Anyone interested in a group read?

I thought it might me nice if we geeks read the same classic occasionally and then had a discussion? Yeah or nay? If the answer is yeah, please list, in order of preference, 3 classics you would be interested in reading/discussion. I'm thinking discussion the first week of September to give everybody time to secure book and read.

>1 Tess_W: Hi Tess. I am not the most active in this group (this sounds like a huge euphemism), but I might be interested in a group read. I'll try to think about some titles, and I hope you'll have more replies to your proposal!

Ooh, yes! Sounds like marvellous fun! Count me in.

I'll nominate these three books for starters:
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein

>3 Majel-Susan: I like the idea of Howl's Moving Castle that I have been meaning to read for quite some time now, although I am not sure it qualifies as a classic, but I won't reopen this conversation...

Some other thoughts:
The wonderful wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
The Corner that held them by Sylvia Townsend Warner
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
or a book by Selma Lagerlöf or George Sand, for non-English classics?

>4 raton-liseur: It's true I wasn't sure how the group defines classic, and I went for a rather broad definition of it...

But I'd be open to reading O Pioneers! as well.

>5 Majel-Susan: I don't think there is an agreed definition of classics, so no worries!

Two votes for Howl's moving castle and for O Pioneers!, out of 3 participants (for the time being).
Let's see if Tess, or any other potential participant, will cast a decisive vote.

>6 raton-liseur: We still have a good month before September, so hopefully we might still have more folks come along and join us.

I'd be interested in O Pioneers!, I think.

I too would join a group read of O Pioneers. I have not yet read that Cather.

So now that's 4 votes for O Pioneers!, 2 for Howl's Moving Castle, and no new nominations.

I cast my vote for Howl's Moving Castle.

Vote count:

4 votes — O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
3 votes — Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Other nominations:
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
The Corner That Held Them by Sylvia Townsend Warner
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
A book by Selma Lagerlöf or George Sand

Let's have a cut off date for voting, how about August 21. Then start reading on Sept. 1? That will give people time to secure the book?

>13 Tess_W: Sounds good to me!

Vote now (see above)! This post to keep this at the top of the list!

I’m not a member of this group (I saw Majel-Susan’s post in the 75’ers group) so don’t know if my vote counts.

If you decide on Howl’s Moving Castle, I’ll definitely join in. I’ve been meaning to read it for ages.

>16 PawsforThought: For sure your vote counts!

Shall we make that 4 votes for Howl's Moving Castle?

>17 Majel-Susan: Sounds good!

I have to "uncast" my vote for Howl's Moving Castle, as I won't be able to buy the book by the time we start reading, but as I already have O pionners!, I'll join if the latter is selected.

A new vote for Howl's Moving Castle followed by an "uncast" bring our vote back to:

4 votes — O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
3 votes — Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

I think we have a winner! :O

I won't be reading the Cather book, but that's ok! I've read it twice.

Well, they could both be winners and we could read them in different months, the way some other groups do with their nominations. That's just a suggestion, though.

So, shall we say that we are starting our group read tomorrow, 1st of September?
If so, I can try to set up a thread in the course of the day, so we can start our conversation alongside our reading.

>23 raton-liseur: Perfect, I've already got a copy from my library!

>21 Tess_W: Although you won't read the book with us, I hope you'll drop by from time to time, and maybe post and give your insights on this book.

Here is the group read thread:
September 2021 Group Read - O! Pionners by Willa Caher
(mispelling included... If you can help me fix it, please, don't hesitate to let me know!)

Letting the universe know that I'm still game for another group read in Oct/Nov if others are, too. *whistles to the side*

I will participate in a Oct/Nov group read, also.

Hi, I am likely to participate too. Maybe we could try to make it a permanent feature in the group? Two or four books per year (every semester or every quarter)? I would be happy to read more classics!

>29 raton-liseur: Yes, I would love for group reads to become a permanent feature in the group, too, especially one just for classics! Two to four books per year sounds perfect.

I'd be happy to take part in a group read if it fits with the rest of my reading.

>30 Majel-Susan: Sounds great. While we think about a potential permanent feature (we would need more interest than only Majel-Susan and myself...), we should start planning the last one for this year.

Shall we make new suggestions for the next group read, or keep the previous one (Howl's moving castle being the selection)?
Either way is fine with me.

I think one per quarter is doable!

We could keep Howl's Moving Castle, unless others would like a new change; it was a close second the last time.

>32 raton-liseur:, would you be able to get Howl's Moving Castle for Oct/Nov?

>34 Majel-Susan: It should be fine. I'll place an order latter today if times allows. I should have it by mid-October. So I'd prefer a november group read, to be sure that I secure the book.
(I'm trying to limit the number of books I buy. So my excuse to buy children books is that I read them in English, in order to improve my language skills... And it always take a bit of time to get such books in "my" bookstore).

