MobileRead January 2016 VOTE

[WT Sharpe]

MobileRead Book Club
January 2016 VOTE

Help us select the next book that the MobileRead Book Club will read for January, 2014.

Book selection category for January is:

Second Chance

There will be no nominations this month. The way Second Chance works is that the poll will be comprised of selections that either came in second place or tied for second place during the previous 11 months.

The poll will be open for 7 days (2 days longer than usual because of the holidays). There will be no runoff vote unless the voting results a tie, in which case there will be a 3 day run-off poll. This is a visible poll: others can see how you voted. It is You may cast a vote for each book that appeals to you. Here are the selections you will be considering:

• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
• Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
• Lost Horizon by James Hilton
• The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
• The Case of the Silent Partner by Erle Stanley Gardner
• The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
• Pitching in a Pinch by Christy Mathewson
• The Martian by Andy Weir
• The Golden Compass (UK title: Northern Lights: His Dark Materials) by Philip Pullman
• The Virginian by Owen Wister
• Inspector Imanishi Investigates by Seicho Matsumoto
• Close Range: Wyoming Stories by Annie Proulx

<><><> Descriptions <><><>

February: Romance (2-way tie)
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Goodreads | Amazon US / Barnes & Noble US / Google Play US / Kobo US / Overdrive UK / Overdrive US

Spoiler:

A medical miracle may have bought Hazel a few years, but she’s still a terminal time bomb, suffering from stage IV cancer. At a support group for her illness, she meets fellow cancer survivor Augustus Waters, a boy who pretends to smoke cigarettes and has a prosthetic leg. With a shared obsession for the novel An Imperial Affliction and a similar sense of sarcasm, the two fall in love, despite their inevitable fate. John Green’s story is honest and hilarious, exposing the fear, anger, and sadness that accompanies a terminal illness.

• Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Amazon Australia

Spoiler:

As a child, Kathy – now thirty-one years old – lived at Hailsham, a private school in the scenic English countryside where the children were sheltered from the outside world, brought up to believe that they were special and that their well-being was crucial not only for themselves but for the society they would eventually enter. Kathy had long ago put this idyllic past behind her, but when two of her Hailsham friends come back into her life, she stops resisting the pull of memory.

And so, as her friendship with Ruth is rekindled, and as the feelings that long ago fueled her adolescent crush on Tommy begin to deepen into love, Kathy recalls their years at Hailsham. She describes happy scenes of boys and girls growing up together, unperturbed – even comforted – by their isolation. But she describes other scenes as well: of discord and misunderstanding that hint at a dark secret behind Hailsham’s nurturing facade. With the dawning clarity of hindsight, the three friends are compelled to face the truth about their childhood–and about their lives now.

March: Travel/Adventure
• Lost Horizon by James Hilton
Goodreads | Amazon Au / Amazon Ca / Amazon US / Kobo

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

While attempting to escape a civil war, four people are kidnapped and transported to the Tibetan mountains. After their plane crashes, they are found by a mysterious Chinese man. He leads them to a monastery hidden in "the valley of the blue moon" -- a land of mystery and matchless beauty where life is lived in tranquil wonder, beyond the grasp of a doomed world.

It is here, in Shangri-La, where destinies will be discovered and the meaning of paradise will be unveiled.

April: Classics
• The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
The Patricia Clark Memorial Library: ePub / Kindle

Spoiler:

From Amazon:

With his face swaddled in bandages, his eyes hidden behind dark glasses and his hands covered even indoors, Griffin – the new guest at The Coach and Horses – is at first assumed to be a shy accident-victim. But the true reason for his disguise is far more chilling: he has developed a process that has made him invisible, and is locked in a struggle to discover the antidote. Forced from the village, and driven to murder, he seeks the aid of an old friend, Kemp. The horror of his fate has affected his mind, however – and when Kemp refuse to help, he resolves to wreak his revenge.

May: Mystery/Thriller
• The Case of the Silent Partner by Erle Stanley Gardner
Goodreads | Amazon Au / Amazon Ca / Amazon UK / Amazon US

Spoiler:

A dynamic young businesswoman is in danger of losing control of her flower shop, and someone sends poisoned bonbons to a nightclub hostess. Mason must reacquire some stock and defend the businesswoman. This novel is the first to feature Lt. Arthur Tragg, although far from the only time that Perry Mason—at least in spirit—said, "Legality be damned."

