For for the July 2009 eBook for the Mobile Read Book Club. The poll will be open for 7 days. We will start the discussion thread for this book on July 26th. Select from the following books.

My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
In this 1919 short story collection, P.G. Wodehouse’s beloved star characters, the very silly Bertie Wooster and his unflappable valet Jeeves, must face the perils of pushy relatives, swooning debutantes, and the hare-brained schemes of well-meaning friends.

This collection also features the fictional hi-jinks of another favorite Wodehouse character, the hapless Reggie Pepper, whose piles of money never seem to make up for his utter lack of intelligence. Wodehouse will keep every reader giggling at the wild adventures in which Reggie manages to find himself and the ridiculous dilemmas from which the lucky Bertie is rescued, without fail, by the ingenious Jeeves.

Topper by Thorne Smith
It all begins when Cosmo Topper, a law-abiding, mild-mannered bank manager, decides to buy a secondhand car, only to find it haunted by the ghosts of its previous owners--the reckless, feckless, frivolous couple who met their untimely demise when the car careened into an oak tree. The ghosts, George and Marion Kerby, make it their mission to rescue Topper from the drab "summer of suburban Sundays" that is his life—and they commence a series of madcap adventures that leave Topper, and anyone else who crosses their path, in a whirlwind of discomfiture and delight.

Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of The Dog) by Jerome K Jerome
Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog), published in 1889, is a humorous account by Jerome K. Jerome of a boating holiday on the Thames between Kingston and Oxford.

The book was initially intended to be a serious travel guide, with accounts of local history along the route, but the humorous elements took over to the point where the serious and somewhat sentimental passages seem a distraction to the comic novel. One of the most praised things about Three Men in a Boat is how undated it appears to modern readers, the jokes seem fresh and witty even today.

Augustus Carp, Esq. - Being the Autobiography of a Really Good Man by Henry Bashford
It is customary, I have noticed, in publishing an autobiography to preface it with some sort of apology. But there are times, and surely the present is one of them, when to do so is manifestly unnecessary. In an age when every standard of decent conduct has either been torn down or is threatened with destruction; when every newspaper is daily reporting scenes of violence, divorce, and arson; when quite young girls smoke cigarettes and even, I am assured, sometimes cigars; when mature women, the mothers of unhappy children, enter the sea in one-piece bathing-costumes; and when married men, the heads of households, prefer the flicker of the cinematograph to the Athanasian Creed -- then it is obviously a task, not to be justifiably avoided, to place some higher example before the world.

For some time -- I am now forty-seven -- I had been feeling this with increasing urgency. And when not only my wife and her four sisters, but the vicar of my parish, the Reverend Simeon Whey, approached me with the same suggestion, I felt that delay would amount to sin. That sin, by many persons, is now lightly regarded, I am, of course, only too well aware. That its very existence is denied by others is a fact equally familiar to me. But I am not one of them. On every ground I am an unflinching opponent of sin. I have continually rebuked it in others. I have strictly refrained from it in myself. And for that reason alone I have deemed it incumbent upon me to issue this volume.

The Silence of Colonel Bramble by by André Maurois
Translated from the French by Thurfrida Wake; Verses translated by Wilfrid Jackson. Whitlock writes in the Introduction about The Silence of Colonel Bramble: Every English officer one met was chuckling over it, and pointing out Old So-and-so in its pages as the original of this or that type. It was a picture not only of the Lennox Highlanders, but of every regimental and brigade mess in the army.

First to vote, yippee! I'm super excited about this month's selection.

First to vote, yippee! I'm super excited about this month's selection.

You're a fast little monkey!

BOb

You're a fast little monkey!

BOb

Nah, just good timing :D

Are any of these books available as public domain?
-- Nevermind, found the first 3 books at least! (abacci.com, gutenburg.org)

Are any of these books available as public domain?
-- Nevermind, found the first 3 books at least! (abacci.com, gutenburg.org)

A quick check came up with:

Topper and Three men in a Boat, on MR and at Feedbooks.

