Please post all nominations of books/plays/collections of stories/poems here. Just make sure the books you nominate aren't too long. It would be nice to take a week or two to read the book and then take the rest of the month to discuss.
As usual, since no one has posted any nominations, I'll post some from the last few months. Naked Lunch by William Burroughs Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas Rushing to Paradise, or Concrete Island, or Cocaine Nights by JG Ballard The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham Gardens of the Moon, by Steven Erikson If none of these are to your liking, then please suggest something else. Thanks.
Homeless in My Heart, Collection of Poems by Felix Dennis Any of the Felix Dennis collections: A Glass Half Full Lone Wolf Island of Dreams
Since no one else has voted, I'm assuming that interest in the book club has died down. I realize that everyone's busy (including me), so how about we take a month or two off? I'm hoping that people will have a renewed interest in reading and discussing after a short break. One thing I'll do differently next time is advertise the book club in the Lounge every month. This will hopefully attract members who don't normally visit the Book Discussion part of the forum. Another thing I'm considering doing differently is having a poll so that people can vote more easily. Perhaps those who are interested in participating could PM me a nomination, and I'll take the first X nominations and make a poll. This saves me the trouble of having to go through several pages of nominations and also forces people to vote for one book only. Any thoughts and/or questions about this?
Don't take this the wrong way I just don't fancy any of the selection its a very boy selection to me. I don't like Mervyn Peake, I struggled with Gormeghast, have read Under Milk Wood several times. Have only read one William Burroughs won't be reading another, not a huge JG Ballard fan so it would just be Gardens of the Moon because its the only one left. I can't really read this month but any chance some slightly less miserable books ? I am going to suggest Hitchhikers Guide, Little Women, any Gervase Phinn for something more modern, Oronoko Aphra Behn and Shakespeare's Henry IV
I don't suggest books because the thing I like most about participating in the book club is reading things I wouldn't otherwise read. I'm definitely interested in continuing, though, and I'll (hopefully) be quitting my job in March, which will give me a lot more time.
One problem with voting is that plenty of people vote who don't participate. It happens plenty when voting for the theme of the short story contests. Nevertheless, the winning suggestion(s) are usually pretty popular as they gauge general community interest. Anyway, I'm still very much interested in our small book club, but do agree I've been busy, which has limited my participation - though I am still tackling both Pygmalion and Titus Groan simulataneously - a few more thoughts to follow. I'm not adverse to having a month off, and certainly agree on heavy promotion of the club in the Lounge. I support trying one of Elgaisma's suggestions for the next outing. Thanks for trying to keep us all going.
How about offering a few different books that have some common element? That way, people have a few more options to choose from, but still have the option of trying something they wouldn't normally read. Could base it on common periods, common authors, movements, themes, whatever. Or whatever.
Thanks for the comments everyone. It seems like a few people are still interested in participating in March, so I'll take Gannon's advice and we'll read something Elgaisma suggested. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Anything by Gervase Phinn Henry IV by William Shakespeare
LOL ta I just flatly refuse to read anything that isn't upbeat during the winter - happy to do the other's in the summer when days are longer and I can sit on the beach until 11pm reading whilst the kids run round.
So how about we read The Hitchhiker's Guide by Douglas Adams in March? It's a fairly easy read, so even if you're busy you should be able to finish.
