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Book of the Month: August Edition

Poll closed Jul 31, 2009.
  1. The Road - Cormac McCarthy

    6 vote(s)
    33.3%
  2. My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult

    1 vote(s)
    5.6%
  3. Lolita - Vladmir Nabokov

    8 vote(s)
    44.4%
  4. South of the Border, West of the Sun - Haruki Murakami

    1 vote(s)
    5.6%
  5. The Plague - Albert Camus

    3 vote(s)
    16.7%
  6. The Boy In Striped Pajamas - John Boyne

    3 vote(s)
    16.7%
  7. The Secret History - Donna Tartt

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  8. Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C S Lewis

    4 vote(s)
    22.2%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. arron89

    arron89 Banned

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    Book of the Month: August (VOTING NOW)

    Discussion in 'Discussion of Published Works' started by arron89, Jul 24, 2009.

    Hey team!
    So the relaunch of the Book of the Month Club in July was a quiet success, so here's part two. Suggestions are encouraged!
    Also, there's still a week left to grab a copy of The Graveyard Book and add to this month's discussion!
     
  2. arron89

    arron89 Banned

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    Multiple voting is allowed this time to give a general idea of which books people would generally like, but please keep it to a top 2 or 3 max.

    Options are taken from suggestions made in last month's thread and in other recent book threads.

    Hopefully the range is catering to a wide range of people; I steered away from children's lit and fantasy since that's more or less what we read last time.
     
  3. Agreen

    Agreen Faceless Man Contributor

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    I really like our choices this time, I think there's only one on the whole list I'm not all that interested in. I also failed my vote, and forgot to cast one for Nabokov.
     
  4. arron89

    arron89 Banned

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    And if it isn't obvious, please only vote if you intend on following through with the reading and discussion!
    But yay for positive response so far!
     
  5. Rei

    Rei Contributor Contributor

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    Looks like we're going for Lolita.
     
  6. Ashleigh

    Ashleigh Contributor Contributor

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    Ooo I might participate in this! Sounds like lots of fun, it's good to see something so productive working successfully on the forum for once.

    I voted for 'Lolita' - and it looks like that's gonna be the choice.
     
  7. thirdwind

    thirdwind Member Contest Administrator Reviewer Contributor

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    Now that I have time next month, I think I'll participate. My vote goes to Lolita. I read it a long time ago, but no doubt I missed some of the more important intricacies. I look forward to having a good discussion.
     
  8. marina

    marina Contributor Contributor

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    Aw dang...looks like Lolita will be the winner, and I'll have to pass on that book. The topic totally grosses me out. Why would people want to read about an old guy having sex/infatuated by a girl? And we're not talking about a high school teen here, but more like elementary/middle school girl. The dude's a seriously disturbed perv. Eeew.
     
  9. arron89

    arron89 Banned

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    While I can't deny that the book is morally questionable at times, I can assure you that if you can get beyond your limiting morality, you will be handsomely rewarded...
     
  10. Rei

    Rei Contributor Contributor

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    I don't think approving of the actions of the characters should limit you, but I'm not sure I have the energy for Russian-style writing at the moment.
     
  11. Gannon

    Gannon Contributor Contributor

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    Might I enquire as to the timelines of this project? I have secured a copy of Nabokov in anticipation. Should I start reading now or wait a little so that I can transcribe its impact while still fresh? How long are we given to read it in its entirety / a prescribed amount? I just wish to manage my own expectations and assign adequate resources to meeting the deadlines. Thanks and kind regards.
     
  12. arron89

    arron89 Banned

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    Discussion will run for a month, and will probably cover 1/4 of the book per week, so the first week will cover the introduction and the first few chapters, and so on. But by all means read now and think about it so that you have already developed ideas for discussion and debate when the thread opens :D
     
  13. Marcelo

    Marcelo Member

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    Come on, McCarthy, don't fail me. :p
    Just finished reading The Alchemist, and started a few hours ago with The Road. Damn, I'm dying to watch the movie!
     
  14. thirdwind

    thirdwind Member Contest Administrator Reviewer Contributor

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    We still have a few days before the poll closes, and The Road is not too far behind Lolita. I'm up for either book, but it seems that some people have already gotten their copy of Lolita. Should we close the poll? It would be awkward if everyone buys/borrows Lolita and then The Road or some other book ends up winning.
     
  15. Gannon

    Gannon Contributor Contributor

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    I say let the poll run - I know I said I have already obtained a copy of one of the entries in anticipation, which is jumping the gun somewhat, but democracy should rule. If the very worthy McCarthy takes the title then so be it, that holds for all the entries of course, unless someone is artificially elevating a particular nominee with multiple accounts etc! And thanks arron89 for your response, much clearer now.
     
  16. Marcelo

    Marcelo Member

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    Time to give McCarthy a lift... Haha, JUST KIDDIN'!!

    I was gonna read the book anyway, so if Lolita wins, I still have a lot of reading to do. I agree with Gannon, let democracy choose! :)
     
  17. arron89

    arron89 Banned

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    Lolita belongs on everyone's "Read Over and Over and Over and Over Again" list anyway, and The Road is destined to join it, so either way its a win-win-win-win-win situation.

    Also, poor Donna Tartt.
     
  18. Gigi_GNR

    Gigi_GNR Guys, come on. WAFFLE-O. Contributor

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    Ooh, I haven't read any of them except for Voyage of the Dawn Treader--the reason being that my strangely huge, well-built local library is severly understocked and only holds ancient, uninteresting tales, barely any classics (THEY DON'T HAVE WUTHERING HEIGHTS!!!) and just a bunch of old twaddle. If you've ever gone to your great-grandma's house and went in her attic and found a ton of old, ancient books that bored you to death, that's what it's like. I don't even call it a library anymore; it doesn't deserve the name. I call it the Understocked Place, or just the Place.

    But our school libraries are wonderfully stocked..... I'll have to write these titles down...
     
  19. ktm-december

    ktm-december Member

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    Yay! A book club! I am so excited!

    I voted for Lolita =)
     

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