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Reading Choices for 2022
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I wanted to float the idea of choosing a theme for each month and everyone reads a book they feel fits that theme, be it fiction or nonfiction. Themes could be like: labor, housing, environmentalism, etc.
What do y’all think of that?
Sounds like it could work. The themed structure would work extremely well for non-fiction, and it would provide flexibility and choice re genre (e.g. like Alison reading primarily non-fiction this year). It might be more difficult to fit fiction into a set of themes, but that may help focus our fiction choices on more relevant work.
So, I support the idea, lindsi; why not come up with a list of themes that members can review and discuss?
I think fiction could also work. Fiction that explores certain themes or is by certain authors for example.
Five wrote: "I think fiction could also work. Fiction that explores certain themes or is by certain authors for example."I agree - what sort of themes would you like to see, Five?
Hm. I think for themes maybe things like Leftist Speculative Fiction or Historical Fiction or Fiction by Indigenous Authors for instance. And I’m sure there’s better and more specific ideas but those are mine.
Those are worthy suggestions, Five. I'm not normally a fan of historical fiction, but I like the idea of leftist historical fiction.My suggested themes are -
Women and class
International solidarity
Anti-racism and anti-facism
Socialism not extinction
Work and employment
Health, Social care and Public Sector
Political economy
Communism
Left History
Political and social theory
Like Five, these are just my ideas and I'm sure there are better suggestions - I'm looking forward to seeing what you all come up with.
John,I'm just not sure about that format. It might be plausible if we were all very advanced and all knew a lot about a particular subject, and then the discussion could be useful, i.e. Participant A: "[XYZ] argues [123] on the topic."
Participant B: "[MNO] thinks there is problem [efg] with [XYZ]'s methodology."
Participant C: [PQR] thinks both [XYZ] and [MNO] are out to lunch.....
etc.
but I don't think we are there yet, and it will take quite a bit of work to get there. It's not impossible, and surely a worthy goal over the very long term, but we shouldn't underestimate what it will take to do it.
Thanks for this feedback Burritoboy; the reason for this thread was to have feedback and discussion about our reading plans for next year, so the more contributions, the better.We've all joined this group during the last year, and I think this has contributed to some hesitancy in suggesting, voting on, and discussing book choices. Yet one of the common threads in the "introduce yourself" posts is that we are keen to get book recommendations from each other.
What appeals to me about lindsi's suggested format is that it gives us a structure for making recommendations, and the freedom and flexibility to follow our own choices within that structure.
I think you're right about us being a bit away from a situation of us all having detailed discussion on particular subjects, but I think this format might help us to get there.
I know you've got a DSA SF reading group, so we'd particularly welcome your ideas, as well as inviting as many members as possible to tell us what you want from the group.
Can I remind everybody that we're looking for suggestions about how we should select and plan our reading choices for next year.So far, there are three options on the table -
1. We recommend, and then vote for, books on a month-to-month basis. Possibly alternating between fiction and non-fiction.
2. We decide in December our 12 chosen books for 2022. Possibly alternating between fiction and non-fiction.
3. We decide on a list of "themes" - one for each month of the year, and we each read (and hopefully recommend and discuss) any book that we think fits the monthly theme.
Let us know if you have other suggestions, perhaps based on your experience in other Goodreads groups, or if you want to propose variations to any of the above options. eg should we mix fiction and non-fiction equally, or should we read only/mainly non-fiction? Should we read non-fiction spread over two months so that we have time to discuss it in detail?
I'm part of the 2 other book clubs.One of them chooses the books for the entire year in advance. The other does it on a month-to-month basis.
I prefer the first one. It allows me enough time to look for the book(s) at the library, and even read ahead of the planned month when I can.
If we allow all to nominate any number of books they want, and set up a spreadsheet on Google Drive for each person to pick X number of books they prefer, it will allow to count the votes and will probably lead to a spread of topics
I like the idea of having themes picked out instead of individual books!! the discussions we can have after will be good and may lead to some reallt interesting recommendations :))
Flavia wrote: "I'm part of the 2 other book clubs.One of them chooses the books for the entire year in advance. The other does it on a month-to-month basis.
I prefer the first one. It allows me enough time to lo..."
