The Reading Room

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EJoshuaS

04:18

@Randal'Thor Any thoughts on the Shelby Foote questions I posted? Since it seems like we get mostly questions on fiction, I'm thinking about trying a few questions on nonfiction books to see how they work on the site. (I thought about posting on Meta first, but I figured it might be better to post a few example questions to see how they go).

1 hour later…

Bookworm

05:40

Q: Is this a wordplay?

let the spirits be never so good, or let them be even as many degrees beyond proof, as those which Gabriel Grub saw in the goblin’s cavern. Is this a wordplay? Is this saying...Even if those spirits(alcohol) are as good as those (spirits as in ghosts, in that these helped the sexton become a bet...

meaning

4 hours later…

Rand al'Thor

09:42

@EJoshuaS Both good questions and I upvoted them. Also, good idea to try some actual questions on-site rather than posting on meta first. Although in this case, we already have a pre-existing meta discussion about non-fiction:

Q: What types of non-fiction are on topic?

Having read the current tour the "ask / don't ask" is short an vague. Now I would expect that since we are currently in private beta. However, to me a big definition on scope would be a debate between fiction and non-fiction. Ask Specific issues with literature Real problems or que...

discussion scope

2 hours later…

Bookworm

11:49

Q: Is the impenetrability of Chapter 14 of Ulysses deliberate, or a consequence of its stylistic pastiches?

Chapter 14 of Joyce's Ulysses, The Oxen of the Sun, frequently changes writing styles as it unfolds. Joyce was attempting to mimic the development of the English language, from its Latin roots through to modern-day street slang. Many of these passages are extremely difficult to understand. Here'...