Mumbai Bookworms discussion

Hi everyone,

So I am pretty new to this group and have noticed that there haven't been any group reads or challenges set in the past. What are your thoughts on starting such an activity for, say, May 2016? I've been doing this in a couple of other groups that I am a part of and it really helps tick books off of your list. Would you all like for us also to do something like this?

Thanks,
Sharadha
A new member

Hi Sharadha and Hello! to everyone

I just joined this group a few minutes back!

I am a slow reader, so i find Sharadha's point of a group activity / challenge towards reading a particular book really interesting if it helps one tick books off one's list.

I am in for it Sharadha! i believe lets wait for 3 more people to respond and we could take up a challenge for May 2016.

regards,
Brian
A very new member :)

Sounds great!!! Count me in!!! I am a slow reader myself, I blame them on technology. Well, I am going to start reading books again keeping aside my laptops, mobile phone and other techs.

Oh someone finally responded - I find it pretty weird that the mod has been off since February?? Is there a way to pass on the privileges to someone more active on GR? Otherwise we might have to shut the group down lol

Can regular members create polls, etc.?

i am in too lil slow too

Yeah, that will be great. But does everyone reads the same book or they can choose what they like.

I am in for it guys! Lately I have been reading lesser and lesser. Mostly due to technology like Abhishek said. But this seems like a good step to read more.

@Ashutosh I was also wondering the same thing.

Point 1 : We need people to regularly post their reading and discuss.
Point 2 : Fast readers must be careful to not post any spoilers.
Point 3: The most important, we must all have a book of interest. A Common book of interest.

Lets try: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.

Guys, thanks for the response (I hope that the mod is listening) this normally works by setting a poll on the group - we set a time period (typically a month, but we could do quarter if you guys need more, I am a medium speed reader) for the challenge, people vote from a choice of 4-5 books (nominated by them) and the book that gets maximum votes goes on to be read by whoever wants to participate in the challenge.

We can also do buddy reads but they aren't a part of the monthly/quarterly challenges.

So @Ashutosh, we all read a common book but you are free to nominate your choice.

However, I would like to say that this isn't possible without the mod's cooperation as (s)he has the power to setup polls, add books, monitor the votes, and finally, upload the book which wins the book of the month/quarter. Not sure if this is a worthwhile exercise if the mod remains inactive or hasn't transferred his/her rights to someone more agile or assigned co-mod roles to others. What's the best way to co-moderate the group, etc.? Does anyone know the current moderator personally to give him/her a shout out?

Thanks.

Shilps is the only Moderator and she was last online on Febuary 2016. I highly doubt if anyone here would know her personally.

I tried tracing her on internet through image search using her profile pic but it didn't work. Moreover I didn't want to be a stalker.

I guess the only next option would be to join another group.

Abhishek wrote: "Shilps is the only Moderator and she was last online on Febuary 2016. I highly doubt if anyone here would know her personally.

I tried tracing her on internet through image search using her profi..."

Haha, thanks Abhishek for trying your level best. Guess you are right about hunting for another group :( If anyone is able to get in touch with the mod then please update the thread and then we can decide how to proceed.

We could still do buddy reads if anyone's up for it - that doesn't need polls and the accompanied labour :) I'm currently reading 1984 by George Orwell so if anyone's with me on this then I'll form a thread for discussion.

Cheers!

Sharadha wrote: "Abhishek wrote: "Shilps is the only Moderator and she was last online on Febuary 2016. I highly doubt if anyone here would know her personally.

I tried tracing her on internet through image searc..."

Buddy read sounds fun but I would not be able to match up to your speed. I am currently reading Leaving Time and The Zahir from almost 3 months. Somehow getting into this thread gives me some interest to start reading faster.

Abhishek wrote: "Sharadha wrote: "Abhishek wrote: "Shilps is the only Moderator and she was last online on Febuary 2016. I highly doubt if anyone here would know her personally.

I tried tracing her on internet th..."

Yep, sure thing, Abhishek, it's definitely a good way to motivate yourself harder to complete books off of your list.

In some other groups I read some unfavourable reviews for The Zahir so I'd probably procrastinate that for a tad longer - I got a copy of Brida by the same author but have given up on it because the ideology goes over my head. But I could give Leaving Time a read after 1984. Who is it written by?

Leaving times is the latest novel by Jodi Picoult. Its about a daughter looking for her lost mother after 10 years and much is written about elephants as well. Its quite interesting, now I wonder why I left it half way.

The Zahir is a drag, I don't find it interesting but I just want to complete it because I started it. Brida is a good philosophical book about the spiritual journey of Brida and finding soul mate, I liked it. Paulo Coelho ideology are a little weird and supernatural but I like the quotes and to be truthful I have tried few of his weird rituals (The dance) while reading The Witch of Portobello . You could try Veronika decided to die and The Alchemist , this two books are amazing. Paulo Coelho books are very compelling in a way it pull you deep into his thoughts.

