January '10 Reading Poll [Archive] - Literature Network Forums

Scheherazade

10-31-2009, 08:31 PM

In 2010, we are going back to "random" book nominations for our readings.

Please nominate the novel you would like to read in January in this thread by November 30th.

Please remember that:

- Only those members with 50+ posts can nominate.

- One nomination per member.

- Only the first 10 nominations will be included in the poll.

The Book Club readings are for those who would like to read and discuss books together with other members.

If you are not able to take part or unwilling to (re)read your own nominations, please refrain from taking part in the process.

*** This poll will close on January 1st. ***

Dark Muse

11-01-2009, 02:23 PM

Oh no! Too many books to choose from now......this is going to be tough.

The Last September by Elizabeth Bowen

I have been wanting to read this one for a while.

TheFifthElement

11-01-2009, 02:36 PM

The Poisonwood Bible -Barbara Kingsolver

Virgil

11-01-2009, 02:44 PM

Antonement by Ian McEwan. I've been trrying to get to this for the longest time.

bouquin

11-01-2009, 03:20 PM

An Obedient Father -- by Akhil Sharma

papayahed

11-01-2009, 03:36 PM

Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? - Philip K. Dick

Niamh

11-01-2009, 04:59 PM

And Another Thing... Hitchhickers guide to the galaxy part six of three By Eoin Colfer :D

Scheherazade

11-01-2009, 06:40 PM

So many nominations already!

I would like to nominate One of Ours by Willa Cather because I have wanted to read something by her since the beginning of time!

1. The Last September by Elizabeth Bowen

2. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

3. Atonement by Ian McEwan

4. An Obedient Father by Akhil Sharma

5. Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? - Philip K. Dick

6. And Another Thing by Eoin Colfer

7. One of Ours by Willa Cather

Virgil

11-01-2009, 07:16 PM

Wait, who nominated the Willa Cather? Did it magically show up? :p

Scheherazade

11-01-2009, 07:17 PM

Wait, who nominated the Willa Cather? Did it magically show up? :pLook at the top of my post, Virgil!
I would like to nominate One of Ours by Willa Cather because I have wanted to read something by her since the beginning of time!I am saving my magic for more "worthy" occassions!

:p

Virgil

11-01-2009, 07:22 PM

Look at the top of my post, Virgil! I am saving my magic for more "worthy" occassions!

:p

I'm such a dunce. :)

TheFifthElement

11-02-2009, 09:04 AM

Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? - Philip K. Dick

Good choice papayahead. I'd like to read that one too.

Scheherazade

11-03-2009, 08:15 AM

Atonement was such a disappointmet for me and I am aware that I am in minority regarding this book so it might be good to discuss it with others.

I have started reading The Poisonwood Bible twice but could not get into it so wouldn't mind giving it another try (and probably finish it this time because of the BC).

And of course, Cather; I really want to read something by her.

AuntShecky

11-03-2009, 01:54 PM

"Humboldt's Gift" by Saul Bellow

Dark Muse

11-03-2009, 02:29 PM

I would not mind reading that, and I think I have a copy of it around here somewhere

Niamh

11-03-2009, 03:26 PM

Janine

11-03-2009, 03:52 PM

One of Ours would be a good one for me. I read three other of her major novels and loved them all: O'Pioneers, My Antonia, Death Comes to the Archbishop. I would read all three again; hope to one day. I can't vouch for One of Ours; but didn't she win the Pulitzer Prize for that novel? I did see the book advertised on Amazon; also on Dover, so it is readily available.

sadparadise

11-07-2009, 12:47 PM

I would like to nominate White Noise by Don Delillo.

dfloyd

11-07-2009, 02:55 PM

Eryk

11-07-2009, 04:07 PM

Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? - Philip K. Dick

I also vote for this one.

Niamh

11-07-2009, 04:35 PM

has invited an influx of books and authors not worth readng.

Well thats your opinion... personally i think a few of those are definitely worth the read.

Virgil

11-07-2009, 04:58 PM

has invited an influx of books and authors not worth readng. The only two of literary merit are the books by Cather and Bellow. Atonement was a good movie, but when I tried the book I found it tedious. My point is without some control over nominations you'll get too many indiscriminate ones. If Cather or Bellow aren't nominated, color me gone until next month when I intend to nominate Tarzan and the Ant Men.

I didn't realize you were thee authority on what is worth reading. We have people of various interests here. There is no dictatorship of the elite. If you don't like it, don't participate.

shortstoryfan

11-07-2009, 10:04 PM

I could be wrong, but I get the feeling that dfloyd was being sarcastic or sartirical....It could just be what I have been studying in class recently though.

sadparadise

11-08-2009, 03:17 AM

oopsie

neilgee

11-13-2009, 08:30 AM

I'm not sure whether Janine's post counted as a nomination but if it doesn't there's still only been nine.

If that's so I'll nominate The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga [now I've finally got my fifty posts]

Scheherazade

11-13-2009, 09:00 AM

Nominations:

1. The Last September by Elizabeth Bowen

2. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

3. Atonement by Ian McEwan

4. An Obedient Father by Akhil Sharma

5. Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? - Philip K. Dick

6. And Another Thing by Eoin Colfer

7. One of Ours by Willa Cather[/QUOTE]

8. Humboldt's Gift by Saul Bellow

9. White Noise by Don Delillo

10. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

Thank you everyone. The voting will start in December.

Jozanny

11-24-2009, 08:37 PM

Someone should remember that January is my birthday and nominate something I'd like to read, but since that isn't going to happen, I do not like to diss authors who have more success than myself, but Kingsolver could really use a better editor to tighten her novels. She drags, Poisonwood in particular.

