Goodreads Ireland discussion

Are you still enjoying your time at GI? Do you feel that there is something missing?

If you have any ideas on improving the group, please post them here.

Hi Declan

I too am snowed under and I have been neglecting all of my online groups, have not even had time to read any of the books nominated. Which is why I haven't nominated a read for January. How about using January as a way of catching up on all the reads for 2011, and starting afresh in Feb.

Hi Sam,

I know all about being snowed under. I've already started the nominations for the next read, so I'm going to let it happen. Only read what time permits. I've been there, and I stopped enjoying my reading because I put too much pressure on myself.

Hi Declan and Sam.
Sorry I have no ideas just now. But can I offer this: A lack of activity should not be taken as lack of interest. I for one am taking a break from writing and blogging and am doing much less of this. Two weeks over the holiday, I've promised the beloved a Mac free period. Oops this is a slip!
Be yee not downhearted. We will be back.
davidrory

In the meantime I'll persevere. I won't be reading as much next year. There'll have to be a lot more studying, so something's got to give. I was going to read the monthly reads and maybe dip into my beloved sci-fi, so I still want the group to run smoothly.

I am a bit disappointed in the group. I have never joined a group before, and was hoping for more discussion about the books that were chosen. Just more interaction between members. For awhile I read every message that was exchanged. Then they seemed almost a conversation between people who traveled to Ireland and people who use to live there.

Janet wrote: "I am a bit disappointed in the group. I have never joined a group before, and was hoping for more discussion about the books that were chosen. Just more interaction between members. For awhile I re..."

Hi, Janet.

For most of the reads, since the group started, the responses were excellent. Only recently has the activity declined. The group is also open to allow members to start new folders, even for already existing topics, to help generate more in depth discussion. This true for the monthly and quarterly reads, also. So if you feel like you want to discuss characters, plot-lines etc. or want to start a completely new topic, please feel free.

If you have any ideas to help, please share.

Declan,
I want to thank you and the other group members for the group. I have really enjoyed the comments, the books, the ideas about where to visit next time, and the writers that were new to me. Now I have a big to read list of Irish related books. And my new favorite writer is now Sebastian Barry.
I imagine there is a natural ebb and flow to any group and I do hope the group continues.

Janet wrote: "I am a bit disappointed in the group. I have never joined a group before, and was hoping for more discussion about the books that were chosen. Just more interaction between members. For awhile I re..."
Well, I am sorry you are disappointed in the group, Janet, but frankly I don't remember you being involved in discussions. Everyone needs to join in to make it effective. This month's read might be a little constrained as the author is in the group. We had a great conversation on the Lucy Gault book with very different opinions on it. Also, be aware the Holiday Season is a very busy time. For us Americans, we have Thanksgiving thrown in too. We do talk about going to Ireland because it's very memorable to some of us. My visit to Newgrange really whetted my appetite for this month's selection.
P.S. If you want a boring group try the Scotland group. They have no monthly reads and the moderator only talks about books she's written. That's boring.

@Laura. I'm glad that you're enjoying the group, and Sebastian Barry is one of the great authors that this group has revealed to me. The group will always continue in some form. If it didn't, I'd read nothing but sci-fi and Robert Harris. Can you imagine how much of a bore I'd be at parties?

@Susan. I'm glad that you've enjoyed the group and your trip to Ireland. Should you ever find yourself back in Dublin, the coffee is on me.

I'm enjoying the group very much, although it's been difficult to post lately because of the holidays. I have also found that I've been so excited about the books that I read them very quickly. I'm hesitant to post too soon sometimes. Sebastian Barry gas been a treasure to find, and for that I am grateful.
Declan, I also wanted to say that I think you are one of the best moderators I've come across online. It must be difficult dealing with so many people with such a variety of backgrounds! You are always considerate and respectful of everyone's opinion, and I appreciate that. Some groups can be a bit snarky, which turns me off immediately.
Thanks for letting everyone express their opinions in a safe environment.

