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Bartleby, the Scrivener a Story of Wall-Street
Bartleby, the Scrivener a Story of Wall-Street | Herman Melville
Bartleby is a kind of clerk, a copyist, "who obstinately refuses to go on doing the sort of writing demanded of him." During the spring of 1851, Melville felt similarly about his work on Moby Dick. Thus, Bartleby can be seen to represent Melville's frustration with his own situation as a writer, and the story itself is "about a writer who forsakes conventional modes because of an irresistible preoccupation with the most baffling philosophical questions." Bartleby can also be seen to represent Melville's relation to his commercial, democratic society.
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Soubhiville
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Mehso-so

Igor might have added some nibble marks to those made by your kitty @Eyelit 😸

This is a strange little book about a clerk who decides he doesn‘t feel like working anymore, but also he doesn‘t feel like leaving the office. Like EVER! It‘s from the boss‘ point of view, as he tries to decide how to deal with Bartleby‘s constant statement: “I would prefer not to.”

I‘m not really sure what to make of this, which is what the blurb says essentially.

Soubhiville This was my #doublespin book for March @TheAromaofBooks 🤗 5y
LapReader I might try that line at work today and see how it goes down. 5y
Soubhiville @LapReader lol, I wish you luck! 5y
TheAromaofBooks Great review, although it sounds like an odd book! 5y
68 likes4 comments
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Emilymdxn
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Pickpick

I loved the title story so much and see why it‘s hailed as a classic. I wasn‘t as into the other stories, which felt a bit tacked on to make the audiobook longer. The lack of explanation for what happened to Bartleby and how his ‘preferring not to‘ took over and eventually took his life was so haunting. It had a gothic feel despite having no real gothic elements, and reading during the coronavirus outbreak made it feel like strange disease.

65 likes1 stack add
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zsuzsanna_reads
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Pickpick

A ghost story without a ghost. A fascinating novella that I'll be guaranteed to reread. There are so many possible interpretation s of what goes in here. It's probable that more meaning can be read into it than the author ever intended. It is so short, I can't say much more about it, without giving the plot away.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly recommended

Lcsmcat Do you mean you would prefer no to? 😂 6y
Laura317 Intrigued! 6y
43 likes1 stack add2 comments
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sixgun
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Pickpick

I prefer not to leave a review at this time.

sixgun But seriously, I really enjoyed this short story. For it's length it really packs a punch. It can be read and reread. 6y
9 likes1 comment
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andrew61
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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#shortestclassicyouread #MayLovesClassics
These mini penguin books were made for the 60th anniversary - here are 3 i could immediately put my hands on and the lead book is a classic - otherwise it would have been candide which i just finished as parr of the challenge.

Leftcoastzen Nice looking covers ! 6y
Aimeesue I was going to comment on the Melville, but decided that I prefer not to. 😋 6y
29 likes2 comments
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jveezer
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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My feelings exactly....Love the creative use of his famous catchphrase in this beautiful Indulgence Press edition.

4 likes1 stack add
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batsy
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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I love a good outsider #character, one who is not well-adjusted but instead exists on the periphery and finds it hard to adjust to social norms. I was so gripped when I read this; Bartleby is relatable but also an enigma.

#maylovesclassics #litsyclassics @Sarah83 @Bambolina_81

tournevis Oh, the illustration! Marvelous! 6y
ValerieAndBooks Is there a graphic novel?! If so, I want!! 6y
batsy @tournevis It is! I was really drawn to it too. @ValerieAndBooks Not that I know of! That would be great if there was one :) I stole the image from Google (credit to this blog https://gastoncavalleri.com/2014/05/14/bartleby-existentialism-and-marxism-by-ga... 6y
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Blaire One of my favorite short stories! 6y
readordierachel Have you ever seen the weird film adaptation with Crispin Glover? 6y
CouronneDhiver Me too! Those characters are fun 6y
batsy @Blaire @CouronneDhiver Such a great read! 6y
batsy @ReadOrDieRachel No, I haven't! I'm already intrigued and a little afraid if it's him starring 😆 Do you recommend it? 6y
readordierachel It's been a decade since I saw it, but I remember liking it. I think? So a very tentative recommendation 😂 6y
Christine11 I love the illustration! ♥️ 6y
batsy @ReadOrDieRachel Haha! It's on YouTube, which is good! 😊 6y
batsy @Christine11 It's very cool! 6y
readordierachel Oh cool! Let me know what you think if you decide to watch it :) 6y
tournevis @batsy @ValerieAndBooks It's a good essay! 6y
ValerieAndBooks I looked at the essay, and think I‘ll understand it a lot better after reading Bartleby again (which I want to do anyway) — it‘s been years and I need to refresh my memory 😊 @tournevis 6y
vivastory I also tentatively recommend the version with Glover. I recall really liking it when it was released, but have not rewatched it @ReadOrDieRachel 6y
readordierachel @vivastory Same. I've only seen it the once. I was wracking my brain to remember if there was anything too Crispin Glovery (if there is such a thing?), but I honestly can't remember much. 6y
Faibka Loved this story! And love the illustration in your pic :D 6y
95 likes6 stack adds18 comments
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aunt_feather
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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My mood more often than not.

