Friday, November 27, 2009
Thoughts For Our Next Reading Selection
Since we've run through almost our whole reading selection so far and it's time to start choosing the next set of books to read, I wanted to get a sounding for what people think of how this round went and whether we should try something different for the next one. Do we want to go with some sort of theme, like books that have won awards, or stick with choosing books that we all want to share or want to read with a group like we did last time around? I've got some ideas for books I want to share, but I want to know how everyone else feels and open the floor for other ideas. Theme ideas could include things like genre, author, subject, time period, award winner, favorite from a particular time in life, and so on.
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The majority of books I've read are classics, so I think I might be hard pressed to follow a theme, although I don't mind the challenge if that's what we decide to do. If we go with award winning books, I realized I could still find some that I liked that we could read - one being Ender's Game, although I know so many of you (if not all?) have read this book. I love it, though, and it's been years since I read it, so I thought about putting it up for approval or not. Let me know if it's a no-go. Other than that, I'm open to whatever we want to do if we choose a theme or not.
I'm also very open. I like the variety that we've had by just picking whatever books we want, but I'd be just fine picking a genre too. Honestly, whatever we don't do here, I'll probably end up doing on my own. In my personal reading, I've been really into non-fiction. But I'd love an excuse to delve more into the classics or even a few biographies.
Kate, I'd love to read Ender's Game again. It's also been a while since I read it and I'd love an excuse.
How does everyone feel about the book I put on the reading list? I haven't read it, but "the fall" is something I've been interested in a long time and hardly know anything about. I'll just read it on my own if no one's interested (be honest), but thought it might be fun to read with others.
I just got word from Philip that he's really busy with the end of his semester, and won't be able to do Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy until after the holidays. So my suggestion here is that we do Ender's Game, if there's no objection, since it seems like a lot of us have read it, and I for one would love to discuss it, since it's always more fun to get a round of thoughts and observations on an old favorite, and if anyone is interested, or hasn't read it yet, I wouldn't mind leading Ender's Shadow to follow, as it's a parallel novel, and we could work it as a comparison discussion.
As for the other book, I wouldn't object to reading it, though it's a little outside my usual scope, but as busy as I'm sure we'll all be during the holidays, it would be a good idea to hold out on something really serious and new until it's settled down.
I'm game to read your book suggestion, Ruth. I like Angela's suggestion to wait until after the busy holiday season. I had considered suggesting that we take a break altogether, but if enough people are game, I'd be happy to lead up a discussion of Ender's Game and then we can follow with Ender's Shadow. I like that idea, personally, as I've never read Ender's Shadow before, and it would be interesting to read them back-to-back and compare and contrast the different perspectives.
I think Ender's Game would be a reread for nearly everyone here, so if that's a problem, please say so. It's not a problem to find another book or just take a short break.
I have any number of books I could suggest, but another I've wanted to read for quite some time is called Sheepfarmer's Daughter, the first in a trilogy called The Deed of Paksenarrion. Paks, a girl of 18, runs away from home to join a mercenary company, and the adventure goes from there. It's by Elizabeth Moon, who served in the US Marine Corps for some time, thus giving some practical background in her writing about combat. I know it's the first of a trilogy, but I thought it would be a fun introduction, and if you like the first, you can continue on with the second and third. I believe it's only available new as a single volume, but all libraries should have the individual volumes.
Also, I almost want to suggest the first book in the Amber series by Roger Zelazny. It's been years since I've read it, but I remember loving it. The first book is a little over 100 pages, so it's a quick read. However, there are 10 volumes in total...and I hate starting people on long series that they may or may not really want to be introduced to.
If Ruth wants to read classics, though, I can choose any number of them, too. I'm just not as strong on contemporary literature except for some fantasy and sci-fi and young adult.
I also am ok for some of the classics, but not all, I'm picky. Not a big fan of Jane Austen, for example, but always happy for Shakespeare or Chaucer.
I know what you mean about series, I wondered about that when I suggested Wee Free Men. It's an easy read, and the rest are really good.
