21st Century Literature discussion

I've edited this because the numbers continue to skyrocket!

Welcome all our new members! I think you'll find this one of the most active and content rich groups on, well...anyplace.

We had 246 members just a few hours ago 427 members, so it's really getting hot. I hope if you haven't read some of our previous reads, you'll consider both reading some, catch up on the discussions, and consider also adding on to them. Discussions are never closed, ever. I'm still delighted to discuss excellent books such as or another highly awarded book

Also, I'm currently reviewing some recently published poetry books for our first poetry selection for the poetry corner beginning next week, where we'll feature poems written by (mostly) living authors, and many of the poems will be as recent as possible, keeping the 21st century theme. Also, poetry will be featured in single poem form as well as a monthly poetry book. I'm reviewing a few national book award winning poets other books published post Y2K.

If you've got questions, comments, rants, etc. Post 'em!

Thank you, Will.

I read Kavalier & Clay back when it first came out. Loved it then and have been meaning to give it another read ever since.

Haven't had a chance to get to The Art of Fielding as yet though.

Awww, thanks for the welcome!

Kavalier and Clay is on the to-read pile, but you can forget it on The Art of Fielding (baseball, ick!). It looks like I'll be month behind in this group. I'm just now starting 11/22/63. I used to be a huge Stephen King fan (read everything he ever wrote), but it's been a while since I've read anything by him. I used to also enjoy dabbling in everything Kennedy assassination related, including the conspiracy theories, so this one, written by King, is too irresistible. Can't wait to get into it. (I'll probably keep those 11/22/63 discussions alive for a little while longer...)

And thank you for the Jose Saramago recommendation. I've read Cain (or as Goodreads lists it, Caim) by him and loved it. The Cave looks good...

@Steph - Don't give up on the art of fielding yet, it's not really ABOUT baseball, though there are baseball players in it. My girlfriend HATES baseball, but is loving the book, and she's a VERY picky reader. There's a reason it made every top 10 list in the country with every critic, and the NYTimes ed. staff picked it as their fav book of last year.

I'm a new member, too. Found the group because it is a GR featured group this month.

Steph, I loathe baseball. I hate it with a passion- my dislike is not indifference, I truly hate baseball. But, I read about 10-20 books at once. Mostly because I pick up the book I'm in the mood for at the time. However, The Art of Fielding and Ready Player One were the only two books I read in 2011 from cover to cover. Reading no books in between- just couldn't put them down. I read those two books one after the other- lucky me. Except, it ruined me for reading for a while- threw me into a reading slump because no book I picked after that matched them in quality. Until I read 1Q84, which I have to say, surpassed them both.

Uh oh. It looks like I might've made a mistake. Two people who loathe baseball love that book? I might have to reconsider...

Yeah, I'm completely indifferent to baseball, but enjoyed the read.

Me too! In fact, because I'm British I'm not even sure what baseball is :)

Shay wrote: "...The Art of Fielding and Ready Player One were the only two books I read in 2011 from cover to cover. Reading no books in between- just couldn't put them down. "

Shay-- Ready Player One was a fantastic book. I could not put it down. I am hoping that 1Q84 will be just as great when I am finished. So far I am very pleased and hate putting it down.

I love baseball so The Art of Fielding is definitely on my to read list.

Sophia wrote: "Me too! In fact, because I'm British I'm not even sure what baseball is :) "

Sophia--LOL Did you just substitute the word baseball with cricket? *wink*

I'm new also but I loved Ready Player One, it was a book I probably would not have picked up if a friend had not recommended it to me, Also read Ready player One had while I did like it I did not love it quite a much. At a problem with a few of the characters, but it was a very different book and I liked it for that.

Will wrote: "I've edited this because the numbers continue to skyrocket!

Welcome all our new members! I think you'll find this one of the most active and content rich groups on, well...anyplace.

We had 246 me..."
Will,
Whoo Hoo! Congratulations! This is exciting news! I am also pleased to know that you don't ever consider discussions on books closed.

nope, I keep talking to everybody I know about the books we read in January! I must have written the words The Art Of Fielding 15 times today, and I actually handed a copy to my mom yesterday. Always eager to discuss.

Good to know. The Art of Fielding is going to be one of my next reads.

just starting The Art of Fielding. I have loved baseball since childhood. I shouldn't comment on the book yet since I am only 4 chapters in....but I am getting that sinking feeling. We'll see.

We have an entire section devoted to discussing it, please feel free to contribute both positive and negative to it!

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_...

Hello 21st Century Literature Group! I'm new to the group. My name is Glynis and I'm from the UK. I adore all kinds of literature: classics, cult fiction, memoirs, sci-fi... I'm a fan of prize winning titles and of course titles from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list.

This group looks like my kinda group! I read 1Q84 earlier this year and loved it. It actually inspired me to change my life for the better, so definitely an important book for me. I hope you are all enjoying it. I read Cloud Atlas a few years ago and would like to read it again as part of a group. And Middlesex is on my list of books to read.

Looking forward to joining in with you all :)

Hallo Glynis. I'm curious to know how '1Q84' inspired you to change your life! Can't say it made any sort of lasting impression on me.

Other than really enjoying it, I too wonder how it inspired you. Please, if you could, post something about that in the folder we've set up for discussing the book?

Hi all! I'm author of one commercial and two literary novels, and an avid reader of new books. I've just finished Hilary Mantel's "Bring up the Bodies" and have started David Mitchell's "Cloud Atlas" for my book group, the Drinking Club for Literary Women. Next on my list is Alice Hoffman's "The Dovekeepers." How in the world am I supposed to get the research done for my next novel -- "Banish the Night," about Heloise, of Heloise and Abelard fame -- with all these books beckoning to me day and night? As problems go, it's a good one to have.

