What's Our Next Group Read?

[Lenore]

Next season is only #3. Spoilers here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04...

[Amy]

Jen wrote: "Erin wrote:
I tried to watch the old Upstairs D..."
Erin,
The old Upstairs/Downstairs is in the tradition of so many of the great Masterpiece Theater dramas. I got hooked on it when I was pregnant..."

Jen, I think the new one did throw out stereotypes but I thought it was so beautiful to look at (Keely Hawes is to me just the most beautiful woman in the world) and I thought it was acted wonderfully, Alex Kingston I thought was an amazing character and I felt it was a more accurate representation of Britain during the 30's and in the lead up to the war...

[Jen LD]

You know, I am beginning not to trust much of any portrayal of that period. It seems to be ammunition for the way the writer sees the world. And I know it can go in a myriad of ways. I believe that all was not sweetness and light, but it's hard for me to see it as the way that it was portrayed in the new U/D. I like first person accounts quite a lot and one that I read about an Indian going to England to study gave me a good account of how Indians were received. At least it was through the eyes of an Indian boy and that's one of the reasons I have a bit of a jaundiced eye. It's called "Punjabi Century" by Prakash Tandon. He became a business executive in India later, married a Swedish girl! Now wouldn't that make for an interesting drama?
J

[Amy]

I can also recommend some books of Britain during thst period, my brother did a degree in War Studies and Politics and what he doesn't know about Britain in the Second World War isn't worth knowing...

[Jen LD]

Amy wrote: "I can also recommend some books of Britain during thst period, my brother did a degree in War Studies and Politics and what he doesn't know about Britain in the Second World War isn't worth knowing..."
Between you two, (Wayne, your brother) I think I could have a lot of fun picking your not unsubstantial brains! You guys are quite the scholars!
Jen

[Amy]

:-) Thanks Jen

[MaryL]

Still waiting for "Lady Almina" from the library, so thinking about the next read: I would also like to suggest Craig Johnson's The Cold Dish. Set in Wyoming, it's about a sheriff and his county. It will also be a mini-series on A & E in June.

[Erin]

Just want to bring this thread back to attention since we're already halfway through May!

Reading back through posts, it looks like we've got three books to go into the poll for what to read the next few months. We need books for the summer, basically (June through August).

So far we've got:
The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye
Thirteenth Night by Alan Gordon
The Strange Files Of Fremont Jonesby Dianne Day

Going to be pretty easy to pick three out of that list, I think ;-) Let's add in some ideas so we can get a poll going next week for what to read this summer!

I'll get us started and formally nominate Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis.

[Pat]

Erin, Thirteenth Night and Fremont Jones are not available in ebook...my only source.

[MaryL]

How about Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John LeCarre? Or The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson. Both available in ebook I understand

[Erin]

Mary, I totally missed your comment about Craig Johnson; sorry about that! ::Adding to the poll list::

[Erin]

Bizarrely, the second book of Alan Gordon's Fool's Gold series is in ebook, but none of the others are. I suppose we could read that second one: Jester Leaps In.

[Pat]

How bout PD James

[Jessica C.]

What about a Ngaio Marsh book?

[Jen LD]

I am a big Ngaio Marsh fan! And I don't think we've ever read one of hers. The grand old dames are all fun!
Jen

[Pat]

Jen wrote: "I am a big Ngaio Marsh fan! And I don't think we've ever read one of hers. The grand old dames are all fun!
Jen"

And there are only two available for e-readers... .

[Pat]

I've been searching the winners lists of the McCavity, Edgars and Anthonys for writers to try. I noticed that is where the Louise Penny novels came from...like her there are a number of writers who have won consecutive years which makes them an enticing possibility.

[Jen LD]

PatK wrote: "Jen wrote: "I am a big Ngaio Marsh fan! And I don't think we've ever read one of hers. The grand old dames are all fun!
Jen"

And there are only two available for e-readers... ."

Shucks. I couldn't get all of them on audio but I was able to listen to a great number of them. The later ones are really good. She wrote for such a long time too. Maybe 40 years.
Jen

[Erin]

PatK wrote: "Jen wrote: "I am a big Ngaio Marsh fan! And I don't think we've ever read one of hers. The grand old dames are all fun!
Jen"

And there are only two available for e-readers... ."

That's what used book shops and the library are for ;-)

[Jen LD]

I still don't understand why more of the great old books aren't recorded or in e-reader format...
Jen

[Jessica C.]

There are a certain number available via Overdrive for MP3 or WMA format, if you want an audio book. And then there are the paper copies. If we decided on a Marsh book, we might want to check what titles are more common using WorldCat or something. Inspector Alleyn is important to me because the PBS/BBC series were one of the last things my grandma and I watched together before she died. That woman loved mysteries.

[Pat]

I've just read a sample of "The Gods of Gotham" and the prose was gorgeous...I am going to read this one whether it is selected or not...thanks so much for recommending it!

[John]

PatK wrote: "I've just read a sample of "The Gods of Gotham" and the prose was gorgeous...I am going to read this one whether it is selected or not...thanks so much for recommending it!"

Lyndsay has quickly turned herself into a talent to be watched, imho. I have been so impressed by her first two books, and now I have to patiently await the next :-)

John.

[Sabrina]

PatK wrote: "I've just read a sample of "The Gods of Gotham" and the prose was gorgeous...I am going to read this one whether it is selected or not...thanks so much for recommending it!"

And she's already written the next book in the series! I'm guessing it will be released next year. I love the music in her writing.

[Pat]

Sabrina wrote: "And she's already written the next book in the series! I'm guessing it will be released next year. I love the music in her writing.
..."

I stayed up all night reading it! Couldn't put it down...tried three times only to turn the light back on and read some more...finally got to sleep around 6AM...I agree the prose is musical. I've put her first book on my to-read list.

