The Next Best Book Club discussion

Has anyone already nominated A Mercy by Toni Morrison? I didn't see it on the list, so that's my nomination.

I nominate Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally. It's a great story about what happened to Jews in Nazi Germany during WW2.

Fiona, I'm actually surprised you didn't really love JS & MN the first time out. It's tremendous Brit Lit, some of your great country's very best IMO.

ok, Sorry. i was too pooped last nite to log in here. The nominating was closed as of yesterday nite. So anything from today is off limits!

However..... there is only two i can see from today, so since I was forgetful and tired and too lazy too log in, I will accept Jeanie and Dylans nomination.

I need to compile the list into two seperate polls. Once they are up and ready, i will change the title of this thread to VOTING OPEN... then you may cast your vote. One vote per poll.

Our final List:

Richard Russo - Bridge of Sighs
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell - Susan Clarke
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer
Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
Die With Me - Elena Forbes
I know why the caged bird sings - Maya Angelou
The Secret History - Donna Tartt
Nick Hornby's - About a Boy
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel - Lisa See
Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls
The Various Flavors of Coffee - Anthony Capella
Across the Nightingale Floor- Lian Hearn
The Hour I First Believed: A Novel - Wally Lamb
Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Water For Elephants - Sara Gruehn
Before Green Gables - Budge Wilson
Until I Find You - John Irving
Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
Diary of Lady Murasaki - Murasaki Shikibu
The Abortionist's Daughter - Elizabeth Hyde
Jitterbug Perfume - Tom Robbins
The Shack-William Young
twilight-stephanie meyers
Gone With The Wind -Margaret Mitchell
The Code of the Woosters - P.G. Wodehouse
Stargirl - Jerry Spinelli
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo -Stieg Larsson
Everything Is Illuminated: A Novel - Jonathan Safran Foer
Three Men in a Boat - Jerome k. Jerome
Kafka on the Shore- Haruki Murakami
Watership Down is - Richard Adams
Arthur and George - Julian Barnes
Sarah's Key - Tatiana de Rosnay
2666 - Roberto Bolano
The Lace Reader - Brunonia Barry
The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova
On the Road - Jack Kerouac
The Ruins - Scott Smith
The Alchemist - Paul Coelho
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt
A Mercy - Toni Morrison
Schindler's List - Thomas Keneally

I created the two vote polls for the January Group Read. And they are now open!

Please cast a vote for TWO DIFFERENT books. Dont use both polls to vote for one book, that would defeat the purpose of having a second poll.....

You may notice that I decided not to add Twilight to these polls. Please understand that I have nothing against this novel, however, We have already been discussing it as a group (along with Breaking Dawn) for quite awhile now. So those who are interested in reading it can always pick it up and join in the discussion that was created in the "Wanna Discuss This Novel?" folder.

FOr future reference, that will be the case for ANY book that is nominated. If a general thread is already in progress for it, it doesnt make sense to have it as a group read, to simply continue a conversation that has already been started. I hope there are not hard feelings about this!

Fiona - hype doesn't get a book past the first edition. There are a lot of people who buy only paperbacks - they don't borrow from the library and they won't buy hardbacks. If the hype doesn't translate into a good read for the first set of readers who did buy the book or borrow it from the library, then it will never make it as far as a paperback or - reserved only for the top sellers, another printing of the hardback edition. Whether or not the book will become a lasting bestseller or classic or was just a fad (like the Da Vinci Code) is something that's very hard to predict.

OK Logan...I also agree that NO TWILIGHT...for reasons previously mentioned....BUT...to be fair and in the spirit of that mention, I will forego my first choice and put an option out there as another vampire option...

Take it or leave it....

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
...first in the series of the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter novels

THESE books are why I just can't enjoy the Twilight series.

OK...there you have it.

I've voted!

This is going to seem like a stupid question... Where do we vote?

I've voted!!

Me too... Though I don't think we will get many "takers"...If it does win - I don't have to add something new to TBR list!!

Wife of GR author: Michael J. Sullivan | The Crown Conspiracy (10/08) | Avempartha (04/09)

I voted as well. It seems that people are voting for the smae books! Oh well, I normally don't read them anyways. I know, shame on me, but there are a couple that if they win, I will gladly be reading them.

If people are voting for the same book on each poll, then that is defeating the purpose of allowing the second vote.

So if that becomes the case, we will go back to only one vote, one poll.

EveryDay Life-MG Hardie

Nominations are over MG.

Lori, if Twilight was taken off then doesn't this mean The Shack, Love in the time of Cholera, and The Hour I First Believed should be taken off nominations? These novels are being discussed under the "Wanna Discuss This Novel" folder.

How about "The Invisible Wall" by Harry Bernstein

Nominations are over.
We are now currently voting in the polls.


Jackie, I knew the Shack had one, but it was relatively new (within a week, if im not mistaken) and the others I completely missed! You have good eyes.

I will have to be a wee bit more observant next time :)

Thanks for the heads up!

