Group Reads for 2017

Just want to open up the discussion of group or shared reads for 2017.

I'm planning on reading a few doorstopper novels that have sat on my tbr pile for a few years now.

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King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett - fictional take on Macbeth
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth - India
Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra - India
A Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami - Japan

I would be interested in King Hereafter definitely and possibly A Suitable Boy.

I would be interested in joining in on A Suitable Boy.

Thanks for starting the group read discussion! I'll keep an eye on this thread and see what comes up. :)

>3 leslie.98: >4 DeltaQueen50: Oh thanks for registering interest in these. I'm definitely reading both. This year I've concentrated on lengthy fantasy and scifi so I'm ready for a change.

>5 rabbitprincess: We had this thread up and running about this time last year.

Thanks for starting the discussion! I absolutely "need" to read The Time of Our Singing and Buddenbrooks, in case anyone is interested. :)

I might be interested in The Time of Our Singing. The library even has it!

I read Buddenbrooks in college for a 6 week Thomas Mann course. I enjoyed the course, but haven't read any Mann since.

I love the group reads, thanks for starting a thread! I haven't thought much about next year's reading except that I have a personal goal of reading Proust over the next two years. I'm thinking no one will want to join me on that . . .

A Suitable Boy is one of my top 5 favourite books ever (along with about 10 others! ;) ). It's been ages since I read it though, but I'd happily succumb to the temptation to read it again.

I would be interested in all of the above and also Uncle Tom's Cabin, the novel which according to Lincoln sparked the U.S. Civil War.

I'd love to do a reread of A Suitable Boy. Any news on when A Suitable Girl will be published? Last I heard, it was delayed to 2017.

I have a copy of Sacred Games in Mt. TBR and I might be interested in a group or tandem read.

I will be trying to read more CanLit next year because it will be Canada's 150th birthday. Would there be interest in a CanLit month (possibly July)? Or if the 75ers do the Canadian Author Challenge again next year, that might be fun to piggyback on.

Personally, I would like to read Two Solitudes, by Hugh MacLennan, and would be happy to have others join in. But I wouldn't want to make people read something they're not interested in, hence my suggestion of a month dedicated to CanLit.

>12 mathgirl40: Wait, there's going to be A Suitable Girl? Oh my goodness, I can't wait already!

>14 rabbitprincess: I was really happy with how the Robertson Davies group read went and would love to participate in another group read devoted to one or more Canadian authors. I'd be happy to read Two Solitudes. A couple of other authors I've been wanting to read/reread are Timothy Findley and Gabrielle Roy.

As a compromise between a single book/author and the rather broad scope of CanLit, would you consider a theme like Governor General's Award Winners or something else similar?

>15 Jackie_K: I think A Suitable Girl has been in the works a long time. The expected publication date is supposedly sometime in 2017, but we probably shouldn't hold our breaths. :)

>16 mathgirl40: Yes! Or Canada Reads, perhaps. And long/shortlists would also be included.

>18 rabbitprincess: Using the Canada Reads lists is a great idea!

>18 rabbitprincess: I love the idea of using Canada Reads as a month!

I don't usually do the group reads, as I have too many on my tbr already. I could potentially join in on one if it's on my tbr, anyway, but for Canada Reads, if we keep the broader category, I'd definitely read something. It's very possible if we chose one from Canada Reads, it could be on my tbr, anyway.

>19 mathgirl40: >20 LibraryCin: Although I do also like the GG Awards because they include poetry and works in translation and children's literature (words and illustrations). Would "a book nominated for a major Canadian literary prize" be too broad? Say we suggest reading anything nominated for the GGs, Canada Reads, or the Giller. That would provide a fair amount of wiggle room, but would also help narrow the field a bit for those who can't decide what to read.

Whatever it ends up being, I'll host ;)

>21 rabbitprincess: I'd be ok with expanding it to include all three. I'm not as much into "literary" fiction (and we have a lot of that in Canada!), so that's where Canada Reads is slightly more appealing for me, but of course there are plenty of people who prefer the literary stuff. :-)

>21 rabbitprincess: That sounds good to me!

I like the idea of the Canada month!

I am having as a personal challenge next year the goal of reading the Proust series Remembrance of Things Past (also known as In Search of Lost Time). There are 7 books in the series so I was planning on reading them spread out over the course of the year. I would be happy to have people join me, either for the whole series or just individual novels along the way.

>25 leslie.98: me too! Though I'm thinking of Proust as more like a two year project. I would love to have some company!

Count me in for a Canada month!

Is there any interest in the Poldark series?

