The Circle Paperback by Dave Eggers

Discussion in 'Reading Pad' started by Lindzee, Apr 28, 2016.

  1. Nemla

    Nemla Stretching my skill set

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    I have not finished yet. But I have just 're checked the date it was first published. -2013 really ? I thought it was written much before.
    As mentioned by others my dogs have been chipped for years. London has the most camara coverage of any city,and ever since the first few airings of Jerry Springer versus Oprah we have had an " I can't hurt people's feelings," or show disrespect ( I hate that misused word so much ) attitude that is becoming more and more prominent.
    Good news is as far as I see it there is so much information out there it takes robots to shift through it..
    LoL
     
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  2. scrapsandsass

    scrapsandsass Oh Ricky you're so fine ...

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    My cat and dog are chipped too. I was actually close to also purchasing a collar tag that would show me where she was within 100 feet, but I haven't done it yet (the price... yikes). She's started to stray from the yard, jumping the fence, so I worry about losing her or her getting hurt. She's Persian and kind of a foofy cat, and there are some rough characters out there in the neighborhood.
     
  3. sm_amber

    sm_amber I learn from the best..

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    This article showed up in my FB newsfeed and made me think of the book. . It's about PodSharing - where people live and work in communities, are purposefully never alone, have no privacy, are required to have a social profile account with the pod to share reviews and network with other "Podestrians," etc. . Then came this sentence from the creator: "If the community was a shape, it would be a circle." Her goal in starting the company: "To end worldwide loneliness."

    Coming from a total introvert. .. Ick. ..

    http://motherboard.vice.com/read/in...is-cheap-but-sex-is-banned?utm_source=mbfbads
     
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  4. KarenW

    KarenW Send in the Clowns

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    Just ewww - I would hate this so much - I guess I'm not cut out to be a Podestrian...

    It's amazing how after reading this book, how many little articles catch your attention and I think oh no! The Circle is half way established already...
     
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  5. michelepixels

    michelepixels A pun is not fully matured until it is full groan.

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    Aw, I missed that a book had been chosen this month. I wondered about it early in the month, but then I got busy with other things. Well, I read a book on my own anyway. Every Day by David Levithan It was very interesting!

    The Circle sounds intriguing. I just put it on hold at my library.

    So is the book with the second most votes - The Light of the Fireflies - going to be the choice for June?
     
    Last edited: May 29, 2016
  6. Lindzee

    Lindzee Aging gracefully

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    I definitely would run away fast! I love being alone.
     
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  7. Lindzee

    Lindzee Aging gracefully

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    We chose four books for the summer months. Read in any order you wish. Seems most started with the Circle.
     
  8. scrapsandsass

    scrapsandsass Oh Ricky you're so fine ...

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    Ohmygosh... just seeing the photo header of the article made me all twitchy. I can't imagine. I mean, I love you guys, but wouldn't want to have to share a semi-perm open residence with y'all. :giggle I can definitely see the appeal for some people though. Interesting times we live in. :)
     
  9. michelepixels

    michelepixels A pun is not fully matured until it is full groan.

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    I'm an introvert too and wouldn't want to live in podsharing, at least not for more than a few days, but for the purpose for which it seems to have been invented - according to the article - I think it's a brilliant option and I'm glad to hear about them! Many years ago I read a lot about intentional communities. I love the the idea of sharing resources and sharing work with neighbors.
     
  10. Nemla

    Nemla Stretching my skill set

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    That article sounds like the stuff night mares are made of.
     
  11. cookingmylife

    cookingmylife Pizza would be my last meal, except ...

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    I'm a total extrovert BUT...I do like time alone, and that means w/o my husband too. I also ike all people in general and can be social with most any one of them, but real friends? they're specific and few.
     
  12. bellbird

    bellbird Pollywog

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    i finished this book last nite - still reeling! still think the most scary books are the 'this could totally happen now' stories
     
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  13. bellbird

    bellbird Pollywog

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    just clarifying (although that word now has Circle connotations attached to it forever) but i 'liked' this post cos of the Ick comment at the end - carry on
     
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  14. Tiff

    Tiff I don't need no stinking playlists!

