MobileRead Book Club September 2016 Book Club Nominations

[WT Sharpe]

Help us select the book that the MobileRead Book Club will read for September, 2016.

The nominations will run through midnight EST August 26 or until 10 books have made the list. The poll will then be posted and will remain open for five days.

The book selection category for September is: Classics.

In order for a book to be included in the poll it needs THREE NOMINATIONS (original nomination, a second and a third).

How Does This Work?
The Mobile Read Book Club (MRBC) is an informal club that requires nothing of you. Each month a book is selected by polling. On the last week of that month a discussion thread is started for the book. If you want to participate feel free. There is no need to "join" or sign up. All are welcome.

How Does a Book Get Selected?
Each book that is nominated will be listed in a poll at the end of the nomination period. The book that polls the most votes will be the official selection.

How Many Nominations Can I Make?
Each participant has 3 nominations. You can nominate a new book for consideration or nominate (second, third) one that has already been nominated by another person.

How Do I Nominate a Book?
Please just post a message with your nomination. If you are the FIRST to nominate a book, please try to provide an abstract to the book so others may consider their level of interest.

How Do I Know What Has Been Nominated?
Just follow the thread. This message will be updated with the status of the nominations as often as I can. If one is missed, please just post a message with a multi-quote of the 3 nominations and it will be added to the list ASAP.

When is the Poll?
The poll thread will open at the end of the nomination period, or once there have been 10 books with 3 nominations each. At that time a link to the initial poll thread will be posted here and this thread will be closed.

The floor is open to nominations. Please comment if you discover a nomination is not available as an ebook in your area.


Official choices with three nominations each:

(1) Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
Goodreads | Amazon US / Audible / Barnes & Noble / Kobo US
Print Length: 512 pages

Spoiler:

Independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the gentleman-farmer Boldwood, soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy and the devoted shepherd Gabriel Oak. Each, in contrasting ways, unsettles her decisions and complicates her life, and tragedy ensues, threatening the stability of the whole community. The first of his works set in Wessex, Hardy's novel of swift passion and slow courtship is imbued with his evocative descriptions of rural life and landscapes, and with unflinching honesty about sexual relationships.

(2) Hiroshima by John Hersey
Goodreads | Amazon Ca / Amazon UK / Audible (1) / Audible (2) / Kobo Ca (1) / Kobo Ca (2)
Print Length: 135 pages

Spoiler:

From the blurb for one of the Kobo editions in the UK:

Hiroshima is John Hersey's timeless and compassionate account of the catastrophic event which heralded the coming of the atomic age. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author went to Japan, while the ashes of Hiroshima were still warm, to interview the survivors of the first atomic bombing. His trip resulted in this world-famous document, the most significant piece of journalism of modern times. "Nothing that can be said about this book," The New York Times wrote, "can equal what the book has to say. It speaks for itself, and in an unforgettable way, for humanity."

From the Kindle UK description:

"The room was filled with a blinding light. She was paralysed by fear, fixed still in her chair for a long moment. Everything fell.'

2015 is the 70th anniversary of Hiroshima, when, on 6 August at 8.15am, an atomic bomb was dropped over the Japanese city, killing one hundred thousand men, women and children in its white fury. John Hersey's spare, devastating report on the attack was first published in the New Yorker in 1946. Written in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, it chronicles what happened through the eyes of six civilians who survived against the odds. It is a classic piece of journalism, and a defining moment of the nuclear age.

(3) Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Goodreads | Patricia Clark Memorial Library: ePub / Kindle | Amazon US / Amazon US (Restored) / Barnes & Noble / Kobo US
Print Length: 166 pages

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

One magical night, the Darling children — Wendy, John, and Michael — are visited by two mischievous denizens of Neverland, an island of the imagination where pirates prowl the Mermaids’ Lagoon and fairies live so long as children believe in them. Peter Pan and his loyal, lightning-quick companion, Tinker Bell, have come for Peter’s shadow, captured the previous night by Nana, the children’s Newfoundland nanny. The pair leaves not just with the shadow, but with Wendy and her brothers, as well, whisking them away to Neverland to join the Lost Boys in their war against the evil Captain Hook.

J. M. Barrie created the character of Peter Pan to entertain a young family he regularly met in Kensington Gardens. Over the course of two novels and a play, he turned a whimsical idea into one of the most cherished literary characters of all time.

(4) The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Goodreads | Patricia Clark Memorial Library: ePub / Kindle | Amazon US
Print Length: 270 pages

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

There is a ghost in the Paris Opera House. Singers, dancers, and stagehands have all seen him lurking in the shadows of the set, and each describes his face differently. Some say it is on fire, others that it is bare bone, and a terrified few say that he has no face at all. Outsiders dismiss the stories as theatrical superstition, but soon the phantom will reveal himself—and the Opera will never be the same.

