Literary The MobileRead Literary Book Club Begins - Page 4

sun surfer · 05-20-2011, 12:34 PM

LOL, Vandy and others.

There's some good discussion and ideas here. We will have a June selection by the end of this month, so within the next ten days. I will actually be leaving for five days on the 22nd, so I will have something decided and posted by tomorrow.

Regardless of how we end up choosing a selection, I like the idea of a discussion moderator to post discussion questions and help keep the discussion moving. If we go with voting, perhaps someone who voted for the selection can step up each month to volunteer to help lead the discussion.

I like the idea of being exposed to authors and works that we may not have been otherwise. However, we will actually be exposed to more options by nominations and voting. If one person chooses each month, we will only have one option a month. A more obscure work may or may not win a vote, but just being nominated would expose it to us.

Seeing all the different ideas in these last pages, I, as the club starter, am going to take the reins of, like someone earlier put it, "benign dictatorship" to make some final decisions. It is necessary. I hope everyone will take what I decide in stride, as no definition of literature or method of selecting a book is perfect. Honestly though, the ideas have been really good, and there are some great ideas presented that just won't be used. In making decisions, I will consider what will keep this club running smoothly and easily; what will give us selections that are good, varied, interesting and challenging; and what all of you are posting.

I see some are worried about non-literature books being chosen or endless arguments. I trust in us, though. I think we're all mature enough to, if necessary, debate politely and for a short period, and then move on. I also think that those attracted to this club are going to want literature. We may have a few minor disagreements here and there about books on the edge, but for the most part I think we will be fine.

jbcohen · 05-20-2011, 03:06 PM

I eagarly await the start of the debate. An old wise man once told me "Only through thoughful debate is truth found."

fantasyfan · 05-20-2011, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

We're going to talk it right into an early grave... how 'bout we read something already? It's not like a consensus will ever be reached about what qualifies. For what it's worth, I'm perfectly cool with a benign dictatorship.

Ditto

I think we all really want to get started so I welcome sun surfer's last post!

JSWolf · 05-20-2011, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Putting titles up to vote on will give a consensus of what is "literary". Allowing one person to choose (either a personal choice or from a list of submitted titles) could expose the group to new titles, perhaps something they never would have considered reading - and broaden some personal horizons.

I have it maybe...

We could go thought the nomination process and then this one person takes a turn picking a book from the list of nominated books.

JSWolf · 05-20-2011, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by obs20

We would need a moderator with veto power lest we risk having Tom Clancy's NetForce 4 win.

Couldn't be any worse then some of the winning books in the other Book Club.

JSWolf · 05-20-2011, 03:27 PM

For the June book, I do have one criteria I would like to see and that being a book from a live author who is still actively writing.

sun surfer · 05-20-2011, 03:39 PM

We will go with a twelve month schedule.

Many of these will be voting months somewhat similar to the general book club, with a few minor changes. But some of the months will be a "member lottery". During these lottery months, anyone who voted each month during the last two or three months can nominate themselves if they wish. One of these nominees will be randomly chosen. This member then earns the right to choose that month's selection; however they also earn the responsibility to lead the discussion afterwards. Other members may suggest works to this member.

The non-lottery months will have categories. I've narrowed the categories down to an encompassing group of possibilities, though I still may add some, delete some, combine some or change some. Here is what we have:

-member lottery

-open (anything considered literature)

-poetry

-non-fiction

-plays

-short stories

-obscure

-highly challenging (especially long or difficult works we may be hesitant to choose otherwise)

-region (will begin with a quick poll of regions; once one is chosen nominations will proceed normally; once a region is chosen it would be out of the running the next time region is the category)

-time period (will begin with a quick poll of time periods)

Thoughts on this are of course welcome while I work on settling the schedule. Does this look like a group of categories that all of you would enjoy selecting from during the year? The categories are malleable right now. Are the member lottery months appealing?

This June will be an open month and will be voted on. I will start a nominations thread soon, and a 3-day final voting poll by the 28th at the latest (to finish by the 31st at the latest). I will try to start the final voting poll soon after nominations are complete but since I will be on vacation for five days I only guarantee that it will finish before June starts.

TGS · 05-20-2011, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sun surfer

We will go with a twelve month schedule.

From my own perspective I would probably dip out of the poetry and plays - but that's just me.

Kevin2960 · 05-20-2011, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sun surfer

LOL, Vandy and others.

There's some good discussion and ideas here. We will have a June selection by the end of this month, so within the next ten days. I will actually be leaving for five days on the 22nd, so I will have something decided and posted by tomorrow.

Regardless of how we end up choosing a selection, I like the idea of a discussion moderator to post discussion questions and help keep the discussion moving. If we go with voting, perhaps someone who voted for the selection can step up each month to volunteer to help lead the discussion.