My Man Jeeves and Augustus Carp by Himself on MR.

I would have voted for "To Say Nothing of the Dog" by Connie Willis but none of those listed interest me.

What makes this book club vote so special as to need to be on the frontpage?

Just pulled Jeeves off Amazon to my iphone Kindle for free and set about reading it. So far it's really cute. I may have to go and see the old (Thank you Jeeves 1936) movie they made on the book.

http://www.deepdiscount.com/viewproduct.htm?productId=11006846

That's mean, making me choose between Wodehouse and Jerome. Both those books are absolutely delightful - I voted for 3MiaB, but Jeeves will also satisfy!

I would have voted for "To Say Nothing of the Dog" by Connie Willis but none of those listed interest me.

Ah, but you can't fully appreciate "To Say Nothing of the Dog" unless you've read Wodehouse AND "Three Men in a Boat."

I can't really see how you could appreciate it at all, myself.

Just pulled Jeeves off Amazon to my iphone Kindle for free and set about reading it. So far it's really cute. I may have to go and see the old (Thank you Jeeves 1936) movie they made on the book.

http://www.deepdiscount.com/viewproduct.htm?productId=11006846

TV series - Jeeves and Wooster also extremely good. Hugh Laurie as Wooster and Stephen Fry as Jeeves, how can you go wrong?

Mel

I voted for Three Men In A Boat - I keep meaning to re-read it, especially after watching the reruns of the recreation of the journey that Grif Rhys-Jones, Rory McGrath, Dara o'Brien and Loli the dog did. :)

What makes this book club vote so special as to need to be on the frontpage? Jon, the team discussed a way to increase participation in activities here at MobileRead -- other than giveaways -- and felt that announcing the Book Club on the front page would be a way to get the attention of members who might not know that the Club exists.

TV series - Jeeves and Wooster also extremely good. Hugh Laurie as Wooster and Stephen Fry as Jeeves, how can you go wrong?

Mel

The Topper TV series was pretty good too. The just don't make shows with alcoholic St. Bernards anymore.

Topper is a very good movie. And the book is supposed to be just as good. So give it a go and enjoy. The movie is funny. I watched it a few weeks ago. And I have seen some if not all of the TV series and that was also a blast.

I've been meaning to read Three Men on a Boat for some time, so I voted that way.

I've been meaning to read Three Men on a Boat for some time, so I voted that way.
Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in a tub.

I finally voted... although either of the two front runners will be fine with me. I will probably read both of them, and Topper anyhow!

BOb

Jon, the team discussed a way to increase participation in activities here at MobileRead -- other than giveaways -- and felt that announcing the Book Club on the front page would be a way to get the attention of members who might not know that the Club exists.

It worked for me. :) Thank you!

Wow, we've already got a ton of voters!

Wow, we've already got a ton of voters!

Only 30 people voted last month, and this vote only just opened :)

Putting it on the front page worked :)

The Topper TV series was pretty good too. The just don't make shows with alcoholic St. Bernards anymore.

I have very vague memories of my mom watching this - I must have been 3 or 4 years old. I do remember someone being upset that the dog brought him a pair of kippers instead of a pair of slippers.

Don't know why that's the only thing that stuck - maybe it's the image of trying to wear fish on your feet.

Memory is a funny thing, isn't it?

I have seen the movie of Topper, but was not aware there had been a TV series of it. I voted for the Jeeves stories, but would be pleased with any of this month's nominees.

Putting it on the front page worked :)
I guess we should put the nominations on the front page too.

Come on Augustus!!

I guess we should put the nominations on the front page too.

That might not be a bad idea for August?

Come on Augustus!!

Three Men in a Boat is rowing ahead :D

I guess we should put the nominations on the front page too.

Yes, that's the plan.

BOb

Ah, but you can't fully appreciate "To Say Nothing of the Dog" unless you've read Wodehouse AND "Three Men in a Boat."

I can't really see how you could appreciate it at all, myself.