A crew member is found hanged, and every denizen of the theater is quick to blame the phantom. More deaths follow, until the phantom is forced to make himself known in the most spectacular manner possible. But when the mysterious ghost begins to admire a beautiful singer, it is the beginning of something magnificent: a love story as heartfelt and tragic as any opera ever staged.

(5) 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
Goodreads | Amazon UK / Amazon US / Kobo Ca
Print Length: 324 pages

Spoiler:

Arthur C. Clarke has been the presiding genius of science fiction for almost fifty years. His works include the ground-breaking and profound CHILDHOOD'S END, RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA and EXPEDITION TO EARTH. Written when landing on the moon was still a dream, made into one of the most influential films of our century, brilliant, compulsive, prophetic, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY tackles the enduring theme of man's place in the universe.On the moon an enigma is uncovered. So great are the implications that, for the first time, men are sent out deep into the solar system. But, before they can reach their destination, things begin to go wrong, horribly wrong.

(6) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Goodreads | Amazon UK / Amazon US / Google Play / Kobo US / Overdrive / Sainsbury's UK
Print Length: 180 pages

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last!

But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled-rotten brat whose parents are wrapped around her little finger; Violet Beauregarde, a dim-witted gum-chewer with the fastest jaws around; Mike Teavee, a toy pistol-toting gangster-in-training who is obsessed with television; and Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life!

(7) Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling
Goodreads | Patricia Clark Memorial Library: Kindle (1) / Kindle (2) / ePub (1) / ePub (2)
Print Length: 162 pages

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

First published in 1897, Captain Courageous tells of the high-seas adventures of Harvey Cheyne, the son of an American millionaire, who, after falling from a luxury ocean liner, is rescued by the raucous crew of the fishing ship We’re Here. Obstinate and spoiled at first, Harvey in due course learns diligence and responsibility and earns the camaraderie of the seamen, who treat him as one of their own. A true test of character, Harvey’s months aboard the We’re Here provide a delightful glimpse of life at sea and well-told morals of discipline, empathy, and self-reliance.

(8) Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lewis Wallace
Goodreads | Amazon US (1) / Amazon US (2) / Barnes & Noble (1) / Barnes & Noble (2) / Kobo US
Print Length: 544 pages

Spoiler:

From the inside flap:

General Lew Wallace's Ben-Hur vividly reimagines the mighty Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity. The saga of Judah Ben-Hur's spiritual journey from slavery to vengeance to redemption is both a vivid historical adventure and a powerful story of one man's religious awakening. As Blake Allmendinger writes in his Introduction to this Modern Library Paperback Classic, "Ben-Hur has endured for more than one hundred years because it offers something for everyone. The story of the Jewish hero Ben-Hur, his conflict with the Roman warrior Messala, and his conversion to Christianity at the foot of the Cross, combines adventure, sentimentality, athletic spectacle, and religious devotion."

(9) Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Goodreads | Patricia Clark Memorial Library: Kindle | Amazon US / Audible / Kobo US / Overdrive Audiobook (1) / Overdrive Audiobook (2) / Overdrive eBook
Print Length: 82 pages

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

Heart of Darkness has been considered for most of this century as a literary classic, and also as a powerful indictment of the evils of imperialism. It reflects the savage repressions carried out in the Congo by the Belgians in one of the largest acts of genocide committed up to that time. Conrad's narrator encounters at the end of the story a man named Kurtz, dying, insane, and guilty of unspeakable atrocities.

The nominations are now closed.

[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. Also, if you find one on the list that is no longer in operation, let me know and I'll remove it from 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

*** Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lewis Wallace [GA Russell, drofgnal, bfisher]
Goodreads | Amazon US (1) / Amazon US (2) / Barnes & Noble (1) / Barnes & Noble (2) / Kobo US
Print Length: 544 pages

Spoiler:

From the inside flap:

General Lew Wallace's Ben-Hur vividly reimagines the mighty Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity. The saga of Judah Ben-Hur's spiritual journey from slavery to vengeance to redemption is both a vivid historical adventure and a powerful story of one man's religious awakening. As Blake Allmendinger writes in his Introduction to this Modern Library Paperback Classic, "Ben-Hur has endured for more than one hundred years because it offers something for everyone. The story of the Jewish hero Ben-Hur, his conflict with the Roman warrior Messala, and his conversion to Christianity at the foot of the Cross, combines adventure, sentimentality, athletic spectacle, and religious devotion."

*** Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy [VioletVal, CRussel, Luffy]
Goodreads | Amazon US / Audible / Barnes & Noble / Kobo US
Print Length: 512 pages

Spoiler:

Independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the gentleman-farmer Boldwood, soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy and the devoted shepherd Gabriel Oak. Each, in contrasting ways, unsettles her decisions and complicates her life, and tragedy ensues, threatening the stability of the whole community. The first of his works set in Wessex, Hardy's novel of swift passion and slow courtship is imbued with his evocative descriptions of rural life and landscapes, and with unflinching honesty about sexual relationships.

*** Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl [JSWolf, Luffy, Dazrin]
Goodreads | Amazon UK / Amazon US / Google Play / Kobo US / Overdrive / Sainsbury's UK
Print Length: 180 pages

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last!

But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled-rotten brat whose parents are wrapped around her little finger; Violet Beauregarde, a dim-witted gum-chewer with the fastest jaws around; Mike Teavee, a toy pistol-toting gangster-in-training who is obsessed with television; and Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life!

*** Hiroshima by John Hersey [CRussel, WT Sharpe, din155]
Goodreads | Amazon Ca / Amazon UK / Audible (1) / Audible (2) / Kobo Ca (1) / Kobo Ca (2)
Print Length: 135 pages

Spoiler:

From the blurb for one of the Kobo editions in the UK:

Hiroshima is John Hersey's timeless and compassionate account of the catastrophic event which heralded the coming of the atomic age. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author went to Japan, while the ashes of Hiroshima were still warm, to interview the survivors of the first atomic bombing. His trip resulted in this world-famous document, the most significant piece of journalism of modern times. "Nothing that can be said about this book," The New York Times wrote, "can equal what the book has to say. It speaks for itself, and in an unforgettable way, for humanity."

From the Kindle UK description:

"The room was filled with a blinding light. She was paralysed by fear, fixed still in her chair for a long moment. Everything fell.'

2015 is the 70th anniversary of Hiroshima, when, on 6 August at 8.15am, an atomic bomb was dropped over the Japanese city, killing one hundred thousand men, women and children in its white fury. John Hersey's spare, devastating report on the attack was first published in the New Yorker in 1946. Written in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, it chronicles what happened through the eyes of six civilians who survived against the odds. It is a classic piece of journalism, and a defining moment of the nuclear age.

*** Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie [WT Sharpe, GA Russell, pdurrant]
Goodreads | Patricia Clark Memorial Library: ePub / Kindle | Amazon US / Amazon US (Restored) / Barnes & Noble / Kobo US
Print Length: 166 pages

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

One magical night, the Darling children — Wendy, John, and Michael — are visited by two mischievous denizens of Neverland, an island of the imagination where pirates prowl the Mermaids’ Lagoon and fairies live so long as children believe in them. Peter Pan and his loyal, lightning-quick companion, Tinker Bell, have come for Peter’s shadow, captured the previous night by Nana, the children’s Newfoundland nanny. The pair leaves not just with the shadow, but with Wendy and her brothers, as well, whisking them away to Neverland to join the Lost Boys in their war against the evil Captain Hook.

J. M. Barrie created the character of Peter Pan to entertain a young family he regularly met in Kensington Gardens. Over the course of two novels and a play, he turned a whimsical idea into one of the most cherished literary characters of all time.

*** The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux [WT Sharpe, GA Russell, pdurrant]
Goodreads | Patricia Clark Memorial Library: ePub / Kindle | Amazon US
Print Length: 270 pages

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

There is a ghost in the Paris Opera House. Singers, dancers, and stagehands have all seen him lurking in the shadows of the set, and each describes his face differently. Some say it is on fire, others that it is bare bone, and a terrified few say that he has no face at all. Outsiders dismiss the stories as theatrical superstition, but soon the phantom will reveal himself—and the Opera will never be the same.

A crew member is found hanged, and every denizen of the theater is quick to blame the phantom. More deaths follow, until the phantom is forced to make himself known in the most spectacular manner possible. But when the mysterious ghost begins to admire a beautiful singer, it is the beginning of something magnificent: a love story as heartfelt and tragic as any opera ever staged.

*** 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke [din155, CRussel, Dazrin]
Goodreads | Amazon UK / Amazon US / Kobo Ca
Print Length: 324 pages

Spoiler:

Arthur C. Clarke has been the presiding genius of science fiction for almost fifty years. His works include the ground-breaking and profound CHILDHOOD'S END, RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA and EXPEDITION TO EARTH. Written when landing on the moon was still a dream, made into one of the most influential films of our century, brilliant, compulsive, prophetic, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY tackles the enduring theme of man's place in the universe.On the moon an enigma is uncovered. So great are the implications that, for the first time, men are sent out deep into the solar system. But, before they can reach their destination, things begin to go wrong, horribly wrong.

*** Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling [pdurrant, CRussel, Dazrin]
Goodreads | Patricia Clark Memorial Library: Kindle (1) / Kindle (2) / ePub (1) / ePub (2)
Print Length: 162 pages

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

First published in 1897, Captain Courageous tells of the high-seas adventures of Harvey Cheyne, the son of an American millionaire, who, after falling from a luxury ocean liner, is rescued by the raucous crew of the fishing ship We’re Here. Obstinate and spoiled at first, Harvey in due course learns diligence and responsibility and earns the camaraderie of the seamen, who treat him as one of their own. A true test of character, Harvey’s months aboard the We’re Here provide a delightful glimpse of life at sea and well-told morals of discipline, empathy, and self-reliance.

*** Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad [issybird, din155, bfisher]
Goodreads | Patricia Clark Memorial Library: Kindle | Amazon US / Audible / Kobo US / Overdrive Audiobook (1) / Overdrive Audiobook (2) / Overdrive eBook
Print Length: 82 pages

Spoiler:

From Goodreads:

Heart of Darkness has been considered for most of this century as a literary classic, and also as a powerful indictment of the evils of imperialism. It reflects the savage repressions carried out in the Congo by the Belgians in one of the largest acts of genocide committed up to that time. Conrad's narrator encounters at the end of the story a man named Kurtz, dying, insane, and guilty of unspeakable atrocities.

The nominations are now closed.

[GA Russell]

I nominate Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lewis Wallace.

The best-selling American novel of all time. - Amazon

General Lew Wallace's Ben-Hur vividly reimagines the mighty Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity. The saga of Judah Ben-Hur's spiritual journey from slavery to vengeance to redemption is both a vivid historical adventure and a powerful story of one man's religious awakening. As Blake Allmendinger writes in his Introduction to this Modern Library Paperback Classic, "Ben-Hur has endured for more than one hundred years because it offers something for everyone. The story of the Jewish hero Ben-Hur, his conflict with the Roman warrior Messala, and his conversion to Christianity at the foot of the Cross, combines adventure, sentimentality, athletic spectacle, and religious devotion." - from the inside flap

Kindle - free
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UJ10U6
https://www.amazon.com/Ben-Hur-Illus...dp/B01FFYCMMO/

Kobo - 99 cents
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/eb...-the-christ-36

B&N nook - 99 cents
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ben-...ace/1100059503
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ben-...ace/1113673095

[VioletVal]

I nominate Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy.

Independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the gentleman-farmer Boldwood, soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy and the devoted shepherd Gabriel Oak. Each, in contrasting ways, unsettles her decisions and complicates her life, and tragedy ensues, threatening the stability of the whole community. The first of his works set in Wessex, Hardy's novel of swift passion and slow courtship is imbued with his evocative descriptions of rural life and landscapes, and with unflinching honesty about sexual relationships.

Amazon - free
https://www.amazon.com/Far-Madding-C.../dp/B0084B0DOK

Kobo - 68 cents
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/eb...dding-crowd-57

B&N nook - 99 cents
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/far-...=2940014144360

[CRussel]

Well, I can't say it excites me, but I willing to second and read Far From the Madding Crowd. In addition to the versions listed in VioletVal's post, there are also some 20 Audible versions (though I've excluded the abridged versions from that search string.)

Some of the Audible versions are WhisperSync enabled, and while no longer free, the combined eBook+audio book are still cheaper than the audio book alone. So for those who would prefer to read that way, a good option.

There are several possible narrators worthy of a listen, so take a moment to check out the samples. The variation is fairly substantial.

[JSWolf]

I would like to nominate Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last!

But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled-rotten brat whose parents are wrapped around her little finger; Violet Beauregarde, a dim-witted gum-chewer with the fastest jaws around; Mike Teavee, a toy pistol-toting gangster-in-training who is obsessed with television; and Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life!

Overdrive: https://www.overdrive.com/media/4661...colate-factory
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/eb...late-factory-3
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ies_dp_rw_ca_1
Google Play US: https://play.google.com/store/books/...d=TpGWiBzrxhAC
Sainsbury's UK https://www.sainsburysentertainment..../9780141960616
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Charlie-Cho...rlie+chocolate
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...om_search=true

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

I nominate Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lewis Wallace....