>26 japaul22: I was thinking of something like:

Jan - book 1 Swann's Way
March - book 2 Within a Budding Grove (aka In the Shadow of Young Girls)
May - book 3 The Guermantes Way
July - book 4 Cities of the Plain (aka Sodom and Gomorrah)
Aug - book 5 The Captive (aka The Prisoner)
Oct - book 6 Albertine Gone (aka The Fugitive)
Dec. - book 7 Time Regained (aka Finding Time Again)

>28 VictoriaPL: Yes! I am starting book 5 next.

>29 leslie.98: I don't think I'll be able to sustain that pace and still read all the other books that will catch my eye. I would definitely join you for Swann's Way and might keep up on the next two you have planned.

ETA: Maybe we could just plan on swann's Way in January and then see how things materialize?

> wow! I want to start the series but I don't know how long it would take me to catch up to you, LOL

>31 japaul22: Sure, let's just plan on Swann's Way and see how things go -- after all, if I hate it I won't be in a rush to read the others *grin*

>33 leslie.98: perfect!

>28 VictoriaPL: I'd be interested in the Poldark series! But I'd have to start from the beginning...I read Ross Poldark a few years ago, but I'd want to reread it before continuing.

>35 christina_reads: Oh Yay! Something new we can read together, Christina!! I was tossing around the idea of having a Poldark category but that's making a huge assumption that I will even like the first book, LOL.

I'm tempted by both the Poldark and the first book of Proust.
I picked up the whole series of Poldark last year in a charity shop for $6.

>37 avatiakh: Great find! I have been collecting the TV tie-in editions from the Robin Ellis adaptation, because that's what's been showing up in used bookstores in my travels.

>38 rabbitprincess: Yes, I was chuffed. My daughter groaned when she saw me heading to the counter with an armload and a half of paperbacks.

>37 avatiakh: Wow! I've been looking for a full set but the cheapest one I can find on Ebay is $51 and that's paperback. There's a full hardcover set with two inscribed for over $7K.

>28 VictoriaPL: I am just catching up on reading comments here but I would totally be interested in Poldark.

>37 avatiakh: >38 rabbitprincess: Nice! There are used copies available online, which is tempting but some are expensive. Still, I likely will end up buying the Kindle editions of the books. Library waitlists are long right now.

>41 This-n-That: Awesome! I'm glad to see others are interested!

>2 avatiakh: I'd enjoy a group read of A Suitable Boy. It's been years since I read it and I'd like to reread it.

>43 RidgewayGirl: I'm beginning to look forward to reading this.

Ok, looks like A suitable boy is a goer. Anyone have a time of year they prefer?

>44 avatiakh: Could we wait and see if it might tie in to one of the CATs before picking a time?

Oh right, jumping the gun a bit aren't I.

I plan on reading Moby Dick in 2017 if anyone wants to join in. I will likely start in late January but would delay until February if needed.

>7 Chrischi_HH: and >8 MarthaJeanne:, The Time of Our Singing is a great book, I read it about 8 years ago and it left a lasting impression.

Would anyone be interested in Les Miserables?

>47 luvamystery65: Moby been on my TBR for years....I'll join in! Let me know.

>50 Tess_W: Perfect! I'm thinking late January or Early February.

>2 avatiakh: I'm reading Moby Dick in the first part of the year, but I would be interested in The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle if we could do it March or later.

>2 avatiakh: I am also planning on reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle next year and since this is my first Murakami, I would love to read it in a group setting. I can fit this in whenever it is convenient for others.

>52 luvamystery65: Yes, later in the year would suit me. I'm probably going to listen to the audiobook as I loved the audio of Kafka on the Shore.

>53 DeltaQueen50: Oh a Murakami newbie! My first was Norwegian Wood and I went on to listen to Kafka on the Shore & A wild sheep chase then read 1Q84. Loved them all, they're a little surreal and quite wonderful.

I'm going to also suggest Three Kingdoms / Romance of the three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong as my children have been on at me for a few years to read this.

It is early yet as I won't know my longer reads for 2017 for awhile but I am pretty sure one might be Infinite Jest if anyone is interested in that one.

>56 Kristelh: If you can do Infinite Jest in April or later, I'll gladly join you. I have some big reads scheduled for the first 3 months.

I stalled out on page 600 of Infinite Jest. I might join you, if only to drag myself a few hundred pages closer to finishing it.

