2015 PKD group reads

[Byron 'Giggsy']

Let's target 3 group reads over 2015. Please nominate books in this thread. We'll group the first 5 and second 5 books nominated into 2 polls for the first 2 reads, and we'll take the 2nd and 3rd place vote getters from those polls into a run-off poll for the final read of the year.

[Byron 'Giggsy']

I'll start off and nominate Solar Lottery Solar Lottery

[Sérgio]

The Zap Gun

[Paul]

Confessions of a Crap Artist

[Kev]

A Maze of Death

[Jim]

I nominate Vulcan's Hammer

[Byron 'Giggsy']

OK then, first poll will be Solar Lottery, The Zap Gun, Confessions of a Crap Artist, A Maze of Death, and Vulcan's Hammer.

looking for 5 more nominees for Second read of the year

[Marta]

I nominate A Scanner Darkly.

[Kev]

for the second read I nominate Galactic Pot Healer

[Barry]

I nominate Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said.

[Carmine]

Valis

[Hertzan]

Solar Lottery. Solar Lottery

[Robin]

Simulacra or the divine invasion

[Pickle]

Jim wrote: "I nominate Vulcan's Hammer"

i'll go with this

[Jim]

Pickle wrote: "Jim wrote: "I nominate Vulcan's Hammer"

i'll go with this"

Go to this poll to vote:

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/1...

[Joseph]

Carmine wrote: "Valis" Would love to re-read this.

[Mohammed]

Hi guys nice to see this group being full active Pkd fans.

I missed reading,posting in this group. I voted for Confessions of a Crap Artist.

[Blackout]

I've been wanting to read Solar Lottery, one of the few I still haven't read!

[Marshall]

I was already reading the zap gun. Its decent so far, but still up to drop it and try and read anything else. Not sure what I would like more. However, when its really good, you just can't get enough Dick. Am I right?

[Marshall]

Barry wrote: "I nominate Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said."

If you have not read that one I would pick it up right now. I have read 7 of Philip K Dick's books and that one if number two for me under Ubik which is my favorite.

[Kev]

When do we find out the result of the first poll?

[Jim]

Kev wrote: "When do we find out the result of the first poll?"

The poll is scheduled to close on January 24th.

[M.K.]

Then If I can still vote, Zap Gun.

[Kev]

Jim, do we have a winner for the first group read?

[Jim]

Kev wrote: "Jim, do we have a winner for the first group read?"

I'm not a moderator for this group, but the poll indicates A Maze of Death for the win, with 31.8% of the vote. I'm sure Byron will be by soon to set the read dates, etc... time for me to order a copy.

[Kev]

Ok thanks. Looking forward to it!

[Byron 'Giggsy']

Robin wrote: "Simulacra or the divine invasion"

Robin,

we did a group read of Simulacra a few reads ago (links below) and Divine Invasion is considered a sequel to VALIS which we haven't read yet (but is nominated for next poll)... do you want to pick a different nomination for the final spot on the next vote?


the-simulacra---pre-read-thoughts-and-questions
the-simulacra---initial-thoughts-no-spoilers/a>
the-simulacra---final-thoughts-spoilers

[Robin]

Byron 'Giggsy' wrote: "Robin wrote: "Simulacra or the divine invasion"

Robin,

we did a group read of Simulacra a few reads ago (links below) and Divine Invasion is considered a sequel to VALIS which we haven't read yet..."

no, that's ok, I'll wait for the next group reading :)

[Byron 'Giggsy']

First group read for 2015 will be A Maze of Death. Runners-up Confessions of a Crap Artist and Solar Lottery will be included in the poll for the 3rd/final group read.

I've set the Maze of Death read dates from February 10 - 28 to give people time to get hold of copy if needed, but the Initial Thoughts (no spoilers) group read thread is already created.

a-maze-of-death---initial-thoughts-no-spoilers

[M.K.]

HERE'S THE GROUP I WAS LOOKING FOR. When's the next poll? Any idea?

[Mathew]

I was thinking about. reread The Man in the High Castle or The Penultimate Truth. I'd vote for one of those myself.

[Byron 'Giggsy']

poll for July 2015 read will be:

A Scanner Darkly
Galactic Pot Healer
Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said
Valis
The Man in the High Castle

The 2 runners-up in this poll will join the 2 runners-up for the last poll (Confessions of a Crap Artist & The Solar Lottery) in a runoff poll for an end of year read

[John]

Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said

[Sarah]

sounds good to me. I will vote and read whichever book wins for the July read and agree with the method of selecting the third read. ..will wait for the poll to begin!

[Jim]

Sarah wrote: "sounds good to me. I will vote and read whichever book wins for the July read and agree with the method of selecting the third read. ..will wait for the poll to begin!"

Sarah and John: You can vote here

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

[Kev]

Is it time we had a look at the next group read?

[Joseph]

Kev wrote: "Is it time we had a look at the next group read?"

Anyone interested in taking a look at PKD's "Eye in the Sky"?

[Scott]

I could do I eye in the sky

[Joseph]

Sweet. I feel like it is the spiritual precedent for Inception.

[Alex]

Ubik and The Three Stigmata, along with Eye, all made me think of Inception while reading.

[Scott]

When is this next group read starting?

[Joseph]

Hey Scott, I'm going to start re-reading Eye in the Sky. If you want to discuss it in a week or two, let me know. There's a lot to be said about the work, and probably even more after a closer examination.

Hope all is well.

[Scott]

Alright I'm going to find a copy

[Byron 'Giggsy']

Group read of Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said set for July. The initial thoughts (no spoilers) thread is up here

I'll create the follow-up final thoughts thread in 10 days or so

[Scott]

Hey Joseph--I am through chapter 9 on Eye in the Sky. Really enjoying it. I see a lot of comparisons to Ubik in it so far. The part that interests me most so far is the juxtaposition between a world with "laws" albeit strange ones (Silvester's world) to a world shifting on whims (Mrs. Pritchet's). I can't wait to see how things go.

[Joseph]

Scott wrote: "Hey Joseph--I am through chapter 9 on Eye in the Sky. Really enjoying it. I see a lot of comparisons to Ubik in it so far. The part that interests me most so far is the juxtaposition between a worl..."

Really glad you're enjoying it. I have yet to read Ubik, so I won't be able to draw any parallels.

I'm getting a better sense of the different textures of the realities in this read-through. Certain characters seem to privilege abstraction over physicality, whereas others have little to no grasp on the /real/.

Usually only the reader gets to explore multiple characters' minds, but here, the characters enjoy this omniscience plus the benefit of agency. Are we the eye in the sky?

This novel avoids simple moral binaries, but I still read it as if Pritchet were the villain. She knew her capacity and abused it. Most of the other characters exercised their powers unwittingly, or at the very least, less selfishly.

Excited to hear what you think of the ending.

[Hertzan]

Byron 'Giggsy' wrote: "I'll start off and nominate Solar Lottery Solar Lottery"

Yeah, this is REALLY WEIRD, I've just finished re-reading Flow My Tears as part of the July discussion. And while I was waiting for the PKD Group to reappear, I re-read/am re-reading Solar Lottery, which is a slightly amazing book. Why did Hollywood never Affleck this great book?

LOL