The Obscure Reading Group discussion

For 2024, we're using a new nomination method that's a bit more transparent. Previously nominators messaged a single nomination to a moderator who then created a poll of all titles. This time we're just going to give those interested a chance to nominate a book on the public square of a thread.

RULES FOR JUNE:

1. Any book works for June, old or new. You'd be wise to choose one that's easily available (libraries included) and obscure enough to be intriguing to all of our serious readers with loaded reading shelves.

2. Yes, the author can be famous but only IF the title is a much less read or known title by said author. Other posters may debate relative obscurity here if they feel it's not "obscure" enough.

3. If you choose to nominate a book, you must be willing to read it and help "host" the discussion. Do not choose a book you've read already and love (and thus might take umbrage over should others not love it as well). A "fresh" read makes for a refreshing host! (Benjamin Franklin should have said that.)

4. Most importantly, a much smaller poll will be made of any book that gets seconds and thirds here, so if you like someone's selection, give it a second (or third, or fourth -- it's your job to count). The poll will appear on April 29th or 30th, so stay tuned.

If you make a nomination, create a live link via "Add book/author") so folks can check out a description, how many pages it is, what other readers said, etc. Remember, by nominating you are also offering to read and help host should your book ultimately be selected. We expect a much smaller poll via this method and only ONE round of polling, but expectations are sometimes great (Charles Dickens should have said that.)

Can't wait!

I'm looking forward to lots of nominations! Maybe someone just needs to start. I'll go. :-)

This is a classic, so I could be talked into waiting until classic time comes around again next February. It's also a long one, so feel free to shoot it down for that reason, but I'll nominating it anyway, just in case.
The Masterpiece by Émile Zola

also called "His Masterpiece," on Project Gutenberg and Librivox.

Or in original French,
L'Œuvre, or "The work"

From the Preface (Project Gutenberg version)
‘HIS MASTERPIECE,’ which in the original French bears the title of L’Œuvre, is a strikingly accurate story of artistic life in Paris during the latter years of the Second Empire. Amusing at times, extremely pathetic and even painful at others, it not only contributes a necessary element to the Rougon-Macquart series of novels—a series illustrative of all phases of life in France within certain dates—but it also represents a particular period of M. Zola’s own career and work. Some years, indeed, before the latter had made himself known at all widely as a novelist, he had acquired among Parisian painters and sculptors considerable notoriety as a revolutionary art critic, a fervent champion of that ‘Open-air’ school which came into being during the Second Empire, and which found its first real master in Edouard Manet, whose then derided works are regarded, in these later days, as masterpieces. Manet died before his genius was fully recognised; still he lived long enough to reap some measure of recognition and to see his influence triumph in more than one respect among his brother artists."

It's around 400 pages in most versions. With about 4500 ratings, it's way down the list of Zola's works, so possibly obscure enough for us.

Maybe a good precursor for the coming Paris Olympics?

Haha I was waiting for a poll and didn't realize we were supposed to post our nomination here.

Okay, I nominate Jose Saramago's Stone Raft. Of course as a modern Nobel Laureate he's not obscure, but this title is a lesser known work that sounds really interesting.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Cherisa wrote: "Haha I was waiting for a poll and didn't realize we were supposed to post our nomination here.

Okay, I nominate Jose Saramago's Stone Raft. Of course as a modern Nobel Laureate he's not obscure, b..."

I love this idea! I haven't read Saramago, and am in the mood for this sort of thing due to working through Black Water: The Book of Fantastic Literature with the Short Story group.

Well, I’ll second Stone Raft, then. I wouldn’t mind something light after I make more headway with Romain Gary’s La Vie Devant Soi, a gruelling read! Plus, Kathleen, I’ve added Zola’s The Masterpiece to my future reads list.

I would like to nominate Odori by Darcy Tamayose. I am certain both the writer and the novel are obscure, but it is available on Amazon. I'm breaking the rule, because I did love this novel, but I am an avid re-reader.

Where I live in southern Alberta, Canada, many of the Japanese-Canadians whose property was stolen on the West coast were forced to relocate here. Darcy's family were part of this. Check out the description. I would definitely help to host the discussion.

I would like to nominate The Mandarins by Simone de Beauvoir. I have wanted to read this for ages!

Finding an book that meets the obscure definition is a challenge, so I am in favor of overlooking the fact that Ginni has previously read her nomination for our June read. I also like prospect of a couple of choices for the group. So, this is a second for the Odori nomination.

