As there are people who form their own book clubs and read a different book each month to discuss, I was wondering if we on the Bookworms forum might have something similiar. Everybody who's interested in a book discussion, each month somebody else gets to pick a book of which everybody has a month to read and then at the end of the month they get together and discuss it. Is anybody else up for it?

Cadet, I know some time ago (years?) there used to be a book discussion group. Have you tried a search? Maybe you could revive it. Sounds like fun, and if it were a book I had read (or be willing to read), I'd certainly join in.

I'd be interested, but you need to contact an administrator on the subject. It may be that such a dedicated group discussion would need to take place outside of the ordinary FT forums.

Please start with Sue and let me know, via a pm, what you learn.

We did do this for a while, but it petered out. Personally, I found that being "set" a book to read instantly made it unappealing to me, even if I had previously been eager to read it (seem to remember something of the same sort happening in Junior High School...)

lanfranco is right though - check with Sue and see what the verdict is.

I am sure we could set it up again if enough people want to take part. I think rather on the same lines as the separate Photo-a -day is set out(Its own forum but part of Science/tech.)It is certainly worth a try, I think.

I think it'd be good, but it would depend on how easy the book was to access.

If we did have one I would certainly participate as much as I could.

Neil Gaiman actually puts a "Book Club Discussion Topics" section at the end of some of his books now and for some reason it drives me mad lol - is he presumptuous? or helpful?

OK, the Book of the Month is going to start soon. Please decide the title and let me know, so I can start the thread.I suggest the person who chooses the book, leads the discussion? Let me know what you all think.

As Jar said, if it was a book I've read or one I would like to read, I would be willing to participate. I guess it would depend also on how much time needed to be dedicated to the discussion. I will watch for your thread, ren, and go from there.

Someone needs to suggest a title or two for this to get started!

I just finished Clarissa Dickson Wright's autobiography, "Spilling The Beans". If anyone else has read or is reading it, would that do? I found it fascinating with loads of things to discuss...
Or should it be a novel? Or an older book so people have more chance of finding in the library if necessary?
Anyone?

To make things simpler, let's start with a book easily findable in a local library. The book should also be one that doesn't require an advanced degree in Comparative Literature. If this works, we can move on later to more difficult novels and perhaps even non-fiction.

Here's a suggestion, just because I found the book both thought-provoking and entertaining and would like to read it again: John Irving's "A Prayer for Owen Meany."

Oh, yippee ! I can actually join in the discussion if "Owen Meany" gets selected (I have an unread copy of it right above my desk).

But I'm good with any choice as long as I can get a copy without having to travel to grab it (used books on Amazon arrive at my door in two or three days, so that'll work as a source ... for me, anyway)...

O.K. "Owen Meany" has been seconded. Any thirds? Other suggestions?

Cadet, this was your idea. What do you think?

In the meantime, we have to get a certain number of people to sign on.

I think Owen Meany is an excellent idea.
Just give me the nod and I will put the October thread up.

Nodding to myself - Yes, "A Prayer for Owen Meany" is a great choice!

Owen Meany seems to be available even here in the sticks; so yes, I'll vote for it too.

What do I think? Well I think a good book to start a discussion on would be Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Though I'm probably alone on this one.

Well, I'd go for that as a choice, absolutely, so let's have a little more discussion before ren puts the thread up. Perhaps some other people would prefer the Bradbury to the Irving.

In addition, ren, do we need to -- can we? -- set a date by which people should have the book read so discussion can begin? "Owen Meany" isn't a short novel, so if we settle on it, people who haven't yet read it will definitely need some time to complete it.

That's what we did before, I think. Or, at least we read up to a certain chapter by a certain date so we could begin.

I think the book should also be suitable for a variety of ages and preferences. e.g. no especially 'adult' books or no books with excessive swearing.

Also perhaps a poll for the book, where a few titles are suggested - perhaps emailed to the setter-upperer of the book club - and are put in the poll.

Well, I think running a poll might cause this to become more complicated than it needs to be. Since Cadet first suggested this project, why don't we just go with Cadet's suggestion, "Fahrenheit 451"? If that works, we can move on to "Owen Meany".

I'll be an arbitrary professor type, since that's what I am. Ren, could you put up a thread suggesting that we can begin to discuss "Fahrenheit 451" on, say, Saturday, the 20th of October? Would that be possible?

Fine... done!
We can keep THIS thread for discussions on which book comes next.
If we are not starting till October 20th , it is not really a monthly forum, so I will lock it when you all agree the discussion has taken its course. OK?
So no one posts in the new thread until 20th Oct, so we can all read/re read the book. Thanks.

ok, sounds good.