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Common reads
message 101:
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Werner
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Feb 01, 2014 07:08AM
The poll is now up and running, and a general invitation to vote in it has been sent to all members. That e-mail has the link to the poll, which can also be accessed from our group homepage by clicking on the "polls" link; it'll be the poll at the top of that page.
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With all votes on the poll in and counted, Tolkien's The Silmarillion edged The Man Who Was Thursday for the top spot, four votes to three, with one vote for The Eyre Affair. (None of our other selections garnered any votes this time around.) So, for our common read starting on March 1, those who want to participate will be reading The Silmarillion. With nearly three weeks until then, folks should have plenty of time to secure a copy.
Been years since I first read it.
Werner, when does the discussion start? I'm still new to online book discussion, so I want to make sure I've read enough to participate. Also, Ashlyn and I are sharing a book, so I'll want to make sure she has time to read, too.
LeAnn, I'd say it starts whenever someone wants to post something. :-) I already have a thread up for it; it's open to everyone who's participating.You don't have to have read any specific amount before you can comment; a lot of these discussions usually are people's thoughts as their read is in progress. But insights, questions, etc. from those who've already read it are helpful, too! Just remember to use spoiler tags where it's appropriate, if needed.
Although our weather (at least here in the northern hemisphere) doesn't feel very spring-like, it won't be long until March, and our annual (voluntary) common read. It's not too early to start brainstorming about what book we might want to pick. I'd intended to invite some discussion of that on New Year's Day, but decided not to wait, since I'll probably be extremely busy on that day.Some of us in this group also belong to the Norah Lofts fan group here on Goodreads, which is planning a March common read of her first novel, Here Was a Man: A Novel of Sir Walter Raleigh and Elizabeth I. If we pick the same book at the same time, that will allow members to participate in both group's discussions; so that's definitely an idea we should consider. Lofts (1904-1983) was deservedly one of the most popular British historical fiction authors of the 20th century.
Looking ahead to the March common read, so far the only title that's been suggested for the poll (which will go up at the beginning of next month) is Norah Lofts' historical novel about Sir Walter Raleigh, Here Was a Man. But I'm guessing that this is because most people in the group have only now been getting back into routine after the holidays, and may have missed the previous post. What books would you all like to see in the poll this time around?
In the previous poll, last year, G. K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday came in second to the winner, and trailing by only one vote (it got three votes altogether, out of eight cast). Does anyone feel it ought to get a second chance on this year's poll?
A book by a British author that I'm definitely hoping to read this year is The Dark Horse, by Rumer Godden. I think I read a Reader's Digest condensed version of this one to my wife back in 1980 or '81 (the author was definitely Godden, but I can't recall the title), and we both liked it. The only way to be sure would be to check the text of the actual novel to see if what I remember is there; my curiosity is engaged enough to do that, and if I'm going to get a copy by interlibrary loan, I'm going to go ahead and actually read it --Barb and I liked the condensed version, so it should be worth the read!How would the rest of you feel about putting this title in next month's poll? Like Norah Lofts, Godden was a well-regarded writer in her own lifetime, who's fallen into undeserved obscurity in more recent decades; personally, I think she merits a look.
Please, everybody feel free to share your comments, caveats, questions, or suggestions for the poll --it'll be coming up in just over two weeks!
Hmmmm! I'm sort of detecting a lack of interest in the idea of a March common read. Before I post a poll next month, maybe we should first ascertain whether or not we want one. (Theoretically, an advantage to an annual common read is that it removes the uncertainty about whether or not to have one, and allows a focus on picking the book instead. But it's not really a very long-established tradition in this group, and maybe I overestimated or misinterpreted the level of support for the idea earlier --and then too, people's preferences can change from year to year.)What do you all think? Is anyone wanting to do a common read this March? Or should we scrap the idea, or reschedule it? Is the idea of an annual common read still viable? Would it be better to just let members initiate a suggestion for a common read when they want to (which anyone actually can do now), and go from there?
Yes, I would like to read this, and participate. I have been reading Kim by Rudyard Kipling again, such an incredible book, and The Dark Horse sounds like it would fit with my interest in Anglo/India.
