Literary Award Winners Fiction Book Club discussion
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Cat
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Dec 20, 2013 06:23AM
Hi everyone! My name is Cat and I love to read. I am currently working part time as a publishing assistant so I can stay home with my toddler son but used to teach high school English. I love Nabokov but would be intimidated to be in an elevator with him. Murakami too. I am looking forward to reading more classics and have checked Gilead out of the library. I am currently on a quest to read all of the Pulitzers, and after that the Man Bookers. My goal is one Pulitzer per month. I may not be able to post as much because I can only get on the internet after my son goes to sleep (He bangs on the keyboard) but I will do my best to be an active participant. Thanks!
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Hi, I'm Carolyn. I live just outside Edinburgh, Scotland, with my husband, daughter, dog and cat. Two New Years ago I set myself the challenge of reading all the Booker Prize winners and I'm nearly halfway through (I've read many other things in that time too!) but thought it would be nice to have others to discuss the books with rather than go it alone, so very glad to have found this site, and this group.
Hi everyone! Excited to be joining you all. I'm Reggie from Cambridge, MA. I've sort of been lurking around this group for a while, but as I've been student teaching for 5 months, I haven't been able to pick up a book for fun in too long. Now that that's all coming to an end, I'm looking forward to reading and discussing some other fiction (I'm also hoping to uncover some new books to teach high school students, so any recommendations are welcome!). I guess the factoid that would tell you all the most about me is my (abbreviated) list of favorite books, so here it goes. Up towards the top are "White Noise" by Don Delillo, "Animal Farm" by George Orwell, and "Middlesex" by Jeffery Eugenides. Those are constantly wavering around as ultimate number one favorites. However, I recently finished "The World According to Garp" and adored every word of it, so that may be a new contender, as well as another author I'll have to start reading more of. I'm also a big fan of Shakespeare's plays and this amazing way he plays with words. Generally I tend to enjoy books with quirks- quirky characters, quirky storylines, quirky wordplay. I'm looking forward to discovering more of those books here.
Hi all, My name is Darcy and I live in Washington State in the lovely Pacific Northwest. I read a lot--mostly nineteenth century British stuff--but love reading more contemporary stuff when I have the time. I'm currently working my way through *The Luminaries,* just finished *The Orchardist,* and my favorite contemporary author is Hilary Mantel. One fun fact--I'm an on-again, off-again (mostly off) accordion player.
Hello,My name is Tom Maremaa and I live in Mountain View, California, working in Silicon Valley as a coder and technical writer. I also happen to write fiction (nine novels and novellas to date, as well as a new novel coming out soon), I’m passionate about literature (having studied for my degree in comparative literature at UC Berkeley many moons ago). I read current fiction extensively, although not exhaustively. I’m a big fan of Coetzee, whose work I’ve devoured with great pleasure over the years. I also like Borges, Marquez and Bolano (particularly “2666,” which, to me, is a masterpiece of 20th century literature). I’m delighted to discuss the works of any authors you like or dislike. This looks to be the ideal forum for that.
Hello,My name is Tom Maremaa and I live in Mountain View, California, working in Silicon Valley as a coder and technical writer. I also happen to write fiction (nine novels and novellas to date, as well as a new novel coming out soon), I’m passionate about literature (having studied for my degree in comparative literature at UC Berkeley many moons ago). I read current fiction extensively, although not exhaustively. I’m a big fan of Coetzee, whose work I’ve devoured with great pleasure over the years. I also like Borges, Marquez and Bolano (particularly “2666,” which, to me, is a masterpiece of 20th century literature). I’m delighted to discuss the works of any authors you like or dislike. This looks to be the ideal forum for that.
Hi, my name is Pierre. I live in San Francisco. I haven't posted at all on GR, but I've been on here for a while. I thought it would be fun to participate in a book group, especially one that focuses on award winners. I tend to enjoy Booker prize winners, so this month's selection caught my eye. Some authors I love are Murakami, Coetzee, McEwan, Hollinghurst, Kingsolver, and Maalouf. I'm looking forward to the discussions ahead.
Hi all! My name is Martha and I live in the Pennsylvania Wilds. Though reading has always been important to me, I am just recently getting back into making it a priority. Right now I'm trying to tear through as many MB shortlist novels as I can get my hands on.My all time favorite reads are definitely Crime and Punishment, Ubik, and Brave New World. Right now I'm plowing through Umbrella by Will Self, and although I wasn't too into it at first, I have grown more and more infatuated with every page turn.
