fiction files redux discussion

add suggestions of books that we can read together in the future here. we can make polls out of the suggestions! :)

how about that 100 years of solitude book? seems a lot of us have it but the bindings haven't been cracked.

i'm also thinking about the code of the woosters by wodehouse.

if liehtzu and hugh show up, i'm hoping that one of these days they'll actually read A Frolic of His Own with me. i don't know if anyone else would be interested.

I'm up for 100 Years and A Frolic of His Own looks pretty good. The blurb says "dense and imposing" so yeah, sounds like fun.

Does anyone know when David Foster Wallace's new/posthumous one comes out? I believe it's quite a bit shorter than Infinite Jest... an excerpt of it was published in this week's New Yorker. I've only read Consider the Lobster.

Is anyone else a Joyce Carol Oates fan? If anyone feels like picking up one of her many works I'm up for it. I have We Were the Mulvaneys cracked right now.

(I really need to narrow the current list down to 10. Instead of finishing books I keep adding them!)

Also, Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood is a quick read...


We Were the Mulvaneys
Oryx and Crake

Shelby wrote: "I'm up for 100 Years and A Frolic of His Own looks pretty good. The blurb says "dense and imposing" so yeah, sounds like fun.

Does anyone know when David Foster Wallace's new/posthumous one comes ..."

I believe it comes out in 2010. I really need to get on with reading infinite jest...

dan, i know it looks big and scary, and it's heavy, too. but seriously, putting it off is like putting of eating fresh chocolate cake or putting off going to the carnival. it is incredibly fun and delicious. why wait?

ok, then on your words i will read it after i finish the two i am currently reading. if it is anything like fresh chocolate cake and carnivals i am really missing out. Especially since i have read most everything else of his!

Brian wrote: "how about that 100 years of solitude book? seems a lot of us have it but the bindings haven't been cracked.

i'm also thinking about the code of the woosters by wodehouse."

LOL! I just got Woosters out of the library - did you read my mind again, Brian?? ^___^ Also like the idea of One Hundred Years..

Hey, I just picked up that Wodehouse at a used bookstore about a month ago. It is precariously perched on my nightstand, with the other books in my to-read bunch...

Drood A Novel!

i'm just going to post some of the book titles that i have in my to-read which means they're here in my house in case anybody wants to read 'em :)

Wittgenstein's Mistress

The House of the Spirits

Voices from the Street

Song of Kali

The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch

Dr Bloodmoney

Flying to America 45 More Stories

The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath

The Rings of Saturn

Between Life and Death

Ben wrote: "Drood A Novel!"

This book almost followed me home yesterday but it didn't have wheels. Plus, I thought reading Dickens' book first would be a better way to approach it and I couldn't find his book even though I whistled and called all over the store.

i have no business really adding suggestions considering i have yet to dive in on any of the group reads. but i am a faithful/passionate lurker. anyway. here are some i've had either lingering around in my possession or some i've been thinking about for a long time but haven't gotten to yet...

Independent People

(but just saw ben's review... so this is probably out)

Sentimental Education
Look at Me
Magnetic Field
Erasure
Her Smoke Rose Up Forever

Slowrabbit wrote: "i have no business really adding suggestions considering i have yet to dive in on any of the group reads. but i am a faithful/passionate lurker. anyway. here are some i've had either lingering ..."

patrick, you are a silly rabbit in addition to being a slow one. :) you are a member of this group, and unless you're saying that if we did read one of these you wouldn't actually say anything, and even then, i think you have the right to make suggestions. i'm just the type that'd want to spank you for that.

You know, Mo, you seem to be really into spanking.

Do you have someone to give you birthday spankings?

Brian wrote: I thought reading Dickens' book first would be a better way to approach it and I couldn't find his book even though I whistled and called all over the store.

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/564

:)

Slowrabbit wrote: "Independent People

(but just saw ben's review... so this is probably out)"

Yes! Definitely read this! If anyone does I for one would be delighted to discuss it. Or any other Laxness; his more magical realist ones are shorter and probably easier reads if time is of the essence.

