The Beach
13 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by lelley from Scarborough, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Thursday, March 13, 2003
going to jmg49
Thanks lelley;o)
I'll read this book soon.
I'll read this book soon.
Amazon.com
In our ever-shrinking world, where popular Western culture seems to have infected every nation on the planet, it is hard to find even a small niche of unspoiled land--forget searching for pristine islands or continents. This is the situation in Alex Garland's debut novel, The Beach. Human progress has reduced Eden to a secret little beach near Thailand. In the tradition of grand adventure novels, Richard, a rootless traveler rambling around Thailand on his way somewhere else, is given a hand-drawn map by a madman who calls himself Daffy Duck. He and two French travelers set out on a journey to find this paradise.
What makes this a truly satisfying novel is the number of levels on which it operates. On the surface it's a fast-paced adventure novel; at another level it explores why we search for these utopias, be they mysterious lost continents or small island communes. Garland weaves a gripping and thought-provoking narrative that suggests we are, in fact, such products of our Western culture that we cannot help but pollute and ultimately destroy the very sanctuary we seek
I am sending this book out on an international bookray.
So far these bookcrossers have joined:
illinicheme Oakland, California USA
fanclub Honolulu, Hawaii USA
savannahblue Portland, Oregon USA
Jaremeister Albuquerque, New Mexico USA
stim Sherwood Park, Alberta Canada
meshe Bonaire, Georgia USA
1-more-lemming Waterloo, Ontario Canada
talkland Eastbourne, East Sussex United Kingdom
rosef Dereham, England United Kingdom
terpsicore Algés, Lisboa Portugal
trygvasson Hamburg, Hamburg Germany
tweesty Paris, Ile de France France
brice Lyon, rhône France
PinkElf Iasi, Romania
Above is the current order of the bookray and is subject to change. It is still open to new members.
Before each person is ready to send the book on, he or she should send the next person on the list a pm asking for their address.
In our ever-shrinking world, where popular Western culture seems to have infected every nation on the planet, it is hard to find even a small niche of unspoiled land--forget searching for pristine islands or continents. This is the situation in Alex Garland's debut novel, The Beach. Human progress has reduced Eden to a secret little beach near Thailand. In the tradition of grand adventure novels, Richard, a rootless traveler rambling around Thailand on his way somewhere else, is given a hand-drawn map by a madman who calls himself Daffy Duck. He and two French travelers set out on a journey to find this paradise.
What makes this a truly satisfying novel is the number of levels on which it operates. On the surface it's a fast-paced adventure novel; at another level it explores why we search for these utopias, be they mysterious lost continents or small island communes. Garland weaves a gripping and thought-provoking narrative that suggests we are, in fact, such products of our Western culture that we cannot help but pollute and ultimately destroy the very sanctuary we seek
I am sending this book out on an international bookray.
So far these bookcrossers have joined:
illinicheme Oakland, California USA
fanclub Honolulu, Hawaii USA
savannahblue Portland, Oregon USA
Jaremeister Albuquerque, New Mexico USA
stim Sherwood Park, Alberta Canada
meshe Bonaire, Georgia USA
1-more-lemming Waterloo, Ontario Canada
talkland Eastbourne, East Sussex United Kingdom
rosef Dereham, England United Kingdom
terpsicore Algés, Lisboa Portugal
trygvasson Hamburg, Hamburg Germany
tweesty Paris, Ile de France France
brice Lyon, rhône France
PinkElf Iasi, Romania
Above is the current order of the bookray and is subject to change. It is still open to new members.
Before each person is ready to send the book on, he or she should send the next person on the list a pm asking for their address.
I finished this book last night. It is a thouroughly enjoyable read. I loved Garland's first person narrative style. The story line is original and has a great pace and the characters are believable and have depth to them.
I highly recommend this book to everyone.
I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Journal Entry 5 by jmg49 at Postal release to other Bookcrosser. in Woodstock, Ontario Canada on Saturday, November 1, 2003
Released on Saturday, November 01, 2003 at Postal release to other Bookcrosser. in Woodstock, Ontario Canada.
Mailing today to illinicheme.
Enjoy!
Mailing today to illinicheme.
Enjoy!
Arrived safely in California today. I should get to this soon, and I'll journal again when finished. Thanks!