>35 raton-liseur: November is swell and works for me.

Oh, for sure, that is a fine and worthy cause, excuses aside! ;)

I think we need a separate post for each read? Can I make one for November?

>36 Majel-Susan: It's so easy to find good causes to bend a no-buying-(too-much)-books policy... 😉

>37 Tess_W: Yes, sure! Go ahead!

I was thinking about a quaterly group read suggestion I made yesterday.
If we go for it, I see two ways to organise ourselves. We suggest titles, vote and select the 4 winners.
Or, to help us diversify our reading, we coud make categories and vote for each categories (eg. classic wrote by women in Q1,non-western classic in Q2, more-than-100-years classic in Q3, children classics in Q4, and we could find other categories depending on interests: classics for tomorrow, SFF classics, ...). Those categories could be semi-permanent, or evolve each year.
Comments and alternative ideas more than welcome!

>37 Tess_W: Yes, that would be perfect!

>39 raton-liseur: I really like the idea of a category for children's classics, since I do regularly try to pick up books from that genre. At the same time, though, as we are only choosing four books every year, I'm not sure how useful categories will be in selecting our titles. I don't know, but I'm still open to the idea if others would like to have the categories.

Then it's Howl's Moving Castle for October-November?

I think it's good if we just skip December this year--too short for a read!

I'm not for categories, per say. I think general nominations should be given (no more than 3 per person per quarter) and voted upon. Or maybe 3 nominations in December and the top 4 selections would be next years reads?

>40 Majel-Susan: >42 Tess_W: Yes, I might be overcomplicating things here. My original idea was to find a way to guarantee some diversity in our yearly selection, but if we look at the two books we've selected so far, there is diversity without needing to force it.
So let's go for a light organisation, and see how it goes!

I think I like the idea of 1 vote in December for the whole year. It might allow those with category challenges or those with long-term reading plan to organise themselves; (And it's lighter: one vote to organise, rather than 4).

I'd suggest:
Q1 - starting 1st Feb
Q2 - starting 1st May
Q3 - starting 1st August
Q4 - starting 1st Nov

I can try to set up a threat thread for suggestions and votes for 2022, maybe starting at the end of our next group read for nominations, and then voting in December, if you would like to.

Edited to correct some misspelling...

>43 raton-liseur: set up a threat

Aaargh! Don't know if I dare take part now.

/Sorry, couldn't help myself. I've been spellchecking all day and I'm stuck.

>43 raton-liseur: No threats, please! LOL Except I don't like staring Nov 1...that will run through Thanksgiving and Christmas and I'm not sure about the participation level. I would prefer the more traditional quarters; but then I'm flexible!

>44 PawsforThought: >45 Tess_W: Oops... Sorry, it's a recurring misspelling from my side. I'll edit my post and can set up a thread if you feel safer that way. ;)

I was willing to avoid nominations and voting and securing the book on December, and starting a first group read on 1st of January, but I did not think about Thanksgiving... Traditional quarters are fine with me as well. I can set up the threat thread earlier.

>46 raton-liseur: I misspell both my own name and the name of the company I work for on a daily basis.

What about maybe a semi-yearly vote, instead of voting all at once in December or every time before each read? Like if we vote before the 1st and 3rd quarters, and the two books with the most votes will be chosen for the upcoming two quarters. Kinda like what we've done this time with O Pioneers! and Howl's Moving Castle.

Chances are that there would usually be a fair amount of interest in the second place nomination and it would make sense to read that as well, rather than voting all over again the next time. As for voting periodically instead of everything in December, my thinking is that it would keep things fresher, as our reading interests shift through the course of the year, and would also help us to gauge the level of participation we might anticipate.

It's just a thought.

I think twice a year would be good, with #1 and # 2 being the reads for the next 2 quarters.

>48 Majel-Susan: >49 Tess_W: That's fine with me as I don't have yealy reading plans. So if it's the case of those interested in this group read, it seems a good way to organise ourselves!

Oct/Nov. group read is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/335760

>51 Tess_W:

Don't you mean https://www.librarything.com/topic/335760

>52 cpg: Yes, I did! I corrected. TY!

I've set up the thread to organise our Q1 and Q2 group reads for 2022. Please, come and nominate!

The last group reads have been fairly quiet, but out of curiosity, I'd like to check if there is interest for further group reads, let's say for Q3 and Q4?
If so, I can try to set up a voting thread in the coming days in order to get ready for Q3, starting in July.

>55 raton-liseur: I'm interested, but I am also having a bit of a chaotic time preparing for a big move this month or next. I will try to join, though, depending on the book, if we can get a group read rolling!

I would be interested depending on what the reads are. And I can (unfortunately) never guarantee that I’ll have time to join the read as my life if crazy right now.

Here is the link to the thread to organise our Q3 and Q4 group reads. Please, come, nominate and comment!