Books you have read/Want to read : suggestions and recommendations

[Allen]

Karin wrote: "Just to quickly add my voice, Ray Bradbury's semi-horror little Gothic novel "Something Wicked This Way Comes" tickled my fancy :)"

Speaking of Bradbury, and I meant to say this already but my iPad app's been acting up and it didn't post. Twice. Anyway, while I love Fahrenheit 451 I wholeheartedly agree with Karin, and I think a better choice (gasp) for this group would be Something Wicked This Way Comes or even The Martian Chronicles ... While Fahrenheit is one of his few full-fledged, point-made novels, these others delve into some surreal avenues, I might even say subtly surreal. He had a gift of wonderfully painting people with words, and then exposing their, and the reader's, soul. In Chronicles, it's not so much space exploration as what happens to people when they decide to move one planet over, and the unexpected happens.

Just a thought. And, if this is in the wrong thread, please feel free to move. I haven't finished exploring others now that I'm finally on a full-fledged computer :)

[Lark]

I'm so happy to have found this group! I'd like to suggest:

Gutshot: Stories by Amelia Gray--coming out in April, I was lucky enough to get an advanced reading copy

Threats by Amelia Gray. Gray has the same publisher as Jeff Vandermeer...which led me both to Jeff Vandermeer, and to this group!

Remainder by Tom McCarthy, which I read in 2007, and ever since I've been looking for "books like that." I'm so excited to find this group because my idea of "books like that" has been a little vagu,e but everything on the reading list and suggested here seems to be in that same category to me. Thanks!

[Traveller]

Nah, not wrong thread, Allen. This is supposed to be a relaxed group where you don't get smacked for saying the wrong thing in the wrong place - unless you're being mean to the mods or your fellow members, of course! (and you're much too nice for that...)

The books on the shelf are actually mainly there to loosely map out a schedule for the year. The idea is that we have a different theme/author for each month, and then we vote on exactly which book the group will discuss. There will probably be months that some members wouldn't be interested in the specific theme, like for instance when we do an Asian author, or a Latin-American author, or a Noir author and so on, but the nice thing is that you can try and solicit your own discussion here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/....

You can even make a thread for yourself there, if you feel up to it, or you can ask me to make thread for you if you feel nervous about putting it in the right place: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group... And then you can start prattling about your fave book in its own folder, or you can ask people to come and discuss it with you there.

[Allen]

Sounds good to me. I may try that sometime this summer, as I seem to reread Martian Chronicles then. And Something Wicked is a definite pre-Halloween book :)

[Traveller]

er... so what I was trying to say, is that us 'having' to discuss Fahrenheit isn't set in stone. I mean, the members will usually at least have some input in what we read for the month. In the Night Garden was just to get us going. I personally would love to discuss Fahrenheit though, because of the controversy it caused and the censorship issues around it and so forth.

Remember, the idea of this group is to discuss material that examines issues, or suggests new ways of looking at things. So, if you feel Chronicles does that, by all means we'll put it up for the vote.

[Traveller]

Poingu wrote: "I'm so happy to have found this group! I'd like to suggest:

Gutshot: Stories by Amelia Gray--coming out in April, I was lucky enough to get an advanced reading copy

[book:Threats|..."

Nice, Poingu! Glad to see there's someone around who can keep us up to date with all the latest writers, heh. :D

[Lark]

Thanks Traveller. Let it be known that I had never heard of China Mieville until joining here. My knowledge of contemporary authors is what you might call "scattershot."

[Allen]

Thanks Traveller, I understood. No worries! And I do like this idea of side reads...

Going through my lists tonight to find some books to add in this thread. Will wait to do it on the computer though so I can link them.

[Traveller]

Poingu wrote: "Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, which I just began reading because of it being selected for the Tournament of Books (along with Annihilation, by the way):

..."

*Looks* Oh golly, I have so much Vandermeer catching up to do! Vandermeer definitely fits into the parameters, but I suppose i can't justify just reading Vandermeer all day long. I feel slightly sad that the group chose a Vandermeer I had already ready read, but oh, well... it would also be nice to hear other people's input regarding it.

