posted
If you don't mind, I'd like to keep book club selections to those books which, in your opinion, or examples of very good quality work. There are several reasons for this:
1. I want everyone to continue reading the bookse each month and if we keep asking them to read crap, who's going to participate. Heck, I'll drop it. That's like saying...this tastes awful, here have a bite!
2. Just because you think a book is good does not mean that there are not bad elements to learn the "not to's" from. No book is perfect. In fact, I highly suspect that each month there will be dissenters.
3. As useful as it is to learn what not to do, it is at least as important, if not more important, to see many clear examples of what TO do. There are an infinite number of ways of not doing things, in the end without seeing some correct methods they will never eliminate all the mistakes you could possibly make.
- There are plenty of cheap used copies available, plus new ones, plus it is available for download!
- I was in my dental office, and it turns out my hygienist is a sf fan. She mentioned OSC, Greg Bear, and some others. I finally asked if she had read any Anne McCaffrey. She replied, "Oh, doesn't she write mostly fantasy?" Oh my! So I had to correct her, letting her know that McCaffrey actually writes mostly sf, some romance, some combined, and that the confusion comes because one her most famous and beloved series of books has dragons...
SPOILER
- genetically engineered dragons, created by people who showed up on space ships and had to counter a menace coming from space! It has been described as science fantasy, and that works because of the level of civilization you start learning about, but as you progress with them to solve their problems, they learn of their extrastellar origins... not an elf or sorcerer in sight!
END SPOILER
So I thought it would be great for us to look at Restoree, which was McCaffrey's first published novel. According to her, she wrote it in response to the ridiculous way women were portrayed in sf in the 50's and 60's. But she did not write a "butch, butt-kicking girl" or a "weak damsel-in-distress" story - the protagonist is someone you feel could be very real, someone you know. What I find is that this book, unlike some others from the time period, holds up well and doesn't feel dated. I've read it several times over many years, and it still works for me. We'll benefit from looking at a successful author's first book, which happens to be a really good story, well-written - I still wish she would write a sequel.
Christine May Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Gen June Deep Secret by Diana Wynne Jones AeroB1033 July danquixote August In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O'Brien Lord Darkstorm September The Forever War by Joe Haldeman Silver6 October The Book of Atrix Wolfe by Patricia McKillip punahougirl84 November Restoree, by Anne McCaffrey Khyber December Lullaby Lady January cvgurau February teddyrux March TheoPhileo April Ergoface May Eljay June sassenach July Kickle August mogservant September SiliGurl October Pyre Dynasty November The Siege of Mt. Nevermind by Fergus Ryan
I'm happy to say that we've got most of our selections for the next half year. AeroB1033 is the only delinquent one. (Don't worry...plenty of time.) We've even got a couple selections for next year!
One thing, if anyone feels the need to withdraw from this group at any time...PLEASE just let me know so I can adjust the month assignments.
posted
Thanks for the clarification Christine. I was going to pick "Starship Troopers" as my book, but since it's caused such debate lately, I've decided to switch it.
"Stranger in a Strange Land" will be my March pick.
posted
Gee, teddyrux, too bad! Debate is part of what will make this work, but I understand your choice. I've read SIASL, but not Starship Troopers (though we have it) - now I have another excuse not to read it (I've read my quota of bad-bug books). I don't mind rereading SIASL - I actually pulled some quotes from it for a class I'm taking.
I started rereading HPATSS too soon - am almost done again - didn't realize how much I had forgotten (you know, all the stuff in the book that is not in the movie!).
posted
Christine, I have my pick for January. Since we will be reading in the busy month of December for our Jan. discussion, I decided to pick something short and easy, but (IMHO) VERY good.
(drumroll, please...) "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle
I must warn you, though, that your month to pick a book won't come up utnil December of 2005. But still, read the books for each month, join in the discussions, and if things are still going in a year and a half, pick a book too.
posted
If you want to start discussing the book by May 1st, I'd suggest reading it now. The months listed are the months we will discuss the book, they should have been read in advance.
punahougirl84, there is a lot of stuff missing from the movie. In fact, one of the threads I plan to start is a discussion of whether the movie did justice to the book.
posted
Book clubs...online and RL, have a tendency to fall apart. I have a good feeling about this one. Planning--that's the key. ")
Posts: 21 | Registered: Aug 2003
|
posted
Well, I don't nkow....if it was someone else maybe...
Just kidding! The more the merrier! I've got you signed up to pick a book in February 2006. I'm very much looking forward to our first discussion...only a week and a half away! (I might start a few days early if I get really itchy fingers.)
quote:I'm happy to say that we've got most of our selections for the next half year. AeroB1033 is the only delinquent one. (Don't worry...plenty of time.) We've even got a couple selections for next year!
I'm thinking on it, no worries. *chuckle* I'll have a selection soon.
posted
All right, I'm getting itchy fingers. Besides, I have much less time to post on the weekend than on a weekday so getting started on a Saturday (which is actually the first of the month) isn't going to work for me. Therefore, I am going to start on a Monday (today). If you head over to "Discussion of Published Hooks" I will have started our May book discussion. (Unless you're right on top of this message, in which case give me fifteen minutes already! ) See you over there.
Posts: 3567 | Registered: May 2003
|
posted
Come on over and start yapping! And that's true for anyone who wants to start joining our discussions. Even if you don't want to come in every month, if you see we're doing a book that you've read and would like to discuss it, come on over.
Posts: 3567 | Registered: May 2003
|
posted
I know it's WAY in advance, but I just thought of the prefect book for my selection and wanted to get it down while I'm still lucid. "The Bean Trees" by Barbara Kingsolver. Great description and narrative.
Posts: 66 | Registered: Apr 2004
|
Printer-friendly view of this topic
(Don't worry...plenty of time.) We've even got a couple selections for next year! 
Great! And thanks for starting us on this adventure, Christine!
