The Great American Read discussion

Which books on the list are your absolute favorites? Which are you voting for, or do you plan to vote for? (You can vote for as many as you want.)

How are you voting? PBS website? Facebook? Twitter?

http://www.pbs.org/the-great-american...

You can click on the facebook or twitter icons each time you vote.

Note: If you want to use twitter, there are some rules. They don't count votes from new accounts or those without a picture or followers. So set up an account now so that your votes will count later on when the voting really heats up.

Other tips?

I have been voting through the website. The Bell Jar didn't make the list, so I've been voting for A Prayer for Owen Meany, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Catcher in the Rye.

Erin wrote: "I have been voting through the website. The Bell Jar didn't make the list, so I've been voting for A Prayer for Owen Meany, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Catcher in the Rye."

Are you reading the bell jar with the everyone has read this but me group?

Is anyone on Twitter?

NancyJ wrote: "Erin wrote: "I have been voting through the website. The Bell Jar didn't make the list, so I've been voting for A Prayer for Owen Meany, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Catcher in the Rye."

Are you..."


Nope. It's just my all-time favorite.

Thanks for the twitter tips, Nancy. I have an account but never used it so I qualify for that newbie status. ;)

I started voting last Thursday and have voted for 8 books. I have a Kindle Fire and keep the pbs.org/great-american-books window open and go out there every day to vote
The list is in alphabetical order, so my 8 votes so far have been:
A Prayer for Owen Meany
A Separate Peace
Americanah
And Then There Were None
The Book Thief
The Call of the Wild
Charlotte's Web
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Celia wrote: "I started voting last Thursday and have voted for 8 books. I have a Kindle Fire and keep the pbs.org/great-american-books window open and go out there every day to vote
The list is in alphabetical..."

I've been voting for the last 3 on your list. I haven't seen the others yet. I also frequently vote for Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Mockingbird, Outlander, and Pride and Prejudice.

I set up a buddy read with one of my grown sons, and I think I might suggest The Curious Incident for the other. It's SO good.

I've only voted once - Charlotte's Web. I voted on the website.

I can't locate the nomination link or the website.

I found the link but not the nominations page.

Either a buddy read or a group read works for me.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

edit: I decided to also vote for these three after reading how the books got selected. They only took one book per author so I'm voting for my 4 star reads when I have an all time favorite from that author.

Rebecca because of My Cousin Rachel
The Grapes of Wrath because of East of Eden

Of the 29 or more I've read, I only voted for these so far

Don Quixote
Great Expectations
The Picture of Dorian Gray
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Alchemist

There were many more that I liked a lot but wouldn't consider them one of my all time favorites

I've been voting on the website. I've voted for To Kill a Mockingbird, The Stand, A Tree grows in Brooklyn, The Handmaid's Tale, Rebecca,

Skye wrote: I can't locate the nomination link or the website." Hi skye, is this what you were looking for? Here is the link to vote for the books on the list.

http://www.pbs.org/the-great-american...

What are your favorites on the list? And then there were none?

Bill wrote: "I've been voting on the website. I've voted for To Kill a Mockingbird, The Stand, A Tree grows in Brooklyn, The Handmaid's Tale, Rebecca,"

Same here on Mockingbird and Tree grows in Brooklyn.

Did you try twitter or facebook yet?

At first I felt a little self-conscious voting on twitter, because I only used that account for business in the past, but I got some nice responses from people. I found a former colleague who loves to read as much as I do, but we never discussed it before.

Bill wrote: "I've been voting on the website. I've voted for To Kill a Mockingbird, The Stand, A Tree grows in Brooklyn, The Handmaid's Tale, Rebecca,"

Oh, and did you read The Intuitionist? Some describe it as a mystery.

NancyJ wrote: "Bill wrote: "I've been voting on the website. I've voted for To Kill a Mockingbird, The Stand, A Tree grows in Brooklyn, The Handmaid's Tale, Rebecca,"

Oh, and did you read The Intuitionist? Some ..."

I'll have to check out The Intuitionist.

NancyJ wrote: "Bill wrote: "I've been voting on the website. I've voted for To Kill a Mockingbird, The Stand, A Tree grows in Brooklyn, The Handmaid's Tale, Rebecca,"

Same here on Mockingbird and Tree grows in B..."

I don't have twitter and, no, I've not tried it on Facebook. I've got the PBS page bookmarked and just click on it once or twice a week to cast a vote.

Sue wrote: "edit:
They only took one book per author so I'm voting for my 4 star reads when I have an all time favorite from that author.
.."

That's a great idea! It gives a compliment to the author and gets more attention to that author's books. Then if people check out that book, they might discover and read your favorite instead.

Sue wrote: "edit: I decided to also vote for these three after reading how the books got selected. They only took one book per author so I'm voting for my 4 star reads when I have an all time favorite from tha..."

FUTURE IDEA
If we're all still here after the show ends, we might occasionally pick a book that is not on the list, but is close to it. e.g. 'GAR Author's "better" books.' These might be better (in our opinion), or simply better known books. So we might read East of Eden, My Cousin Rachel, Slaughterhouse Five, Huck Finn (sorry Tom Sawyer - I don't mean it), or others we select.

