Sunday Conversation Topic - 3/3/19

[Jason]

Who are your favorite male leads in literature? Who are your favorite lady's man? Your favorite man's man?

[Amy]

Such a good question! Requires thought. Funny how my television series answers emerge immediately.

[Joanne]

I have to think a little bit myself, but right off the top of my head my favorite manly men are definitely Gabriel Allon from Daniel Silva 's series, and then of course there is Mitch Rapp created by Vince Flynn.

For lady's man, have to go with Rhett Butler

On a lazy Sunday you have given me something to think about....I shall return😁

[Theresa]

I am caught up in the Athena Film Festival at Barnard College, so my head is squarely in films right now. Will return to this when head clear.

[Joanne]

In fantasy land some of greatest characters are Captain Whiskey Jack and his band of Bridge-Burners fromThe Complete Malazan Book of the Fallen-I would not call them literary though....😁

[Jgrace]

Count Alexander Rostov, A Gentleman in Moscow, has been my favorite heartthrob for the past 3 years.

And then there are those Musketeers. They seem to be both ladies' men and men's men. I'm still working my way through that book, Jason.

[Karin]

Well, since I don't actually have a favourite anything, I simply resort to the novel(s) I have read most often. By this method alone, I will have to say Fitzwilliam D'Arcy as portrayed by David Rintoul--yes, that's how I picture him every time I read the book. I really can't answer the other ones because I don't have a way to measure that.

Personal aside ;) Why do people always want to ask what is my favourite...???

[annapi]

Lady's men - Roarke and Jamie Fraser. Man's man, not sure how exactly to define, but I would venture Harry Bosch. Or maybe Harry Dresden?

[KateNZ]

Among my favourite guys: Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin from the Patrick O’Brien books. Richard Bolitho (Alexander Kent). Richard Sharpe (Bernard Cornwell’s series). Lord Peter Wimsey. Miles Vorkosigan. Joining in with the Roarke and Jamie Fraser fan club...

[Amy]

I would second the Count. Count Rostov. I just fell in love with him! But I’d need to think on this one a little more.

[Book Concierge]

My favorite male lead is Atticus Finch ... a man with integrity and courage, a good father, a trusted friend, and a man who treats everyone with kindness.

[Jason]

annapi wrote: "Lady's men - Roarke and Jamie Fraser. Man's man, not sure how exactly to define, but I would venture Harry Bosch. Or maybe Harry Dresden?"

Annapi, to me a man's man is someone that is your stereotypical definition of a man and what other men aspire to be. A lady's man can also be a man's man.

[annapi]

I used this definition I found by googling:

a man's man
noun: man's man
a man who is more popular and at ease with other men than with women.

But by your definition, most definitely Roarke and Jamie are on the list too!

[Jason]

My list of Lady's Men and Men's Men.

Both:
Porthos - The Three Musketeers
Rhett Butler - Gone with the Wind
James Bond - Bond Series

Man's Man:
Dally - The Outsiders
Benny Ovich - Beartown
Woodrow Call - Lonesome Dove
Augustus McCrae - Lonesome Dove
D'Artagnan - The Three Musketeers
Ove - A Man Called Ove
Jason Bourne - The Bourne Identity
Don Quixote - Don Quixote


Lady's Man:
Aramis - The Three Musketeers
Jake Spoon - Lonesome Dove
GIlbert Blythe - Anne of Green Gables

[Joanne]

I am putting Jamie on my list too!❤❤

[[deleted user]]

Good questions. I have nothing in my head right now for favorite lady's man and man's man. But my favorite male lead is Gabriel Allon in Danila Silva's books. I am a diehard fan of his and wait for every new book that comes out.

[Theresa]

Now that my head is out of films and back into books (sort of), I'll add my favorite male leads:

Rhett Butler - Gone with the Wind - mostly as a lady's man but he fits both lady's and man's man
Lymond from Dorothy Dunnett Lymond Chronicles. I've never really thought of him as either a lady's man or a man's man. I would also not necessarily slot him in as both either.
Tyrion Lannister from George R.R. Martin Song of Ice and Fire Chronicles - and he's definitely a leading man and I also don't slot him into either.
Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice is neither one nor the other really but Captain Wentworth from Persuasion is definitely a man's man.
Marquis of Alverstoke from Frederica - probably more a man's man.
Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings - man's man for sure.

The truth is that I really don't think in terms of Lady's Man or Man's Man, but more a complex character, with many dimensions.

[Hayjay315]

I've loved D' Artagnan and the Musketeers since reading all of the books in the series many years ago! I'm also going to add the Marquis of Alverstoke from Frederica as both a lady's man and man's man!

[Joanne]

Thank you for listing Tyrion-I wanted to but thought you would all laugh at me! And Aragon! Geez how could I forget him

[Theresa]

Joanne wrote: "Thank you for listing Tyrion-I wanted to but thought you would all laugh at me! And Aragon! Geez how could I forget him"

I almost didn't add Tyrion for that reason, then decided 'screw it. If they laugh they laugh. It will add interest to the conversation!'

[Theresa]

Oh and I have to add just about every single one of the heroes in any Stephanie Laurens regency romance -- and every one is a man's man.

[KateNZ]

I meant to add Lymond to my list too Theresa - yes, yes!

