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11-22-2011, 02:42 AM | #1 |
languorous autodidact ✦
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The MobileRead Literary Book Club December 2011 Nominations
Help us select the work that the MobileRead Literary Book Club will read for December 2011.
The nominations will run through November 27 or until FIVE works have made the list. Final voting (in a new poll thread) will begin by November 27, where the month's selection will be decided. The category for this month is: Open (anything considered literature) In order for a work to be included in the poll it needs FIVE NOMINATIONS (original nomination plus four others). Each participant has three nominations. You can nominate a new work for consideration or you can support (second, third, fourth or fifth) a work that has already been nominated by another person. To nominate a work just post a message with your nomination. If you are the FIRST to nominate a work, please try to provide an abstract to the work so others may consider their level of interest. Please keep in mind the differences in nominations between the general book club and this one - only five works will make the final list here, and a work needs five nominations to make the final list. What is literature for the purposes of this book club? A well-regarded work. Often (but not always) it is important, challenging, critically acclaimed, has a deeper meaning, makes one think. It may be from ancient times to today; it may be from anywhere in the world; it may be obscure or famous, short or long; it may be a story, a novel, a play, a poem, an essay or another written form. If you are unsure if a work would be considered literature, post it and ask. This is an educational (and enjoyable) process for us all. The floor is now open to nominations! |
11-22-2011, 08:57 AM | #2 |
Wizard
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I nominate The short stories of Saki {H. H. Munro,18 December 1870 – 13 November 1916} with the central text being Beasts and Super-Beasts. I would choose that as the core volume because it is the most famous of his short-story collections, but anyone would be free to bring in a story from another of his collections if they wished. For instance “Sredni Vashtar”--one of his most powerful works--is in The Chronicles of Clovis.
Munro was born in Burma but after the death of his mother he and his brother and sister were sent home to be raised by a grandmother and two maiden aunts. This was a Disaster. The aunts were totally unsuited to bringing up three lively children. Ridiculous, stupid, and often contradictory restrictions on their wards were constantly applied by the aunts; hence, Charles, Hector, and Ethel were united in hating their "guardians" with a passion. As a result of this experience, Saki wrote a number of brilliant stories featuring a conflict between intelligent, imaginative children and repressive hypocritical adults. The horrible women that dominate many of these stories {such as “The Lumber Room” and “Sredni Vashtar”} are based directly on the two aunts. Saki was quite happy to criticize the self-satisfied assumptions and morals of Victorian and Edwardian society. Frequently authority figures and conventional attitudes are portrayed as foolish and futile. Nature, on the other hand is "red of tooth and claw" making a mockery of human civilised behaviour patterns. Saki is one of the most imaginative writers of short fiction in his era and a master of the ironic, macabre and unsettling ending. All of the works of Saki are in the public domain and available free of charge as e-books through Project Gutenberg. In addition, there are inexpensive collected editions easily obtainable. Last edited by fantasyfan; 11-22-2011 at 04:02 PM. |
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11-22-2011, 03:12 PM | #3 |
Grand Sorcerer
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I'll nominate The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro.
From Amazon: Spoiler:
If it wins, I won't be leading the discussion. |
11-22-2011, 03:59 PM | #4 |
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I'll second the Saki short stories.
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11-22-2011, 06:23 PM | #5 |
Nameless Being
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fantasyfan I am a little unclear on this. Are you proposing reading some or all of Saki's short stories. Is there any specific book (collection of short stories) that you are nominating? Or are you more proposing that the discussion be about him? I am just trying to envision what the discussion will be about.