What do you think?

Oh, I love that idea, NancyJ.

That might work! Offer both in the polls-the GAR and the "better" work-and see what happens!

Linda Abhors the New GR Design wrote: "That might work! Offer both in the polls-the GAR and the "better" work-and see what happens!"

Parker wrote: "Oh, I love that idea, NancyJ."

Good! I'd like to wait a while for that since people are trying to read to catch up for the show. Right now we're focusing on books we haven't read. At some point I think people will want to read or re-read the most popular ones. Maybe we should read the winner soon after the show ends. I don't know if there will be finalists or a way to know which book is winning.

NancyJ wrote: "Sue wrote: "edit: I decided to also vote for these three after reading how the books got selected. They only took one book per author so I'm voting for my 4 star reads when I have an all time favor..."

I LOVE your idea Nancy!

Wow - my list is very different. I voted (on the website) for Tom Sawyer, Outlander, Pride and Prejudice, Gone with the Wind, Dune, Atlas Shrugged, Pillars of the Earth, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Lord of the Rings.

I'm really surprised that Da Vinci Code is on the list.

Julie wrote: "Wow - my list is very different. I voted (on the website) for Tom Sawyer, Outlander, Pride and Prejudice, Gone with the Wind, Dune, Atlas Shrugged, Pillars of the Earth, Hitchhiker's Guide to the G..."

Me, too. It came up on one of the threads that, since it was done by popular vote, there's a bit of everything.

NancyJ wrote: "Erin wrote: "I have been voting through the website. The Bell Jar didn't make the list, so I've been voting for A Prayer for Owen Meany, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Catcher in the Rye."

Are you..."

I have an account on Twitter. @PaulaGeister

Tasha wrote: "Thanks for the twitter tips, Nancy. I have an account but never used it so I qualify for that newbie status. ;)"

If you give us your Twitter name, (@----) I will follow you.

NancyJ wrote: "Sue wrote: "edit: I decided to also vote for these three after reading how the books got selected. They only took one book per author so I'm voting for my 4 star reads when I have an all time favor..."

I like the idea of keeping this open. Usually, when I enjoy a book by an author, I enjoy others by that same author. Not always, but usually.

Tasha wrote: "Thanks for the twitter tips, Nancy. I have an account but never used it so I qualify for that newbie status. ;)"

I will follow you Tasha.

Come find me on Twitter @nancyjreader

Paula wrote: "


I'm following you Paula @PaulaGeister

Come find me on twitter @nancyjreader

AsocialOptimist wrote: "Thrilled that, The Coldest Winter Ever, is on the list!"

Love the name - is that Asocial Optimist or A social optimist?

That book is completely new to me. Tell us about it.

I vote most days and for too many books! Some days I vote for less and the ones I vote for every day include: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Ann of Green Gables, Charlotte's Web, Clan of the Cave Bear, Gone With the Wind, Grapes of Wrath, Harry Potter, and Outlander but there are others I vote for most days. I plan to narrow my list down at the end.

Julie wrote: "Wow - my list is very different. I voted (on the website) for Tom Sawyer, Outlander, Pride and Prejudice, Gone with the Wind, Dune, Atlas Shrugged, Pillars of the Earth, Hitchhiker's Guide to the G..."

I vote for most of those too, at least once in a while. Your top 3 are in my top group along with To Kill a Mockingbird. My son doesn't vote, so I sometimes vote for his favorites too - which include Hitchhiker's guide, Dune, Heart of Darkness, Siddhartha, and Great Gatsby.

There are a whole lot of extra books I vote for every 3rd or 4th time I vote.

Bonnie wrote: "I vote most days and for too many books! Some days I vote for less and the ones I vote for every day include: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Ann of Green Gables, Charlotte's Web, Clan of the Cave Bear, ..."

We like a lot of the same books. I vote for all of those at least once a week (maybe less often Clan of the Cave), except for Anne of Green Gables which I haven't read.


I think Charlotte's Web is going to do very well because so many people have such positive emotions linked to it.

NancyJ wrote: "Julie wrote: "Wow - my list is very different. I voted (on the website) for Tom Sawyer, Outlander, Pride and Prejudice, Gone with the Wind, Dune, Atlas Shrugged, Pillars of the Earth, Hitchhiker's ..."

sometimes I vote for Lonesome Dove, one of my dad's favorite books (who died in 2008) even though it's not really my own favorite.

Bonnie wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Julie wrote: "Wow - my list is very different. I voted (on the website) for Tom Sawyer, Outlander, Pride and Prejudice, Gone with the Wind, Dune, Atlas Shrugged, Pillars of the Earth..."

Since my first post I've read The Sun Also Rises, A A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Call of the Wild, The Pilgrim's Progress & Things Fall Apart. Of these five only The Sun Also Rises and A Prayer for Owen Meany make it to my five star favorites. The Call of the Wild was close.

