Books on the Nightstand discussion
What do you want us to talk/write about?
Me, too. I've just finished a long and thought-provoking novel, so I immediately picked up exactly what Connie described: "...something fast and easy and not too long." It's so nice to know I'm not alone in that regard!
Mod
I'd like to hear a podcast about short story collections. Some of my favorite writers, such as Eudora Welty and Flannery O'Connor, I think excel at short stories rather than their longer works. So I suggest maybe some of Ann and Michael's favorite short story writers and any new collections coming out.
Mod
It was one of our earlier episodes, but check out Podcast #3 for our take on Short Stories.
It's a topic I'm sure we'll cover again, especially with great new collections coming out all the time!
One of my favorite short story collections is Kissing in Manhattan - the stories are kind of bizarre, but all interrelated in tiny ways.
Mod
Really??? That's awesome! I have never met anyone else who has read it! I loved it and bought a copy. Give me a shoutout in your Podcast! ;) You guys should check out my book group sometime. I have a posting recommending your group, site, and podcast. We have a lot of fun. It's called Busy Bee Book Lists. I also have a book group for Bookmarks magazine.
I hate the word shoutout. I am embarassed I just used it.
Stephanie wrote: "One of my favorite short story collections is Kissing in Manhattan - the stories are kind of bizarre, but all interrelated in tiny ways. "OMG -- I read Kissing in Manhattan way back when I was still living in Belgium in the spring of 2002!! I loved that book. Strange, haunting, wild and crazy set of stories. And now here are not one but THREE people who are talking about it, how funny, weird is that?
Mod
Give us a link to your book groups, I'd love to check them out.
Dottie -- I know, crazy isn't it? That's why I love this group so much! Everyone is very different, but then sometimes there's a magic point of convergence...
Ann wrote: "Stephanie, shout-out is OK if you don't use it on a national TV show ;)Give us a link to your book groups, I'd love to check them out.
Dottie -- I know, crazy isn't it? That's why I love this gro..."
Oh good, I was going to suggest Stephanie give us a link and forgot -- but Ann, we really, really want to know about this discussion of Kissing in Manhattan -- do tell. I personally have had moments when I wanted to follow James's lead and stop the elevator between floors and sit down and have a talk with my best pal Otis (as in Otis elevators, as opposed to our Goodreads chief, Otis).
Mod
Michael and I were talking about Libby's request that we do another episode about short stories, and we were running down a list of possible books that we would talk about. Kissing in Manhattan was one of the books mentioned.
We'll probably time that episode to coincide with one of the new story collections being published in the near future.
Ann wrote: "Dottie, nothing too scandalous :)Michael and I were talking about Libby's request that we do another episode about short stories, and we were running down a list of possible books that we would t..."
Ah -- very cool.
I'd like to hear about a series of books that you and Michael have loved. 2 of my favorites have been Stephen King's Dark Tower and Laurie King's Beekeeper series.
Mod
Also, I was saying that I haven't read Kissing in Manhattan, but I did read his second book Sweet and Vicious which I really liked.
Pam-
Thanks for the idea. One of my favorite series is the Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde, but I think I've talked about those already. and... did you know that there's a new Beekeeper book coming out at the end of this month? Here's the link:The Language of Bees.
Michael,Yes, I have been following the events (and contests) leading up to The Language of Bees release. I'm looking forward to reading it.
I only recently found out about your podcast and am only up to issue #8. I take notes when I listen and I remember you talking about the Eyre Affair in issue #7. I'll check it out. I enjoy hearing about all of the books you have read. Finding this podcast and group has been like Christmas for me. Thanks!
Michael, I enjoyed Sweet and Vicious also but I think Kissing in Manhattan is the better of the two so I highly recommend you check it out.
Mod
Mister Pip
Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society
The Good Thief
and
Kissing in Manhattan
are all favorites of BOTNS readers/listeners, and were all acquired and edited by Susan Kamil, who heads up The Dial Press imprint at Random House.