I'm a fiction bigot - I only read science fiction and fantasy. Why - mostly because I had so much UNMITIGATED CRAP rammed down my throat by the Literature Nazis the ran the English department in my middle/high school that I just don't give a flying rotten banana what anyone else thinks when it comes to reading fiction.

Now, going back to the topic - the Connie Willis book was a little slow in spots and I barely got through those parts. As near as I can tell from discussing it with the members of the SF book group that read it, the slow parts were designed to imitate the writing style of the TMIAB era. Clearly then, trying to read an entire novel written in that style would not have worked. However, I was glad that I made it through the Willis book and overall found it be quite enjoyable.

P.S. Did read some good stuff in school too - The Bard rocks.

acemccloudxx, the reason "Three Men in a Boat" has such resonance for SF fans, and the reason Connie Willis read it in the first place, is because Heinlein mentions it several times in his novel "Have Space Suit, Will Travel."

Come to think of it, it's the reason I read it in the first place, myself.

I challenge you to read the first chapter. If you haven't laughed out loud at least twice, then give it a rest.

I bet you will, though.

I did see the movie version of Topper and I did have a good laugh with it. It's a shame it's not going to win. Three men in a boat is not as funny as a banker and two ghosts.

I did see the movie version of Topper and I did have a good laugh with it. It's a shame it's not going to win. Three men in a boat is not as funny as a banker and two ghosts.

But the fact that it has been nominated and discussed means that I'm going to read it anyway, and I would never have heard of it otherwise. So I'd say it's worth having it in the poll even if it's not going to win.

(And it's available from MobileRead, so I know it's going to be a well formatted book!)

I did see the movie version of Topper and I did have a good laugh with it. It's a shame it's not going to win. Three men in a boat is not as funny as a banker and two ghosts.

Three ghost -- don't forget their St. Bernard who likes getting drunk. But yeah, way funnier than some guys in a boat.

Three ghost -- don't forget their St. Bernard who likes getting drunk. But yeah, way funnier than some guys in a boat.
The St. Bernard wasn't in the movie. It was in the TV series based on the movie which was based on the book.

Three ghost -- don't forget their St. Bernard who likes getting drunk. But yeah, way funnier than some guys in a boat.

OK, so you have read both books in order to be able to say this, right? :chinscratch:

BOb

i have actually seen the film topper (more than once) and also read the book topper *and* read the book "three men in a boat" (multiple times). they are all good. i do think i prefer Three men to topper (the film). i've not seen the television series, and there is no dog in the film (or the book). the most recent time i read Three men in a boat, i had to give up on reading it on the métro, because i was getting too embarrassed about giggling out loud all by myself. it is hilarious.

It's a known fact that dead people are funnier then people in a boat. :rofl:

It's a known fact that dead people are funnier then people in a boat. :rofl:

Is this Wikiality?

BOb

Perhaps someone who knows this book can answer the question. Why is Augustus Carp, Esq. - Being the Autobiography of a Really Good Man indexed under Carp in the MobileRead library? Took me a long time find out that we had copies of the book uploaded here.

Perhaps someone who knows this book can answer the question. Why is Augustus Carp, Esq. - Being the Autobiography of a Really Good Man indexed under Carp in the MobileRead library? Took me a long time find out that we had copies of the book uploaded here.

I wondered the same thing. I guess an autobiography of Carp would be written by Carp. :blink::rolleyes:

BOb

It's a known fact that dead people are funnier then people in a boat. :rofl:

yeah, well, you go read both books, and then let me know what you think. :rolleyes:

acemccloudxx, the reason "Three Men in a Boat" has such resonance for SF fans, and the reason Connie Willis read it in the first place, is because Heinlein mentions it several times in his novel "Have Space Suit, Will Travel."

Come to think of it, it's the reason I read it in the first place, myself.

I challenge you to read the first chapter. If you haven't laughed out loud at least twice, then give it a rest.

I bet you will, though.

hm, perhaps i should read "Have Space Suit" because i love Three men in a boat so much. :chinscratch:

i agree about the challenge. i suspect anyone who doesn't laugh out loud reading three men in a boat is actually dead. or at least unconscious.

