i lectured with my gloves on and my padded overcoat collar turned up to cover my ears and on some days i could see my breath as i spoke , but when it was time to field questions the room heated up rapidly ; a few of those who were clearly members of the party usually remained reticent , but the rest were now eager to challenge me on questions of interpretation , particularly when i offered a facile or simplistic reading of something that they felt was sociologically much more complex .