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Lcsmcat
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At Better Living Through Beowulf today, he lists “best literary depictions of different professions.” Did he get yours right? (I‘m not sure I like being compared to Bartleby!)
http://betterlivingthroughbeowulf.com/in-lit-who-best-represents-each-job/ford-m...

37 likes1 stack add
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Hoopiefoot
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Bartleby & I feel the same way about watching the Super Bowl today (but I‘m sure I‘ll still tune in for the commercials!)

70 likes1 stack add
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Iceangel9
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Pickpick

Three fantastic novellas!

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Libby1
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Pickpick

(Image from Goodreads.)

Another gem from @SerialReader .

This novella (or is it a very long short story?) has been called a precursor to absurdist writing. While Kafka was likely unaware of the story, it seems Kafkaesque in its portrayal of human psychology & behaviour.

Bartleby is a scrivener, or copyist, for a New York lawyer. He‘s a thorough employee, until the day when he replies, “I would prefer not to”.

I liked this sad little story.

Lcsmcat ❤️❤️ this one. It‘s a bit of a catch-phrase in our house. 7y
APLitlife My kids did not respond to this one, but I loved it. 7y
IamIamIam That guy makes me crazy! Lol, I'm a "just get it done" kind of person who worked with plenty of Bartlebys in my life! Although I always felt for him by the end. 7y
batsy One of my favourites. 7y
85 likes8 stack adds4 comments
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Lcsmcat
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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This was my #groundhogday yesterday. What was yours?

callielafleur Mine too! 7y
jhod And mine! 7y
Mdargusch Yep - me too! 7y
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ReadingSusan Ha ha yes!! Me too. @Susanita I saw this post more times than I care to admit yesterday 🤣 (edited) 7y
alisiakae Same here! 7y
Seekingtardis Same!!!! 7y
Chelleo Mine!! 7y
BookMaven407 Me too 7y
Schlinkles One of our shop cats is named Bartleby after this novella 7y
Jess7 Hahaha!!!! Mine too! 😂😂😂 7y
AmyG This was mine, too. 7y
Lcsmcat @Susanita I think you won Litsy yesterday! If only all the likes I gave had actually been recorded! 7y
rubyslippersreads Me too! 😄 7y
jfalkens This was mine too 7y
Susanita 😎 7y
PurpleyPumpkin Same same!🤨 7y
53 likes16 comments
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Susanita
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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TFW you‘re catching up on Jeopardy episodes and you‘re yelling at the screen but the contestants can‘t hear you so nobody gets it right.

britt_brooke 😆👏🏻 7y
britt_brooke 😆👏🏻 7y
britt_brooke 😆👏🏻 7y
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Bklover I watched the episode too, and did the same yelling at the tv! 7y
KVanRead Love it.😂 7y
AmyG Ha 7y
KVanRead Love it!! 7y
KVanRead 😂 7y
KVanRead 😂 7y
tpixie Testing 7y
Zelma 😆 I was just yelling it in my head. 7y
Ubookquitous Didn‘t everyone have to read this in High School?? 7y
celtichik Argh! 7y
celtichik Argh! 7y
Bklover I just tracked this post down because I looked at it at least 50 times today. It was the last post I could see before the crash. I deleted some of my duplicates - at least the other 20 times I posted to this didn‘t show up! 😂😂 7y
Susanita @Bklover I was getting all kinds of notifications, but none of them were showing up in my feed! 7y
86 likes18 comments
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bookworm.krizia
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Mehso-so

This one is a very intiguing book. Melville could have made a full length book with this one. It was too short and I would have love to know more about Bartleby.