Carol, good to hear from you! I'd recently messaged LeAnn about this; we'd about concluded that there was no interest this year, and decided to cancel the read if no one else indicated any desire for it. Knowing now that you're interested, I'll plan on getting the poll up early next month --probably on Feb. 2, with at least the three books I've mentioned above on it. Does anyone else have any other titles to suggest?
Okay, the poll was posted earlier this evening, and a general message sent to the whole group inviting everyone to vote! I'll commit to taking part in the discussion no matter which of the three nominees we select.
Just a reminder: if you haven't voted yet on the poll to pick the book for next month's common read, and want to, this weekend is your last opportunity. Voting closes at the stroke of midnight on Monday, Feb. 16 --and that's the midnight at the beginning of Feb. 16, not the end, which means that the last real day to vote is through this Sunday, Feb. 15.
Sorry I didn't post the poll results earlier (although they've been available at the Polls link)! The Dark Horse edged out Here Was a Man, with four votes to three. So it will be our common read for March, and I'll try to get a discussion thread for it up by March 2. (Despite placing second in last year's poll, The Man Who Was Thursday got only one vote this time.)Also sorry about unwittingly giving some false information in the previous message: Goodreads has apparently changed its policy, and polls now end at midnight at the close of the last day (12:00 p.m.), not at its theoretical beginning (12:00 a.m.). That's actually the way most people would understand the language "voting ends on Day X," which is probably why they made the change; but they didn't make any site-wide announcement of the change.
I looked for The Dark Horse in my library catalog, and I see there are several books by that name!!! At any rate, I found the one by Rumer Godden, and it comes in large type, which I like. So, I will be prepared for the common read. Thanks for doing this. I am new to Goodreads; I retired from teaching and now I have time to read!! Carol
Glad to have you aboard for this read, Carol! (I need to check my local public libraries for this book, too; if they don't have it, I'll need to get it by interlibrary loan.)
March is almost over, and with it our common read of The Dark Horse --though, as always, that thread will stay open for later comments. We didn't have the widest participation that we've ever had on this one; but i think it was rewarding for those of us who did take part!When I originally suggested March as the month for our group's annual common read, I was influenced by the fact that another of my groups annually did one in February; that arrangement put them back to back. Starting this year, though, that other group's common read has been moved to May. What would you all think of the idea, starting next year, of doing our common read in April? Thoughts on this, anyone? Pros? Cons?
It sounds fine to me. This is the first time I ever did anything like this. It was a good way to read something I was not familiar with. Thanks for moderating this group. Carol
Glad you're enjoying the group, Carol, and thanks for the feedback!
I'm approaching my summer vacation, an ideal time for a common read. Any suggestions? I notice that selections have been fiction (which is always my automatic choice), but what about non-fiction? Would anyone like to venture into John Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding? I'm partly kidding, but he was quite an important thinker for our Founders, and it would be nice to get this tome under my belt and nail down exactly what Locke was all about. Or perhaps The Federalist Papers.
Whoops -- scratch that last suggestion; The Federalist Papers is American!
Personally, I'm open to the idea of doing a nonfiction common read. Locke is an author I haven't read, but I'm sure he'd be worth encountering sometime.Our past annual common reads have been done in March, though the idea was floated (in message 119 above) of moving them to April. (Of course, there's no law that limits us to one a year; any member can propose one anytime, and see how much interest there is!) Summer in the Northern hemisphere (for our Aussie members, of course, the seasons are flipped) is often a time that members travel more and read less. (And this August, I may be doing a buddy read with a friend.) But if a summer read works best for some of us, I wouldn't rule one out. What do y'all think?
For me, reading The Dark Horse and enjoying your comments was special because I had forgotten about Rumer Godden. I got Black Narcissus to watch again, and seeing it a second time, and also watching the commentaries about it on the excellent DVD I got from Netflix, well, it inspired me to read the book. Rumer Godden evidently was upset by the movie. Well, so far, I am amazed at how well the movie captured her writing. Seeing the movie first, and then reading a book is the best way for me. I was so disappointed to see the Tolkien movies because I had pictures in my head from reading the books so many times and the movie characters just did not match what I had imagined. To answer your question, I am open to a group read, but I think it best that it be rather short and light the way The Dark Horse was.
I actually read mostly non-fiction because most fiction seems to be so poorly written, full of gratuitous sex and violence. Right now I am reading a fascinating book about the gingko tree, written by one of the former directors of Kew Gardens, and also a book called The Cloudspotters Guide, also written by a witty Englishman.