I really enjoyed this Lord of the Flies-esque book, especially the short chapter style that made the story move quickly. Now that I've read the book, I might have to rent the movie, even though I've heard it's horrible. But I'm curious to see the story interpreted on screen.
Thank you to jmg49 for sharing this! It was definitely much more of a "cult" novel than I usually read, and it was a refreshing change of pace. This will be on its way to fanclub tomorrow.
Thank you to jmg49 for sharing this! It was definitely much more of a "cult" novel than I usually read, and it was a refreshing change of pace. This will be on its way to fanclub tomorrow.
Received in today's mail...coming up soon on my bookring list! More journaling when I finish.
Yet another one I couldn't put down. Man, that was messed up. But thouroughly enjoyable, in a demented sort of way. I am curious now about the movie, just to see how true to the story it is. Even though I have never seen it, I had Leo DeCaprio's face stuck in my head the whole time. :( I am mailing this off to savannahblue tomorrow...enjoy!
just rec'd by post - will start tonight and send it on its way! we lived in bangkok for about a year, so it should be interesting. . .
wow. i haven't burned through a book like this in a while - garland's pacing is excellent, and it's definitely a watching-a-train-wreck kind of book; you know something awful is bound to happen, but you just can't look away. mr. duck ended up being my favorite part - now THAT'S twisted!
i would have rated it even higher, but i felt like he didn't wrap the ending up quite as tightly as i would have liked. still in all, an excellent read. thanks for sending it around, jmg49.
i would have rated it even higher, but i felt like he didn't wrap the ending up quite as tightly as i would have liked. still in all, an excellent read. thanks for sending it around, jmg49.
Journal Entry 12 by savannahblue at -- By Hand Or Post, Ray/Ring, RABCK in Portland, Oregon USA on Monday, January 19, 2004
Release planned for Tuesday, January 20, 2004 at postal release to fellow bookcrosser in Portland, Oregon USA.
sending off by post to jaremeister, the next in line for this whirlwind read! enjoy!
sending off by post to jaremeister, the next in line for this whirlwind read! enjoy!
Got this in the mail today, cannot wait to read it! I'll report back once I'm done, have one other bookring book to get to first.
UPDATE 02-20-2004
Just started this book.... first few chapters have me hooked, I plan on curling up this chilly weekend and escaping to Garland's beach!
02-27-2004
What a fun book this was! I had actually seen and enjoyed the movie a few years ago. They just don't compare though (as usual). This book was great, thank you so much for passing it around. Have PM'd the next person in line and will ship ASAP!
UPDATE 02-20-2004
Just started this book.... first few chapters have me hooked, I plan on curling up this chilly weekend and escaping to Garland's beach!
02-27-2004
What a fun book this was! I had actually seen and enjoyed the movie a few years ago. They just don't compare though (as usual). This book was great, thank you so much for passing it around. Have PM'd the next person in line and will ship ASAP!
Received in my mailbox today. Will be up next to read. Thanks!
Journal Entry 15 by stim at N/A in N/A, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, May 9, 2004
Release planned for Wednesday, May 12, 2004 at n/a in n/a, Mailed to another bookcrosser Controlled Releases.
Sending off to meshe. Thanks for the read, thought it was much better than the movie.
Sending off to meshe. Thanks for the read, thought it was much better than the movie.
received in mail today, will get to this soon and journal when finished.
June 13 -- just finished this book and wow! Like others who''ve journaled before, I found the short chapters and fast pace very satisfying. The subject matter was like nothing I've ever read before. I too wished for more from the ending of this book. But I think the author's ending was probably just right for this book and this subject. I'd heard of the movie, but haven't seen it. I may rent it, just to compare to the book. If not for bookcrossing and this bookring, I would never have had the chance to read this book.thanks so much for ringing it.
06/20/2004 I'm still waiting on an address from the next in line, have pmed again and will send on as soon as I have the address.
June 13 -- just finished this book and wow! Like others who''ve journaled before, I found the short chapters and fast pace very satisfying. The subject matter was like nothing I've ever read before. I too wished for more from the ending of this book. But I think the author's ending was probably just right for this book and this subject. I'd heard of the movie, but haven't seen it. I may rent it, just to compare to the book. If not for bookcrossing and this bookring, I would never have had the chance to read this book.thanks so much for ringing it.
06/20/2004 I'm still waiting on an address from the next in line, have pmed again and will send on as soon as I have the address.
