Author Topic: Suggestion Box for Future Book Discussions ~ (Read 283421 times)

mrssherlock · « **Reply #240 on:** February 28, 2010, 03:27:54 PM »

Polls are now open to choose Bookclub Online titles for JULY and AUGUST Discussion!

VOTE HERE UNTIL JUNE 8!

Title	Author
*Adventures of Huckleberry Finn*	Clemens
*The Lacuna*	Kingsolver
*Frankenstein*	Shelley
*Dracula*	Stoker
*Gulliver's Travels*	Swift
*From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and Their Tellers*	Warner

Contact: JoanP

JoanP: Sorry. I wasn't clear. The instructions said to vote for three but I liked only one. If I had voted for my top choice only, those books I was indifferent to wouldn't have received my vote.

On another subject, seems to me that we should list a nominated book on a set number of lists. My nomination of Doomsday Book should be withdrawn since it has failed three times to win. There were some books on this last list I will read on my own becoming aware of them due to their nomination here.

straudetwo · « **Reply #241 on:** February 28, 2010, 03:56:45 PM »

JoanP, JooanK,

Of course! I should have posted the book titles in the Library, precisely because they were not suggestions.
Mea culpa.
By the way, a trade paperback of Jung's The Red Book is is scheduled to be published in October.

There are two books, both fiction, which I would like to suggest for future reading. Both have been nominated for the PEN/Faulkner Award.

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver,
and
A Gate At The Stairs by Lorrie Moore

Frybabe · « **Reply #242 on:** February 28, 2010, 04:06:33 PM »

Traude, too bad Staying On did'nt make the second list. But I have my book and also Six Days in Mayapore so they are on my read next list after The Book Thief.

Right now I am in the middle of doing taxes, mine and Mom's. I am going to be bald by the time April 15th rolls around.

Gumtree · « **Reply #243 on:** March 01, 2010, 12:04:09 AM »

Yes, Frybabe - I was a bit disappointed about Staying On too - maybe we should have talked it up more.

straudetwo · « **Reply #244 on:** March 01, 2010, 08:51:28 PM »

Frybabe, Gumtree,

It was a disappointment for me also that Staying On did not make it. That had been my hope and my dream. I apologize for not having been eloquent (or persuasive) enough when I suggested it. You know we had talked about this final book several times. I have promoted it several times as best I could.

It was Staying On, a slim volume, that brought Paul Scott the long overdue public recognition = the coveted Booker Prize. He was too ill to accept the award in person and died not long thereafter.

It was this book, this slim volume, that attracted the attention of Granada Television and led to the production of the magnificent[Masterpiece series of the tetralogy titled Jewel in the Crown,viewed by millions. The visual images are unequalled, the acting flawless. One of the most impressive among several outstanding performances was byTim Pigot-Smith as the arch-villain, Capt. Ronald Merrick. He inhabited the role so well, so convincingly, that he became personally identified with it back home in Britain (to the detriment of his career, or so it was reported).

India left a deep, lasting impression on Paul Scott. That is clear from the body of his work.
For him, the completion of The Raj Quartet was NOT the end. He He was drawn back to the area where he himself had been, a region that became part of Pakistan in 1947, and was the setting of the Quartet . He journeyed there to check for himself. He had more to say.

Staying On is the result, the final word. I personally could not have found closure without this book --- it shows what happened when the British were gone ... to the manicured gardens of the former cantonment, the mansions like Rose Cottage, to the ubiquitous servants. And, most poignantly, to one military British couple who decided to Stay On.

I am so very grateful to you for undertaking the overview of the three remaining volumes of The Raj with me when the discussion of the first volume, The Jewel in the Crown was finished. I would not have missed the opportunity. And I am grateful that our extended discussion was approved. Staying On would have been fitting, but did not happen.

Frybabe, I'd love to know more about Seven Days in Mayapore --when you get to it. Meanwhile I have the public library hunting for it.
Good luck with the taxes.

