Valentine's Day Reading Poll

[Scheherazade]

Please nominate the books you would like to read during the Valentine's Day week

by

January 20th!

The aim of the Book Club is to read and discuss new books together with other members.

Please try to avoid from voting for the books you have already read and/or do not intend to (re)read with us.

Thank you!

Book Club Regulations

[Janine]

I nominate Thomas Hardy's book

Under the Greenwood Tree

I think it's really romantic and funny and amusing. Three men in this small country town vye for the love of a new pretty school mistress. I love the book and own the movie adaptation, which I enjoy emensely. It's not a long book. I would love to read it again and think others on here would enjoy it.

[TheFifthElement]

Victoria by Knut Hamsun. Everyone should read something by Hamsun, he's a brilliant writer. This is a really sweet love story, simple and beautiful and quite short!

[Jozanny]

I believe I read a little Hamsun on Gutenberg Fifth. Think it was him, adequately translated, and I agree with you that he is interesting, a little different--though I know I won't be joining in for February--the old plaint of reading schedules being a double-edged sword...

[Dark Muse]

Love For Lydia by H.E. Bates

[TheFifthElement]

I believe I read a little Hamsun on Gutenberg Fifth. Think it was him, adequately translated, and I agree with you that he is interesting, a little different--though I know I won't be joining in for February--the old plaint of reading schedules being a double-edged sword...

Oh I know what you mean. I'm waiting to join the Androids debate, but I'm still wading through Independent People by Laxness and I reckon I've got a week's worth of reading to go still. And then January will be over before you know it!

Adequate translation is right. Apparently Norwegian is pretty difficult to translate so I'm pretty careful about choosing the translation (well, except for Victoria which I got as a swap. I don't know if it's a good translation, but it is a good read ). He is an interesting read; it took me a couple of goes to read Hunger but it was well worth it. Harsh but brilliant. If you do get chance, and your budget and the Kindle can stand it, I'd recommend that one. It's edgy.

What's Gutenberg, by the way?

[neilgee]

Love For Lydia by H.E. Bates

Another brilliant recommendation, Dark Muse. If that wins I will reread it as it's been awhile but I really enjoyed that one first time round and it's an apt Valentine's Day choice.

[Dark Muse]

Another brilliant recommendation, Dark Muse. If that wins I will reread it as it's been awhile but I really enjoyed that one first time round and it's an apt Valentine's Day choice.

Thank you! I am not one typicaly for romance or love stories, but I heard something about this book which intrigued me.

[neilgee]

Thank you! I am not one typicaly for romance or love stories, but I heard something about this book which intrigued me.

I didn't realise you havn't read it yet. As I remember it [it's been about 15 years since I finished it] yes it is a feel-good love story but it's also damn fine literature and that combination seems to be quite rare.

[Scheherazade]

I would like to nominate Jane Eyre as I have been wanting to re-read this for a long time now.

Nominations so far:

1. Under the Greenwood Tree by Hardy

2. Victoria by Knut Hamsun

3. Love For Lydia by H.E. Bates

4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

[Jozanny]

Oh I know what you mean. I'm waiting to join the Androids debate, but I'm still wading through Independent People by Laxness and I reckon I've got a week's worth of reading to go still. And then January will be over before you know it!

Adequate translation is right. Apparently Norwegian is pretty difficult to translate so I'm pretty careful about choosing the translation (well, except for Victoria which I got as a swap. I don't know if it's a good translation, but it is a good read ). He is an interesting read; it took me a couple of goes to read Hunger but it was well worth it. Harsh but brilliant. If you do get chance, and your budget and the Kindle can stand it, I'd recommend that one. It's edgy.

What's Gutenberg, by the way?

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

Most sites that offer free e-books follow Project Gutenberg. I think they started digitalizing before anyone else--though I do not know when The Literature Network came online.

I think Hunger was what I read, but I'm not positive, as I know it was some years before I ever heard of LN. Knut is able to get away with the autobiographical acuity which I have only managed in my non-fiction. I have never been quite confident in my fictional slice of life Jozanny story.

Haven't thrown it out (yes, writers do that) but it has never felt 100 percent, though I have been toying with sending it to Granta anyway--haven't made up my mind. But I have suffered with it such a long time perhaps I should throw it out, but this man pulls it off, and that is no small feat.

Most of his major novels are free to kindle except Victoria. I don't know why Amazon does this, as they must earn plenty on compulsive downloaders, if I am any indication, unless this title isn't in the public domain. Gutenberg doesn't list it so I guess it isn't in the public domain. I put it on my wishlist; thank you Fifth, as at least I have an alert to it.

[Scheherazade]

Nominations so far:

1. Under the Greenwood Tree by Hardy

2. Victoria by Knut Hamsun

3. Love For Lydia by H.E. Bates

4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte


The voting will start on January 21st.

[bouquin]

Breakfast at Tiffany's -- Truman Capote

thanks.

[Janine]

Didn't we discuss "Breakfast at Tiffany's" before? I may be dead wrong; I know one year we discussed Capote's novella "The Grass Harp". At anyrate, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" would be a good book to fit the category.

[Scheherazade]

Breakfast at Tiffany's -- Truman Capote

thanks.

Hey Bouquin,

You are my new BF on the Forum; you always nominate the books I have been wanting to read! Thanks!

Didn't we discuss "Breakfast at Tiffany's" before? I may be dead wrong; I know one year we discussed Capote's novella "The Grass Harp". At anyrate, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" would be a good book to fit the category.

We read Glass Harp but not Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Nominations so far:

1. Under the Greenwood Tree by Hardy

2. Victoria by Knut Hamsun

3. Love For Lydia by H.E. Bates

4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

5. Breakfast At Tiffany's by Truman Capote


The voting will start on January 21st.