Mo wrote: "I'm enjoying the group very much, although it's been difficult to post lately because of the holidays. I have also found that I've been so excited about the books that I read them very quickly. I'm..."

Thank you very much, Mo. That means an awful lot. It's really made my day. :)

I enjoy this group also and yes, it's less snarky than some others and that makes exchange of opinions easier.

A way to get more members (if that is desired ) would be for those members who use Facebook to message friends/others about this group... I'll post a message on my Wall page there soon & that page has around 900 "fans" on FB -- though not all are active !

J.S. wrote: "I enjoy this group also and yes, it's less snarky than some others and that makes exchange of opinions easier.

A way to get more members (if that is desired ) would be for those members who use ..."


Thanks very much, J.S.

I'm also very glad to hear that you enjoy the group.

Declan,
I wonder if it would be possible to put something up for a vote. Considering that this is an Irish group, I think it might be more appropriate to designate the monthly books to Irish related books. Then the quarterly read could be available to a broader spectrum of books. Actually reversing what we have now.

Sorry, Laura.

I responded to this last night, but I was given another notification today. I'm not sure what's going on, but last nights response might show up again, soon.

I'm pretty happy with the current format. The group seems to one of the more active ones that has a book club format, which I take as a mark of success. And of the 23 books on our bookshelf 12 of these are Irish novels. Also the group has always focused on readers rather than genre. However, I am aware that people may be attracted to the group in the hope of discussing Irish literature.

From a personal point of view, I'll have much less time to read after the summer when I return to college, and the group's reads will make up the majority of my personal reading. It makes me a little reluctant to demote the broader selection to only four reads per year. Especially when Irish novels perform so well in the monthly vote.

I'd like to consider this for a couple of days, Laura, before I get back to you. I hope you don't mind waiting a little longer.

Declan. :)

I'd like to say that I agree with Declan on this one. Also there is nothing to stop anyone from nominating and Irish Novel for the monthly read.

Have to say I really balked at the idea. I like discussing books with my peers, which is narrowed down a bit by joining an irish group. But personally I like a good book first and foremost, the nationality/setting of the author/book is almost irrelevant to me. I can appreciate the merits of a book with Irish qualities but it's the least important criteria for me. I'm quite glad the Irish read is a subsection rather than the main focus, I wouldn't have joined the group if the main focus was narrowed down to such a small category.

I current format is going to stay, Laura.

However, if you would like a forum to discuss Irish literature, feel free to open a topic in the general folder.

Declan. :)

I'm too new a member to really be entitled to an opinion, but I'm glad that it isn't being switched. As interested as I genuinely am in Irish literature, I wouldn't want to read twelve books about it a year.
I am originally from Texas and I think the world of Texas, but the idea of reading twelve books a year either by Texans or about them sounds awful to me, so I know it isn't just that I wasn't born in Ireland that has me feeling that way about it.

Thanks, Rancour.

I hope you enjoy our little group.

I admit I am one of the ones who glides off topic. I will behave in the future!

As James Joyce said,

We can't change the country so let's change the subject.

J.S. wrote: "As James Joyce said,

We can't change the country so let's change the subject."

Well James Joyce is a wise man!

I personally like the ebb and flow of the group the way it is now. It's like a real life conversation. Conversations don't go in a straight line.

I must admit I like the informal nature of the group as well. I agree there needs to be structure to manage a group/site effectively but I do feel comfortable just jumping in on conversations that spark my interest rather than sticking to a strict topic structure. Someone above compared this group to having different conversations in a pub and I certainly feel that sense of similiarity. We're also lucky to have a very rational and polite barman who tells us when "it's time, gentlemen, please!"

Oh, what a perfect description of Declan. We need to get him a whistle.

The folders have been left open since the start for members to start new topics, but most people seem to feel uncomfortable doing so. Fortunately some of you have opened broadly titled folders which give members a place to go to when they want to discuss something. I think it works OK. At least as well as most formats.

