Oh, for a book....

[northepaul]

I'm going to have to scroll back through this thread and make a note of all these titles I want to check out so that next time I'm in Waterstones I have a few pointers!
So what shall we call the book club thread then? Could be a "sticky". What about a book swap option? Oooh! The possibilities are endless!

Sounds brill!! Count me in, (if you do it that is )

[northepaul]

I have to be honest, I dont use the library very much to borrow books for myself. (The local one is VERY small with limited books, and it takes an age if you ask for them to reserve anything, and costs £1.50 ) My daughter always borrows library books, we go in about once a month, and I often pop in to use the photocopier, or research or check out local events...theres much more to them than the obvious!

[FionaH]

I'm going to have to scroll back through this thread and make a note of all these titles I want to check out so that next time I'm in Waterstones I have a few pointers!
So what shall we call the book club thread then? Could be a "sticky". What about a book swap option? Oooh! The possibilities are endless!

Book club thread could very easily be a sticky.
My initial reaction to book swapping is please nooooooo. These things have a nasty habit of going wrong, then the mods get the flack/have to sort it out etc

[jojo2910]

Could we not decide on a method of selection then post what the book of the month (or other period) is. When the time period is up we post our comments etc. Everyone is responsible for obtaining their own copy.

My other group had a few lose rules about book selection but nothing major. E.g. choose a book fairly easy to get hold, not too long etc. Most people naturally followed these.

[Florence Fennel]

I'm up for this, but as Fi says, it will become too complicated if we start swapping, so agree with Jojo we should get our own copy.

[Florence Fennel]

I've just been having a bit of a browse and there are loads of Book Club selections we can use as a list of choice.

[bobleponge]

I very rarely read fiction (last time I did, it was "The woman in the 5th" by Douglas Kennedy, and that explained again to me why I dont read it) but if you want a humerous title (imo at least) try "1000 years of annoying the French" by Stephen Clarke. He's the guy who wrote the "Merde" series about French living.
On line book club sounds great, my ex wife and my daughter are both in a real one, and I have recommended 3 to them over the last year, and they have all gone down really well with everyone.

[zazen999]

Do you think 'oh come on' because you don't like Magic Realism [get me!] or because the plot fits together too nicely to be true?

I do need to know before I recommend some of the best books ever written.....

[northepaul]

I am sure if the books chosen are reasonably well known, it would be possible to borrow them from the library?

[Kiwi_Soph]

How did I miss a thread about books? Cannot get enough of them, really. I'll read anything as long as it is not too melodramatic-romancey or just another story about a single 30-something who has a dud job, flat and fella but trades them all in for better versions (by way of some hilarious life lessons) by the book's end.

I am reading The Conjuror's Bird at the moment. Quite good, sort of a contempory mystery/historical book about the search for a lost bird from the expedition of Banks and Cook. Have to finish it before I can recommend it though!

The Conjuror's Bird: Amazon.co.uk: Martin Davies: Books


I also recently read and loved The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. An abandoned stately house soaked in the mysteries of the past; dark fairy tales; isolated, are-they-evil twins and, entwined all through it, a devotion to the escapism of reading - what's not to like? On its own it is a cracking gothic-mystery type read but if you have read the Austens and Brontes and Collins and the like it is also so rich and lovely.

The Thirteenth Tale: Amazon.co.uk: Diane Setterfield: Books

[Creemteez]

Do you think 'oh come on' because you don't like Magic Realism [get me!] or because the plot fits together too nicely to be true?

I do need to know before I recommend some of the best books ever written.....

Hmm, don't know about Magic Realism (get you!), but I generally think "Oh Come On!" when I suddenly realise I'm three quarters of the way through a book and am still waiting for it to get into gear/get interesting/understand what the hell it's supposed to be about.....

[zazen999]

Ok then.

Try:

David Mitchell Cloud Atlas (novel) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marcus Zuzak The Book Thief: Amazon.co.uk: Markus Zusak: Books

For starters.....

[Creemteez]

Ok then.

Try:

David Mitchell Cloud Atlas (novel) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marcus Zuzak The Book Thief: Amazon.co.uk: Markus Zusak: Books

For starters.....

More titles to add to my list - Ta!

[Florence Fennel]

Ok then.

Try:

David Mitchell Cloud Atlas (novel) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marcus Zuzak The Book Thief: Amazon.co.uk: Markus Zusak: Books

For starters.....

Here comes the frog - read it, read it. Good taste though Zaz.

[bobleponge]

You may have seen the film but have you read the book?

Papillon by Henri Charriere (sp) Although clearly several escape attempts put together as one mans story, as an example of someone being determined to clear his name, its a fantastic work.

Also I would recommend Endurance, by Caroline Alexander. Open mouthed in admiration at how hard people were back in the day, and the boat trip from Elephant Island to South Georgia is still deemed by many to be right up there in the annals of awesomeness.