I'm excited to discover this group, and to join in discussions with you about new books. But I don't expect to have my reading-time anxieties alleviated by it. ;)

Well, welcome to the group! There's a folder called promote yourself here which is the only place we allow authors to promote their projects, but they have total freedom within it.

We read cloud atlas last month, and the discussion folder is still there, feel free to reply there as well, we keep discussions alive forever. I believe there's also some Mantel books in the July polls, which you can vote for until Saturday.

Will, thank you! I wouldn't dream of promoting any projects on this thread. I just wanted to tell a little about myself. My book won't be out until 2013 or later, so I'm sure everyone will have forgotten it by then.

I saw the Cloud Atlas discussions -- it's what led me to this group. When I'm a bit more into the book I'll be sure to hop in and start chatting, and hope someone responds. That's me -- the caboose, as usual. I was born too late for the '60s, too.

Welcome aboard! I was born too early for the '60s :)

Hello all! I am not only new to this group, but also relatively new to Goodreads. I was almost beginning to despair of finding a group that made discussion worthwhile, but it seems like I have stumbled onto a goldmine here. Best of all, I can jump right into discussions because I have already read three of the five current or upcoming novels!

I am an avid reader, and I truly enjoy engaging in conversations that dig into the meat of a good novel. Unfortunately, I find that most readers I know are content leaving discussion at a comment of whether or not they enjoyed the book, and the door is never opened to examine their particular insights. I'm hoping this group will offer something to assuage that craving for more, and I plan on contributing often enough that I may risk becoming an irritant (which I say only semi-facetiously...).

I should also mention that I am Canadian, and very proud of my country's literature. Consider this a warning that I will be lobbying for my favourite Canadian novels whenever the chance arises!

Hi, and welcome. I think you'll find a place here that will fill a lot of your book discussion needs.

I hope you'll suggest someCanadian authors for us to discover, during the nomination process each month.

Yes, we enjoy argument/discussion, and I second Deborah's opinion that you'll be a mighty advocate for Canadian authors, as I too would like to read some more.

Daniel, I welcome a fellow Canadian and also appreciate the literature that this country's authors produce. We just concluded The Sisters Brothers, which as you know, was written by a Vancouver born author.

Hello everyone I'm new to the group! My name is Leanne and I'm from Australia. Over the last couple of years I have been concentrating on reading mostly classics, and works before 2000. I think it's time to mix it up a bit and read more modern works, and I think this group will be a great way for me to find recent books worth reading. I'll be joining in on the 2 July reads, and I'm looking forward to the discussions about them.

Leanne wrote: "Hello everyone I'm new to the group! My name is Leanne and I'm from Australia. Over the last couple of years I have been concentrating on reading mostly classics, and works before 2000. I think it'..."

Welcome,Leanne!

Glad you joined us Leanne. We're reading two great books this month and look forward to your input.

Daniel wrote: "I should also mention that I am Canadian, and very proud of my country's literature. Consider this a warning that I will be lobbying for my favourite Canadian novels whenever the chance arises! " Glad to hear it! I rate Canadian literature very highly.

Hello, I recently found this group by following a discussion on my update feed. I haven't read a lot of modern fiction as of yet; so I am really interested in the group's choices and discussions. I have been following the discussion on Never Let Me Go. I read it a few years back and loved it. At that time I didn't know about Goodreads; so glad to find a place where fellow readers can discuss and share books!

good to have you! I hope you'll consider taking on one or both books for August, one I know is interesting, the other certainly looks so.

Thank you Will. I hope to read at least one!

Hi all,

I am Karen and live in Galway, Ireland.
I have been in Good Reads for a year and have enjoyed classics and nonfiction. However I would also like to read current good literature and this looks like the group for me. I look forward to reading good books and having great discussions with you and getting to know you all.

It's very nice to have you! I hope you'll join in on some of our reads, we've just begun two books this month in fact.

Hi, Cheryl. Look forward to hearing from you!

Welcome, Cheryl. We've got two more great book selections coming up for November, and we're always eager for input from group members. Hopefully we'll see you on our discussion boards!

You are very timely. Welcome.

Hi all!

My name is Janet and I live in the US (Florida). I have been a member of GoodReads for about one year and participate in the Book Addicts Group.

This 21st century group is appealing to me, because I have a natural preference for reading new releases or more recent publications. I also enjoy book discussions that go beyond, "i liked the book, " "enjoyable read", etc.i

I look forward to participating in this group.

Welcome, Janet, and we look forward to another member joining our discussions!

Welcome Janet.

We're happy to have you.

Mostly lurking, but enjoy the book discussions in this group. This group has the best current reading list for a book club!

Welcome, Confiteor. Lurking is fine, but I hope we will inspire and move you to participate.

Welcome, Confiteor. As Deborah says, lurking is fine, but participation is fun, too. Generally speaking, the more people who participate in a discussion, the more interesting and wide-ranging the discussion becomes.

Casceil wrote: "Welcome, Confiteor. Generally speaking, the more people who participate in a discussion, the more interesting and wide-ranging the discussion becomes. "

I second this. Look forward to hearing more from you, Confiteor. Welcome aboard!

Hello, I'm Stephie!

I'm looking forward to reading the books in this group. :) Glad to see a group that isn't based around erotica or young adult!

Stephie wrote: "Hello, I'm Stephie!
Glad to see a group that isn't based around erotica or young adult!"

Yikes! Me too. But you have to wonder what erotica club book discussions look like!

Welcome.

Welcome, Stephie. It's good to have you here.

This group has excellent taste in books. It's just refreshing to find a group that uses the phrase "fine literature"!