I like the idea of being exposed to authors and works that we may not have been otherwise. However, we will actually be exposed to more options by nominations and voting. If one person chooses each month, we will only have one option a month. A more obscure work may or may not win a vote, but just being nominated would expose it to us.

Seeing all the different ideas in these last pages, I, as the club starter, am going to take the reins of, like someone earlier put it, "benign dictatorship" to make some final decisions. It is necessary. I hope everyone will take what I decide in stride, as no definition of literature or method of selecting a book is perfect. Honestly though, the ideas have been really good, and there are some great ideas presented that just won't be used. In making decisions, I will consider what will keep this club running smoothly and easily; what will give us selections that are good, varied, interesting and challenging; and what all of you are posting.

I see some are worried about non-literature books being chosen or endless arguments. I trust in us, though. I think we're all mature enough to, if necessary, debate politely and for a short period, and then move on. I also think that those attracted to this club are going to want literature. We may have a few minor disagreements here and there about books on the edge, but for the most part I think we will be fine.

Couldn't have said it better, "Hail to the Chief" !

fantasyfan · 05-20-2011, 07:07 PM

Sounds fine!

mcrow24 · 05-23-2011, 07:02 PM

Just a suggestion to perhaps simplify things. Maybe we just start with going off of the nominations for literary awards?

National Book Critics Award

Pulizer Prize

Faulkner Award

Hemingway Award

There are plenty of recent books to choose from among these awards.

mcrow24 · 05-23-2011, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TGS

From my own perspective I would probably dip out of the poetry and plays - but that's just me.

I'm not a huge fan of poetry either and would probably not be interested if a poetry reading came up.

sun surfer · 06-22-2011, 11:06 PM

Thanks everyone for making the first month a success.

I've come up with a twelve-month schedule for the club. I used a lot of your ideas in making it. I have decided to keep a few categories in that some may be less fond of because I want this club to encompass all of literature and challenge us. We will see how it goes. This schedule is experimental, and after we've tried it we can re-evaluate.

Here it is -

January: Poetry

February: Time Period (a time period will be chosen either at random or by poll and the nominations will come from that time period)

March: Member Lottery*

April: Obscure Works

May: Region (a region will be chosen either at random or by poll and the nominations will come from that region)

June: Short Stories

July: Highly Challenging Works (especially long or difficult works we may be hesitant to choose otherwise)

August: Member Lottery*

September: Non-Fiction

October: Plays

November: Member Lottery*

December: Open (anything considered literature)

*Member Lottery months - Anyone who voted or nominated in all the months since the previous Member Lottery may nominate themselves. Of the nominees, one will be chosen at random, who will then choose the selection for that month.

I hope the schedule is interesting and engaging for everyone. While it is somewhat set for now, we will take it month to month, and I do of course still welcome comments and ideas. I will start the July nominations thread within the next hour.

fantasyfan · 06-23-2011, 04:29 AM

The use of this type of schedule sonds very effective. My one reservation concerns the July selection area. IMO, we already have a quite challenging and difficult work under our belts with The Master and Margarita. Perhaps I'm in a minority here, but while it was certainly worth reading I found it tough going at times. Thus, I would suggest that perhaps the June and July categories should be reversed.

John F · 06-23-2011, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fantasyfan

... Thus, I would suggest that perhaps the June and July categories should be reversed.

I agree, but it appears to be too late.

I'm not sure if I like the idea of so many "member lottery", but I'll give it a shot.

I would also like to see one (or more) months be a something recently published category. I'm guessing that most of the selections will be relatively dated; not that there is anything wrong with that.

How about one month for "new author": a literary work that is an author's first work that and published in the last 5 years?

06-23-2011, 04:29 AM	#59
fantasyfan Wizard Posts: 1,368 Karma: 26886344 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Ireland Device: Kindle Oasis 3, 4G, iPad Air 2, iPhone IE	The use of this type of schedule sonds very effective. My one reservation concerns the July selection area. IMO, we already have a quite challenging and difficult work under our belts with The Master and Margarita. Perhaps I'm in a minority here, but while it was certainly worth reading I found it tough going at times. Thus, I would suggest that perhaps the June and July categories should be reversed. Last edited by fantasyfan; 06-23-2011 at 04:46 AM.