Otherwise, I am a bar/restaurant owner and operator, trail runner, cross country skier, dog lover, aspiring writer, and coffee snob.
So nice to meet you all, and thrilled to be a part of your group!
Hello, everyone. My name's Rebekah. I'm an American living and working in the Netherlands. I'm an academic and for years had allowed my need to read scholarly books and articles get in the way of my love for literature. But several months ago I decided it was time to try to rediscover my old passion. And, boy, have I ever! I can't stop reading great works of fiction (probably to the detriment of my scholarly work, but oh, well...) I've joined this group to get the added benefit of some social interaction to accompany my new reading obsession. :)
Mod
Sydney - Unfortunately all award winners were created equal! I've read a good handful that I didn't like at all.
Cat - That's quite a lofty goal! Let us know how it goes.
Carolyn - What's your favorite MB so far?
Regina - I finished student teaching last semester as well! What's your teaching cert going to be in? I'm also a huge fan of Shakespeare.
Darcy - I'm trying to get into Mantel and 19th century lit. Both are not gong as planned. I played the accordion for 20 seconds in a high school play. It is HARD!
Tom - Coetzee is one of my favorites!
Pierre - Glad you've joined! Some of your favorites are among my favorites!
Martha - I just got my copy of Crime and Punishment in the mail this week! Brave New World is also one of my all time favorites. We're thrilled to have you!
Rebekah - Hopefully we can provide to be decent social interaction for you. :)
Hello there! My name is Effi, I live in Germany and I am quite new to GR. I have always loved books, but I don't read nearly as many as I would like to (I blame the Internet), so I thought I'd join this group in order to get motivated :) I don't really have preferences regarding the genre of a book, as long as it's fiction and interesting, I'll read it! My favourite book right now is The Picture of Dorian Gray and I thoroughly enjoy Shakespeare's sonnets. I'm looking forward to a lot of great books and discussions!
What part of Germany do you live in, Effie? I used to live in Mainz, Germany--still miss it!
Hi, My name is Irene. I came by this group via a recent conversation with a friend who is a member and who told me what a great group you all are. I have been on GoodReads for several years, due to the bad influence of that same friend and am totally addicted. I keep joining new groups and am also in a in-person group. You have read some wonderful books. I live in northwestern PA, along the shores of Lake Erie. I would not want to be stuck in an elevator, but if I could talk with any author, it would be Flannery O'Connor.
Effie--I lived in Mainz for a year while I was teaching at the Johannes Gutenberg Uni. I'm afraid I never made it to Stuttgart, though. Maybe our next trip there :)
Hi! My name is Jacque, and I am 22 years old. Unfortunately, I live in Tennessee. I have a deep love of literature, spartan races (aroo!), zucchini, and movies. I have never belonged to a book club, but I have always loved the concept of them. I'm excited to see how this will go!
Hi, My name is Bala and I live in Albany, NY. I am originally from India and moved to the US about 20 years back. I have always loved reading books and have recently shut my TV down and devoted myself to reading some good books. I love reading a wide range of books in English and Tamil (my mother tongue ). I am really enjoying Alice Munro recently and am on her third collection of stories.
Mod
Effi - Yay, another European member! Germany is one of my favorite countries that I've visited and I can't wait to go back someday. I read Dorian Gray last year and really enjoyed it, such a cool concept. I'm also a huge fan of Shakespeare!
Irene - You're the first person who has introduced themselves as a referral from another member! That makes me happy. :) Hopefully our book club can feed your GR addiction.
Jacque - Wow! I'm so honored that you chose our humble little bookclub as your first! Hopefully you enjoy the concept and have fun here.
Bala - What a commitment to reading! I definitely read more in the summer when the TV shows I like to watch are on hiatus and I can spend time outside, where there is no TV. Alice Munro is so wonderful, I'm glad you're enjoying her works.
Hi, I'm Shirley and I live in Norwich in the uk. I'm 30 and I've never been part of a bookclub before. Looking forward 2 discussing great literature with you all.
Mod
I think this group is an excellent concept for selecting and reading books. Some really appeal, others I wouldn't have considered reading and others have little appeal, but all are worth giving a go!
The discussions I've participated in and read over the 3 months or so since I joined have been really interesting. It's so fascinating to hear/read the diverse opinions and tastes that people have (and also how much they can differ from the reviewers/judges who award the prizes). Taste is so subjective! And the great thing about literature, like art, is that no one is right.