Oops, sorry, i followed your Vandermeer link. *Looks again, this time at the Mandel *

[Traveller]

Hmm, it's hard to tell. I guess prizewinning books and books selected for prizes are always worth a look into... We're bursting at the seams with TBR right now, but we can keep it on the horizon!
(And test the waters for some opinions).

[Traveller]

Ah... that's tempting, Poingu, but sadly things can't just be dropped in the Traveller universe.... :(

But I definitely will squeeze it in! Have you read Finch yet?

[Traveller]

Poingu wrote: "My reading goal for pretty much the rest of my life is to read an increasing percentage of books every year that are not written by white guys"

There's a group for women authors of all nationalities here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

As for white or non-white depending what you classify as "white" I have a bunch of books by non-English authors lined up. I must say though, that I prefer not to divide my reading matter according to race, creed, nationality or gender. I do tend to enjoy books translated from Japanese, but a lot of that might have to do with talented translators that I've been lucky to get the translations of.

[Derek]

Traveller wrote: "Ah... that's tempting, Poingu, but sadly things can't just be dropped in the Traveller universe.... :("

You know, I really enjoyed Annihilation, but ... not enough to get Authority anywhere near the top of my to-read list!

[Annelien]

Since I'm new, figured I'd add a few recently read 'weird' books here.

Silence Once Begun is about a Japanese man who confesses to a murder... then goes silent. why? how? very interesting, read it in a day or two.

I also recently read S. , which is weird in a whole new way: a bunch of stories intertwined. the annotations in the margins are a story, the book itself is a story, the footnotes are a story... very original and engaging.

[Traveller]

Thanks, Annelien, They do look interesting! I've added both to my personal TBR list.

The Silence Once Begun book, made me think of The Thief by Fuminori Nakamura. It's quite subtly strange... ostensibly about a master pickpocket, but it deals with themes like fate and power. I love the way that Japanese authors seem to enjoy sneaking in twists.

[Allen]

I've been wanting to read S. but keep getting distracted buying other things. Time to take advantage of my free Amazon delivery I reckon ...

[Jonfaith]

We had nearly a foot of snow today and after some medieval Chinese reading I wound up read Lucius Sheppard, kooky that.

[Annelien]

I just finished another weird book, i still don't know whether i liked it but i did make me think!

Wolf in White Van is about a disfigured man who lives a solitary lives but runs a game through the mail. it's all about the choices you make.

[Alex]

just discovered Wolf in white van as well ....

[Magdelanye]

following a suggestion by a friend, I am waiting until march 25 to carry on with Geoff Rymans 253. its a quirky book some love some love to hate. I am loving it and it occurred to me that some of you here might like to join me for this. any one?

[Sumant]

Here is my review of dune messiah.

[Magdelanye]

just so its. known...vol 2 of orphans tales is an essential sequel...darker but equally seductive.
can't get my hands on any vandermeer but today I OK with that because I just got my hands on goldfinch plus! (o why did these special orders come in at the same time-- an elena ferante and the bone clocks! guess I will be very engaged the next 3 weeks

[Traveller]

I'm feeling extremely frustrated because I simply don't currently have the time for recreational reading,and I had soooo many books lined up for this year. I have a deadline for next week, see, so... I'll have to come back to all of this after that...

[Saski]

I am caught up in a friend's series of books and wouldn't mind just working on that for a while ;)

[Paul Martin]

Traveller wrote: "I'm feeling extremely frustrated because I simply don't currently have the time for recreational reading,and I had soooo many books lined up for this year. I have a deadline for next week, see, so...."

Same thing here. Thought this would be a comfortable semester, but it's just worst than ever, and I haven't managed to finish more than ONE book all year!

[Sumant]

Here is my review of excession, 5th book in culture series.

[Traveller]

Thanks, Sumant!

Is anyone up for reading Like Water for Chocolate with me? It promises to have quite a few points of controversy that would make excellent grist for a group discussion. ;)

[Michele]

I would Trav.

[Traveller]

Oh goodie. :) Would in about 10 day's time be too soon?

[Michele]

no, that's fine

[Saski]

I'll do my best to be there :)

[Traveller]

Whoop! Whoop! :D Just say if anybody wants to join in but needs a bit more time, I won't mind, and I'm hoping Michele won't either.

