21st Century Literature discussion

Perhaps it's a little crazy to start the nomination process when our group is tackling six book discussions simultaneously, but hopefully everyone will find the time and the mental energy to still come up with a great list of titles from which to choose our November Open Pick.

For those not already aware, here are the standard rules for the Open Pick process: Everyone is allowed one nomination, but remember that eligible books must be works of fiction published from 2000-2013. Selections that are overly genre or fail to meet the group standards of literary quality will not be permitted in the final poll.

Nominations will wrap up early next week and the poll will run for about a week following. Happy nominating!

Nomination: In One Person by John Irving, 2012

I'd enjoy reading something by José Saramago (Portugal, Nobel 1998) with this group, but I don't know his work. If others here have a similar interest, someone please suggest something.

A list from which to find eligible possibilities from his oeuvre is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A...

Lily wrote: "I'd enjoy reading something by José Saramago (Portugal, Nobel 1998) with this group, but I don't know his work. If others here have a similar interest, someone please suggest something."

Before it gets suggested, this group has already read The Cave (although it was most unfortunately before my time here). Anything he wrote after that novel, though, should be fair game here.

Like Lily, I also enjoy José Saramago, especially The Gospel According to Jesus Christ. However, I want very much to discuss The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner with this group, so I am going to nominate it and hope for the best!

Linda wrote: "Like Lily, I also enjoy José Saramago, especially The Gospel According to Jesus Christ. However, I want very much to discuss The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner with this group, so I am going to n..."

Which is available in Kindle format for $1.99 on Amazon at least today and possibly for the month. I just finished her Telex from Cuba, recently available on a one-day deal. Good nomination, Linda, even if it doesn't meet my druthers.

Ok- a little nervous since this is my first go at nominating. I am personally trying to read some of the novels from the 2013 Booker shortlist - this project is currently hampered by the 800 pgs that is The Luminaries ( which I think is fabulous ).
My nomination for November would be Harvest by Jim Crace since its an author I have not read and rather seems favourite to win.

I'll nominate A Constellation of Vital Phenomena.

Julia wrote: "I'll go with Death with Interruptions by José Saramago.

Selected by Indie Booksellers for the December 2008 Indie Notables..."

Thank you, Julia. And it's only 238 pages, too. I like the idea of hearing what he considers "the essence of what makes it all worthwhile."

This sounds very interesting! Telex from Cuba

I absolutely loved Meg Wolitzer's the wife - one of my all time favorite books. Her latest The Interestings is high up on my to read list so I nominate it.

Sophia wrote: "This sounds very interesting! Telex from Cuba

"

Telex is Rachel Kushner's debut novel. I was reading it at the same time as The Flamethrowers, but then decided to focus on Flamethrowers, since it was on this year's National Book award long list (Telex was on the short list in 2008). I really liked Flamethrowers (why I recommended it!) and am also enjoying Telex. My perception is that in Flamethrowers, Kushner is more mature or advanced in her presentation. It is a stunning book

Just bought flamethrowers. A steal at 2 bucks.

Thanks for the tip on the Kindle deal, Deborah. I bought it, too.

Casceil wrote: "Thanks for the tip on the Kindle deal, Deborah. I bought it, too."

Hey, wait a minute, Casceil. See msg 6! LOL!

Sorry, Lily. Did not mean to mis-attribute.

I "read" Telex audio a few years ago and enjoyed it so much I re-read it this spring. Thanks for the hint about her second book. I'll look for it.

Julia wrote: "I just purchased Caim, which was Saramago's last book. Robert Pinsky wrote this review in the NY Times in 2011:

"In a grieving but marveling spirit, Saramago remakes, from Cain’s viewpoint, not on..."

Caim is on my bookshelf. Saramago clearly knows the stories in Christian Bible and knows how to use them to raise many probing questions.

I read Saramago's novel"SEEING", which is a sequel to "Blindness", recycling the same characters with a political twist . I thought of it because many well be familiar with Blindness from having seen the movie and/or reading the book.

OK, seeing as we're on a bit of a Saramago run in the nominations... I have yet to read anything by him, but recently bought The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by José Saramago. Is that OK? If that's too much José (or no way, José) let me know. You can also let me know if you think I need to get out more...

Poll tonight guys!

Julia wrote: "Thanks for the chuckle, Deirdre--never can have too much José imho :-)"

It may split the vote, however. Since either works for me, I'll probably wait to the end and hope to help get whichever one is in the lead selected. Of course, one can shift one's vote up to the end time. Thanks to all of you for the suggestions and nominations.

well, I'm looking forward to reading whichever book is chosen. I hope it's one of the many Saramagos in the running. Annoyed I couldn't get a copy of Life after Life anywhere in Dublin, so I've finally succumbed to the dubious charms of Amazon. I'm way behind! Will I get detention?

No one gets detention! There is no required reading. We leave threads open indefinitely for people who are arriving late to any book we have read. You can still comment on Life after Life, and at least some of us will read what you write, and will likely respond. Most discussions are broken up into multiple threads, each addressing a different section of the book, so that anyone coming in late (or reading more slowly than others) can follow the discussion at their own pace without worrying about being exposed to spoilers.

I apologize to everyone. I somehow didn't get The Gospel According to Jesus Christ into the poll. It's there now.

The poll has closed, and we can now announce the book voted by group members to be our Open Pick read for November 2013:

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra

Hopefully you'll grab a copy and join our discussion!