Book Club Anyone: The Four Paws

sprocket

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To get a successful book club going we'd have to agree on at least one book to start. Then, agree to read oh, a chapter or two a week and meet to discuss it.

So, anyone interested in a book club, please recommend three books. I think past best sellers might be okay to recommend especially if they've dropped off the lists.

There are lots of members here, and if we get quite a few interested, we could do several books at once. Once we get a listing of books, then we could hold a poll to vote on which book to start with.

Any other suggestions/ideas?
 

pinkdaisy226

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Hmmm... well, I know a couple of were talking about the new Jodi Picoult book, Nineteen Minutes... that's a suggestion I have.

I think it'd be cool to do the last Harry Potter book, when that comes out... but that's a while from now.

Other than that, I don't know... but great idea, if we can agree on a book!
 

persi & alley

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When you say we have a lot of readers, do we have enough to divide our participants into genres? For instance, at this point in my life I am reading classical literature. And even though I have read all the Harry Potter books, I believe if we truly have enough members, we could divide it into genres. Of course a member could be free to be in any group they desired, but there are just some genres that people would never agree on. When you go into a book store and look around you will find that the store is layed out in sections, according to the genre of the book; such as mysteries, science fiction, etc. etc. If we had enough members I would suggest we do the same thing. Sometimes I read two or three books at the same time and of different genres and I am sure others do the same. For instance, last month I read Lisey's story and the Brother Karamazov at the same time. Hardly the same genre. When I was a teenager the ONLY thing I cared to read about was Science Fiction. But I bet we all go through phases of what we read so I think if we had enough people interested, that we should have divisions, just like a book store has (Current best sellers, etc.) Anyway, that is my input and I would participate and it sounds like a great idea.
 
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sprocket

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To get a book club going, ya gotta start somewhere. Not everyone will agree on the same book; of course!

But "I" can't get discussions going, or hold poll after poll after poll to get a group of members for a particular genre to decide on a book. One person can't do it all. Others will need to join in. I'm willing to help get the discussion started on the first few books, but it will have to also be a colaborative (sp?) effort.

This is why I say, start recommending some books.
 

duchess15

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I think that the genre thing would be a good idea. I also think starting a book club would be pretty neat.
Trying to find a book that alot of people could agree on will be hard to do. I also would suggest Harry Potter, but that is a while from now. There is also the Eragon series by Christopher Paulini.
Or there is also crime and mystery by Cook, Cornwell, and Patterson. But, everyone has different tastes. I think if everyone started listing some books, maybe we could find one that most people would like to read or at least would be willing to try.
 
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sprocket

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Okay, lets start with genre.

Modern Fiction

Classics

Sci Fi/Fantasy
Harry Potter's latest (yet to be published)

True Crime
Under the Banner of Heaven

Crime Mysteries/Fiction


Now that we have some general genre classifications, please start recommending some books and/or more genre.
 

persi & alley

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Originally Posted by Sprocket

Okay, lets start with genre.

Modern Fiction

Classics

Sci Fi/Fantasy
Harry Potter's latest (yet to be published)

True Crime
Under the Banner of Heaven

Crime Mysteries/Fiction

Now that we have some general genre classifications, please start recommending some books and/or more genre.
I would go with classics. There is one problem with this genre however, a lot of them are very long (War and Peace for example). I have a list of what is considered the greatest classics of all time. War and Peace came in at number two, and Don Quixote came in at number one. Both of these are far to big to get this group going. But there are short books on the list of top ten books ever written, for example: Robinson Caruso and Gulliver's Travels, both under 300 pages. I would participate in Modern Fiction also. So now we need to hear from other people!
 

catfriend

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Here are a few off the top of my head:

Originally Posted by Sprocket

Okay, lets start with genre.

[d:U]Modern Fiction[/u]

Classics
David Copperfield
Persuasion

Sci Fi/Fantasy
The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
Harry Potter's latest (yet to be published)

True Crime
Under the Banner of Heaven

Crime Mysteries/Fiction
A Test of Wills by Charles Todd

Now that we have some general genre classifications, please start recommending some books and/or more genre.
 
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sprocket

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Thanks everyone.

Adding
Classics
Robinson Caruso
Gulliver's Travels

More ideas/book suggestions please! At the rate we're going now, it might take us a month to just get started on our first book.
 

persi & alley

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Originally Posted by Catfriend

Here are a few off the top of my head:
Here is a list of the 100 greatest books ever written that could be considered under the classics. I know there are other lists out there that differ from this one because I have seen many. I will say that Don Quixote ALWAYS is rated as the greatest book ever written on any list but as I mentioned earlier, almost all of the great books are big books. "The catcher in the rye" however, is the shortest book on the list. But, I just include this list for consideration. When it comes to books, I read all types of books. I cannot remember the date for the next Harry Potter book but I would love to kick off with this one if it is not too far in the future. If so, let us get to work figuring out what we are going to read in the meantime! Here is the link:

http://www.adherents.com/people/100_novel.html
 

pinkdaisy226

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Originally Posted by Persi

Here is a list of the 100 greatest books ever written that could be considered under the classics. I know there are other lists out there that differ from this one because I have seen many. I will say that Don Quixote ALWAYS is rated as the greatest book ever written on any list but as I mentioned earlier, almost all of the great books are big books. "The catcher in the rye" however, is the shortest book on the list. But, I just include this list for consideration. When it comes to books, I read all types of books. I cannot remember the date for the next Harry Potter book but I would love to kick off with this one if it is not too far in the future. If so, let us get to work figuring out what we are going to read in the meantime! Here is the link:

http://www.adherents.com/people/100_novel.html
That's a great list, thanks for posting it.

