Litsy

My #ReadYourSign TBR pile is dwindling, but not fast enough! 😅 I have six in a half books to finish for it PLUS finish EEG for the #BTBA2020 buddy read, by the 30th... Not looking good. Hopefully I can knuckle down and really get some pages in this next week! 😱 Hope everyone else is hitting their goals better than I am! 😂❤️

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MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm

EEG: A Novel | Da�a Drndic

Checking in with my book club for #BTBA2020. @Jennifer3 and @ulyssesartmiller . I didn‘t see anything pop up for tonight‘s book club and just want to make sure you guys are doing well. ❤️❤️

I managed to catch up on my reading, just barely! 😅 Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!!

Jennifer3 I am good was just checking in myself but hadn‘t finished the message yet. What do you think of the book as we dive in deeper? 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @Jennifer3 Good to hear! 😊 There was a bit where for some reason I couldn‘t get into it as much as in the beginning. I think it had more to do with my mood than the book, but still. The heartbreaking statistics about the death camps and the chilling account of the Sardinenpackung graves in the forest certainly caught my attention again. I cannot imagine being any of the people in these events, on either side. It‘s just insane. How about you? 4y

Jennifer3 Yes, there was a period where they are talking about Rovinj and the community...it was so hard to get through that section. And he‘s I agree the statistics and the death camps definitely makes me think about how anyone survived that time period and the heartbreak of it all. 4y

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MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @Jennifer3 Wanted to give you a heads up that I won‘t be able to make the meet this Sunday due to Father‘s Day. I still haven‘t heard anything from @ulyssesartmiller either. Did you want to reschedule for another day or just catch up next Sunday? 4y

Jennifer3 @Bookwyrm42 Let‘s just catch up the following Sunday. What do you think? 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @Jennifer3 I was hoping you‘d say that, because I‘ve totally fallen behind again and this next week is busy for me. 😅👍 4y

Jennifer3 @Bookwyrm42 I have too, so that is why I wanted more time! Take care and have a good week! 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @Jennifer3 Thanks! You too! 4y

12 likes8 comments

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm

EEG: A Novel | Da�a Drndic

Phew! Snuck in some pages!

This bit definitely hit a bit close to the current situation...

#BTBA2020

9 likes

ulyssesartmiller

EEG: A Novel | Da�a Drndic

#BTBA2020 it‘s the little things 🤣

37 likes

ulyssesartmiller

EEG: A Novel | Da�a Drndic

#BTBA2020 discussion #1: I was curious why the book is called EEG, so I looked up the acronym. The first result was for Electroencephalography, which is an electrode test used on psychology patients to diagnose brain death, among other things (note: Andreas Ban is a retired psychologist). (more in the comments)

ulyssesartmiller But there's also another definition for the acronym EEG: the “Eastern European Group,“ a UN regional group which includes Croatia, Russia, Latvia, Poland...all countries included in Drndic's/Ban's ruminations of Fascism, economic disparity, genocide, and chess. Seems to me that Drndic is diagnosing a sort of “brain death of government“ or “brain death of society“ within the Eastern European Group through these topics. Do you agree/disagree? Why? 4y

ulyssesartmiller @Jennifer3 @Bookwyrm42 4y

Jennifer3 I completely agree!!! I knew about the EEG because of my job as a social worker and because I have a lot of medical/mental health knowledge as a result. Plus, he seems to talk about how things have changed for that region. I get the feeling there is a mental health component as occasionally there are comments that seemed to be meant for the narrator. The narration seems to be a stream of conscious type writing. 4y

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ulyssesartmiller @Jennifer3 YES. I almost added a second component to this question based exactly on that idea: that perhaps Ban is also suffering from several types of “brain death“ : his suicide attempts despite the fact that living beings tend to fight for their survival; his abhorrence of social norms and social interactions despite humans being social creatures. 4y

Jennifer3 Yes. And I get the impression that he is also near end of life and is looking back contemplating everything he has experienced as he must think he is nearing end of life that isn‘t necessarily a suicide attempts again. 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Agree wholeheartedly with you both! I had no idea what EEG could stand for but had assumed it would sooner or later be revealed in the book. 😅 Ban seems keyed in to all the little tiny deaths that make up life experience. It‘s like he‘s writing a big hate-letter to all the jealousies, squabbles, love affairs, and rivalries that form a breeding ground in the psyche of the human race for the hate that makes government atrocities possible. 4y

ulyssesartmiller @Bookwyrm42 Oooh, I like that. a hate-letter. Actually, it's funny....before her death, Daša Drndić did an interview with the Paris Review, and she's quite scathing in it about people: it's here if you or @Jennifer3 are interested in seeing her perspective: https://bit.ly/3cJ2dZU 4y