I think it might be a good idea to stick 'Nothing to do with Books' to the top of the page. The 'New Writing' folder will stay where it is for the moment, though. Gerry, the instigator of the project, seem to be busy promoting hos own book, so I'd like to leave this somewhere people can find it easily in case they'd like to ask questions about it.

The US folder might be a good idea, but our US members seem to more about Ireland than vice versa<'i> and seem to prefer discussing Ireland.

I may just remove they 'Invite Your Friends' folder. It's been there since the beginning and has never been used. I think if people enjoy the group they'll invite their friends. I don't think that thread influences them much at all.

To everyone else, I'm glad that you're all still enjoying the group. It always puts a smile on my face.

@J.S. You've given me something to put next to Dubliners in my James Joyce 'like' column. That's pretty good, I must say.

Now, folks, if you'll excuse me, it's tome to drink up. Have you no homes to go to?

I like the way Declan runs the group, I don't want to be in a group that's too rigid, I also like the fact the it goes off topic and we chit chat about the life the universe and everything ......... that's what having a conversation is all about.

I like the Adams reference, Kate. :)

I don't know what to say about new authors. I've read posts in the last 2 days about people who write on their own. One of them hasn't published anything he just likes to write. That's a tough one. I bet somewhere in goodreads there's some help for budding authors. I don't know how to direct them.

There are probably a few groups like that on GR, Jamielynn, but there may be no harm to have a thread where members can ask each other for a tip or two.

Allan wrote: "I personally feel that if the group became too overly controlled, with too many rules, it would stop being the same group. I think someone made the analogy in another thread, comparing the conversa..."

Allan--with regard to your question about other groups--
I'm a member of several other groups, but for all intents and purposes, I'm not really a member of any of them. Part of that is for practical reasons. I joined several groups when I joined Goodreads because I was interested in the themes, so now I still follow what they're reading month-by-month, but I don't have the time to get involved in discussion topics. I did participate minimally for awhile in a group I joined early on, but I quickly stepped back. (I'm no longer a member of that group.) One woman was well-intentioned, but posted encyclopedic background information about each of the authors read, and those articles, those interpretations (I sensed) shaped the tenor and direction of the book discussion. I felt a little as if I should read all that contextual info prior to commenting at all, so I only rarely ever did. Members were expected to stay on certain thematic threads, so if you didn't get in on the discussion from the very beginning, it was difficult to comment later on. And then that woman clashed with another member from time to time (seemingly about the most minute comments or different interpretations--) and the moderator had to rein people in in pretty dramatic fashion from time to time. Lots of subtext going on among members, so it wasn't as enjoyable as I hoped it would be. It all felt a little too much like being in a graduate literature class. So, I eventually un-enrolled myself in the group. That's my only real experience of how other group discussions worked, so is it any wonder that I enjoy this group so much? :) It's like night and day.

You shouldn't feel marginalised. The invitstions thread is gone and the Nothing to do... thread had been stuck to the top of the page. And once the book project is over that will be closed and then unstuck.

Opening more threads would work too, but most people won't do it.

Allan wrote: "I think you've illustrated the reason why most people seem to enjoy the structure of Goodreads Ireland in comparison to other groups, Cathleen! And it's great to see you posting this weekend as wel..."

Thanks, Allan. That's very kind of you to ask. The new term is going well. It's so busy during the week, I feel as though I blink and it's Friday again. One class is a bit quiet; they've told me it's because the class starts so early. 10 am! College kids :) I told them that I was about 5x their age and I'm always wide awake for class. One young man looked puzzled and said, "That would mean you're about 100." So I said, "Yes, I look good for my age." He had the decency to laugh at my silly joke :)

How is your term going? Are the kids still sufficiently awed by your height and reputation?

Cathleen wrote: "Allan wrote: "I personally feel that if the group became too overly controlled, with too many rules, it would stop being the same group. I think someone made the analogy in another thread, comparin..."