I'm just listening to the latest episode #30 of BOTNS, and I have to say, I find the new stereo set up with Ann in my right ear and Michael in my left slightly distracting. At the beginning it seemed fun, but as it went on, I wished you guys would join in the center (pan the channels to zero).
Mod
That was an error on our part and if you re-download the episode you'll find it has been fixed.
It'll never happen again, promise!
Mod
But Zoran,truly, my apologies. It was my error,and I'll try to remember in the future.
Thank you, it was a good episode nevertheless, being a runner myself, can't wait to dive into "Born to Run". I think I spied a copy in our local library.
Hi I listen to the podcasts I started around four episodes ago and my suggestion would be books that are turned into movies or tv series.
How about one on short stories, or anthologies?
Mod
Just finished Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, a collection of short stories with the same character, Olive, being somehow part of the story. Whether she was a customer, a friend, a mother, a wife, played a large role or simply a cameo, the reader was able to capture a wider perspective through seeing Olive from every angle. I've never read anything like that and really found it an interesting way to get to know someone.
Ann and Michael, I've been wondering lately about book clubs/book groups. It's a huge topic of course, but I'm wondering if book clubs are still active and lively given the emergence of things like BOTN and Goodreads and lit blogs. Do people still actually gather together in person and read books and talk about them? Is this mostly a public library / senior citizen phenomenon now? (I don't mean this last comment facetiously, I really am wondering who organizes/ participates in book clubs these days and where/how people find out about them). Would you consider podcasting about this? I see that one of your listeners (Stephanie) is involved in a book group, so maybe she can also comment.
Sonya wrote: "Ann and Michael, I've been wondering lately about book clubs/book groups. It's a huge topic of course, but I'm wondering if book clubs are still active and lively given the emergence of things lik..."That would make a interesting topic. I tried to start a book club but everyone who wanted to participate had conflicting schedules *sigh*
Mod
yes, book clubs are alive and well. Michael and I speak to many, many members of book clubs throughout the year, through our Reading Group Nights hosted by our bookstores.
Personally, I have yet to find a book club that stays together for longer than 8 months or so. I keep trying. I did find a great one, attended one meeting and had a blast, but then they changed the meeting to Saturday afternoons. Because I travel so much during the week, I try to keep weekends for family.
So yes, we will do a book club episode. No promises on when, we are always tweaking the schedule, but we will do it.
Sonya - I have been involved with book clubs for years - led several when I worked at the book store and still lead two and participate in a 3rd. One of the ones I lead is store based and one is at the local health club. Both have been going on for several years - more than 10 for one. Both have an active group of participants but (with a couple of exceptions) they are women and most of us are of a "certain age". The groups I work with are book based rather than friend based - although over times we have become friends. In addition to monthly book discussions, we often schedule a road trip (a group from one went to Bouchercon last year - others have made trips to book stores we wanted to visit), have a meal together, go to an author talk, or see a movie made from a book we have read. I send feedback after each meeting to everyone so that people who haven't been able to attend can still stay in touch. Each group has an average attendance of 10-12 with a total membership larger (20 for one - over 40 for the other). As nice as the on-line groups are, I don't think anything replaces the opportunity to meet and talk face to face.dottie M.
I think Dottie makes a great point about the advantages of face to face discussions. I love the exchange of perceptions, how most of us can absolutely love a book, while one member finds it boring. Or how someone will read out loud a line or paragraph that particularly grabbed her, and it will provoke a lively discussion. In my book club, we're also "women of a certain age" and I'm going to pass along your activities at our June meeting. (Our June meeting is traditionally a pot luck dinner, and we all bring suggestions for the next season's reading choices; the conversations are always spirited, and sometimes HEATED, as we each push for our favorites to be included!) I envy those of you who have belonged to book clubs for several years; when I was younger, I was never able to find enough people to form a group, making my enjoyment of my present group all the more enjoyable.
