New? Introduce Yourself By Saying a Friendly Hello

[Laura]

Hi, everyone. I am here on an invitation from Matthew. I asked him where on earth he found a book club that would select Calvino, and he directed me here. When I saw the name of this group, it all made sense :)

I've tried to skim through this thread in order to "meet" all of you. I am from the US -- Las Vegas, in fact. Professionally, I am currently transitioning from a career in nursing to teaching secondary English, so you'll see a steady stream of YA novels on my profile for that reason.

I think it's wonderful that you started this group with Hardy. I loved Tess, and now I know that I definitely have to read Jude.

A huge fan of Calvino, I'm looking forward to the group's discussion about If On a Winter's Night a Traveler.

Thank you for having me!
--Laura

[Carol]

Hey Laura, you are about 4 hrs . from me. Welcome. This group is a hoot, from a night owl’s point of view.

[Sandra]

Welcome Laura. You will meet a few other English teachers (retired) on here!!

[AJ]

Hi all.

I'm Alison, from the Tasman area, New Zealand.

I'm an older person, with a lot of miles under my expanding belt. Married to the same man for 46 +/- years (the exact total escapes me). During that time, we weekend built a couple of houses, lived with another family in a communal situation for 21 years, lived free-style in a house bus for 8 1/2 years, before settling where we are now. A small, grumpy, protective dog, who acts more like a cat than a canine shares our life.

I'm quite reclusive in real life and hate small talk. Can't seem to do it actually, which makes other people form incorrect assumptions about me. But on-line, I'm happy to blather away ad nauseum. You have been warned!

My general interests include reading, photography, reading, film, reading, gardening, reading, cooking. You get the picture.

My Goodreads isn't really a reflection on my reading as I have neglected the site for so long. Hope to keep it more up to date in the future.

Sorry, didn't mean to write War and Peace as an introduction, but the you are.

Hope to get to know you in this group.

That's all...

[Sue]

Welcome Laura and Alison. Enjoy your adventures in the group. I’m Sue from outside Boston in Massachusetts, U.S.

[Bionic Jean]

Hi Laura and Alison and welcome! Funny how so many of us love the works of Thomas Hardy, although this group just read the odd one, I think. I'm holding my breath about Italo Calvino ...

I'm English, by the way, Yorkshire born, living now in the London commuter belt shires.

[Ken]

Laura wrote: "Hi, everyone. I am here on an invitation from Matthew. I asked him where on earth he found a book club that would select Calvino, and he directed me here. When I saw the name of this group, it all ..."

Welcome, Laura. Exciting that you are jumping into teaching at a time when we need so many more dedicated to that profession. I taught high school and middle school English for 25 years before retiring in July of the last normal school year (2019... lucky me), and read that a lot of veteran teachers jumped OUT of the profession with the advent of Covid. Why take chances?

So, yes. The kids need you and others! Also, although the titles may be dated, you can check out my YA shelf. I read a ton of YA for the same reason you're doing so -- to get reluctant readers to READ.

See you in Calvino June, I hope.

[Ken]

Bookbook wrote: "Hi all.

I'm Alison, from the Tasman area, New Zealand.

I'm an older person, with a lot of miles under my expanding belt. Married to the same man for 46 +/- years (the exact total escapes me). Du..."


Welcome, Alison. I happen to like War and Peace (especially Peace) and, like you, talk more on a keyboard than I do in real life.

Looking forward to your participation from the land of Kiwis.

[Kathleen]

How fun! Welcome Lois and Laura and Alison. I think many of us on this site fit your reclusive description, Alison. Talk? Uh, not so much. Oh, about books? Well that's different!

[Diane]

Welcome to all the newbies here. You will love the discussions and learn a few things along the way.

[Nidhi]

Hello Fellow Readers , I am Nidhi, I love classics , this group was recommended by a friend and its name appealed to me. I like Hardy ( after Dickens ) , all the books read by this group are on my TBR, so here i am to read and enjoy with all of you. Sundial is not my favorite genre , though i liked Jackson's We have always Lived in a Castle. I will devote this time for reading Abigail.

[Bionic Jean]

Hi Nidhi! Lovely to see you here :) I hope you enjoy the group.

