Real Book Group?

[Lady Lazarus]

I was wondering if in the new year, anyone else would be interested in using this forum to have a "real" book group, i.e. all decide on one book a month to read, and then use the forum to discuss it. We could all suggest some possible books to read, and then have a poll to decide the winner.

What do people think? or should we wait til there are more members here?

[Opal]

I think thats a great idea!

I've never actually belonged to a book group, but have always thought it would be a fun thing to do! I like to talk about various books I've read but rarely find someone who's also read the same things as me - a lot of people I know find the lastest issue of Cosmo is challenging enough! :(

Just one question though: I read fairly quickly (I get through 3/4 books a week when I'm in the mood), but how long do we give ourselves to read it, or is it usually more like pick a book to read and join the discussion group when you're done?

And of course.... Any suggestions for our first book? :D

[Abbynormal92243]

I think we should poll for a book now and get it going. People can jump in along the way and it will only make the discussion livelier :)

I suggest Crime and Punishment, since it's on my list anyway.
But I'm not attached to that....

I could just as eaily read something by Dan Simmons (I'm reading Darwin's Blade right now and LOVE it)
or---heck Somebody else name something?

[Sue]

Or how about the new Philip Roth - the Plot against America? I am afraid I couldn't face Crime and Punishment again at the moment. I don't think I have read any Dan Simmons - what sort of books are they?

[Opal]

I'd like to suggest Magician by Raymond Feist. I got given some of his books for Christmas last year and was hooked instantly! I know he gets compared to Tolkein a lot, but although I like LotR, I found Magician easier to read - and much more fun! :)

(looking over the other posts on this thread I just realised I asked a pointless question on my last post. Oops. Sometimes you just have one of those days...)

[Andream]

Can I add my voice to the Philip Roth - I have been meaning to read it, and this would give me the incentive I need to take it away with me over the holidays...otherwise it will just be another sex and shopping novel and i'd be too embarrassed to face everyone in January.

[Abbynormal92243]

I'm easy. What's that Philip Roth one about?

Dan Simmons---
um
I don't know how to explain him. I'm reading Darwin's Blade, which is a mystery/thriller---it's meticulously researched, and WOW does this guy have opinions about everything from the Challenger explosion to OJ Simpson.
His characters are fleshed out and the dialogue's crisp and believable.
I'll be grabbing up anything I see by him.

[Bill]

http://www.bookgrouponline.com/forum/showthread.html?t=124

When the renowned aviation hero and rabid isolationist Charles A. Lindbergh defeated Franklin Roosevelt by a landslide in the 1940 presidential election, fear invaded every Jewish household in America. Not only had Lindbergh, in a nationwide radio address, publicly blamed the Jews for selfishly pushing America towards a pointless war with Nazi Germany, but, upon taking office as the 33rd president of the United States, he negotiated a cordial 'understanding' with Adolf Hitler, whose conquest of Europe and whose virulent anti-Semitic policies he appeared to accept without difficulty.

What then followed in America is the historical setting for this startling new novel by Pulitzer-prize winner Philip Roth, who recounts what it was like for his Newark family - and for a million such families all over the country - during the menacing years of the Lindbergh presidency, when American citizens who happened to be Jews had every reason to expect the worst.


<iframe width="120" height="243" scrolling="no" frameborder=0 src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?t=bookgrouponli-21&l=st1&search=Plot%20Against%20America%20Philip%20Roth&mode=books-uk&p=31&o=2&f=ifr&bg1=C6E7DE&lc1=082984&lt1=_blank"> <table border='0' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='120' height='243'><tr><td><A HREF='http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/redirect-home/bookgrouponli-21' target=_blank ><img src="http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/G/02/associates/recommends/default_120x243.gif" width=120 height=243 border="0" access=regular></a></td></tr></table></iframe>

Here is the link for Amazon.com, for our American members:

<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=bookgrouponli-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0618509283&fc1=000000&=1&lc1=000099&bc1=CCFFFF&lt1=_blank&IS2=1&bg1=CCFFFF&f=ifr" width="120" height="240" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>

[Lady Lazarus]

As I too have already read Crime + Punishment, I'd rather go for the Philip Roth book to be honest. The other one that was suggested, when it was described as being in the same vein as LOTR, is not my 'cup of tea' really... anyone else got any suggestions they'd like us to consider?

