Get out your VOTES!! Spring 2011

[Melissa_W Moderator]

Thanks to everyone for all the nominations!   I made a cut, to bring the list down to 17 (yup, 17) choices. Drumroll, please...

Adichie, Chimamanda Half of a Yellow Sun  

Austen, Jane Pride and Prejudice    

Bronte, Anne The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

Bronte, Charlotte Villette  

Drabble, Margaret A Writer's Britain         

du Maurier, Daphne Jamaica Inn

Eliot, George Daniel Deronda 

Erdrich, Louise The Master Butchers Singing Club  

Gaskell, Elizabeth Cranford

Goodman, Carol Arcadia Falls

Holtby, Winifred South Riding  

Hulme, Keri The Bone People  

Mantel, Hilary A Place of Greater Safety  

Mitchell, Margaret Gone with the Wind  

Montgomery, L.M. Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables Series #1)  

Nwaubani, Adaobi I Do Not Come to You by Chance  

Walls, Jeanette Half Broke Horses  

There are two caveats to this list:

1) South Riding is being reprinted and will not be available until July 1, 2011, so if this book is chosen I will have to schedule it then.

2) Peppermill had wanted to nominate a book by Patricia Grace, a decorated Maori writer.  However, her books don't seem to be widely available (shame) so I substituted The Bone People by Keri Hulme, also a decorated Maori writer.  Hulme received the Booker Prize for The Bone People and I wanted to keep a Maori writer on the shortlist.

On to the voting guidelines:

• BNBC users may vote for up to four titles, one vote per title; I will not count anything like "2 votes for title a, 1 for title b, and 1 for title c".  Users have tried to pull that on me before and I am unamused.
• All votes MUST BE sent to me by PM; this is so I can keep the votes straight in my spreadsheet
• Users may change their vote up until voting is closed; all changes must be sent to me by PM
• Voting will close February 14, 2011, at noon CST (that's where I live).

Please use this thread for cheerleading, button-hole-ing, and arm-twistingpersuading others to vote for your favorite titles.

Thanks, and have fun

[Peppermill]

Okay -- where is the campaigning?

While I should like my nominations to be considered, these are virtually all excellent recommendations!

My votes are up for grabs if you can convince me.

Regardless of our choices here, I plan to read Margaret Drabble's

A Writer's Britain  in the months ahead.  Given that we have not read her on the this board I believe this can be a worthwhile acquisition and read for many of us. 

(Besides her many novels and opening commentaries on a number of classics, she edited The Oxford Companion to English Literature  and The Oxford Companion to English Literature  (in multiple editions?).

I have had a friend's copy of Chimamanda Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun for much too long and would welcome a motivation to get it read.

Having started

Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel, I would relish an opportunity to return to it with a group discussion.  As far as I read, I was delighted with the humor. It is set in the French Revolution, an era that should be of interest to us as Americans following so closely on our own Revolution. It seemed so far  more accessible to a broader audience than Wolf Hall.

But, I haven't voted yet and am open to being persuaded.  Besides, anyone who has followed this board knows that campaigning is part of the fun -- so may newbies also be motivated to convince the rest of us to vote for a particular choice.

I know that

Gone with the Wind  by Margaret Mitchell keeps showing up.  I do have it on my bookshelf, but I have yet to be convinced that its length (960 pages in at least one edition) is worth the investment in time.  Yet, I am willing to be convinced.

I just read

 

The Annotated Pride and Prejudice  by Jane Austen, annotated by David M. Shapard and 

Jamaica Inn by Daphne DuMaurier for the retreat I attended this past weekend, so those would be easy choices that would permit me to get to other books on my TBR.

I love Cranford, we have long sought to read something by Erdrich (The Master Butchers Singing Club), and there are several authors and titles new to me that I am willing to consider.

So, ladies and gents, I have three votes (of four) that can still be influenced.  Let's hear it!

[Fozzie]

We have two Nigerian nominations, which is wonderful.  However, only one should be chosen in this round, in my opinion, to ensure variety in the next few months' selections.  I would choose

Half of a Yellow Sun 

because it was nominated for a literary prize.

I like to be exposed to new authors, so I will vote for authors that have not been read before on this board.

I love international fiction, so

The Bone People 

is very appealing to me.

