Poll

Too many good choices, and, as a result, a gridlock. Maybe we should read several books in November as we did in 2013:-) Just a suggestion :-)

There's usually some last minute changing of votes so we get a winner. I'm not sure reading 6 different books with 2 votes each would make for particularly lively discussions :-)

I don't think three-four votes makes a discussion, so I'm not going to vote even though I nominated All the Light We Cannot See unless it gains a vote or two, although I still think it would be an excellent choice for this group. Somehow, three-four seems not enough for a good discussion. I'll nominate it again another month -- and hope that those interested in discussing it this month will still be interested then, as well as some others. And, yes, I know that some of us often join the discussion, even if not our vote or preference does not win, which indeed is often one of the gifts of book groups.

Having been pretty much unable to participate while spending the last month biking and training in Europe, I must say there are some good books on this list. The 3 I've read are great and very discussable - Canada, The Son, and Kafka - but I'm voting for All the Light We Cannot See, as it has been tempting me since it was published!

Lily wrote: "I don't think three-four votes makes a discussion, so I'm not going to vote even though I nominated All the Light We Cannot See unless it gains a vote or two, although I still think..."

I agree, Lily, although I have placed my own vote. Since I nominated a novel, it would be bad not to ;-)

I have just looked back to previous polls because I got the impression fewer people are voting lately - and I was right.

I haven't voted recently because I couldn't necessarily commit to participating and, while I think the "don't vote unless you're committed to participating" rule is important, it has probably had an effect on the number of voters. It's a difficult call.

There are usually more participants than there are number of voters, so just because a book only has 3 votes, it doesn't mean that there will only be three readers. The main reason you are seeing fewer votes is that we stopped sending a broadcast email that polls were up. This has had the intended effect of stopping "drive-by" voting by the click and run crowd.

You are correct to not vote if you don't think you'll be able to participate. Better a book with 3 votes and 3 people discussing it than a book with 10 votes and 2 people discussing it, if you see what I'm getting at.

Also, nominating a book puts you under no obligation to vote for it. However, if you nominate a book and it wins, you are under special extreme obligation to participate!

I went with very practical voting criteria by voting for the only book I already have ;)

I love the expression "the click-and-run crowd" Whitney! I'm a little bit out of touch with neologisms, living as I do in foreign parts, but I recently came across the word "clicktivism" - ie click and run political activists (amongst whom I count myself a proud member despite the negative connotations!) - and it's just perfect.

As a special offer - only valid until the end of November 2014 - I will even volunteer to lead the discussion if Achilles wins and nobody else wants to. You can't say better than that, eh?!

Pip wrote: "As a special offer - only valid until the end of November 2014 - I will even volunteer to lead the discussion if Achilles wins and nobody else wants to. You can't say better than that, eh?! ..."

Wow! you make it hard to decide whether to vote, Pip. Even if I didn't find time to read The Song of Achilles for November, I'd love to follow your moderation.

But, seeing that there are another two votes today for All the Light We Cannot See, I guess I will go ahead and vote. It is a nominee for the 2014 National Book Award. I am particularly struck by the lyricism of the writing. Doerr apparently worked ten years on it. Unlike Pip, I am NOT volunteering to moderate the discussion. I have just recently finished reading it and will probably purchase a copy if it is selected -- I read it in ebook format and am not certain which format I would purchase. I did capture several passages before returning the ebook loan.

Marc wrote: "I went with very practical voting criteria by voting for the only book I already have ;)"

Marc - I wouldn't mind an excuse to re-listen to the audio version of Kafka on the Shore, one of the relatively few audio books I own.

Lily wrote: "Pip wrote: "As a special offer - only valid until the end of November 2014 - I will even volunteer to lead the discussion if Achilles wins and nobody else wants to. You can't say better than that, ..."

Gosh, Lily, your lovely comments mean a lot to me. You've made my week, and it's only Tuesday!!

All the Light We Cannot See does sound beautiful; however, I have gone for the same strategy as Marc (above) and chosen a novel I actually have on my shelves ;-)

Ooops. Voting is closed; I was just about to vote for All the Light We Cannot See.

I voted for Canada, but I will be just as happy to read along with All the Light We Cannot See.

Lily, I've never been able to listen to an audio-book in its entirety (either I get distracted or I'm never in a place long enough to listen through).

Pip, I'm desperately trying to put a dent in my pile of unread books!

What happens with a tie?

We've decided to go with both the choices and no moderator pick for November. So Zulfiya's comment proved to be prescient. We will be reading Kafka on the Shore and All the Light We Cannot See in November.

Edgarf, would you like to moderate Kafka, since it was your nomination? No pressure, the mods are happy to cover this one if you would rather not.

And, Lily, would you like to moderate All the Light since it was your nomination? And is anyone else interested in moderating this one if Lily isn't?

To be fair, only one third of it was prescient :-)

Whitney wrote: "We've decided to go with both the choices..."

This group doesn't mess around ;)

Marc - looks like you'll get to make that dent! ATLWCS sounds so lovely that it looks like I'll get to put up more bookshelves ;-)))

Whitney wrote: "We've decided to go with both the choices and no moderator pick for November. So Zulfiya's comment proved to be prescient. We will be reading Kafka on the Shore and [book:All the Light ..."
I would be happy to moderate Kafka On The Shore. I am going into the hospital Tuesday for surgery and this book was my choice to read there. It will be my first Haruki Murakami read.

Edgarf wrote: "I would be happy to moderate Kafka On The Shore. I am going into the hospital Tuesday for surgery and this book was my choice to read there. It will be my first Haruki Murakami read..."

Great! The moderating part, not the hospital part. I hope both go well!

Lily declined to moderate All the Light We Cannot See. Is anyone else interested in taking this one on?

Pip wrote: "Looks like you'll get to make that dent!"

Ha! Except, I just remembered the second reason I wanted to read this book--I won't let myself read/acquire the new Murakami until I finish this one :p

Whitney wrote: "Edgarf wrote: "I would be happy to moderate Kafka On The Shore. I am going into the hospital Tuesday for surgery and this book was my choice to read there. It will be my first Haruki Murakami read...."
The hospital part went about as well as I could have expected. I have been back home since Friday. The pain pills did have me reading the same page over and over a few times, but I am finally on track again. I am looking forward to the 27th when the staples are finally being removed from my incision.