OK, as the nominations are slight, I'll add an author I've been wanting to get to and a book that's rated highly but read infrequently (well, less than 1,500 ratings):

The Case of Comrade Tulayev

The Stalinist Purges may seem dated but reading the news and witnessing the upswing in authoritarian strongmen worldwide (and yes, even in so-called "democracies," which fascists love to use as a ticket to ride), perhaps the time is ripe.

Ken wrote: "OK, as the nominations are slight, I'll add an author I've been wanting to get to and a book that's rated highly but read infrequently (well, less than 1,500 ratings):

[book:The Case of Comrade Tu..."

This sounds fascinating and timely. And it's available on Internet Archive. :-) I'll withdraw my nomination and second this one.

I'd like to second Dianne's nomination, The Mandarins. I've never read Simone de Beauvoir and this looks like a good start.

Jannifer wrote: "I'd like to second Dianne's nomination, The Mandarins. I've never read Simone de Beauvoir and this looks like a good start."


Great. As of now, all four nominations have been seconded and will appear on the poll tomorrow.

There's still time for more offers/seconds!

The vote count doesn't get much closer than it is at this moment.

Voting still open.

If there's a tie, I will make a second poll in the morning for the books (could be two or three, it's so close right now) for the runoff.

As the first poll finished in a tie between The Stone Raft and The Case of Comrade Tulayev, we are now running a 2-day runoff poll between those books.

Vote, folks, vote!

I love the poll picture, Ken. These two books sure seem to be duking it out at the moment--a great match!

Kathleen wrote: "I love the poll picture, Ken. These two books sure seem to be duking it out at the moment--a great match!"

Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robots! My older brother and I logged many hours with that game using up unvented aggression via swift uppercuts to the blue and red jaw.

Also in the Hall of Fame: Silly Putty, Slinky, Etch-a-Sketch, Operation, Mouse Trap, Trouble, Shenanigans, and Yahtzee.

Meanwhile, the game at hand.

The Case of Comrade Tulayev and The Stone Raft are at this moment tied in our second poll (just as they were at the end of our first).

I hope a busload of ORG members show up to vote before midnight Pacific tonight. If I see another tie tomorrow morning, I'm dusting off my robots and calling my brother.

Sounds like those robots should be required toys for all siblings! Didn't have those, but did have all the others you mentioned, and my favorites were the Etch-a-Sketch and Yahtzee. Amazing how much time a kid could spend drawing lines with knobs. And I loved Yahtzee. I was the youngest and rarely won games against my family, except when we played Yahtzee, which didn't require skill--the "game of chance!" :-)

And as I type, I see we have little activity in the polls!

Kathleen wrote: "Sounds like those robots should be required toys for all siblings! Didn't have those, but did have all the others you mentioned, and my favorites were the Etch-a-Sketch and Yahtzee. Amazing how muc..."

Chance can be good. And bad. A mix of skill and chance works best. Win some, lose some.


Anyhow: TICK, TICK, TICK, peeps. Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for our poll (previously known as "thee") in 5.5 hours.

Poll #2 has ended in another tie. Here's my proposal, and if we get the right reactions here, we'll proceed.

I say, for the first time ever and in deference to the strong interest in both books, we have TWO June reads. As Cherisa nominated The Stone Raft, she would lead the discussion of that book, and as I nominated The Case of Comrade Tulayev, I would lead a concurrent discussion of that book.

Before I pull the trigger and put both pre-discussion threads up for those books up, though, I'd need a green light here from Cherisa for her book nomination AND at least three other members who are willing to commit here to joining the discussion of one book or the other.

If Cherisa plus three say "I'm in" for the Saramago and three are willing to join me for the Serge, then we'll proceed with a double header.

I'm only being cautious because sometimes voters are voters but not readers, and I'm at least trying to get a small core group of four (but hopefully more) for each book.

What say you, ORG-ers?

I shall skipper The Stone Raft if I have three mates for the voyage! But if not I'll join you for Comrade Tulayev. Thanks, Ken.

I am in for The Stone Raft.

I'm in for Comrade Tulayev. And I promise to join the disscussion!

I’m on board for The Stone Raft as well.

I'm in for comrade!

I love it! I had already decided to read both selected books and I found no credible way to decide which should be our June read. I abstained from the second round to let the group decide for me. Ha! Now that the tie vote has persisted, I intend to read both books and follow both discussions.

Wonderful! I'll take Comrade too, then.

My library has a copy of The Stone Raft, so I will give it a go. I read All the Names a few years ago, and found it moving, puzzling, and memorable.

This is great, because I'd like to read both! Looks like we have enough commitments, so I'll call myself a hopefully for both.

I’m in for Stone Raft unless something unexpected gets in the way.