I couldn't help think this morning that this book would make a wonderful film...the story, dialog, and characters are so rich that it seems ready made for transferal to the screen.

[Sabrina]

You will definitely enjoy Dust and Shadow. She stays true to Holmes while adding to him at the same time, just like LRK, which is not an easy thing. Dust and Shadow would be a great one for the group to read too!

[Erin]

Just got the polls posted for the summer reads. There didn't seem to be an option for multiple selections from each person voting, so I created polls for each of the next three months. So vote in the June, July and August polls, if you would, and we'll get our summer books all set! =D

ETA: I set the deadline for the June poll to next Wednesday, May 30th, since we should be starting that one on June 1st. The second two months have a few more weeks to get a few more votes in.

[Amy]

How do I do that? I think I deleted the emails by accident...however I remember Gods of Gotham and Dust and Shadow. So I vote for those for whichever month they were in...so helpful aren't I? ;-)

[Amy]

Never mind, I figured it and I just voted :D

[Erin]

Excellent! I'm kind of laughing that both of the Lyndsay Gordon books have been voted for. We'll have a double header from the same author, it looks like!

[Steve]

So is our next VBC read The Gods of Gotham?

Seems to me the next read should be posted prominently on the home page and not buried in a poll.

[Regan]

Steve, Erin set the deadline for the voting for June to May 30th, so people have until then to vote!

[Steve]

Thanks for that info, but isn't that cutting it a little tight? We should be selecting the next months' choices two weeks or even a month early so people have time to pick up a copy of the next book beforehand.

Of course, my inability to figure out how to vote in the polls hasn't increased my happiness about the entire procedure. :(

[Erin]

Steve wrote: "Thanks for that info, but isn't that cutting it a little tight? We should be selecting the next months' choices two weeks or even a month early so people have time to pick up a copy of the next boo..."

Hence my getting polls for July and August going at the same time. So we'll have the rest of summer chosen pretty soon too. We'll get the up next books posted as soon as the polls close.

Given the current poll standings, I think it's pretty safe to say that Gods of Gotham is probably our read for June, though.

[Pat]

Erin,

Since the June read is pretty much selected, maybe the folks who voted for Gods of Gotham in the July and August poll would like to go in and switch there votes over to one of the other books?

[Regan]

Steve wrote: "Of course, my inability to figure out how to vote in the polls hasn't increased my happiness about the entire procedure. :( "

Steve, scroll up to the top of this page. On the right hand side under a block that says "Laurie R. King Virtual Book Club" there are several clickable options like "group home" or "invite people". One of them is "polls" click on this.

This will take you to the polls page. All the polls are on this page, just scroll down to see each one

If you haven't yet voted you will see a list of books (or options if the poll isn't for books) each in a grey box. To vote, just click on the one you want.

If you have voted, you'll see the books listed as the results instead of in grey boxes. To change your vote, at the bottom of the list of options is a clickable line that says "change your vote." Click on this to turn the list back into the grey boxes and pick!

[Jessica C.]

I have only ever seen the tv show, but has anyone here read the Inspector Murdoch series by Maureen Jennings and is it worth reading here in the group? It takes place in Toronto, 1895.

[Erin]

PatK wrote: "Erin,

Since the June read is pretty much selected, maybe the folks who voted for Gods of Gotham in the July and August poll would like to go in and switch there votes over to one of the other books?"

Yes, definitely. I can go in an edit the poll, of course (and send out a note with the edit), but for now, if you voted for Gods of Gotham for July or August, please head back over to the poll and change your vote, if you would.

Many thanks!

[Steve]

I downloaded The Gods of Gotham a few minutes ago. It is so convenient to be able to buy a book in 30 seconds. And dangerous. :)

[MaryL]

Expensively so-I've made it a rule to ONLY use gift cards on Amazon, else there goes the month's budget!

[Erin]

We're getting down to the poll deadline for the July and August book selections and it's looking like Lyndsay Faye's Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings by Dr. John H. Watson is winning for both months. So we're most likely going to be reading that for July. That being the case, can you guys head back to the August poll and change your votes if you voted for Dust and Shadow for August. I'll drop it from the poll possibilities.

Thanks!

[Erin]

So here's a question. It look like we're probably going to have a tie for the August book in the poll. What do we do with a tie? Read both books? Do some comparative lit on themes/characters/settings/whatever?

[Steve]

Why not a "face off" poll between just those two books?

[Lenore]

Or, as many in our group "read" via audiobooks, pick the one that exists in recorded form as well as print form -- which would be Fremont Jones.

[Regan]

Steve wrote: "Why not a "face off" poll between just those two books?"

This makes sense. Can the poll be changed to just those two books and let people who voted for other things (like me) pick between them. In fact, I'm going to go change my vote right now.

[Erin]

Regan wrote: "In fact, I'm going to go change my vote right now. "

Well, that takes care of the tie! ;-)

[Jessica C.]

I read the first Fremont Jones about the same time as BEEK. It isn't as good as Mary Russell, but it does have all the fun of historical San Francisco. And a bit more romance, if you don't mind it. Not too much, mind you, but more than Russell and Holmes (which I guess could be just about anything :D).

[Regan]

Erin wrote: "Well, that takes care of the tie! ;-)"

Actually, someone else had taken care of it before I got there, so Fremont was one ahead at that point. I think I made it two ahead. ;) But now it looks like someone else has voted for Thirteenth, so it's still only one vote apart.

[Pat]

Erin, if this is going to be so close (like between the two Faye books we are reading) why don't we do the same thing...read one for August and the other for September?

[Erin]

I think Laurie and Vicki had books in mind already for September and October, since Garment of Shadows comes out September 4th and we usually read the new LRK book about the time it comes out.