MobileRead December 2012 Book Club 1st Vote

Originally Posted by BelleZora

I listened to Ethan Frome from Audible a couple weeks ago and liked it a lot. The narrator Scott Brick does an excellent job. Although I want to re-read Crime and Punishment, I think it is very dark for the Christmas season. Every month I end up reading the winner as well as one or two nominees. I'll read The Good Earth and Cold Comfort Farm no matter what. Great choices!

I agree that Crime and Punishment is dark, but in the end Raskolnikov finds redemption. Ethan Frome though is a downer from start to finish. Then I would not pull for either one as the winner. Only I, Robot would be a complete non-starter for me, while Ethan Frome, The Good Earth and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (the film was much better) I have read recently enough that I would not really care to read again at this time. I could be satisfied with any of the others, but hope it is either my nomination of Quo Vadis and, if not that, Cold Comfort Farm.

[caleb72]

Well regardless of what happens, I'm grateful for the heads-up on Quo Vadis; that will be going onto my TBR list. And I think

...a downer from start to finish.

sounds like my kind of book, so Ethan Frome will also take its place in my TBR list.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by caleb72

Well regardless of what happens, I'm grateful for the heads-up on Quo Vadis; that will be going onto my TBR list.

Me, too. But I'm keeping my fingers crossed as it's a contender.

And I think sounds like my kind of book, so Ethan Frome will also take its place in my TBR list.

As a snapshot of life and mind in hardscrabble New England, I think Ethan Frome is unparalleled. Even though it was written by a New York society matron! I enjoy Wharton's New York novels more, but Frome is a tiny gem.

Eamus, Quo Vadis!

[Bookatarian]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

There are some good choices on that list, but I wish I had thirded both Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday and Huxley's Brave New World.

No one to blame but myself.

And Jon, who was late with his thirds.

Would have loved either of those too!

[ucfgrad93]

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm going with Quo Vadis. I've read eight of the others and would like to read something new that isn't I, Robot.

Seriously, Quo Vadis sounds like a great read and it's a somewhat unusual choice, which is a good thing. Expand horizons and all that.

I also voted for Quo Vadis.

[colinsky]

Lots of good selections on this list, would be happy with quite a few.

Glad to see a visible vote as well--it's been a while!

[JSWolf]

I voted for the one I nominated since it is on my TBR list and I do want to read it once again. Since we didn't actually get a science fiction book last month (I tried to stop Cloud Atlas but I wasn't able to stop us from getting gypped), I, Robot makes an excellent choice.

[JSWolf]

For those who feel I, Robot is too expensive, please check out the Overdrive links and see if you may be able to get it for free to read for December.

I, Robot is available FOR FREE from some (not just the USA) libraries that support Overdrive.
ePub: http://search.overdrive.com/ti/9ab7d...c-asimov-ebook
Kindle: http://search.overdrive.com/ti/9ab7d...c-asimov-ebook
MP3: http://search.overdrive.com/ti/a6aae...imov-audiobook
WMA: http://search.overdrive.com/ti/a6aae...imov-audiobook

[orlok]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

I nominated Crime and Punishment last December, and it received few votes for the reason BelleZora mentions.

Perhaps it is a mistake to have December a classics month. A lot of classics are downers. I would recommend that we make December the humor month. Everyone should be in a good mood in December.

April is currently the humor month, presumably because the first of April is April Fool's Day. But I don't find the period of March 20 through April 20 to be any more joyful than other months, and perhaps April should be the classics month.

I suggest a simple trade of April for December.

PS - Most people are very busy in December. If you don't like my idea of making December the humor month, perhaps we can make it the short works month.

I second that idea (oh, we're not voting?).

[Bookpossum]

I voted for "Flush" - it sounds unusual for Virginia Woolf, and I haven't read it. In the hands of a lesser writer, it could easily be pretty mawkish, but I'm interested to read it, whichever book wins.

[caleb72]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

For those who feel I, Robot is too expensive, please check out the Overdrive links and see if you may be able to get it for free to read for December.

I, Robot is available FOR FREE from some (not just the USA) libraries that support Overdrive.
ePub: http://search.overdrive.com/ti/9ab7d...c-asimov-ebook
Kindle: http://search.overdrive.com/ti/9ab7d...c-asimov-ebook
MP3: http://search.overdrive.com/ti/a6aae...imov-audiobook
WMA: http://search.overdrive.com/ti/a6aae...imov-audiobook

Unfortunately, although it's available in Australia, it's not available for me. I'm in the wrong state *sigh*. Otherwise I wouldn't have an issue with a bit of Asimov in December.

[caleb72]

Well - not going too well for my selection.

Nothing left to do but barrack for Quo Vadis and Ethan Frome.

[issybird]

I'm still hoping Quo Vadis can squeak into the run-off. For December, I'd really like a book that just tells a good story, something to lose myself in for a while. I'm not in the mood for something highly literary, nor for something as grim as Crime and Punishment or Ethan Frome.

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm still hoping Quo Vadis can squeak into the run-off. For December, I'd really like a book that just tells a good story, something to lose myself in for a while. I'm not in the mood for something highly literary, nor for something as grim as Crime and Punishment or Ethan Frome.

+1 to this.

Have to say though, this open voting has not produced much in the way of lemming behavior. In fact it would be hard to construct a more spread out voting pattern

[caleb72]

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm still hoping Quo Vadis can squeak into the run-off. For December, I'd really like a book that just tells a good story, something to lose myself in for a while. I'm not in the mood for something highly literary, nor for something as grim as Crime and Punishment or Ethan Frome.

I'm hoping so as well. Although I'll happily read Ethan Frome, the other two leaders are a non-starter for me this month.

I may not like Quo Vadis at all, but for some reason I'm secretly (or not so secretly) barracking for it now that I know that my choice doesn't have a chance.