What's Our Next Group Read?

[Amy]

I always say 'want' as 'wunt' and 'bus' as 'buzz' much to my students amusement..as they speak proper...

[Jen LD]

Amy wrote: "I always say 'want' as 'wunt' and 'bus' as 'buzz' much to my students amusement..as they speak proper..."
I am a stranger in a strange land meself...As a Southern American, no matter how hard I have tried to mitigate my "sofa on the front porch, truck on blocks in the front yard" accent, here in the Midwest (where the word "bag" sounds like "beg" and the word "milk" sounds like "melk")I still stand out like a sore thumb! And wouldn't you know it, my relatives in the South think I have become a "Yankee..."
Jennifer

[Erin]

There's a correlation between empathy and accents. If you have a naturally empathetic personality or you just really like the group that you're talking to who has a different accent and want them to like you, the other person's accent is easier to mimic. Supposedly it's similar to mimicking someone's posture or body language when you are in agreement with what they're saying. I just read an interesting article that talks about our "language ego" being a potential barrier to assimilating accents (ie. you take pride in your accent and don't want to lose it; like a badge of honor for your own culture when you meet with people of another culture.) It's all really fascinating.

I have a friend from school who grew up in California and went all the way through grad school here, but then got a job in Alabama a few years ago. She was out visiting a couple of months ago and I couldn't help smiling at the Alabama accent she's got now. She's definitely an empathetic person who's really been trying to find her niche in her new home.

I tend to take on accents when I travel or when I read certain books. Not so much in actual accent, but in word choice. After surfacing from a Russell reread I always end up getting weird looks from friends because I've started using more "British" words. I remember my sister's boyfriend thought I was making fun of him for the longest time until my sister finally told him not to take it personally and "that's just how my sister talks." I tend to hold on to my "big words" and use adverbs like "rather" more when I'm nervous or less comfortable in a conversation.

[Amy]

Well, I'm from the Midlands and there are posh parts and not so posh parts - I'm definitely a working-class girl and my speech reflects it! I've worked in places full of Southeners who think I'm Northern! And Northerners who think I'm Southern! The curse of being born in the middle...

[Jen LD]

Erin wrote: "There's a correlation between empathy and accents. If you have a naturally empathetic personality or you just really like the group that you're talking to who has a different accent and want them ..."
That's very interesting! I haven't met many adults who were able to change their accents substantially (other than actors...) Charlize Theron was doing an interview with someone, Piers Morgan I think (rolls eyes, preemptively...) and she showed him all the accents she was absolutely comfortable in. Of course she's fluent in Afrikans, and the Afrikanars English accent is so distinctive. But she is one person I never never suspected was not an American until I read her bio...Your CA friend must truly be empathetic to willingly take on a Southern accent!

[Amy]

Piers Morgan...how is so big in America?? He's a nasty little man with an attitude! Who, while we're on the subject, is POSH with a capital P! And not nice about and therefore on my hit list...

[Amy]

Yet somewhat charming who knows how to exploit people...think I may have just answered my own question...

[Jen LD]

Amy wrote: "Yet somewhat charming who knows how to exploit people...think I may have just answered my own question..."
See??? I knew that eye-rolling comment would come in handy. Amy, he has no track record here, he's an unknown quantity. No one here knows what a bounder he is! He's just identified with "America's Got Talent" and so he was a prime candidate to be on CNN's evening lineup. I think the less we know of a person, the more we like them, we have a weird ability to be naive when it suits us!
Jennifer

[Vicki]

I don't know what my southern accent does when I'm around people with different accents. I think if anything it gets thicker! (Eeek--I'm a jerk!)

[Vicki]

One of my online friends years ago sounded really different than I heard her posts in my head, and it seriously weirded me out when I met her IRL.

The summer I was 11, I went through a huge Dickens binge and picked up a lot of vocab. In the middle of a neighborhood kickball game, I got into an argument with a guy on the other team and told him I would "I'll pummel you to the ground." He just looked perplexed and said, "Whaaaat??"

[Steve]

Vicki wrote: "One of my online friends years ago sounded really different than I heard her posts in my head, and it seriously weirded me out when I met her IRL.

The summer I was 11, I went through a huge Dic..."

