Book event?

Wednesday, February 23, 2011 — Adam Kotsko

Dearest colleagues, it has been a while since we did a book event. Is now or soon a propitious time? Does anyone have any suggestions for an appropriate book to center our interpretive and evaluative efforts on? We tend to focus on contemporary works that deserve greater attention, but some have previously suggested that discussing a “classic” work might be a good route as well. Personally, I am totally open at this point.

Posted in housekeeping. 38 Comments »

38 Responses to “Book event?”

  2. Adam Kotsko Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 2:27 pm

    Do you suggest we do the complete works, or do you have a particular text in mind?

  3. Rod of Alexandria Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 2:37 pm

    Maybe the City of God.

    Not the complete works.

    I’ve finished his Confessions, On The Christian Doctrine, and the Enchiridion.

  5. Brad Johnson Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 5:21 pm

    I would prefer even Burton’s The Anatomy of Melancholy to The City of God.

  6. John Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 6:03 pm

    I second The Anatomy of Melancholy (or anything) to The City of God, but how about Pascal’s Pensées?

  7. Jonathan Post Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 6:25 pm

    I would love Anatomy of Melancholy. How about Darconville’s Cat or a Joseph McElroy novel?

  8. Anthony Paul Smith Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 7:11 pm

    I still don’t think Carter’s Race was ever given the full treatment.

  9. Dan Imburgia Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 7:56 pm

    Balthasar’s trilogy. Obliged

  10. Brad Johnson Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 8:05 pm

    Was Race given any treatment at all?

  11. Mark William Westmoreland Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 8:21 pm

    I’m cool with looking at Carter’s _Race_.

  12. david cl driedger Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 8:44 pm

    Kierkegaard’s The Concept of Anxiety or Concluding Unscientific Postscript.

  13. David Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 8:47 pm

    I would love to see a discussion of Carter’s *Race* on AUFS.

  14. Thomas Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 9:03 pm

    I’ll throw my voice in for “Race”. Haven’t read it yet and it’s on my list.

  15. Jeremy Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 10:48 pm

    I read Race this fall and would enjoy discussing it here. It certainly deserves an in depth study.

  16. William Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 11:11 pm

    Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

  17. William Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 11:13 pm

    Being more serious-I recently bough Carter’s Race so I’d also like to see it discussed.

  18. Joe Says:
    Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 11:22 pm

    I just got my partner to check this out from her school’s library for me:

    “Nirvana and Other Buddhist Felicities” by Steve Collins

    “This book presents an answer to the question: what is nirvana? Part I distinguishes between systematic and narrative thought in the Pali texts of Theravada Buddhism in South and Southeast Asia, arguing that nirvana produces closure in both, and setting nirvana in the wider category of Buddhist Felicities. Part II explores other Buddhist utopias (both eu-topias, ‘good places’, and ou-topias, ‘no-places’), and relates Buddhist utopianism to studies of European and American utopian writing. The book ends with a close reading of the Vessantara Jataka, which highlights the conflict between the ascetic quest for closure and ultimate felicity, and the ongoing demands of ordinary life and society. Steven Collins discusses these issues in relation to textuality, world history and ideology in premodern civilizations, aiming to contribute to an alternate vision of Buddhist history, which can hold both the inside and the outside of texts together.”

  20. Rod of Alexandria Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 12:16 am

    I would not be opposed to going through Carter’s Race.

  21. Derek Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 2:29 am

    Carter or one of Balthasar’s works would be great.

  22. Anthony Paul Smith Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 8:48 am

    So, I’ve decided that we should do an event on Adam’s Politics of Redemption which will be followed closely by Carter’s Race (assuming we can get review copies). More details will be forthcoming.

  23. Andy Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 9:00 am

    That would make my spring (in addition to the birth of my secondborn). Let’s do it. I’ll cancel sleep in April.

  24. Adam Kotsko Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 9:23 am

    It’s really weird that it didn’t occur to me to do a book event on my own book. If not us, who?

  25. Anthony Paul Smith Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 9:33 am

    Andy, is your email still the one with the funny foreign words in it? If so I’ve sent an email to you there.

  26. Rod of Alexandria Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 9:59 am

    If we do both Politics of Redemption and Race, I would like a review copy of PoR. I have Race already, and loved it, and willing to read it again.

  27. david cl driedger Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 10:08 am

    Yes review copies all around!! Let review copies roll down like a never-flowing stream.
    . . . Hmmmmmm, might it show up at aaaaarg . . .
    I’ll throw Anthony’s edited volume in the mix as well . . . though we may need to wait another year for libraries to actually bring it in (but again aaaaarg is so much more efficient in this matter . . . damn our need to pay rent . . . or have someone else pay rent . . . damn rent).

  28. david cl driedger Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 10:09 am

    Hmmmm didn’t notice that ‘n’ there.

  29. Adam Kotsko Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 10:11 am

    We’re probably going to limit the review copies to people who will be front-page contributors to the event.

  30. david cl driedger Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 10:23 am

    I hope my sarcasm was duly noted with all the ‘m’s, ridiculous punctuation and prophetic imagery.
    Though the comment about Anthony’s After still stands.

  31. John R Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 10:29 am

    Anything by Chuck Colson, please.

  32. Adam Kotsko Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 10:29 am

    You want to do a book event on Anthony’s edited volume?

  33. david cl driedger Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 10:36 am

    Yes. Though a little patience for the paperback will probably make that (a little) more accessible . . . assuming other means will not be made available.
    Amazon Canada has it slated for March. Is that realistic?

  34. Darren Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 12:08 pm

    I’m reading After now. Just read Adam’s piece, the Agamben quote on playing with law in order to free it from its canonical use for good made my day, especially since I had taken a break from studying Social Security law to read it. Back to frolicking with the rules on derivative benefits for children!

  35. Darren Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 12:09 pm

    Also, a Race discussion will serve well as a catalyst for the book to move from my wish list to my shopping cart. I’m in. (Already read POR.)

  36. Alex Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 4:11 pm

    I’m getting on the Race bandwagon – can we get him to post a wrap up? Probably.

  37. Amish Lovelock Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 6:19 pm

    I’m in. Redemption and Race eh. Will try to find copies.

  38. Dave Mesing Says:
    Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 10:11 pm

    My heathen ass probably needs to read some theology. I have Race, and would try to buy Adam’s book or contribute to the first page to get a review copy. My problem is time; I can’t do much until the semester ends, so if the event starts earlier than the first week of May, I will have to just jump in at the end (which would be a shame, since I read a chunk of Adam’s book on Amazon and really enjoyed it, and want to read more). Similarly, I’ve read the beginning of Carter’s book and want to read more. One of my professors could be interested…I’ll pass on word to him.


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