The thought of Locke reminds me of a bad English class I had in college.
Carol wrote: "Seeing the movie first, and then reading a book, is the best way for me." I don't have a preference myself between experiencing a book or movie first; I've done it both ways. (Seeing a movie based on a book will usually whet my appetite for the book; and if I've read and liked a book, I'm always intrigued to see how filmmakers will treat it.) But if I've read a book first, it's true that the movie characters may look nothing like the images in my head. (If I've seen a film version first, on the other hand, I tend to bring the images of the actors/actresses to the book --and sometimes, even if I've read the book first, those images will supplant the earlier ones.)I never studied British literature in college, and Locke wasn't a writer we ever studied in high school. But I'm guessing that his An Essay Concerning Human Understanding would NOT be short and light.
No, it certainly wouldn't, Werner. The motive for reading such a philosophical work must be different from that of fiction, and similar for theology. I start out with the conviction that ideas are vitally important, and that wrong or flawed ideas are at the root of what's wrong with the world. Then when I delve into the dense prose of Locke or Kant or (to name the worst philosopher in this respect) Hegel, I am motivated to find out where he went wrong, as far as I'm able. There's little or no esthetic enjoyment.
Well, given our interest in Hardy, what about Cakes and Ale? I can't promise it will be as good as The Dark Horse, but it's quite short.By the way, another good movie based on a Rumer Godden novel is Jean Renoir's The River. It features one of my favorite lines, exclaimed by an adolescent girl frustrated with her changing self: "I hate body!"
I find as I get older I have less interest in going back and reading or reading ideas I've looked at before. I think it's part of the consciousness of mortality. Like a lot many (maybe most) people I've hit the point where I'm looking back at my life and hoping to use the rest of it more profitably than I have what's gone before. (That means hopefully in more than just the/a physical realm). There comes a point when you begin to realize that all the study and argument you do, all the mental growth and accomplishment dies with you...that is except any you've passed on.
So, I don't read philosophy etc. so much as I did once. I find I'm still interested in theological writings but not so much as I was, well other than the more practical app. stuff.
:)
Mike, I understand what you are saying. I started looking at my photo albums and thus, I am looking back through my life. I am thinking that when I die, my kids won't want all these books of pictures. They won't want my Thomas Hardy and Willa Cather books. They won't want my collection of beads and jewelry. My mom is 97. I am looking at her stuff, and I have no room for it. Yes, when we die, everything seems to die with us. This could be depressing. I just have to live each day fully and meaningfully, and find joy in the smallest acts. Let go of the rest. I don't want to waste any time reading poor literature, that's for sure!!!
Yes. Sometimes it frustrates me when I try to share something simple I enjoy with others. I suppose a few of the things I've collected will be wanted by my kids, but not all...I'm a pastor and I try to invest more in service to God now, but I'm physically not able to do what I once was. In my saner moments it makes me smile. It's what older people always tell younger people, serve now while you're young and healthy. Even the Bible in Proverbs says enjoy your youth but remember bills come due. "Remember God in the days of your youth".
And younger people never listen...not until they get older and are then the ones trying to pass on the same wisdom while watching their children and grandchildren role their eyes.
:)
Mike wrote: "There comes a point when you begin to realize that all the study and argument you do, all the mental growth and accomplishment dies with you ...that is except any that you've passed on." Mike, you and I are about the same age, and I can relate to what you say. I feel that I already have a pretty good understanding, factual and philosophical, of the world I live in, so there doesn't seem much sense in pouring more information or ideas into my brain to just sit there like water into the Dead Sea, without necessarily changing my perceptions much. So for years, I haven't been motivated to read very much nonfiction.Goodreads, though, becomes something of a game-changer in that respect. You spoke of passing on our learning and reflection from books to others. With Goodreads, we have a channel for doing this, not just for books we've read in the past, but for those we're newly reading. Reading becomes a communal act, a shared intellectual adventure with others; and ideas and information suddenly aren't simply poured into a pool without an outlet, but collected in a reservoir for irrigation. That's made me start to think that there's more reason than I thought to read and review nonfiction, and to encounter and interact with major thinkers like Locke who are new to me.