[Theresa]

KateNZ wrote: "I meant to add Lymond to my list too Theresa - yes, yes!"

Another Lymond fan....I knew I liked you!

[Theresa]

Hayjay315 wrote: "I've loved D' Artagnan and the Musketeers since reading all of the books in the series many years ago! I'm also going to add the Marquis of Alverstoke from Frederica as both a lady's ..."

Alverstoke is my absolute favorite of the Heyer heroes. Others do come close (Devereaux from Venetia, Beaumaris from Arabella, and Sir Richard from the Corinthian come to mind), but Alverstoke is first. Always!

Your mention of the 3 musketeers reminds me of Cyrano of Cyrano de Bergerac. Granted that's a play but Cyrano is a true romantic hero!

[Jemima]

Hi guys....next month I need to choose a book about Holland and/or by a Dutch author. I would really like some help choosing. Last month's first choice for China was a disaster for me. Please don't recommend unless a 4 star read in your opinion. Thanks! Looking forward to your thoughts.

[Book Concierge]

Jemima wrote: "Hi guys....next month I need to choose a book about Holland and/or by a Dutch author. I would really like some help choosing. Last month's first choice for China was a disaster for me. Please don't..."

Have you read The Dinner by Herman Koch?

LINK to my review

[Joanne]

I have a book on my shelf, it's in my "Next up" pile Tulip Fever. If I get to it, I will let you know how I liked it-but it is worth checking out, the reviews on GR's seem favorable

[annapi]

Jemima wrote: "Hi guys....next month I need to choose a book about Holland and/or by a Dutch author. I would really like some help choosing. Last month's first choice for China was a disaster for me. Please don't..."

The only one I can think of is a children's book - Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates. The author is not Dutch, but it is set in Holland, and I really enjoyed it even as as adult.

[Jgrace]

We're highjacking Jason's Sunday question, but I'd rather talk about books set in Holland/Netherlands.

The first one that comes to mind is
Girl with a Pearl Earring
I didn't like Tulip Fever mostly because I kept comparing it to the Chevalier book.

The most iconic Dutch book has to be The Diary of a Young Girl

I liked both of these books that are set partly in the Netherlands

The Last Painting of Sara de Vos

Meet Me at the Museum

[Amy]

Goldfinch spends some time there. But too long. I haven’t even figured out about my male literary heroes. I’m still thinking. It’s interesting that I’ve had such trouble with this question.

[Book Concierge]

Jemima wrote: "Hi guys....next month I need to choose a book about Holland and/or by a Dutch author. I would really like some help choosing. Last month's first choice for China was a disaster for me. Please don't..."

And today I got an email from Penguin Random House that included a link to THIS list of books set in Amsterdam Kismet ...

[Joi]

Jemima wrote: "Hi guys....next month I need to choose a book about Holland and/or by a Dutch author. I would really like some help choosing. Last month's first choice for China was a disaster for me. Please don't..."

I read The Miniaturist as a Netherlands/Amsterdam read. It's fiction, but the story is referencing a dollhouse that is real, and is housed at the Rijksmuseum!

[LibraryCin]

Book Concierge wrote: "Jemima wrote: "Hi guys....next month I need to choose a book about Holland and/or by a Dutch author. I would really like some help choosing. Last month's first choice for China was a disaster for m..."

Oooh, "The Dinner" was very good!

[LibraryCin]

Jgrace wrote: "The first one that comes to mind is
[book:Girl wi..."

As was "Girl with a Pearl Earring"!

[LibraryCin]

Joi wrote: "I read The Miniaturist as a Netherlands/Amsterdam read. It's fiction, but the story is referencing a dollhouse that is real, and is housed at the Rijksmuseum!..."

I like the sound of that one!

[Jemima]

Theresa wrote: "Hayjay315 wrote: "I've loved D' Artagnan and the Musketeers since reading all of the books in the series many years ago! I'm also going to add the Marquis of Alverstoke from Frederica..."

My two standard poodles are named "Arabella" (girl) and "Beaumaris" (boy) (Arabella by Georgette Heyer).
I also adore the Marquis of Alverstroke (Frederica by ditto), Cousin Hugo (Unknown Ajax (ditto), Mr Darcy (Pride and Prejudice), Captain Wentworth (Persuasion), Mr Rochester - Jane Eyre (always had a thing for Timothy Dalton since he played this character, and last but definitely not least Gilbert Blythe who was the one I wanted to marry all my young life and who my husband is most like.

BTW I really wasn't sure where to put my question re the Dutch thing. Sorry to mess with the threads. Is there a more appropriate spot to ask for help with recommendations? If not it would be awesome to have one. So many of us are members of other book clubs with different challenges, but the group here are so knowledgeable about possibilities...really helpful. Thanks so much everyone. I will look into all of these options.

[Michael]

KateNZ wrote: "Among my favourite guys: Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin from the Patrick O’Brien books. Richard Bolitho (Alexander Kent). Richard Sharpe (Bernard Cornwell’s series). Lord Peter Wimsey. Miles Vorko..."

Really love your choices. Jason's inclusion of Woodrow and Gus from Lonesome Dove are also great.

[Book Concierge]

Jemima wrote: "Is there a more appropriate spot to ask for help with recommendations? ..."

You could always start a thread in the FOOTNOTES folder....