You told me that you've never actually read all that much Jane Austen...and part of the idea of this blog was to expand our scope of what we'd normally read. :P If I were to recommend a classic, it would probably be a Thomas Hardy. I love his writing style even if all his books are depressing. :D
I took a class on Jane Austen, and that's when I found out I couldn't stand it, I barely got through any of the books we had to read. Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Emma, and...another one I can't remember...Mansfield Park, or something like that? The writing style drove me crazy.
As for classics, I also like Dante and the Greek epic poetry. I also want to read some more Dumas, and I have a copy of Gulliver's Travels sitting on my desk that I need to get through.
Ooh...maybe we should read The Three Musketeers. I've always wanted to read that one. The only Dumas I've read is The Count of Monte Cristo, which is a heck of a fun ride.
I would *love* to discuss the themes in Crime and Punishment, but that novel is so dang heavy (and long), that I can't recommend it with any real hope that anyone would take me up on it. I'll look through my other classics that I love though and see what else I can suggest.
I took at class at BYU on Shakespeare, and that was fun. I wouldn't mind reading some of his works, either. Not so keen on Chaucer. What I got in my days in high school was enough. And no Swift, either...
I never was able to get through Three Musketeers, I actually would rather read The Count of Monte Cristo, but I read an abridged version of Man in the Iron Mask when I was about 9 and it freaked me out.
As for Crime and Punishment...no thank you, I had to read it in high school and it was such a miserable read that I wanted to kill the protagonist myself just to end the damn book.
I was always fond of Shakespeare, one of my favorites is Twelfth Night. I love most of the comedies and problem plays, but Hamlet is also a great read. The histories rock, especially concerning the Henrys, I love Falstaff. I saw Michael Gambon play him in Henry IV at the National Theatre in London.
See, I am so amazed that we're as good of friends as we are since we have such diametrically opposite tastes in literature. I thought Crime and Punishment was a beautiful novel about redemption, and it explored morality in such an epic way. I've read it twice and loved it both times. True, it's dark, but it's an amazing novel.
I will agree with you on Twelfth Night, though. That might very well be my favorite.
Twelfth Night was the first Shakespeare play I worked on in college, and it was so much fun, we set it in the 1930s, and all the guys were in pinstripes, and Orlando was in silk pajamas and a velvet dressing gown.
We may have opposite tastes in literature, but the big thing for us as friends is that we can talk about it and not make a really big deal of our disagreements, and just let it go.
As for Dostoyevsky I'd rather check out The Brothers Karamazov, I've heard that one is a more interesting read. I had a hard time with Crime and Punishment, and truth to tell I only vaguely remember it because I disliked it so much.
Holy moly. Imagine my surprise when I saw that we went from 2 comments to 11. I'm not even sure where to begin with my comment, so I'm going to just jump in.
Let's read Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow!
Twelfth Night is probably one of my favorite of Shakespeare's also. I don't think I've read any of his historical plays except Julius Caesar and I don't remember enjoying it. But I had to read it for high school and sometimes that affects my attitude towards books. Like Great Expectations. After reading that for 9th grade I swore I'd never touch it again. But I might after all. I think I've recovered. Speaking of Dickens, how would anyone feel about reading A Christmas Carol really quick? Just a thought.
Anyway. Angela, since you like Shakespeare's historical plays so much, I'd love to read them with you in hopes that I can catch your enthusiasm for them.
As for Jane Austen, I've only read Pride and Prejudice and I really enjoy it, but I've also heard it's the best. I've seen movies for a few of her other books and, eh, they were okay.
I'm with Kate in liking Crime and Punishment. But I've never read The Brothers K... and I'd really like to.
Angela, I've only read excerpts of Chaucer and Dante and Greek epic poetry and I'm totally open to reading them. I haven't been much of a poetry person, but I want to develop a taste for it. For instance, I'm going through a collection of Robert Frost right now. Never read Gulliver's Travels and I'd like to read that too. There are so many well-known books I haven't read and I want to!