Books that I will be reading whether I like it or not in the coming months:

Women in Love by D H Lawrence
Passage to India by E M Forster
Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce

Abi wrote: "Slowrabbit wrote: "Independent People

(but just saw ben's review... so this is probably out)"

Yes! Definitely read this! If anyone does I for one would be delighted to discuss it. Or any othe..."

Let me know when you pick up the joyce. it's been on my shelf untouched for too long.

and i'm up for more laxness... if i can find any around this stupid place i live.

My current read is Code of the Wooster's. Anyone want to join me for that?

Micha wrote: " My current read is Code of the Wooster's. Anyone want to join me for that?"

damn... i'm in the middle of reading about bengali boogie men, well actually bengali boogie women. and i really need to get back to my buru quartet. can you tell me how it's going? like does it grab you quickly at the beginning because if it does i might let it grab me. it's sitting near my bed right now.

That was me. My mom made me read it when I was 9 because she was taking a class in Chinese economics... I can remember her telling me that economics ran the world and then trying to explain macro vs. micro economics to me... it's family lore at this point.

I have heard the criticism of Buck (simplistic, outsider views of Chinese culture), but I dunno, but I still think she's worth considering. When I re-read it in college it seemed like a fable to me, almost a King Lear kind of thing at the end, rather than an explanation of a culture far too complex to "sum up" in one novel.

My only issue with it now is that it was in Oprah's book club. That always upsets me even though it shouldn't.

Lauren wrote: "Why don't we do one by a female author (I seem to remember some jibjabbing about that back at the myspace pad)?

I know we mentioned Pearl S. Buck and the Good Earth before..."

You know, I feel awful that I don't have any to suggest even after taking a Women Writers class just last semester. Of course, we read a lot of short fiction, some novellas...didn't get into anything too big...

yeah...that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

Lauren wrote: "Why don't we do one by a female author (I seem to remember some jibjabbing about that back at the myspace pad)?

I know we mentioned Pearl S. Buck and the Good Earth before..."

Actually reading this right now! It's been on my to-read list for 40 years and one of the kids was reading it and left it out. So much for to-read lists.

mm

Lauren wrote: "Why don't we do one by a female author (I seem to remember some jibjabbing about that back at the myspace pad)?

I know we mentioned Pearl S. Buck and the Good Earth before..."

What about something by Shirley Jackson??? I thought The Lottery was pretty cool.

What about something by Shirley Jackson??? I thought The Lottery was pretty cool."

Already in the group reading list in the short story thread... join us! Starts Monday. :-)

Anytime anybody wants to read "The Big Sleep" or "Farewell, My Lovely" by Chandler, let me know...and I'm always up for some Garcia Marquez, although it seems like "100 Years" has dropped off the list...

Chris wrote: "Anytime anybody wants to read "The Big Sleep" or "Farewell, My Lovely" by Chandler, let me know...and I'm always up for some Garcia Marquez, although it seems like "100 Years" has dropped off the l..."

hey swanny: i could do some revisiting of chandler -- do you have a timeline at all? or can we approach it leisurely in the next month or so... ?

Hey, bacon girl...I'm going to start teaching Chandler next week, but leisurely is good. I've decided to teach the course again next year. Which is an easy decision since the department chair signs off on who teaches what and, well, I'm the department chair. Maybe I could bring some fresh insights from my students--they often surprise me by what they see. Or don't see.

That's a crying shame, Lauren. But I thought you had some cranky old guy with white hair that stood up on his head. Or was that your junior year?

And what's wrong with Star Trek, I'd like to know? :)

To clarify, it's not my AP kids who are reading Chandler...it's my college-prep (regular) students. Though maybe I should consider teaching Chandler to my AP class. Hmm...

can we chose now? i'm going to finish Life: A user's manual soon, and I want to know what we are going to read. I made a poll, it's at the bottom of the group page. I think I captured everything that was listed here, but let me know if I missed something.

oh and if you need more info about the titles, their little pictures are at the bottom of the poll, and if you click on them you'll go to the book's page.

