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Tildes Book Club - Nominations thread
Edit - Nominations are closed
This is the fourth nominations thread for Tildes book club.
If you think you might be interested to read with us, please name between one and five books you find intriguing and think others might enjoy. We will later have a voting thread so that each nomination gets an equal shot to win votes with no early nomination advantage. Our next book in August is Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, Followed by Ted Chiang Stories of your life and Others in September.
Please feel free to nominate both fiction and nonfiction. Books should be 600 pages or shorter. The first books in series are fair game for nominations if they tell a complete story.
Last time I nominated all sci-fi titles (Elder Race, Way Station, Diaspora). Elder Race was chosen, and if anybody wishes to renominate the other two, I wouldn't object!
This time around though, I'll nominate some classics I've been wanting to read. They're shorter (<300 pages), and standalone works, though may be a little more difficult than previous selections.
Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov- A layered work that is structured around the analysis and commentary of a fictional epic poem. Together, the poem and commentary form a blurred narrative that hints at a larger, hidden story. It can be read in multiple ways: by following footnotes and references around, or by simply reading through linearly.edit: After feedback, I've decided to replace Pale Fire with Pnin, as that is also a shorter title, but should be more accessible to the group.
Is it rude of me to even respond in the nominations thread? This is unfortunately my first engagement with the Book Club. I am looking for a new book to start, though, so I'm thinking of joining up right now. Sorry if this is out of line, but I have some caution to give about Pale Fire:
Pale Fire being called "a little more difficult" than almost anything rings as a comical understatement to me! I don't mean to be a jerk by saying that; it's more of a warning to potential voters (and to you /u/Wes if you haven't spent time with the book yet). This is slightly embarrassing to admit, but: I have an English degree, and regularly unpacked literature and poems for years in my course load, and I still sincerely struggle(d) with Pale Fire. I remember attempting to just start with the cantos, getting very overwhelmed, then trying to start over with the foreword/commentary section, and getting even more lost. From what I know of it, the text is meant to be read by flipping continually between the cantos, the commentary, and the footnotes. If that is the case, I don't know for sure if it would be a pleasant read in anything other than print. For me, I fear that I would have to read through the entire text, not really understanding things, then re-read the entire text again just to start to understand what is going on. To that end, maybe an audio book first pass, followed by an actual reading would get me over that initial hump.
Nabokov is a brilliant author, and has some of the most beautiful and evocative writing I've ever read. Invitation to a Beheading my be my favorite short story ever written. I am sure Pale Fire is worthwhile, and a truly engaged and committed book club or class on it would be incredibly rewarding. But unless tildes is getting a large amount of traction and engagement on these threads, I would be too worried about losing most readers to put it in your book club.
I appreciate your insight. I nominate titles that I'm interested in and think might also be of interest to the group. But because I haven't read them in advance, I can only guess if they'll be a good fit. As such, your experience is very welcome.
I did do a little research in advance, and found a lot of people saying it was completely okay (or even recommended) to read Pale Fire linearly. My hope was that this fact, combined with the shorter page count, would make it approachable. But I definitely don't want to turn a fun exercise into homework. So if you think it's not a good fit (and others feel similarly), I'd be happy to retract the nomination.
I have read some Nabokov, and I agree that his writing is absolutely beautiful. I can think of no other author whose prose makes me stop and reflect in the same way. So if Pale Fire is not a great fit, I would still welcome other titles from the same author. Including any suggestions you may have!
I want to read pnin
In a similar vein, I've always wanted to read Kafka's The Metamorphosis, which is only 200 pages. So that's another classic worth considering too, IMO. I have no idea how difficult a read (comprehension-wise) it is though so it may suffer from similar issues as Pale Fire.
While I can't speak for my own comprehension, I can say that I sat down and read The Metamorphosis in one sitting and never found it particularly difficult. For contrast, I struggled with Conrad's Heart of Darkness, which is roughly the same length.
I'd be open to either your suggestion or boxer's.
I haven't read it but I have seen it assigned to high-school students. I think it's probably OK for difficulty
I read Pale Fire on a kindle, which had the foot notes linked correctly. It was a pretty good experience, though I suspect a physical book would have been slightly better. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it's one of the most unique books I've read, and is beautifully written.
Our next book is Cats cradle by vonnegut.
You are most welcome.
We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor (383 pages)
First book of the Bobiverse series, but IIRC it can be read as a standalone. I've read it before but would happily read it again, and would love to participate in a group discussion on it. IMO, it's so damn good that most people will probably want to continue the series though. ;)
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (446 pages)
I've never read anything in the LitRPG genre before, but the genre and this book in particular seems super popular so I have always been curious to read it.
A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L. Peck (104 pages)
I enjoyed reading A House with Good Bones for book club, but it was pretty light on the actual horror aspects so afterwards I went hunting for some psychological/existential horror novels, which I find far more disturbing. And this short story was recommended a fair amount, sounded intriguing, and has incredibly high ratings. It's only 103 pages though, so it might be a bit too short for the book club?
Quite coincidentally, I actually read A Short Stay in Hell two-ish months ago. I enjoyed it!
