OPEN - SPOTLIGHT - PRESIDENTIAL SERIES - INTRODUCTION - UNREASONABLE MEN (Spoiler Thread)

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

All - please now take yourselves to the Week One thread and introduce yourself to your fellow readers. Also try your hand at some of the preliminary discussion questions so that we begin knowing each other and understanding where everyone is coming from (their "frame of reference").

You can check back later in the discussion and see how your views have expanded, changed, or stayed the same. It is always interesting how far you have come and the impact that the discussion has on you or not.

THIS IS THE POST ON THE WEEK ONE THREAD. - HERE IS THE LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

PROCEED TO THE WEEK ONE THREAD.

All, I am opening this thread as a way for all recipients of the free book offer to post a brief intro here for your fellow readers of Unreasonable Men - introduce yourself and indicate why you are interested in reading and discussing this book and tell us a little bit about yourself - where you are from and anything else you would like to share.

That way your fellow readers will get to know you "before we start posting about the book" and they feel comfortable interacting with you on these threads.

Remember Michael Wolraich will be joining us so please make sure to follow the reading schedule weekly and stay within that week's reading assignment - it makes it a very enjoyable reading and discussion experience that way if you do not get ahead. By the way, Michael Wolraich has already been posting on the Q&A thread so please make sure to pop over and post some of your questions there as well.

Here is the link to the Q&A thread with Michael: (pop over there throughout the discussion and ask him any questions that you might have).

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Everyone has received their books.

Remember follow the schedule. And don't read ahead. Just read your required pages for the week and post and discuss.

Have another book in the background to pick up so you do not get ahead on this one.

We are delighted to have Michael Wolraich with us.

So right now just post your intro etc. and say hello.

We will open the discussion to the book itself on April 11th - no earlier and no later.

Right now only introduce yourself here.

I. Hi I am xyz and from abc. I love history because of d and I am interested in this book and progressive politics and Theodore Roosevelt in general because of f. Or state what you are interested in if not the former.

Also try your hand at these pre discussion questions.

2. Tell us what you know about Theodore Roosevelt and Robert Marion La Follette before reading this book.

3. What does progressive politics mean to you? Prior to reading this book?

4. What do you think of the state of congress and government today? Are you pleased with the performance of both bodies of government? Why or why not? How do you feel about politics in general? Are you pleased with the executive branch and the judiciary? Be civil and respectful but share your perspective if you can. This is not a thread to discuss the primaries in depth or your favorite candidate. In the Presidential Series folder - we do have threads where you can discuss that topic in depth. However, this thread is not that place.

For those who want to discuss the 2016 primary season (in depth) - please go to this thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

5. How involved are you in the primary season this election cycle? Are there "progressive candidates" running this time? Who do you think the progressive candidates are in your viewpoint and who are the conservatives? Or are there other labels or categories that current candidates fall into?

6. What are the chances of "contested conventions'? How successful do you think these conventions will be?

7. Do you think that politics and primaries in general are too acrimonious? Do you believe that these primaries and this election cycle are unique or do you think that it is more acrimonious today than in the past? Or is this more of the same or do you feel that politics has always had acrimonious cycles? Why or why not?

8. What surprised you the most about Theodore Roosevelt and La Follette in Chapter One?

Let us try to think about some of these answers before we begin our discussion and reading of the book to see if your impressions change after that or will they remain the same. Let us check back and find out.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

All recipients of book offer and others reading the book on their own - we are open on the week one thread - please post your introductions and your responses to the preliminary questions over the weekend and on Monday we begin.

Only seven of the recipients out of 52 have begun so that means that there are 39 of you who need to head over to the Week One thread. We begin with the Preface on Monday April 11th.

Link to week one thread:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Make sure to head over to the Week One Thread - it is open.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Update:

All recipients of book offer and others reading the book on their own - we are open on the week one thread - please post your introductions and your responses to the preliminary questions over the weekend and on Monday we begin.

41 of the recipients out of 52 have begun so that means that there are 11 of you who need to head over to the Week One thread. We already started on April 11th so you are late (smile).