I would be interested in a group read of Infinite Jest as I have attempted it on my own and just couldn't manage.
I am in the same position regards to 1Q84, so if there is any interest there..................
But.........my reading of either them, Proust, the Poldark series, or pretty much any of the above named I would have to play catch up if you read them prior to April or June as my books are in Washing State & I am here in Arizona for the winter. Oh..........I believe I did bring the Poldark series with me! And as for any books you decide on that I do not own, if I can get them in the Kindle edition, I would gladly do that so that I can join you.
I hope to be able to.
just belva,
(horning in from the 100 book gig)

We vote for our longer reads after we vote for DEC BOTM (around Nov15) so will try to get Infinite Jest assigned to later in year. Not sure which other ones get voted in so I am hoping we are still talking by then and I will check those out as well

I found 1Q84 easier to read, liked it a lot.

I'd be up for a group read of IQ84, depending on the timing (since summers make group reads harder with me having limited reading time and email access!).

I would probably join a group read of Infinite Jest -- I picked up a Kindle edition for cheap in January but haven't had the nerve to tackle it yet.

Re: Infinite Jest

LT thinks I wouldn't enjoy it, and what I have read in the reviews makes me tend to agree. However there are a bunch of flagged reviews that could use unflagging. If you want to do this click on flag, then on the Not a review? Oh, yes it is! link.

>56 Kristelh: >58 RidgewayGirl: >59 rainpebble: >62 leslie.98: For those considering Infinite Jest I would suggest we cover it in a 2-3 month period. If we did say, April 2 - June 2 we could read approximately 133 pages a week. Something like that. Long enough to manage it, but not too long to lose interest or get sidetracked.

I'm flexible with the dates, except for the first 2 months of the year. I'm overbooked already. The above date is just a suggestion.

Spring is good for me.

I've started this book (Moby Dick) so many times, a challenge could actually force me to read it.

I've had iq84 on my tbr for ages and would definitely be up for reading that

I am completely flexible for when I read the book so the plan to do April to June will work just fine for me.

>49 donan: I have Les Miserables in my TBR pile. I would to join you.

Are we ready to set a date for A Suitable Boy?

>69 Book-Dragon1952: Great! I'm thinking of starting in January. Would that work for you?

>70 DeltaQueen50: I'd also like to get in on A Suitable Boy-- looks great. I'm flexible on timing.

>71 donan: January will be great.

>71 donan: I am flexible as to the timing of A Suitable Boy as well. Avatiakh originally suggested this as a group read and there were a few more interested as well so hoping to hear from them. It's quite the chunkster and even though I don't want to do much planning next year, this is one I will have to set some time aside for.

January will be fine for me.

I'd love to read A Suitable Boy again (I'm one of those from further upthread). However, now that I've decided to do both CATWoman and CultureCAT I've so many reads planned for those plus my own challenge that I honestly don't think I could manage such a chunkster as well, unless it was a year-long read! (which I don't expect other people to want!). I'll probably keep an eye on the discussion thread though, as it really is such a fabulous book.

>75 Jackie_K: I remember that I loved it, but can't imagine reading it again. It took me months, and that is very unusual.

>70 DeltaQueen50: I have A Suitable Boy as a three-volume set, with each volume being the size of a normal novel (on the largish side). So a three-month period for reading it would work well, at least for me. Can we fit it into one of the quarters?

I'm happy however we set up the group read of A Suitable Boy.

>77 mathgirl40: I'm sure it will take me more than a month to read as I usually have several books on the go.

A three month period would certainly work for me and since so many people already have quite a lot on their plates for the first quarter of the year, how about the second quarter - April/May/June?

>80 DeltaQueen50: I'm flexible. Someone mentioned upthread that we should check whether our group reads fit any CAT challenges now the CATs etc are all finalised.

>80 DeltaQueen50: >81 avatiakh: April/May/June would work for me. April's CultureCAT topic is "Religious Diversity and Freedom". Muslim-Hindu relations are a major theme of the story, though not the only one.

My longer (seasonal, 3 months) reads for 2017 are The Idiot by Dostoevsky, Infinite Jest by Wallace, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R.R. Tolkien. and Bleak House by Dickens. (In that order in 2017.

>80 DeltaQueen50: Second quarter sounds perfect.

Sounds like the 2nd quarter works for most, I will pencil it in for then. :)

>83 Kristelh:, The Idiot is one of my very favorite books--I'll look forward to hearing what you think of it :)

>29 leslie.98: >31 japaul22: starting up the Remembrance of Things Past discussion again, I'd join for a two year project, but not for one. Say, 3 months per book.

ETA: I will also try to join the Suitable Boy group read.

>87 The_Hibernator: I'm planning on two years so maybe it will work out that we can keep each other going! I'm expecting a challenge.

>26 japaul22: >29 leslie.98: >87 The_Hibernator: I'd like to join the Proust read too. I read the first of 3 volumes in the Penguin edition of Remembrance of Things Past years ago but stalled, and now there's a new translation.

