THE BORE

General => The Superdeep Borehole => Topic started by: CajoleJuice on January 14, 2008, 01:58:25 AM

Title: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: CajoleJuice on January 14, 2008, 01:58:25 AM
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Discuss.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: recursivelyenumerable on January 14, 2008, 02:00:03 AM
I heard PD was outed as an emotionally-stunted hormonal adolescent girl.  Is this true?  I'm fond of emotionally-stunted hormonal adolescent girls!  PD, give me a ring sometime, I'll make it worth your while.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: TVC15 on January 14, 2008, 02:00:14 AM
DONT FUCKING DO THIS TO ME
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Ichirou on January 14, 2008, 02:00:44 AM
VOTE IN MY POLL
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Beezy on January 14, 2008, 02:00:46 AM
Has anyone here ever cried because of a book (besides Michelle)? I can understand being sad, but actually shedding tears?

smh
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Vizzys on January 14, 2008, 02:02:34 AM
my own writing is so bad sometimes I cry, does that count
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Ichirou on January 14, 2008, 02:03:18 AM
I got weepy near the end of Norwegian Wood, I admit.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: TVC15 on January 14, 2008, 02:03:50 AM
(http://www.la.cityzine.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/caligari.jpg)
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Ichirou on January 14, 2008, 02:07:14 AM
Do you feel sorry for Cesare, TVC?  I do.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: TVC15 on January 14, 2008, 02:07:56 AM
Not as sorry as I feel for me, Ichirou; not nearly as sorry.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: recursivelyenumerable on January 14, 2008, 02:10:16 AM
Actually, I think most books I've read have made me tear up at some point.  Definitely the last few fiction books all have, those being Jane Eyre, The Turn of the Screw and John le Carre's The Secret Pilgrim.  Probably at least one of the Harry Potters has, though I can't remember specifically.  I mostly read math and computer science books though, and those often make me cry too when they present a particularly deep concept or elegant proof of a theorem (or when I find a nice solution to an exercise myself).  Beautifully written source code can get to me too.  I guess I'm a pretty emotional guy.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Ichirou on January 14, 2008, 02:10:41 AM
In a way, aren't we all like Cesare, our fates controlled by the whims of an angry fat doctor?
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Mandark on January 14, 2008, 02:11:58 AM
This whole episode is making me want to head to the secret council and go all Triumph.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: DrMiletski on January 14, 2008, 02:13:34 AM
In a way, aren't we all like Cesare, our fates controlled by the whims of an angry fat doctor?

Better a doctor than an angry, insane fatty.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Phoenix Dark on January 14, 2008, 02:14:35 AM
oh god  :lol
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Ichirou on January 14, 2008, 02:14:54 AM
I did cry when I was reading Monsters & Madmen, as I was overcome by the pure emotional power of the script.  Reading about the death of Gloria and Jack Trenton's soul-deadening quest for revenge was like a strong punch to the gut.

Monsters & Madmen: An Action-Packed Screenplay, Written by Miles B.K. Trahan 9.5/10
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: DrMiletski on January 14, 2008, 02:20:39 AM
If I were a mental health professional treating Phoenix, I would base my treatment efforts on my new, groundbreaking theories that have shaken up the profession.  With my new unstoppable technique, an intense psychological and physiological gauntlet that I have termed "bestialology,"  I believe I can have Maurice in a normal emotional state within just 4 or 5 cattle estrous cycles.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Ichirou on January 14, 2008, 02:23:01 AM
How would you cure action auteur Miles Trahan of his violent fantasies?
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: DrMiletski on January 14, 2008, 02:28:21 AM
How would you cure action auteur Miles Trahan of his violent fantasies?

The comorbidity on display there would take me years to untangle.  I'd be an old, even less attractive female by the time I made any progress there.  And frankly, he's so not likable that I wouldn't even be curious to waste my time.

Let's just say that as a young little girl in Church, I remember the pastor once saying that Allah gave us the gift of suicide for a reason, and that God makes women bleed because they are disgusting, corruptive whores that need the physical subversion to prevent them from inflicting sucking damage on a meaningful scale on society.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Fresh Prince on January 14, 2008, 03:46:10 AM
PD is trolling as usual. 
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: CajoleJuice on January 14, 2008, 03:50:57 AM
My friend said he enjoyed the movie more than the book.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
MAF am cry
[close]
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: demi on January 14, 2008, 04:04:57 AM
List of people who PD could take in a fight:





































































just kidding
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: recursivelyenumerable on January 14, 2008, 04:26:54 AM
Quote
Insert Quote
List of people who PD could take in a fight:





































































just kidding

http://compsoc.dur.ac.uk/whitespace/

Quote
Whitespace

What is Whitespace?

    Most modern programming languages do not consider white space characters (spaces, tabs and newlines) syntax, ignoring them, as if they weren't there. We consider this to be a gross injustice to these perfectly friendly members of the character set. Should they be ignored, just because they are invisible? Whitespace is a language that seeks to redress the balance. Any non whitespace characters are ignored; only spaces, tabs and newlines are considered syntax.
What are the advantages of Whitespace?