Jennifer3 I love that, a hate letter! That makes even more sense about how the book is written. Checking out the link to the author‘s interview now. 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Omg...I love her... I already knew I did, but that interview cinches it. My god, even her interviews are quotable! 😍 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm “Art should shock, hurt, offend, intrigue, be a merciless critic of the merciless times we are not only witnessing but whose victims we have become.” ❤️😍❤️ 4y

Jennifer3 Wow! She is interesting to interview, sometimes I felt like there was an almost lecture in her answers. Fascinating person, too bad she is no longer with us. 4y

ulyssesartmiller @Jennifer3 @Bookwyrm42 right?! “It is not my job to interpret what I write.“ She's so angry people don't think for themselves anymore (including the interviewer LOL), and I think her frustration with the general autopilot comes through in Ban's personality, when he gets sassy about generic well-wishers during holidays or when he sneers at predictable get-togethers by the nouveau riche of his town. 4y

Jennifer3 Yes! Her answers made me feel like I should try harder to think and exercise my brain more. However, I love that she doesn‘t think she should interpret. I have always loved how books bring something different to each of us which is influenced by our experiences, understanding and independent thought. 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @Jennifer3 @ulyssesartmiller Lol, yes, she definitely has that, “Do you REALLY need me to explain it?” kind of attitude in the interview. 😅❤️ I love that answer though. I just recently read The Return of Merlin by Deepak Chopra and he has a foreword in the beginning actually explaining to you how you should mentally digest his book. Heaven forbid you take your own interpretation from the story! Brain? What‘s that used for? 🤦‍♀️ 4y

Jennifer3 @Bookwyrm42 @ulyssesartmiller That is disappointing to have instruction from the author. I love the sass of Dasa. I might have to try another of her books after this. 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @Jennifer3 Yes! I‘ve added her others to my TBR because I know I won‘t be able to get enough. 😅 4y

ulyssesartmiller @Jennifer3 @Bookwyrm42 yeah, and I also think that interpretation really should be the sole responsibility of the consumer. I tend to believe that art is only half created by its production; the other half is how the consumer interprets/reacts to/experiences the art. 4y

ulyssesartmiller @Jennifer3 @Bookwyrm42 she said her own favorite she wrote was Doppelgänger. That one for sure is on my TBR. 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @ulyssesartmiller @Jennifer3 Agreed, I honestly find it quite odd when people do get overly protective of the interpretation of their art. Just as none of us ever reads the same story despite reading the same book, so to none of us sees the same way when looking at the same painting, sculpture, etc. Art can only be art when there is someone else there to drape their own perspective on it. The more perspectives, the better the art. 🤷‍♀️ 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm There‘s a painting that hung in my city‘s art museum that was both a dragon and a man. At first glance, it was just an abstract painting, but depending on the person, they would suddenly see one of the two pictures. It was incredible listening to my classmates talk about seeing a man when I could CLEARLY see there was a dragon. If we didn‘t know there was not one, but two hidden images by talking to each other, I wouldn‘t remember it so well. 4y

ulyssesartmiller @Bookwyrm42 Who's it by? That sounds interesting! 4y

Jennifer3 @ulyssesartmiller @Bookwyrm42 I love what you said about art and interpretation. 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @ulyssesartmiller Gah, I‘ll have to search for that. 😅 I haven‘t seen it since grade school. Let me see if I can go dig up info on it. 4y

Jennifer3 I would love to see the man/dragon painting. It reminds me of the young woman/old woman picture they use in psychology. 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @ulyssesartmiller @Jennifer3 I‘ll definitely have to get back to you guys. I just scrolled through 45 pages of their contemporary art database online and didn‘t find it yet. They don‘t have images of everything either. I‘ll keep looking and if push comes to shove, I‘ll call/email them and try and describe it like a crazy person. 😅🤣🤣😂 4y

ulyssesartmiller @Bookwyrm42 hahahaha omg such dedication is unnecessary, I promise!! 4y

Jennifer3 @ulyssesartmiller @Bookwyrm42 I agree that level of dedication is not needed! 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @ulyssesartmiller @Jennifer3 Lol, gotcha! 😜😂🤣😂 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Well if I DO run across it, I‘ll remember you guys. 😅👍 4y

42 likes29 comments

AkashaVampie

Untitled | Unknown

Would love to know!

