Book Club? (edit: vote on September's poll)

[Monkeyguy]

Okay this sounds really corny even as I type it, but is anyone interested in a NC book club? The standard kind where each month we all read the same book and talk about it...

The reason is I'm a wuss when it comes to picking books to read. I'll go to the library and look for 20 mins or so and pick nothing because I'm afraid I won't be interested in them enough to finish and I'll just be wasting my time.

If no one is interested in a monthly thing maybe we can just have a sticky for people to post the books they are currently reading or any other books they want to suggest.

Anywho that is all.

[Jazzy]

In theory, yes...but what sort of books would you want to read?

[anzuronamin]

Yeah, I'd be interested, as long as the books aren't things like The Grapes of Wrath or something boring.
I've always wanted to be in a book club.

[Silverevilchao]

Watership Down is cool book. Smart bunnies.

[KauKrazy]

I'd be sort of interested too, I think... if the book we choose was available (not every book is available in English from the libraries and I don't think I'd want to buy all of them).

[Linzie]

Sounds interesting, as long as the book isn't painfully boring with a thousand pages or something.

I really should read. I haven't read an actual published book all summer.

[oogabooga]

I like the idea, though I probably won't be able to participate through lack of access to books. If you choose a book I've already read, I could just remember... but then, that sort of misses the point of a book club, doesn't it?

[Monkeyguy]

Personally, I'll read anything. We could always have a system that lets a different person chose the book each month that way there will be some variety and if the choice is something you really don't want to read you can opt out for that month.

[bonecrivain]

I'd be interested, but I have the same concerns as plenty of others, including if the book chosen is one that (a) I've already read (b) I'm not interested in reading (c) other options which I can't think of right now, but I always like there to be a (c) anyway.

It can be a very flexible book group, I suppose, with people choosing with each month whether or not they want to participate.

I'm already in a rather intimidating book group (reading David James Duncan's The Brothers K right now--actually a surprisingly good book), but I'm sure I can fit a NC one into my schedule. =)

[Jazzy]

Well, perhaps we could choose two books a month? A Young Adult book, and an adult Modern Fiction one?

[Monkeyguy]

That sounds like a good idea Jazzy.

[bonecrivain]

Agreed; that sounds like the best option.

So how do we go about picking a book? Toss out some options, create a poll, elect a dictator for the month...?

I've got a few ideas for books that I've been intending to read that I can toss out there, if we decide to go that route.

[Jazzy]

Yeah- suggest a few things, link some non-spoilery reviews (amazon.com, I'm looking at you), then hold a poll?

Three books I've been intending to read are <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0007 ... Fahrenheit 451</a> (probably suitable as Young Adult), <a href="http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guide ... ">Enduring Love</a> and <a href="http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guide ... e.asp">The Handmaid's Tale</a> (both Modern Fiction). I've read the opening chapter of all three, and I know they're good, I just can't make myself read at the moment. This should help.

Two others I suggest that I have read and wouldn't mind rereading: <a href="http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guide ... sp">Behind the Scenes at the Museum</a> and <a href="http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guide ... .asp">Case Histories</a>, both by Kate Atkinson. I would suggest that we avoid <i>Human Croquet</i>, because the premise is so complicated that after a bit it becomes too confusing to be much fun to read. The resulting thread would basically be all of us deciding what actually happened.

[anzuronamin]

When I was at camp for seven weeks, I saw seven people reading Farenheit 451.
Odd.

Also, I'm not sure how active I would be if I joined (if we make one) when the school year starts up, since it's my first year of high school and I really want to work hard. Hmm.
But so far I think it's an awesome idea.

[bonecrivain]

I've already read Fahrenheit 451 and the Handmaid's Tale, although both are interesting and good choices.

I would suggest The Memory Keeper's Daughter(Kim Edwards), A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius(Dave Eggers), The Blind Assassin (Margaret Atwood), The Known World(Edward P. Jones), Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Jonathan Safran Foer), or The Namesake(Jhumpa Lahiri).

I would also be interested in Case Histories; perhaps more than Behind the Scenes, because I already own the former. =)