I look forward to continuing to participate - and I hope I can keep up the pace and stay in the group!
Janine -- Welcome aboard ! I can relate to your situation as my work is super interesting and takes up lots of time. Very good points on reading and look forward to participating in discussions with you.
Hello, I love that you've compiled prize-winners in one place, so when my compulsion to buy used books grabs me, I can look up possible MIA's for my shelf. I live in MN,USA and have had plenty of indoor time to fill with reading this winter. My favorite winner to date would be A Confederacy of Dunces, but have not read it in a decade or more. Jay
Hey there, Theresa. Welcome and glad to have you with us!
Hi, I am Vicki, a high school English teacher from NJ. I have an eclectic reading taste, but aside from the core classics I teach, I want to re-experience more literary fiction. Besides reading, my main loves are my two adorable dogs, Daisy (Maltese) and Sofia (Shih Tzu) and being creative. Before teaching, I worked in a craft store and I picked up a few things, like jewelry making, floral arranging and mixed media art.
I look forward to reading and discussing with everyone.
Mod
Shirley - We're glad we can be your first bookclub experience!
Janine - It's been a pleasure having you in group discussions. I'm so glad you like the concept. I agree, some award winners have no appeal to me at all!
Jay - I've never read Confederacy of Dunces! Will have to add it to my TBR shelf.
Theresa - I can't imagine a world without books either! I look forward to seeing your thoughts in Remains of the Day discussions and hopefully other future ones!
Vicki - Glad to have another teacher! Don't you sometimes feel bogged down by the required reading for high schoolers? Sounds like you have a lot of creative interests which is awesome!
Hello to all in this group.My name is Rick Patterson and I'm a high school teacher from Calgary, Canada. That doesn't mean that I am a snooty prude who only reads Shakespeare. I'm wading through the Booker Prize winners this year as a sort of perverse bet with myself, although there are a few that I'm still looking for in used book stores.
Because I feel that I have to keep up with what my students are reading, I've immersed myself in a lot of pop fiction like the Twilight and Divergent series--which have not been the greatest of experiences--but on the other hand I've been introduced to people like John Green and graphic novels like Watchmen and Gaiman's Sandman series.
And my personal favorites after a lot of years reading? Nabokov is a technical superstar and he can leave me reeling at times, but he is so so amazing and has to be on my Desert Island 10, Pale Fire in particular. David Lodge is not as popular in America as he is in Europe, but his comic perspective is wonderful, particularly in the Changing Places and Small World novels.
John Updike is my favorite American author. It used to be John Irving but not so much anymore.
And from here it descends into a bunch of musings and scribblings...
I'm looking forward to exchanging thoughts and feelings about the books on the table that I've been meaning to get to but...
Last word: I agree with the comments about Atwood. I'm betting she gets a Nobel Prize before she's done, just like our very own Alice Munro deservedly received this year. Atwood's poetry, by the way, is as worthy of careful and appreciative reading as her novels, which have only gotten better as she has matured.
Cheers!
Hi my name is Adira and I just became aware of this group because of Kamil and a video he posted on his YouTube channel. I have to say I'm very interested in reading books like the ones that have won the Man Booker a Prize since I took a class in college where we studied Global Literature and our teacher chose a few selections from there. I've also just learned about the Bailey Prize as well.I am looking forward to discussing award winning books with you all and broadening my horizons. I also run a YT channel under the name, The Young, The Broke, & The Bookish, and would love if you all checked it out.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrR4...
Mod
Hi Rick! I also work with kids and feel I have to keep up with what they're reading. I haven't read the Mortal Instruments or Divergent series' yet but I feel like I'm going to need to soon! I hope Atwood gets the Nobel soon! She really does deserve it.
Glad to have you both!
Tamara wrote: "Hi Adira! Your channel looks awesome. I had NO IDEA Kamil had a youtube channel. He's been holding out on us. I hope you enjoy our selections and our group!Hi Rick! I also work with kids and feel..."
I'm so happy Adira has joined.
I've barely started my channel so there's nothing to talk about :) but here is a link:
https://www.youtube.com/user/coveredi...
Hi, my name is Duane and I live in Kentucky. I'm retired and love to read and I've been focusing on award winners. I'm especially interested in catching up on Man Booker and National Book Award winners. But I read in every genre including YA, fantasy, historical fiction; anything as long as it is well written.
Hey, Duane, welcome! I'm like you and read pretty much anything if its interesting. Glad you found this group!