June: Award Winners
• The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
Goodreads | Amazon US

Spoiler:

Winner of the Mythopoeic Award in 2014 for Adult Literature.

[/I]From Amazon:[/I]

Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. When her master, the husband who commissioned her, dies at sea on the voyage from Poland, she is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York in 1899.

Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire, born in the ancient Syrian desert. Trapped in an old copper flask by a Bedouin wizard centuries ago, he is released accidentally by a tinsmith in a Lower Manhattan shop. Though he is no longer imprisoned, Ahmad is not entirely free – an unbreakable band of iron binds him to the physical world.

The Golem and the Jinni is their magical, unforgettable story; unlikely friends whose tenuous attachment challenges their opposing natures – until the night a terrifying incident drives them back into their separate worlds. But a powerful threat will soon bring Chava and Ahmad together again, challenging their existence and forcing them to make a fateful choice.

July: Non-fiction
• Pitching in a Pinch by Christy Mathewson
Amazon US / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Spoiler:

This is considered one of the greatest baseball books ever written. Leopold Classic Library issued a new edition three months ago, calling it "a significant literary work."

August: Science Fiction
• The Martian by Andy Weir
Goodreads / Amazon Au / Amazon Ca / Amazon UK / Amazon US / Audible US

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—& a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

September: Banned/Challenged Books
• The Golden Compass (UK title: Northern Lights: His Dark Materials) the first volume in the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman
Goodreads | Amazon UK / Amazon US

Spoiler:

Lyra's life is already sufficiently interesting for a novel before she eavesdrops on a presentation by her uncle Lord Asriel to his colleagues in the Jordan College faculty, Oxford. The college, famed for its leadership in experimental theology, is funding Lord Asriel's research into the heretical possibility of the existence of worlds unlike Lyra's own, where everyone is born with a familiar animal companion, magic of a kind works, the Tartars are threatening to overrun Muscovy, and the Pope is a puritanical Protestant. Set in an England familiar and strange, Philip Pullman's lively, taut story is a must-read and re-read for fantasy lovers of all ages. The world-building is outstanding, from the subtle hints of the 1898 Tokay to odd quirks of language to the panserbjorne, while determined, clever Lyra is strongly reminiscent of Joan Aiken's Dido Twite.

October: Patricia Clark Memorial Library
• The Virginian by Owen Wister
Patricia Clark Memorial Library: ePub | Kindle

Spoiler:

In the untamed West, pioneers came to test their fortunes -- and their wills. The Wyoming territory was a harsh, unforgiving land, with its own unwritten code of honor by which men lived and died. Into this rough landscape rides the Virginian, a solitary man whose unbending will is his only guide through life. The Virginian's unwavering beliefs in right and wrong are soon tested as he tries to prove his love for a woman who cannot accept his sense of justice; at the same time, a betrayal by his most trusted friend forces him to fight against the corruption that rules the land. Still as exciting and meaningful as it was when first published one hundred years ago, Owen Wister's epic tale of a man caught between his love for a woman and his quest for justice exemplifies one of the most significant and enduring themes in all of American literature. With remarkable character depth and vivid passages, "The Virginian" stands not only as the first great novel of American Western literature, but as a testament to the eternal struggle between good and evil in humanity. With an engaging new introduction by Gary Scharnhorst, professor of English at the University of New Mexico, this volume is an indispensable addition to the library of American Western literature.

November: Foreign (originally non-English)
• Inspector Imanishi Investigates by Seicho Matsumoto
Goodreads / Amazon US / Kobo

Spoiler:

From Goodreads: The corpse of an unknown provincial is discovered under the rails of a train in a Tokyo station, and Detective Imanishi is assigned to the case.

In a police procedural by Japan's foremost master of mystery, Inspector Imanishi Eitaro, a typically Japanese detective fond of gardening and haiku, must follow a killer's trail across the social strata of Japan.

