Humiliation, Round Three
Posted 5 August 2008 in Reading by Catriona
By semi-popular demand!
(We were at a BBQ on the weekend, and Moby Dick came up in conversation, as we were all watching the sausages cook. A friend said, “Ooh, Moby Dick“ but I felt compelled to point out that, really, no one had read Moby Dick. Plus, didn’t Heathers name Moby Dick as a plausible catalyst for teen suicide?)
Nomination are open for Humiliation: Round Three, the round otherwise known as I’m Determined To Win One Of These, Even If It Means Humiliating Myself—After All, It’s My Blog.
A recap of the rules:
In the comment thread, nominate a book that you haven’t read but that you can reasonably assume everyone else has read.
Remember, you can only win by humiliating yourself by exposing a gap in your cultural knowledge. An obscure book won’t get anywhere.
As with last time, I’ll open a new thread after nominations close for us to vote on what we have and haven’t read.
Nominations will close—so we can keep the playlist comprehensible—on Thursday the 7th of August at 5.30 p.m.
Share your thoughts [13]
1
Catriona wrote at Aug 5, 08:55 am
I have never read Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson.
2
Nick Caldwell wrote at Aug 5, 10:08 am
Keeping on the cyberpunk theme: I have never read Neuromancer by William Gibson.
3
Tim wrote at Aug 5, 10:31 am
> Remember, you can only win by humiliating yourself by exposing a gap in your cultural knowledge. An obscure book won’t get anywhere.
Darn, I was about to say I haven’t read Foucault’s Pendulum. Which I haven’t. But I’ll say I haven’t read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
4
Catriona wrote at Aug 5, 10:46 am
Ooh, I’m noticing a theme, here. (I’m not sure that Umberto Eco is that obscure, is he? Mind, I haven’t read Foucault’s Pendulum, either. I own a copy, though. And I’ve read The Name of the Rose, which is awesome.)
5
Leigh wrote at Aug 5, 12:05 pm
Oh my lord, this one is going to prove that I’m playing against scholars isn’t it. I going to humiliate myself without nominating a book to say Treen, I have never even heard of that book :)
I have never read Romeo and Juliet (actually I haven’t ever read any Shakespeare … Ok I win I’m humiliated)
6
Catriona wrote at Aug 5, 12:26 pm
It’s not so much playing against scholars as playing against hard-core sci-fi geeks—which I’m not, hence Snow Crash. Snow Crash is one of the great, albeit rather late (compared to William Gibson, for example) cyberpunk novels.
Apparently.
7
Wendy wrote at Aug 5, 12:42 pm
I haven’t read Lord of the Flies….
8
John wrote at Aug 6, 03:03 am
OMG! Snowcrash, Neuromancer! I’m speechless. And probably screwed, because I thought my trump card would assure victory. Nevertheless…
I have never read (swallow, deep breath):
(damn, I’ll have to look up how to spell it)
Fahrenheit 451.
9
Catriona wrote at Aug 6, 03:15 am
And the theme continues!
10
Matthew Smith wrote at Aug 6, 03:34 am
I see your Neuromancer, Snow Crash, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Fahrenheit 451 and raise you a Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein. Though I suspect Leigh has us cornered. I was also considering using Wendy’s choice or some Tim Winton.
11
Catriona wrote at Aug 6, 03:46 am
Yep, Leigh’s choice is a good one. So is Wendy’s.
This could be an interesting round . . .
12
Leigh wrote at Aug 6, 07:38 am
Nah see in my crowd i am a hard core sci fi geek but your crowd leaves mine for dust :)
If i win it will be a shallow win, i mean never having read shakespeare seriously how did i ever complete my HSC !! i did by the way ‘grin’ but it was tight
13
Catriona wrote at Aug 6, 07:40 am
With your John Wyndham obsession, you’re more of a hardcore sci-fi geek than I am, I can assure you! But then I’m more a fantasy reader.