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Group Read Nominations
message 51:
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Werner
(new)
Aug 13, 2018 03:53PM
With ten votes cast altogether in our poll, The Prisoner of Zenda got six of them, so it's the winner by a landslide. (The Bridge of San Luis Rey and Democracy in America each got two votes.) We'll start our read of it on Sept. 1, and I'll hope to have the discussion thread up by then. Many thanks to everyone who took part in the selection process!
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With time flying by, Sept. 1 will come almost before we know it. So, it's not too early to begin thinking about what book we might want to choose for our annual common read that month.This year, I've been on a bit of a Jane Austen kick in my reading; I'm hoping by Dec. 31 to have read all of her remaining novels that I haven't read up to now. I know this group did a group read of Northanger Abbey back in January-February of 2014; and normally, I don't suggest doing another book by an author we've already featured. But that doesn't have to be a hard-and-fast rule! (Although I joined this group that January, I wasn't able to take part in the Austen read at that time.)
Would there be any interest in doing a common read of Austen's
Mansfield Park?
Hi, Werner -- Have wanted to read Mansfield Park but it always gets pushed down the list. This is the perfect incentive to finally read it with the group in September. Thanks, Werner :-)
You're welcome, Elizabeth! We'll definitely put that one in the poll, then.
August (when I normally post the poll) is fast approaching, and so far Mansfield Park is still the only suggestion on the table. If no one else has another idea by August 1, I suppose we can choose Mansfield Park by acclamation, though we've never done that before?
Werner,My suggestion: A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING, by Bill Bryson.
Russell
Russell, I'm sure that A Short History of Nearly Everything is a worthy book. But I notice that it was first published in 2003.By its own description, Vintage Tales is a group centered around a common love for the classics. In groups like ours, organized around a common interest, it's generally understood that if common reads are done, the books picked will fit into that interest. The previous reads have all been of acknowledged classics. I can't think that a 2003 book would fit the definition, especially if having stood the test of time is an important part of that definition; the most recent book we've ever had in the poll was published in 1960, What do the rest of you think?
Mod
I'm new to the group, so I'm not sure if this has been done yet, but maybe The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells.
Russell wrote: "Werner,My suggestion: A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING, by Bill Bryson.
Russell"
Werner,
Understood. I rest my peace.
Russell
Apparently, I never mentioned in this thread that the poll was up; sorry! However, everyone in the group received a Goodreads message from me, with the link and an invitation to vote. The poll is now closed, and all five votes were for The War of the Worlds. (Since I knew I'd be equally satisfied with either selection, I didn't vote myself. I've already read the Wells book, and don't plan to reread it; but I'll be able to at least join in the discussion.) I think this is the first time our choice has been unanimous! The discussion thread will go up around Sept. 1.
Once again, it's time to start thinking seriously about what we might want to choose to read together in September. To get the ball rolling, I'll suggest Hope Leslie: or, Early Times in the Massachusetts (1827) by Catharine Maria Sedgwick, whom Hawthorne praised as "our most truthful novelist." It's been on my to-read shelf for ages; I know it's also on Rosemarie's, and I think would especially appeal to at least one of our other members as well. And since it's in the public domain, it should be possible to access for free online or as an e-book --an important consideration right now, when many people's local libraries are closed, and interlibrary loan services badly disrupted.
Werner wrote: "Once again, it's time to start thinking seriously about what we might want to choose to read together in September. To get the ball rolling, I'll suggest [book:Hope Leslie: or, Early Times in the M..."This is on my to-read list too! I would definitely be interested! :)
I figured you would be, Meg --I hadn't checked your shelf, but knowing your interest in early New England Literature, I had you in mind when I mentioned another group member who might find it especially appealing! So, it ought to garner at least a few votes in the poll, when voting time comes. :-)
Werner wrote: "I figured you would be, Meg --I hadn't checked your shelf, but knowing your interest in early New England Literature, I had you in mind when I mentioned another group member who might find it espec..."I thought I heard my name there... 😄
Jazzy wrote: "Oh I would like to read Exercises in Style by Raymond Queneau please!"We can put it in the poll, Jazzy --but it's worth being aware that, in the present situation, it might not be easy to get a copy (unless you buy one). It's not old enough to be in the public domain, and a lot of libraries (at least in the U.S.) are still closed. (More of them might re-open by September, of course!)
I have to buy almost any book as my library never has anything I'm looking for and has sold off almost all the classics as 'they're old and no one reads them anymore.'Terrible excuse. But the city is without funding, so what can they do?
Jazzy, you have my sympathy! There's a lot going on in the library scene nowadays that, being a librarian myself, is really painful for me to behold (but don't let me get started on that subject!).
Hopefully, I'll get the poll up on Friday, and set it so that voting can start on Saturday. Are we all content for it to be a head-to-head matchup between Exercises in Style vs. Hope Leslie, or does anyone have a last-minute additional suggestion?
The poll is up, and ready for voting now --I decided we didn't need to wait until tomorrow. It'll run through Sunday, Aug. 9, and I'll try to announce the results promptly on Aug. 10. Here's the link: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2... . (You can also just click on the Polls link that shows among the embedded links under the group name and logo at the top of every page connected to this group.)
It's official: our choice for next month's read is Hope Leslie, with five votes, to two for Exercises in Style. We appreciate everyone who took the time to vote! I'm looking forward very much to the read, and hope we'll have good participation.
Mod
Ah well, I tried :)I read the Queneau free in English online anyway. It was excellent.
Mod
I read the Queneau free in English online anyway. It was excellent."
That's good to know. It was excellent in French too.