    Some things which are difficult in other languages are made much easier in Whitespace. For example, literate programming is simply a matter of writing your helpful comments in between program instructions. It's also easy to encrypt your programs. Simply write a misleading comment!

    Whitespace is a particularly useful language for spies. Imagine you have a top secret program that you don't want anyone to see. What do you do? Simply print it out and delete the file, ready to type in at a later date. Nobody will know that your blank piece of paper is actually vital computer code!
What does a typical Whitespace program look like?

    Below is an extract from a program which asks for a name then outputs it (see here for the full script.

                
       
         
     
       


Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: demi on January 14, 2008, 04:41:57 AM
whitespace? PD is a blackface
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: bud on January 14, 2008, 01:08:36 PM
My friend said he enjoyed the movie more than the book.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
MAF am cry
[close]

the movie was actually pretty enjoyable. the last act is kinda bad, though.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Eric P on January 14, 2008, 01:43:45 PM
back in the mid 90s, my dog died.  lovable, wonderful cocker spaniel named "Black Mane of Texas" (i was 8 when we got him and just picked words i liked) we shorted the name to Blackie.

I loved that dog, even as he got tumours on his face and paws, lost his teeth and went blind  he'd always wag his tail and try to get up if you walked into a room he was resting in.

finally, his kidneys gave out and we put him to sleep.

i felt nothing.

i had closed myself up to the experience and tried to not let it affect me.

i was also doing a lot of acid in those days, but just spending the time on low level trips just reading and listening to records (hard bop jazz and industrial, mostly).

one time about a month after Blackie's death, i was on lsd reading Harlan Ellison.  The Essential Ellison (an excellent collection if you are interested in his fiction).

I was reading The Deathbird, which is about The Serpent in the Garden of Eden and how one man goes to face God.  Intersperced with this is a narrative digresion about Harlan Ellison's dog, who died during the writing of the story.  He talked about how he rescued it, raised it, loved it and then eventually too had to watch it die and how it felt to hold the dog as the vet injected it with the chemicals which would end its life.

It was then that I felt, truly felt anything for the first time in months.  I cried and couldn't stop crying for two hours, softly to myself as i allowed myself to remember everything about my relationship with that wonderful amazing dog.

even now i'm kind of tearing up, so i'm going to stop here and finish eating my lunch.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Gay Boy on January 14, 2008, 01:46:45 PM
He has to be over-exagerating. No one reads harry potter and starts bawling.   :-\
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: cubicle47b on January 14, 2008, 01:54:09 PM
The opening to High Fidelity where he lists his top 5 breakups hit me really hard.  Of course, I read it shortly after breaking up with a girl I went out with for 2 1/2 years so anything like that would have.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: bud on January 14, 2008, 01:58:24 PM
i love the movie (cusack :bow). is the book worth reading? i'd read it if the movie isn't a 1:1 adaptation.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: cubicle47b on January 14, 2008, 02:02:18 PM
The book is definitely worth reading.  I can't remember how close the movie is but I'm sure there are enough differences to appreciate both.

edit: It's set in London, not Chicago like in the movie, so the language will be quite different at the very least.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: bud on January 14, 2008, 02:06:42 PM
i'll read it then. thanks.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: TVC15 on January 14, 2008, 02:08:24 PM
i love the movie (cusack :bow). is the book worth reading? i'd read it if the movie isn't a 1:1 adaptation.

You'd like it. The book is set in London, the movie in Chicago. The plots and sequence of events are pretty much identical, but there's a lot of instances of banter and inner monologue that of course didn't fit into the movie.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Rman on January 14, 2008, 02:21:26 PM
Flowers for Algernon.  Cliche yes but that one made me cry.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Eric P on January 14, 2008, 02:27:58 PM
Flowers for Algernon.  Cliche yes but that one made me cry.

that book scares the hell out of me

losing my intelligence is probably my biggest fear

Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Rman on January 14, 2008, 02:30:19 PM
Flowers for Algernon.  Cliche yes but that one made me cry.

that book scares the hell out of me

losing my intelligence is probably my biggest fear



spoiler (click to show/hide)
Yeah. It sucks because he made such progress after his surgery and then back to square one.
[close]
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Bloodwake on January 14, 2008, 03:03:53 PM
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Discuss.

I'm going to get trolled epicly like PD, but I did cry for like 45 minutes during some of the last chapters of that book.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: CajoleJuice on January 14, 2008, 03:04:43 PM
You are not fit for your avatar.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: demi on January 14, 2008, 03:24:59 PM
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Discuss.

I'm going to get trolled epicly like PD, but I did cry for like 45 minutes during some of the last chapters of that book.

yup, still a virgin
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Howard Alan Treesong on January 14, 2008, 04:49:57 PM
one time about a month after Blackie's death, i was on lsd reading Harlan Ellison.  The Essential Ellison (an excellent collection if you are interested in his fiction).