[dulcinea3]

I feel spoiled for choice here, as there are really a lot of nominations that appeal to me!  Of course, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Jamaica Inn, and Cranford were my own nominations, so naturally I would love to discuss any of them.  Pride and Prejudice is the only Austen novel that I have never discussed at B&N, and I have long wanted to do so.  I remember seeing a miniseries or movie of Daniel Deronda, and Eliot is always a choice that appeals to me.  I had never heard of Holtby or South Riding, but Redcatlady mentioned that PBS will be showing it on Masterpiece later this year, and the fact that the wonderful Andrew Davies is doing the screenplay definitely recommends it to me.  I have never read Gone with the Wind, but it is such a classic; however, as with Pepper, the length is a concern to me and if it is chosen, I would suggest that it be done over two months, as we have in the past with longer works.  Even Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables Series #1) would be a nice light-hearted read, I think; I probably read it when I was young, but don't really remember.  I know nothing about the book or author, but the description of Arcadia Falls sounded quite good.  I don't want to bring up negative reasons, but the reasons I would not vote for Villette are that I have already discussed it at least once and maybe twice on these boards, and that we just finished another novel by the same author.

Not really campaigning but just expressing what I am mulling over, and why I haven't voted right away - it's a difficult decision!!!

[Redcatlady]

Oh, South Riding for July/August, most defintely!  With Cranford for the Spring! 

Redcatlady

[DSaff]

This is a great group of books! I would love to read "Gone With the Wind" with this group, but agree with others that it would take two months to read and discuss it. I will say though, it would be worth it! "Anne of Green Gables" and "Pride and Prejudice" are both great choices to discuss here. I would also love to read something new like, "The Bone People," "Half of a Yellow Sun," and/or "Acadia Falls." We'll see what gets picked! <excitement mounting> 

[dulcinea3]

Melissa, how far out do you anticipate scheduling?  Right now I am deliberating between a couple of choices, and my concern is the release date for South Riding.  If it is going to be released in July, I don't think we should schedule it prior to August, but you usually don't schedule that many months in advance.  If you're planning on scheduling the next five months, that would go through July, and I would definitely vote for South Riding in the next round, for later in the year, and vote for another selection now.

[Melissa_W Moderator]

Dulcie, I usually wind up scheduling for five or six months depending how the votes fall out and/or how long one of the selections happens to be

[Ryan_G]

I'm thinking of voting for two of them eventhough I've been away for a long time.  I hope nobody minds too much.  I seem to be not having as many sign on problems anymore.

[elaine_hf]

Here's my cheerleading section!

I nominated Arcadia Falls by Carol Goodman because I LOVE the way she writes, and would like nothing better than to discuss one of her books with a group! I have yet to be disappointed by any of her novels, and I've read quite a few of them. I also nominated Nwaubani, Adaobi I Do Not Come to You by Chance because I thoroughly enjoy Nigerian female authors, and this one looks like a good one - it deals with Nigerian internet scamming, which has certainly found its way into my email box   I would recommend Half of a Yellow Sun because it's really excellent...but I've already read it......(Adichie wrote a book of short stories, The Thing Around Your Neck, also highly recommended.)

Now I'd like to put in a non-plug - I guess I'd like to see a little less of classic women's literature. I love it as much as the next gal - I really can't get enough of Jane Austen! - but I'd like to see current female authors be featured a little more prominently. Only because there are so many interesting things going on in the world right now, and they can offer a unique perspective on them.  

And one other item - first, my apologies to B&N - check out girlebooks.com - while not all of their books are free, I did notice Cranford among that selection! They have some interesting books, all written by females. I first found them when I purchased Radium Halos there, which deals with a topic I was embarrasingly unaware of.  

[Peppermill]

I know this is the Voting thread, but I will put in a plug here for this month's selection and will hope some of you will join the conversation.

The last time around I included Marguerite Yourcenar's name on a list of authors I was interested in reading, but I did not suggest a book nor nominate her.  I was most pleasantly surprised when Memoirs of Hadrian appeared among the nominations and really surprised when it won the voting.

Yet, those who voted for the book seem to be occupied elsewhere this month.  So, I hope some of you who are exploring this column will consider picking it up and reading it and sharing your thoughts!

I haven't had a chance to read very far yet, but so far Hadrian seems very well written and well worth the investment in time.

"Marguerite Yourcenar (8 June 1903 – 17 December 1987) was a Belgian-born French novelist. She was the first woman elected to the Académie française, in 1980, and the seventeenth to occupy Seat 3."

"In 1951 she published, in France, the novel Mémoires d'Hadrien, which she had been writing with pauses for a decade. The novel was an immediate success and met with great critical acclaim."

"In this novel Yourcenar recreated the life and death of one of the great rulers of the ancient world, the Roman Emperor Hadrian, who writes a long letter to Marcus Aurelius, his successor and adoptive son. The Emperor meditates on his past, describing both his triumphs and his failures, his love for Antinous, and his philosophy. This novel has become a modern classic, a standard against which fictional recreations of Antiquity are measured."

