NYRB Classics discussion

I think May's book club has been a wonderful success! To keep the momentum, let's select a book for June.

If you recall, we tried something different last month and nominated books in this thread. Then Gary selected from the list (so no vote).

I'd like to keep that approach for this month, but let me know if you feel differently.

Lastly, who should select? I propose Jonathan because he has always been heavily involved in the reading and keeps things moving. Also, I think we always end up reading a book he didn't vote for :-) .

Jonathan, let me know if you're okay with this responsibility. Everyone else, nominate a title and argue for it in order to convince Jonathan (should he accept) to choose it!

Edited to add: I like the idea of seconding nominations as well. So all can list a few they'd be interested in, and it's up to others to second them on to Jonathan's list. That way at least three people will have a hand in next month's read.

I'd be happy to try one that Jonathan has been wanting to read for awhile if he'd like to go that way.

I'll be happy to choose a book for next month but I won't nominate any myself as I'll feel reluctant to choose my own nomination. I'll save my nominations for other months for someone else to decide on. I'll probably chip in on others decisions though.

I'd still be interested in what you're thinking of, Jonathan :-), but I'm happy to wait until next month!

I like the idea of seconding nominations as well. So all can list a few they'd be interested in, and it's up to others to second them on to Jonathan's list. That way at least three people will have a hand in next month's read. (editing the top post to put this in)

I'd like to put forth Mavis Gallant's Varieties of Exile, a collection of stories. I've not read much of Gallant's work but have always meant to. Rumor is that NYRB Classics will be publishing another collection of her stories in 2016.

Along those lines, NYRB Classics is doing a sale: 35 books (collections of short stories) for 35% off, and Gallant's is one of them.

I nominate The Pumpkin Eater: Penelope Mortimer. It's the first NYRB I saw on the shelf.

Oh, nice pick, Guy, and one I will second. I bought it years ago because the cover is so creepy, but I have yet to read it.

For those interested in looking at the info (and cover!) of The Pumpkin Eaters, here is a link to our Goodreads thread.

Not to deflate that idea if others are interested, but it has already been done here in the book group.

AND for anyone who is addicted to film (me) there's a 1964 film version w/Anne Bancroft, Peter Finch and James Mason.

Well if it's already been done, then it's out, I'd say.

scratch the earlier nomination then: how about
We Think the World of You
J. R Ackerley (1988 film w/Alan Bates)

I have a couple that I'll throw in just because they have been sitting on my shelf and this may be the only way I get to them. Also, they are short. One isSeason of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih and on the back it says that it was selected in 2001 by a panel of Arab writers as the most important Arab novel of the 20th century.

The second is The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Cesares. It was declared by Borges to be a masterpiece of plotting, comparable to The Turn of the Screw.

Here is the The Pumpkin Eater thread, which was a pretty lively discussion for those of you who still want to read and discuss it.

Ah, thanks for the catch, Seana. I think the general idea is to avoid past selections.

I'm a big fan of The Invention of Morel, and I'd love to revisit it and discuss. I second its nomination!

Trevor wrote: "Ah, thanks for the catch, Seana. I think the general idea is to avoid past selections."

Yes. It's not like they're locked down or anything. People can still add to them.

There are some great nominations so far. I've just been checking out some of them as I haven't heard of many of them before. I have read The Invention of Morel and quite liked it, I'm not sure about the comparison to The Turn of the Screw though. :-)

Well, that's good, as although I am a Henry James fan, for some reason I have never really gotten into that book.

I don't see the connection between Morel and The Turn of the Screw either. Hmmm. Both are among my favorites, though.

Seana wrote: "Well, that's good, as although I am a Henry James fan, for some reason I have never really gotten into that book."

I'm practically the opposite in that I like 'Turn of the Screw' but I'm not too fond of Henry James (though that is mostly based on reading and not liking a book or two years ago - I keep meaning to try more of his work).

I admit it is odd that I feel more in tune with some of his longer works than I do with this one.

Since Jonathan has already read The Invention of Morel, how about one of Simenon's non-Maigret titles, like Dirty Snow, for example? I liked his American novel Red Lights very much.

I think since we're not getting a lot of activity here, Jonathan should feel free to pick from any titles suggested regardless of whether they were seconded. Whenever you'd like, Jonathan, or you can make further pleas :-) .

Thanks to everyone for the nominations, I hadn't heard of most of them so I had to look them up - most have been added to my TBR list. However one jumped out at me, and that was Season of Migration to the North. I'll have to track down a copy but hopefully it will be worth it.

Thank you, Jonathan! I will put up a thread soon and everyone should feel free to put up any prep comments they have.

Great. I'm very curious about the book and if it doesn't turn out to be great, at least it's short.

Okay, here is the thread to select for July!