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La_Cori
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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I would tell you what I think of this story, but I prefer not to. #puzzle

#QuotsyNov17 @TK-421

MayJasper 😊 7y
45 likes1 comment
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batsy
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Still one of the best things I've read about the absurdity and alienating drudgery of wage labour. Alas, will have to #work for books, like this cool Melville House edition... #AugustGrrrl @Cinfhen

Cinfhen #willingtoworkforbooks 😜🙌🏻😘 7y
RohitSawant I've been meaning to read this for sometime now. Sigh. #TbrWoes 7y
batsy @rohit-sawant I feel you on the #TBRwoes. This one is novella-length 😉 7y
See All 13 Comments
Sace Recently checked this out from the library. It was an edition that included Billy Budd as well. I might start on one of those this weekend. 7y
Lacythebookworm Love Bartleby! 🙌😍 7y
batsy @RestlessFickleBookSlut I haven't read Billy Budd! Maybe I'll read that before I attempt Moby Dick... someday 😆 7y
batsy @Lacythebookworm Yeah! 💚 7y
Billypar I wish Melville knew that in 2017 book nerds would wear t-shirts with 'I prefer not to' printed on them. 7y
batsy @Billypar :) I need one of those t-shirts! And a mug too, if they make em 7y
Sace @batsy I read it in high school and remembered it as long and boring. When I checked out the book last week I was shocked to discover it was only 81 pages! 7y
Leftcoastzen Lol ! Work for books!Love that you like Melville !Sometimes difficult for contemporary readers to get context of writers from long ago. 7y
Leftcoastzen Also I have not read this , stack add 7y
KathyWheeler I was never able to finish Moby Dick, but I loved this book. 7y
64 likes3 stack adds13 comments
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Brie
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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I really like Melville House's colorful Art of the Novella series. I've already read and loved Bartleby-hence the awesome mug-so I decided it was time to get my own copy. Parnassus on Wheels is described as "an inspiring ode to a life in books" and a book for bibliophiles. Sold. #bookmail #bookhaul

ElyssaReads Love the mug! I think I need one like that. 7y
Brie It's one of my favorite mugs. Pretty cheap too. @ElyssaReads 7y
vivastory I have a I would prefer not to shirt that i sometimes wear to work. Melville House is fantastic. I've been meaning to buy that edition of Parnassus on Wheels. 7y
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JackOBotts That mug is chilling in my office. #toosubtle #tongueincheek 😉 7y
Brie They were having a sale on their books. I'm not sure if it's still going on. @vivastory 7y
Brie Ha, that's great @JackOBotts 7y
vivastory @brie Thanks, I just bought "Parnassus etc" & the sequel "Haunted Bookshop." It looks like the sale has ended, but they're such a great press it is worth paying full price. 7y
Brie Yeah. I love their stuff. That's great. I tried to buy the Haunted Bookshop too but when I tried it was sold out. @vivastory 7y
diovival That mug 😍 7y
GoneFishing Great "mug" shot. 7y
77 likes2 stack adds10 comments
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JennyReadsBooks
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Faibka
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Pickpick

I would write a review, but "I prefer not to". Great reflection on the absurdities that haunt the human condition.

Lacythebookworm Love this one! 8y
Faibka @Lacythebookworm yes, such a good one! :) 8y
27 likes2 comments
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Felso
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Today's literary tshirt brought to you by...... #day6 #onaroll #casualdayeverydayatwork #ireallywouldprefernotto #tshirtaddict

58 likes4 stack adds
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IamIamIam
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Even though I hate #Bartelby and I would have fired him in a second, today I relate to him deeply! #iwouldprefernotto #worstscrivenerever #rainraingoaway #currentmood

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HannaPolkadots
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Mehso-so

Finished Bartleby - the first of two stories in this collection. I think I liked the story, mostly because Melville through it managed to manipulate my feelings completely.

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JacintaMCarter
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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This isn't so much the #BestLineInABadBook as it is my favorite line in a story I hate. #BookLove17

Mariposa_Bookworm Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne were the bane of my existence in Undergrad. Grrrrr. 8y
38 likes1 comment
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quirkyreader
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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This was in today's guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/09/herman-melvilles-bartleby-and-the-...

This has always be one of my favourite Melville stories. When I was still teaching and the kids didn't want to follow directions I would just say "I guess we're having Bartleby day". And then they would ask what that was.

Both films are also rather twisted.

Felso "I would prefer not to" 8y
beckygracelea One of my second year exam questions was on this and the temptation to write "I would prefer not to" as my answer was huge. 8y
lynneamch Thanks for sharing this. Interesting thoughts to ponder. 🤔 @beckygracelea so funny. 8y
tpixie Interesting article. I've never read the book. But at least now I'll understand the reference! Thx. 8y
52 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Felso
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Today's literary t-shirt brought to you by Herman Melville. #ilovetshirts #iliveintshirts

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GoneFishing
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville

Will you, or will you not, quit me?' I now demanded in a sudden passion, advancing close to him.
'I would prefer not to quit you', he replied, gently emphasizing the not.