I started a F2F book club in 1997 and we still meet every month rotating homes...have fabulous dinners during the discussions and although not everyone knew everyone else before...they are all fast friends now!I did some research beforehand on setting up successful book clubs (many books and articles available on this topic)
One of the MOST important aspects in the success of my group was that the rules (guidelines) were already
in place and so we've avoided many of the issues that tend to splinter book clubs...how to choose the book, where to meet, how to avoid 1 person dominating the discussion, etc.
I made the rules after my research and the are simple, but keep us on track. Every member who joined agreed to these guidelines before joining.
We are almost all the original members and hardly anyone EVER missing a meeting!
One member moved back east (we are in WA state), but occasionally comes back (she has family here still) and attends book club.
I'd say we'll be together til we're all too senile to read anymore! :-)
I was in a bookclub in Boston for about 18 years which disbanded when too many of us started moving farther away from the city. It was a group of very close friends so while I'm still in touch with everyone I really missed our Book club meetings. I was lucky enough to find a new bookclub where I now live. A mutual friend brought two groups of strangers together and fortunately we clicked. I think one of the keys to making it last is that everyone is committed. We even have a member who drives up and stays overnight from Connecticut every month. We've been together for 4 years now and I'd be a little embarrassed to tell you how many family and work events I have missed because my bookclub took priority. But for me, this time is sacred!!!
Susanne wrote: "I started a F2F book club in 1997 and we still meet every month rotating homes...have fabulous dinners during the discussions and although not everyone knew everyone else before...they are all fast..."Thanks, everyone -- it's good to know the in-person book club is alive and well. I would imagine it's most useful to have a leader of some sort, to organize and communicate and ensure guidelines, etc. Susanne, you mention resources available -- are there central online places where one can research book clubs, find local book clubs, etc.? Dottie, it's wonderful to know that books bring together people who otherwise did not know each other before.
Susanne, you mention resources available -- are there central online places where one can research book clubs, find local book clubs, etc.?My library's website lists all the library groups as well as ones meeting in local book stores. The independant bookstore here also has a website listing it's many book clubs. Those might be good places to start looking.
My book club has several members (including me!) who didn't know one another before we joined. It's a great coming together of women from diverse backgrounds and reading interests. Our meetings are held in our homes, once a month. We have a half hour of "chat time," where we catch up on one another's lives, health, children, and grandchildren. Then we get into the meat of the evening, and the best part is never knowing how it will turn out, what will be brought into the discussion, etc.
Bobbi wrote: "My book club has several members (including me!) who didn't know one another before we joined. It's a great coming together of women from diverse backgrounds and reading interests. Our meetings are..."Bobbi...this is so similar to my book club set-up!
The half hour social BEFORE discussing the book helps so much to keep members focusing on the book (and not chit chatting) during dinner!
It's a great 'modus vivendi'
Erotic and Romance novels...or to add to the book club idea movies about book clubs.
Hello, Everyone!Just came to the thread to add my suggestion for a topic about Book Clubs! Looks like it might be timely!!!!
One of the posts above references "guidelines" for your club -- would you be willing to share? I am sure I can google and find articles about books clubs, but if you have some advice that is "time tested", that would be great!
I was just talking with a new friend over lunch today, and we are both looking for a book club to join -- we thought about maybe starting our own, but not sure where to start....
So, any advice anyone has would be greatly appreciate it! And a topic on the podcast would be fantastic!!!
Shannon
Shannon wrote: "Hello, Everyone!Just came to the thread to add my suggestion for a topic about Book Clubs! Looks like it might be timely!!!!
One of the posts above references "guidelines" for your club -- would ..."
Ditto! As much as online book discussions are a wonderful evolution, a "movement" to keep people coming together in person to read and talk about books seems worth cultivating.
