Author Topic: Suggestion Box for Future Book Discussions ~ (Read 283078 times)

JoanP · « **Reply #800 on:** May 14, 2012, 03:51:23 PM »

July/August Book Club Online - Great Expectations

September Book Club Online (Proposed) - The Presidents Club

Nominations for Fall Group Discussion:

Sky of Red Poppies by Zohreh Ghahremani

More Than You Know by Beth Gutcheon

Travels with Herodotus by Ryszard Kapuscinski

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Eternal on the Water by Joseph Monninger

The Technologists by Matthew Pearl

Contact: JoanP

ginny · « **Reply #801 on:** May 15, 2012, 08:16:56 AM »

Jonathan how is the Seymour book different from Thrumpton Hall by the same author?

This one was printed in the UK, and won the PEN/ Ackerley prize for Memoir. Page after page of rave reviews including the NY Times.

I bought it at B&N before I saw this and am wondering if it's the same book?

How does it compare to the Waugh we read?

Babi · « **Reply #802 on:** May 15, 2012, 08:21:27 AM »

I have read "Run" and thought it a very good book. Sometimes makes you feel like you are
soaring with the runner. It is easy and quick to read, so it might not take very long to discuss
it.
The Saramago book sounds intriguing. I wonder how often I would be mentally arguing with
the author?

And I wonder how many libraries around here would have it. Well, I could find
out quickly enough.

JoanP · « **Reply #803 on:** May 15, 2012, 08:29:13 AM »

Let us know when you find out, Babi. I'm remembering his "Elephant's Journey." Marjifay says this title is nothing like that - but the man has a fascinating mind! OK, the voting is officially open... Link in the heading - Read the title links before going into the voting booth!

Jonathan · « **Reply #804 on:** May 15, 2012, 03:47:11 PM »

It must be the same book, Ginny. Thrumpton Hall is certainly the house of In My Father's House. How does it compare with Brideshead? Favorably.

What a difficult choice. They all look so interesting.

Babi · « **Reply #805 on:** May 16, 2012, 08:29:38 AM »

Hmm. Won't it be difficult discussing the Saramago without touching on some sensitive issues?
Discussing religious views can be a minefield, even among tactful people like those in SeniorLearn.

JoanP · « **Reply #806 on:** May 16, 2012, 10:44:12 AM »

I think we got through the same situation with Elephant's Journey, Babi. I think our readers have evolved. If you read the description of the book - the title is a link, you will see that the book is not what you'd expect from the title, not about a religious figure, but a very human Jesus.

Babi · « **Reply #807 on:** May 17, 2012, 08:02:06 AM »

Oh, yes, I read the summary on the book. I'm sure I'd find it most interesting. It's simply that
many people would be uncomfortable with a "very human" Jesus. It's easy to forget that he
got tired, thirsty, sore-footed and sometimes highly annoyed with his disciples.

marcie · « **Reply #808 on:** May 17, 2012, 10:31:39 AM »

Babi, yes it does seem to be a controversial book. It's best that we all know that before we vote, rather than drop out of the discussion when we discover the fictional "alternate history" of Jesus. I, too, am interested in reading it.

From wikipedia:

The Gospel According to Jesus Christ (original title: O Evangelho Segundo Jesus Cristo) is a novel by the Portuguese author José Saramago. A fictional re-telling of Jesus Christ's life, it depicts him as a flawed, humanised character with passions and doubts. The novel garnered controversy with some critics,[1] especially among the Roman Catholic church, accusing Saramago of possessing a "substantially anti-religious vision".[2] It was also praised by other critics as a "deeply philosophical, provocative and compelling work".[3]

JoanP · « **Reply #809 on:** May 17, 2012, 03:45:04 PM »

Hmm...let's say if any of you voted for the Saramago book without reading the review, you have the option to change your vote. Don't want unhappy "winners" if that is the selected titles...

Email me with the title you would prefer to read...jonkie@verizon.net

JoanP · « **Reply #810 on:** May 22, 2012, 09:36:45 AM »

A little reminder if you haven't cast your vote yet - the polls will close at the end of the day, today.

I can tell you this - as of now, we have quite a tie and more than likely will have to go to a run-off vote beginning tomorrow - unless of course we have so many votes today that will break the tie!

JoanP · « **Reply #811 on:** May 23, 2012, 12:44:03 PM »

A 4-WAY TIE
for June Bookclub Online Discussion-

We've included TWO QUESTIONS THIS TIME:
1. Your first choice
2. How many of the four would you discuss if selected.