How long shall we give ourselves to read the book? 2 weeks? 1 month? [edited to say that I have just seen the Philip Roth book is 650 pages long, maybe 1 month would allow most people to get through it?] I am assuming we will start on the 1st / 2nd January...

[ctussaud]

When I used the link to Amazon.co.uk in order to get the Roth book, Amazon "said" that the book was not in stock, and would take 4-6 weeks to arrive. I then went to Amazon.co.uk through my own browser, and found that the book was readily available, so I have ordered it.

The postman has just delivered my latest order from Persephone Books. I have no financial interest in Persephone, other than as a devoted customer. They reprint neglected fiction from 19c and early 20c, in elegant grey card covers with appropriate endpapers. Have a look at www.persephonebooks.com. They also have a shop at 59 Lamb's Conduit St, London WC1 3NB tel 020 7242 9292.

Have a very Happy Christmas, everyone, with enough peace and quiet for a few hours with your current book!

[Lady Lazarus]

Is that sort of agreed then? that we will read the Philip Roth book? I have reserved it at my local library... just need to finish the current read first! Looking forward to reading some new stuff here as well...

[Sue]

I would say give ourselves not more than a month to read it - could do it in less but it would be nice to give more people a chance to join in.

We could set a start discussion date - or do we want to comment as we go?

[Bill]

When I used the link to Amazon.co.uk in order to get the Roth book, Amazon "said" that the book was not in stock, and would take 4-6 weeks to arrive. I then went to Amazon.co.uk through my own browser, and found that the book was readily available, so I have ordered it.

ctussaud, once you had clicked on our link to Amazon, if you had then clicked on the blue underlined link 'Plot Against America' you then would have gone through to a page that said 'Availability: usually dispatched within 1 to 2 working days'. As I have said elsewhere, the links are sometimes misleading as they may refer to other versions of the book which may not be so readily available, so I would urge you not to give up. The Amazon you have got through to is the same Amazon as any other - we do not have our own version!

We would greatly appreciate it if users of this forum could purchase books via our Amazon links. The site is not cheap to run and will not survive in the long-term unless we receive the small percentages that Amazon and other companies (which can be found in Links) offer if products are bought via our links.

[Lady Lazarus]

I would say give ourselves not more than a month to read it - could do it in less but it would be nice to give more people a chance to join in.

We could set a start discussion date - or do we want to comment as we go?

Yeah a month sounds good to me too... maybe if we say people start reading at the beginning of the month, and then can begin to discuss it about 2 weeks in.. that way people won't be reading too many plot-spoilers before they've finished the book...?

[Copperfield]

I have read "The Human Stain" by Philip Roth and this was a very good read. I have his latest novel and will start to read this in January. I can add comments as I read or when I have finished the novel - I'm happy to go along with everyone else and hopefully make some contribution to the forum.
I picked up a copy of Graham Greene's "The End of the Affair" from my library shelf and although I have previously read this, I find that I cannot put it down.

[Lady Lazarus]

Ordered the Philip Roth book at the library, but starting to panic a little bit now, as they still haven't rung to say it's there to pick up...

[Bill]

The eagle-eyed among you will notice that I have now created a new forum specifically to host book group discussions. It is just above the Anything But Books Forum.

It has its own Discussion Point, in which you can discuss suggestions for future books to be discussed.

I have started a forum for The Plot Against America, which seems to be the consensus choice for Book Group Online's very first book group discussion.

[Sue]

How is everyone going on this? Anyone finished it yet?

[Leander]

I think that's a wonderful idea - I have been a member of a book club before but with marathon training and french lessons I don't have the time to fit in a regular meet - an online book club is a fab idea and I am sure there are loads of people that would join if they knew it existed! So what book shall we read first? Has this been decided? :)

[Leander]

Is it too late for me to join in with this book? I haven't got it so I would have to order it - I could always start once the next one has been decided??

[Leander]

It would be good to see how many people are interested in taking part in the real book club forum for the first book 'The Plot Against America' - if you go to that forum we can see how many are joining in, set a date for discussion and begin polling for the next book - what do you think? see you there :)