BTW, you can watch the original 1907 film version at YouTube. Note, this is a low budget 15 minute long production. The big budget and quite impressive MGM version came out 18 years later in 1925. I've seen the 1925 version and highly recommend it if you can find it.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

I nominate Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lewis Wallace.

The best-selling American novel of all time. - Amazon

General Lew Wallace's Ben-Hur vividly reimagines the mighty Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity. The saga of Judah Ben-Hur's spiritual journey from slavery to vengeance to redemption is both a vivid historical adventure and a powerful story of one man's religious awakening. As Blake Allmendinger writes in his Introduction to this Modern Library Paperback Classic, "Ben-Hur has endured for more than one hundred years because it offers something for everyone. The story of the Jewish hero Ben-Hur, his conflict with the Roman warrior Messala, and his conversion to Christianity at the foot of the Cross, combines adventure, sentimentality, athletic spectacle, and religious devotion." - from the inside flap

Kindle - free
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UJ10U6
https://www.amazon.com/Ben-Hur-Illus...dp/B01FFYCMMO/

Kobo - 99 cents
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/eb...-the-christ-36

B&N nook - 99 cents
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ben-...ace/1100059503
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ben-...ace/1113673095

If this book was to win, the discussion would have to be moved to the P&R forum. So because of that, I think any politically or religious based book should be disqualified.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If this book was to win, the discussion would have to be moved to the P&R forum. So because of that, I think any politically or religious based book should be disqualified.

I disagree. I think rational adults can discuss the literary merits of a book with a religious or political agenda without crossing the line into arguments as to whether one agrees or disagrees with the personal beliefs of the author.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I disagree. I think rational adults can discuss the literary merits of a book with a religious or political agenda without crossing the line into arguments as to whether one agrees or disagrees with the personal beliefs of the author.

Rational or not is not the issue. The issue is that religious and/or political discussion belongs in the P%R forum. That's why it exists. So even the most rational and the most polite discussion belongs in the P&R forum. That's not my rule. That's the forum's rule. If you allow the discussion to take place outside the P&R frum, then the P&R forum may as well be deleted. Besides, if you have one religious dicussion outside the P&R forum, then there would be precedence to not use the P&R forum. I don't think an exception can be made without undermining the P&R forum.

[BenG]

By the same token we would have to rule out things like The Davinci Code, The Grapes of Wrath, All the King's Men, 1984, The Animal Farm, The Handmaid's Tale, The Line of Beauty, The Brothers Karamozov, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Man Who Was Thursday, The Golden Compass, etc. some of which we've read already without any complaint from you.
I suppose you object to the title, though the majority of the book, like the movie, is about Ben Hur and his revenge.

I'm not voting for it since I read it a couple of times already and the movie (not the current one) was better.

[Luffy]

I third Far from the Madding Crowd, and second Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

[drofgnal]

I'll second Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. It's on my TBR list anyway.

[CRussel]

I'm not voting for it because I don't particularly want to read it, but I agree with Tom on whether or not we could read and discuss Ben-Hur. We've had this claim before, and recently, for The Golden Compass, and it wasn't valid then and isn't valid here.

[CRussel]

I'd like to nominate Hiroshima by John Hersey. This is a short book (75-105 pages, depending on edition), from the blurb for one of the Kobo editions in the UK:

Hiroshima is John Hersey's timeless and compassionate account of the catastrophic event which heralded the coming of the atomic age. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author went to Japan, while the ashes of Hiroshima were still warm, to interview the survivors of the first atomic bombing. His trip resulted in this world-famous document, the most significant piece of journalism of modern times. "Nothing that can be said about this book," The New York Times wrote, "can equal what the book has to say. It speaks for itself, and in an unforgettable way, for humanity."

From the Kindle UK description:

"The room was filled with a blinding light. She was paralysed by fear, fixed still in her chair for a long moment. Everything fell.'

2015 is the 70th anniversary of Hiroshima, when, on 6 August at 8.15am, an atomic bomb was dropped over the Japanese city, killing one hundred thousand men, women and children in its white fury. John Hersey's spare, devastating report on the attack was first published in the New Yorker in 1946. Written in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, it chronicles what happened through the eyes of six civilians who survived against the odds. It is a classic piece of journalism, and a defining moment of the nuclear age.

There are no US Kindle versions, however a brief trip to Canada or the UK will solve that, or go with the Kobo versions - they appear to be more broadly available. And there are certainly pBook and Audible versions available. At least one of the Kobo versions is completely free.

Kobo Canada ($2.99 CDN)
Kobo Canada ($0.00, no DRM)
Kindle (Canada) ($7.67 CDN, No DRM)
Kindle UK (£1.49)
Audible (George Guidall Narration)
Audible (Ed Asner Narration)