Buddy Reads Requests

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Here is the place to post if you would like some company reading. If you would love to re-read and share an old favourite or would just like some company reading something new, tell us your plans for a comfy read and someone may want to join you.

[[deleted user]]

Could you make Buddy Reads a Folder, rather than a topic in General.

Or is this just a place for asking if anyone wants to do a Buddy Read, and my question is out of turn? *sorry*

[[deleted user]]

I looked and Harry Potter is under Chit Chat. Mockingbird is under Historical Fiction. Please Look After Mom is under General Fiction. LOL

[Lee, Mod Mama]

We can easily make a folder. We could have this be the general request thread and then when a particular discussion starts it can have it's own thread under the the title of the book within the folder. I'll rename this Buddy Reads Requests. How about that?

[[deleted user]]

Yay! Just what I was hoping for. I'll start the Persuasion thread ASAP!

Thanks, Lee. :)

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Great! I'm glad you like it.

[[deleted user]]

Oh! I like this idea! I know I'll be looking for some buddies.

[[deleted user]]

Anyone want to read The Count of Monte Cristo in January?

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I have a copy and am tempted to join you for a first read..... It's pretty long.

[Kimberly]

Jeannette wrote: "Anyone want to read The Count of Monte Cristo in January?"

I'd love to! I've been meaning to read that one for ages.

[Kim]

I would like to, but will have to give it some thought. My biggest concern is the length. I love long novels, but The Count is extreme. If I listened to it on audiobook in French (which would be my preference) it will take more than 45 hours. As I normally only listen to about ten hours of audiobook a week, that's a pretty big commitment and I'm not sure that January will be the month for it.

[[deleted user]]

I haven't read it, either. WInter is the best time for my first attempt. If I read it with a few buddies, I'm less likely to abandon it. ;)

Let's see if we have enough interest to give it a shot in January. What time-frame would work better for you, Kim?

[Tracey]

I'm tempted; this has been on my radar for a while. I'd probably prefer audiobook too, but at maybe an hour a day that would take a wee spell. I'm tentatively in.

[[deleted user]]

I don't imagine that I will fly through it, either. 1,000+ pages in small type will be a personal challenge for me.

[Tracey]

The small print is exactly why I'm thinking audio... I know I'd never make it.

[[deleted user]]

New Year's challenge for me! My husband says it starts off slowly, but really picks up. It's been on the shelf too many years....

[Diane]

Hi Jeannette, welcome home hope you had a great Thanksgiving. I will think about the Count but can't commit yet...scary book lol.

[[deleted user]]

Hi Diane! *thanks* Hope you had fun in Boston.

Scary story or scary length? lol

[Diane]

Scary in length ;) I'm still in Boston, heading back tomorrow.

[[deleted user]]

Have a safe trip back! We came home Saturday, to allow the girl time to get organized for the last 3 weeks of this semester. She will have earned her Christmas break.

[Lisa]

Diane D. wrote: "Scary in length ;) I'm still in Boston, heading back tomorrow."

Diane D. wrote: "Hi Jeannette, welcome home hope you had a great Thanksgiving. I will think about the Count but can't commit yet...scary book lol."

Glad you checked in, Diane!

[Diane]

Hi Lisa!

[Lisa]

Diane D. wrote: "Hi Lisa!"

Howdy! Enjoy your last moments in Boston. ;-)

[[deleted user]]

Ok I'm in for the Count. And yes it's long, but mostly flies by (except for the bit that takes place in Rome, but that can be skimmed). Available for free from Gutenberg and/or Feedbooks, etc., for your ereaders and/or computers.

It's great fun too!

[[deleted user]]

All right! I'll start the thread on January 1. I'll be moving slowly that day, so reading is just the right activity! Do we free-discuss a book this long? Will that work, Hayes?

[[deleted user]]

Speaking of e-readers: my husband just bought me a Kindle Touch as an early Christmas present. :)

[Kimberly]

Jeannette wrote: "Speaking of e-readers: my husband just bought me a Kindle Touch as an early Christmas present. :)"

What a great gift!

[[deleted user]]

He really shouldn't feed my book buying habit! lol

[Tracey]

Jeannette wrote: "Speaking of e-readers: my husband just bought me a Kindle Touch as an early Christmas present. :)"

Ooo! How do you like it? I'm seriously considering getting myself one after the holidays; I got a plain old Kindle for my niece and had to pry my fingers off it to give it to her.

Hayes wrote: "Ok I'm in for the Count...."

Shouldn't that be "down for the Count"?

:D

[[deleted user]]

Yeah-a, I'm down for the Count! lol

We just ordered the Touch last night -- amazon has the best selection, prices, and no sales tax. I love the e-ink, and the size is right. And, i have collected quite a few free, and cheap Kindle books this past year. I'll finally get to read a few of them in comfort, instead of on the iMac.

[[deleted user]]

Jeannette wrote: "He really shouldn't feed my book buying habit! lol"

But think of all the freebies you can get from Gutenberg! You wont be spending a dime!

(What a nice husband you have, Jeannette!)

[[deleted user]]

Tracey wrote: "Shouldn't that be "down for the Count"?"

Very good one, Tracey!