I also think having some shorter books is fine. They make for a nice pacing break after longer titles, and they're also good for people who are very busy or who struggle to read habitually.
Hah, nice! Did you go hunting for more good horror novels after House with Good Bones too? :P
And yeah, putting the occasional shorter book club books after longer ones is a decent idea. cc: @boxer_dogs_dance, thoughts?
I organized shorter books interspersed with longer ones this year.
However I was thinking about asking the group whether we would prefer to read every other month. Whether that would be more relaxed as a pace.
So long as you're still good organizing one every month, I personally think that is the ideal. IMO the nice thing about that pace is if people skip a book (like I've done a few times recently) they can always hop back in the next month. But skipping a book when it's every other month means potentially waiting 4 months for the next opportunity to participate, which is kind of a long time.
It's also easier to remember.
Indeed, that too.
p.s. Just in case it hasn't been said enough recently, thanks again for organizing these. You're awesome. :)
I think one a month is great as a participant - there are some books I'm not interested in (horror, short stories) and some books I've already read, so I've been participating approximately once every-other month which has been nice. I think if it were once every-other month AND I were skipping some, it'd be hard to keep this in mind as a regular thing to do
But +1 that your desire for organizing is most important for deciding the cadence!
No, it just happened to go on sale and I’m a sucker for $2 ebooks. 😁
I feel like our book genres are really similar. I have read the first 2 you recommended and now I feel that I need to read the 3rd. I absolutely loved Dungeon Crawler Carl and feel you may as well. If you're an audiobook fan, I definitely recommend listening to it. The narrator, Jeff Hayes, is amazing.
Ah, nice. I generally prefer reading for myself, but I will probably give the audiobook version a listen since it somehow seems more appropriate for the genre. :P
I'll nominate: Semiosis, Sue Burke, 333 pages
I just read (listened) to it after seeing it recommended somewhere on Tildes. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and think it has potential for some interesting discussion points.
Edit, it is this first in a series but I haven't read the rest. It stood up well on its own in my opinion.
I have a couple nominations:
I've read a few of the Bond novels a long time ago. The bit that stuck with me was that I was surprised about how sensitively he is portrayed, in contrast to the films. I feel like the Daniel Craig movies were closer to this, though it's also been a while since I've seen one, so it may just be a vague impression.
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I feel somewhat strange nominating since I haven't been able to participate since going back to work but I'll put one out there that my sister lent me on vacation this summer, and hope it is the harbinger of me finding more time for reading in the future.
Fire on the Mountain by Terry Bisson - what if John Brown had won the rebellion at Harper's Ferry, and a Black utopia was established in the South? 154 pages. It appears there is no official audiobook, but there is a YouTube playlist of unknown provenance
I've really struggled with the last few book club books set in America with heavy sociopolitical elements in them, and even totally skipped the latest one because I didn't think I could handle it... But that sounds like the sort of optimistic American focused story I can not only tolerate, but am actually desperately craving!!!
p.s. Even if it doesn't get enough votes to be included, I will probably just read it on my own anyways, so thanks for letting me know about it!
My favorite books from this year so far:
edit: just realized Raven Scholar is slightly over 600 pages, I'm gonna leave it here because the audiobook isn't crazy long and the typeface in the print edition is really big, and also we read it in another book club last month and everyone loved it. but, it may not count as a valid nomination (but I still highly recommend it!!!)
King Rat by James Clavell I read this as a teenager and I would like to reread it.
The Truth by Terry Pratchett This is one of my absolute favorites and it draws on Sir Terry's career as a journalist.
Callahan's Cross Time Saloon by Spider Robinson fun and funny
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson Intriguing horror
A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr True story - a small scale law office takes on a massive case on behalf of a town full of cancer patients
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez, 518 pages, fantasy. "Two warriors shepherd an ancient god across a broken land to end the tyrannical reign of a royal family..."
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar, 133 pages, fantasy. This is a novella, but I've been seeing it everywhere and I'm curious. "Follow the river Liss to the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, and meet two sisters who cannot be separated, even in death."
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, 448 pages, historical. "A gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history."
Don't Cry for Me by Daniel Black (66k words)
A father, on his deathbed, writes to his estranged gay son.
The Editors by Stephen Harrison (103k words)
This book got put on my list when I read a comment about it describing it as "a thriller about Wikipedia editors."
All the Living and the Dead by Hayley Campbell (98k words)
A non-fiction exploration of people who interface with death as part of their work.
The Editors was not as good as I hoped, it was a bit melodramatic and also kind of inaccurate about some things (e.g. the scale at which PR editors operate)
I'll recommend Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers
It's actually two novellas rereleased together so folks have options about how to read them.
They're among my favorite books and I've recommended them before but I'm not sure how many folks have read them. More than anything they're kind.
Also
How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler
When your main character decides to
save scumlearn from experience her way into no longer being the hero and being the dark lord instead. I've started this but not finished it because life, ADHD and distraction and think folks would enjoy a snarky lighthearted read.I keep meaning to read the Monk & Robot books. I’d definitely be up for those. I read The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and enjoyed it.
