I'm fine with "The Time Machine." I haven't read it, though I've read the other suggestion, "War of the Worlds." I think "Island of Dr. Moreau," however, might be the H.G. Wells that would spark the most discussion (so many dark philosophical issues!), but I will go with "The Time Machine" without problem.

I agree with having a sort of reading schedule to prevent too early spoilers. When I open the thread for "Things Fall Apart" I'll post a discussion schedule.

Skylarb, I think you will really enjoy "The Time Machine", if you liked "The War of the Worlds". Since it seems to be agreeable to everyone, then "The Time Machine" will our August selection.

To anyone who does not have the book. the complete text can be found at:

http://pd.sparknotes.com/lit/timemachine/section1.html

It also has some excellent "goodies"--study guide, notes, etc. if you do have access to the book. All the novels of HG Wells can be found at Spark Notes.

I'm looking forward to it. (I actually didn't like War of the World all that much, but I did like the Island of Dr. Moreau. I hope to find I enjoy the Time Machine, and I like reading a new title.)

The next couple of months are likely to be very time consuming for me and I'm hoping that none of you would mind if we made a slight alteration to the agreed reading schedule.

As I can get sebastiancat's choice on tape it would enable me to keep up with the 'readings' while I'm travelling, which would allow me to contribute to the discussion thread later in the month. October, being a much slower month for me, would mean that I'd have a little more time available to participate in the forums for my own book selection.

Neither Sebastiancat nor TabbyTom has any objections to swapping our choice of titles over so that Poe's "Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales" becomes the choice for September and Cervantes' "Don Quixote" set back until October, and I hope it won't be a problem for anyone else.

Just a reminder that the chosen book for August is "The Time Machine" by H G Wells, selected by LindaC007.

Izzi, changing the titles around is really fine with me. I have a couple of Poe collections here that belong to my daughter.

First off can I say - I'VE READ THIS ONE! (iI'll enjoy reading it again and hope I can contribute this time!)
Second - REN you are not allowed to leave my Forums (you can leave everywhere else but you stay here!!!! lol JOHN)

ENJOY THE BOOK OF THE MONTH EVERYONE!

Fosse made the following suggestion for a future Book of the Month:

Quote:

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I wonder what the reaction to my choice would be - Biography and/or Historical -
A recent one I'd recommend to anyone is "The Map That Changed The World" (Subtitle is William Smith and the Birth of Science) it sounds very droll and boring but it's a facinating insight into the thinking of the period.

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Now that really is my preferred genre, I thoroughly enjoyed that one too! However, I'm not sure that it might suit everyone, which is why we generally go for the classics. I'm perfectly happy to go for a bit of a change though.

My family always give me wonderfully interesting books as gifts, and others in a similar vein I'd recommend are "Longitude" and "Galileo's Daughter" (lengthy subtitles omitted) both brilliant books by Dava Sobel, "Isaac Newton: the Last Sorcerer" by Michael White, and "Nathaniel's Nutmeg" by Giles Milton.

Fosse, I have absolutely no problem reading non-fiction and greatly enjoy it.

"The Map that changed the World" is actually on my wishlist of books to read. It reminds me a bit of "Professor and the Madman" which I really liked.

Adding another genre of books such as non-fiction/biography would be a wonderful boon and hopefully expose myself and others to books we may not have normally picked up.

I think nonfiction is a fine choice if the subject matter is not too narrow, but the work is broadly interesting, and has a narrative quality. The Professor and the Madman, mentioned above, I think is an ideal example of a good choice in this genre that would appeal to a diversity of people. I am all up for nonfiction--I just don't know if it might be more difficult to find in different countries than the classics are.

I think we should aim to read as wide a variety of books as we can, and so I'm all in favour of some of our choices being non-fiction, but we need to be sure that the books we choose can be found easily and cheaply by all our members. In the UK, "The Map That Changed The World" seems to be currently available in a Penguin paperback at £6.99. I'm not sure whether it's widely stocked in libraries.

I've checked out a few County Library listings for the UK, and it appears to be generally held in stock. Perhaps someone else could check on availability overseas.

Just a mention that Simon Winchester is the author of both "The Map That Changed The World" and the other title mentioned above, "The Professor And The Madman".

I've gotten lost in this thread. I think the stories of Poe are on deck for September. Is that correct?

Yes, the stories of Poe for September and the first volume of "Don Quixote" for October

Hi Guys (and Gals), Thanks for the positive response, I appreciate your answers and perhaps it should be a seperate thread for each book. The book I suggested (which it appears most of you have read or want to) wasn't just about science(The title was misleading) it was about the social structures of the time and a biography of a great man who was misunderstood at the time he lived (Hindsight is a wonderful thing).
So If any of you can suggest a similar book for discussion, (or just recommend)Please Do. I'll try to read it!
Post it as a new thread recommending the book to be read for whatever reason - you don't have to worry about giving the plot away(Harry Potter!!!!!!!) -because that's why we (me) will want to read it and then you can host/invite the discussion!

Is there any certain edition of Poe we're using? Not that it really matters---could someone make out a list of which stories we'll address each week? I'm sure that, at one time or another, I've read 'em all, but I'd like to re-read before we discuss them, since my memory's gotten rather like a sieve lately. (*grin*)

Hi all, I am really glad to have some time to breathe. I finished summer school today. I went to the library and am all set with a copy of Poe's stories called:
"Oxford World's Classics, Edgar Allan Poe Selected Tales." I hope this is OK. It has most of the well known ones I think.It is great to be back.I am rarein' to go. (Where on earth did that expression come from?)

They even have the September choice in the Hong Kong Library!( assuming you mean this one , John:
Winchester, Simon.
Title: The map that changed the world : William Smith and the birth of modern geology / Simon Winchester ; [illustrations by Soun Vannithone].
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: New York, NY : HarperCollins, c2001.
Collation: xix, 329 p., [2] p. of plates : ill., maps (some col.) ; 22 cm.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [311]-316) and index.
Subject: Smith, William, 1769-1839.
Geology, Stratigraphic History.
Geologists Great Britain Biography.
Added Author(s): Vannithone, Soun.)
I reserved that for next month anyway. If its not , let me know and I will look again. It looks interesting to me.
PS I don't know why I seem surprised at the fact that it is in our libraries, really they are very well stocked and the service is terrific.

Ms. Batt, later this evening or Saturday morning I had planned on providing a new post for the September club with a suggested time-line for reading the stories. My personal copy also has a novella at the end. Does anyone else? I'm sure there are a number of different editions and it is going to be interesting to compare and contrast the other editions.

PS...sorry forgot to also ask, is Simon Winchester's "Map that Changed the World" going ot be the November selection, or is the idea still being tossed around?

I have the complete works of Poe (poetry and prose), so I am guessing it has the novella, though I haven't looked yet. No nice notes like an Oxford edition, though. I guess I'll just have to wing it...but the book club will give me the insight I need...I haven't read Poe in a while. I guess I got Poed out. I live in Virginia, so he's pretty big here--we start reading his stories in 7th grade in school. I also went to the Univeristy of Virginia, so you can imagine he's big there too...they still have is room roped off and open with a plastic plated window covering it...and a raven perched on the bedpost for good measure. But I'd like to read him again...it's been a few years.

Can I make a suggestion for the Book Club ? If so, can I suggest "The Sign of Four" by Arthur Conan Doyle. I feel it is one of the best Sherlock Homes stories. I would love to discuss about it

Yah---I'm up for "Map of the World"!