Link to week one thread:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Have not posted on Week One thread: (if this is in error - please let Bentley know)

1. Jack Tappe - sent PM
4. obs20 (Gary) - sent PM
5. Alice D - sent PM
8. Kristie Webber - sent PM
9. Nathan Chadwick - sent PM
10. Cosmic - sent PM
11. Lewis S - sent PM
12. Paul Wilson - sent PM
13. Laura Reed - sent PM
15. Steven McCarthy - sent PM
16. Mary Bronson - Tennessee - sent PM
17. Michael F - DC - sent PM
18. Karen L - Arkansas - sent PM
19. Harold Jones - sent PM

[Gary]

Initially I thought this book was new and since I have completed two-thirds of the Edmund Morris trilogy, I'm not sure how interesting this book will be. However I started reading it tonight to see if there's anything new to be discovered.

[Karen]

It's a lot like the political atmosphere of today!

[Gary]

In addition to my earlier comment, I gather this book is attempting to make a comparison between 1904 and 2016 republican conventions. In that vain, I see Trump as the new Roosevelt with drive towards to the nomination without the need of powerful friends with money. We shall see.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Karen and Gary - please proceed to the Week One thread -

Link to week one thread:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Respond to message 5 which was posted a long time ago asking for you to introduce yourself and also to respond to the preliminary discussion questions. Once you do both - the intro and the response to message 5 questions - at the very least folks will know who you are and they will start interacting with you feeling safe that you have introduced yourself, etc. Additionally, the preliminary questions are fun and easy to respond to.

The t's and c's that you agreed to - stated that you would read and discuss the book with the group - posting on the weekly threads, ask a question or two of the author (there is a Q&A thread set up for that) and finally do a brief review of the book with your own personal rating and post that at the end on the Book as a Whole thread. These steps do not take much time and are a lot of fun when you actively participate and follow them.

If you respond to message 5 - you have minimally followed the t's and c's for that thread. On Monday - proceed to Week Two and start posting.

Thank you for posting here but this is not doing much good posting on the introduction thread. All of your fellow recipients are long gone and contributing and interacting on the Week One thread all week.

See you there. As far as discussing the book here Gary and saying that you are not sure how interesting this book will be - the book is a big hit so far and you were placed on the list because you agreed to the t's and c's. To be eligible for any other book offers - you do have to follow the t's and c's. It is minimal time and you get to discuss a book with the author who is making himself available to all of you and you can have a great discussion at the same time.

There is a syllabus Gary - please follow it. The Week One assignment was the Preface and Chapter One - next Week's assignment is Chapter Two. This is a very leisurely discussion and read and this is a great opportunity for our group members. If you cannot abide by the t's and c's = then I am not sure what to tell you but that will make you ineligible for future offers and I would hate for that to happen. The publisher has been very generous and our group members appreciate that generosity and enjoy the discussions.

Do not post anything else here - I have posted the links to the Week One thread.

Thanks for your cooperation in advance.

This is our posted criteria for book offers:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Karen wrote: "It's a lot like the political atmosphere of today!"

Karen, please proceed to the Week One thread and introduce yourself and respond to the preliminary discussion questions. On Monday proceed to the Week Two thread and participate there. Then you will be back on track with everybody else. If you do not read, post and discuss which are the t's and c's - you will not be eligible for any future free book offers. It does not take too much time and it is great fun. You can get back on track very fast but you need to post on the Week One thread and respond to message 5 minimally introducing yourself there. Of course, it is up to you but these are the t's and c's you stated that you would do. Hope to see you there and hope to read your posts. Posting on the introduction thread is not doing you any good because everyone is on the Week One thread right now - I gave you the correct links in the PM. Happy reading.

Link to week one thread:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

This is our posted criteria for book offers:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Folks who have participated on Week One or Week Two thread (as of Tuesday April 19th)

Bentley
Jill
Christopher for Southern Cal
Tomi
Nita
Peter
Teri
Holly
Hana
Nick
Mark
Francie
Lorna
Vincent
Betty
Mary from SC
Rachel
Jovita
Jordan
Michael
Savannah
John
Kressel
David
Simonetta
Jason
Pamela
Rhonda
Bryan
Teresa
Jim from Michigan
Glynn
Lacey from Mississippi
Kacy
Helga
Ann D from Nebraska
Robyn from New Mexico
Robin - second Robin
Mary Ellen
Steve D
Jan from So Cal
Jason P
Gary from Penn
Mike M
Laura R
Alice
Jack from Hawaii
Mary Bronson from Tennessee
Nathan C
Paul W

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Recipients of book offer - If you are among the few who has gotten the book and you have not posted on the Week One thread nor even answered and posted responses to the preliminary questions; I have PMed you to find out when you will be ready to begin and follow the t's and c's; or if you need some help - we are providing the links to the specific threads themselves.