ETA Started investigating translations - there are quite a few since I last read Proust. https://thecorklinedroom.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/which-translation-will-we-read...

I've been thinking about the Poldark group read. Since the series has 12 books, should we essentially schedule one book per month and have a separate thread for each book? That way, we'd all be on the same page during discussions, and no one would get "spoiled" for later books in the series. And people who have already read some of the books could join in as appropriate -- i.e., someone who has already read the first 3 books could join in with book 4 in April.

But what does everybody else think?

>88 japaul22: >33 leslie.98: > 89 I'm planning on starting Swann's Way in January, so I hope that's a settled thing. :)

There are a few people who are thinking of reading The New Jim Crow in July, if anybody else wants to join.

And there are several people who are planning on reading Evicted sometime next year, if anybody would like to make a group read of that.

>91 The_Hibernator: I will definitely read Swann's Way in January and think I'll need a group read!

I've already read both of the nonfiction books, but I'd love to join in some discussion when it happens.

I'm interested in both The New Jim Crow and Evicted.

I'll also be reading Les Miserables, probably starting in January.

I'm first on the waiting list for the audio of Evicted so I'll be listening to it in January.

>I loved Les Miserables! Hope you enjoy.

Oh, The New Jim Crow sounds interesting! I don't usually do group reads unless it's something already on my tbr (that almost never happens!), but I might try to get to that one!

Alright Carrie, Zoe said iver on the 75ers thread that maybe striking the iron when hot is a good idea. So although I was tempted to say "too soon!" maybe Jan/Feb is a good month to do it.

>96 LibraryCin: Hope you join us for The New Jim Crow!

>87 The_Hibernator:, >89 pamelad:, >91 The_Hibernator: I am reading the 7 book Proust series with another group elsewhere so I am committed to doing it all in 2017 but no-one else here has to be. I will being reading Swann's Way from Jan. 1 - Feb. 15 & would be happy to have company!

>90 christina_reads: : I like your idea for monthly threads for the Poldark series. I hadn't intended to do the Category Challenge in 2017, but these books have been on my wish list, so I will probably join this group read.

>91 The_Hibernator: I'm also interested in Evicted and The New Jim Crow

Hi everyone! Just letting you know that I started a thread for The Unwinding group read. I started it in the 75ers group because that's where I made the original proposal. But anyone here is welcome to join. I think it's nice to be able to jump between the the groups in group reads.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/243872

>100 donan: Yay!

Hi again! I just made the thread for Evicted group read. I started it in the 75ers group, again, because there are several people from each group who wanted to read it. Hopefully no one here minds. I'm not trying to favor either group, but I need to pick one!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/243885

>103 The_Hibernator: Could you link to the thread? I'd like to follow the conversation.

I started a new thread for the continuing Vorkosigan series discussion:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/243884

This is a group read that was started in 2014. No one wanted it to end, so we just kept going. :)

I'm not considering it an official "group read" anymore, but I thought I'd mention the thread here, in case new readers would like to join us.

>104 RidgewayGirl: Woops! I totally meant to. All fixed. lol

>106 The_Hibernator: Thanks!

And the thread for the Bible group read.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/243886

>90 christina_reads: , >99 countrylife: I was also thinking roughly a book a month for the Poldark series.

I've created a group reads thread for Proust, Swann's Way.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/245011

I've created a thread for the Poldark series group read: http://www.librarything.com/topic/245565.

I've seen several folks mention reading American Rust.
Is there interest in a group read? If so, possible timeframe?

>112 VictoriaPL: I'm interested (obviously) and am fine with anytime.

I want to read that one, but too busy to right now. I'll watch to see when you decide to do it.

What would everyone say to April for American Rust?

That might work for me.

Works for me.

As we discussed earlier this year, a group read of A Suitable Boy is planned for the 2nd Quarter (April/May/June). Should I go ahead and set up a thread to start us off?

>118 DeltaQueen50: Yes, I'll be ready. I'm aiming to finish Sacred Games by the end of the week.

>118 DeltaQueen50: Yes, please. Thanks!

Thanks for the reminder, Judy. Count me in for the group read of A Suitable Boy as well.

Let me find my copy of A Suitable Boy. I'm in.

>115 RidgewayGirl: Are we still on track for American Rust in April? I'm flexible!

>123 VictoriaPL: Yes, we are! I'm looking forward to it!

Do we have a thread for A Suitable Boy yet? I've pulled out my copy and I'm looking forward to rereading it.

>125 RidgewayGirl: Here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/253469

>126 rabbitprincess: Thanks RP, I should have thought to post the link here.

>124 RidgewayGirl: let me know when you start in