[Melissa_W Moderator]

Ryan, you know you're always welcome

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Ryan_G wrote:

I'm thinking of voting for two of them eventhough I've been away for a long time.  I hope nobody minds too much.  I seem to be not having as many sign on problems anymore.

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[Melissa_W Moderator]

If you haven't voted, yet, or want to change your vote, please do so by 12pm (noon) CST tomorrow (Monday).  Thanks

[dulcinea3]

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Ryan_G wrote:

I'm thinking of voting for two of them eventhough I've been away for a long time.  I hope nobody minds too much.  I seem to be not having as many sign on problems anymore.

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Yeah, like anybody could 'mind' having you around to discuss a book!  Glad to hear you're finding it easier to come join us!

[Melissa_W Moderator]

In a surprising turn, only one title was a clear vote-getter (Cranford) with a 9-way tie for third place (perhaps, next time I will not put 17 titles on the ballot...it spreads the votes a little thin, lol).  So I had to make some hard choices...and then I drew one out of a hat.  So much for those moderator skillz.  So, *drumroll* please...our new reading list is...

March 2011:  Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier 

April 2011:  Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell 

May 2011:  The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte 

June 2011:  The Bone People by Keri Hulme 

July 2011:  Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 

August 2011:  South Riding by Winifred Holtby 

I decided to go with six titles since we had such a large number with the same level of votes (which also allowed me to place South Riding for the month after the reprint date, so that should make it a little easier to find in time).  Thank you so much for all the nominations and votes.  It looks like a great list.  I'll go head and get the master list updated and re-pinned - and then back to reading Memoirs of Hadrian!

[Peppermill]

Nice selections, Melissa and all!  But then, the long list made it hard for any six not to be so, at least in the main.

then back to reading Memoirs of Hadrian!

I haven't read very much, but what I have is lovely!  Even if the subject (Hadrian) would seem to hold no interest, I do suggest checking this one out of your library and giving it a try.  It is not about Hadrian so much as it is about life.  If you don't like it after a few pages, return it.  If you do, consider buying a copy to savor, perhaps again and again.

[Fozzie]

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Melissa_W wrote:

In a surprising turn, only one title was a clear vote-getter (Cranford) with a 9-way tie for third place (perhaps, next time I will not put 17 titles on the ballot...it spreads the votes a little thin, lol). 

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Too late for this schedule, but maybe we should have had a run off vote with the third place "winners."

[dulcinea3]

Cool!  If I had known Jamaica Inn would be coming up so soon, I would have picked it up at my mother's when I was there over the weekend (due to overflow at my condo, some of my books, including all the du Mauriers, are over there).

[Ryan_G]

I may be a little late starting on Jamaica Inn but I'll be here for it.  I've been wanting to read it for a while now.

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Melissa_W wrote:

In a surprising turn, only one title was a clear vote-getter (Cranford) with a 9-way tie for third place (perhaps, next time I will not put 17 titles on the ballot...it spreads the votes a little thin, lol).  So I had to make some hard choices...and then I drew one out of a hat.  So much for those moderator skillz.  So, *drumroll* please...our new reading list is...

March 2011:  Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier 

April 2011:  Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell 

May 2011:  The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte 

June 2011:  The Bone People by Keri Hulme 

July 2011:  Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 

August 2011:  South Riding by Winifred Holtby 

I decided to go with six titles since we had such a large number with the same level of votes (which also allowed me to place South Riding for the month after the reprint date, so that should make it a little easier to find in time).  Thank you so much for all the nominations and votes.  It looks like a great list.  I'll go head and get the master list updated and re-pinned - and then back to reading Memoirs of Hadrian!

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[KathyS]

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Ryan_G wrote:

I may be a little late starting on Jamaica Inn but I'll be here for it.  I've been wanting to read it for a while now.

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Melissa_W wrote:

In a surprising turn, only one title was a clear vote-getter (Cranford) with a 9-way tie for third place (perhaps, next time I will not put 17 titles on the ballot...it spreads the votes a little thin, lol).  So I had to make some hard choices...and then I drew one out of a hat.  So much for those moderator skillz.  So, *drumroll* please...our new reading list is...

March 2011:  Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier 

April 2011:  Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell 

May 2011:  The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte 

June 2011:  The Bone People by Keri Hulme 

July 2011:  Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 

August 2011:  South Riding by Winifred Holtby 

I decided to go with six titles since we had such a large number with the same level of votes (which also allowed me to place South Riding for the month after the reprint date, so that should make it a little easier to find in time).  Thank you so much for all the nominations and votes.  It looks like a great list.  I'll go head and get the master list updated and re-pinned - and then back to reading Memoirs of Hadrian!

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Hi Ryan...I'll join you! 

I used to be a Daphne du Maurier fan...

we'll see if I still am. 

I just ordered the book....

not on a Nook!