I read it during my Speakeasian era, and had it just been shorter and somewhat better paced it might have been a really significant work. I gave my damaged copy to the library book store, and have little nostalgia for it. The author trained as a biologist, and it shows; it has a negative impact on her talent, which exists, but her gifts are flawed.

Dick, however, was a visionary, and his science fiction is extraordinary because it never feels dated. I love Dick.

Scheherazade

12-03-2009, 06:36 PM

Not many people are planning to read a book in January?

C'mon folks... There is life after Christmas...

:p

Dark Muse

12-03-2009, 07:19 PM

Hey, I did not even know the poll was up yet

*goes to vote now*

Jozanny

12-03-2009, 11:25 PM

Not many people are planning to read a book in January?

C'mon folks... There is life after Christmas...

:p

Aw Sche, the harder I'm working the harder I am falling on my face, and as such I am tentative about committing, although maybe going to play bumper cars at the library would pick me up. The lobby is a great place to drive a performance chair while I eye the door guard and they suggest I do my best to avoid a hit and run:eek:, but I don't feel like worrying about due dates; I'm getting spoiled.

Maybe I will do the Christmas challenge and play it by ear after, at least until I make a sale.

billl

12-04-2009, 12:47 AM

I'm halfway through And Another Thing at the moment. I am pretty sure I'll be finished by January, but anything can happen when it's me reading a book. Anyhow, it might be very uncool to take part if I've actually just finished it, right? In the event it was chosen...

Regarding the other choices, Philip K. Dick is one I might be able to finish along with other readers (ie.keep up with them), but I'm going to be very cautious and just not vote.

Scheherazade

12-23-2009, 05:25 AM

Not many people are planning to read a book in January?

C'mon folks... There is life after Christmas...

:pWhat I said before!

Hey, just discovered that quoting oneself is such a delight! :p :D

caspian

12-26-2009, 09:55 PM

"the last september" has no chance. so I used my vote for "one of ours"

Scheherazade

12-28-2009, 08:16 PM

Going once...

Janine

12-29-2009, 06:20 PM

I thought for sure I bought that book; I will have to go hunting it. It was before Christmas...it's here somewhere.....amongst the book stacks.....*searching furiously*.....

Yes, hopefully life does go on after Christmas! Good quote Scher!

Scheherazade

12-29-2009, 06:34 PM

I reeaaallly would like to read One of Ours so please keep voting, peeps!

Janine> It ain't over yet! :D

sixsmith

12-29-2009, 11:15 PM

This forum is suspiciously devoid of De Lillo fans.

I'm trying to read more SF so I'm going with Androids.

Janine

12-29-2009, 11:19 PM

I reeaaallly would like to read One of Ours so please keep voting, peeps!

Janine> It ain't over yet! :D

Yeah, I know; it was just hopeful thinking on my part....:nod::D...

vote people, vote....:banana:

Scheherazade

12-30-2009, 04:46 PM

Going twice...

Janine

12-30-2009, 04:59 PM

Who is the author of "Humboldt's Gift"? I am afraid I never heard of the novel before. What's the novel about?

Scheherazade

12-30-2009, 05:02 PM

Who is the author of "Humboldt's Gift"? I am afraid I never heard of the novel before. What's the novel about?Saul Bellow. I read two other books by him but not this one so haven't got a clue. :p

Jozanny

12-31-2009, 07:30 AM

I have spent so much money on books since I purchased the kindle that my prided frugality has now taken on the tincture of a constructed myth, but I was going to buy Dick's cult classic yesterday, and now I have a flimsy justification. :rolleyes: Instant gratification does not really ease psychic pain, but I tell myself I am stocking my fortress.

As to Dick, I haven't read all his stuff, and I should not like him, given my taste for complex realism and *high* modernism, and I do not know all his novels, but there is just something about his work that resists being dated, or tucked into genre, and I do like those of his stories I know. I read up @ Amazon on the controversy between Blade Runner and the original text, and think I have room for both variations. I just need to check a couple of things, and then, whoosh! :)

TheFifthElement

12-31-2009, 08:09 AM

if Androids wins count me in :D

Virgil

12-31-2009, 10:30 AM

What the heck, I'm in for Androids too. Sounds like a fast and interesting read, and something different from what i normally would read. Ok, I'm in. :D

Jozanny

12-31-2009, 03:24 PM

Well, I wooshed this morning, had pop tarts, went to the bank, did my shopping, fed kitties, and have to put a pad lock on my Amazon account at this point. I was supposed to have my book splurge last year. I will not start reading until after midnight--and not to worry. I wanted the title, just clarifying in case of a last minute surge or what.

Virgil

01-01-2010, 08:33 PM

So did Androids win? Should I start looking for it?

Jozanny

01-02-2010, 08:42 PM

I have only only just started reading, and sort of skimmed over Delaney's introduction because I am already familiar, to a degree, with Dick's voice, and I know already that *fans* are confused that Blade Runner is rather romantically sympathetic to artificial intelligence.

If I can gas a bit about BR, I like the movie. Tis a flawed thing but this is the only film that ever made me sympathetic to Harrison Ford, and it has a touch of prosaic power.

I don't think the argument between naturally created species and manufactured species can necessarily win one side against the other, because at the micro-biotic level life is seemingly just as manufactured as plastic, but I will suspend judgment and see what Dick pulls out of the hat--keeping in mind that he did not have the knowledge of the genome project.

Any library should have it Virgil, but I purchased the file...

When I am dirt poor again things will get worse for me, as I have gotten used to doing as I wish, within the parameters of disability paradigms, which suggests I should get working :). I did sift last night, but haven't pitched since mid-December (sigh).