Gratefully, Traude

PatH · « **Reply #245 on:** March 04, 2010, 02:30:30 AM »

Traude, I too was disappointed about "Staying On", my first choice. I wanted it anyway, but especially after seeing you in action in "That Old Cape Magic". You have an almost perfect sense of when to summarize or elaborate because people are stuck and when to hold off so the participants have a chance to plug in their thoughts. If you ever want to dig up a quorum for the book, I'm with you.

Gumtree · « **Reply #246 on:** March 04, 2010, 03:37:03 AM »

Me too!

straudetwo · « **Reply #247 on:** March 04, 2010, 10:50:37 AM »

Pat, Gumtree.
Thank you with all my heart for your expression of confidence and kindness.

Do I understand you correctly that there is hope left for Staying On?
In what framework? And how to dig up a quorum?

I would jump at he chance because I am convinced it would be an eminently worthwhile project, especially as a follow-up to the outstanding discussion of Kipling's Kim.
Thank you and Frybabe again.

JoanP · « **Reply #248 on:** March 04, 2010, 07:45:53 PM »

Traudee, Staying On received only three votes from our readers of all the titles they would enjoy discussing at some time in the future.
If you wish to talk it up more to dig up a quorum when we vote again in the summer, we can put it up for renomination again to see if there is any more interest then.

Will announce the top three the majority has selected on Saturday night. Add these three to Ella and Harold's April discussion of Troublesome Young Men, you can see that we are pretty booked for the next four months.

JoanR · « **Reply #249 on:** March 08, 2010, 06:48:43 PM »

Hi! I'm all agog and a'twitter as they say!! What are the 3 winners? I have a book positively quivering on my desk in anticipation. She'll be so crestfallen if she has been eliminated, but that will be O.K. - I'll console her!

JoanP · « **Reply #250 on:** March 08, 2010, 07:30:11 PM »

I hesitate to announce the "winners' - for fear of breaking her poor quivering heart, JoanR. Perhaps you can console her with the news that there will be another vote in June if she doesn't win - and her title can be resubmitted at that time. Does that help?

You've all been so patient about hearing the results of the recent poll - A funny thing occurred between the first vote and the run-off vote -

Anne Tyler's Noah's Compass and Laura Meacham's Roses led in the first vote - when there were 12 titles from which to choose. The votes were really scattered with so many titles to consider, so we took the five titles that showed the most interest and held the run-off vote this past week to see where those scattered votes would go. It seems that more votes went to Anne Tyler's Noah and to Byatt's Possession with no strong winner for a third discussion in July.

After a day of talking it over, we decided to put Tyler's Noah's Compass on the schedule for the May Book Club Online and then Byatt's Possession for June. In June we can hold another vote to see where the interest lies for the July Bookclub Online. It became just too confusing to do otherwise.

JoanR · « **Reply #251 on:** March 08, 2010, 07:47:32 PM »

No heartbreak here, JoanP - I wonder what you thought I was rooting for?? So happy for "Possession"!! It's no longer "quivering " but rolling around in joy - if one could picture Byatt doing that!! If it's to be in July, I might as well go ahead and read "The Children's Story" now instead of after "Possession" as I had originally intended. Already read "Possession" some years ago but needed to re-read it since the old brain is a mighty leaky vessel. By the way, there is a great article by Byatt on the Guardian site re: Alice in Wonderland and other children's classics - she does go on and on but who cares, I love what she says!

mrssherlock · « **Reply #252 on:** March 08, 2010, 08:51:21 PM »

Two very fine books to look forward to reading and discussing. thank you all.

Gumtree · « **Reply #253 on:** March 08, 2010, 11:57:39 PM »

Great news about Possession I've been wanting to reread it for ages - now's my chance!

JoanP · « **Reply #254 on:** March 29, 2010, 01:02:48 PM »

As you may know, the top selections in our recent poll ~ Noah's Compass and Possession are on the Discussion schedule for May and June. Please drop in and indicate whether or not you will be joining us. (We hope you will!)

The Suggestion Box is now open again for nominations of titles you would like to see discussed in depth this summer or fall.
Thanks, everyone! We rely on your input, hope you know that!

JoanP · « **Reply #255 on:** May 04, 2010, 12:03:57 PM »

It's time to actively seek some titles for our July and August in-depth book discussions. We need to hear from YOU!
Is there anything that you have read that would lend itself to a month long discussion? That you would like to share with a group? Is there anything you've always wanted to really delve into?

