Voting May BOTM 2018

[Kristel]

It's time to vote for May BOTM. We are selecting from Joao Guimaraes Rosa through Bernard Schlink.

All members will have 1 free vote. This month the second book will be chosen by the randomizer. Next auction will be held in May when we vote July books. and if you have enough participation points you may cast up to an additional 4 votes.

Participation points: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Please feel free to make comments about various books, try to persuade people to vote for your preferences or other comments pro or con. Have fun!

Here is the link to the survey monkey for voting. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JMCBHQ9

1. Love's Work: A Reckoning with Life - Gillian Rose 1995, 150 pages.

2. Call It Sleep - Henry Roth, 1934, 450 pages.

3. The Radetzky March - Joseph Roth, 1932, 350 pages. (This was read in 2016 but not as a BOTM)

4. Portnoy's Complaint - Philip Roth, 1969, 250 pages.

5. The Breast - Philip Roth, 1972, 100 pages.

6. Operation Shylock: A Confession - Philip Roth, 1993, 400 pages.

7. American Pastoral - Philip Roth, 1997, 400 pages.

8. The Human Stain - Philip Roth, 2000, 350 pages.

9. The Plot Against America - Philip Roth, 2004, 400 pages.

10. Nemesis - Philip Roth, 2010, 300 pages.

11. Reveries of the Solitary Walker - Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1782, 100 pages.

12. Confessions - Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1782, 450 pages.

13. Impressions of Africa - Raymond Roussel, 1910, 250 pages.

14. Locus Solus - Raymond Roussel, 1914, 250 pages.

15. The Tin Flute - Gabrielle Roy, 1945, 400 pages.

16. The Burning Plain and Other Stories - Juan Rulfo, 1965, 200 pages.

17. Grimus - Salman Rushdie, 1975, 300 pages.

18. Shame - Salman Rushdie, 1983, 300 pages.

19. The Satanic Verses - Salman Rushdie, 1988, 550 pages.

20. The Moor's Last Sigh - Salman Rushdie, 1995, 450 pages.

21. The Ground Beneath Her Feet - Salman Rushdie, 1999, 576 pages.

22. Fury - Salman Rushdie, 2001, 250 pages.

23. The Deadbeats - Ward Ruyslinck, 1957, 100 pages.

24. Rashomon - Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, 1915, 100 pages.

25. The Witness - Juan José Saer, 1983, 200 pages.

26. Contact - Carl Sagan, 1985, 450 pages.

27. Bonjour tristesse - Françoise Sagan, 1954, 150 pages.

28. Sandokan: The Tigers of Mompracem - Emilio Salgari, 1900, 300 pages.

29. The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger, 1951, 300 pages.

30. Franny and Zooey - J.D. Salinger, 1961, 200 pages.

31. The Devil's Pool and Other Stories - George Sand. 1845, 200 pages.

32. Alberta and Jacob - Cora Sandel, 1926, 250 pages.

33. Caín - José Saramago, 2011, 150 pages.

34. Baltasar and Blimunda - José Saramago, 1982, 350 pages.

35. The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis - José Saramago, 1984, 350 pages.

36. The History of the Siege of Lisbon - José Saramago, 1989, 300 pages.

37. The Double - José Saramago, 2002, 300 pages.

38. Facundo - Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, 1845, 300 pages.

39. Nausea - Jean-Paul Sartre, 1938, 200 pages.

40. Pastoralia - George Saunders, 2000, 200 pages.

41. The Reader - Bernhard Schlink, 1995, 200 pages.




Not included
The Devil to Pay in the Backlands, 650 pages
Sabbath's Theater, 850 pages
Julie, or the New Heloise, 750 pages
Emile or On Education, 800 pages
The God of Small Things, BOTM 2016
Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie, 1980, 550 pages. 2016 BOTM
Season of Migration to the North, BOTM 2016
Murder must Advertise and Nine Tailors were 2016 BOTM
The Swarm is 900 pages.


Wow, only 41 books this month. We had a lot that were omitted. Lots of good ones that I am interested in. Have fun! Thanks for your patience.

[Anita]

All in for Pastoralia!

[Melissa]

I’m leaning towards Contact by Carl Sagan which I have waiting on my shelf and The Breast which I just got with my book exchange group....so I know I’d at least read it and the next person in our book exchange loop.

[Melissa]

And Thank You for all your hard work Kristel!

[Kristel]

Anita wrote: "All in for Pastoralia!"

This is one that I am interested in.

[Diane]

I would love to read either The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis or The History of the Siege of Lisbon by José Saramago.

I would also like to read Bonjour tristesse, Franny and Zooey, or Alberta and Jacob.

[Kristel]

Diane wrote: "I would love to read either The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis or The History of the Siege of Lisbon by José Saramago.

I would also like to read [book:..." I also am very interested in reading a Saramago. I’ve read Bonjour Tristesse and Franny and Zooey.

