European Royalty discussion

***UNITED STATES (BEFORE 1900)***

***FICTION OR NON-FICTION***

Okay everyone, it's that time of the month - time to nominate! Anyone who would like to nominate ONE book may do so in this thread.

The theme this month, in honor of July 4th, is UNITED STATES (BEFORE 1900) (fiction or non-fiction). There's a lot of flexibility here! You can go as far back as the first settlers or explorers or as late as the Civil War and Reconstruction. The book doesn't have to be about politics or war (but it can be).

Please try to check amazon or some other site to make sure the book is easily available - the last thing we want is to nominate some great book that no one can get! If you nominate more than ONE book, only the first book listed will make it into the voting thread (so save additional books for the next months!). Also, if the book doesn't fit the theme, I won't add it to this month's voting list, but I will carry it over to the next theme that it does fit under if you would like.

Feel free to nominate one book of your choice in this thread until June 15th, 9pm Eastern.

At around that time, I'll make a voting poll and list all the nominated books in it, and people can vote in the poll until the poll closes (set to last through June 19th). Discussion can start on July 1st.

Happy Nominating!

Celia Garth by Gwen Bristow.

I would like to nominate Pioneer Women: Voices from the Kansas Frontier by Joanna L Stratton. However I am unsure if it concerns the time period before the Civil War. I think it covers both before and after. Furthermore there are currently only 4 books left at Amazon, although they say more are ordered. So I leave this up to you Sara. I just think it is a very interesting book. If the voting is July 1 - Aug 1, when will we read it? Please explain Sara. I am sorry if I am not doing this properly.

Chrissie wrote: "I would like to nominate Pioneer Women: Voices from the Kansas Frontier by Joanna L Stratton. However I am unsure if it concerns the time period before the Civil War. I think it covers both before ..."

You are fine! That book sounds great, and there are plenty of used copies available on Amazon even if Amazon itself as a seller runs out. As long as part of the book touches on the period before the Civil War, the book is fine, and at least part of yours falls in the 1850s, so it's perfect.

The nominating will last through June 15th. Then we will vote through June 19th and the winner will be decided on that date (or the next day - whenever the poll closes itself). After the book is picked, this is when people start getting the book and start reading it. The discussion of this book will begin July 1st and last through August 1st or later (most people start reading around the start discussion date, so don't feel like you need to finish the book by July 1st!). This will be the last nominating period that is this short since we are transitioning into nominating a month ahead of time (that's why there are two history nominating threads going right now - this won't happen again).

You are doing great! Please let me know if I can clarify anything. It's weird because a lot of nominating is going on right now, but this is the only time that will happen.

Some discussions start slowly too, so if it takes you a while to get a book, don't worry. You can always add to the discussion later! And since we are adjusting the nominating/voting time period, this shouldn't be an issue in the future. People will be able to read the book whenever they want once it is selected, but the discussion of the book won't start until the decided date.

OK, sorry guys but I'm not American so please forgive my ignorance. I do have a copy of Uncle Tom's Cabin but I'm not sure if that would fall before or after (didn't the "little lady" start the big war? something like that).

If it fits, I'll nominate it, if not sorry.

Uncle Tom's Cabin was first published in 1851, so I think it would qualify by definition, Boof.

Thank you Sara. I liked Misfit's book too, but I already have the one I nominated so I have no trouble getting it! BUT I just realized I might not have a computer during much of July. Will discussions continue in August? IF this were according to the new system, which it isn't, would we then be talking about the book primarily Aug 1 - September 1? I want to make sure I understand this. So in the future we nominate through the 15th of a month X, vote through the 19th of the same month X and then discuss the book starting at the beginning of month X + 2. Sorry for my pedantic way if seeing this......

Susannah, thanks for that. I will nominate Uncle Tom's Cabin then.

Chrissie, no computer? I'll miss you! I want to hear about Oskar when you get back. I think this is for a July read, but like Sara said the discussions often run way over from what I can tell so I wouldn't worry about being left out at all.

Boof, that is good - that the discussions continue longer.

John Adams by David McCullough.

Chrissie wrote: "Thank you Sara. I liked Misfit's book too, but I already have the one I nominated so I have no trouble getting it! BUT I just realized I might not have a computer during much of July. Will discussi..."

Chrissie, you can certainly continue the discussion into August. I myself have carried discussions passed the designated dates, and I tell people to feel free to look at older discussions and add comments as they wish. The Hollow Crown discussion is really just getting going, so it's going to go past June 15th I'm sure. The dates are more of a guideline than a hard and fast rule.

And yes, you are correct, if this was the new system, it would be Aug 1 - Sept 1. That's actually why there is an Aug 1 - Sept 1 nominating thread going on right now (the Latin America one). This is the last old one, and that's the first new one. Ha ha, don't worry if you are confused! This whole nominating and voting thing keeps changing on me (speaking of which, I should update the "How it Works" threads!).

And to make things easier on people, we can go up through 1900. As long as your book touches on some year before 1900, you're great! I'll adjust the topic above.

Benjamin Franklin An American Life, by Walter Isaacson.

Lincoln A Novel, by Gore Vidal.

Gone With The Wind works, right?
I nominated it once before (for a romance read) months ago...it was my favorite book once upon a time and I'd love to read it again!

Mandy wrote: "Gone With The Wind works, right?
I nominated it once before (for a romance read) months ago...it was my favorite book once upon a time and I'd love to read it again!
"

Definitely works!

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

Oh Sara, the Killer Angel's I like too. Basicly I like books that have been on my available-to-read shelf b/c that means I have them and will perhaps be able to take part! This book is about the Civil War and siced you widened the time period it fits too!

Nominating is closed! Time to vote!