I've been a voracious reader since I had to look up at grasshoppers (according to my parents I learned to read at age 3). In 2nd Grade I tested at 8th Grade level and in 10th grade I tested as College Graduate right off the scale. But it's not been without consequences. Not only did my vocabulary sometimes make people go "Huh?" (and occasionally get me beat up by less literate bullies), but I often used words in conversation I'd encountered only in print and so my mispronunciations of some words became legendary amongst my relatives. To this day hors d'oeuvres are still referred to as "whores dovers" in my family :)

[Vicki]

Argh--I'm waiting on Gods of Gotham until I get a new batch of audible credits next month. *Taps foot impatiently* I did read Dust and Shadow on audible and found it to be pretty amazing. I think it's something ACD would have been proud to have written himself.

[Vicki]

We need to figure out a read for April--Laurie would like to put it in the newsletter, if possible. It's going out tomorrow morning, though, so we'd need to come to a consensus today if it's to go in the newsletter, which would be good. She lobbed out a pretty good suggestion, actually--The Hunger Games, with a discussion tie-in to Califia's Daughters. Both books rock, and The Hunger Games movie is all the rage right now, so that would be pretty fun for us and for our lovely newbies.

[Camilla]

I''m keen on The Hunger Games - DD has finally decided that after reading the series three times she can let it out of her sight long enough for me to read. I took her to see the movie on Thursday night (we got it earlier than you for once!!) and thought it was great.

[Sabrina]

Vicki wrote: "We need to figure out a read for April--Laurie would like to put it in the newsletter, if possible. It's going out tomorrow morning, though, so we'd need to come to a consensus today if it's to go..."

Any of those sounds good. I've read Gods of Gotham (AWESOME). I've been meaning to read Califia's Daughters and I bet a Hunger Games discussion would get feisty.

[Lenore]

Ack! I'm on the library waitlist for Hunger Games and there's no way I'll get it by April, but I can't very well ask you all to postpone it to May, because I'll be in Australia in May! (Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be anywhere near Millie. You're in Queensland, aren't you?) So I guess I'll just read the discussion when I finally get the books and maybe chime in late then. Hunger Games and Califia's Daughters does sound like a great combination read!

[Camilla]

Lenore wrote: " I'll be in Australia in May! (Unfortuna..."
LENORE! I just got all excited at the chance to meet a VBC-er! Yes, I'm in Queensland, easily the best state, so riddle me this - why are you not coming here? Where are you going that's not as good as sunny Qld ;-)?

[Jen LD]

I think one thing the VBC needs is a map with our locations on it so when we are making travel plans (and if time and money allow) we can see our friends. I feel like I am in the middle of nowhere, and I would love to meet any of you all. Might get a chance this summer to meet Steve and his famed "better half!" But it will involve him going out of his way. Hope he likes Indian food...must learn how to make cheese cake....
See, I'll cook for company any day!
Jennifer

[Amy]

I would love to meet people too Jen! But being on a different continent, I fear I never will...however if any of you ever come to London let me know and I'll be there in a flash!

[Jen LD]

Well that's good to know! I know it's a small enough country and people there seem to "expect" to have to travel to get to the center of the world (i.e. London!).
I will keep you on my list and same to you although Madison is completely off anyone's itinerary if you are coming from such a long way away.
J

[Vicki]

Maybe we could do some sort of google maps mashup, showing--at least in a general sense--where members are (for anyone who wants to participate, at least). Or it could be a shared doc where we could add people by country and state/province. It would be fun to have regional meetups around bookish events every now and then. Some members have their location on their goodreads profile, also.

[Erin]

Didn't we have a tentative plan for Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle?

But I really like the idea of doing The Hunger Games and Califia's Daughters. Both are on my favorite books shelf =) And it would be interesting to compare distopias.

Not that there's a whole whole lot in common between the two books outside of being distopian fiction. A really interesting comparison would be Califia's Daughters and Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1: Unmanned.

[Vicki]

I think LRK may have already put Hunger Games in the impending newsletter, as we had some good early feedback in this thread. Eeep! I think HG will be fun, though. And we can save Lady Almina for the next month. I totally forgot that we'd talked about that one as an upcoming pick. *self-thwaps* Been too caught up in the platform trials, I guess.

Oooh--I need to read that Y: The Last Man thing.

Newsletter says it's Califia's Daughters with a Hunger Games tie-in. Okey doke, that works too. We'll be more sorted and organized after this month, I promise.

[Lenore]

Millie wrote: "Lenore wrote: " I'll be in Australia in May! (Unfortuna..."
LENORE! I just got all excited at the chance to meet a VBC-er! Yes, I'm in Queensland, easily the best state, so riddle me this - why ..."