[Leni]

Wow. I've only read "Catcher in the Rye". I have "Bonjour Tristesse" and "Nausea", so one of those would be good. But I wouldn't mind trying some Philip Roth. My library has "Nemesis" and "American Pastoral". I'd like to read some more Saramago too.

[Kristel]

Leni wrote: "Wow. I've only read "Catcher in the Rye". I have "Bonjour Tristesse" and "Nausea", so one of those would be good. But I wouldn't mind trying some Philip Roth. My library has "Nemesis" and "American..."

Leni wrote: "Wow. I've only read "Catcher in the Rye". I have "Bonjour Tristesse" and "Nausea", so one of those would be good. But I wouldn't mind trying some Philip Roth. My library has "Nemesis" and "American..."

I liked both Nemesis and American Pastoral. Some of Roth's better work. I have not read Catcher in the Rye.

[Dree]

I have read the Burning Plain and Catcher in the Rye.

I would be up for Franny and Zooey or Alberta and Jacob. And I would like the read The Reader because I have it.

I am not up for Saramago in May. It’s a always a busy month (and this year will be busier because I have a graduating high schooler!) and I struggle with his writing style.

[Pip]

I have read 15 good ones from this list. I am going to.plump for Sand. I haven't read anything of hers and the book is free on Project Gutenberg

[Kristel]

Pip wrote: "I have read 15 good ones from this list. I am going to.plump for Sand. I haven't read anything of hers and the book is free on Project Gutenberg" I thought that was a good option, too.

[Sushicat]

I need to give Roth another chance. American Pastoral looks good. I'd love to read Rashomon or Franny and Zooey.

[Liz M]

Alberta and Jacob is the best-looking one of the bunch. Or maybe one of the Saramagos that I own -- B&B or Year

[Hilde]

I am also interested in Alberta and Jacob. I read it once before as an assigned book in school, but I don't remember much of it.

[[deleted user]]

Available points to use for the vote :)

Name Available Points
Amie 6
Anita 24
Ann 5
Becky 14
BookWorm 27
Cafe Mom 48
Chili 31
Chinook 29
Claire 10
Daisey 35
Dan 6
Dianne 21
Dree 42
Gail 36
George 5
Hilde 21
Jamie B 36
Jenni 48
JenP 35
Kelly 72
Kristel 48
Leni 16
Liz M 13
Lynn 29
Mary Ann 12
Melissa 42
Paula S 26
Pip 51
Shuva 10
Suelizbeth 17
Sushicat 20
The Other Diane 82
The Other Jen 26
Tracy 25
Tricia 6

[Tatjana]

I would like to read Franny and Zooey.
I have read 9 from the list, but would not recommend The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis. For me it was so boring ;(

[Diane]

I have read The Radetzky March, American Pastoral, Rashomon, Bonjour Tristesse and Pastoralia.

Alberta and Jacob have been on my radar for a while. I might vote for that one. I wouldn't mind reading Franny and Zooey.

[Gail]

I would love to stay away from Philip Roth. I have read about half of the ones on the list and would not look forward to reading more right now, but I would be happy to read Pastoralia, The Devil's Pool or Franny and Zooey.

[Jen]

I will announce results on Sunday morning. So voting will be open through Saturday night

[Kristel]

I've read 11 of the books. Not sure which one to throw my votes at.

I have all the Saramago books so would be up to read any of those.
I have Pastoralia, so definitely up for that one.
I have Portnoy's Complaint but have not heard good things about it.
I have Fury by Rushdie.
So I think I will go with Pastoralia.

[Jen]

a Saramago would be great. I've already read Pastoralia so won't be voting for that one - I do love Saunders and recently attended a joint talk between him and Gawande Atul about their two respective books (Being Mortal and Lincoln in the Bardo). It was so good!

I did NOT like Portnoy's Complaint - pretty sure you won't like it Kristel.

[Dianne]

I'm going to go for Alberta and Jacob. I recently read it and Sandel is definitely a unique voice! Would be interesting to discuss.

[Tracy]

Portnoy’s Complaint was awful. I’m so glad Roth gets better with (his own) age- his more recent books are better.

I’ve only read one Saramago, and I’ve got them all. I’m going in for one of his.

[George P.]

I've read five of these- all of them US authors- but have seven in my (300 book) to-read list. Guess I'll go with The Burning Plain and Other Stories since it's the highest in my list. It has a 4.18 average rating on GR, very high, and friend Mia gave it five stars.

[Jamie]

I put in a vote for Alberta and Jacob too, since I have a copy my sister randomly gave me years ago that has been on my shelves languishing ever since. At under 300 pages it would be a nice change from the long ones I've been reading lately for the TBR challenge. I also put in a vote for The Plot Against America, since I keep meaning to read it. I just finished a sci-fi book that was also an alternate history, so the contrast might be interesting.