[EN World Book Club] Suggestions & Selectors

[nHammer]

Discussion will start on that on January 1. The expected discussion period for a book is two weeks. The discussion on Tigana started on Nov 1. Nov 16 (or so) the reading period for Pattern Recognition will begin. The discussion thread will open on/around New Year's Day.

I got Pattern Recognition at my local library. Read it in two days. Now I have awhile to wait for the discussion, not that I have much to say about it ( yawn ).

 

[reddist]

I got Pattern Recognition at my local library. Read it in two days. Now I have awhile to wait for the discussion, not that I have much to say about it ( yawn ).

That you read it in two days says something, surely

-Reddist

 

[Rpjunkie]

I picked it up at my library yesterday and started reading the book. I got 14 paged into it and felt like someone was pulling my teeth! I guess I will skip this selection of the book club, cause you would have to hold a gun to my head for me to pick it back up. The style writing is like trying to read a technical manuel for fun. If someone likes it then great, but this is not my type of writing at all. I picked up Joe halderman's Forever Peace and I can't put that one down.

RPJ

 

[Sam]

Let's try to hold off on discussion or comments for Pattern Recognition until discussion opens in January. I'd rather not color or taint anyones perceptions of the book prior to reading it (including my own).

Thanks.

 

[Sam]

Just a reminder that discussion will start on Pattern Recognition on January 1, 2004. Also, just as an FYI, I'm going to choose the next selection. Discussion on that will be around March 1. I will post my selection around the first of the year.

Question for participants: What is your impression regarding the timing? Should it be faster between selection? Or is it about right? As a reminder, we currently have a six week reading period which starts two weeks after the discussion opens on the previous selection. So, for example, we began discussion on Tigana on November 1. The reading period for Pattern Recognition started on Nov 15, with discussion on Pattern Recognition starting on Jan 1. Is that good separation? Should it be longer reading periods? Shorter?

 

[JoeBlank]

Sam, you are doing a great job running things. Thanks.

I am happy with the reading time. Much shorter and I would not be able to participate. I barely finished Dragondoom, and was close on Tigana too.

Wasn't there supposed to be a little overlap, so that you would be posting a selection now, with the reading time for you selection to begin about Jan. 1? So discussion could begin on Feb. 15 for your selection?

 

[Sam]

Wasn't there supposed to be a little overlap, so that you would be posting a selection now, with the reading time for you selection to begin about Jan. 1? So discussion could begin on Feb. 15 for your selection?

Thanks for the vote of support.

As for the overlap, I'm fine with doing it that way. It was suggested early on by Cthulhu's Librarian I think (I'm too lazy to look back at the beginning of the discussions) to have a six week reading period which wouldn't start until the discussion of the previous book is over. Again, I'm good with starting the reading period when the discussion of the current book starts, but would like to know how others feel about that. The last thing I want to do with this book club is give people any stress. This is all about relaxing and sharing ideas, not creating deadlines that people stress about making.

 

[Duncan Haldane]

Thanks for the vote of support.

As for the overlap, I'm fine with doing it that way. It was suggested early on by Cthulhu's Librarian I think (I'm too lazy to look back at the beginning of the discussions) to have a six week reading period which wouldn't start until the discussion of the previous book is over. Again, I'm good with starting the reading period when the discussion of the current book starts, but would like to know how others feel about that. The last thing I want to do with this book club is give people any stress. This is all about relaxing and sharing ideas, not creating deadlines that people stress about making.

I wouldn't mind a bit of overlap. I didn't read pattern recognition, as it's not really a genre I'm interested in (which is fine - I don't expect to read all titles, and I wouldn't mind testing my preferences now and again anyway), and I couldn't find it in the stores I looked it.

But the more time one has to get one's hands on the book the easier it will be. I went to seven stores to get Dragondoom, which took me about a week to find.

If I have to order it, it may take a couple of weeks to arrive, so I'd rather know what book is next sooner rather than later.

Of course, since there are other things I read, I don't mind missing a book here or there.

Duncan

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

As for the overlap, I'm fine with doing it that way. It was suggested early on by Cthulhu's Librarian I think (I'm too lazy to look back at the beginning of the discussions) to have a six week reading period which wouldn't start until the discussion of the previous book is over. Again, I'm good with starting the reading period when the discussion of the current book starts, but would like to know how others feel about that. The last thing I want to do with this book club is give people any stress. This is all about relaxing and sharing ideas, not creating deadlines that people stress about making.

Yes, the reading period was my suggestion. Here is part of my original post on the idea:

1. Have 1 month reading time before discussion begins for the book.
2. Allow for 2 weeks discussion online.
3. The next book is announced when the discussion begins for the current book, but the 1 month reading period does not start until the end of the 2 week discussion period.

This will allow for an actual time between books of 6 weeks. This takes into account time to purchase the book, read it, and have the discussion before having to start discussion on the next book.

I think that the extra time (6 weeks vs. 4 weeks reading time) will take pressure off those members who may have lots of reading that is required for work, school, etc. and may find 1 month to be too short a time to read, discuss, and then start on the next book. With my spare reading time at a premium, I know I'd appreciate the slightly longer time between books.

My suggestion was for a reading period of 4 weeks which begins after the 2 week discussion period. Essentially, this creates a 6 week reading period, as the next book is announced just before the start of the discussion period of the current book. So, if using this method, the next discussion (after Pattern Recognition) would go something like this:

1. Sometime around Jan 1 Sam announces that book XYZ is going to be the next selection.
2. Discussion begins on Pattern Recognition on Jan 1. (6 weeks until next discussion begins)
3. 2 week discussion period on Pattern Recognition (Jan 1-Jan 15)
4. 4 week reading period for XYZ officially begins.
5. Discussion of XYZ starts Feb 15.

I'm not adverse to extending it a bit (starting the 6 week reading period after discusion ends, which actually gives 8 weeks from the announcement of the book to discussion), but I wouldn't suggest shortening it. As it is, I finished Tigana after the discussion period was over (too much going on at work to spend much time reading).

 

[Sam]

So, if using this method, the next discussion (after Pattern Recognition) would go something like this:

1. Sometime around Jan 1 Sam announces that book XYZ is going to be the next selection.
2. Discussion begins on Pattern Recognition on Jan 1. (6 weeks until next discussion begins)
3. 2 week discussion period on Pattern Recognition (Jan 1-Jan 15)
4. 4 week reading period for XYZ officially begins.
5. Discussion of XYZ starts Feb 15.

Thanks for reposting the relevant info. I guess I misunderstood your original intent. I thought the six week reading period would begin after the discussion period ended. I'd rather have a six week total period rather than an 8 week period. If there are no major objections to this, I suggest we go with this schedule for future selections.