All About Books discussion

Hello everyone, I would like to try going back to the original of picking out our group reads, starting with our first classic group read in 2019.

It's time once again to nominate your choices for our group classics read, this time for January and February. For convenience, we at AAB are defining a 'classic' as a book that was first published 50 or more years ago, i.e. first published in 1968 or earlier.

Nominations will be run for 10 days and will close late on December 16th. (10pm UK time) The poll will then run for a week from the 17th December until the 24th December.

During this time anybody can either nominate or second a book. The 6 books with the most second votes at the end of the 5 day nomination period will go into the poll. Each person can either nominate one book or second one book. There are no limits to the number of seconds a book can receive.

Please only nominate, second or vote for a book you will read with the group if it should win. Please also check that your chosen nomination hasn't been a group read in the past. You can do this by looking at the group bookshelf or browsing through the Group Fiction folder.

If you have any questions on the nominations process please post here, use the 'Ask the Moderators' thread or contact one of the moderators and we will be happy to help

For the first group read, there are no categories, just pick what you enjoy or would be interested to read.

How about Lolita by Nabokov.

I would be interested in that John. I second Lolita, so that will go to the poll.

Thanks!

I'll nominate The Birds Fall Down by Rebecca West (published in 1966).

I also would like to vote for Lolita :)

How about A Farewell to Arms definitely a classic.

I nominate (1966) by James Clavell

I nominate Anna Karenina by Tolstoy.

Good recommendations here, but I do not want to reread what I have already read. I would like to nominate Anna of the Five Towns because I have not read anything by Arnold Bennett. To be honest, I cannot imagine it being better than Lolita though.........

I'd like to nominate Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon.

Marina (Sonnenbarke) wrote: "I'd like to nominate Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon."

That's a lovely one!

Thanks for your brilliant suggestions so far everyone. I have made a quick note of all the nominations so far. So far, only one has gone into the poll so we will need to wait for some more seconds for more books to go through.

I'll second A Farewell to Arms first published in 1929

Luci wrote: "I'll second A Farewell to Arms first published in 1929"

No problem Luci, it's in the poll.

I like all the choices.
Rebecca West is a personal favorite author so I will second “Birds Fall Down”

David wrote: "I like all the choices.
Rebecca West is a personal favorite author so I will second “Birds Fall Down”"

No problem David.

So far we have three books going to poll, they are:

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
The Birds Fall Down by Rebecca West

Three more open slots, who's going to get them?

Chrissie wrote: "Good recommendations here, but I do not want to reread what I have already read. I would like to nominate Anna of the Five Towns because I have not read anything by Arnold Benne..."</i>

Chrissie, [book:Anna of the Five Towns sounds wonderful. I am adding it to my TBR list.

Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann. First published 1966 :)

I will second Anna of the Five Towns.

Petra, doesn't it look good?!

Thanks, John.

Yes, thanks, John!

Chrissie, it really does look good.

I will second Anna Karenina.

Petra, please second Anna of the Five Towns, It seems only those with lots of seconds go to the poll.

I have to tell, Diane, I know she wants to read this. She nominated it in another group!

Petra wrote: "Yes, thanks, John!

Chrissie, it really does look good."

Petra, would you like to second the book? If you do so, it will be guaranteed a place in the poll.

I would like to second Anna of the Five Towns

Thank you Diane.

I can't second it. I nominated a book that has been seconded, so can't change it.
I do have my fingers crossed that it makes it into the poll.

Alannah and Petra, I understand. Now that Diane seconded it does it get to the poll?

Chrissie wrote: "Alannah and Petra, I understand. Now that Diane seconded it does it get to the poll?"

It will as it's been seconded twice.

Books going to the poll so far:

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Anna of the Five Towns by Arnold Bennett
The Birds Fall Down by Rebecca West
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
Anna Kariênina by Leo Tolstoy

One more book.

Alannah wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Alannah and Petra, I understand. Now that Diane seconded it does it get to the poll?"

It will as it's been seconded twice."

Thanks. I really do want to read it, but I can also read it myself.

I have read all of these except Bennett's. I know which one so far I like best........but I am not into rereading books no matter how good thy are!

I hope people vote for Anna of the Five Towns!

How about The Illustrated Man
by Ray Bradbury (1951)

Margaret wrote: "How about The Illustrated Man
by Ray Bradbury (1951)"

I second The Illustrated Man.

Chrissie wrote: "Alannah wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Alannah and Petra, I understand. Now that Diane seconded it does it get to the poll?"

It will as it's been seconded twice."

Thanks. I really do want to read it, b..."

If it doesn't win, how about setting up a readalong? I would be interested in joining.

Janice (JG) wrote: "Margaret wrote: "How about The Illustrated Man
by Ray Bradbury (1951)"

I second The Illustrated Man."

No problem, that's the final book in the poll.

The poll so far is,

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
x2 seconds
Anna of the Five Towns by Arnold Bennett
x2 seconds
The Birds Fall Down by Rebecca West
x1 second
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
x1 second
Anna Kariênina by Leo Tolstoy
x1 second
The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury
x1 second

So far these are the books that are going to the poll. There is still time to knock one out with another book provided more than one person seconds that choice.

Let's see what happens first, and let's see when reading it fits Diane. Also , since I read just one book at a time and read a lot, I go through a book quickly, making me a lousy buddy companion.

I get what you mean, Chrissie. I am like that as well. Well, there is always the option to nominate it again if it doesn't win.

Cool! Some good books on that list.

Setting up the poll now.

The poll is open

/poll/show/1...