December: Short Stories
• Close Range: Wyoming Stories by Annie Proulx
Goodreads | Amazon Au / Amazon Ca / Amazon UK / Amazon US / Kobo

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning and bestselling author of The Shipping News and Accordion Crimes comes one of the most celebrated short-story collections of our time.

Annie Proulx's masterful language and fierce love of Wyoming are evident in these breathtaking tales of loneliness, quick violence, and the wrong kinds of love. Each of the stunning portraits in Close Range reveals characters fiercely wrought with precision and grace.

These are stories of desperation and unlikely elation, set in a landscape both stark and magnificent -- by an author writing at the peak of her craft.


Sometimes known as "Close Range: Brokeback Mountain and Other Stories"[/QUOTE]

[WT Sharpe]

Wondering if a particular book is available in your country? The following spoiler contains a list of bookstores outside the United States you can search. If you don't see a bookstore on this list for your country, find one that is, send me the link via PM, and I'll add it to the list.

Spoiler:

Australian
Angus Robertson
Booktopia
Borders
Dymocks
Fishpond
Google

Canada
Amazon. Make sure you are logged out. Then go to the Kindle Store. Search for a book. After the search results come up, in the upper right corner of the screen, change the country to Canada and search away.
Google
Sony eBookstore (Upper right corner switch to/from US/CA)

UK
BooksOnBoard (In the upper right corner is a way to switch to the UK store)
Amazon
Foyle's
Google
Penguin
Random House
Waterstones
WH Smith

[GA Russell]

First!

There are quite a few that I would enjoy this time, but I voted for only one.

[banjomike]

I fancy another try at reading Northern Lights, not The Northern Lights.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by banjomike

I fancy another try at reading Northern Lights, not The Northern Lights.

I've now altered the titles in the first post to read "Northern Lights: His Dark Materials" and altered the poll question to remove the article.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

First!

There are quite a few that I would enjoy this time, but I voted for only one.

And by the time the discussion starts, it'll be only a month to the start of spring training!

The price is right, too.

[WT Sharpe]

What the world needs now is some good, old-fashioned, two-fisted Perry Mason. I voted for The Case of the Silent Partner (1941) by Erle Stanley Gardner. These early Mason books showcase a brash young lawyer who would go to any lengths — legal or otherwise — to defend his clients.

[GA Russell]

I note that Pitching in a Pinch is currently FREE at both Amazon and Kobo, and 99 cents at Barnes & Noble.

[CRussel]

The Golden Compass here. I've listened to it, but this would give me a great excuse to read it as well. For those who like to listen to audio books, it's very well read by the Author with a full cast supporting. I'm not normally a fan of authors reading their own works, but Philip Pullman does a superb job. And this is an excellent read, so I'd definitely recommend it. (Audible link for those interested: Golden Compass)

[issybird]

I'm hoping The Golem and the Jinni gets a little more love. I'm didn't vote for it, but I'm willing to give it a try. While I liked The Golden Compass, I don't want to re-read it (and be left hanging one-third into the trilogy), but I don't remember it well enough to discuss it.

[WT Sharpe]

Seven and a half hours to go, and The Case of the Silent Witness only needs five votes to win. It's practically unstoppable!

[GA Russell]

Tom, has anyone voted in the last couple of days? I don't think so.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm hoping The Golem and the Jinni gets a little more love. I'm didn't vote for it, but I'm willing to give it a try. While I liked The Golden Compass, I don't want to re-read it (and be left hanging one-third into the trilogy), but I don't remember it well enough to discuss it.

I'm with you regarding The Golden Compass. I've read it. I don't want to reread it. I don't remember it well enough to discuss is. So I hope The Golem and the Jinni pulls ahead for the win.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

Tom, has anyone voted in the last couple of days? I don't think so.

I'm got friends and family members lined up to vote at the last minute. Perry Mason for the win!

[CRussel]

Well, looks like we're reading The Golden Compass. I've linked to the Audible version, for those of you who have read it before. You'll find new things in it by switching media, and my memory is that it's an excellent narration. I'll be buying it in eBook format so that I can read it that way.

(BTW, the BC Overdrive Library has an omnibus edition with all three books in the series as a single eBook. )