I love the wayfarers series too! Finding out she's writing again has been one of the major highlights of my year.
The Man Who Folded Himself, 1973. Mind-bending time travel mixed with free love.
Is there a list of ones that have already been read?
Deplorable Conversations with Cats and Other Distractions - 386 pages. A unique book written by a Malaysian/Singaporean author, her second. I really loved it. Follows a somewhat directionless man who inherits a cat that then starts speaking to him. Covers good themes and turns into a fun roadtrip romp. Has a good balance of serious tones and humor.
Careless People - 393 pages. Feels obligatory for someone to suggest.
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine - 319 pages. Nonfiction, covers the history up to before the recent outbreak. I found it really informative for the historical context, especially since it covers the Palestinian perspective and I only learned the Israeli perspective in school. But maybe a powder keg.
Murder on Sex Island - 258 pages. A fun and light, tongue-in-cheek mystery novel by comedian Jo Firestone. This book got me back into reading.
Yes, you can see the previous discussions via a tag search.
I actually wanted to read this one, too, but I think it may be too recent. The wait times are still very long at libraries, so it may be pretty inaccessible for a while.
I got the notification from my library app when Careless People released. Knowing that it was going to be popular, I immediately went to check it out. In the span of literal seconds, three other people beat me to it!
I checked a day or two later, and the line had grown to 500+ people waiting for it. After I listened to it, I talked to a co-worker who's a huge reader, and she was genuinely amazed that I'd gotten a library copy that early. She was one of the ones who was hundreds deep.
It is a very good book though, and I imagine it would pretty strongly connect with a lot of the Tildes audience.
I highly recommend How to Stand Up to a Dictator for anyone wanting to read Careless People but can't get a library hold! It covers much of the same subject matter, written by a Filipina activist and journalist (Maria Ressa). Her story is pretty incredible
As long as it comes in an audiobook, I'm in. As was mentioned in the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store thread, that was a very well done audiobook, and it really helped me move quickly with solid comprehension. I get too distracted these days, so playing a mindless game while listening to a book at 2x speed is my jam.
I have a tendency in book clubs to only suggest books I've already read and want to see discussed, so I'll limit my suggestions to a favorite of mine that I rarely see mentioned:
Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy (381 pages) - A woman, who is forcibly institutionalized by her family, discovers the ability to visit a future that is dramatically different from her own time.
I loved the Longings of Women by Marge Piercy.
It's good to see her recommended
I haven't read that one, but you've reminded me to check out more of her work.
I also very much enjoyed He, She and It (apparently also known as Body of Glass), though I think Woman on the Edge of Time is better for a book club discussion.
@Deimos, I know you are busy but would there be a convenient day and time for you to insert the nominated books as comments into a voting thread for the book club?
Otherwise, is there anyone else with the power to add 36 comments in a short period of time without being throttled by the site limits?
Other potential solutions:
In lieu of posting the books all in separate comments, you could post them in the topic text and people could list the names/numbers in a comment for the ones they want to vote for. It would require a bit more tallying on your part but would probably be less frustrating than hitting the rate limit repeatedly.
If we want to hold to separate comments for voting, you could post all the books in the topic text and ask the community to comment with unposted books to build the list. This would get around the rate limit for a single user, because presumably maybe four or five people would be building the comment list together.
Thank you. I appreciate your suggestions. @Deimos solved the problem for now. I like the simplicity of using upvotes for voting. It would be more complex to have the book club community posting books since they then wouldn't be free to vote for that subset of the list.
It would be possible to use a google form for voting but keeping the process on Tildes is more transparent, which I like.
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix (248 pages)
I added this one to my TBR after we read A House With Good Bones - I enjoyed the horror mixed with humor and would love to read more of it. This one is a horror story set in a big box Ikea-like store where three employees work an overnight shift to figure out who or what is causing chaos in the store.
Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty (391 pages)
Sci-fi thriller-mystery: A crew of clones awakens aboard a space ship to find they're being hunted - and any one of them could be the killer.
Grady Hendrix is an author that I'm super interested to read after receiving a recommendation from a friend for Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and after reading A House with Good Bones, because I feel more equipped to deal with horror now. I haven't gotten around to trying their work yet, though!
I listened to the first two Midsolar Murders books by Mur Lafferty and enjoyed them a lot. I'm definitely game for Six Wakes, even though thriller isn't quite my jam (sci-fi is, though).
Here are two books with interesting and non-standard magic systems:
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (272 pages)
Vita Nostra by Marina Dyachenko and Sergey Dyachenko (408 pages)
I think reading what these stories are about detracts from them, so it's better to just go in blind. If I had to pick one, I think Piranesi is a must-read just for how delightfully weird it is, and it has the benefit of being very short which makes it accessible to more readers.
We did Piranesi!
I've read Vita Nostra and I don't really recommend it at all outside of the person wanting surreal/mindbending works recently. I didn't enjoy it personally. but it is very very weird. And I have no clue what happened.
for Dr. No, it’d be nice to follow it up with Percival Everett‘s Dr. No, which is the same story from a different point of view.
That is an interesting idea. Thanks