Book selection for January 2019

[Sheri]

Hi everyone, here's a thread for selecting the new book for re-starting the book club for the new year.

I have some requests:

1) Please keep it fiction for this round. The last four selections have all been some variety of nonfiction, I'd like to mix it up a little!

2) Please suggest one book at a time, with a reason for why you think we should read it. It doesn't have to be a book you have read yet, but explain why you want to read it. If you're using the desktop, linking the book title to the goodreads page would be helpful, so people can easily read the descriptions. You can suggest more than one book, but make sure each has a reason why you suggest it, and they're clearly separated either with separate posts or in distinct paragraphs within the same post.

3) If someone recommended your book already, you can "vote" for it by saying you also recommend it, and you can add your own reasons if they differ from the ones originally listed. Books that seem most popular I'll gather into a poll for official voting.

I'm not going to set an exact timeframe, it'll partially depend on how busy I am and when I can set a poll up etc. But I do want there to be more than one or two suggestions, so I'll probably keep it open until there's a decent selection of options.

Thanks everyone! Let's pick some books!

[Sheri]

Since Ursula K Le Guin died in 2018, I think it'd be great to read something of hers. So I would like to recommend The Left Hand of Darkness. It's one of her most famous books, and is known as a sci-fi staple. I have read it before, but it has been a while, I'd love to revisit.

If people would rather go fantasy, I'd also go with A Wizard of Earthsea. It's also a staple of fantasy, and again one she's very well known for. It's a bit more YA, but still very good.

[Susan]

I'm game for one of those. I think it would be great to read something of hers. And reading a fiction book would be a change.

[Stephanie]

I've got the Earthsea books on my TBR list for this year, but I could also be easily persuaded to read The Left Hand of Darknesses. So, I'd vote for either one of these!

[Alexa]

The Popsugar Reading Challenge for 2019 was put up today! Maybe we can pick books that will fit the prompts?
https://www.popsugar.com/entertainmen...

[Lauren]

I just happen to find The Left Hand of Darkness at my tiny local library. I checked it out thanks to this group! I had never heard of it before. :)

[Sheri]

I’ll still send out a message to the whole group next week to see if we can get additional selections, but if there’s a strong consensus I’m cool with just setting left hand of darkness as our book.

As far as popsugar goes, it’s set on the planet Winter, and the weather is icy. Could probably count as a winter book read in winter. Also could be for a past years prompt, book set on another planet. The rest are probably subjective. You might think it should be made into a movie. I’m sure celebrities have recommended it, but whether they’re admirable is subjective, etc.

[Larissa]

I've never read anything by Ursula LeGuin and would like to. I like either science fiction or fantasy, so either is OK with me.

[Jules]

I don't think I have read anything by Ursula LeGuin, and I know EarthSea in somewhere in the TBR list, so I'm fine with either by her :)

[Sarah]

I like this idea as well. I’ve read EarthSea, but not Left Hand of Darkness, however both would be excellent choices. Hopefully I’ll be successful at being much more social with this group this year, too.

[Jennifer]

I never got involved much here last year, in spite of my best intentions. I’d love to read any of her books but didn’t know where to start, so I’m in for either one. One of the challenges I’ve set for myself this year is to read more “classic” science fiction and fantasy to explore the origins of the genre.

[April]

I didn't enjoy Earthsea (I know, I'm very much in the minority on that one) but I'm game to try Left Hand of Darkness.

[Alia]

The best book I read in 2018 was without a doubt The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon. Her characterization of the protagonist was so incredible it prompted me to check out one of her SF series, Vatta's War which I am devouring. I've given the Speed of Dark as a gift numerous times over the holidays and everyone just adores it

[Jessica]

I like the Ursula Le Guin suggestions.

I would also like to throw out Circe by Madeline Miller to read sometime this year.

I’m also on board with books that would count toward pop sugar or read harder challenges.

I am still trying to complete last years read harder.

[Susie]

Alexa wrote: "The Popsugar Reading Challenge for 2019 was put up today! Maybe we can pick books that will fit the prompts?
https://www.popsugar.com/entertainmen..." I like this idea. I always have problems deciding whether a book fits a prompt or not.

[Elspeth]

One of my goals this year is to be more active here and oh maybe read (got through one book, besides comics)

I like the Ursula Le Guin suggestion. Would love to try Left Hand of Darkness

I would also suggest The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg and Uprooted by Naomi Novik.

Both fantasy (my preferred subject). I have had Uprooted for a while and have good things about The Paper Magician

[Megan]

I’m so glad the book club will be back for 2019! I read the Left Hand of Darkness with my IRL book club a couple years ago, and we were all sort of meh on it - but I would love to hear other thoughts from all of you here if that’s what you choose!

As a suggestion for another book for next time, I’ve had A Line in the Dark by Malinda Lo (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...) on my list for ages now - Malinda is a fabulous writer and appears frequently in short story collections, but I’ve never read one of her full-length novels.

[Sheri]

For those just looking to read more Ursula K Le Guin in general, The Dispossessed is only 2 bucks for kindle right now, at least for those in the US. https://www.amazon.com/Dispossessed-A... (I don't object to people selecting the dispossessed, just it has't been specifically mentioned yet)

[Sheri]

Megan, I'm still going to put out a poll next week. :) Not-Ursula suggestions are still welcome. If anyone sees other suggestions they're liking, feel free to add support to those as well.

[Holly]

Sheri wrote: "Since Ursula K Le Guin died in 2018, I think it'd be great to read something of hers. So I would like to recommend The Left Hand of Darkness. It's one of her most famous books, and is ..."

I just found a beautifully illustrated (by Dave McKean!) version of Wizard of Earthsea that I plan to start reading soon, so I second that suggestion =o)

[Megan]

Uprooted is also on my list, and I have also heard good things about the Paper Magician - those would both get my vote!

[Daisy]

Oooo I’m new to GR and didn’t know we have a FoE book club here!
I’ve been meaning to read Earthsea for about 10 years so I would love an excuse to!

[Sarah]

April wrote: "I didn't enjoy Earthsea (I know, I'm very much in the minority on that one) but I'm game to try Left Hand of Darkness."
I'm in that minority, too, but I'm always game to try a new book.

Any other R.S. Belcher fans in the group? I think "The Brotherhood of the Wheel" is my favorite so far, but I've enjoyed all of his books so I'd like to add him to our possibles list.

[Katie]

I read the left hand of darkness in university (a million years ago) but would happily revisit it. Some other suggestions from my tbr list - the memory box by Eva Lesko Natiello, the clockmakers daughter bu Kate Morton, or the vanderbeekers of 141st street by Karina Yan Glaser

[Sheri]

There seems to be a very large support for some Ursula K LeGuin, so for this round I'm just going to go ahead and limit the choices to either Left Hand of Darkness, or A Wizard of Earthsea. Please keep note of those other suggestions, we can put those forward again for the next round, probably in late march/early April.

Here is a link to the poll!
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

I'm also going to send out a message with the link, so those not following this thread will see it too.

[Sheri]

I sent out a group message, but in case people missed it, The Left Hand of Darkness won!

Over in FoE, someone posted this article which I thought was lovely, and relevant.

https://granta.com/her-left-hand-the-...