Shannon - good luck in finding/starting a book club. I absolutely love mine. The thing about guidelines is that every club is different - I work with three (have worked with an addition 4 in the past) and none are exactly the same. What has been successful for me is finding a way for everyone to have input to selecting the books (lots of different ways to do that), making sure that everyone has an opportunity to talk - shutting down the people who can't stop talking is always an issue - and making sure that everyone's opinions are respected. And since all of the groups that I work with are collected from people who want to talk about books rather than friends looking for an excuse to get together, we try to keep the discussion mostly on the books. Once people get to know each other, there will be a need for some personal time - that works well at the beginning to let everyone catch up. One of my groups meets in a store and one of the members selects a local restaurant and everyone who wants to have more chat time, goes to supper before the meeting. I always do some background research on the author (love the web for that - when I started I had to go to the library in the next town and go through lots of books to find this information), send along any links for especially good interviews with my e-mail reminder on when we are meeting, and I always send a wrap up e-mail. This is just a couple of paragraphs highlighting how people felt about the book, any new titles that were suggested by the discussion - that kind of thing. It allows the people who didn't make the meeting to stay connected. There are several people attached to both the groups I lead that seldom if ever make it to the meetings but they like to read the books we are reading and hear what others think about them - so I guess we have a quasi on-line group incorporated into the actual meetings. And - as I said in an earlier note on this - we do related activities outside the actual meetings like trips to author readings and book stores. There are several books on starting book groups and lots more on selecting what to read. The Reading Group Handbook by Rachel Jacobsohn is a good place to start and I am fond of Book Lust for choices. I also subscribe to BookMarks and the on-line BookBrowse and find them very helpful. One rule for all my groups is that we don't read books until they are available in the library and in paperback so the lists of just published make us salivate but we don't select them.dottie m.
Dottie -- thanks so much for the information -- I am going to check out the resources you have recommended! Shannon
I just started a new book group where we only read classics (the definition to be determined/debated by that month's selector.) I'm really excited to be in one again.We had a problem with some people in my old group getting way off topic so I started a trend of whoever picked the book researching the author and the book before the meeting and giving everyone a little handout on it. That worked slightly better.
Hello all -- a blurb from Publisher's Weekly this week about a new survey of book club members (continuing on the recent book club thread). Sorry for the long link, I'm not very adept with html.http://www.publishersweekly.com/artic...
Thanks Sonya...interesting findings!I participated in that survey...but hadn't seen the results til now!
Susanne
In your poetry podcast, I think Michael mentioned that he was turned off of poetry when his interpretation of a poem didn't match the teacher's, and she corrected him. I would like to hear a podcast about the books that you disliked in high school or college, but enjoyed when you read them later in life. I would also like to hear about the books and authors that a teacher introduced to you, and you ended up loving them. I had a class in college and we read "To the Lighthouse" by Virginia Woolf. I absolutely hated it. A year later, I signed up for a class on women authors only to discover that the only woman we were studying was Virginia Woolf. I am glad that I stayed in the class because that professor explained her work in such a way that I have become a life-long fan. I would like to know if anyone else had a similar experience.
Mod
Thanks, Michael. Thank you again for talking about The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It was one of the best books I have read in the last couple of years. After I finished it, I went back and re-read 84 Charing Cross Road. What about a podcast on excellent book pairings? Also thank you for Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Beowulf on the Beach, and introducing me to Lee Childs.
Mod
Books on the Nightstand
Books mentioned in this topic
The Looking-Glass Sisters (other topics)Leviathan Wakes (other topics)
The Glass Room (other topics)
The Invisible Bridge (other topics)
Ancillary Justice (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Annie Dillard (other topics)Lia Purpura (other topics)
Joni Tevis (other topics)
Athol Dickson (other topics)
Mark Helprin (other topics)
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I don't have a comfort book -- but I probably should!
I do find that after I've read a "serious" book or two I need to read something lighter.