************************************************************

The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by Jose Saramago
A wry, fictional account of the life of Christ by Nobel laureate Saramago. A brilliant skeptic, Saramago envisions the life of Christ as things of this earth: The Holy Family reflects the real complexities of any family. A deft psychological portrait that moves between poetry and irony, spirituality and irreverence of a savior who is at once the Son of God and a young man. In this provocative, tender novel, Saramago questions the meaning of God, the foundations of the Church, and human existence itself.

From SeniorLearners: "I am finding it a most interesting, sometimes poetical and moving story."
*"A fictional re-telling of Jesus Christ's life, it depicts him as a flawed, humanized character with passions and doubts. The novel garnered controversy with some critics, especially among the Roman Catholic church, accusing Saramago of possessing a "substantially anti-religious vision." It was also praised by other critics as a "deeply philosophical, provocative and compelling work." Wikipedia

Peony in Love by Lisa See
See’s haunting new novel, based on a true story and actual historical events, takes readers to seventeenth-century China, after the Manchus seize power. Peony is the cloistered daughter of a wealthy family, betrothed to a suitor she has never met. While at an opera, she sees an elegant, handsome man and is overcome with emotion.

So begins Peony’s journey of love and destiny, desire and sorrow. It’s about universal themes: the bonds of female friendship, the power of words, the desire all women have to be heard, and emotions that are so strong that they transcend time, place, and perhaps even death.

From a SeniorLearner who highly recommends it: "Peony dies early in the book. And then one is dealing with her afterlife plus all the well known women writers. Some alive and some not!"

Run by Ann Patchett
Two families come together in a traffic accident. A woman has thrown herself under a car to protect a stranger. It becomes clear that the families-a poor, single black mother with her 11-year-old daughter and a white, Irish Catholic, former Boston mayor with a biological son and two adopted black college-aged sons whose much-loved wife died over 20 years ago -have a connection. This is not a story about race but about family and the depths of parents' love of their children, whether biological, adopted, or given away, and of each other. Patchett beautifully weaves together disparate lives to show how intimately humans can connect.

From SeniorLearners: "Sometimes makes you feel like you are soaring with the runner." "It would make for a good discussion." See http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/books/20masl.html?_r=1

The Viper's Tangle by François Mauriac
Mauriac, France's Nobel laureate, delivers a scathing indictment of how money can shatter the bonds of familial devotion. A topic as relevant today as it was in 1932. Monsieur Louis, a wealthy aging lawyer, filled with bitterness, has spread his misery to his entire estranged family. He writes a letter to be left to his wife, to explain his hatred for her and their children. It becomes a diary of his dying days, a record of his life.

He despises his wife's Catholicism, her narrow-mindedness, her failures of charity, even as he confesses his own flaws. The religion that he held in contempt because it seemed so false and shallow begins to seem genuine as he gains a better picture of the role it played in his wife' inner life. It becomes a confession of his spiritual journey, exploring the corruption caused by pride and hatred, but then examines the divine grace that remains available to each of us.

From a SeniorLearner: "It might sound explicitly theological, but Mauriac doesn't beat the reader over the head with theology. Its strength is exquisite prose and psychological realism.

* VOTE HERE FOR RUN-OFF by 5/29!!

Babi · « **Reply #812 on:** May 24, 2012, 08:16:00 AM »

Cast my votes.

JoanP · « **Reply #813 on:** May 29, 2012, 07:19:49 AM »

Well, we appear to have a winner for the June Book Club Online discussion - very close between the top two. Polls will be open for the rest of the day - results may change in the next few hours. If you haven't voted, but have a preference, your vote will make a difference.

Babi · « **Reply #814 on:** May 29, 2012, 08:58:37 AM »

You're good at motivating voters, JOANP. Have you had experience in local politics?

JoanP · « **Reply #815 on:** May 30, 2012, 08:43:56 AM »

We have a winner, Babi - the Book Club Online selectiion for June, beginning on June 15 will be Ann Patchett's Run. Have you read Bel Canto?
It was an amazing book - I believe it won the PEN/Faulkner award. I remember going to a reading at the Folger Library with Maryal and her daughter right after she won. It will be interesting to see how she followed that with RUN.

More on this selection to come...