September will be here before we know it, so it's time to begin brainstorming about what books to put in the poll to choose our annual (voluntary) group read. As always, I'll try to put the poll up around the beginning of August.Last year, a lady in another group I'm in gave a very favorable review to The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains by Owen Wister. It was already on my to-read shelf, and since she encouraged me to read it sooner rather than later, I told her I'd nominate it for this read. However, it's a pretty thick book; and changing circumstances would make it more expedient, for me personally (though that doesn't have to constrain the whole group!) to have a shorter read this time. So I won't nominate it; but someone else can, if you'd really want to read it this time.
Just as a tentative suggestion, I've wanted to (someday) read O Pioneers: by Willa Cather ever since I saw the outstanding 1992 Hallmark Hall of Fame dramatic adaptation starring Jessica Lange. (See https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105038/ ). Then too, I've wanted to read more by Cather since reading her wonderful novel My Antonia and her story "Neighbor Rosicky" back in my youth. O Pioneers is a relatively short work; would anyone else be interested in giving it a read?
Well, since my previous post, it's developed that one book I was hoping to work in to read in September apparently won't be published this year. So, I'll withdraw my tentative suggestion of O Pioneers!, and nominate The Virginian after all!
Vickie wrote: "How about Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms."We'll definitely put that one in the poll too, Vickie!
Werner wrote: "Well, since my previous post, it's developed that one book I was hoping to work in to read in September apparently won't be published this year. So, I'll withdraw my tentative suggestion of O Pione..."Great! I'd love to read The Virginian as well :)
Gia wrote: "I'd love to read The Virginian as well :) "One other member also indicated (by personal message) an interest in that one; so, we'll see what happens!
Okay, the poll is up, at this link: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/1... , and ready for voting; and I've sent a general invitation to vote to all group members using the personal messaging system. (You can also locate the poll by clicking on the "Polls" link in the embedded links on any of our group pages; this poll is the top one on the Polls page.) If you think you might enjoy reading either or both of these books with the group next month, this is your chance to indicate your preference. It'll stay open through Sunday, Aug. 15, and I'll try to announce the winner early on Aug. 16.
The poll is now closed, and with 10 people voting, A Farewell to Arms (nominated by one of our newest members, Vickie!) has emerged as the winner, with six votes compared to four for The Virginian. We'll start our read on Sept. 1, and I'll plan to get the discussion thread up then.
Cool, thanks Werner! Maybe a buddy read of The Virginian is possible for those who don't want to read Hemingway.😊
Vickie wrote: "Cool, thanks Werner! Maybe a buddy read of The Virginian is possible for those who don't want to read Hemingway.😊"Yes, Vickie, there's always that option! (I'm going to join in the Hemingway read, though. :-) )
Once again, we're at the season of the year when it's time to begin brainstorming about possible books to pick for our annual common read. That will actually be in September; but I try to put the poll up around the first of August, so it's not too early to get serious about making suggestions!Looking back over the list of past group reads (here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group... ), I noticed that we've never done a book by any author outside the Anglo-American tradition. American and British literature, to be sure, offers a cornucopia of literary treasures. But there are gems to be found in the classics of other national literatures too! I'm not wedded to the idea, if no one else is interested; but I'd be open to picking a book by a writer who's not American or British this time.
At this point, I'm just floating trial balloons, not making actual nominations. I've never read anything by a Polish author, and Quo Vadis (1896) by Henryk Sienkiewicz has been on my to-read shelf for ages. A nonfiction medieval classic, The Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson, is another book I've long wanted to read (I haven't read any Icelandic literature, either). Would anyone in the group be interested in one or the other of those?
Vickie wrote: "I'd be up for The Prose Edda."Okay, it could potentially get at least two votes, then! :-) We'll plan to put that one in the poll.
I'm going to throw in my hat in favor of Quo Vadis, but honestly both of these books look excellent! I'd happily read either one:)
Gia wrote: "I'm going to throw in my hat in favor of Quo Vadis, but honestly both of these books look excellent! I'd happily read either one:)"Well, we can put both titles in the poll, and see which one the majority will favor! My preference would actually be somewhat for the novel; but I'm like you in that I'd happily read either one.
Sounds great, Werner! Will be fun to see which one wins:)
So far, we have two nominees: Quo Vadis and The Prose Edda. Are there any last-minute additions?Early on the morning of August 1, I'll be leaving for a short vacation, and I'll be offline until I return home sometime in the afternoon of Aug. 5. So I'm hoping to post the poll a day early, on Sunday, July 31.
If you want a couple other foreign author options, what about A Doll's House or The Count of Monte Cristo? Just trying to think of some to add to the poll, if you need/want more.😊
Vickie wrote: "If you want a couple other foreign author options, what about A Doll's House or The Count of Monte Cristo? Just trying to think of some to add to the poll, if you need/want more."Actually, I just wanted to make sure nobody who has something he/she really wants to nominate gets left out. (And nominees don't absolutely have to be from outside the Anglo-American tradition, either; that was just a suggestion!) We don't have to have any specific number of nominations (except that it's not practical to have a poll without having at least two choices! :-) ). So don't feel pressured to put forward another nomination unless you want to.
That said, The Count of Monte Cristo is on my to-read shelf, and the BU library where I work has a copy (it has a copy of A Doll's House, too). But one possible caveat is that it's definitely a chunkster (1,276 pages, in Goodreads's default edition!). Some group members might find the sheer thickness of it intimidating, although that's not a disqualification. I've seen the Ibsen play, and I'd read it with the group if it was picked; there's a lot of grist for discussion there.
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