Hi! I'm Michelle and I live in the Washington, DC area -- just came back to the US a year ago after 15 years of living all over Asia, and haven't yet found a real life book club. I love classics and always enjoy books more if I can talk about them while I'm reading them. Besides a passion (obsession?) for reading, I like to hike and run. Looking forward to discussing great literature!
Hi all. I'm Laurie and I live in SW Washington. I love the Pacific NW but my heart will always be in Canada, where I was born and raised. My personal reading goals include reading the Booker winners and the Giller winners as well. The Remains of the Day is one of my all-time favourites and I am sad to have missed the discussion here.Favourite authors include many already mentioned - Munro, Atwood, Robertson Davies. Hilary Mantel, Ishiguro of course. I'm reading Gilead right now and really loving it.
I'm excited about this group and hope to be an active member. I'm starting an MS next week so hopefully I can keep up!
Mod
Hi all. I am Kathy, retired high school mathematics teacher, farm with my husband. From Idaho -- love the outdoor life here. Cycling, Sewing, & Reading are my favorite hobbies. Read many genres; history and fantasy are some of my favorites. Looking to add some great literature to my reading schedule.
Hello everybody, I am Nellie. I am from southern California where I live with my husband, two sons, and a dog. Although I love to read, the last eight years have almost entirely been given over to reading to and with my kids. I love doing this, but I'm looking forward to reading more of the books I like to read (esp. now that they're starting to read more on their own). I've always wanted to be in a book club that focuses on award winners in order to broaden my horizons. My favorite books are always changing. Recently I've enjoyed The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, East of Eden, and Too Much Happiness among others!
Hey, Michelle, Kathy and Nellie, welcome to the group! We're happy to have you with us. If you get a chance, nominate the NBCC award-winner that you would most like to read...but hurry, the noms close on the 26th. Welcome!
Hello, just found this group and joined since I do love a good discussion of literary fiction and I follow carefully most prize winners. This sometimes ends in bitter disappointment but occasionally something wonderful is discovered ! Hope to read with the group when I can and certainly contribute on discussions with books I have read.
PS I live in NZ
Hi! I'm Angie and I found this group due to my recent excitement over the annoucement of the 2014 Man Booker Prize Longlist. I look forward to expanding my reading of award winners with the group.My reading is varied, but I began reading more literary fiction with this year's Tournament of Books and I've continued to read 2014 literary releases in an attempt to be more prepared for next year's tournament. Along the way I've fallen in love with literary fiction as a whole.
I'm not sure I want to be trapped in an elevator with anyone... a good book would probably be the best company of me. I will admit that if I were stuck on a desert island I'd like to have a copy of Haruki Murakami's The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Maybe then I'd have the time to fully contemplate what was really going on at the bottom of that well :)
I currently live in Philadelphia, but plan to move back to the South (Memphis) in the next couple of months.
Hi Tamara, Jay et al, I'm Heather. I live in Alberta and work at a University. The author I'd like to be stuck in an elevator with? Hmmm, have to be a big elevator. Dostoyevsky, because of The Idiot; Neil Gaiman because of The Ocean at the End of the Lane and his contributions to Dr. Who; Ann Marie Macdonald for The Way the Crow Flies; Margaret Atwood for her feminist social justice environmentalism; Gabriel Garcia Marquez because of the magic of his imagination; Marion Zimmer-Bradley for her feminisation of the Arthurian legends; Octavia Butler for her prescience and affection for gardeners; Clive Staples Lewis, just so I could rebuke him for ruining a beautiful adventure with Christian allegory; Michael Ondaatje for In the Skin of the Lion; Jane Austen for her elegant, eloquent insults; Donna Haraway for her blending of science, technology and humanism (actually, I've had dinner with her); Michel Foucault because he re-shaped everything we think we know; George Chatwin for every evocative paragraph; George Eliot because she's kick-ass... there are so many!
I don't have a crush on a literary character, but Dawsey of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows) is pretty close to perfect, and much realer than Mr. Darcy.
I've just finished a little known Canadian example of magical realism - Robert Krotsch's What the Crow Said, and am starting on Eleanor Catton's The Luminaries.
Angie wrote: "Hi! I'm Angie and I found this group due to my recent excitement over the announcement of the 2014 Man Booker Prize Longlist. I look forward to expanding my reading of award winners with the group..."Me too Angie. I've set myself the (possibly unobtainable) goal of reading the 2014 Man Booker long list. Is that what you are thinking of doing too?
