The Great American Read discussion
Nominations and Suggestions 2018
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Group Read Nominations - Closed

Looking for Alaska
The Joy Luck Club
Beloved
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
I haven't read any of the above titles.

Catcher in the rye
Don Quixote
The great Gatsby
The shack
I haven't read any of them, but I've started one

Handmaiden’s tale- have it
Looking for Alaska- have a copy
And then there were none-have a copy

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - I own this one
Dune - I'm halfway through this
The Book Thief - I've read this, but could totally read it again. It was lovely.
The Little Prince - It's short. That's helpful. :)

Catch-22
The Handmaid's Tale
Invisible Man
The Pillars of the Earth
The Book Thief

Picture of Dorian Gray (read in HS)
Looking for Alaska (never read)
Handmaid’s Tale (never read)
Alice in Wonderland (one of my faves and I would love to join a book club about it!)
Gone with the Wind (have always wanted to read it but never have—need some motivation for it!)
I won't count any changes made above, however you may "second" any books that you did not nominate.
1984 was selected early, so I stopped counting new noms for it.
Nomination tally - including post 28:
Looking for Alaska – 7
A Prayer for Owen Meany - 5 + 1second
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - 4
The Handmaid's Tale - 4
Gilead – 3 + 1second
The Book Thief - 3
Catch-22 – 3
Their Eyes Were Watching God -3
And Then There Were None -2
The Shack -2
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -2
Jurassic Park - 2
Beloved -1
Bless Me, Ultima -1
The Catcher in the Rye - 1
Gone with the Wind
Invisible Man
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Beloved - 1
Bless Me, Ultima - 1
The Catcher in the Rye - 1
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - 1
Don Quixote - 1
Dune - 1
Gone with the Wind - 1
The Great Gatsby - 1
Invisible Man -1
The Joy Luck Club - 1
The Little Prince - 1
The Picture of Dorian Gray - 1
The Pillars of the Earth - 1
Ready Player One -1
The Outsiders - 1
The Intuitionist - 2
The Coldest Winter Ever -1
Watership Down - 1
Where the Red Fern Grows – 1
Pride and Prejudice - 1
Books mentioned in other posts:
Americanah
Anne of Green Gables
Lonesome Dove
Things Fall Apart
Outlander
Ghost
Siddhartha
Separate Peace
The Help
The Notebook
To Kill a Mockingbird
--------------------
1984 was selected early, so I stopped counting new noms for it.
Nomination tally - including post 28:
Looking for Alaska – 7
A Prayer for Owen Meany - 5 + 1second
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - 4
The Handmaid's Tale - 4
Gilead – 3 + 1second
The Book Thief - 3
Catch-22 – 3
Their Eyes Were Watching God -3
And Then There Were None -2
The Shack -2
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -2
Jurassic Park - 2
Beloved -1
Bless Me, Ultima -1
The Catcher in the Rye - 1
Gone with the Wind
Invisible Man
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Beloved - 1
Bless Me, Ultima - 1
The Catcher in the Rye - 1
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - 1
Don Quixote - 1
Dune - 1
Gone with the Wind - 1
The Great Gatsby - 1
Invisible Man -1
The Joy Luck Club - 1
The Little Prince - 1
The Picture of Dorian Gray - 1
The Pillars of the Earth - 1
Ready Player One -1
The Outsiders - 1
The Intuitionist - 2
The Coldest Winter Ever -1
Watership Down - 1
Where the Red Fern Grows – 1
Pride and Prejudice - 1
Books mentioned in other posts:
Americanah
Anne of Green Gables
Lonesome Dove
Things Fall Apart
Outlander
Ghost
Siddhartha
Separate Peace
The Help
The Notebook
To Kill a Mockingbird
--------------------


Maggie wrote: "I've read 61 books on the list (some of them several times) so I wasn't planning on joining the group read of individual titles. However, Looking for Alaska would fit with my summer book discussion..."
OK I'll count those two as nominations.
OK I'll count those two as nominations.
Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ wrote: "Since there are only four books that were nominated and/or seconded more than twice, how about setting up a poll for those books and inviting all group members to vote?"
Yes, I think that makes the most sense going forward. I told everyone we'd pick the next book tomorrow based on nominations. If we still have two clear leaders, I'll schedule them both so people can get the books. Then we can use polls for future reads. I really wish I could create a poll that allows multiple choices, since many of us are open to reading a lot of the books on the list.
Yes, I think that makes the most sense going forward. I told everyone we'd pick the next book tomorrow based on nominations. If we still have two clear leaders, I'll schedule them both so people can get the books. Then we can use polls for future reads. I really wish I could create a poll that allows multiple choices, since many of us are open to reading a lot of the books on the list.

Jurassic Park
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Looking for Alaska

For this first nomination, please l..."
My first choice is Catch 22, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, A Prayer for Owen Meany. and Coldest Winter Ever

1984
Looking for Alaska
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
The Book Thief
Tasha wrote: "Since there are a lot of noms already, I'll just second a few:
I counted these as nominations since you didn't have any before.
I counted these as nominations since you didn't have any before.

1984
A Prayer for Owen Meany
Pride and Prejudice
Watership Down

A Confederacy of Dunces (have)
The Alchemist (have)
The Count of Monte Cristo (can get easily)
Crime and Punishment (can get easily)
Heart of Darkness (either have or can get easily)
Linda Abhors the New GR Design wrote: "Since the first one's been chosen, do I post here for the second?
.."
Sure, for now let's keep this thread up for all the new people. I'll take more nominations or seconds today and set up a poll soon.
.."
Sure, for now let's keep this thread up for all the new people. I'll take more nominations or seconds today and set up a poll soon.