Journal Entry 17 by meshe at In The Mail in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Released on Wednesday, June 30, 2004 at in the mail in Bookring, A Bookring Controlled Releases.
plan to mail today. off to Talkland in England.
plan to mail today. off to Talkland in England.
Journal Entry 18 by talkland from Eastbourne, East Sussex United Kingdom on Saturday, August 28, 2004
This book arrived along with another from Meshe. Haven't had chance to read it yet but as it is a typical British Bank Holiday Weekend I shall stay indoors and have a Big Bonanza of Book-Reading!!!
Journal Entry 19 by talkland from Eastbourne, East Sussex United Kingdom on Thursday, September 9, 2004
I was very disappointed with this novel and I really can't be bothered to write to write in great depth about it. Basically 'The Beach' is boring and Richard is definitely a character not to go travelling with! It could have been a great book as the basic idea is a sort of 'Lord of the Flies' scenario updated for a modern generation.
Released 19 yrs ago (9/9/2004 UTC) at
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Off to Portugal [the book is having a more interesting journey then Richard!!!]
Off to Portugal [the book is having a more interesting journey then Richard!!!]
received in my mailbox today.I still have a few bookrings in my TBR but I will read this as soon as possible
Great read!I'm glad I read interviews of the author before I saw the movie (and I did not have the patience to watch it until the end )otherwise I don't think I would have read this book.
Although maybe the tension should start creeping up sooner,I had the feeling things went suddenly very fast at the end;but it is his first book,I think.Now I'm very curious to read "The Tesseract"
Although maybe the tension should start creeping up sooner,I had the feeling things went suddenly very fast at the end;but it is his first book,I think.Now I'm very curious to read "The Tesseract"
Journal Entry 23 by terpsicore from Algés, Lisboa (distrito) Portugal on Wednesday, October 27, 2004
mailed yesterday to trygvasson
Journal Entry 24 by trygvasson from Hamburg - Hohenfelde, Hamburg Germany on Wednesday, November 10, 2004
I received the book in yesterday´s mail - thanks to everyone... I started reading immediately - we have a spell of very uncomfortable weather here in Hamburg - so reading about heat, warm water and palm trees kind of helps - as did the nice view of Lisbon.
Journal Entry 25 by trygvasson from Hamburg - Hohenfelde, Hamburg Germany on Thursday, November 11, 2004
Two days to read it... that was fast... I liked the way the book works - as a kind of adventure novel and exploring the island´s utopia-setting. I didn´t get all the references to Vietnam movies (the abbreviations were a bit too much for me) - and the conversations with Mr. Duck, well, I thought that there are just too many of these.
I saw the movie ... way back when it first came out - it does capture some of the atmosphere alright - but I like the book better.
I´ll post it as soon as I have the next address.
Thanks to jmg49 and lelley for sharing this... and everybody else who kept it moving.
Journal Entry 26 by trygvasson at Posted to another bookcrosser in Hamburg, Germany, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Friday, November 12, 2004
Released on Saturday, November 13, 2004 at about 5:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Posted to another bookcrosser in Hamburg, Germany, By Post Controlled Releases.
RELEASE NOTES:
I have the address - and I will post the book tomorrow for the next stage of its travels (Paris).
Richard took a wrong turn - I found the book in my mailbox - the German postservice didn´t like the fact that I had taped the envelope shut... So, I have to undertake a second try tomorrow (Nov 16th)...
RELEASE NOTES:
I have the address - and I will post the book tomorrow for the next stage of its travels (Paris).
Richard took a wrong turn - I found the book in my mailbox - the German postservice didn´t like the fact that I had taped the envelope shut... So, I have to undertake a second try tomorrow (Nov 16th)...
Received today in mail.
I read this book in French a few years ago, I remembered that I loved it and I was just curious to read the original version.
I will read it as soon as possible.
I read this book in French a few years ago, I remembered that I loved it and I was just curious to read the original version.
I will read it as soon as possible.
I'm such a bad BCer, I forgot the book somewhere in my Mt. TBR... for so long ! All my apologies.
The book will keep on its journey.
I read the book a few years ago in French and I really loved it.
I'll mail to Brice soon.
The book will keep on its journey.
I read the book a few years ago in French and I really loved it.
I'll mail to Brice soon.
Well received
PinkElf is no longer interested. Who wants this book?
