some aliens? In 1999 a group of scientists uncover a message from seemingly intelligent life and travel into deep space to meet the unknown beings.

Since the list can't go on forever, what are some of your favorite classic science fiction tales?

Friday @ the Forums

It's that time of the week again, to check in with what is going on at the Goodreads forums of the CWAtC book group. 

Solaris - It's June so that means it's time for us to start Solaris. It's one of our Quick Reads at under 250 pages so we actually have a lot of people done with the book. Are you one of them? You can share your thoughts here!

Book Rating - One of our book club members, Chahrazad, wants to know what everyone takes into consideration when they rate a book. Share your thoughts here!

Where's your bookmark? - The Tators answer this one on the podcast and this thread is where our CWAtC'ers can. It's almost summer break for some of you. What's going in your summer reading list?

Source: Jared Fagan

The above photo is City Lights Books in San Francisco, CA. 

Book Association

June's book is Solaris.  Our first Book Association for this month is "George Clooney Movies that are actually book adaptations." George Clooney starred in the movie adaptation of Solaris so we thought this would be fun.

The Thin Red Line

 The fictional account of the battle between American and Japanese troops on the island of Guadalcanal in World War 2.

The Odyssey

The movie O'Brother Where Art Thou, while not technically an adaptation of The Odyssey, is stock full of references from the epic poem written by Homer.

The Perfect Storm

A story about a group of fishermen who are caught in a huge gale in 1997 and disappear along with their boat without a trace.

I bet there a few more. Do you have a favorite Clooney adaptation?