Sue wrote: Since my first post I've read The Sun Also Rises, A A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Call of the Wild, The Pilgrim's Progress & Things Fall Apart. Of these five only The Sun Also Rises and A Prayer for Owen Meany make it to my five star favorites. The Call of the Wild was close. "

Sue, you're really cooking! I look forward to hearing more about Owen Meany on the current group read. You can also share some comments (or post a link to a review) on the other books on the "What are you reading?" thread. I know next to nothing about Pilgrim's Progress.

Bonnie wrote:
"sometimes I vote for Lonesome Dove, one of my dad's favorite books (who died in 2008) even though it's not really my own favorite.
"

Bonnie, that's a nice gesture. It's nice to have those memories. I don't remember my dad's favorite books, but I still tear up when I hear a Sinatra song.

NancyJ wrote: "Sue wrote: Since my first post I've read The Sun Also Rises, A A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Call of the Wild, The Pilgrim's Progress & Things Fall Apart. Of these five only The Sun Also Rises and A..."

Thanks Nancy, I'll look for those threads.

NancyJ wrote: "Bonnie wrote:
"sometimes I vote for Lonesome Dove, one of my dad's favorite books (who died in 2008) even though it's not really my own favorite.
"

Bonnie, that's a nice gesture. It's nice to ha..."

Every year at Xmas, whenever I hear Burl Ives singing those songs, especially "Holly Jolly Xmas", I picture my mom dipping one hip and tapping a foot. She loved those songs.

Sue wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Sue wrote: Since my first post I've read The Sun Also Rises, A A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Call of the Wild, The Pilgrim's Progress & Things Fall Apart. Of these five only The Sun A..."

We don't have individual threads for all of them (It was too hard to find them when we had all 100 in the folder). (They are listed in order of most recent post.) But you can discuss any or all in What are you Reading. If you have a lot to say on one or more, let me know and I'll create a new thread.

NancyJ wrote: "Tasha wrote: "Thanks for the twitter tips, Nancy. I have an account but never used it so I qualify for that newbie status. ;)"

I will follow you Tasha.

Come find me on Twitter @nancyjreader"

Thank you. I just saw this and am now a follower.

Bonnie wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Julie wrote: "Wow - my list is very different. I voted (on the website) for Tom Sawyer, Outlander, Pride and Prejudice, Gone with the Wind, Dune, Atlas Shrugged, Pillars of the Earth..."

Lonesome Dove was the first western I ever read. I was reading all the Pulitzer winners (for a novel) that had won up to the date I was challenging myself. I absolutely loved it. Some of those scenes just pop right off the page.

Please - can anyone tell me their favorite book of all time is Pilgrim's Progress? Really - I'm not being judgy - I've just never ever met a human being who said this. Even people who read it/are reading it always seem to be doing it just so they can use it for comparisons (and it does seem to be a foundational novel, religious text, etc). But I want to know who is voting for it and why it beats other books for you. I swear, I am not trying to be snarky. I'm just dying to meet someone (even online) who loves this book.

I just used the GAR as a reason to buy myself a copy of Lonesome Dove that I plan on settling into an uninterrupted read of - no phone, no nothing so I can really delve into it. I'd not read many westerns until recently, and they're so much better than I imagined.

Ella wrote: "Please - can anyone tell me their favorite book of all time is Pilgrim's Progress? Really - I'm not being judgy - I've just never ever met a human being who said this. Even people who read it/are r..."

I just read Pilgrim's Progress and for the life of me can't figure out how it ended up on the list. There's a lot on the list that I don't get and won't ever be trying. I only tried PP because it was a classic.

Sue wrote: "Ella wrote: "Please - can anyone tell me their favorite book of all time is Pilgrim's Progress? Really - I'm not being judgy - I've just never ever met a human being who said this. Even people who ..."

Ella, I was wondering the same thing, but there are others too I never heard of. I was assuming it had some historical value, but that's definitely not the same as a favorite!

Sue, thanks for letting us know. Was there anything you liked about it?

When I was thinking of goals and challenges, I knew I wouldn't even try to read all 100 of them.

BTW, if you ever see me write PP or P&P I mean Pride and Prejudice.

Ella, my brother is visiting next week and I'm going to try to get him to pick a book to read with me (and maybe some of our kids too). He loves westerns and so did our dad, so Lonesome Dove might work. I remember that people really loved the miniseries. (I was wondering why I didn't read it or watch it until I saw the date. In 1989 I had two toddlers, I was in grad school, working as a research assistant, teaching for the first time, and trying to write.)

NancyJ wrote: "Bonnie wrote:
"sometimes I vote for Lonesome Dove, one of my dad's favorite books (who died in 2008) even though it's not really my own favorite.
"

Bonnie, that's a nice gesture. It's nice to ha..."

Sinatra was my mom and granny's favorite!

I have been voting consistently for my favorite, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Some days I add votes for Dune, Atlas Shrugged, Harry Potter, Clan of the Cave Bear, The Outsiders (my favorite from my teen years), and A Separate Peace. If I really like Lonesome Dove, I will vote for it, too. That’s true for any other books I read before the voting ends. There are a few I really don’t want to see win, including my least favorite book, but I’ll keep those comments to myself!