Reading 1001 discussion

We are now voting 2 months ahead, so this is for October. The authors we are drawing from are Atwood through Barth.

New Rules:
You may cast votes according to participation points. Your participation points can be found here https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Everyone gets 1 free votes and you can use 4 more participation points if you have them. You can cast all your votes for one book or you could spread them out to 5 books if you have the participation points to do so. Participation points are earned by various means. You can get some quick points by answering Fast Point questions, reading and discussing BOTM and challenges and many other ways.

Please feel free to make comments about various books, try to persuade people to vote for your preferences or other comments pro or con.

Voting will be at this link,
HTTPS://www.surveymonkey.com/r/53HQKFS

1. not eligible

2. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood, 1985, 300 pages

3. Cat's Eye - Margaret Atwood, 1988, 450 pages

4. The Robber Bride - Margaret Atwood, 1993, 500 pages

5. Alias Grace - Margaret Atwood, 1996, 450 pages

6. The Blind Assassin - Margaret Atwood, 2000, 500 pages

7. Obabakoak - Bernardo Atxaga, 1989, 350 pages.

8. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen, 1811, 350 pages

9. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen, 1813, 300 pages

10. Mansfield Park - Jane Austen, 1814, 500 pages

11. Emma - Jane Austen, 1816, 450 pages

12.Persuasion - Jane Austen, 1817, 250 pages.

13 Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen, 1817, 250 pages.

14. The New York Trilogy - Paul Auster, 1987, 500 pages

15. Moon Palace - Paul Auster, 1989, 300 pages.

16. The Music of Chance - |7010931]or:Paul Auster|296961], 1990, 200 pages

17. Mr. Vertigo - Paul Auster, 1994, 300 pages.

18. Timbuktu - Paul Auster, 1999, 200 pages

19. The Book of Illusions - Paul Auster, 2002, 300 pages.

20. Invisible - Paul Auster, 2009, 300 pages.

21. The Underdogs - Mariano Azuela, 1916, 200 pages

22. So Long a Letter - Mariama Bâ, 1979, 100 pages.

23. Go Tell It on the Mountain - James Baldwin, 1953, 300 pages.

24. Giovanni's Room - James Baldwin, 1956, 250 pages.

25. The Drowned World - J.G. Ballard, 1962, 200 pages.

26. The Atrocity Exhibition - J.G. Ballard, 1970, 300 page.

27. not eligible

28. High-Rise - J.G. Ballard, 1975, 200 pages.

29. Empire of the Sun - J.G. Ballard, 1984, 300 pages.

30. Cocaine Nights - J.G. Ballard, 1996, 350 pages.

31. Super-Cannes - J.G. Ballard, 2000, 400 pages.

32. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks, 1984, 200 pages.

33. The Crow Road - Iain Banks, 1992, 500 pages

34. Complicity - Iain Banks, 1993, 300 pages.

35. Dead Air - Iain Banks, 2002, 450 pages.

36. The Player of Games - Iain M. Banks, 1988, 400 pages.

37. The Newton Letter - John Banville, 1982, 100 pages.

38. The Book of Evidence - John Banville, 1989, 200 pages.

39. The Untouchable - John Banville, 1997, 350 pages

40. Shroud - John Banville, 2002, 250 pages.

41. The Sea - John Banville, 2005, 200 pages.

42. The Elegance of the Hedgehog, 2007, 350 pages.

43. The Inferno - Henri Barbusse, 1908, 100 pages.

44. Under Fire - Henri Barbusse, 1916, 350 pages.

45. Silk - Alessandro Baricco, 1996, 150 pages.

46. Regeneration - Pat Barker, 1991, 500 pages.

47. The Ghost Road - Pat Barker, 1995, 300 pages.

48. Another World - Pat Barker, 1998, 300 pages

49. Nightwood - Djuna Barnes, 1936, 150 pages.

50. not eligible

51. The Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes, 2011, 150 pages.

52. The Floating Opera - John Barth, 1956, 300 pages.

53. The End of the Road - John Barth, 1958, 200 pages.

Two books were not included because they were over 600 pages. Cloudsplitter and Giles Goat-Boy.

One additional BOTM will be chosen by random selection from the 53 books listed here. You have about a week to cast votes. Jen will announce the winners.

There's lots of good choices this month!

There are three that really tempt me this month: The Player of Games, The Wasp Factory and The Sense of an Ending.

I would be up for The Wasp Factory. I've read The Player of Games and really liked it. I've also read The Sense of an Ending. Barnes tells a good story. I have a couple of Atwaters, Austers and Ballard's I would be glad to read.

Hmm, this is a hard month. I would love to read Blind Assassin (bc I have a signed copy) or a Paul Auster book. But I could be tempted to vote for others too.

I already read Sense of an ending so won't vote for that but it was very good.

Ooh, or Northanger abbey- the only Austen I haven't read yet.

I would like to read either Auster or Barth.

I read both of the Barths, they are quick reads. I've read all of the Austen books on the list.

Kristel wrote: "I read both of the Barths, they are quick reads. I've read all of the Austen books on the list."

I've read all the Austen books, too.

Crash and Flaubert's Parrot, Surfacing and Crash are not elligible as they were BOTM in 2015, so I will remove those.

I checked out the rest of the list. James Baldwin is another one I would like to read. By chance I picked up the film I Am Not Your Negro yesterday. Reading a book by him would be a nice complement. Giovanni's Room appeals most.

Regeneration is another one I would love to read. Though maybe a bit longish for a BOTM. And The Sea sits on the shelf.

When does voting close?

Sushicat wrote: "When does voting close?"

Next Friday will be last day of voting. I will post results saturday

Decisions, decisions. I love Atwood and have read two of her books. I will probably vote for one. I loved Sense of an Ending and look forward to watching the movie. I enjoyed Elegance of a Hedgehog when I read it.