Jane Eyre
Rebecca
A Separate Peace
Outlander
Siddhartha
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Notebook
Great Expectations
NancyJ Nomination tally - through post 54:
A Prayer for Owen Meany - 9
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - 6
The Handmaid's Tale - 5
Gilead - 5
The Book Thief - 3
Catch-22 – 3
Where the Red Fern Grows – 3
Their Eyes Were Watching God -3
Beloved -3
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - 3
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -2
And Then There Were None -2
Confederacy of Dunces -2
Gone with the Wind - 2
Gulliver's Travels - 2
Jurassic Park - 2
Pride and Prejudice - 2
Rebecca - 2
The Intuitionist - 2
The Joy Luck Club - 2
The Pillars of the Earth - 2
The Shack -2
Count of Monte Cristo - 2
Heart of Darkness -2
A Separate Peace -1
Bless Me, Ultima -1
Chronicles of Narnia - 1
Clan of the Cave Bear - 1
Crime and Punishment -1
Don Quixote - 1
Dune - 1
Invisible Man -1
Jane Eyre -1
Outlander -1
Ready Player One -1
The Alchemist -1
The Catcher in the Rye - 1
The Coldest Winter Ever -1
The Great Gatsby - 1
The Little Prince - 1
The Outsiders - 1
The Picture of Dorian Gray - 1
Wuthering Heights -1
Siddhartha - 1
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Notebook
Great Expectations
A Prayer for Owen Meany - 9
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - 6
The Handmaid's Tale - 5
Gilead - 5
The Book Thief - 3
Catch-22 – 3
Where the Red Fern Grows – 3
Their Eyes Were Watching God -3
Beloved -3
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - 3
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -2
And Then There Were None -2
Confederacy of Dunces -2
Gone with the Wind - 2
Gulliver's Travels - 2
Jurassic Park - 2
Pride and Prejudice - 2
Rebecca - 2
The Intuitionist - 2
The Joy Luck Club - 2
The Pillars of the Earth - 2
The Shack -2
Count of Monte Cristo - 2
Heart of Darkness -2
A Separate Peace -1
Bless Me, Ultima -1
Chronicles of Narnia - 1
Clan of the Cave Bear - 1
Crime and Punishment -1
Don Quixote - 1
Dune - 1
Invisible Man -1
Jane Eyre -1
Outlander -1
Ready Player One -1
The Alchemist -1
The Catcher in the Rye - 1
The Coldest Winter Ever -1
The Great Gatsby - 1
The Little Prince - 1
The Outsiders - 1
The Picture of Dorian Gray - 1
Wuthering Heights -1
Siddhartha - 1
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Notebook
Great Expectations

Beloved
Where the Red Fern Grows
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
The Pillars of the Earth

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1775-1817). I think I have it on my Read list, but I may merely have seen the movie. I have it in a Barnes & Noble omnibus Jane Austen: Seven Novels.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (1899-1963)
The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel (born 1936)
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (born 1962)
Jim

On the PBS site, I don't see Watership Down on the list (though I liked reading it when I was younger)


Agreed, but the popular vote rules here. I'm a bit of a lit snob and wouldn't have chosen about 10 of these books for a "greatest" list. But I've come to see the project as more of an extension of what Oprah did years ago, which is to get people who don't read a lot to read. And if that means pop fiction, or the work of a great that may not be their best work, so be it.
My older brother gave me his to read, as well as the LOTR series. I do remember that it took me a while to read it. But I didn't dislike it at all.

A Confederacy of Dunces (I own a copy)
The Alchemist (I own a copy)
The Count of Monte Cristo (I can easily get a copy)
Heart of Darkness (I can easily get a copy)
Gulliver's Travels (I can easily get a copy)
Linda Abhors the New GR Design wrote: "Okay, I had posted my votes on another thread...........so here goes again:
A Confederacy of Dunces (I own a copy)
The Alchemist (I own a copy)
[book:The Count of Monte Cri..."
Linda, you posted on this thread, and it was counted in the last tally update. If you want me to use this one instead, let me know (but don't edit the other one). Thanks.
A Confederacy of Dunces (I own a copy)
The Alchemist (I own a copy)
[book:The Count of Monte Cri..."
Linda, you posted on this thread, and it was counted in the last tally update. If you want me to use this one instead, let me know (but don't edit the other one). Thanks.


I think we are going to become good friends, Linda.

(Not a vote, but I'm reading the Gilead trilogy on my own, and I just finished Gilead. My life is a bit crazy, so maybe I'm primed, but.. I cried through the whole thing. I literally sobbed, and it's so beautiful, so moving, so personal - also I'm an atheist, so I'm sort of shocked. Can't wait to start Home, but I have to get a couple library books back first.)

To go on, I'd like to second Gulliver's Travels. I read it as a child and would love to come back to it and see how I perceive it now.

A Confederacy of Dunces (I own a copy)
The Alchemist (I o..."
Ah!
I see..........since my post wasn't there, I thought I'd placed it somewhere else! Got it, thanks!
Books mentioned in this topic
A Prayer for Owen Meany (other topics)East of Eden (other topics)
Watership Down (other topics)
The Alchemist (other topics)
A Confederacy of Dunces (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
John Steinbeck (other topics)John Steinbeck (other topics)
Jane Austen (other topics)
C.S. Lewis (other topics)
Jean M. Auel (other topics)
More...
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Let's decide what to read first (and second..)! We'll start with a loose process, and add structure, polls, etc. as needed. I'll pick the first book by Friday.
For this first nomination, please list the books that you are MOST interested in reading with the group in the next 4-5 weeks. Mention if you already have the book or just started it.
You can nominate up to five books. You can also second books mentioned by other people, if you're really interested.