Mod
Angie, I would too like plenty of time to figure out what was going on at the bottom of that well! Murakami is a genius, IMO.
Trudie, I totally agree with you. Sometimes award winners are SO disappointing but sometimes they are so rewarding! It's worth reading them to find out which way the pendulum will swing for me.
NCW, I am about to enter into the opposite way of reading! I'm expecting my first little one this fall and am trying to get as many books in as I can before the arrival because I know for quite a few years I'll probably be reading mostly children's books. It will be nice to revisit some of my favorites though. :)
HYL, that is quite a list of authors to be stuck in an elevator with and I LOVE it! Have you read any other Gaiman. He's one of my favorites that I'm trying to pace out reading so I don't end up with nothing left.
Tamara wrote: "Hi Adira! Your channel looks awesome. I had NO IDEA Kamil had a youtube channel. He's been holding out on us. I hope you enjoy our selections and our group!Hi Rick! I also work with kids and feel..."
Oh, I hope you aren't too too disappointed by the Roth series. I took the time to read them and was really not pleased. I've reviewed Allegiant on GR and explained why I don't think it's worth the trouble. Have fun with the kids' fiction, though. A lot of it is really REALLY good.
Hi all,I'm Melinda, and I am a readaholic/bookaholic. I live near San Francisco, the beautiful city by the bay.
Great to be part of this group. Love connecting with others sharing my passion and taste in books. Looking forward to discussing books and making friends along the way. You already know I'm a reader, my other interests - blogging, writing, exercise, travel. Adore animals, mom to the sweetest dog ever. I'm a vegan but go ahead and bite into your steak...I'm cool. I'm a mom to an adult son, still trying to wrap my head around my son's age - years passed at warped speed. I'm super nice so stop by and say hello, or if you wanna know more just ask. Thank you for allowing me to be part of this awesome group.
Huge fan of Russian lit, fav female author Nawal El Saadawi her feminist views rock. Crushing on Salman Rushdie his words make me swoon. If I were on a deserted island....anything from NYRB classics - entertaining, cerebral never failing to surprise me.
Don't really post my reviews on GR any longer, I post them on my blogs, but I do enjoy discussing just about anything pertaining to the written word.
There ya go...this is me :D
It was nice meeting you all - if ever so briefly. I have decided that this forum is not ideal for me. G'bye.
HyL wrote: "I've set myself the (possibly unobtainable) goal of reading the 2014 Man Booker long list. Is that what you are thinking of doing too?"HyL, I don't think I'll be doing that, but I support your goal. That said, I do plan to read many of the books on the longlist. See my SHELF to see what I plan to read. Next up The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
Hi, Melinda, great to have you here with us! HyL, anytime we're reading one that fancies you, come on back!
Hi All! I'm Jackie and pleased to be joining you from Cape Town, South Africa. My husband is also an avid reader, but if I mention that a book is so good it won an award, he will refuse to read it - he just doesn't understand.
I belong to a book club that meets monthly and I love the whole Goodreads sharing community thing, but this group will reinforce my intention to enjoy more of the prize winners. I see from the discussions there are so many good ones I have yet to read. So many books, so little time..... sigh! I'm a stay-at-home mom, with one chick having flown and 2 others old enough to look after themselves, so I'm one of those fortunate people who can pick up a book (or the e-reader) pretty much whenever I feel like it, instead of doing what I should be doing - the house hasn't fallen down due to lack of cleaning!
I can't think of only one old favourite to take to a deserted island to read over and over. There are so many new releases; I would rather like access to the internet to get my hands on all the yet-to-be-read potential gems! Of my recent reads there are a few I have really enjoyed: Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies made me feel like I was really there at that time; can't wait for the next in the trilogy. I was absolutely amazed by The Luminaries and thoroughly enjoyed how it was written; how the structure of the parts, chapters, the number of pages in each, and how each character played a role that ties in with the astrological theme of the book - must have taken some heavy planning to design - very clever.
We have recently brought Let the Great World Spin into our book club. I'm hoping to get hold of it at our next monthly meeting, so I can read along with this group.
Thanks for letting me join. I'm looking forward to making some new book buddies. :-)
Literary Award Winners Fiction Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Black Lamb and Grey Falcon (other topics)The Return of the Soldier (other topics)
Lila (other topics)
The Road (other topics)
Wolf Hall (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Richard Flanagan (other topics)Haruki Murakami (other topics)
