I Read Therefore I Am discussion

Time to choose our next quarterly read.
The contenders are:
Lanark- Alasdair Gray
The Idiot-Fyordor Dostoyevsky
Stranger in a Strange Land- Robert Heinlein
The poll is up and running and waiting for your votes.

We have a draw between The Idiot and Stranger in a Strange Land.
I have tossed a coin and the result is:
Quarterly Read Nov 1st-Jan 31st Stranger in a Strange Land
Quarterly Read Feb 1st - April 30th The Idiot

I didn't vote for Stranger in a Strange Land because I have read it before but it is a great book. Looking forward or re-reading it.

That's a good idea, then we'll get to read both of them.

Okay. Just found this discussion thread and now understand that Stranger in a Strange Land is the quarterly read. I'm assuming its a rather large one!

Hi Tracey, you make a good point, I'll put an Introduction to the Group up in the Introductions folder to clarify the main group read threads and a few other little bits and pieces.

Hi Ellie, I think that would be really helpful if it's possible to do. I'm assuming that the key discussion threads are those that say monthly and quarterly Boxall reads?

It's not helped by the fact that I use the ipad goodreads app that displays the discussion threads a bit differently to the PC version.

I access the site through google on the iPad. I think it's much easier to understand than on the App.

Yes the main threads are the quarterly read, the monthly read and the monthly author. The quarterly and monthly reads are specific books taken from the Boxall list. The monthly author (an additional thread) is an author taken from a different list, I think the Bloomsbury list and you read what ever book you want written by them. So in October we've been reading

Mason and Dixon - quarterly Boxall
Effi Briest - monthly Boxall and
Any novel by John le Carre - monthly Bloomsbury author

Any others are peripheral to the main focus of the group.

I've put up a post under Introductions with a brief outline the group read threads, will add more when I have more time, on the other bits and pieces

Just read your post Ellie, great!

Thanks Ellie. It's a really helpful summary. I've taken the time to look at the goodreads app again and it's not clearly laid out in any kind of order so you can't tell what are the key discussions to read, nor the most recent posts. I think I'll stick to the internet page which is much clearer.

Thanks Ellie - good idea :0)

Sorry I'm a bit late - but just to remind you all that The Idiot - Fyodor Dostoyevsky is our next Quarterly read - starting at the beginning of Feb.

I'm looking forward to this one - it's available free on kindle and also should be able to get it from places like Project Gutenberg as well if you don't want to buy/library doesn't have a copy ;)

This has been on my bookshelves for years without ever being opened - now I'll have to read it.

Ok so the results for the poll for our next quarterly read are in and it's to be Ben-Hur starting in May.

I also quite fancy The Man Without Qualities , if anyone is up for a read along - it's an immense book though so it will have to be over a number of months.

I voted for that one so am up for a readalong - when do you fancy? (bearing in mind I don't have a copy yet).

I can start whenever you like - I've just checked and it's 1800 pages long!- what do you think? 6 months (300 pages a month) - or would you prefer a higher (or lower) monthly page count?

yeah that sounds ok - will see if it's available at the library and get back to you.

Lee - I've got this on order so will let you know when it gets in.

Good Stuff!

I've just set up the poll for our Aug- Oct 2013 Quarterly Read.
The choice is between:
The Tale of Genji
Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family
And Testament of Youth
Here is a links to the Boxall's website
http://www.1001beforeyoudie.com/1001_...

Our next Quarterly read (starting August 1st) will be Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family

Oooh looking forward to that one.

Me too, loved the Magic Mountain.

Lee wrote: "Me too, loved the Magic Mountain."

What did you like about it, Lee?

Ooh that's a difficult question.
I liked it because it's full of ideas and really makes you think and also because it's funny - at least in the latest translation.
I felt like my brain had been stretched after reading it - but in a very enjoyable way :0)

Lee wrote: "Ooh that's a difficult question.
I liked it because it's full of ideas and really makes you think and also because it's funny - at least in the latest translation.
I felt like my brain had been str…"

Thanks. I read it last year and I felt like I'd only been able to absorb about 1/5 of it. I've heard that you have to read it three times to really get it, but it's so long! It will probably be awhile before I read it again.

It's definitely a book I'd read again - not for a little while though :0)

Looking forward to reading it..Loved Magic Mountain.