New Leaf Welcome to the New Leaf Book Club

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Be careful what you wish for ... I'm thinking along the lines of Jacqueline Susann and V.C. Andrews.

Wow! Now that's what I call unabashed guilt!

[astrangerhere]

As I am in recess from court at the moment, all I can think of are the legal connotations of the topic...

[issybird]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

As I am in recess from court at the moment, all I can think of are the legal connotations of the topic...

Perhaps we're not quite at the hanging offense level, yet.

Not trying to derail the discussion of guilt, but mention has also been made in this thread of books we've read that were nominated or otherwise mentioned that didn't win. I took a look at my Goodreads list for this year and I saw a bunch of titles that were book club related:

• Stargazing
• Secrets of Station X
• A Traveller in Time (Lit club)
• Shattered City
• The Girl with All the Gifts
• Nothing But Blue Skies*
• The Prestige
• England, Their England (MR Club)
• Miss Subways (MR Club)

I may have missed something, but those are the ones that jumped out at me. Others remain on various TBR/wishlists for now.

*My own nomination which I'm glad lost; Passing was far superior and made for a much better discussion.

[CRussel]

Add in The Price of Salt for me. And in others that were triggered by the nomination process, if not actually nominated, Shattered City, Guns, Germs and Steel, Between Silk and Cyanide, To Sir with Love, and a couple of Joseph Hansen's Dave Brandsetter books, Fadeout and Death Claims. (FWIW, I did try to read England, Their England, but got distracted and ended up abandoning it. Might circle back at some point. )

[issybird]

I considered Peg Bracken for my guilty pleasure. I love the way she writes and she's hysterical; she's also a wonderful window into the world of yesterday. But I decided she's too much an American thing; probably not even available elsewhere.

Originally Posted by issybird

I considered Peg Bracken for my guilty pleasure. I love the way she writes and she's hysterical; she's also a wonderful window into the world of yesterday. But I decided she's too much an American thing; probably not even available elsewhere.

Kindle and Kobo will each me sell me one of her books

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

I considered Peg Bracken for my guilty pleasure. I love the way she writes and she's hysterical; she's also a wonderful window into the world of yesterday. But I decided she's too much an American thing; probably not even available elsewhere.

Only one (I Hate to Cook) available in the UK. £3.99.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Only one (I Hate to Cook) available in the UK. £3.99.

That (I Hate to Cook Book) is all I'm seeing in Australia - Kobo or Amazon. AND they want $19.99 for it!

[gmw]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Be careful what you wish for ... I'm thinking along the lines of Jacqueline Susann and V.C. Andrews.

Ah, see I know the name Jacqueline Susann from Star Trek IV.

Spock: Your use of language has altered since our arrival. It is currently laced with, shall I say, more colorful metaphors-- "Double dumb-ass on you" and so forth.
James T. Kirk: You mean the profanity?
Spock: Yes.
James T. Kirk: That's simply the way they talk here. Nobody pays any attention to you unless you swear every other word. You'll find it in all the literature of the period.
Spock: For example?
James T. Kirk: Oh, the complete works of Jacqueline Susann, the novels of Harold Robbins....
Spock: Ah... The Giants.

Originally Posted by gmw

That (I Hate to Cook Book) is all I'm seeing in Australia - Kobo or Amazon. AND they want $19.99 for it!

Amazon will sell it to me fot $10.99US, Kobo wants $24.99NZ

[issybird]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Only one (I Hate to Cook) available in the UK. £3.99.

Originally Posted by gmw

That (I Hate to Cook Book) is all I'm seeing in Australia - Kobo or Amazon. AND they want $19.99 for it!

Originally Posted by stuartjmz

Amazon will sell it to me fot $10.99US, Kobo wants $24.99NZ

I think my wallet is grateful I'm not in the UK; their prices are so very, very appealing. I keep a wishlist on Amazon UK just for comparison's sake and the difference across the board is jaw-dropping. I wonder how long it'll last.

Peg isn't worth a big outlay, but if you ever come across a tattered paperback on one of those giveaway tables, there are laughs to be had.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by gmw

Ah, see I know the name Jacqueline Susann from Star Trek IV.

I don't remember a lot of profanity in Jacqueline Susann's books, but it's been a while. Audible has Valley of the Dolls due out next week, and I might not be able to resist.

[gmw]

I'm thinking of breaking my habit so far in the club and this time nominate an author that I haven't read before: Saki (aka H.H. Munro, Hector Hugh Munro). He's supposed to be funny, and apparently influenced A.A. Milne, Noël Coward and P.G. Wodehouse. There's an omnibus collection here on MR I can link to when I nominate.

I'm thinking of nominating The Chronicles of Clovis, but since I am not familiar with his books I wondered if anyone here may have had some preference to try some other of this books, like maybe Beasts and Super-Beasts. The point being that I don't really care which book, I just want to try some of this work, so if someone has a preference I'd go along with that. (My only leaning is to a short story collection because that's what he's best known for.)

[issybird]

Originally Posted by gmw

I'm thinking of breaking my habit so far in the club and this time nominate an author that I haven't read before: Saki (aka H.H. Munro, Hector Hugh Munro). He's supposed to be funny, and apparently influenced A.A. Milne, Noël Coward and P.G. Wodehouse. There's an omnibus collection here on MR I can link to when I nominate.

I'm thinking of nominating The Chronicles of Clovis, but since I am not familiar with his books I wondered if anyone here may have had some preference to try some other of this books, like maybe Beasts and Super-Beasts. The point being that I don't really care which book, I just want to try some of this work, so if someone has a preference I'd go along with that. (My only leaning is to a short story collection because that's what he's best known for.)

I listened to a ton of Saki short stories this past summer (my summer ) narrated alternately by Frederick Davidson and Nadia May. I can't be sure which belonged to the Beasts and Super-Beasts collection, but the Clovis ones are obvious and he's a hoot, a kind of amalgamation of Jeeves and Wooster. So I'd pull for that, but Saki's a joy either way.

[gmw]

Pleased to hear you sound enthusiastic, less pleased that it sounds like you've read/heard of a lot of them - always a high risk with this sort of nomination. I did wonder if Clovis might be best for a club discussion (if it gets that far) because the stories would have something in common to keep the discussion together a bit more, maybe.


I got reminded about wanting to try Saki while researching availability of a book by A.A. Milne: Not that it Matters. Published in 1920 it's public domain in the U.S. but not elsewhere. (Available on Project Gutenberg for any interested Americans.) It's a collection of newspaper articles he wrote, whimsical rather than funny, but I enjoyed it very much. It includes such topics as the joy of writing - actually using the pen; the best way to organise your library - when you find the time; the charm of golf - being a good game for a bad player; goldfish and how they came to have a diet of ant eggs; why daffodils are the best flowers and oranges the best fruit ... and lots more. It also includes an article about The Wind in the Willows that includes a favourite quote.