New Leaf Nominations for December 2018 • Just for Fun: Guilty Pleasures

[CRussel]

Hey, everyone's definition of guilty pleasures is different -- if it's yours, then by all means nominate it. For me, it's part of the fabric of our shared civilization. I read it in my youth, and while I remember none of it with any detail, I remember little pastiches from it. I'll be happy to read it again, so go for it. And if catlady hasn't read it, by all means nominate it!

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Hey, everyone's definition of guilty pleasures is different -- if it's yours, then by all means nominate it. For me, it's part of the fabric of our shared civilization. I read it in my youth, and while I remember none of it with any detail, I remember little pastiches from it. I'll be happy to read it again, so go for it. And if catlady hasn't read it, by all means nominate it!

I don't know if I read it or not. Was there a Classics Illustrated comic book?

[Bookworm_Girl]

I consider Guilty Pleasure an individual choice. One person’s guilty pleasure may be another person’s normal or another person’s torture.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I consider Guilty Pleasure an individual choice. One person’s guilty pleasure may be another person’s normal or another person’s torture.

I'm thinking of Guilty Pleasure as something that's entertaining or popular rather than highbrow and "good for you"--potato chips rather than spinach.

[CRussel]

That's the beauty of themes -- they go any way you want them to. And sometimes in ways no one expects. So, if someone is nominating The Scarlet Pimpernel, I'm quite willing to second it. And then hold onto my last ticket for a bit.

[Dazrin]

I'm traveling so can't look up the info well but will go ahead and nominate the Scarlett Pimpernel.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by issybird

And since when did you become such a stickler?

It could be a guilty pleasure because I darn near memorized it, I read it so many times.

Yes, that would certainly fit my definition.

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I consider Guilty Pleasure an individual choice. One person’s guilty pleasure may be another person’s normal or another person’s torture.

Very likely. The risk of nominating a real favourite here is having the discussion trample over something you love. (And books can become something very personal.) There are some books where I don't want to talk about their faults; all books have them, but sometimes I just don't care.

[CRussel]

OK, OK. You shamed me, Dazrin.

The Scarlet Pimpernel:

Originally Posted by Goodreads

Armed with only his wits and his cunning, one man recklessly defies the French revolutionaries and rescues scores of innocent men, women, and children from the deadly guillotine. His friends and foes know him only as the Scarlet Pimpernel. But the ruthless French agent Chauvelin is sworn to discover his identity and to hunt him down.

This book is in the Public Domain most everywhere. So, you can find it on:

• Project Gutenberg
• Patricia Clark Memorial Library (only in LRF format, but Calibre is your friend)
• Amazon (in a plethora of free or nearly free copies along with some very overpriced ones!)
• Audible (10 different versions, including one by the inimitable Wanda McCaddon)
• Kobo
• All the various .ca, .co.uk, .com.au iterations of the above stores.

Plus, of course, your favourite public library, in pBook, eBook or audio book format.

Approximate length: 200 pages

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by gmw

The risk of nominating a real favourite here is having the discussion trample over something you love. (And books can become something very personal.) There are some books where I don't want to talk about their faults; all books have them, but sometimes I just don't care.

I've now reached a point in my life where I can just let it slide off me. Because? I just don't care. I love certain books, and I offer them up to my friends as possibilities. Sometimes they like them, some times they do NOT. c'est la vie. I rejoice when they like them, I remember when they don't so that I'm less likely to suggest a similar to them. And, I might add, the same thing happens in reverse. Sometimes my friends suggest a book and it's "Wow". Other times? Not so much. But I don't hold it against them, and I always encourage others to suggest books. It's how I discover new books, genres and authors.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I'm thinking of Guilty Pleasure as something that's entertaining or popular rather than highbrow and "good for you"--potato chips rather than spinach.

This expresses my feelings.

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I'm traveling so can't look up the info well but will go ahead and nominate the Scarlett Pimpernel.

I've added a listing but it can be changed.

ETA: Whoops, Charlie and I overlapped. I'll add in some of the linkage. Is that a second, Charlie?

[gmw]

Originally Posted by CRussel

I've now reached a point in my life where I can just let it slide off me. Because? I just don't care. I love certain books, and I offer them up to my friends as possibilities. Sometimes they like them, some times they do NOT. c'est la vie. I rejoice when they like them, I remember when they don't so that I'm less likely to suggest a similar to them. And, I might add, the same thing happens in reverse. Sometimes my friends suggest a book and it's "Wow". Other times? Not so much. But I don't hold it against them, and I always encourage others to suggest books. It's how I discover new books, genres and authors.

Hmm... yes. I agree to a certain extent, but would say there is a significant difference between suggesting books between friends and getting into a nitty-gritty discussion as we do sometimes here. I've not yet reached the point where I'm able to sit on my hands when perhaps I should.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by gmw

I've not yet reached the point where I'm able to sit on my hands when perhaps I should.

I hope you never sit on your hands here!

As far as I'm concerned, it's all grist to the mill. Even negative comments about something I loved, or vice versa, can only add to my understanding and appreciation. I'd hate to think someone was pulling his punches out of consideration for others' feelings.

[gmw]

Ah, I was misleading. It's not that I'm inclined to pull punches where I have criticism, it's that I think I am sometimes inclined to be overly defensive of something I like. I know I have a tendency to keep arguing when I should just say my piece and let it go.

[Catlady]

I would never suggest a handful of books I absolutely love beyond reason, because I don't want to hear any criticism of them. They're special, and I don't want to discuss them.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

I've added a listing but it can be changed.

ETA: Whoops, Charlie and I overlapped. I'll add in some of the linkage. Is that a second, Charlie?

Yes, I already said I'd second a nomination. But was then avoiding turning in my weekly status report, so instead did the linkages and such like.