[Ken]

Welcome to the Group, Nidhi. I hope you enjoy Abigail as much as I did!

[Nidhi]

Thank you Jean and Ken. I like this group’s rule of reading four ( three?) books a year. A nice, luxurious way to enjoy a book.

[Ken]

Nidhi wrote: "Thank you Jean and Ken. I like this group’s rule of reading four ( three?) books a year. A nice, luxurious way to enjoy a book."

Yes, three books a year: February, June, and October. If you don't belong to other reading groups, the rest of the year is dedicated to your own reading projects (also known at the towering TBR pile throwing an immense shadow).

[Nidhi]

I am relatively new on GR , began activity in 2019. So my TBR pile is in process of getting high with only 400 books on it, to help its ‘growth ‘ I have taken membership of 28 groups, most of which read monthly (multiple) books . I can’t read that much so they go on TBR list. Now I have observed we cannot enjoy a book, if have a tight schedule.

[Yvonne]

Welcome, Nidhi! I love the image you’ve chosen for a profile picture in GoodReads.

[Nidhi]

Thank you Yvonne. The picture is a early 19 century painting named ‘Mohini ‘ by Indian painter Raja Ravi Varma . I am from India. This painter specialises in portraying women.

[Yvonne]

Glad to know! Thanks. Will look up more works by that artist.

[Alan]

Hi everyone! I'm Alan and I live in Toronto, Canada. A typical image of me is this: 15 layers on, eyes barely visible behind fogged-up glasses, nose running, skin red, all as I brave the -30 degree Celsius weather to stumble into my favourite second-hand bookstore. I have a problem, and I am proud to admit it. Looking forward to reading some new Shirley Jackson with you all (well, apart from The Lottery, all of it is new to me) and getting to know you as well!

[Kathleen]

Hi Alan! Very glad to see you here. You'll find a lot of us have that kind of problem. :-) I hope you enjoy this group, and our upcoming Shirley Jackson.

[Sara]

Welcome, Alan. I got a chill just reading that! I have lost hours of my life browsing book sales in heat that would knock you flat, however.

[Ken]

Alan! Good to see you in this obscure neck of the GR woods.

[Alan]

Hi Kathleen - thank you! Looks like I will be seeing a lot of familiar faces here :)

Sara - thank you! I suppose the grass is always greener and all that, but the the book browsing in extreme weathers is the sport that binds us all.

Ken, I cannot wait! Really looking forward to the current and future reads, it looks a very welcoming environment.

[Bionic Jean]

Welcome Alan :)

[Alan]

Thanks Jean!

[Rachel]

Hi Everyone,

I am Rachel and am from Auckland. I found this group from AJ so am looking forward to reading my first Obscure book :-)

[Darrin]

Welcome Rachel!

[Yvonne]

Welcome, Rachel! Looking forward to the verdict of the current poll for our next shared read. I'm hoping it'll be the one I voted for and already acquired a (free/kindled) copy of it. Decided I'd likely read it whether it's the group's pick or not. Happy New Year!

[Diane]

Happy to have you Rachel. We always have great discussions no matter what the book.

[Rachel]

Darrin wrote: "Welcome Rachel!"

Thanks Darrin.

[Rachel]

Diane wrote: "Happy to have you Rachel. We always have great discussions no matter what the book."

That sounds great, always fascinating to hear different takes.

[Rachel]

Yvonne wrote: "Welcome, Rachel! Looking forward to the verdict of the current poll for our next shared read. I'm hoping it'll be the one I voted for and already acquired a (free/kindled) copy of it. Decided I'd l..."

Thank you Yvonne. Yeah I loved seeing all the books nominated because I thought I will definitely add others to my tbr list.

[Jannifer]

Hello all!
I'm Jan and I live just outside Austin, Texas. I've had The Brothers Karamazov on my TBR pile for a long time so I'm really excited to join this group! Looking forward to great discussions.

[Ken]

Jannifer wrote: "Hello all!
I'm Jan and I live just outside Austin, Texas. I've had The Brothers Karamazov on my TBR pile for a long time so I'm really excited to join this group! Looking forward to great discussions."

Welcome, Jannifer (and, again, Rachel!). I'm glad you're both joining at such an opportune time. Everyone gets to pick a favorite brother.