No problem. It's going to get confusing for you as more people open threads in that folder. I don't envy your job. =)

Bad thing is, If its a book I havent read, I wont go in the thread cause I am terrified I will get spoiled!!! I have the worst luck with that!

But thats why I am so lucky to have all of you guys, watching my back!!

I voted!!

While I agree with the decision to take Twilight off the list because it is overly talked about in many threads and most people have already read it or never want to read it..i feel like some of the books being talked about in other threads are really only being talked about by like 3 people..and not a large amount of people..like with Twilight. I feel like we are counting a lot of books out that many people might want to read as an official group read. anywho..thats just my opinion..either way..i respect the decision Lori..and will gladly abide by the rules :)

I voted!
Hope that Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell will be our Group January Book. Vote for this book guys..!!!

So many options in the poll. Makes me sad that the book I wanted only has two votes so far. :(

I voted, I really want The Historian to win, but it doesn't seem to be going so well.

Um, Lori...my nomination is not on the final list or on the poll...

I'm new but I'd like to add a non-fiction book that is most appropriate for the times we are in.

"The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism" by Andrew Bacevich

Ed - I believe it is too late to add books - we've already started voting on them. :(

I voted twice & voted for 2 different books.

Katie, please dont tell me I missed your nomination... Which one was it? I am going to have to go back and check!

Ok, Katie, I added it to both polls. I am really sorry. I hate when I mess up like that, but thanks for pointing it out!

bnoir wrote: "

I believe Original is Stephanie Meyer's middle name...

"

yes it is. it comes from the fusion of her gradmothers names: oriana and Angina"

That hurts cuz it's sooo funny!!!! Very Creative Bnoir!

lori

I'm gonna be honest and say i'm not really sure if this 2 polls things will work. its seems potencially confusing. How are you going to pick the winners?

picking the winner in each poll or counting and adding up the 2 polls score?

I WAS A LIL CONFUSIED TOO. aRE WE TO VOTE 2 DIFFERENT BOOKS?

yes donna we are supossed to vote in 2 different books.

I am taking the total votes per book per poll and combining them. The top two books get read in January.

Its not really all that confusing, Im just worried that people are voting for the same book twice which sort of defeats the purpose.

I dont think chopping the list would be much different than posting the same list twice really.... unless it was done like the Decemeber one, where we try for a theme poll and a regular poll.

We could try that for February.... Maybe the theme could be "love" or something????

I like the way you have been doing it for december and was going to do it for january, just the top book of both polls and then we take those books. That way it gives a change for people to participate if they don't want to read one of the books. More chance with two books. This month we had two very different books!
i like the idea to take one book around love for february and then choose one general book too.

Jeane, I would love to just take the top of both polls. but it appears that Potato Peel is winning in both... that would lead us to only have one book... if it stayed in the lead.

That is why I must add both polls per book to find the two winners. It'll be ok... this is all trial by fire. What doesnt work this time, will be a lesson learned for next time!

Don't worry, Lori! I know it won't get picked anyway, but I wanted to be a good doobie and at least vote for my own nom:P

I admit I voted for the same book in both polls, as it was the only book already on my tbr list (trying to reduce it to fewer books than my read shelf) & while not polite, didn't realize it was a no-no. Otherwise I would have only voted in one of the polls. Unfortunately, you cannot un-vote, change it yes, but not rescind it. So, I will do some research (lots of coins to flip) & come back and change one of them.

I really like the way Lori is doing this - it seems perfect to add votes from both lists and determine the overall winners.

Robin.

my doubt was really because of guernsey.

I do love to have the chance to vote twice, but this way is more work to lori.

I dont think spleating the list is a good choice unless you have a theme- as it happend in december. Have we done that this month all the poor books that had been pared up whit guerney would have a chance

Lori wrote: "ok, Sorry. i was too pooped last nite to log in here. The nominating was closed as of yesterday nite. So anything from today is off limits!

However..... there is only two i can see from today, s..."

Where does one vote?

Polls are a link on the right side of the screen...
http://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/12...

Looks like Potato Peel and Jonathan Strange are in the lead.....

We have two more days to bump them outta the lead, hee hee... if that is what you wish :) (winkwink)

So I'm shocked - I've never heard of Jonathan Strange - When it looked like it is going to be picked - I immediately hit a reserve in the library hold.

The reason I'm shocked is it sound right up my alley. That's one of the great things I like about GR and this group is finding books I would not otherwise know existed.

I promissed i wasnt going to buy books next year but you guys and your damned potato book!!!

Lol - bnoir -- I read this due to comments from this group and for a face2face reading group - I tried to get it in the library - when I put it on hold I was 107 !! And I have a pretty large library system here. I started reading it at the bookstore while hubby was doing signings - it only took a few session then I knew it was a keeper and bought it.

Bnoir, find a library and ask for it there.

the book isnt translated to my language so no library for me.


I dont think even the english version is for sale in portugal. well at least the bookdepository.co.uk is cheaper then buying books on physical bookstores here.


do you belive I order online from them a desing book for my sister (it was her christmas gift) from them for less that 30euros when in the bookstores were it costs 50euros