2022 Q3 and Q4 Group Reads Planning

Following a tradition that still needs to be established, here is the thread to choose our group reads for 2022 Q3 and Q4.

The selection process will be in two phases:
- Phase 1 – from Wednesday 15th to Tuesday 21st of June – nominating classics that we would like to see selected for our group reads.

- Phase 2 – from Wednesday 22nd to Tuesday 28th of June – voting for the books we prefer.

The two books that yield more votes will be our group reads for Q3 (July to September) and Q4 (October to December). The results will be announced on Wednesday 29th of June.

As a rule of thumb, the person who have nominated a book selected for a group read will be expected to set up the group read thread, but this is not set in stone and should not prevent anybody to nominate books.

Phase 1 - Nominees

Deadline: Tuesday 21st of June
Rule to participate: Each of the participants can nominate up to three titles. Please, include both title and author in your nomination (if possible with touchstones).

As a reminder, here are the classics that have been selected over the past group reads:
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather in September 2021 (group read discussion thread here).
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones in November 2021 (group read discussion thread here).
Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe in January 2022 (group read discussion threads here, here and here).
Le Grand Meaulnes by Alain-Fournier in April 2022 (group read discussion thread here).

As you can see, the definition for "what is a classic" is large: modern and less modern classics are welcome, as well as literary classics and genre classics.

Of course you are welcome to discuss nominations made by fellow readers, but for the sake of clarity, I will be able to take into account voting only when the nomination process is over.

Thanks for setting this up!

If anyone is up for a light-hearted read, I’ve been planning to read Evelyn Waugh’s Sword of Honour series, starting with Men at Arms.

And if anyone wants to read drama, I’m going to be reading some Shakespeare and since there are so many I haven’t read yet, if anyone has suggestions for one they’d want to read I’m open to it.

Looking forward to more suggestions coming in!

Thanks for setting up the thread!

I'll nominate:
An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy

I'm not sure I'll participe in the coming group reads, so I'm unlikely to make any nominations, but I can see some interesting suggestion in >3 PawsforThought: and >4 Majel-Susan:, thanks to you both!

>3 PawsforThought: I guess you're suggesting Men at arms? although a Terry Partchett book might be good as well? (Ah, touchstones...)

>3 PawsforThought: Regarding Shakespeare, I've not read much either, but I've been meaning to read Timon of Athens for some time. Would you be interested in reading it?

>5 raton-liseur: Yes, of course I mean to link to the Waugh title, not Pratchett (though I would absolutely join any group read of Pratchett).

I'd be happy to read Timon of Athens. I've only read a handful of Shakespeare and it was all quite a while ago. I borrowed a complete works from the library last week.

>6 PawsforThought: Great! I'll include Timon of Athens as the Shekespeare nomination then.

Phase 2 - Votes

Deadline: Tuesday 28th of June
Rule to participate:
I suggest that each of the participants place each nominated book in one of the following category:
- Books I really would like to see nominated. If nominated, I’m pretty sure I’ll participate in the group read.
- Books for which I'm highly unlikely to participate in the group read (whatever the reason is: book already read, not interested, etc.).
- Books for which I do not have a strong opinion. If nominated, I might participate in the group read.

With those rules, I hope that we will be able to decide on nominations that will ensure an optimum participation in the group read and that we will be able to break any potential ties.

Suggested classics: (by author alphabetical order)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley
The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
Timon of Athens by Shakespeare
Men at Arms by Evelyn Waugh (first book in the Sword of Honour series)

Please, feel free to cast your votes!

Books I really would like to see nominated:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Timon of Athens by Shakespeare
The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy

Books for which I reserve my decision to participate:
None

Books for which I'm unlikely to participate in the group read:
An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley
Men at Arms by Evelyn Waugh

Books I really would like to see nominated:
Timon of Athens by Shakespeare
The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy

Books for which I reserve my decision to participate:
None

Books for which I'm unlikely to participate in the group read:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley
Men at Arms by Evelyn Waugh

Books I really would like to see nominated:
Timon of Athens by Shakespeare
Men at Arms by Evelyn Waugh

Books for which I reserve my decision to participate:
The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy

Books for which I'm unlikely to participate in the group read:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley

Books I really would like to see nominated:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley
The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
Timon of Athens by Shakespeare

Books for which I reserve my decision to participate:
None

Books for which I'm unlikely to participate in the group read:
Men at Arms by Evelyn Waugh

With 4 people voting, results are clear: all 4 are interested in Timon of Athens by Shakespeare. And 3 people, maybe 4, are interested in reading The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Tolstoy.

I therefore suggest the following plan:
Q3 – July to September 2022 - Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare
Q4 – October to December 2022 - The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy

I hope this will work for all potential participants.

The Shakespeare play has been suggested by >3 PawsforThought: and the Tolstoy classic was suggested by >4 Majel-Susan:.
Would you be ok to set the group read threads a few days before we start our reading?

I should be able to set up something today or tomorrow as I have my laptop near (these things as next to impossible to do on the iPad).

>15 PawsforThought: Great you have your laptop! I'll look forward to the discussion.

>14 raton-liseur: Yes, sure, I'll set it up. It'll be a first for me! ^_^

Great! I've already gone and borrowed Timon of Athens, and I'll hopefully be starting soon.

The thread for Timon of Athens is up now!

>17 Majel-Susan: Great!
>18 PawsforThought: Thanks!

It's here!! The Death of Ivan Ilyich: Oct-Dec '22 Group Read

After reading Timon of Athens and The Death of Ivan Ilyich during the second half of 2022, here is the nomination and voting thread for 2023 Q1 and Q2 group reads.

If you want to carry on with other Classics group reads, nominations for 2023 Q1 and Q2 are open till tomorrow.
So far, four books have been nominated:
East of Eden by Steinbeck, Faust by Goethe, David Copperfield by Dickens and Tristram Shandy by Sterne

If my work-life situation continues as it has been for the past six months (which is very likely) I will probably not be able to join in any group read at all. In fact I’d be impressed if I managed any reading at all, so I’m going to abstain from voting and suggesting and just see what the result eventually is. I liked all the suggestions put forth so far, though, and would love to read along with you if life allows for it.

>23 PawsforThought: Sadly, there is never enough time to read as much as we would like...
I hope you'll manage to find some time to join us, or to read whatever you fancy.

BTW, votes are open for 2023 Q1 and Q2.

Votes for 2023 Q1 and Q2 group reads are open till 15th of January.
Come and participate, if you'd like a classics group read in 2023!