Well, seeing as how my husband and I are (say it ain't so!) middle-aged, we've signed onto a tour. We WILL be in Queensland, but only at the Great Barrier Reef (which I have wanted to snorkel for my whole life and I'll now get the chance!) and Cape Tribulation. Other than that, it's all the other places tourists hit: Melbourne, Adelaide, Alice Springs, Uluru, Sydnay. Mind you, I'm just assuming you're nowhere near Cairns -- if I'm wrong, we'll definitely have to try to work something out!

[Camilla]

No, I'm about as far away from Cairns as you can be and still be in the same state. But the reef is wonderful - you'll love it! And Melbourne is beautiful too. Sydney is fantastic, but I haven't been to any of the others. Adelaide (and the wine regions nearby) is our next destination, after DH is all better ;)

[Erin]

Vicki wrote: "Oooh--I need to read that Y: The Last Man thing."

I've only read the first three installments...and then my roommate who had all of them up and moved ;-P I haven't remembered to track them down again, but the first three were really good.

And that reminded me: is your artistic DS into graphic novels, Vicki?

[Erin]

I think it would be pretty awesome to do LRK meetups while traveling. I remember I didn't realize that Dierdre was in Dublin until after I got back from there =P

Australia is on my future travel list, though I have no idea where I'd want to go/see/do there. I saw a bicycling tour that sounded pretty awesome. And I've heard there are some really lovely kayaking spots (something I'm wanting to try out when the weather warms up here a bit). Definitely need a bit more research!

[Jen LD]

Just be sure to let us know when you are planning so anyone who is near you can pipe up! Say, this is devious of me, since Wisconsin is not as exotic as Australia, but we do have many of those wonderful outdoor activities right in our lovely state! Biking is a BIG deal here since Madison is the home (HOME!) of Trek Bikes! We also have many wonderful canoe/kayaking things to do. On a Saturday in July, we have this wacky event called "Paddle and Portage." Look it up!
Oh yes, I am reading Melissa Anelli's book on the Harry Potter phenom and it is so FUN!
Jen

[Lenore]

Vicki wrote: "Oooh--I need to read that Y: The Last Man thing."

I looked at the Wikipedia summary and frankly thought it sounded dreadful. Someone will have to tell me if I'm really wrong.

[Lenore]

Jen wrote: " Say, this is devious of me, since Wisconsin is not as exotic as Australia ...."

I was in Madison for a wedding almost two years ago and really liked it!

[Vicki]

Good Lord--I just read the wikipedia entry on Y: Last Man, and think I got whiplash just from reading all the action. But it sounds like great fun--I'm a sucker for post-apocalyptic dystopias--and like it would make for some interesting comparisons to CD. It would also be fun to compare it to P.D.James's Children of Men.

DS enjoys the occasional graphic novel, but prefers the comic strip format. I'm hoping to hit on the right kind of graphic novel that would pique his interest. I've tried several but none have taken so far. It's been a while since I've foisted one off on him. I have several I think he might like now that he's a bit older.

[Vicki]

Would <3 to go to Australia sometime, but I doubt I'll be going further than Bouchercon in my travels for a while. :)

[Vicki]

Oooh--an interesting dystopic trilogy is the amazon kindle special today, which might be fun to throw into next months' discussion mix: the Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness. Here's the description--

Teenager Todd Hewitt's world is defined by the Noise germ, a plague that supposedly killed all women and gave the surviving men an ability to hear other's thoughts. The Chaos Walking trilogy chronicles Todd's coming-of-age journey through this post-apocalyptic landscape that's further shattered after he meets an eerily silent creature: a girl.

The idea of all that testosterone combined with no women and telepathy kind of sounds like a train wreck waiting to happen, so it'll be interesting to see what Ness does with it.

Oh, forgot to post the link to the deal as well, so here 'tis.

[Erin]

Cool, thanks Vicki! I had The Knife of Never Letting Go on my "maybe" to read list because the reviews were really go for it and I'm a fan of distopia. I was probably going to pick it up at the library, but I have a hard time not grabbing ebooks when they're only $1 ;-)

[Steve]

Jen wrote: "...since Wisconsin is not as exotic as Australia, but we do have many of those wonder..."

Based on my experiences with my ex-brother-in-law, I'm not so certain I'd agree. Wisconsin seems to have some pretty weird inhabitants. I mean, what's with the giant cheese wedge hats? ;)

[Vicki]

Glad I could be of service, Miz Erin!

[Jen LD]

Steve wrote: "Jen wrote: "...since Wisconsin is not as exotic as Australia, but we do have many of those wonder..."

Based on my experiences with my ex-brother-in-law, I'm not so certain I'd agree. Wisconsin see..."

