March / War Novel Poll

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Originally Posted by Dr. Hill

Slaughterhouse Five.

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Read the thread - too late.

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Originally Posted by JBI

It's a good book, and it deals with the war - just because it doesn't have a cliché romance or some blood and guts doesn't make it a bad book. That's the problem with these genre things - people only seem to be willing to vote for books they have heard about, and potentially already have read. Notice also the divide of books by nationality - 7 American, one English, one German, and one Canadian - clearly the expansion of viewpoints is being jeopardized, the same way a thriller that 3 people had already read won for January, whereas a unique book that many hadn't heard about, but had heard good things about was completely ignored.

If I were to talk about War Novels, I would think this one far more important to the genre, and the history of war literature than the others, simply because it is offering the perspective of someone who is truly marginalized by the war, and offering a perspective that goes against the image of the "noble victor" that seems to pollute the rest of these books (with the exception I believe of For Whom the Bell Tolls, and Master and Commander, which offer the good guys tragically losing, and with All Quiet on The Western Front, which begins to approach somewhat a notion of mature war narrative) but even so, where are the minorities caught up in these? Where are the other voices, of Women, of children, of those involved, of those reduced to a status less than human because of cultural bias, and in essence full fledged racism? One book, ironically. Yes, it most certainly is a war novel.

Either way though, I bet Hemmingway wins, he being the most well known of the list, I think.

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Well said. I sympathize with you, but I've been pushing a Hemingway read since I joined to no avail.

I loved Gates of Fire I thought it was an amazing book, and Catch-22 I enjoyed throughly, but I am going to have to go with Red Badge of Courage becasue it is one I have not read yet that I would like to do so.

I will try to partake in this discussion if I can.

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Originally Posted by NickAdams

Well said. I sympathize with you, but I've been pushing a Hemingway read since I joined to no avail.

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I've been here for 5 years and haven't had a book win - except once but that was a sympathy vote and it was only for a halloween read.

I really enjoyed The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien actually. It was the last book I read, with a blog post here (note: all my posts contain plenty of SPOILERS).

So I wouldn't cry if it managed to win because it would be fun to engage in a dialogue about it and see what other people made of it. However, I wouldn't mind the Hemingway or the Catch-22! I always love when there are a couple of decent options.

No one is interested in All Quiet On the Western Front? It's really the best of the genre.

I voted for "The Naked and the Dead" because I have it waiting in the shelf already, and by march I will have finished with my current read, "Against the Day". It doesn't look like as if it will end up on top though ...

I'm too new to vote....would like to read For Whom the Bell Tolls or All Quiet on the Western Front

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Originally Posted by Bancini

I'm too new to vote....would like to read For Whom the Bell Tolls or All Quiet on the Western Front

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If you were going to vote for For Whom the Bell Tolls I would very eagerly tell you to go to the games section of the forum where you can very easily rack up 50 posts!

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Originally Posted by Lulim

I voted for "The Naked and the Dead" because I have it waiting in the shelf already, and by march I will have finished with my current read, "Against the Day". It doesn't look like as if it will end up on top though ...

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How is Against the Day?

how long is the voting open?

it closes on the first

finally able to vote

All Quiet on the Western Front

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Originally Posted by Bancini

finally able to vote

All Quiet on the Western Front

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Hey! I thought we had a deal!!;)

definitely my second choice....sorry

I really hope Catch-22 does not win this poll. It's among my favorite books, but I've read it twice already.

I love Catch-22 but am rather hopeful that we will read something else.

Hi there!

I like to read catch 22 as I never read the original text, but it seems most of you read it more than once :)

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Originally Posted by Virgil

No one is interested in All Quiet On the Western Front? It's really the best of the genre.

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Only four of us.

JBI has piqued my interest so I wanna read Obasan. I’ve already read most of the others.

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Originally Posted by bazarov

Only four of us.

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Oh well, it's caught up. :) Still I don't think it will catch Catch 22. Catch Catch 22! :lol:

nooooooo, anything but catch -22

"All Quiet On The Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque - love the movie, so I am sure the book is remarkable!

love catch-22...have mixed emotions about the choice since I have not read All Quiet or For Whom....

Come on, peeps. Just 6 more votes for M & C!

Voted for"All quiet...". Just to spice up the poll a it just before deadline! LOL!:D

I went ahead and started Catch 22. I need a book when I'm on the treadmill. I wasn't sure if I would be able to read along this time because of school, but I'll do my best.