I was reading The Deathbird, which is about The Serpent in the Garden of Eden and how one man goes to face God.  Intersperced with this is a narrative digresion about Harlan Ellison's dog, who died during the writing of the story.  He talked about how he rescued it, raised it, loved it and then eventually too had to watch it die and how it felt to hold the dog as the vet injected it with the chemicals which would end its life.

It was then that I felt, truly felt anything for the first time in months.  I cried and couldn't stop crying for two hours, softly to myself as i allowed myself to remember everything about my relationship with that wonderful amazing dog.

even now i'm kind of tearing up, so i'm going to stop here and finish eating my lunch.

when my family had my dog of 12 years put down due to old age and enfeebledness, I read that passage to them over the phone. it's truly stunning for anyone who's loved and lost a pet and knew it was the hard but right thing to do.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Howard Alan Treesong on January 14, 2008, 04:52:24 PM
i love the movie (cusack :bow). is the book worth reading? i'd read it if the movie isn't a 1:1 adaptation.

You'd like it. The book is set in London, the movie in Chicago. The plots and sequence of events are pretty much identical, but there's a lot of instances of banter and inner monologue that of course didn't fit into the movie.

the Celine Dion book I finished (review forthcoming) reminded me a lot of High Fidelity--it's the same sort of story of a critical hipster realizing that there's more to life than rating and berating music, but not yet having any idea what that "more" might be. if you like High Fidelity (and I do--I do!) then you would love the Celine Dion book
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Eric P on January 14, 2008, 04:57:09 PM
when my family had my dog of 12 years put down due to old age and enfeebledness, I read that passage to them over the phone. it's truly stunning for anyone who's loved and lost a pet and knew it was the hard but right thing to do.

i always suggest it to my friends when they lose a pet.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Howard Alan Treesong on January 14, 2008, 05:00:58 PM
when my family had my dog of 12 years put down due to old age and enfeebledness, I read that passage to them over the phone. it's truly stunning for anyone who's loved and lost a pet and knew it was the hard but right thing to do.

i always suggest it to my friends when they lose a pet.

man, thinking about how good The Deathbird is has made me a bit more sympathetic towards Harlan Ellison again, his string of crazy old man lawsuits was starting to get me down. learning about his Fantagraphics lawsuit, he kind of crossed over from "eccentric old kook" to "paranoid psychotic" in my mind.
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Eric P on January 14, 2008, 05:03:32 PM
yeah  same

he's a bit to bitter / codgery for my personal tastes
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Madrun Badrun on January 14, 2008, 07:14:45 PM
The end of Tale of Two Cities.   :'(
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: TVC15 on January 14, 2008, 07:22:10 PM
when my family had my dog of 12 years put down due to old age and enfeebledness, I read that passage to them over the phone. it's truly stunning for anyone who's loved and lost a pet and knew it was the hard but right thing to do.

i always suggest it to my friends when they lose a pet.

man, thinking about how good The Deathbird is has made me a bit more sympathetic towards Harlan Ellison again, his string of crazy old man lawsuits was starting to get me down. learning about his Fantagraphics lawsuit, he kind of crossed over from "eccentric old kook" to "paranoid psychotic" in my mind.

Harlan only wishes he'd be remembered as the paranoid psychotic of his era of science fiction!
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: Howard Alan Treesong on January 14, 2008, 07:39:41 PM
when my family had my dog of 12 years put down due to old age and enfeebledness, I read that passage to them over the phone. it's truly stunning for anyone who's loved and lost a pet and knew it was the hard but right thing to do.

i always suggest it to my friends when they lose a pet.

man, thinking about how good The Deathbird is has made me a bit more sympathetic towards Harlan Ellison again, his string of crazy old man lawsuits was starting to get me down. learning about his Fantagraphics lawsuit, he kind of crossed over from "eccentric old kook" to "paranoid psychotic" in my mind.

Harlan only wishes he'd be remembered as the paranoid psychotic of his era of science fiction!

do you have someone in mind?

L. Ron famously started Scientology on a bet/dare from Harlan
Title: Re: The most emotional piece of literature you've ever read
Post by: TVC15 on January 14, 2008, 07:41:02 PM
when my family had my dog of 12 years put down due to old age and enfeebledness, I read that passage to them over the phone. it's truly stunning for anyone who's loved and lost a pet and knew it was the hard but right thing to do.

i always suggest it to my friends when they lose a pet.

man, thinking about how good The Deathbird is has made me a bit more sympathetic towards Harlan Ellison again, his string of crazy old man lawsuits was starting to get me down. learning about his Fantagraphics lawsuit, he kind of crossed over from "eccentric old kook" to "paranoid psychotic" in my mind.

Harlan only wishes he'd be remembered as the paranoid psychotic of his era of science fiction!

do you have someone in mind?

L. Ron famously started Scientology on a bet/dare from Harlan

Really?  I heard it was Terry Southern.