View Full Version : Explosm Book Club
abbey
02-02-2008, 12:01 PM
It looks like there are quite a few people on Explosm who are interested in books or literature, so I was thinking it would be fun to start a book club. Every month someone could suggest a book to read and then at the end of the month we'd discuss it. Then another person would suggest a different book and so on.
Of course the books would have to be pretty short, like between 150 and 350 pages so everyone would have time to read it. They'd also have to be easy to find at a library or a bookstore.
The discussions wouldn't just be "I liked this part." They'd have to be more in depth, covering stuff like themes, characters, and the message the author was trying to convey.
Is anyone else interested?
EDIT: So A LOT of people are interested. I don't want it to start quite yet though, not until we know if we can have a subforum for it or not.
Here's the thread in the comment dump. (http://forums.explosm.net/showthread.php?t=21412)
natalie137
02-02-2008, 12:32 PM
If I'm not busy with uni work I'd definitely be interested. I don't read enough, this would prompt me to actually start reading!
John Travolta
02-02-2008, 1:45 PM
I'd do it.
Audioslave
02-02-2008, 1:47 PM
I down.
John Travolta
02-02-2008, 1:55 PM
I said it first, motherfucker.
Quadros
02-02-2008, 2:28 PM
I'd do it.
I said it first. Apparently some Texan's interested too.
I'm in! I should be busy with college work but that won't happen :)
John Travolta
02-02-2008, 2:37 PM
Any suggestions for the first book?
If I can get my hands on the book, then sure.
Sounds like it could be fun as long as I can find the book.
Any suggestions for the first book?
Let's just ask Oprah :lol:
Con-Con
02-02-2008, 3:15 PM
To Kill a Mockingbird?
John Travolta
02-02-2008, 3:28 PM
I think we should all come up with one book and then somebody could make a poll and we could decide which book to read. Preferably one that hasn't been read by yourself, but one that you've heard good things about.
Kite Runner is my choice.
Spastic
02-02-2008, 4:36 PM
I'll join, pending any unforeseen circumstances in the near future, I should have the time to finish the books within a month no problem.
It's a fine idea.
Right now I'm reading Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk, and I'd discuss that one if you all agree.
As for To Kill a Mockingbird - it is a great piece of art but I've read it too many times and I guess most of you have had it in literature classes (?)... But sure, I'd discuss To Kill a Mockigbird as well. :)
Sign me up. I agree with the poll idea, just have everyone pitch a book and then we vote on which one everyone should read.
ToastmasterAlpha
02-02-2008, 7:40 PM
Yeah, I'd do this. I already do it with my library in fact.
Depending on the book I'd probably join in.
I'll toss in a suggestion: "The Bus Driver Who Wanted To Be God & Other Stories" by Etgar Keret. It's a collection of "warped and wonderful short stories." I planned on picking this up next anyways. *nudge nudge*
I like the Kite Runner idea because someone just lent that to me and it's sitting on my bookshelf at the moment.
Pachycephelosaurus
02-02-2008, 10:14 PM
I'm in.
I'd like to read pretty much anything, although I'd definitely suggest some Douglas Coupland. Maybe "J-Pod." I've been looking forward to reading that one.
Audioslave
02-02-2008, 10:17 PM
To Kill a Mockingbird?
FUCK OFF AND DIE.
There is a reason that she never wrote another book, because if she did, I would have lynched her.
+I think some classic lit would be great. Maybe the Illiad, the Tain er perhaps The Republic. Anything that begins with "the", really.
Pachycephelosaurus
02-02-2008, 10:36 PM
+I think some classic lit would be great. Maybe the Illiad, the Tain er perhaps The Republic. Anything that begins with "the", really.
Hmm. I'd be up for some classical lit, but perhaps a short story or something more obscure. The Russian realists are always a good choice.
By the way, I looked up the opening lines of Douglas Coupland's "J-Pod."