It has been suggested we stay away from newly published books for economical reasons.
I'm going to nominate Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. Have heard so much about it - but never read it. But that might not be on everyone's TBR list.

We need to hear from you! If there is anything that had been nominated in the past that you would like to see reconsidered, we'd like to hear about that too.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #256 on:** May 04, 2010, 01:31:11 PM »

One book I read that seemed worthy of discussion was The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine. What happens to a woman when her husband of 48 years falls in love with a younger woman? Could be a real tearjerker but Schine is a better writer than that. She presents the unfolding of this tragedy/comedy with compassion, intelligence and dry humor. No one gets off lightly, each is held up to a bright light and there are warts galore, the kind you and I probably have. The three are Mama Weissmann and her two 50ish daughters who band together for reasons of their own. If you have had to share your life with a returned adult child, you know what a mixed blessing that can be. For me, been there, done that, have the t-shirt. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/cathleen-schine/three-weissmanns-of-westport.htm

Frybabe · « **Reply #257 on:** May 04, 2010, 02:24:00 PM »

Good suggestion JoanP. I have never actually read Frankenstein or Dracula having seen several incarnations moviewise. Both are on Gutenberg, and they both are in audio or text. Joan, your Gulliver's Travels is also in both text and audio on Gutenberg.

marcie · « **Reply #258 on:** May 04, 2010, 06:22:18 PM »

ohh, Frybabe, Frankenstein or Dracula are intriguing choices. I've never read the originals either and would like to do so and talk about them with others here.

JoanP · « **Reply #259 on:** May 04, 2010, 06:47:12 PM »

Very interesting suggestions! Really! I'm off to baby sit - will put all three in the heading as soon as I get back. Thank you!

mrssherlock · « **Reply #260 on:** May 04, 2010, 11:26:03 PM »

Joan: The Westport book is new. Let's take it off the list.

Gumtree · « **Reply #261 on:** May 05, 2010, 02:44:09 AM »

I'd vote for Frankenstein - I even have a copy. - what a great suggestion - thanks Frybabe

JoanP · « **Reply #262 on:** May 05, 2010, 09:08:12 AM »

OK, Jackie, will do - sounds quite interesting though ~ perhaps something to consider when not so "new"?

Hi Gum! Looks like two votes for Dracula already!

Some interesting suggestions in the Library today - I'll bring them up later - after "gym" class...

JoanP · « **Reply #263 on:** May 06, 2010, 08:04:25 AM »

Some titles and authors have been mentioned in the Library I wonder what you think of these as summer reading/discussing?

Quote

"I know she is not serious enough for a month discussion, but Janet Evanovich and Dana Stabenow have both written series that are fascinating. The characters grew,, she added in different people.. All in all, both of the ladies write interesting series"

I haven't ever read any by the popular Evanovich. My DIL loves her What do you think? We'd need specific titles. Both are quite prolific. How would we narrow down the list? How many would we read? What do you think?

JoanP · « **Reply #264 on:** May 06, 2010, 08:05:58 AM »

More from the Library

Quote

A terrific book for all us accumulators and lovers of books is Susan Hill's "Howard's End Is On the Landing". I see that Amazon has a paperback that you can pre-order, I don't know how I got my hard-cover edition - probably from England in some round-about way - from Amazon even!! Anyhow it came to me!
The Amazon entry & review is here:

http://www.amazon.com/Howards-End-Landing-Year-Reading/dp/1846682665/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273017639&sr=1-1

JoanP · « **Reply #265 on:** May 06, 2010, 08:07:25 AM »

Another from the Library

Quote

1. There was some talk of discussing "Three Junes" by Julia Glass a while ago but it didn't happen. I thought that was a really good book and would love to re-read it

. Shall we put it back up for nomination?

2.