I promise I will read this one faster than I've been going lately. I had some extra projects going this last month or two that have finally drawn to an end, so I have more time for leisure reading again. :))

[Michele]

I won't mind.

[Allen]

Sorry, can't join in any discussions right now. But I am still here! And still trying to read ... currently clocking a few chapters (well, logs) of The Martian by Andy Weir every other night or so. Just to keep my brain book focused!

I have my sights on some more scifi: Seveneves, some of the newer Kim Stanley Robinson stuff, and China's new story collection of course.

[Derek]

Allen wrote: "I have my sights on some more scifi: Seveneves, "

That's really disappointing me. Far too much exposition. Some of his "facts" are extremely suspect.

[Traveller]

Allen! Long time no hear! So good to hear from you. China's new story collection? What? Where? <_< >_>

I have sooo much scifi to catch up on that it's just not funny...

[Traveller]

How would you people feel about reading a few of the stories out of Labyrinths: Selected Stories and Other Writings by Jorge Luis Borges soon-ish? We don't have to read all of them: you can choose. :)

[Derek]

I've been meaning to get to some Borges. As long as you don't say "pomo" before I finish...

[Traveller]

Derek (Guilty of thoughtcrime) wrote: "I've been meaning to get to some Borges. As long as you don't say "pomo" before I finish..."

ROFL. I'm already missing Derek's voice in the current discussion; so that P-word will not cross my lips ... :X

I've been wanting to do some more Calvino as well, so just shout if anybody would be in for some Italo Calvino, preferably Invisible Cities, If on a Winter's Night a Traveler or Cosmicomics though I think I had promised Dolores we'd do Invisible Cities together sometime...

[Allen]

Derek, Robinson it is then :) I'm considering "Aurora" about a colony ship about to make landfall... although I just noticed that an Amazon reviewer said "Seveneves" was better, lol!

Trav, here's some info on China's newest. Too bad it's not a novel:

"Three Moments of an Explosion: Stories is a collection of short stories by British author China Miéville. It will be published in the UK by Pan Macmillan on 30 July 2015, and in the US by Del Rey Books on 4 August 2015."

There's a Goodreads entry for it, but you'll have to search. I'm mobile for a few days and this darn app leaves a lot to be desired in the links department (and pulling comments from other posts), sheesh.

[Saski]

I could be...I have to see if I have any....

[Derek]

Allen wrote: "Derek, Robinson it is then :)"

I can't help you there. I'm a fan of Stephenson, and this is the first one that's disappointed me. otoh, I got bored fast with Robinson.

[Traveller]

K, let me know, because August is coming closer... I was thinking of aiming for roundabout August 15?

[Saski]

Will we be done with LW4Ch by then?

[Traveller]

Ruth wrote: "Will we be done with LW4Ch by then?"

The discussion does seem to be off to a slow start, doesn't it? Personally I'm almost halfway through the book, but some people have not even joined in yet, if they were still going to.

At any rate, I'm easy if you'd like us to make it for a bit later...

[Michele]

I'm interested in trying Calvino also.

[Traveller]

Michele wrote: "I'm interested in trying Calvino also."

Oh goodie! I need to check with Dolores if she still wants to do Invisible Cities, otherwise, I don't really care which one we do. But shorter stories might be a good way to start. I have already read his first published novel, but apparently that was before he'd found his 'style'.

[Michele]

Either is ok with me.

[Traveller]

Derek (Guilty of thoughtcrime) wrote: "Allen wrote: "Derek, Robinson it is then :)"

I can't help you there. I'm a fan of Stephenson, and this is the first one that's disappointed me. otoh, I got bored fast with Robinson."

Talking of Stephenson, is there anybody here prepared to try Quicksilver with me? It might be too big and long for a 'normal' book discussion, though. maybe we can take it bit by bit and read a few chapters a months as a side activitity to our usual discussions?

Oh, and Derek, how do you feel about a Calvino? Rather the Borges first?

[Traveller]

Allen wrote: "Trav, here's some info on China's newest. Too bad it's not a novel..."

Thanks, Allen! I will be keeping a sharp lookout!