Yes sure, you could try "Leaving time" next. Its a nice story and I would have your company as well, which I assume will be nice. Let me know when you start, hope that happens fast.

Well I am reading The Time Keeper now. I don't have a favourite genre but next I am starting A Farewell to Arms today. So there goes my vote.

Ashutosh wrote: "Well I am reading The Time Keeper now. I don't have a favourite genre but next I am starting A Farewell to Arms today. So there goes my vote."

Ashutosh, we won't be doing the group reads just yet because that requires moderator's interference to a large extent and she is currently unavailable.

However, Abhishek and I have volunteered for buddy reads - our first book is Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult. You could join in if you want to - for buddy reads, we will maintain a separate thread for each book and conduct discussions which hopefully makes the read quicker and interesting.

Abhishek, I will let you know when I start it as I am yet to purchase a copy (hopefully this weekend). I'll also create another thread for the discussions!

Sharadha wrote: "Ashutosh wrote: "Well I am reading The Time Keeper now. I don't have a favourite genre but next I am starting A Farewell to Arms today. So there goes my vote."

Ashutosh, we won't be doing the grou..."

Awesome, this sounds fun. Meanwhile I have also mailed goodread to change the moderator. Hopefully the moderator would be changed but this might take a while. Here is a copy of the response that I got from goodread.

"
On 21-Apr-2016 1:35 pm, "Goodreads" wrote:
Hi Abhishek,

Thank you for contacting us about this. We'd be happy to reach out to the moderator to confirm whether or not they intend to continue participating in the group, and we'll follow up with you when we hear back. Please note that it may take some additional time to resolve this, so we appreciate your patience. If you have any further questions or concerns in the meantime, please don't hesitate to let us know.

Sincerely,
The Goodreads Team
"

Abhishek wrote: Awesome, this sounds fun. Meanwhile I have also mailed goodread to change the moderator. Hopefully the moderator would be changed but this might take a while. Here is a copy of the response that I got from goodread.

"
On 21-Apr-2016 1:35 pm, "Goodreads" wrote:
Hi Abhishek,

Thank you for contacting us about this. We'd be happy to reach out to the moderator to confirm whether or not they intend to continue participating in the group, and we'll follow up with you when we hear back. Please note that it may take some additional time to resolve this, so we appreciate your patience. If you have any further questions or concerns in the meantime, please don't hesitate to let us know.

Sincerely,
The Goodreads Team
" "

Great, thanks Abhishek! :) In the meantime, I have started a thread for buddy reading in May. This is probably the best we can do for now.

Yup, I cant agree with you more. I got to complete reading 12 books this years and I have not completed one yet. Thats a bad start

Haha, same - pledged 25 this year and only completed 7 :( Need to buck up!

Hopefully we'll get through buddy reads - one step at a time.

P.S. And I just saw that you are on IR too, is that right? ;)

Yup, thats me. IR has got fast readers, very fast readers. Thats one reason I dont join their book read challenges. But I did notice that your book was nominated for May

I am planning to join that too "Gone with the wind". I have seen the movie but haven't read the book.

Abhishek wrote: "I am planning to join that too "Gone with the wind". I have seen the movie but haven't read the book."

Wooohoooo :D Please join in - although it's about 1000 odd pages paperpback ;) How was the movie? I was planning to follow the read up with the movie - first hand reviews would be great.

Woooooo 1000 pages are a bit too much. I have never read a book more than 400 pages. The movie was good, watch it about a year ago with my sister and her husband. It is one of my Jiju's favourite book.

Abhishek wrote: "Woooooo 1000 pages are a bit too much. I have never read a book more than 400 pages. The movie was good, watch it about a year ago with my sister and her husband. It is one of my Jiju's favourite b..."

Haha I thought as much of a reaction from you ;) Leaving Time sits about right on your boundary lol

Right, I will watch the movie then - Not sure how I could juggle between GWTW and Leaving Time buddy read, but I will try to get through them together since I've already put up a thread - how far are you into the book?

I was around 250 pages I guess but I haven't read it for a while now, so I was planning to brush through the beginning.

I am a slow reader, so you could easily caught up with me.

You are overestimating my reading speed - I'm juggling between too many books now and that's actually decreasing my speed hahaha but I hope I can make it up to 250 by mid May.

That's fast, I guess we would be finishing up the book at the same time. Let me know once you have got the copy of it.

Abhishek wrote: "That's fast, I guess we would be finishing up the book at the same time. Let me know once you have got the copy of it."

Will do, Abhishek!