Please make sure to go to the Week one thread and on Monday, the 18th, you will need to go to the Week Two thread as well.

You need to be part of the discussion. This is just a friendly reminder - we know that life gets in the way of the best intentions (smile). We do look forward to hearing your ideas and reading your posts. Remember this is a great opportunity to converse with the author who has been part of the discussion thus far.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

The follow free book offer recipients have not posted on the Week One or Week Two thread: (if this is in error - please let Bentley know)

4. obs20 - sent PM
8. Kristie Webber - sent PM
10. Cosmic - sent PM
11. Lewis S - sent PM
15. Steven McCarthy - sent PM
17. Michael F - DC - sent PM
18. Karen L - Arkansas - sent PM
19. Harold Jones - sent PM

This is our posted criteria for book offers:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

All, we have some spoiler threads which I want you to be aware of because they can be a great help to you while reading the book:

a) We have the Weekly Non Spoiler threads - we open them up every week and we discuss the assigned reading for that week in depth - we have conversations on all of the people, events, laws, bills, etc. so please join in.

b) We have the Author’s Q&A thread (a spoiler thread) where you can ask Michael Wolraich any question you would like about his wonderful book - Unreasonable Men. This is an excellent opportunity for you and the author to interact. Please take advantage of it.

Here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

c) We have the Bibliography thread - a spoiler thread - where we have listed and cited all of the books, articles and research material that Michael Wolraich has listed as research materials for his book. This is a wonderful list of other books and research material worth reading and looking at. Also if you have ancillary books and articles to add - this is the thread.

Here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

d) We have the Glossary thread - a spoiler thread - where every day the moderators are putting together formal glossary entries on all of the important personages, events, bills, etc. in the book. We add them chapter by chapter every day and they make very interesting reading. Also please if you have ancillary material that you would like to add - please feel free to add your material, links, etc on this thread. It goes without saying that there is no self promotion. But this is a very important and useful thread for our readers. Please take advantage of this thread and use it often.

Here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

e) We have the Table of Contents and Syllabus thread which is a spoiler thread and where you can find the layout of the book itself and its chapters and pagination. You also can find the timeline and reading schedule for the book itself.

This is an important thread and here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

f) We have a thread showing samples of citations and how to do them. This could be very helpful to you.
Here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
or if you need more detailed help:

Here is the link to the Mechanics of the Board thread - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

g) If you are confused about what to do next or how to jump into the conversation - this is the thread for you - What Do I Do Next?

Here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

h) If you are reader or group member who has not yet started the book and would like to read the reviews and watch the videos and the media regarding the book and its author - by all means go to the Introduction thread and read and watch what is there. There are a lot of links and reviews added.

Here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

i) If you are interested in free book offers coming up and you want to find out what the criteria is for being considered and what are your responsibilities - then please by all means visit this thread which maps out our criteria and process:

Here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

j) If you shy and would like to learn how to jump into a discussion and read like an historian - by all means visit this thread - How to Jump Into Discussions

Here is the link:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

k) At the end of our discussion we will ask all readers and all recipients of the free book offer to review the book briefly and also to give their independent rating - this is part of the t’s and c’s - here is the link to the Book as a Whole and Final thoughts thread which will be opened up at the end of the discussion - this is of course a spoiler thread.
Here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Ineligible for future book offers: - we will still consider you but after all other requestors have been filled

Have Not Posted even on the Week One Thread

10. Cosmic - sent PM
15. Steven McCarthy - sent PM
17. Michael F - DC - sent PM
18. Karen L - Arkansas - sent PM
19. Harold Jones - sent PM

Folks if you are among the five above - it is never too late to get caught up and post. Let me know if there is a problem and I will then take you off of the ineligible list.