[Scout]

Hi, I'm Liz. I joined the group a while back when you were in the middle of a book, so I haven't joined in discussions yet. I don't think I introduced myself at that time, so just a little about me now. I'm female, 67, and a retired high school English teacher. I love reading fiction but will occasionally read non-fiction. I don't think I'm going to read The Brothers Karamazov because I read it years ago. At my age, I know I only have a limited time to read all the books that interest me, and re-reading this one would take a lot of reading time. I will be following the discussion, though, and look forward to getting to know you all better. Happy reading!

[Sandra]

Hi, Liz. I am also a retired English teacher. I am 76, so just reverse your age and you can have mine! I loved reading The Brothers Karamazov because it lends itself to philosophical discussion. But I also am passing on rereading it. I have such a list if books to fit in. I look forward to your comments on the next book!

[Ken]

Welcome, Liz! I too am a retired English teacher. Should we change the name of the group? I thought I read The Karamazov Bros only a few years ago, but the GR shelfing system tells me it was 2009. This reveals my age. And why I'm rereading it against all odds. And evens.

[Sara]

Greetings folks ~ this summer is the first time I'll be joining you all for an "obscure" read. I really like the bookshelf you've built so far, and sorry I didn't find y'all sooner, but since I've read several of your previous books, feel like it's not too late. I'm Sara, I work at a small college library (in technical services) in the Mid-western US. I love my job, reading, and discovering hidden/obscure literary treasures. Looking forward to finding more with you.

[Kathleen]

Welcome, Sara! Very glad you're here, and look forward to you sharing your obscure treasures with us!

[Carol]

Hi Sara, and welcome.

[Sara]

Welcome from another Sara!

[Darrin]

Welcome Sara!

[Diane]

Welcome from all us obscurists. The discussions here are great.

[Ken]

Hi, Sara. I hope by "summer" you mean June, the month we flip to everyone's favorite season (well, except for Mr. Fall here).

As a new member, you can actually vote on June's three finalists if you do so today. They are as follows:

1. The Books of Jacob

ADVANTAGE: Getting rave reviews, from one of Poland's preeminent writers.
CHALLENGE: Almost 1,000 pages (though can be done in 5-week discussion), only available in hardcover due to newness.

2. Night's Lies

ADVANTAGE: Sounds really cool with that "night before execution" suspense and psychology in play, a world lit. obscurity coming from everyone's favorite Italian island, Sicily.
CHALLENGE: Tough find in libraries and can only be purchased, as far as I can tell, through used book sellers who sell through Amazon and a few other online sources (you know, cheaper price but $4 shipping).

3. Home of the Gentry

ADVANTAGE: Supposedly the most Turgenevan (is that an adjective?) of Turgenev's books, nicely obscure because it's not Fathers and Sons, easily his most famous.
CHALLENGE: Would be our second Russian book in a row at a time when people are confusing Russians in general with Russian generals (clearly not the same).

Anyhow, I hope you vote (you can even change your mind, as long as the change of heart comes before midnight Pacific tonight) and hope you join in!

[Sue]

I recommend people try Bookfinder.com to look for copies of books. They list under new and old copies and give all different sources. They show a copy of Night’s Lies for $2.95 shipping included. This is for U.S. but there may be applicable for other places. I don’t know.

[Sara]

Thanks, Sue. Always nice to have another resource.

[Carol]

Sue wrote: "I recommend people try Bookfinder.com to look for copies of books. They list under new and old copies and give all different sources. They show a copy of Night’s Lies for $2.95 shipping included. T..."

Thanks Sue

[Darrin]

Thank you for the tip about bookfinder.com. I have bookmarked it and will take a look.

[Carol]

I ordered it from abebooks.com , because it is a book I want to read whether we read it in a group or not. It was 5.38 with no shipping charges.

Amazon is offering Home of the Gentry for kindle for 1.00 ordered that too. Now to find dear sweet Olga , May have to bite the bullet if it is chosen as my library does not offer it. People around here don’t like big obscure books apparently.

Reading Olga’s book right now.Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. Unusual book , reminds me of the other book we read. If on a Winter's Night a Traveler