A couple of people have asked if it is too late to add titles to the poll list. I think so. But they should put any new suggestions in this thread for the next one. In the name of Democracy the list is closed. So as you add books to your to-read shelve pop them in here for the next poll. Oh and I am not in charge here so feel free to moderate me.

I agree with Margaret that the polls be considered closed for this round. I mean 29 titles is certainly a large enough pool to pick form.

But don't be afraid to make suggestions for the next read.

ok, i've eliminated the noncontenders, and reset the poll for the next group read. even if you voted before, you'll have to vote again. i set the end date for April 5.

Patty wrote: "ok, i've eliminated the noncontenders, and reset the poll for the next group read. even if you voted before, you'll have to vote again. i set the end date for April 5. "

hey patty: will you invite us to the poll? i'm curious to see what happens. when i did it for the previous poll nobody could tell me whether they received an invitation or not. :)

Maureen wrote: "hey patty: will you invite us to the poll? i'm curious to see what happens."



done! let us know what happens!

Patty wrote: "Maureen wrote: "hey patty: will you invite us to the poll? i'm curious to see what happens."



done! let us know what happens! "

i got an email! well it turns out you don't get an email in your goodreads inbox, you get one sent to your regular email address. mine is headed "Patty invited you to answer a poll". So I'm guessing those of us who didn't see the poll invites last time were receiving them in their junk mail folders. but happily, this functionality works, which i'm glad to know about. it may be that margaret's suggestion to use the broadcast message to group option might be better if we find that people don't actually look at their goodreads notifications but do check their goodreads inboxes.. :)

thanks for trying it out patty. :)

Tommorrow is the last day of the poll. We currently have a tie. If you haven't voted, or want to change your vote, go do it!

OK, we have a tie. Wittgenstein's Mistress and The Big Sleep. Shall we read them simultaneously? Or Should we do the Big Sleep first and W's M after?

There should be a recount over an extended period of time. Eventually the matter will have to be sent to the Supreme Court.

Let's give democracy a chance.

I vote for whichever one is available online in large enough print for me to see.

Screw Republican Democracy (In)action.

Simultaneous is fine. I'd rather avoid another vote on the order.

I put both books up as our current reads. I didn't put end dates, because I have no idea how long we want to read them.

Also, I think Swanny was going to lead the Big Sleep read, is that true? And did/will anyone volunteer to lead Wittgenstein's Mistress?

I'm happy to lead a discussion on The Big Sleep...should we set a date for everyone who wants in to have finished the book?

Patty wrote: "I put both books up as our current reads. I didn't put end dates, because I have no idea how long we want to read them.

Also, I think Swanny was going to lead the Big Sleep read, is that true? And did/will anyone volunteer to lead Wittgenstein's Mistress? "

I've still got to purchase WM, let alone begin reading it. I have just set up a week the first week in June to go out to Taos (sans famille) for a retreat; should get some nice reading in there between hiking in the mountains. Sometime thereafter I should be able to moderate a WM thread if still desired. I mean if the book is worth it. Confession: I voted for it on title alone. ;p

Oro wrote: "Patty wrote: "I put both books up as our current reads. I didn't put end dates, because I have no idea how long we want to read them.

Also, I think Swanny was going to lead the Big Sleep read, ..."

How about May for Big Sleep and June for WM? Thank you, Swanny and Michael, for volunteering (or bowing to coercion). Looking forward to it.

June will be here before we know it (at least, I hope it will, because that means... tomatoes!). I'm ok with waiting.

If people want to get started right away I could give it a shot but I am not a philosophy lover. I mean, I like philosophy, I like to think about it and talk about it, I could go on about hermeneutics all day...I even read it when it's well-written...but since almost none of it is...

Ok with me! I'll take W's M down, and leave the Big S up. The Big S is extremely short. Do people need more than a week before Swanny starts the discussion?