Wisconsin has more than its fair share of weirdness and the cheese hats are the least of them. There seems to be quite a murderous bent up here. Pity more murder mysteries aren't set here. I find the ones that are don't exactly catch the flavor of the place.
J

[Lenore]

The cheese wedge hats are weird enough. Those cheese curd snacks that sort of squeak when you eat them are beyond weird!

[Jen LD]

Lenore wrote: "The cheese wedge hats are weird enough. Those cheese curd snacks that sort of squeak when you eat them are beyond weird!"

Fortunately for you Lenore, unless you get those curds within a few hours after they come out of the processing plant (and that seems unlikely unless you live near a dairy plant...) you will never hear the squeak!
J

[Erin]

Ug...squeaky cheese curds. The sell them at a couple of the cheese shops near Pike's Place Market in Seattle as well and my sister loves them. But oh that squeak!

[Jen LD]

I've only been lucky enough to have the truly fresh curds once since living in Wisconsin. They'd just been processed and put in the dairy's gift shop. And they did squeak! The ones I get at the grocery store are OLD! Comparatively! And they are addictive, not for the squeak but for the fresh taste. Isn't cheese a weird and wonderful miracle?

[John]

We get our cheese curds at the Madison farmer's market at the Capitol during the summer when we are visiting Meag & family. I love all the different flavored curds, and the squeak is just an added bonus :-)

John.

[Jen LD]

John,
Have you ever been to Soulard Market in St. Louis? It's down near the river. That was a wonder to behold! I'd only ever been to the kind that are just open on weekends before I saw that one. It was so huge! I know there are probably bigger ones, but it knocked my socks off!
And it ran year-round and they do get snow in St. Louis!
J

[John]

And speaking on behalf of Wisconsin, it is a wonderful bicycling environment. I have done a lot of rides, from day trips to week long rides, in Wisconsin and they have been challenging as well as beautiful. In addition, for anyone who enjoys classic outdoor theatre the American Players Theatre in Spring Green is absolutely top notch!

John.

[John]

Jen wrote: "John,
Have you ever been to Soulard Market in St. Louis? It's down near the river. That was a wonder to behold! I'd only ever been to the kind that are just open on weekends before I saw that one. ..."

I have not been there so thanks for the tip, Jen. We are not in St. Louis often, but we will have to check it out next time we visit. Happy Easter!

John.

[Lenore]

People who are or will be reading The Gods of Gotham might want to be aware of Richard Zacks' nonfiction Island Of Vice: Theodore Roosevelt's Doomed Quest To Clean Up Sin Loving New York, which seems to be closely related.

[Sabrina]

Lenore wrote: "People who are or will be reading The Gods of Gotham might want to be aware of Richard Zacks' nonfiction Island Of Vice: Theodore Roosevelt's Doomed Quest To Clean Up Sin Loving New York, which see..."

I just started the Alienist by Caleb Carr. Theodore Roosevelt is one of the characters, which gave me pause since I didn't know he was police commissioner of New York. Island of Vice looks like an interesting read.

[Steve]

Sabrina wrote: "Lenore wrote: "People who are or will be reading The Gods of Gotham might want to be aware of Richard Zacks' nonfiction Island Of Vice: Theodore Roosevelt's Doomed Quest To Clean Up Sin Loving New ..."

Roosevelt's brief tenure as a police commissioner (IIRc about 18 months) was the beginning of his political career. He made his national reputation cleaning up the rampant graft and corruption in the NYPD. Corrupt machine politicians and ward leaders quickly found out he was too moralistic and wealthy to bribe. He often patrolled the streets of NYC at night to catch officers sleeping on the job or ignoring illegal bars (it wasn't Prohibition yet but bars were still supposed to close on Sundays).

An absolutely awesome book on Teddy's (a nickname he despised; his friends and family called him Teedie) which covers this period is Edmund Morris' The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, the first volume of his 3 volume biography of Theodore Roosevelt. One of the best biographies I've ever read.

[Jen LD]

Steve,
I am much more familiar with "Mornings on Horseback." I think I love the idea of a puny, asthmatic, almost blind little boy morphing into an intrepid, determined, strong, fearless young man out riding and shooting all day long!

[Steve]

Jen wrote: "Steve,
I am much more familiar with "Mornings on Horseback." I think I love the idea of a puny, asthmatic, almost blind little boy morphing into an intrepid, determined, strong, fearless young man ..."

Also an awesome book.

IMO Theodore Roosevelt was the greatest president of the 20th century; only his cousin FDR is comparable.