<p>I love the links–thanks to all. And I had completely forgotten about Tia and the dresses!</p>
<p>Mary suggested that we might start tossing around our ideas for the book we’ll read for the next discussion, starting October 1.</p>
<p>Previously, a number of people expressed an interest in the novel “Cloud Atlas” by David Mitchell, but I think there was a general consensus that we shouldn’t read it until later in the year, closer to the time the movie is released.</p>
<p>I believe “Cloud Atlas” was penciled in as the December selection.</p>
<p>According to imdb, the release date for the film in the US is October 26. (I think they were saying early December before.) Perhaps this is not graven in stone, and possibly the movie will not reach people’s local theaters until somewhat later, but… </p>
<p>My question is, do we really want to wait until December for our discussion of the book, even if by that time the movie will presumably have already hit the theatres – and might even conceivably be gone, and not out on DVD yet?</p>
<p>An Entertainment Weekly article from only two days ago also gives the release date as October 26, so it’s better to not wait, I think. Of course, that’s presuming that all or most of us are still up for reading Cloud Atlas. (I am!)</p>
<p>Edited to add: FYI, We’re talking about Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, NOT The Cloud Atlas by Liam Callanan. Although this may be fixed in short order, at the moment, if you go to Amazon, the first link for Cloud Atlas is listed as being by Liam Callanan, but if you click on it, it takes you to Mitchell’s book! So even they’re confused.</p>
<p>I’m the one who initially suggested the book. It’s a favorite of mine. I’m looking forward to reading it again and would love to discuss it here.</p>
<p>When I originally read it, about three years ago, I recommended it to my son who is now a college senior, and he read it and loved it. He and I talked about it quite a bit at the time, but he’s the only person I’ve ever had the pleasure of discussing it with.</p>
<p>Some of the content of “Cloud Atlas” rather gritty, and its vision of a possible future for our planet is not a happy one. (Based on the trailer, it looks like the movie probably portrays things more optimistically.) Nevertheless, plenty of people absolutely adore the book, and I think we could attract a number of new participants to our discussion if we chose it.</p>
<p>Recently downloaded the kindle sample. I’m in.</p>
<p>I’m fine with it also. Book discussion and movie dates should work well together.</p>
<p>[?Cloud</a> Atlas? Release Date Bumped Up to October](<a href=“http://screenrant.com/cloud-atlas-release-date-october-ryanz-180892/]?Cloud”>http://screenrant.com/cloud-atlas-release-date-october-ryanz-180892/)</p>
<p>Thanks for the book clarification, Mary. I was looking at the wrong book. I’m in for Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. I’m still confused by the movie. Is the David Mitchell book the movie with Tom Hanks?</p>
<p>I have a question for future selections. Would we consider a nonfiction book? I ask because I just downloaded In My Father’s Country after seeing the author on The Daily Show. It looks like a fascinating story.</p>
<p>With regard to nonfiction books, I just finished reading Candice Millard’s “The River of Doubt,” about Theodore Roosevelt’s hair-raising journey of exploration in the Amazon rainforest.</p>
<p>I liked that book so much that, the moment I finished it, I immediately ran to the library and checked out Millard’s more recent “Destiny of the Republic,” which I’ve just started.</p>
<p>Ordinarily, I don’t read a whole lot of nonfiction. But this woman is one heck of a storyteller. Wow! I’ve become completely hooked on how she makes history come alive.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, I don’t think either of those books, would be very good for a book club discussion. Conceivably, “In My Father’s Country” would not be either? </p>
<p>What really fuels discussion is the way in which literature is open to interpretation and analysis. Factual writing doesn’t offer quite the same opportunities, in my opinion.</p>
<p>I’m not a big nonfiction book reader either, but In My Father’s Country caught my interest. I have no idea whether or not it would work for discussion. I just thought I’d throw it out there to get opinions.</p>
<p>I think any book that helps one to understand another culture is extremely worthwhile. “In My Father’s Country” looks like it would provide valuable insights about Afghanistan.</p>
<p>A few years ago, I really got a lot out of reading Tamim Ansary’s “West of Kabul, East of New York: An Afghan American Story.”</p>
<p>BUandBC82: I just looked at reviews for In My Father’s Country. I understand why you mentioned it. Good reviews. We should - at some point - carefully pick a nonfiction title and give it a try. This one sounds like it could sustain discussion.</p>
<p>As for past suggestions: I read The Expats and don’t think it could sustain discussion for long. On the other hand, Sister probably could.</p>
<p>I’m still interested in Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and The Art of Fielding. </p>
<p>For me, though, I think if we plan to read Cloud Atlas now is the time.</p>
<p>*By the way, BUandBC82, who are you: BU or BC? And … I’m now happily reading Kushiel’s Avatar. Hard to believe you finished the series so quickly … part of me wants to quit interspersing the series with other books and part of me likes taking my time with Phedre’s journey.</p>
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<p>I agree. So I have a suggestion as to how we could make our first foray into non-fiction. For our next duet, we could pair a non-fiction book with a fiction book of the same subject matter. </p>
<p>For example: </p>
<p>In My Father’s Country by Saima Wahab with Born Under a Million Shadows by Andrea Busfield</p>
<p>Wherever I Wind Up by Wayne Coffey with The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach </p>
<p>Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown with The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie</p>
<p>The Good War by Studs Terkel with From Here to Eternity by James Jones</p>
<p>There are so many possibilities! But you get the idea…</p>
<p>I realize we won’t be doing another combo-read for a while, but it’s something to keep in mind.</p>
<p>^^Good idea, Mary!</p>
<p>ignatius - I am BU for undergrad and BC for grad. Not a very original CC name. I read The Art of Fielding and liked it. As far as series go, I can’t stop until I know what happens to the characters…I just can’t. I read all the available Game of Thrones books at the beginning of the summer and it’s killing me that the next one isn’t out. It’s the same with the Outlander series. I finally “liked” Diana Gabaldan’s facebook page because she is posting excerpts from the next book…and it still isn’t scheduled to be released until the fall of 2013. I am impatient!</p>
<p>I like your idea of a fiction/nonfiction pairing too, Mary. The Native American duo you listed as an example is one that would really interest me.</p>
<p>I love the idea of pairing a non-fiction with a fiction book of the same historical era! I also love Sherman Alexie and and would love to learn more about Native American history.
I’m not sure if two books about baseball could hold my interest-just a personal thing.
I could for sure go with Cloud Atlas for next time-I would like to read the book before the movie anyway. It does sound interesting.</p>
<p>I agree with PATheaterMom about the baseball books. :)</p>
<p>I’d really, really adore reading a George Elliot book with this wonderful reading gang.</p>
<p>Somebody recommended George Eliot’s “Daniel Deronda” to me recently…one of her novels that I’ve never read. Maybe the next time this group reads a classic, it could be a contender.</p>
<p>'Twould be nice…</p>
<p>I mostly read nonfiction, so that’s fine with me, and I also like the pairings idea (although it is true that I am STILL not finished with Jane Eyre…). Maybe some historical fiction would get the nonfiction flavor with the better discussion possibilities of fiction? I’m about to start Bringing Up the Bodies, about Thomas Cromwell.</p>
<p>Thanks for your report on the Candice Millard books, NJTM. I just brought home Destiny of the Republic from the library for my husband, but I haven’t read it. It looks really interesting!</p>
<p>Tell us how you like “Bringing Up the Bodies,” buenavista. It’s definitely on my list to read. I thought Hilary Mantel’s previous novel, “Wolf Hall,” was utterly delectable.</p>