#NWC #PLC #TBRCrew #NewYear_NewYou

Ladygodiva7 I don‘t know how. But if I‘m tired of reading a book I‘ll start a smaller one and finish that and am able to finish the long book. Wish I could juggle books. I should take a year to read only YA books and read 100+ of them like everyone else does. 🤪 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I usually only juggle books if I‘m involved with a book club, buddy read, etc. For instance I‘m currently going through my June #ReadYourSign stack, one by one, but I‘m also involved in a June buddy read for the #BTBA2020. I prefer not to read more than two at a time. 4y

Vansa Always juggle books. I keep a book to read on weekdays that isn't too ...stressful to read and doesn't require too much concentration. Weekends are for deeper reads. 4y

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kellock I've had to switch between books this last wee while as my kindle didn't like being outdoors. I thought I didn't like switching but I found it very productive. 4y

Twainy I used to when I didn‘t worry about return dates. Now I just zoom through one & on to the next. I used to have 4-5 books open at a time and just read whatever one I felt like. Having 10 library loans out at a time forces me to be more organized & focused with my reading. I kind of like it. 4y

JanuarieTimewalker13 I juggle books when one is slogging along for me and another comes out of the woodwork and screams “read me”. It‘s not a preference for me, I‘d rather just sink my teeth into a really great book. I‘m slogging through This Mortal Coil right now, I don‘t love it, but I‘m intrigued enough to keep going. And, oops, bought the second book already...Oy... 4y

AkashaVampie @AsYouWish @ElizaMarie what are ur thoughts? 4y

AsYouWish I read multiple books all the time. Especially now that I do so many book challenges, I usually have multiple books going, due to buddy reads, audiobooks, books coming in from the library that I need to read quickly. I try to read books that are different from each other so I can keep the characters and plots separate in my mind. 4y

AkashaVampie @AsYouWish that has got to be hard if they are similar books! Haha 4y

ElizaMarie @Vansa Yes! I like the idea of having different books that require different mental energy. Its kinda what I do but I never really thought about it that way till you mentioned it. 4y

ElizaMarie Juggle. But they are all very different. So I have the book club and Buddy Read books usually going. Sometimes I will spend a couple days just working on one then the other, etc. I have a re-read usually going (right now I am doing Harry Potter), and audiobook/on way to work book, a truecrime/nonfiction type on going and sometimes (if I am lucky) a graphic novel too. 4y

32 likes11 comments

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm

EEG: A Novel | Da�a Drndic

Ban has just finished lamenting the run around he received in attempting to enroll his son in school upon their return to the country, concluding with 2 key points.

This novel surprises me and speaks to me with every single line. I did not expect to like it this much. I truly hope it continues to delight me, I‘ve already added Drndić‘s other novels to my TBR. She‘s glorious. Ban is glorious. I‘m so glad I joined the buddy read for this! #BTBA2020

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ulyssesartmiller

EEG: A Novel | Da�a Drndic

#BTBA2020 preach!

45 likes

ulyssesartmiller

EEG: A Novel | Da�a Drndic

Daša Drndić, bursting from the page and prodding you and your literary expectations very sharply in the forehead. I already am in love with this book. #BTBA2020

Geenee Daša Drndić... But what does it mean? What language is this? 😕🤷🏽‍♀️ 4y

ulyssesartmiller @Geenee Daša Drndić is the name of the author. She is Croatian. 4y

Geenee Ohhhhh. Thank you 🙏 4y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Love your description of her writing! Spot on! 😍👍 4y

42 likes4 comments

ulyssesartmiller

EEG: A Novel | Da�a Drndic

@Jennifer3 @Bookwyrm42 #BTBA2020 reading schedule! Do we want to do our weekly discussions on Sundays? What times of day work for everyone? I‘m wide open, but also in CST, so as long as it‘s not, you know, 2am my time I‘m good 😂

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Sweet!! 🤘😆🤘 Sunday‘s work perfectly for me, I always have them off work. I‘m pretty open with time too, but I‘m in EST. 😅 4y

Jennifer3 Sundays work for me. I am on Pacific time because it is spring/summer and we don‘t change our clocks in Arizona. 4y

ulyssesartmiller @Jennifer3 @Bookwyrm42 so how about 6pm central on sundays? 4y

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MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @Jennifer3 I‘m jealous! We used to not change, then only a few years ago they put us on the rotation. 🤦‍♀️ @ulyssesartmiller Perfect! 👍 4y

mirnas That translation od EEG has just won the prize for best English translation of a foreign literature. 4y

ulyssesartmiller @mirnass yes!! That‘s why we‘re reading it, actually! 😁 4y

Jennifer3 @Bookwyrm42 @ulyssesartmiller I forgot to reply and say that works for me. How are we planning to do it? I am also trying to figure out what 92 pages is on the Kindle edition! 4y

ulyssesartmiller @Jennifer3 @Bookwyrm42 Cool! I was planning to post a couple questions and tag you both in the post. 4y

Jennifer3 That is perfect! 4y

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