Cecil Vortex

Like a lot of folks in the comments, I started to settle into the rhythm this week. The noir felt more like a noir. Iris’ memoir got the good long run many of us were hoping for. The sci fi sort of reminded me of a lost Ursula K. Le Guin novel, if Le Guin was a brutish/vulnerable tough guy who definitely didn’t do it. Unless perhaps he did.

My favorite part so far is the wrapper — the thing that surrounds all this swirl. I keep scribbling notes on the title page about this date or that, a marriage, a birth, a death — the story implied that pulls this all together.

I think Winston Churchill described The Blind Assassin best when he called it “a riddle, inside a mystery, wrapped in an enigma. And a heck of a good read!”

I agree with Winston — this is a real joy, a book that’s several books. And one that appropriately seems to be choosing its own quirky pace as it meanders between decades, characters, genres, offering up Russian dolls, as Amanda said in the comments, each doll creating the next.

Playlist-o-rama In other news, an Elvis Costello track was added to the playlist — feel free to add more if the mood strikes.

This week: Let’s charge on through to page 179 in the blue edition, aka the end of “The button factory picnic” wherein the allure of “gold-plated gingerbread” beckons us thither….

Say pally, how’s this work again? Finish on time, comment each week, and stay in the hunt for a free “I Survived The Blind Assassin Meander” magnet. Oh, and in case you were wondering: This is the post for comments on Chapters 4.6 – 5.5.

Welcome Button Factory Visitors

Have I already confessed that this is my first Atwood? And that somehow I hadn’t even heard of this book before a few weeks ago?

Well, you can imagine my delight this week, as I finally found out what the hell we had gotten ourselves into.

As so-called Alex said in the comments, even when I was confused, the language (Iris’ repeated self-slams — “I shambled into the kitchen” — family buttons concealing “the category of objects the world needs but scorns”) kept me happily zipping along. Add to that a sort of sinister-Kilgore-Trout-ish sci fi vision (“This carpet blinded ten children”) threaded throughout our tale, and a gentle reader in search of distraction couldn’t ask for much more. Except perhaps for a marble head-of-medusa over the fireplace.

By the end of this week, the pieces felt like they were starting to come together. My ad hoc family-tree-scibbles were beginning to make sense. And I was left ready to dive into Week Two.

Really enjoying the comments, as always — and it’s a particular treat to see such a great mix of long-time and returning Meanderers and first time Meander-peeps, blending into one mighty communal intelligence.

Speaking of communal intelligence: Last time around, we built an ad hoc White Noise Meander playlist. On the thread this past week, Computilo [whoops: corrected in the comments — Peaseblossom, not Computilo!] and So-Called Amanda offered a couple of excellent TBAM playlist suggestions. I’ve added a Jim Croce tune to the mix and started up a TBAM Spotify playlist you can find here. Feel free to call out songs to add in the comments as we wander along, or add ’em directly to the playlist, which is set up for public co-creation. Because: music!

This week: Let’s charge on through to page 121 in the blue edition, aka the end of “The Blind Assassin: The Messenger” wherein, gold watch intact, she’s “got to go.”

Say pally, how’s this work again? Finish on time, comment each week, and stay in the hunt for a free “I Survived The Blind Assassin Meander” magnet. Oh, and in case you were wondering: This is the post for comments on Chapters 3.5 – 4.5.

Welcome to the trailhead, my friends!
Today we embark on a winding journey, one that will take us from our living rooms to our bedrooms, from our front porches to our backyards, if we have such things, and then back to our living rooms because you know, couch good. All the while carrying a digital or print copy of Margaret Atwood’s Booker-Prize-winning gothic suspense science fiction neo-classic The Blind Assassin.

I’m super looking forward to this trek, and really grateful to you all for lacing up your Meandering shoes and sharing good company on the path.

Exciting! But how’s it work?
In brief, we’ll be reading 50-60 pages a week. On Sundays I’ll post the next week’s target.