AbsurdistLibrarian One of my favorite works to quote both at work and when visiting the in-laws 8y
54 likes12 stack adds2 comments
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hwheaties
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Friday night grading got me like...

Thanks to @Melvillehouse for making such an amazingly appropriate bag for transporting my grading.

#TeachersOfLitsy

BookishMarginalia I feel your pain. This teacher is reading and Litsying instead of tending to the #TBG 😜 8y
hwheaties I didn't last long! Only until about 1030. But I felt better getting some of it done at least! 8y
35 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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BooksForYears
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#FunFridayPhoto - Is The Man getting you down? Would you prefer not to adult? Is the view from your cubicle just a bunch of other cubicles? Are you stuck in a job that you don't love but don't hate enough to quit? If yes, then BARTLEBY THE SCRIVENER is for you! It's the story of an apathetic corporate employee, but also allegorical for Melville's being pigeonholed as a certain type of writer. It's a great way to get into Melville, sans whales.

35 likes2 stack adds
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katedensen
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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I thought of a couple of #workplacebooks to post about for #somethingforsept, but Bartleby is probably the most iconic of them all. #septemberphotochallenge #somethingforseptember #septphotochallenge

In keeping with this theme, check out this recent New Yorker piece, "The Office Politics of Workplace Fiction by Women": http://bit.ly/2av7XKW

Image found on Google.

38 likes1 stack add
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ClairesReads
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Pickpick

Finished my first serial reader read and loved it! Bartleby was a really bleak read, but an engaging character. Why did he stop?! It certainty spoke to my mood this week. Loved reading more by Melville, the author of my fave Moby Dick 💯🎉

Notafraidofwords This book totally freaked me out when I read it in college. 8y
ClairesReads @Notafraidofwords yeah it's pretty lighthearted for a lot, and then the end is like 😖 I think it's so distressing not knowing WHY he all of a sudden decides to stop. 8y
Notafraidofwords @ClairesReads there's so many ways you can view why. I always saw it as depression. However, there are so many theories out there. 8y
ClairesReads @Notafraidofwords I totally agree. 8y
25 likes1 stack add4 comments
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ClairesReads
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Friday afternoon mood

brendanmleonard Yep. There are many days I feel like Bartleby. 8y
26 likes1 stack add2 comments
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ClairesReads
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Finally discovered Serial Reader!

Notafraidofwords Loved this one when I read it in college. 8y
ClairesReads @Notafraidofwords I'm enjoying so far! 8y
24 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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ClairesReads
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville

Finally discovered Serial Reader!

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BooksForYears
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Today's mantra, courtesy of @Melvillehouse

#bookishfeels

Kleonard Love your bag! I teach this story in intro to literature.❤️ 8y
Sydsavvy Lol that's so great! 8y
Sydsavvy And I have to say, that book is a little treasure. Good short into the power of Melville. 8y
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BooksForYears @Kleonard Thank you! It's one of my favorite bookish totes 👍😎 8y
BooksForYears @Sydsavvy It wasn't until I did some research on Bartleby that I realized how many layers it has! Quite a masterpiece! 8y
quirkyreader When I used to teach and the kids didn't want to do anything I would say that we were having a Bartleby day. 8y
Sydsavvy @quirkyreader that's awesome!! 8y
BooksForYears Today was a Bartleby Day for me 😆 8y
39 likes2 stack adds8 comments
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BooksForYears
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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Happy birthday to Herman Melville - the man who not only gave me my life's motto but taught me about whaling and the world.
#IWouldPreferNotTo

17 likes3 stack adds
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iamjillsid
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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MrBook Love the look and the title ! 8y
5 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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jordanerickson
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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"I would prefer not to."

Amyegia I still remember the day I realized Bartleby's job was pretty much the same as my job!!! I typed up legal docs at the time. Anyway, awesome cover. 8y
3 likes1 comment
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kristenlcoates
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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REALLY loving the new serial reading app; clipping through short classics in 10-12 minute chunks each morning! I've set my daily serial to arrive at the same time my alarm goes off and have been spending the final 10 pre bed-exiting minutes echoing Bartelby this week. "I would prefer not to."

Notafraidofwords I truly loved this story in college. Can you set the timer for a designated day instead of days. Like only Saturday's? 8y
kristenlcoates @Notafraidofwords I actually don't know! Might be worth looking into! 8y
kerry Oh, what an awesome concept!, 8y
9 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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dog_earedbookreviews
Bartleby, the Scrivener | Herman Melville
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"I prefer not to."

Sydsavvy Lol! That's funny. Such an intriguing book. 8y
Godmotherx5 I love your dog & your posts. 8y
7 likes2 stack adds3 comments