Babi · « **Reply #816 on:** May 30, 2012, 09:10:27 AM »

I've read both Bel Canto and Run, JOAN. I was unhappy with the tragic ending of
"Bel Canto", but "Run" is all good. There are places where the writing is lyric and
sweeps you into the scene. Good choice, guys.

ALF43 · « **Reply #817 on:** May 30, 2012, 09:28:05 AM »

Can I play too?

ginny · « **Reply #818 on:** May 30, 2012, 10:25:20 AM »

Andrea!! Welcome back, we have MISSED you!!

I was just thinking about you!!

marcie · « **Reply #819 on:** May 30, 2012, 02:31:01 PM »

Andy, it's great to see you!! I hope you'll be participating in RUN. I haven't read it but plan to do so for the discussion in mid June. Babi, I'm glad to hear your recommendation. Thanks.

ANNIE · « **Reply #820 on:** May 30, 2012, 02:47:13 PM »

Welcome, welcome back, Andrea! We have missed your pithy comments in the book discussions and elsewhere!

I haven't read RUN so will try for it at my library.

salan · « **Reply #821 on:** May 30, 2012, 04:02:48 PM »

My ftf book club did Run a couple of years ago. It was good; but I probably won't be joining this discussion. However, I will probably peek in every now and then and see what you think.
Sally

JoanK · « **Reply #822 on:** May 30, 2012, 06:55:27 PM »

ALF! Welcome!

ALF43 · « **Reply #823 on:** May 30, 2012, 09:11:42 PM »

Thank you ladies. I hope you have all been well. Off to the library again tomorrow to see if I can get RUN. I just checked out 3 books this evening.

JoanP · « **Reply #824 on:** June 02, 2012, 10:35:53 PM »

Andy, Babi - we've opened the new Run discussion - Here: http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?board=136.0

Run over and sign in!

retired · « **Reply #825 on:** July 11, 2012, 03:51:55 PM »

I recommend the novel "Sky of Red Poppies" by author
Zohreh Ghahremani . An Iranian- American author .
I just completed reading.
Beautifully written . Iranian life during the rule of the
Shah in the 1960's . Family life , politics and friendships .

JoanP · « **Reply #826 on:** July 12, 2012, 11:25:36 AM »

Retired - Thank you for the nomination. We have just begun to consider suggestions for fall group discussions. Your nomination will be first on the list for consideration. Will try to get up a list with links in the heading this afternoon.

ANNIE · « **Reply #827 on:** July 17, 2012, 12:12:58 PM »

I just finished "More Than You Know" by Beth Gutcheon and really enjoyed it. It was the f2f book for our condo complex book club. Light read but very interesting.

Also read, "Death Echo" by Elizabeth Lowell, a novel of suspense. Am now reading "The Storm" by Clive Cussler, a Father's Day gift to my husband from our daughter. Again, a light read. Clive Cussler is like reading comic books without pictures.

JoanP · « **Reply #828 on:** July 17, 2012, 01:54:13 PM »

I added a link to a review of Sky of Red Poppies to the heading- Here's a bit about the book...

•Sky of Red Poppies by Zohreh Ghahremani. This poetic novel begins with a casual friendship between two schoolgirls coming of age in the politically divided 1960’s Iran. Roya, the daughter of a prominent family, is envious of the fierce independence of her religious classmate Shireen. But Shireen has secrets of her own. Together, Roya and Shireen contend with becoming the women they want to be, and in doing so, make decisions that will cause their tragic undoing. Set against the backdrop of a nation forced to mute its profound identity, Sky of Red Poppies is a novel about culture, politics and the redeeming power of friendships

Annie, these sound like great summer reading - light, not too demanding. "like comic books, without pictures..." Do you think there's enough there for the October Book Club Online discussion?

Babi · « **Reply #829 on:** July 18, 2012, 08:09:04 AM »

What an excellent description, ANNIE. A comic book without pictures. That describes so
well my dissatisfaction with the one, and only, Clive Cussler book I ever read.