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11-22-2011, 07:57 PM | #6 |
Wizard
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I'll second The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
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11-23-2011, 04:40 AM | #7 | |
Wizard
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Quote:
However, he wrote six collections and they take up nearly 600 pages in the Penguin anthology of his works. I am not proposing that we read all of them. {Though, on a personal level, one could certainly find that an interesting journey--something good would always be turned up in the experience } When dealing with a writer of short fiction, one often starts with a specific collection: Thus, if exploring the work of Frank O'Connor one would probably begin with My Oedipus Complex and Other Stories and branch out into other stories from there. I would think that the three central collections of Saki would be The Chronicles of Clovis, Beasts and Super-Beasts, and The Toys of Peace. Most of what I have read of him and enjoyed have been from these three {and I have by no means read all of them}. So my suggestion is that it would be useful to look at the stories in Beasts and Super-Beasts as a starter. But one could easily enough start anywhere and make notes about stories that were interesting. Some might like to use a "Best of . . ." collection. So far as his personal life and character are concerned, I only mentioned the biographical bit to encourage an interest in what he wrote. Again, if anyone in the discussion wanted to link the stories with the life of the writer, there is no reason they shouldn't share their insights with us--but that is the case with any author. I hope this clears things up. Last edited by fantasyfan; 11-23-2011 at 03:21 PM. |
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11-23-2011, 03:25 PM | #8 |
Nameless Being
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Thanks fantasyfan, all is clear now. For those who are curious The MR Patricia Clark Memorial Library includes the following Saki works:
Beasts, Super-Beasts LRF* The Chronicles of Clovis LRF* Reginald in Russia and other Sketches LRF PRC *Download and unzip for LRF Last edited by Hamlet53; 11-23-2011 at 03:28 PM. |
11-23-2011, 05:03 PM | #9 | |
Nameless Being
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So sports fans, I was going to toss out The Makioka Sisters by my favorite Japanese author Junchiro Tanizaki, and considered his masterpiece. I actually considered this as my pick for November, but thought it might be a bit too long. Seeing how my actual pick struck out I am glad I did not, and won't nominate The Makioka Sisters now.
Since it may be past the deadline before I can get this done I will now nominate two books: Twenty-Six and One and Other Stories by Maxim Gorky Inkmesh I consider these three short stories some of Gorky's best work. My second nomination is The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis. Unfortunately this does not appear to be available is and e-book. It sucks that copyright keeps this from appearing on PG, yet no publisher has made it available as an e-book. Quote:
My final vote will be used to third fantasyfan's nomination. I plan to read the collection Beasts, Super-Beasts sooner or later, sooner rather than later if it is the club selection, but my third applies to fantasyfan's nomination as she phrased it. |
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11-23-2011, 05:30 PM | #10 | |
languorous autodidact ✦
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Quote:
I like the ambition of it, though I wonder, come discussion time, how it will be if some of us have read some short stories while others have read others. It could be interesting, or it could be in conflict with the purpose of discussing a work together. |
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11-23-2011, 05:47 PM | #11 |
o saeclum infacetum
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Whoa, there, cowboy! The pick was just what I'm looking for, something to expand my horizons. I loved it and I'd never have read it on my own. I will make it to the discussion thread. I've had limited posting time, especially for more thoughtful posts.
Back on topic: I'll fourth Saki while I consider what I'd like to nominate. |
11-23-2011, 06:02 PM | #12 |
languorous autodidact ✦
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Hamlet53, I am also still reading Spring Snow, and loving it. I don't know how long it will take me to finish, but when I do I will be posting in the discussion.
Nominations through post #14: The short stories of Saki [4] The Remains Of The Day by Kazuo Ishiguro [2] Twenty-Six And One And Other Stories by Maxim Gorky [2] The Last Temptation Of Christ by Nicos Kazantzakis [1] The Daughter Of Time by Josephine Tey [1] Last edited by sun surfer; 11-24-2011 at 04:08 AM. |
11-23-2011, 06:19 PM | #13 |
Wizard
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I'll second Twenty-Six and One and Other Stories by Maxim Gorky.
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11-23-2011, 09:08 PM | #14 |
Wizard
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I want to participate more regularly in the club I think I got discouraged early on because the books I voted for never seemed to win, but I want to read more edifying books in the coming year so I am going to at least give an honest go of every book that's picked. So, for this month's nomination I am going to go for something I hope will have broad appeal: a historical mystery which as a bonus is available for free from this forum: The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey.
Summary: Inspector Grant of Scotland Yard is recovering in hospital after surgery. During his convalescence, he investigates a historical mystery: who really murdered the princes in the tower? Was Richard III really guilty? It interests me, the idea that the main character investigates the whole thing while marooned in bed, and I want to learn more about history. What do you think? |
11-24-2011, 04:56 AM | #15 |
Wizard
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I'll use my second nomination to third Twenty-Six and One. BTW it's also available from Project Gutenberg and Many Books.
Last edited by fantasyfan; 11-24-2011 at 04:58 AM. |
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