QUESTION: Is our Group dying or already dead? (Proposals for group modifications)

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

There seems to be a serious lack of activity within our group.

Examples: Last six club reads-
Atonement, four posts last post Oct. 7th
King Lear, seven posts, last post Oct. 27th
Dune, four posts, last post Nov. 25th
Rob Roy, two posts, last post Nov. 19th
Unbearable Lightness, one post, Dec. 3rd
Paradise Lost, three posts, last post Dec. 6th

It’s understandable and to be expected that a fairly small percentage of group members will participate in monthly books reads. However it seems dysfunctional that out of the last six books read a total of 21 posts have been made and 6 of those are from the moderator posting the topic. It’s a little hypocritical for me to throw stones in my own glass house, I have not read any of the last six reads, but have read 12 of the 19 reads prior to Atonement.

If you take monthly read aside it’s even harder to understand lack of participation in the last two topics posted. Both topics seem capable of drawing more conversation than so far received.

Topic One- How many have you read? Meaning, How many books from our group bookshelf have you read? It was posted on Dec. 3rd and as of this morning (my location) 5 members have responded.

Topic Two-Book nomination for the New Year. It too was posted on Dec 3rd and has received only four posts. People we can do better than this.
With the New Year just a few weeks away, now seems the time for suggestions to improve our group. If you agree post any ideas you think might help.

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

To start things off here is my idea, nominate and vote on two books each month instead of every three months. This will require members to be active every month and might lead to more conversations.

[Terri]

I have to admit, this year has been tough for me and I havent participated, but things should be improving and I will hopefully get more active next year.

[Jenny]

I really love this group but I have to admit I haven't posted in a while because I haven't read the monthly reads recently. I really wanted to read Dune but I ran out of time. I agree with Bob that we should vote on books month by month. In addition to the change making people more active, we can choose what we're in the mood for. Sometimes it's hard to tell what we'll want to read in 3 months.

[Cindy]

I agree a monthly vote would be good

[Jenny]

I think it would be fun and helpful to have a What Have You Read? thread too. It allows for group members to keep checking it even if they're not reading the BOTM.

[Trisha]

These are some great suggestions! I would love to see the group become more active, especially when we have so many members.
So far we are looking at:
Monthly votes
What are you reading thread

Any other suggestions? Would people like a contemporary/best seller selection as well or monthly reading challenges? I am more than willing to make some modifications to get more people reading.

[Cindy]

a contemporary/best seller selection would be great

[Jenny]

I think that monthly reading challenges are fun. I don't usually finish them unfortunately but they're good motivation. Maybe we could have an around the world one where we read authors from different countries?

[Kat]

I am not interested in reading contemporary works in this group because this is, after all, "catching up on classics", and there are plenty of other groups on GR that address those genres, some to which I subscribe and participate.

I joined this group after finishing my MA in English literature in order to continue discussing classic lit with insightful and intelligent people. My personal friends do not read very much and I missed the stimulating discussions in my graduate classes.

I think that the reason participation has dwindled this year is not that members aren't reading the selections-I've read most of them, and there are lots of thread views but no comments-but that we aren't putting in any effort to post insightful and conversation-stimulating responses, and no one wants to be the first to post. For example, having read Atonement, I had plenty of things to say but the lack of comments discouraged me from posting anything myself. Is this why others haven't posted anything?

My suggestion is to include a question or two-preferably addressing a controversial topic within the book-to get the conversation going. I did try this with Dune but no one responded-probably because I posted it near the end of the month and wasn't specific enough to elicit a reply. What does everyone else think?

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

I agree with Kat, this group is based on reading the classics. A while back we agreed to add 20th century contemporary classics to our monthly reads. One old school 19th century and one contemporary classic published prior to 1970. This was to make up our two monthly reads. However, since this has taken place we have added Lonesome Dove which is defiantly a classic but it was published in 1985. The Unbearable Lightness of Being was published in 1983. Atonement was published in 2001 and Dune is a Science Fiction Classic while fitting the parameters of being published in 1965, it most likely holds less appeal for many members because it is a sci-fi. A lot of reads will be unread by many group members because of disliking the selection, that’s OK.

I think we should hold to no reading books published after 1970

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

The group that I am most actively participate in has several books going at one time, but they are staggered as to the starting and ending dates. We read books at a leisurely pace (3 - 6 months) and set a reading schedule at the beginning of the read; a few chapters a week until the book is finished. Of course smaller paged books take less time to read then longer books, and it does take a few more people to volunteer to moderate books but this way I can be active in the group and usually read at least one book that is being read at the time.

Often I skip a monthly book selection because I know that I won't be able to finish the book in time to discuss it.

I belong to more than one book group, and I joined this one to focus on older classics. I have other groups that do newer books.

[Emily]

Is there somewhere we can find upcoming reads and expected time lines for them? For example, I see that Monte Cristo is starting on Tuesday, but how long are you guys planning on reading it? Hopefully more than one month!! I'm just trying to see if I should try and work that in too...I really want to read it - loved the movie!

[Trisha]

I think I'm going to make that one and Anna K. 2 months and the others 1 month, that way the reading is a little more staggered. Not to mention the fact that Anna K, Count of M, AND East of Eden are all monster books. But, we can always extend if people feel like they need more time. I will also break up the discussion threads do people can post on different sections at a time.

[Julia]

I started Count of MC tonight. I only read the first 2 chapters (short) but am on record saying I hope to participate. (I just finished Age of Innocence -- so sad!)

[Joseph “Millennium Man”]

I vote for Wizard of OZ for the preceding book that need be voted on.

Reasons: I just read it and would like to discuss the story and it would give me time to read other books as well.

[Shelley]

I agree with Jenny and Lolo: "what have you read" is always an interesting question, and maybe here it can be understood that "what (classic) have you just reread" would always be welcomed.

Anyway, thanks for running this blog.Even a few visits makes it worthwhile.

Shelley, Rain: A Dust Bowl Story
http://dustbowlpoetry.wordpress.com