[[deleted user]]

Hayes wrote: "Jeannette wrote: "He really shouldn't feed my book buying habit! lol"

But think of all the freebies you can get from Gutenberg! You wont be spending a dime!

(What a nice husband you have, Jeanne..."

I told you he's a keeper! :D

[Darkpool]

(just checked out the Count on Audio download from the library. Forty-six hours. I think I'll pass on this one...)

[Kim]

Darkpool wrote: "(just checked out the Count on Audio download from the library. Forty-six hours. I think I'll pass on this one...)"

I've downloaded it and I'm very nervous. Not quite sure that I'll join in yet. I'm still at the "let's see" stage.

[[deleted user]]

I'm in for January 1. We can take as long as we need/want to read it. Who knows, once you start, you may not want to put it down!

[Tracey]

I've downloaded it! And just because I'm just that clever I went for the 52-hour version.

*facepalm*

But I liked that reader better, from the samples. And I know it's going to be fun. And maybe - since I have to be doing something while listening to an audiobook (lest I fall asleep) - that will encourage me to get a lot of cleaning and sorting done in January.

[[deleted user]]

Great idea, Tracey! Maybe I should get the audiobook, too. I'll have to see if I can find the 60 hour version -- I have a lot of cleaning I want to do. ;) I wonder why there is a 6 hour difference in the versions?

I have a few people in another group who are willing to read the Count in January. The one friend is an English major.

[Tracey]

Jeannette wrote: "I wonder why there is a 6 hour difference in the versions?..."

I'm curious too.

[[deleted user]]

Slow reader, something extra at the end?

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Are most of you doing the audio version then?

[Tracey]

Or ... when I'm forced to read aloud I get nervous and talkveryfast; maybe that's part of the shorter version? :D

[[deleted user]]

Could be. Let's hope the longer version doesn't have lots of ums, and coughs in it. lol

Lee: My hubby gave me a paperback years ago for Christmas, and I will read from there. But, if I can find an audio version, and double up with organizing closets, I might try doing both! We'll see. It sure would be nice to listen and organize.

[Krista]

I'll be honest, I've never given thought to The Count of Monte Cristo but after reading the comments on the GR book page, I think this is one I might need to dig into. While I think I'd prefer the audio version, 40 to 50 hours would take me eons to finish. Looks like I'll be hitting up some bookstores to see what I can find for a used version.

Regarding the difference in audio lengths, my guess is it's related to whether or not they're reading the abridged or unabridged version and the reader's rate of reading.

A question... Several comments mentioned "downloading" the audio. I have only ever purchased audio disks or borrowed the CDs from the library. Can someone fill me in on audio downloads? How does that work? Where do you do it? Sending gratitude in advance!

And another question, how does a buddy ready work?

[Tracey]

Krista wrote: "Regarding the difference in audio lengths, my guess is it's related to whether or not they're reading the abridged or unabridged version..."

That would make so much sense ... and yet it's not. The abridged version is 17 hours, 19 minutes; there are a few really abridged versions coming in at around 2 1/2 hours; the REALLY abridged version (a full-cast performance, actually, with Orson Welles) is a mere blip: 51 minutes.

Unabridged:
Narrated by John Lee
Length:47 hrs

Narrated by Bill Homewood
Length:52 hrs and 45 mins

Narrated by Andrew Timothy
Length:50 hrs and 47 mins

http://www.audible.com/search/ref=sr_...

[[deleted user]]

Check with your library first, as they may have an audio version you can check-out electronically. You download to your computer, and then transfer to your device (iPod, mp3 player). There is also audible.com where you can purchase electronic copies of audiobooks. The Count should also be free on gutenberg.org.

The buddy-read will take place on a separate thread, that I will set up after Christmas. I don't know how to organize such a big book, so if Hayes or anyone who's read the book has any suggestions, send them along. I'll post the guidelines at the top of the thread. Then, we just read, comment, question, etc. Doing a buddy-read is the one thing that will get me to start on such a long book.

[Krista]

Tracey - Thanks for the additional info. That’s crazy! Huh…I have absolutely no idea then.

Jeannette - I appreciate the tips. I’ve never used the electronic option through my library. Sounds like something I’ll have to check into. I recently learned about Audible.com through the GR audiobooks group. Sounds like something I’ll be looking into as it seems to be more cost effective than purchasing all the books to which I want to listen. And I’ll visit Gutenberg.org as well. I’ve never heard of it. What a productive and information today it’s been!

[Kim]

Krista, just a warning about Gutenberg: I've downloaded a book from there and then realised it was an abridged version. The only way I could tell was because I was sitting on the train, listening to the audiobook version in French and following it in English on the Kindle (my version of multitasking - no cooking or cleaning possible while commuting!) it became obvious that there bits of the book missing and there had been no notification on Gutenberg that I was downloading an abridged version.

[[deleted user]]

Jeannette wrote: "so if Hayes or anyone who's read the book has any suggestions"

It might be a good idea to divide the book up into sections, one thread for chapters 1-10, one thread 11-20 (the numbers will have to be checked, obviously). That way people can go at their own pace and not worry about seeing spoilers and whatnot.

[Krista]

Thanks, Kim! I appreciate the heads up.