Feb 2013 Open Pick has been selected

[Daniel]

It's time to start nominating books for our February 2014 Open Pick group read. Everyone is allowed one nomination, but remember that eligible books must be works of fiction published from 2000-2014. Selections that are overly genre or fail to meet the group standards of literary quality will not be permitted in the final poll.

Nominations will wrap up late next week and the poll will run for about a week following. Happy nominating!

[Zulfiya]

The Son by Philipp Meyer. Let me know if you think this is too 'westerny' and if you think that it meets the group standards. It is considered one of the best books of 2013, and I really want to read it, but it might raise the question of being too genre-specific.

[Daniel]

Zulfiya wrote: "The Son by Philipp Meyer. Let me know if you think this is too 'westerny' and if you think that it meets the group standards. It is considered one of the best books ..."

I'm really, really, really excited to read that one, Zulfiya. Ecco is a very literary imprint, and Goodreads users are certainly classifying that novel as literary fiction. Just to be sure, though, we'll have a quick moderator huddle to come up with a firm answer.

[Zulfiya]

Thank you! I hope the verdict is 'literary enough':-)

[Hanne]

My nomination goes to Room. Heard so many amazing things about this book.

[Maurice]

I second "Room". Brilliantly written and more and more disturbing with each new case every year.

[Allen]

I nominate The Circle by Dave Eggers

[Casceil]

I thought I would put in a link for The Circle, but the "add book/author" function seems to have trouble finding it. The author is Dave Eggers. (Note spelling of last name.) Here is a link to the Amazon Kindle page for the book, which will at least give you more information about it. http://www.amazon.com/Circle-Dave-Egg...

[Lily]

Hanne wrote: "My nomination goes to Room. Heard so many amazing things about this book."

Room by Emma Donoghue (342 pp) is available today, Sunday, 1/5/2014, from Amazon as a Kindle Daily Special for $2.99.

(I've heard so much about the book that I did order myself a copy, even though I doubt it will be the choice for which I will vote next month.)

[Lily]

The Circle by Dave Eggers

506 pp

Is this the one we want, Casceil/Allen? (I suspect one of you must have contacted the Librarian group -- I do find them very responsive. Or Goodreads search went into one of its quirky states.)

[Casceil]

Good work, Lily!

[Allen]

Yes, that is the one. I wasn't thinking when I posted earlier about linking the description. Thanks, Lilly and Casceil :)

[Wanda]

Hello Everyone. I am new to the group. This group has read some amazing books and equally amazing discussions. I looked through the shelves and did not see this book was marked as read. I would like to nominate

[Daniel]

Zulfiya wrote: "Thank you! I hope the verdict is 'literary enough':-)"

I think the end of the holidays have left many of us - myself included - a little groggy in our response times, but I can now confirm that The Son by Philipp Meyer will run in the poll to select our February group read. Good luck!

[LindaJ^]

While I am eager to read and discuss The Son and The Circle, I am going to nominate The Crooked Maid by Dan Vyleta. It was shortlisted for the 2013 Scotiabank Giller Prize. I listened to the audible version and would like to reread in paper and discuss. The story begins in Vienna in 1942 and concerns the aftermath of WWII. I very much enjoyed how the major characters and their relationships were developed.

[Wendy]

I was having a hard time deciding, but I nominate The Orphan Master's Son after receiving my 3rd recommendation from a friend. I was told it is hard to stomach in parts but important and timely, and it has broader appeal than my other contender - My Notorious Life. Oh, and it won the Pulitzer for fiction in 2013.

[Susan]

Wendy wrote: "I was having a hard time deciding, but I nominate The Orphan Master's Son after receiving my 3rd recommendation from a friend. I was told it is hard to stomach in parts but importan..."

The Orphan Master's Son was the best book I read in 2013.
You will think about it for a long time afterward.

[Zulfiya]

Ditto, Sue.

[Wendy]

Sue wrote: "Wendy wrote: "I was having a hard time deciding, but I nominate The Orphan Master's Son after receiving my 3rd recommendation from a friend. I was told it is hard to stomach in part..."

Hmm...perhaps I need to just buy it rather than wait for it to come in at the library. Thanks ladies, either way I will be reading it soon!

[Susan]

Wendy wrote: "Sue wrote: "Wendy wrote: "I was having a hard time deciding, but I nominate The Orphan Master's Son after receiving my 3rd recommendation from a friend. I was told it is hard to sto..."I knew the essence of life in North Korea but not much of the history or geography. It really helped to read a brief summary of N. Korea on Wikipedia. Helped put the historical part of the book, The Orphan Master's Son, in perspective. My local book club had mixed reactions to the book. They either loved it or didn't get it.

[Daniel]

This nomination thread will be closing up tomorrow to prepare for the poll. If you have any last-minute nominations, be sure to get them up now!

[Daniel]

The poll is now officially over, and we can now declare that our Open Pick read for February 2014 will be:

The Circle by Dave Eggers

Be sure to grab your copy so you can join us in the discussion!