"Oh God. I feel like a refugee from a Douglas Coupland novel.'
'That asshole."
I'd definitely be into that.
I'd say something Kurt Vonnegut?
The Stranger by Camus? It's shortish, it's old-ish, and it starts with The for Audio's suggestion. Audio I like your suggestions but those are all pretty time consuming and I thought we were trying to find stuff shorter.
CheesePlease
02-03-2008, 1:10 AM
I'M IN.
Unless of course I can't find the book/school swamps me with work. It'll be good to start reading more.
Cristo
02-03-2008, 9:35 AM
The Stranger by Camus? It's shortish, it's old-ish, and it starts with The for Audio's suggestion. Audio I like your suggestions but those are all pretty time consuming and I thought we were trying to find stuff shorter.
I think that in English it's actually called The Outsider. L'Etranger is the French name, which translated means The Stranger, but all the publications of the book I have seen/read have been called The Outsider. Although I have heard others call it The Stranger so we're both probably right.
Really good book, nice read, easy read, and short.
Pachycephelosaurus
02-03-2008, 12:37 PM
I think that in English it's actually called The Outsider. L'Etranger is the French name, which translated means The Stranger, but all the publications of the book I have seen/read have been called The Outsider. Although I have heard others call it The Stranger so we're both probably right.
I read an English translation, and it was called "The Stranger." I'm in America though. Perhaps a regional issue.
We should set up a poll with the major suggestions. Perhaps we could take turns choosing a book we can all read as well. That way we'd be sure to read a variety of things.
Okay well let's get started soon, then. I'd kind of like to have our own subforum like the comic tournament, so I'm going to make a thread in the comment dump.
Here 'tis. (http://forums.explosm.net/showthread.php?t=21412)
CharlieH
02-03-2008, 3:11 PM
I'm down with this idea.
First book would have to be
Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
Such a brilliant book, and short enough to read in a month.
Quadros
02-03-2008, 3:15 PM
Or we could pick a book that everyone HASN'T already read.
Dumbass.
jewishjosh
02-03-2008, 3:35 PM
If we want in, do we have to participate every month/book? If some shit comes up and I can't read find time to read the book for whatever reason I'd like to be able to sit out that round.
Or we could pick a book that everyone HASN'T already read.
That should be the point. So that eliminates To Kill A Mockingbird, and a few others, namely anything on a high school curriculum. Which is fine by me.
Kite Runner sounds like a good choice, I've heard excellent things about it and this might give me incentive to read it. The Iliad etc would be cool too, eventually.
I might be willing to add a book club-only rule for TO's for suggesting books that everyone who has ever even seen a highschool has probably read.
I'll start a sticky soon, but let's first determine some rules here.
How often do we want to have new books to read? I'd say 1 month is reasonable.
The next month's book should be chosen two weeks or so before it's time to read it, giving people plenty of time to actually get it.
What should the maximum length of suggested books be? We should probably start off low, just to see if the majority of people can keep up. Kite Runner was suggested a few times and sounds interesting, but it's 324 pages, which might be a little much. I'd say we start off with 200-250 pages or so and work our way up.
Discussion of books should be preempted with little spoiler warnings about which chapter you're discussing. Eg:
Chapter 3:
I really enjoyed how the little train thought he could, then he did.
Just something to indicate to other readers to not read this if they haven't gotten to that point of the book yet.
Build on this!
CharlieH
02-03-2008, 4:18 PM
Whats that point of spoiler tags?
Everyone would have read the book already!
Discussion should be 3-5 days long at the end of each month. When this time is up the thread should be closed.
CharlieH
02-03-2008, 4:20 PM
Discussion should be 3-5 days long at the end of each month. When this time is up the thread should be closed.
Nah, just unstickied.
Some people only post a couple of times a week, or on certain days.
This is kind of ridiculous. It was my idea, shouldn't I be in charge of making the threads and such?
I'm totally willing to take this on.