I've always loved "Silences of Colonel Bramble" --not only true & human accounting of one side of WWI but also very funny... SO I voted for it (I also love TMIAB...)
BTW (actually he was killed in the first months of said war) could you enter Saki's short stories in this vote, some other time???

Perhaps someone who knows this book can answer the question. Why is Augustus Carp, Esq. - Being the Autobiography of a Really Good Man indexed under Carp in the MobileRead library? Took me a long time find out that we had copies of the book uploaded here.

I just do a search for 'Carp'.

It only returns a few hits, unless you type it wrong - in which case you get approximately half a million. :p

... unless you type it wrong ...

:rofl:

It took me a few seconds to figure that one out ...

Well I'll read the Three Men in a Boat book if it wins -- at least I'm pretty sure that one does have a dog in the book (I like dogs). Actually, I'll probably read the top three books as they all sound good.

Well I'll read the Three Men in a Boat book if it wins -- at least I'm pretty sure that one does have a dog in the book (I like dogs). Actually, I'll probably read the top three books as they all sound good.

despite the subtitle ("to say nothing of the dog") there is actually quite a bit said about the dog. :D

I can't seem to find the "Bramble" in e-book format (no Gutenberg, no Gallica)...

I can't seem to find the "Bramble" in e-book format (no Gutenberg, no Gallica)...

http://manybooks.net/titles/mauroisaother09silence_of_colonel_bramble.html

There you go.

yeah, well, you go read both books, and then let me know what you think. :rolleyes:
If the boat wins, I will read it and I do plan on reading Topper even if it doesn't win. So I'll be able to comment.

If the boat wins, I will read it and I do plan on reading Topper even if it doesn't win. So I'll be able to comment.

We have had "unofficial" book club discussion threads before. It happened with The Time Machine when it didn't win.

BOb

I will read the top three of these, have not read any of them

I will read the top three of these, have not read any of them
I'm going to be hard-pressed to read the winner this month. Not that I don't want to read every one of the books, but I have 22 books (paper books no less) that I need to read and get into the mail to people in my book swapping group. I spent too much time in June reading electronic books "just because I want to".

I'm going to be hard-pressed to read the winner this month. Not that I don't want to read every one of the books, but I have 22 books (paper books no less) that I need to read and get into the mail to people in my book swapping group. I spent too much time in June reading electronic books "just because I want to".
What are these "Paper-baked books" you speak of?:blink:

My vote My Man Jeeves, I loved the (UK) TV series

Though the rest will go on my list

http://manybooks.net/titles/mauroisaother09silence_of_colonel_bramble.html

There you go.
Thanks a lot...

I still new here and I was thinking of joining in the book club this month....and then I saw it on the front page...so that made it even more tempting.
My Sony 505 just arrived yesterday & I just downloaded the top 3 books that are being voted on this month, so I am all ready now. :)

I decided to make my vote before reading the thread....so using the descriptions in the first post, I voted for Topper. However, it seems that Three Men in a Boat is coming highly recommended, so after reading the posts in this thread, I would like to read that now.

Is there a book on how to read faster? Then I could read all 3.

One way to read faster is to stay away from MR.

One way to read faster is to stay away from MR.

lol....yes, I have been using up reading time in here, but I can't help it.

Hey... it's a close race... only a hand full more for Jeeves and it could overtake the boat. Alas... the ghosts seem to have lost momentum.

BOb

Row row row your boat gently up the stream... :)

Vote for the men and a doggie in a boat!

Row row row your boat gently up the stream... :)

Vote for the men and a doggie in a boat!
I'd go in and "fix" the vote, but BOb's a mod, too, and he knows how to change my profile and stuff. :rofl:

I'd go in and "fix" the vote, but BOb's a mod, too, and he knows how to change my profile and stuff. :rofl:

Hrm... so what's BOb bribable with? :D

(Altho, as your avatar's an otter, how bad could it get? Maybe a squirrel riding an otter, as your avatar and your profile wallpaper...)