I don't mind reads that are intellectually demanding, as nonfiction often is; but I'm open to lighter reads (which fiction often may be) as well. Bruce, Cakes and Ale is by Somerset Maugham. I've never read much of his work --just a couple of his short stories, but I liked those. Personally, I wouldn't be averse to a read of that novel (we don't have it at the college library where I work, but I could no doubt get a copy by interlibrary loan.)
I am trying to do more ministerially. I have a prison chapel service, and of course have a couple of sermons a month. We also have a small group and I try to participate in our Discipleship Classes (that's basically Sunday School but we call them Discipleship Classes).So while I still read nonfiction to I don't read nearly so much as I once did. And as noted I tend to lean toward things related to what I'm doing now more than simply esoteric topics. When I was younger I read a lot more and still have some Descartes, Kierkegaard, Pascal and others on my shelves. I just haven't taken them down in a while.
Descartes, Kierkegaard and Pascal are three more major thinkers I'm ashamed to say I haven't read. As a college librarian, I try to encourage students (and faculty!) to realize that the great landmarks of the world's thought are worth reading. Maybe I should be setting a better example!
I went through a phase a few years ago when I was exploring philosophically and theologically to get to where I am...hopefully I'm still growing. Now I'm more likely to be reading C.S.Lewis...or simply the Bible.:)
It is both pleasurable and edifying to read your thoughts, Mike, and your conversation with Werner. You mentioned that you didn't read as much philosophy because of the realization that "all the study and argument you do, all the mental growth and accomplishment dies with you...that is except any you've passed on." Very true, but it seems to me that one's study and argument have a pretty good chance of surviving as an influence, e.g., through your ministry and teaching, and even, as you mentioned Werner, through media like Goodreads. What a treasure trove all these posts will be to future historians of all types! You would probably know, Werner, if there are plans to preserve them -- or are they in one of those "clouds" that will eventually disappear?You've mentioned Locke again, Werner, and his Essay Concerning Human Understanding is beginning to seem like part of my/our destiny. But it is a fearsome spectre, and it may well be that a good abridgment or summary might be all that's necessary. It's infamous for its verbosity. Apparently even Locke recognized this and consented to a heavily edited version.
Meanwhile, Cakes and Ale might be a good summer read, especially if Carol will weigh in with her knowledge of Hardy's life from the biographies she's read.
Mike, you mentioned the Bible. Every day, I try to read a chapter of the Bible, progressing from Genesis to Revelation and then starting over again, and have for decades. So when I said I hadn't been motivated to read much nonfiction, that's the exception to the rule!Bruce, I don't know much about the Goodreads management's plans. But my understanding is that they intend to keep all of the reviews and discussions pretty much in perpetuity, unless the Internet itself ceases to exist or there's a failure of the technology that stores the data. (I'm also making hard and electronic copies of all of my reviews, and hope to arrange to have them posthumously self-published on Lulu (www.lulu.com ).
We could put Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding, or some collection of selections from his writings, in the poll for next year's common read. If there's any sentiment for doing a common read of Cakes and Ale (the Edward Driffield character there is reportedly modeled on Hardy) this summer, I could take part in July, though I'll be on vacation for part of that month. Would anybody else besides Bruce and I be interested?
I just think I've put in years with the question books. Hopefully I've come to at least some beginnings of conclusions by now, LOL.I do live in hope someone, maybe one of my kids may read something I've left written (I mean other than fiction...well that to I guess). However I know that most journals, sermons etc. will end up getting pitched. Still if I'm allowed/used by God to touch a life or maybe a few that's good.
I would like to read Cakes and Ale. I recall reading Somerset Maugham's (spelling?) Of Human Bondage, when I was 18. I recall it making such a huge impression on me that I copied out some of the special paragraphs that I thought were so profound at that time in my life. So, I would be interested to read another book of his. Cakes and Ale sounds much lighter.I tried to take a philosophy class in college, and not only did I find it boring, but it was way over my head!! So, no, I won't be reading Locke, Hume, Spinoza or any of them!! ( and why did they have us read Locke in an English class?)
Probably because they liked his grammar usage????
Well, then, I'm going to get a copy of Cakes and Ale soon and start reading, Carol. I will be interested to know what you think of Maugham's rendering of Hardy's life. I remember being really young when I read it -- perhaps a teenager -- so it must have been quite easy reading. I have also read Of Human Bondage, and liked it up until the ending. I've started The Razor's Edge more than once, but have not been inspired to continue it.Locke does seem an odd choice for an English class.