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    Ok, I just started this book ... only about 40 pages in. Really not liking the whiny main characters. I just happened to see someone's post above about "still reeling" about how the book ends. It's got me really curious!! Hopefully I'll have more time to really dive into this. I had to wait list it, which means I probably won't be able to re-new it without turning it in for someone else to have a chance at it. I better get cracking!
     
  15. enjoyyourpix

    enjoyyourpix My mama don't like you

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    Yes, she's completely annoying!! It's a pretty fast read as the story gets going!! You should be able to finish it!!
     
  16. bellbird

    bellbird Pollywog

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    yep there are definitely bits u can skim (unless u like reading paragraphs of just statistics at one point). It did take me a few weeks of nights to get thru though; i think that was the character just annoying me making me put the book down cos i couldn't physically whack her over the head with it!
     
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  17. bellbird

    bellbird Pollywog

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    not sure if it was my 'large print' edition i ended up with from the library but there were no defined chapters (i think it was divided into Book 1 - 3), that ended up annoying me too but might make people read it faster.
     
  18. Tiff

    Tiff I don't need no stinking playlists!

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    I'm feeling the pressure to finish this book! Not only because I want to jump into the conversation before it becomes stale, but because I know I won't be able to re-new the book when it comes due because of the wait list on it. And it is one that feels like a slow and long book to me. Anyway, I've been skimming lots of pages, trying to peek ahead to the end, and then just came here are read all the comments. I couldn't stop myself any longer!

    I'm only about half way through the book, so maybe I haven't got to the most disturbing parts of it. But so far I don't find the book to be scary in any way. In fact I feel glad that people are thinking about these issues of privacy and monopoly and online social demands.

    I have felt a bit of discomfort about the business The Circle. My husband works for Apple, so of course I saw similarities in the work environment and the physical location being Northern California. I know that Apple has cafeterias, there are salons on wheels that come to provide grooming services, you can drop off your dry cleaning at work, there are on-site social gatherings. So those similarities were somewhat unsettling. But I see the advantages of those things as well, and I do believe that companies are truly trying to make life a little bit easier for their employees (who have very demanding jobs). I see those things as good things. I don't think they've tipped into the nefarious.

    There is also the issue of the "goodness" that technology provides. Keep our kids safe? Yeah, that sounds great! Keep politicians honest? Yeah, that sounds great! Have lots of information at your fingertips? Yeah, that sounds great! A lot of these things would be great things, and the developers in The Circle are trying to meet these needs, and they focus on the bright side. To me the "dark" side of all these things are that they are based on a foundation of distrust: we can't trust that our fellow man isn't a kidnapper or a child molester. We can't trust that our politicians are honest. We can't trust that we can make good decisions with incomplete information. I'm curious to see if this kind of idea gets developed further in the second half of the book.

    Maybe I'm naive or too optimistic, but I go around the bay area, I see lots of different people, and I can't help but feel like these people are all pretty good people. I want to trust my fellow man and feel safe in doing so.
     
  19. bellbird

    bellbird Pollywog

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    @Tiff given you're about half way i dont know that the darker side has been laid out all that much yet. The monopoly aspect and political stuff may come into play more (not a spoiler :ignore). And i guess to me, what characters do in the face of choices teaches us more about ourselves and this gave me food for thought at least and explored issues from both sides
     
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  20. Tiff

    Tiff I don't need no stinking playlists!

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    I just finished the book. I'm feeling very underwhelmed. It seems there was a lot of potential here, but only skimmed the surface. It was written in 3rd person, but still felt very much from Mae's point of view. And she seemed so utterly stupid and clueless I don't think any story from her point of view could really offer anything more than skimming the surface.

    And what on earth was up with Francis? He just boggles the mind! And she gives him 100s?! These people are not realistic.

    Mostly I'm left thinking, is there going to be a sequel? (Not that I would read it, this mostly felt like a waste of time). It feels very unfinished.

    But I did kinda like the bathroom scene.
     
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