I forgot how the random selection is chosen. Is it from those that are voted for or from all books eligible?

Diane wrote: "Decisions, decisions. I love Atwood and have read two of her books. I will probably vote for one. I loved Sense of an Ending and look forward to watching the movie. I enjoyed Elegance of a Hedgehog..."

From all books eligible. Randomizer picks from the entire section not just those receiving votes.

Which Atwood? I could be tempted to vote for one

Jen wrote: "Diane wrote: "Decisions, decisions. I love Atwood and have read two of her books. I will probably vote for one. I loved Sense of an Ending and look forward to watching the movie. I enjoyed Elegance..."

The Blind Assassin is fine with me. I read the Handmaid's Tale but none of the others listed. I don't know how many books to vote for? Do people usually vote for 5?

Ooh blind assassin! I've been meaning to read that.

Diane wrote: "Jen wrote: "Diane wrote: "Decisions, decisions. I love Atwood and have read two of her books. I will probably vote for one. I loved Sense of an Ending and look forward to watching the movie. I enjo..."

It depends on how much you want one book to win. I will say that the book that always wins, wins because people throw their weight behind that one book. But if you'd be happpy with several books then it's probably okay to vote for many. People in the group have voted for 1-3 books in past months

Blind Assasin would work for me.

I voted and threw all my points to Blind Assassin.

Looking at The Blind Assassin, it say 637 pages - that's too long for my taste for a BOTM. I'll go with The Wasp Factory.

Here are your points for those who have been recording them

Name Points Left
Amie 7
Anita 21
Becky 6
Beverly 15
Bookworm 78
Café Mom (Diane Zwang) 68
Chilli 8
Connie 2
Dianne 2
Hilde 15
Jan 1
JenP 20
John 77
Kristel 68
Kyle 3
Lynn 1
Manda 4
MaryAnn 2
Patrick 78
Paula 11
Pip 52
Rory 54
Sally 6
Shuva 11
Sushicat 40
The other Diane 196
Leni 4
Tracy 40
Kate Thomson (Kathleen) 2

Sushicat wrote: "Looking at The Blind Assassin, it say 637 pages - that's too long for my taste for a BOTM. I'll go with The Wasp Factory."

Blind Assassin reads quicker than the page count and I personally loved it

My book is just under 600 pages and font is large with lots of white space on page, so I don't think it will be a 637 page. It would not have been included in list if over 600 pages.

Kristel wrote: "My book is just under 600 pages and font is large with lots of white space on page, so I don't think it will be a 637 page. It would not have been included in list if over 600 pages."

My library copy says it is 521 pages.

Many good books this month :)
I am also hoping for The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood as I just started this one on my summer vacation. However, I managed to leave the book behind when traveling back home, so I am currently having a break from it. So I will need to borrow a new copy at the library, but I can wait until October if it gets chosen.

I also want to read The Elegance of the Hedgehog as it has been laying unread in my shelf for years.

But I think I will throw in all my points for The Blind Assassin in this round.

I've read The Blind Assassin. Unlike some of her other books, I didn't find it a quick read. It took me more than a month. I'd love to read The New York trilogy, or one of the Baldwin books, but judging from the comments so far I don't have my hopes up! Lol

Leni wrote: "I've read The Blind Assassin. Unlike some of her other books, I didn't find it a quick read. It took me more than a month. I'd love to read The New York trilogy, or one of the Baldwin books, but ju..."
I would be happy if New York Trilogy or Giovanni's Room Won.

Leni wrote: "I've read The Blind Assassin. Unlike some of her other books, I didn't find it a quick read. It took me more than a month. I'd love to read The New York trilogy, or one of the Baldwin books, but ju..."

It's not a given that Blind Assassin will win. At least three other books are close.

There will be no revoting this month. Two of the books already have the minimum number of votes and a third is close behind

What is the minimum number of votes?

Also, we have until Saturday this week to vote?

Leni wrote: "What is the minimum number of votes?

Also, we have until Saturday this week to vote?"

10 and yes, Saturday

Don't forget to vote before end of day Saturday! There will be no voting this month and top contenders are battling it out. People should feel free to advocate for any of the books they would like to read. Results will be posted on sunday

May I switch my votes to Giovanni's Room?

Sushicat wrote: "May I switch my votes to Giovanni's Room?"

Yes, I'll switch them for you

Thanks :-)

Going into this voting with both eyes open, I will give my vote to "The Blind Assassin" since I wish to kill off some of the books on my shelf.

I suddenly realised that we are going through the list in backwards alphabetical order. How did this come about? Were you all really keen to read some XYZ authors when you first formed this group?

Actually this year it's the first half of the alphabet. The sections have been randomly assigned to the months.

Sushicat wrote: "Actually this year it's the first half of the alphabet. The sections have been randomly assigned to the months."

Oh, I see. That makes more sense.

Leni wrote: "I suddenly realised that we are going through the list in backwards alphabetical order. How did this come about? Were you all really keen to read some XYZ authors when you first formed this group?"

Because there are so many books, it is hard to do the whole list in one year so we have been doing over two years. Someone pointed out that by the end of the year, the last books get less attention because the year was coming to an end. Perhaps with our new format randomizing the alphabet per month is no longer necessary. I will have to think about that. Any comments, anyone?

I think it is still valid. Towards the end of the year I have to decide which challenges to give up on. And there is a rhythm of available reading time per month that stays much the same over the years.

I like how the list is split up over two years and randomizing the sections each month is good too. As was pointed out, some people might not have time at the end of the year because of the holidays. But I feel people might also have more time in the summer months because of vacation; or they just relax more just because it is summer and therefore read more, like I did.