Quote

"I Capture the Castle" by Dodie Smith is a book that will capture the reader. One of my favorites - light but wonderful. Reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/I-Capture-Castle-Dodie-Smith/dp/031231616X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273018272&sr=1-1

mrssherlock · « **Reply #266 on:** May 10, 2010, 05:35:41 PM »

I've been thinking about an older book to nominate and of the three in the heading I prefer Frankenstein. Gulliver may be a satire but if so it must be of that time's political and social events cause it didn't make me laugh. Dracula is an unknown so far. Of the old books I've read I can't think of one that I would like to discuss except Shakespeare or Austen.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #267 on:** May 10, 2010, 10:42:45 PM »

Wait, wait, this is a good time to put my perennial favorite, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, on the list, isn't it? After all, Twain is an American author and Finn is on the list in Wikipedia as one of the "Great American Novels". And it is one of my favorite novels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_Novel

JoanP · « **Reply #268 on:** May 10, 2010, 10:57:10 PM »

Not too late, Jackie - we're just getting started! Huck Finn is up there.

marcie · « **Reply #269 on:** May 12, 2010, 11:30:12 AM »

My public library recently picked Tom Sawyer for a monthly read. (I'm not necessarily nominating that.)

JoanR · « **Reply #270 on:** May 12, 2010, 03:11:01 PM »

Back in Post#241, I see that Traude suggested Barbara Kingsolver's book, "The Lacuna". Now, I believe that that constitutes a nomination, doesn't it? If not, I'll nominate it. It is fiction, but based on a lot of history and on some interesting real people such as, Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo... The Times called it a dazzling novel. Review here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/books/review/Schillinger-t.html

Since Mexico seems to be in the news so much lately, this might be a timely read.

JoanP · « **Reply #271 on:** May 12, 2010, 06:10:26 PM »

Wow! You just have to read the link to the Lacuna that JoanR posted in the preceding post! All of it!

Gumtree · « **Reply #272 on:** May 13, 2010, 01:00:31 AM »

I just did - Wow - Let's have a read of that one too!

marcie · « **Reply #273 on:** May 13, 2010, 01:23:46 AM »

Wow, that's a very interesting link. That book does sound dazzling!

Frybabe · « **Reply #274 on:** May 13, 2010, 07:58:35 AM »

I agree. It is shouting READ ME, READ ME!

Gumtree · « **Reply #275 on:** May 13, 2010, 10:49:58 AM »

The Rivera, Kahlo and Trotsky triangle is fascinating. I guess everyone has seen the film 'Frida' starred Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina and Geoffrey Rush.

JoanK · « **Reply #276 on:** May 13, 2010, 02:52:01 PM »

I haven't seen "Frieda" yet but want to. Like probably everyone, I find that bunch very annoying, but am fascinated in spite of myself.

Recently, I visited a museuum in San Diego that had a number of Diego's paintings. One was of Frieda. She was seated. From a distance, she looked like a sweet young girl, dressed in what could have been a bride's dress. When you got closer, you saw she had a skull in her lap.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #277 on:** May 13, 2010, 03:40:59 PM »

Joank: Annoying? Please expand. I can see liking or not liking but there is a deeper element to annoyance which seems to be the result of having your buttons pushed. It is the word I'm curious about, not your feelings.

JoanK · « **Reply #278 on:** May 13, 2010, 04:29:22 PM »

Jackie: good point. They do push my bottons, and I'm not sure why. Maybe reading the book will tell me.

They seem to be like these kids who are always making noise or doing something outragious, so you have to pay attention to it, and can't really talk or think.

PatH · « **Reply #279 on:** May 13, 2010, 08:53:05 PM »

I haven't seen "Frida" yet either, though I should. It would be hard to portray that character adequately.

I hadn't thought much about Frida Kahlo until 10 years ago, when I gave a report on her in a Spanish class, and read rather more than was necessary for a short report. I ended up not liking her very much, mainly because she was so totally self-absorbed and manipulative. Her art is almost 100% totally about herself. She was a powerful, stormy, fiery person, on a level way beyond my more ordinary feelings. Her marriage to Diego Rivera was like the mating of volcanoes. They drove each other nuts with their manipulations and infidelities, but they also each had something the other needed, and couldn't stay apart either.

Love her or hate her, she makes good copy, and it would be hard to write a dull book about her.

News:

Author Topic: Suggestion Box for Future Book Discussions ~ (Read 283421 times)