What otter?

There's what looks suspiciously like a sea otter staring at me from under your name... :chinscratch:

Or maybe a sea pandotter...

Ottdorg?

That might be it...

: pullingatryingnottolaughorgroanface:

:snicker:

I would have voted for the silences of colonel Bramble, but I cannot find the book in French and it seems really silly for me to read the English translation of a French book. :(

I would have voted for the silences of colonel Bramble, but I cannot find the book in French and it seems really silly for me to read the English translation of a French book. :(
Well; it's funny to read it in English, but you lose part of what I liked in French, i.e. English-sounding French :smile:

Well; it's funny to read it in English, but you lose part of what I liked in French, i.e. English-sounding French :smile:

Well, if I read the English translation out loud, I'd have French-sounding English, would that make up for it? ;)

Well, if I read the English translation out loud, I'd have French-sounding English, would that make up for it? ;)
:snicker:

I voted for Three Men in a Boat after downloading and reading a few pages. How does the Book Club work? I didn't see anything about it on the Forums page.

Forgot to mention, it was thx to Nate's front page post that I was aware of the BC.

Oops! Pilot Bob's post.

I voted for Three Men in a Boat after downloading and reading a few pages. How does the Book Club work? I didn't see anything about it on the Forums page.

From the below MR link is the social groups page listing the various groups on this forum..

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/group.php?do=grouplist

I've quoted from that page...

Book Club
Group Maintained by pilotbob

The Mobileread Book Club is an informal group which every month selects a book to read and then discuss on the forums.

Each month on the third week a thread is created to gather nominations for the next months book based on an established genre schedule. After 5 days or ten books being nominated a poll is created. The poll is open to all and runs for 5 days.

Each month on the fourth week a discussion thread is created for that months book. This thread is open for everyone to post their impressions, reviews etc. about the book.

The MRBC threads are in the "Reading Recommendations" section. There are no requirements to join and no dues. Join in on the fun. We'll see you in the forums.

I voted for Three Men in a Boat after downloading and reading a few pages. How does the Book Club work? I didn't see anything about it on the Forums page.

It's very information. Read the Welcome Info / Intro thread:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30382

If you have any questions, ask in that thread to keep everything in one place.

We also have a Book Club group if you go to the Community section of Mobile Read.

BOb

...and the Winner IS:

(well you can all see the winner in the poll)...

So get reading. I will open the discussion thread on July 26.

BOb

A close fought battle. I'm sending the book to my Kindle!

If you would like to download the winning book it can be found on the following pages:
lrf version (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19145)
prc version (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19149)
epub version (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48377)
imp version (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21102)

If you would like to download the winning book it can be found on the following pages:
lrf version (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19145)
prc version (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19149)
epub version (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48377)
imp version (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21102)

Thanks.... you saved me a few mouse clicks. Although, I might end up downloading it to my Kindle directly using the MR Download Guide.

BOb

I've started Three Men in a Boat and have finished chapter 1. Not a laugh or a giggle yet.

I've started Three Men in a Boat and have finished chapter 1. Not a laugh or a giggle yet.

Good news for folks with diametrically different tastes (us 'Passage to India' fans for example).
We'll probably bust a gasket on this one! :D

I've started Three Men in a Boat and have finished chapter 1. Not a laugh or a giggle yet.

You are a Vulcan after all. :D

BOb

I've started Three Men in a Boat and have finished chapter 1. Not a laugh or a giggle yet.
TMML.

TMML.

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

BOb

I know we're not discussing this yet, but I did want to report that I read the first four chapters last night. Not hysterically funny, but amusing.

I know we're not discussing this yet, but I did want to report that I read the first four chapters last night. Not hysterically funny, but amusing.
Yes, amusing is a good way to describe things. Another word that comes to mind is quaint.

I did finish The Discworld book Lords and Ladies and yes, it did have groans and laugh-out-louds in it. Maybe we should have chosen a Discworld book instead. :D