Society For Displaced Glitchen of a Literary Persuasion discussion

With January's Brave New World behind us (I think most of us found it intriguing but not a bundle of laughs) and hopefully many of us now flipping through February's Howl's Moving Castle, it's time to also think about what you fancy reading in March.

In short, it's time for your suggestions again. What's beckoning you from the bookcase that you think we might enjoy?

[For those new to the Book of the Month, we take suggestions for a week, then have a vote, then have a calendar month to read the highest scoring book, then get to chat about it here afterwards]

Let me open with a suggestion: Juliet, Naked - because Nick Hornby is a fabulous writer & I've somehow never got around to reading this one:

Annie loves Duncan-or thinks she does. Duncan loves Annie, but then, all of a sudden, he doesn't. Duncan really loves Tucker Crowe, a reclusive Dylanish singer-songwriter who stopped making music ten years ago. Annie stops loving Duncan, and starts getting her own life.

In doing so, she initiates an e-mail correspondence with Tucker, and a connection is forged between two lonely people who are looking for more out of what they've got. Tucker's been languishing (and he's unnervingly aware of it), living in rural Pennsylvania with what he sees as his one hope for redemption amid a life of emotional and artistic ruin-his young son, Jackson. But then there's also the new material he's about to release to the world: an acoustic, stripped-down version of his greatest album, Juliet-entitled, Juliet, Naked.

What happens when a washed-up musician looks for another chance? And miles away, a restless, childless woman looks for a change? Juliet, Naked is a powerfully engrossing, humblingly humorous novel about music, love, loneliness, and the struggle to live up to one's promise.

"Juliet, Naked" sounded so good that I picked it up when I got "Howl's Moving Castle" this morning. Now I need to find the place the carries quiet reading time since I seem to be short on that as well.

Apple Cheeks, Shiny Medal Fancier

I've just started reading Year Zero after seeing it as a possible Feb. selection and I am really enjoying it, so far it's witty and current and making me laugh. I'd like to throw it back into the mix for March.

Kinda quiet this month aren't we? Guess we're all busy with Howl's Moving Castle (I know I am! I'm enjoying it a lot)

Last call for suggestions & then I'll put up a poll in a day or two.

Excellent - thanks Nina... I've added The Cabinet of Wonders

And we have a poll for March: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/T36JQFN

It's voting time folks.

I'd be interested in reading one of Norton Juster's other books (he did Phantom Tollbooth). Maybe Alberic the Wise? (Of course, too late for April, but for May?)

Apologies for not leaving the voting open for longer, but I left it kinda late & seems quiet this month.

Votes are in!

Year Zero: 3 points
Juliet, Naked: 6 points
Cabinet of Wonders: 5 points

Close at the top, but Juliet, Naked is our reading for March. I've snuck a peak at the first chapter & it's looking great.

I read it this month based on the nomination. I really liked it and can't wait to read all the opinions.

Too fast, too fast! You're not supposed to start until tomorrow LOL

Glad you liked it. If that was your 1st Nick Hornby & you enjoyed his writing style, I'd thoroughly recommend High Fidelity. I think it's the only book I've read where I've shouted out-loud at a character as I'm reading the book. The movie wasn't bad either... although a) they moved it to Chicago (as a Brit, I get grumpy about Hollywood doing things like that) and b) Jack Black plays a supporting role... and funny though he is, Mr Black always wants to make everything about him.

Wait, I think I've read this one. I've certainly enjoyed all the other Hornby I've read. Since I only vaguely remember it, I'll read it again.

I pass on most of my books after I've read them, so more than once I've bought something I've already read. Good Reads may help me cut down on that.

Hornby is awesome... I think I have to make it a resolution this year to read ALL of his stuff that I haven't already read. I even enjoyed Fever Pitch - which is basically just an autobiography revolving around football games he's been to LOL

I just finished High Fidelity too. Very, very good. Thanks for the recommendation. I have seen the movie but I think I'll have to watch it again soon.

Glad you liked it Deb. Did you spot the thing that made me shout at the book? If you're not certain, msg me - I'm not sure if spoiler tags work in the emails and I'd hate to spoil it for anybody (even though it's a different book!)

Hornby is great at writing about how much influence music can have in life, feelings, and decisions. I am finding Juliet, Naked really evocative.

I haven't even read How's Moving Castle yet, audio books while I'm on the go have been the only thing I've had time for... so I'm not going to make a suggestion for March, but will vote & hopefully be able to catch up!

Y'know Nina... that's an awesome summation.

Is anyone still reading or are we OK to start with spoilery talk yet?

I think the opening sentence of Juliet, Naked is up there as one of the best I've come across. However I'm with Nina in having 'merely enjoyed the book overall'. I felt it was basically a romance, albeit a well-written romance. All the musical detail didn't really resonate with me and I found it hard to suspend my disbelief at times. Still, it makes a changes to read something I wouldn't normally have chosen myself.

Finished.
I felt I was on very familiar ground with this one-- Peter Pan men with obsessive music habits/tastes in relationships with women they are too blinkered to appreciate.
SPOILER ALERT>>>>
In order to put any resolution to the ending, I read Annie as Uptown Girl and that she went to the US to be with Tucker.

I read Juliet, Naked, followed by High Fidelity and A Long Way Down last month. I think A Long Way Down was my favorite, maybe because it wasn't a music/relationship book. Maybe it was just a better story.

In considering Nina's comment about happiness and Hornby across all three books, I suspect Hornby's position is that happiness and unhappiness aren't that far apart. A small change can make a big difference in one's life. I don't think he has romantic fantasies of happiness like many authors. For that reason, I didn't think Annie and Tucker got together in the end. I had to re-read several sections because I thought I had missed something but I didn't think they were that connected romantically. I thought Duncan was a childish jerk especially at the end with his review of Tucker's new work.