LOVE The Count of Monte Cristo, and I'm open to more Dumas.
Has anyone read Les Miserables? War and Peace? Anna Karenina? Is Vanity Fair worth reading? Those are just a few I know of but haven't read yet (or tried reading in high school and didn't get far.)
Goodness! Where do we start?
Ah...sorry, Ruth. That's just typical me and Angela spamming up the comments when we're both online at the same time. :D We do this at times. That's how we got to know each other a few years ago. Memories...
I love A Christmas Carol and if we want to read that right now, that sounds fun. We could do Ender's Game after that. If people want to just jump right into Ender's Game, though, that's fine with me. I can get the first post up this weekend.
Urg...Great Expectations. Maybe I'd like it now that I've had more life experiences. Sometimes I think some of the books chosen for the curriculum in high school are maybe just a little beyond that age still for true appreciation. Still good to read them, but you know, Twilight's just so much more fun (yes, I'm being snarky, sorry).
Yay! Another C&P fan. I'd love to read more of Dostoyevsky. Maybe we need to create a new book blog for reading the classics. And Angela, it took me a long time to really get into C&P and enjoy it on the level that I love it now. At first, it seemed like one depressingly long nightmare. So, I can see how you don't have fond memories of it.
Ruth, the only one out of that list that I've read is Les Miserables. And, yes, it's worth reading. It's very beautiful. And much better than the broadway musical that really ruined the ending for me. They did it wrong. But, I won't get on a soapbox about that right now. :P
I don't mind reading Christmas Carol, I just have to make sure I have it. In general I wasn't a huge fan of Dickens, but from what I read I like Oliver Twist, need to read Nicholas Nickelby, didn't care much for Great Expectations, and really enjoyed A Tale of Two Cities. Also want to read Pickwick Papers.
At some point I'd be glad to lead a history play, Henry IV and V are my favorites of the histories. I had to read a lot of the epic poetry for school, and I really enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. Homer, Dante...I need to read the rest of the Divine Comedy. I love Robert Frost, he's probably my favorite poet. I have a few of his poems memorized. I also like Lewis Carroll's poetry, I memorized The Walrus and the Carpenter for a poetry class. Everyone else recited like, a sonnet and breathed a sigh of relief, then I got up and just kept going on and on.
I haven't tried any of the ones you mentioned, but I'm up for Anna Karenina and Les Mis. Not so sure about War and Peace, but maybe. So much good stuff to read.
If we do read Christmas Carol, who would lead it? I haven't read it in ages, though of course we all know the story.
I'd be willing to lead it. I haven't read it in ages either, but I remember the book looked relatively thin. If we try to get it by Friday, December 11th, maybe we could aim to finish it by Christmas 2 weeks later. How does that sound?
Then should we wait until the new year to start again? Maybe launch into Ender's Game and go from there?
I've got a copy, I'm in. And yeah, a week break after Christmas will be good. Then we can get started on Ender.
I picked up a copy at the library today, so I'm in, too. Looking at the calendar, I wonder if it would be better to get started a littler earlier than next week. I imagine that most everyone's Christmas week is going to be a little crazy. I'll be traveling that week myself and won't be around much, if at all, to discuss. Do you have a copy already, Ruth? If you do, I say we start the reading earlier rather than later this coming week and conclude early the week of Christmas. Is that rushing it too much? If so, that's fine. I don't know who else will be joining in this quick discussion. I've sent emails out, but haven't heard back yet.
I'll prepare to get Ender's Game going shortly after the New Year - probably get the first post up that first weekend.
Kate, you bring up a good point. I'm going to be going out of town too. So, Angela, if you're okay with it, let's go ahead and start as soon as possible. My library branch doesn't have a copy available, but I just put a hold on one and hopefully it will come in soon. Maybe even within the beginning of this week. I'll write up a post when I get my copy.
