Greetings friends!
In brief:
New Meander starts August 16th!
Which is to say:
Following fast on the heels of the internationally acclaimed White Noise and Blind Assassin Meanders, Vortex Industries is thrilled to announce the imminent arrival of The Midnight’s Children Meander, in which a hardy crew of folks like you will embark on a 9-week group-read of Salman Rushdie’s mega-ultra-Booker-Prize-winning neo-classic: Midnight’s Children.
A book I was really supposed to read in college and totally dropped the ball on.
My copy doesn’t have this cool cover.
Cecil (you say), I’m so excited, I’m reading too quickly and skipped over that first part. Can you remind me when this all starts?
Gladly!
The MCM kicks off Sunday August 16th!
OK. But Cecil (you ask), how can I fill the time til then?
Well, you could buy the book for one. And you could shout out on this here thread to let fellow Meanderers know you’re getting laced up for the trail. Also, I just started The Umbrella Academy, and it seems promising.
Lastly, Cecil (you inquire), would you mind spelling out how this works for new folks?
Delighted!
- Every Sunday (starting August 16th) you’ll find a new post on this here site, with the week’s target — typically 50-60 pages-ish.
- Read that section.
- When you’re done, post a comment on that week’s blog post.
- Finish the book.
- Get an exciting prize! (and you can double-bet it’ll be magnetized)
Rushdie is certainly beloved by some and less beloved by others, which is bound to make for a jaunty thread. This Meander for me is decades in the making, and I kinda can’t wait to get started. But wait I will….
Questions? Give a holler! Hope to have you join our merry band.
Until then, stay kind, and remember: “Meandering is just like dancing except without rhythm or music or things like that.”™
-Cecil
The book arrived last week, so I guess we’re in! Will join a little late, though, because we’ll be off for a couple of weeks…
Yay! I’m in.
You know that I’m in, Sir Cecil! And for some pre-reading, here’s a post with some trivia about our author, Salman Rushdie.
https://blog.bookstellyouwhy.com/8-facts-you-might-not-know-about-salman-rushdie
Yay, author trivia!
In the 1970s, after one of his theater pals in the UK landed a gig writing ad copy for lucrative shampoo commercials and used the money to buy a sports car, Salman Rushdie was compelled to try his hand as a copywriter. In a speech made before the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, he remembers being asked during his first copywriting test to “imagine that you met a Martian who mysteriously spoke English and you had to explain to them in less than 100 words how to make toast.” He failed the test. Later, while working at the ad agency Ogilvy & Mather, he coined the slogan for Fresh Cream Cakes: “Naughty, but Nice.” A couple others lines he’s responsible for include “That’ll do nicely” for American Express and “Irresistibubble” for the effervescent candy-bar Aero.
Here’s my ante, Cecil: I’m in. I’ve bought the book. I’ve read the back cover. I’ve read the Praise page. I’ve read the Introduction to the 25th Anniversary Edition. The chips are on the table, and I’m ready to go!
Here’s to another meander with beautifully bad puns, quirky insights, and playlist suggestions/selections! Onward, meanderers!
I’m in! My first week of meandering I will be in Spain and Salman is coming with me 🙂
Let the pages turn!
Computillo has suggested I join this group read, which I’d like to do. Can’t find a way to join. But perhaps this is it?
Welcome Noodle! You’re in. 🙂 Meet us back here August 16 for the start — there will be a new post with the first week’s page target…. Glad to have you on the trek!
-Cecil
Glad you made it, Noodle!
Totally in!
In, looking forward to it!
I am in!
Vortex Industries?! Congrats on corporate behemoth status. Will there be cake? I like chocolate.
I am in! I already feel the magnetic tug 🙂
I’m in!
I will happily meander with you.
Starting to read. Since I’m not well informed about the history of modern India, I’ve checked this wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_India_(1947-present) This page doesn’t cover recent news but neither will the book, so I’m hoping this info will be helpful (to me, at least).
I will be meandering with you!
Just read the first page of the book. The timing of the meander is either quite serendipitous or … well planned! Kind of wishing I’d started it on Saturday, round midnight. Oh dear, playlist recommendations are already coming to mind. Here we go!
I haven’t read the first word so any magic happening there is the cosmos not credit! 🙂
I’m in, but you knew that.