Cathleen I recently dropped out of a group that got vicious to each other. It was very weird. An author was promoting a book she hadn't released yet. Some people were offended by the description and automatically rated it 1-2 stars before reading it. She got mad and decided not to release her book. A group of do gooders rated it 5 stars. NO ONE read the book! I didn't rate it because it's never been released. SO the group seemed like it was emploding. It's now a closed group. No one joins without permission. phew!

@Cathleen, I didn't know you taught college too. For some reason I thought you taught high school. What do you teach? I love the idea that 10 am is too early for class. I felt that way in college too.

@LMM, I am sorry you feel marginalized. Perhaps we didn't agree with all of your ideas but that doesn't mean we didn't appreciate your contributions. Many of us have participated in other book groups on GR and experienced some of those rules you had in mind in action. That is why we like this group so much.

Jamielynn wrote: "Cathleen wrote: "Allan wrote: "I personally feel that if the group became too overly controlled, with too many rules, it would stop being the same group. I think someone made the analogy in another..."

Wow, that was some dysfunctional group. It makes us appreciate Declan all the more.

Susan yes it does! He is the best. I was in a few groups and never saw the leader post anything.

Jamielynn wrote: "Cathleen wrote: "Allan wrote: "I personally feel that if the group became too overly controlled, with too many rules, it would stop being the same group. I think someone made the analogy in another..."

Wow, Jamielynn, what a story. That's too bad, especially if you had enjoyed the group before that started.

Cathleen the sad part of it was that the 2 leaders of the group were banned. They opened up a thread about bullying. That's where it went Kaboom! They were nice leaders and kept the group active but the group itself went nuts. ..This group is so nice!

I just can't imagine it. They banned the leaders. Oh, I am so glad you don't spend time with those people. Who needs the drama?

Susan wrote: "I just can't imagine it. They banned the leaders. Oh, I am so glad you don't spend time with those people. Who needs the drama?"

That's why I quit. I said "Goodbye to this closed group." LOL

Susan wrote: "@Cathleen, I didn't know you taught college too. For some reason I thought you taught high school. What do you teach? I love the idea that 10 am is too early for class. I felt that way in college t..."

Hi Susan, I teach education/teaching courses to undergraduates who want to become teachers. I started out as a middle and high school teacher before I taught at the college level, and I probably mentioned something about that here. I know--10 am. Funny.

My father would have adored you. He was Superintendent of Schools and my mother was a kindergarten teacher. These were his two favorite things to ask new teachers:
1. Did you go to Chico State (where he and my mom went and is primarily a teaching school)?
2. Do you play bridge? He was always looking for new partners.

It's a great thing you do by training our future teachers. I just love teachers.

Susan wrote: "@Cathleen, I didn't know you taught college too. For some reason I thought you taught high school. What do you teach? I love the idea that 10 am is too early for class. I felt that way in college t..."

Hi LMM--I wanted to echo what Susan said, especially about appreciating your contributions.

Jamielynn wrote: "Cathleen the sad part of it was that the 2 leaders of the group were banned. They opened up a thread about bullying. That's where it went Kaboom! They were nice leaders and kept the group active bu..."

They banned the leaders ?!? That's so peculiar that it's almost funny, isn't it? It sounds like it should be a comedy sketch :)

I just knew you were a great teacher, Allan. Cathleen, on the other hand, has a hard task. It's teaching young people living on their own for the first time how to be responsible. It makes me laugh that 10 am is early because when they actually teach is SO much earlier.

Allan wrote: "Cathleen, the great thing about the kids I teach is they still have the innocence of loving coming to school in the mornings. It makes things so much easier!

You know yourself, you set up a routi..."

I'd love to see a photo of your classroom, after school, of course, after the students have left for the day. You can't take a classroom photo here with students unless you have permission from each of their parents. Is that the same there?

Declan are we going to have another movie of the month for October?