I also like knowing in advance my books for the entire year - for the same reasons as you Flavia; I can check with the library, browse charity or bookstores, flex my schedule, etc.
One of the reasons that I quite like lindsi's themes idea is that like most of us I have a hefty - and growing - TBR pile; some of those are guaranteed to fit with some of the themes, and motivate me to reduce the pile!
alyssa !! wrote: "I like the idea of having themes picked out instead of individual books!! the discussions we can have after will be good and may lead to some reallt interesting recommendations :))"I totally agree alyssa - I think it will take us out of our comfort zones, I suspect we're more likely to read, and discuss, books we've chosen ourselves rather than group choices, and it will be interesting to see the the range of books we get in each theme. Like you, I'm expecting to benefit from some interesting recommendations.
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lindsi wrote: "How about we solicit input for themes, then make a poll (not on Goodreads, would have to be external bc you can’t select more than one option in Goodreads polls) and the top choices, in random orde..."I suggest we do what other groups do - members post suggested themes to this thread, and I edit message 1 to maintain a list of these. The list closes after a week, members post their votes to this thread, and I update the votes to message 1. Voting closes at the end of second week from now. In the event of any ties (highly likely) I draw them at random. Top 12 choices are picked in random order and the final list of themes agreed by mid December.
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I can live with that - it'll give me some motivation to have a play with Google Forms. I'll send a message to all members, and post it here, asking for suggestions for themes.
The format for next year will be that we agree in advance a theme for each month of the year, and each of us then decides each month what book(s) relevant to that theme we will read that month. Our choices can be either fiction or non-fiction (and I'm eagerly looking forward to the first recommendation of poetry or a play!). We hope that this format will give all of us flexibility and choice, and at the same time let us plan ahead. And we're hoping it will provide lots of good book recommendations - which is probably one of the main reasons why a lot of us joined this group.Therefore, could you come up with some suggested themes that you want included - feel free to nominate any number, up to a maximum of 12.
Because December is a busy month for so many people, we'll keep nominations open until Friday, 17th December.
If you've got any questions or comments on the format, please feel free to raise them; we're grateful for any ideas and feedback.
I’ll nominate the topic “The Non-White Left”
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(Anti)Racism & White Supremacy
Borders & (Im)migration
Climate Change
Colonialism & Decolonization
Democracy
Education
Environmental Justice
Gender & Sexuality
Globalization & Neoliberalism
Housing
Imperialism
Labor
Pan-Africanism & Black Liberation
Policing & Prison Abolition
Propaganda & Mass Media
Social Media & Digital Surveillance
The suggestions from Flavia are - Climate change
Economics and Social Justice
Revolution organization
Mass education/propaganda
Grassroots organizing (with step-by-step tactics)
The suggestions from bana are - Medieval literature
classic historical fiction
prehistoric
set in civil wars and/or revolutions
set in world war I or world war II
anthropology.
My suggestions are - Health, Social care and Public Sector
Political economy
Communism
Left History
Political and social theory
Nationalism/the National Question
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The top 12 themes voted on were:
#1. Colonialism & Decolonization
#2. Communism
Tied for #3. (Anti)Racism & White Supremacy
Tied for #3. Pan-Africanism & Black Liberation
Tied for #3. Propaganda & Mass Media
Tied for #3. Left History
Tied for #7. Police & Prison Abolition
Tied for #7. Political & Social Theory
#9. Imperialism
#10. Climate Change
#11. Globalization & Neoliberalism
#12. Labor
To avoid having a super front-loaded year, I am going to randomize (https://www.random.org/sequences) the order of this options to create a monthly thematic schedule for 2022:
January: Communism
Feburary: Colonialism & Decolonization
March: Pan-Africanism & Black Liberation
April: Police & Prison Abolition
May: (Anti)Racism & White Supremacy
June: Labor
July: Climate Change
August: Globalization & Neoliberalism
September: Left History
October: Political & Social Theory
November: Imperialism
December: Propaganda & Mass Media
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What do you all feel would be best for Reading with Comrades in 2022? Or do you have different suggestions/strategies?
We won't have a formal poll on this - but we will go with the choice of the majority by 30th November.
In addition, if you have any books you'd like us to read in 2022 - nominate these by 30th November also.
And from Glasgow, Scotland - have a great Thanksgiving