Whats that point of spoiler tags?
Everyone would have read the book already!
We'd open discussion as soon as we all started reading the book.
WillJ.
02-03-2008, 4:29 PM
I'd be interested in this. I've run out of books to read so this will get me reading again.
We don't need to even sticky the threads, nor do we need a mod for all this. I'll step in to do the little things needed. I really do think discussion should be open once we start reading the book. And never lock the thread, just let it die off by itself.
Ugh, why am I agreeing with Charlie so much...
I don't necessarily mean "make me a mod" by "I'm willing to take this on."
What I mean is I'm willing to make the threads, put the suggestions together to make the polls, and start discussions.
CharlieH
02-03-2008, 4:41 PM
We don't need to even sticky the threads, nor do we need a mod for all this. I'll step in to do the little things needed. I really do think discussion should be open once we start reading the book. And never lock the thread, just let it die off by itself.
Ugh, why am I agreeing with Charlie so much...
But you have continual bouts of inactiveness...
I don't necessarily mean "make me a mod" by "I'm willing to take this on."
What I mean is I'm willing to make the threads, put the suggestions together to make the polls, and start discussions.
The Whole forum will need a mod, because you would be so active in it because you would be sorting the book club stuff, it would make sense for you to moderate it too.
Being inactive only means I'm not posting. Unless I'm traveling, I check the site every single day. It's kinda my job.
Oh, and Abbey can handle starting threads and stuff as soon as we set the rules for this whole thing.
I think the only thing left to decide is how long the polls should be open before the book is decided. I'm thinking 3 days?
I'd also like to throw my own suggestion in: Anthem by Ayn Rand.
If the each book choice comes around once month, let's have two weeks to decide on a book and two weeks to actually get it. Also, screw polls, we can do the whole thing in a single sticky. Let me get the whole thing set up and then you can take over the month-to-month proceedings, Abbey.
How are we going to decide on a book without a poll so people can vote?
I was thinking just get a general consensus. Polls are stupid because people always fuck them up. We'd need to toss out suggestions first anyways. To make it easy (and include polls!) the first week we give suggestions, second week we poll, after that the book is announced and we all have two weeks to get it.
Sound good?
Tentative Book Club Schedule:
1st of every month: Begin reading the chosen book. Thread made for next month's suggestions.
7th: Polling begins from given suggestions.
15th: Poll closed and next month's book is announced. Thread made for that book's discussion.
How does that sound? Even though we're a few days into the month already, let's just get started!
CharlieH
02-03-2008, 5:38 PM
Sorry, i'm going to pipe up again here.
I still don't think that the thread for a book discussion should be made until the first of the month.
Tentative Book Club Schedule:
1st of every month: Begin reading the chosen book. Thread made for next month's suggestions.
7th: Polling begins from given suggestions.
15th: Poll closed and next month's book is announced. Thread made for that book's discussion.
How does that sound? Even though we're a few days into the month already, let's just get started!
That sounds good as well. I'm even going to set my computer to remind me what to do on what days.
Could you add the Book Club thread tag I posted?
Sorry, i'm going to pipe up again here.
I still don't think that the thread for a book discussion should be made until the first of the month.
Well people can still discuss it when the month is over if they want, seeing as the threads won't get closed. I think it's better for the discussion to start halfway through the month for people who finish the book early or have questions or something.
I figure if people get the book early they might as well be able to talk about it. I'll make a big ass sticky thread in a minute.
The sticky, is that just the rules that take up four posts?
EDIT: Oh okay I get it.
John Travolta
02-03-2008, 6:35 PM
Everybody up for Kite Runner? I don't think a lot of people have read it but I've heard that it's a great read.
The books shouldn't really be ones that have been read by everybody so that pretty much automatically rules out Vonnegut and Lovecraft and books that are "cult classics"(1984, I, Robot, etc) mostly because every Explosmer has read it.
Use the suggestion thread!
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