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05-20-2011, 12:34 PM	#46
sun surfer languorous autodidact ✦ Posts: 4,235 Karma: 44637926 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: smiling with the rising sun Device: onyx boox poke 2 colour, kindle voyage	LOL, Vandy and others. There's some good discussion and ideas here. We will have a June selection by the end of this month, so within the next ten days. I will actually be leaving for five days on the 22nd, so I will have something decided and posted by tomorrow. Regardless of how we end up choosing a selection, I like the idea of a discussion moderator to post discussion questions and help keep the discussion moving. If we go with voting, perhaps someone who voted for the selection can step up each month to volunteer to help lead the discussion. I like the idea of being exposed to authors and works that we may not have been otherwise. However, we will actually be exposed to more options by nominations and voting. If one person chooses each month, we will only have one option a month. A more obscure work may or may not win a vote, but just being nominated would expose it to us. Seeing all the different ideas in these last pages, I, as the club starter, am going to take the reins of, like someone earlier put it, "benign dictatorship" to make some final decisions. It is necessary. I hope everyone will take what I decide in stride, as no definition of literature or method of selecting a book is perfect. Honestly though, the ideas have been really good, and there are some great ideas presented that just won't be used. In making decisions, I will consider what will keep this club running smoothly and easily; what will give us selections that are good, varied, interesting and challenging; and what all of you are posting. I see some are worried about non-literature books being chosen or endless arguments. I trust in us, though. I think we're all mature enough to, if necessary, debate politely and for a short period, and then move on. I also think that those attracted to this club are going to want literature. We may have a few minor disagreements here and there about books on the edge, but for the most part I think we will be fine.

05-20-2011, 03:06 PM	#47
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	I eagarly await the start of the debate. An old wise man once told me "Only through thoughful debate is truth found."

05-20-2011, 03:27 PM	#51
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,887 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	For the June book, I do have one criteria I would like to see and that being a book from a live author who is still actively writing.

05-20-2011, 03:39 PM	#52
sun surfer languorous autodidact ✦ Posts: 4,235 Karma: 44637926 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: smiling with the rising sun Device: onyx boox poke 2 colour, kindle voyage	We will go with a twelve month schedule. Many of these will be voting months somewhat similar to the general book club, with a few minor changes. But some of the months will be a "member lottery". During these lottery months, anyone who voted each month during the last two or three months can nominate themselves if they wish. One of these nominees will be randomly chosen. This member then earns the right to choose that month's selection; however they also earn the responsibility to lead the discussion afterwards. Other members may suggest works to this member. The non-lottery months will have categories. I've narrowed the categories down to an encompassing group of possibilities, though I still may add some, delete some, combine some or change some. Here is what we have: -member lottery -open (anything considered literature) -poetry -non-fiction -plays -short stories -obscure -highly challenging (especially long or difficult works we may be hesitant to choose otherwise) -region (will begin with a quick poll of regions; once one is chosen nominations will proceed normally; once a region is chosen it would be out of the running the next time region is the category) -time period (will begin with a quick poll of time periods) Thoughts on this are of course welcome while I work on settling the schedule. Does this look like a group of categories that all of you would enjoy selecting from during the year? The categories are malleable right now. Are the member lottery months appealing? This June will be an open month and will be voted on. I will start a nominations thread soon, and a 3-day final voting poll by the 28th at the latest (to finish by the 31st at the latest). I will try to start the final voting poll soon after nominations are complete but since I will be on vacation for five days I only guarantee that it will finish before June starts.

05-20-2011, 07:07 PM	#55
fantasyfan Wizard Posts: 1,368 Karma: 26886344 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Ireland Device: Kindle Oasis 3, 4G, iPad Air 2, iPhone IE	Sounds fine!

05-23-2011, 07:02 PM	#56
mcrow24 Connoisseur Posts: 82 Karma: 35788 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kindle,Augen "The book", Nook	Just a suggestion to perhaps simplify things. Maybe we just start with going off of the nominations for literary awards? National Book Critics Award Pulizer Prize Faulkner Award Hemingway Award There are plenty of recent books to choose from among these awards.

06-22-2011, 11:06 PM	#58
sun surfer languorous autodidact ✦ Posts: 4,235 Karma: 44637926 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: smiling with the rising sun Device: onyx boox poke 2 colour, kindle voyage	Thanks everyone for making the first month a success. I've come up with a twelve-month schedule for the club. I used a lot of your ideas in making it. I have decided to keep a few categories in that some may be less fond of because I want this club to encompass all of literature and challenge us. We will see how it goes. This schedule is experimental, and after we've tried it we can re-evaluate. Here it is - January: Poetry February: Time Period (a time period will be chosen either at random or by poll and the nominations will come from that time period) March: Member Lottery* April: Obscure Works May: Region (a region will be chosen either at random or by poll and the nominations will come from that region) June: Short Stories July: Highly Challenging Works (especially long or difficult works we may be hesitant to choose otherwise) August: Member Lottery* September: Non-Fiction October: Plays November: Member Lottery* December: Open (anything considered literature) *Member Lottery months - Anyone who voted or nominated in all the months since the previous Member Lottery may nominate themselves. Of the nominees, one will be chosen at random, who will then choose the selection for that month. I hope the schedule is interesting and engaging for everyone. While it is somewhat set for now, we will take it month to month, and I do of course still welcome comments and ideas. I will start the July nominations thread within the next hour.

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