From the list, I think, well, I've always wanted to read The Catcher in the Rye, I started reading Anna Karenina and would like to finish it, but I know I'd need support, lol... and I've kinda wanted to read Lolita, just because I'm curious.

So that's my input anyway.
 

snuzy

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Not everyone will like the book we choose. That's fine. It makes the book discussion more interesting. I don't like science fiction and crime books, but if we pick one, I'll read it. However, I don't know if I could limit myself to one or 2 chapters a week. That would be like just eating one or 2 jelly beans-


Our library has a list of book club books--many of which I have already read or will be reading for my "live" book club, but here's some of them:

Sister of my Heart
Ahab's Wife
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
The Primrose Way
The Reading Group
How the Garcia girls lost their accents
The amateur marriage
Snow flower and the secret fan
the kitchen Boy
The heart is a lonely hunter
Snow in August
Crescent
The Memory Keeper's Daughter

We don't all like all the books, and some people will refuse to finish a book once they don't like it, but its still fun! And we have our discussions at Friendly's with a big ice cream sundae. Can we do that here too??
 

pinkdaisy226

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Originally Posted by Snuzy

However, I don't know if I could limit myself to one or 2 chapters a week. That would be like just eating one or 2 jelly beans-
Oh my goodness, me either! Maybe one or two chapters A NIGHT but I couldn't read that slow.

You know, I'm up for trying whatever. I'm not really one for Sci Fi but I'll take a look at whatever book we choose and will try to get involved. If not, then maybe next time I'll join in... and that is probably the mentality of quite a few of us here.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by pinkdaisy226

Hmmm... well, I know a couple of were talking about the new Jodi Picoult book, Nineteen Minutes... that's a suggestion I have.

I think it'd be cool to do the last Harry Potter book, when that comes out... but that's a while from now.

Other than that, I don't know... but great idea, if we can agree on a book!
same here!
 

laureen227

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Crime Mysteries/Fiction
anything by J.D. Robb is good - also fits under sci fi because it's written in the near future [2050 or so].
Shirley Rousseau Murphy's Joe Grey mysteries are good, & cat related
i really like James Patterson's books, too
and the Alex Delaware novels by Jonathan Kellerman
& his wife Faye Kellerman's books are also really good

 
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sprocket

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Thanks everyone! Keep the ideas coming! I'm thinking that maybe we could start three different books at once.....from there different genre's. Everyonce could pick a genre that they would be more interested in, and someone from that particular book/group could be picked to lead the discussion. That way, more people could join in, instead of reading a book from a genre they might not really enjoy.

Personally, I'm not a big classics fan, or modern fiction fan per se, although I occasionally do read modern fiction, such as Jodi Picollout (sp?). I'd prefer to read true crime or one of my favorite Sci Fi authors. I'd love to have at least three selections going, to have a wide variety for everyone.
 

pinkdaisy226

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Okay show of hands of people who would be willing to have one of the book selections be a Jodi Picoult book? Anyone? (I figured, I might as well see if we can agree on something)
 

chromodactyl

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Hi definately up for that.
SInce you mentioned lolita-its a great book.

I just read 2lives-vikram seth.Amazing duel biography on his aunt and uncle who experienced what ww2 threw at them-it will touch you deeply also beautifully written.
Also so read the secret river-dont think best writing ever but fun adventure.its about the 1st settlers in australia how they managed built a trade from nothing and so on-fun

One of my fav books:One hundred years of solitude-Gabriel Garzia Marquez-one for everyone full of mysteries,tragedy,growing of family.change and magic-beautiful,excellent writing and will draw you for years if you have a vivid imagination.
The alchemist-Paulo Coelho=deeply inspiring

Pls add me to yr list-me and kitten will read together.

Cant wait for harry potter.
Think we get it first...
 

chromodactyl

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PS How about a vote on 10 novels and the top 3 win.whatevers decided,during discussion a nice bottle of wine or the best ice cream youcan find should be indulged in
 

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Oooh! Goody goody. My totally favorite thing to do is read!!!

I've heard Jodi Piccoult is good. Here are some books I've read recently that I thought were really good...

Fiction
The Hole - Guy Burt
Sofie - Guy Burt
The Eight - Katherine Neville
The Lake of Dead Languages - Carol Goodman
A Secret History - Donna Tartt
Red Leaves - Paulina Simmons (??)

Non-fiction/science
The Coming Plaque - Laurie Garrett
Medical Detectives - Plume

"Classics"
Watership Down
The Three Musketeers

Historical Fiction
Outlander - Diana Gabaldan

Out of all of these, A Secret History and probably Watership Down are the best literature, IMO.
 
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