Read along, comment on the thread by week’s end, make it to the finish line, and yes, the rumors you’ve heard are true: you will receive one genuine “I Survived The Blind Assassin Meander” magnet, designed by Meanderer Elisabeth Beller. (For an example of past prizes, check out the magnet from our most recently concluded adventure.)

Times are more than strange, and many of us are looking for ritual, routine, and perhaps a group read of a fairly complex though engaging tome.

If that’s you, I’m glad you found your way here. The waiting is over. Grab your book. Believe in yourself and each other. Comment with verve, kindness, and/or abandon.

And let’s Meander the hell out of this thing.

This week: Read through the end of Avilion by April 11, pausing to comment and take a sip of something that sustains you through “the lumpy, enervating burden of the mundane.”

Throughward and upward!
-Cecil

Some time back, a gaggle of ne-er-do-wells gathered together online to read challenging books in 50-page increments.

We commented as we went, checking in, sharing observations. All with the intent of securing for ourselves a magnetized collectible or similar specialized consumer good.

This was a thing we did. And we did it more than once.

Around New Years, we had the notion to rekindle this old habit, and just the other day we wrapped our first such fiesta in 10 years.

We called it: The White Noise Meander because we read a book called White Noise. And “Amble” didn’t have the necessary oomph.

The plan had been to try the next one in the Fall. But what with current circumstances, it seemed reading another challenging book en masse in 50-page increments, and etc., might be a welcome occupation.

All to say, April 5: The Meander. Is. Back!™

Wait, really?!
Really! MeanderTime!™

But what’s the book?! No less than Margaret Atwood’s The Blind Assassin (the Booker-Prize winning gothic suspense, romance, science fiction masterpiece, and I do mean “the” as in, there ain’t two….)

This does sound great. But what are the rules?

If you’re interested in joining, feel free to comment on this thread, or wait for the kick off. For now, all you have to do is get yourself a copy of the book — print, ebook, and audio all work.

Last thoughts
I’ll admit, I was surprised just how much I deeply appreciated The White Noise Meander. I’m super looking forward to diving into this next one, and would love to have ya along for the page-flip.

Best!
-Cecil

Congratulations ye mighty Meanderers!

A full-on fabulous 19 folks made it to the finish line and will receive magnets via mail (one of these days soonly). As we get ready to send the design off to Vortex Industries for replication at our famed factories in the beating heart of old town Poznan, here’s a peek at what this was all about.

I mean yes, there was the book itself, which I think everyone agrees was way too well-timed for this unsettling moment. And yes again, there was the fact that the word “Meander” somehow made an unexpected appearance in the third sentence of the week 6 section — a fact first noted by Itto Ogami in the comments. And sure, there was the exceptional back and forth in said comments. Always a joy on these journeys, but especially appreciated this go around.

Still, you were drawn to this adventure by the promise of a free magnet, and a free magnet you shall have.

All 19 winners will receive this spectacular magnetized collectible, featuring collage and design by Meanderer elisabeth beller and images from MohammadHosein Mohebbi, Jakub Nawrot, Valentin Salja, and Jason Rosewell.

Your friends will be envious and your enemies will be confused!

Plus: something to hum to whilst adhering said magnet to your refrigerator! Way back in week 1, Meanderer Neil invited folks to share “the 80s tune you think of when you consider what we’ve read so far.” So-called Bill recently turned this into a Spotify playlist that’s open for editing — please drop by and add in any songs we missed.

I’m overwhelmed! Where do we go from here?? The votes are in and the next Meander will feature Margaret Atwood’s The Blind Assassin, starting Sunday April 5. Shipping is a tad slow at the moment, but Kindle and audio books are available now. If you’re so inspired, I’d love to have you along for the ride. Feel free to chime in below if you are interested in the journey….

Thanks for all and hope to see you on the trail soon….
-Cecil