I’m not thrilled with holocaust either. Times are too intense right now. Eleanor Oliphant book was great. I’d read it again.
I want to read The Great Believers and have since it came out.
How do you get your links to look like that?
I did it accidentally the first time and then this award/badge (ridiculous as it is) helped me understand what I did.
First Onebox
This badge is granted the first time you post a link on a line by itself, which automatically expanded into a onebox with a summary, title, and (when available) picture.
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Got it!!!
Many thanks, @AnAsmom
I’m in for any happy book. I will sit out a Holocaust book at this time. I just can’t deal with it now.
The Twentieth Wife sounds interesting. My only question – how long is it?? From the description, it sounds long.
@VeryHappy it’s not short… just under 400 pages … but isn’t a tedious book to read IIRC.
I remember liking the first 2 books of the trilogy and not the last very much.
I understand people not wanting to read a Holocaust book, especially now. (I lean that way too because I am already reading a WWII book with another book club - “The Women in the Castle”. )
I like all these suggestions! With the caveat that I’m not a fan of pairings, unless they’re short. Dispatches from Pluto paired with This Tender Land makes for almost 800 pages. But they both sound interesting!
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Goodreads choice awards have been announced -
I’m looking at lists, and like others feeling the momentum for less intense books, ie Holocaust, nothing has jumped out, yet, but I’m looking for something to suggest,.
Ayesha, and hamnet look interesting.
I’m a fan of The Great Believers
Also, I enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant, but wonder if there’s enough to discuss?
Okay, no Holocaust this round. Let’s wait until the world becomes a bit more hospitable. We can consider The Yellow Bird Sings for a future list. Current possibilities:
Duet: Dispatches from Pluto by Richard Grant (non-fiction) with This Tender Land by William Kent (fiction)
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin
The One by John Marrs
The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
Beheld by TaraShea Nesbit
(I threw in the last two books from our previous list.)
Lots of choices! Thoughts? Vetoes?
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Duet: Dispatches from Pluto by Richard Grant (non-fiction) with This Tender Land by William Kent (fiction)
I think I’d be willing to read either one, but as a duet it strikes me as too many pages.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Wow very mixed reviews.
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
From the NPR review"Verbatim transcript of my last book club meeting: “So, what should we read for our next book?” “We should read … um … Oh, hell, can’t we just read Hamnet again? And again? Like, just keep reading it? It was soooo good.” My book club, a dozen seriously sharp ladies of all ages, never unanimously loves anything. Hamnet was the exception. " More mixed reception at Amazon, but I am still intrigued.
Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin
I would be perfectly willing to read this. Too bad we already read Pride and Prejudice!
The One by John Marrs
I’d be willing, but it might be too sci-fi. Very mixed reviews.
The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
Too long and the characters sound annoying.
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
No I really don’t want to read about AIDS while we are going through COVID. I remember that time all too well, though thankfully all the guys in my grad school class were spared.
The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan
I’d be happy to learn more about the period. I know nothing about Mughal India.
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
Are we ready for another post apocolypse novel? Set in the Hamptons. I’m game.
Beheld by TaraShea Nesbit
First murder in Plymouth Colony. Sounds interesting to me.
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Thank you, @mathmom, very helpful!
Given length concerns, I’ll adjust the list to have This Tender Land as a choice with Dispatches from Pluto only as a companion read for those interested.
I will eliminate:
- Eleanor Oliphant, which has been read by at least three people in the group, probably more
- The Great Believers due to veto
- The Most Fun We Ever Had due to veto
That leaves us with:
This Tender Land by William Kent (include Dispatches from Pluto if the spirit moves you)
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin
The One by John Marrs
The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
Beheld by TaraShea Nesbit
Availability is always an issue, so just a heads up: I just looked up all of the above on Amazon and Hamnet and Beheld are only in hardcover and both are out of stock (until December 23rd). I’m not vetoing them because they both sound really cool, but if we’re realistic, perhaps we should consider saving them for our April list?
Back to Harry’s Trees for a minute –
I’m sure Harry would want me to post this link from yesterday’s New York Times – an in-depth look at how trees have been affected by climate change. If you don’t have time for the entire article, you might want to take just a few seconds to look at the striking photos:
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I honestly forgot to check in on this thread all week, so just caught up on everyone’s posts.
Re: childhood reading – 2 favorite books I recall from when I was very young: (1) “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” read to me by my grandmother. She read from her childhood copy of the book, dated 1901. When I was 15 she had the book rebound and gave it to me for my birthday. Needless to say I treasure that book. (2) “The House at Pooh Corner,” read to me (and my brothers) by our mother. She read from her childhood copy, dated 1935. I ended up with the book and read it to my children. Weekly trips to the library were a weekly highlight, with my brothers and I each coming home with an armful of books.
Re: magical thinking/superstitions – I don’t worry/think about things like walking under ladders, breaking mirrors, having a black cat cross my path, etc. I do sometimes get caught up in “good luck charms” if that’s the right term. Examples: (1) We did a trip to Israel In early March, returning just as COVID was becoming a “thing” in the US. The Jerusalem Cross necklace I bought has become a treasured reminder of that trip and a kind of lucky charm; I’ve worn it every day since we returned. (2) If I’m on a “good” streak with my golf game, I keep using the same golf ball instead of swapping them out. Losing that ball is a mini disaster.
Re: next book choices – I’m OK with any of the selections on the pared down list from @Mary13. I’ve read “Eleanor Oliphant” and “The Great Believers.”
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I am most definitely not a fan of science fiction, so since that’s what The One is, I veto it.
With all the positive reviews for Hamnet, I’d be in favor.
@VeryHappy, from what I can tell The One is a dystopian thriller, not traditional sci-fi:
A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you’ll be matched with your perfect partner—the one you’re genetically made for.
Now five very different people have received the notification that they’ve been “Matched.” They’re each about to meet their one true love. But “happily ever after” isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others…
One reviewer called it “Black Mirror meets Ancestry.com.” 
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I’m open to any of the books from the latest list from @Mary13.
I have read Eleanor Oliphant and will have read The Great Believers by next month. Ok to reread if we end up choosing it for a different month since it has been vetoed for February.
All the other books look interesting but I feel like the pairing (# of pages) could be too much for February. Maybe we keep that for the summer?
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@Mary13, I suppose I could be convinced.
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I strongly veto Beheld.
I want to read Hamnet. In fact, I’d slip it in the #1 slot except I would be #84 on the hold list at this time. In other words, no library copy forthcoming. I’ll buy the book if chosen, but waiting till April might not be a bad idea.
Otherwise:
-
Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin
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The One (assuming that it’s not sci-fi which @VeryHappy would veto. And I totally respect vetos.)
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This Tender Land by William Kent (include Dispatches from Pluto if the spirit moves you)
-
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
-
The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan (I know myself: if I read #1 in a trilogy then I’d have to read #2 and #3. I approach this one with an abundance of caution. I don’t need another trilogy in my life at the moment. Not a veto, as I’m good with it if chosen.)
All good choices this time, in my opinion. I would happily read any (except Beheld which I strongly veto again. I read it; I hated it.)
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