I'm up for that, sure. I'll start reading tonight. I think I recall writing an essay on it in 9th grade for an easy A. The teacher was so lame he bought it and I sniggered. I can also imagine, if you want to be quicker, that it's on sale with all the rest of the Christmas merchandise and the new Disney 3D movie out, so a book store would have it quite cheap.
Well, I am the amateur reader of the group. I am really enjoying being her along for the ride, but to be honest I haven't read most of what's been mentioned here. I'd love to do Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow.
Although I have read A Christmas Carol, it would be a great one to do right now, not just because it's the holidays but also because it's such an easy read, just what I need for this busy time. I'll try to pick it up this week.
I don't have much more of an opinion at the moment... like I said, just happy to be along for the ride!
Sounds great. How far should we read for the first discussion? The only copy available at my library is a compilation of several stories by Dickens, including A Christmas Carol, and I'm sure there are so many different copies out there, that page numbers aren't going to be much help. It is short, though - my copy only has 67 pages.
Lynnette, the reason why I am enjoying this blog is that it's keeping me reading. I used to be an avid reader in high school, but haven't been as much of one since, although I do love to read. My course work in college kind of took center stage and I've never gotten back to reading. I have such a hard time reading without motivation these days (not because I don't want to read, but because I really just don't have a lot of free time these days), so this discussion group is really good for me. Sorry to have gone down memory lane a little bit. I was reliving my reading days. :D I'm glad you're good with Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow.
What say since there are two weeks before Christmas we do however many chapters is closest to half? Then we can do the other half the following week.
What looks like halfway to you, then? In my book, it would look to be to the end of The First of the Three Spirits (so ending just before The Second of the Three Spirits). Is it broken down similarly to yours? I miss my parents' copy of this story. They have an absolutely beautifully illustrated version of the story. This copy just has a few black and white sketches...sigh.
That looks about right to me. My copy is part of a huge volume that has five of Dickens' best, so it's squashed between Oliver Twist and David Copperfield.
Welcome back Lynnette!
Since both Angela and Kate already have the copy and are ready to read, do either of you want to lead the discussion and I'll just catch up as soon as I can? The reading schedule will probably work for me.
It's true about buying a copy inexpensively. But I'm feeling very stingy right now (like Scrooge - ha!), plus I do own a copy but it's at my parent's house in another state. Plus I'm just generally trying to keep down my possessions, so if I can borrow, I will. Actually, I wonder if anyone I know owns it. Hmmm.
I have a copy and I understand we're reading up to just before the entrance of the 2nd spirit but when does the discussion start?
I finished the reading this morning (thank God for snow days) and I don't mind leading the discussion. Is it too soon to want to discuss on say, Friday, and then have the second half done by next Friday so that those who are traveling the week of Christmas will be finished in time>
that sounds good, angela. i didn't comment because i am swamped with too much going on. i will have time to read, though. also, since i'm planning on leading the next book's discussion, i thought you'd all get tired of me if i was constantly leading things.
i will try to read tonight, but definitely will have read by the time discussion opens on friday. why don't you go ahead and make a formal post with the reading assignment, angela? that way people can see it easier if they don't want to wade through nearly 30 comments in here. :P thanks so much for being willing.
(oh - and the snow hit you afterall? i'm happy for you. we spent all morning digging ourselves and our neighbors out. they have not plowed our street yet, but brian will still able to make it to work after three guys (brian included) plowed the street with their snow throwers. it was funny to watch.)
Sounds good, Angela. Still don't have the book, but I can probably catch up pretty quick.
You guys got snow? In a way I'm envious, but in a way I like not having to deal with it.
I love the snow, I've always preferred cold weather. My theory is that you can bundle up in the cold and in theory get warmer, plus you get these glorious days off, and I at least can stay in bed and warm through the worst part of the day, which for me is early morning. I hate having to get up and rush to get ready when it's cold and gloomy. When it's hot, it's harder for me to sleep, and you can also strip naked and you'll still be hot, not to mention very conspicuous and self-conscious. I grew up in cold weather, so yeah, I love the snow.
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