ANNIE · « **Reply #830 on:** July 19, 2012, 09:34:04 AM »

Babi,
That was my description of Clive Cussler when I read the first one, 25 years ago. But I have to tell you that my mom gave it to my husband with the words, "I think you might like to read this!" And thanks to her, the man started reading fiction for the first time in his engineering life. And Clive Cussler did improve over the years and I did come to like Dirk Pitt! The next fictional book that Ralph read was "Pillars of the Earth" and he really liked that one. Over the years our children have given books to Ralph by Ken Follett, Clive Cussler,Ruth Rendell, Agatha Christie, the Morse mysteries, Edward Rutherford, Kathy Reisch, Stephen Coonts, Thomas Wolfe, Nelson DeMille, Tom Clancy, Sean Flynn, Robert Ludlum and the Jason Bourne titles plus many, many others. I can never thank my mom enough for offering Clive Cussler with good old Dirk Pitt, to a man who used to pooh pooh fiction! With Cussler and Pitt one must really suspend all disbelief! Whew! This last one, a Father's Day gift from our daughter, is way out there on the edge but fun to read!

JoanP,
The one book that I have read over the last four weeks that I might suggest would be "More Then You Know" by Beth Gutcheon. Light reading, only a two weeker. What was the title of the one that I thought would make a gook discussion and that we voted on?? And then there's the "The Book of Ruth" by Jane Hamilton. Beautifully written but way too graphic and violent for a comfortable discussion. And a two weeker also.

Babi · « **Reply #831 on:** July 20, 2012, 07:56:12 AM »

Always glad to give credit where credit is due, ANNIE. Clive has proven his worth!

JoanP · « **Reply #832 on:** July 30, 2012, 08:15:29 PM »

Annie, the title, More Than You Know, has been entered into the heading...with a link to a description of the book. You'll have to remind us of another title you suggested to us in the past...

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #833 on:** July 31, 2012, 12:07:45 AM »

I have two books I would like to recommend that we consider - both enchanted me with lots to talk about in either book...

Travels with Herodotus by Ryszard Kapuscinski -
http://www.amazon.com/Travels-Herodotus-Ryszard-Kapuscinski/dp/1400043387/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0

Good Reads says - http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/56996-travels-with-herodotus

The Snow Child that I recently read by Eowyn Ivey
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316175676/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00

Her blog talks about a group in North Carolina completing a discussion of the book
http://lettersfromalaska.wordpress.com/

marcie · « **Reply #834 on:** July 31, 2012, 12:49:14 AM »

Barbara, both of those books seem very interesting. Thanks for recommending them.

JoanP · « **Reply #835 on:** July 31, 2012, 09:05:09 AM »

Oh my goodness, two very different but fascinating books to add to the list for consideration. Thank you so much, Barbara. I'm going to look for a link to another review, a bit different from the publisher's blurb in the Amazon site, if that's okay with you...

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #836 on:** July 31, 2012, 11:36:44 AM »

Yes, please - I usually try to give the Amazon link to support anyone thinking of purchasing the book.

ANNIE · « **Reply #837 on:** August 01, 2012, 09:03:51 AM »

Well, I had to look in Archives for what I suggested in March or April!

It was "Peony In Love" by Lisa See.

Just got in from Ithaca, NY and am trying to get ready to attend an offering by the Columbus Ballet Met called "Broadway Lights" on Friday night.
Must do the laundry!

marcie · « **Reply #838 on:** August 05, 2012, 12:19:26 PM »

I'd like to suggest discussing another book by Charles Dickens. We're doing well on Great Expectations and had a very good discussion of Bleak House.
I'll suggest HARD TIMES, his shortest novel, or I'd be willing to talk about any other of his works.

pedln · « **Reply #839 on:** August 06, 2012, 10:52:33 AM »

Some interesting titles are shown above. I’m especially interested in Sky of Red Poppies, written by a dentist? It certainly deserves a place on the TBR list.

I’d like to suggest two, one read, the other not yet.

Eternal on the Water, by Joseph Monninger, is a love story, is sad at times, but not depressing. I think it’s an environmental story also, but what I liked best was the way the characters reached out and embraced others. That makes for a rich life. Mary and Cobb, both teachers, meet while kayaking, he while following a path set by Thoreau, she on her way to teach the Chungamunga girls about crows. “Everyone loves Mary Fury,” Cobb is told. It’s true. But she has a secret that she cannot yet tell him.

Eternal on the Water

I haven’t read Matthew Pearl’s The Technologists, but have been a fan of his earlier books and want to read this historical thriller about the early days (1868) of MIT. Technology was not then held in high esteem, and no one would consider asking the upstart school to help solve the problem of sabotage in Boston Harbor. As in his other novels, Pearl blends fictional and historical characters, such as Ellen Swallow, a freshman here, but later the first woman to receive a degree in chemistry.

The Technologists

News:

Author Topic: Suggestion Box for Future Book Discussions ~ (Read 283078 times)