Yes, I would really see Locke as a major figure in the history of philosophy, but not in English literature as such. I certainly wouldn't make students study him in an English class!We have at least three of us up for a common read of Cakes and Ale, then, and perhaps others will join us. My suggestion would be to do it in July. I was lucky enough recently to win a copy of God's Daughter by my Goodreads friend Heather Day Gilbert, and expect it in the mail any day now. In fairness to the author, I'd like to read it right away, and in August I expect to be doing a buddy read with another friend (depending on what's going on then on her end --long story). But July should afford me an opportunity to take part! (During the week of July 6, I expect to be out of town on vacation, but should have plenty of time to finish the book during the month.) Will that work for everyone who wants to participate?
Synchronicity strikes. I was browsing the newspaper or Internet and saw a reference to Cakes and Ale! It is the name of someone's blog and also the name of a restaurant. Now I want to read it for sure!
It turns out that the Tazewell County Public Library has a copy of Cakes and Ale (not here in Bluefield, but at the main library in Tazewell, from which it can be sent up here for pick-up). Since that's the case, I'll plan to check the book out from there. Given my planned schedule in July and their two-week loan period, I'll plan on getting the book in the week of July 13. But I should still have time to finish it before the end of the month.
If only we could all get together for a meal at Cakes and Ale to discuss the book! July sounds good to read and talk about it. But surely, Werner, you read more than one book a month. I envision you reading multiple books a week!
Bruce wrote: "I envision you reading multiple books a week!" Ah, Bruce, if only! :-) I read one print book (my preferred format for reading) at a time --two, if you count another one I'm reading to Barb as our "car book" at any given time. (Sometimes, as now, I'm reading a third book on my Kindle app.) But my regular reading time is only half an hour a day, while I'm exercising on the stationary bike. Full-time work, lots of family responsibilities, and a writing hobby (among other things) usually keep me too busy to read more.Even so, although for planning-ahead purposes I allow a month for a book, it often doesn't take that long to read one; it depends on the length of the book. (A very long book, of course, may take more than a month.) At a bit over 300 pages, Cakes and Ale should be a quicker read. But common reads in groups, I've noticed, tend to be scheduled by calendar months, to allow for people who read at different speeds, and who may start the book later than others (as I'll be starting late with this one). We'll plan on July as our target time for this read, then! I'll move it to the to-read shelf next month.
One thing leads to another when you start to fiddle with the internet. Because of this Goodreads discussion, I became more curious about Somerset Maugham . So, I read his biography on wikipedia and another literature website--his life story is fascinating. Because of that biography, I decided to read the very first book he published, called Liza of Lambeth. ( It is free on ibooks, and I read it from my iPad in two evenings. ) I could not put it down. Because of this book, I became even more curious and downloaded another free book in the public domain. This one was called Land of Promise. Again, impossible for me to stop reading. Lastly, I happened to be a bookstore called Half Price Books in Berkeley, where they have used books. I went to the M section and there was Cakes and Ale for $3. I could not wait for July. I started reading it and I must tell you, it is quite unusual. I am able to put it down, but not for long. I must say, so far, all 3 books have given me a much deeper understanding of the British class system of the past. In Cakes and Ale, every sentence in a paragraph can have wry humor. I actually do a double take and re-read the sentence. Now I am very curious to find out how others respond to Cakes and Ale. (the humor may not be to everyone's taste)
Sounds interesting, Carol, and congratulations on that bargain book purchase! It's okay to read the book before July. Personally, in a common read, I always like to have the perspective of group members who can join in the discussion because they've read the book already. Having had some time to digest it, and the advantage of seeing the total picture, gives them a different point of view that enhances the conversation.
This book is really amazing in many different ways.
Your new fascination with Maugham is itself fascinating, Carol! I tend to think of him as the author of three or four novels, plus a lot of short stories, so now I'm also curious about his lesser known novels.As I mentioned before, I love British well-made plays (also known as drawing room comedies and dramas), and Maugham was a master of this genre. His most famous play is probably The Circle, which I was lucky enough to see in a production starring Geraldine Page.
I'm certainly looking forward to reading Cakes and Ale.
Bruce
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