MESSAGE BOARD 2011

Continuing from the 2010 Message Board...

I'm still mulling about threads for the US, UK...etc. I might possibly have a solution but will need some time to think it through and implement it (which might not be until March or so). More in a week or two, after I get a very belated issue of Belletrista up.

The country/region threads seem to be going well. What do you all think? I certainly have enjoyed reading down some of the threads. I did notice some of you have been putting the country that a book is from at the top of your post where it is easily seen—I like that. I'm going to edit my posts to conform!

Hope this is the right place to ask this question, and apologies if you've all already talked this one through . . . but what do folks here do regarding fictional countries? I am currently reading A Book of Common Prayer by Joan Didion, set in the fictional Central American country of Boca Grande. Is this a book that should be mentioned in the Central America thread?

I know these things are normally considered "to each his/her own" questions. I'm just curious to know what other folks think on the topic.

#2 - Personally, I wouldn't include it in any of my Reading Globally challenges or stats. For me, the purpose of these challenges is to explore and learn about the world, if only from a literary point. I have many excellent books in my library that don't fit into any Reading Globally challenge, but that doesn't mean they aren't fabulous books.

Deborah (arubabookwoman) and Darryl (kidzdoc) have started a thread for the April-June theme read on war and regions in conflict. They've put together an amazing list of books and ideas to get us thinking about what we'd like to read.

For those in the area of NYC:

The 7th Annual PEN World Voices Festival. April 25 - May 1st

http://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/1096

and, for those in the London area:

PEN's 2011 "Free the Word!" festival, April 6th through 10th

http://www.literaryfestivals.co.uk/freetheword.html

A few of us might be going to the NYC festival; charbutton may attend the London one.

OK, I've created the group: READING GLOBALLY II here: http://www.librarything.com/groups/readinggloballyii1

It will cover all discussions involving: The UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

I've created some general regional threads but create others as you find a need for it.

Like this group, the new supplemental group is meant to encourage readers to read OUTSIDE of their own country's native literature.

Is there no thread for the July-Sept read: "The Sea" yet? (maybe I'm just not seeing it) Who had the idea? Any volunteers?

It's on the group's home page, but here's a direct link:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/119289

Typo alert in the European thread list (group description): it's Herzegovina, not Herzebovinia.

#9> . . . it's Herzegovina, not Herzebovinia.

Unless, of course, you're a cow.

I will be leading a group read of Life A User's Manual by Georges Perec in the 75 Books group, which I'd like to start in early August. I've created an introductory thread here:

Life A User's Manual: An Introduction

I'll post more information about the book and its author later today. Feel free to post any questions or comments, and to share information about the group read with anyone you think may be interested in the book.

>8 kidzdoc: got it! thanks.
>9 LolaWalser: got it! thanks.

Lisa (labfs39) has started a World Literature in English Translation thread in the Club Read 2011 group to list sources of information for people trying to find books in English translation. Please come over and visit and add your sources of information!

I am deleting what I originally posted because it turns out we do have a leader for the fourth quarter migration theme read -- whymaggiewhy -- and I had a (I hope momentary) lapse of memory!

See #s 73 and 74 under that post. I think I'm taking the laboring oar on this one.

If someone else would prefer to do it because they've never lead before and want this one, I'll certainly step down.

Thanks, Maggie, both for volunteering and for reminding me that you had already agreed to host this theme read. And apologies for my memory and reading lapse!

No problem. I'll be on vacation for awhile, but back in time to put a thread up 9/1 or shortly thereafter.

And whymaggiewhy has now started the Theme Read thread for October to December on migration and exile. Come on over and make suggestions for our reading pleasure!

With October fast approaching (way, way faster than I want, actually!), the holiday season madness is almost upon us. With Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years - alongside everyday things like oh, 10 birthdays or so in December alone for my family - life is not going to be this peaceful for very long.

So I was thinking this might be a good time to start brainstorming for theme reads for 2012, so we can vote before people get really busy. This would also give people time to think about what books they want to read for the Jan-March theme (and hey, maybe put some theme books on the Christmas wish list?). Good idea?

Samantha-kathy, since I organized the theme reads this year (and am happy to continue doing so for next year), I was going to start a thread asking people to discuss how our theme reads went this year before we started thinking about theme reads for next year. I for one have some questions that I think it would be useful for us to talk about, but I wasn't going to start the thread until mid-October so that we'd have time to get into the final theme read on immigration/migration that starts in October. If we follow last year's schedule, we would pick our theme reads in November (first by brainstorming, then by voting) so people would have December to get ready for the first quarter read.

I'm open to getting this started earlier if other people are more on your timeline than mine. Thoughts, anyone?

#19, 20 - either works for me. I love the theme reads, which allow me to choose from among my many, many current books so that I have a chance to read from my towering TBR and I'm not always buying new in order to fulfill the requirements.

Rebeccanyc, do we have any ideas left over from last year which should be included in this year's possible choices?

Rebeccanyc, mid-October also works for me. I'll admit, I am a planner, and I like to know things early, but as long as we have at least the first theme of the year picked out before December, I don't mind the time-schedule you propose.

Thanks, Maggie and Samantha_kathy. I also heard from Darryl/kidzdoc who says that schedule works for him too. And yes, I think we should be able to spend the month of November discussing and picking theme reads so that you'll be good to go by the beginning of December.

I may not have computer access from mid-October to mid-November, but I trust everyone here to come up with some good topics for next year!

Deborah, if you have any ideas you'd like to suggest, feel free to let me know by PM and I will add them to the list for you.

>19 Samantha_kathy:-25 I'll stay out of the theme read discussion this year, as I only managed to post in one of the themes this year, and my post was essentially (and shamefully) a drive-by. I'm finding that my Belletrista work and reading has and is eating into my personal reading and LT activities time much more than I expected.

However, I do yearn for a really good, focused discussion on a topic (rather than a long list of book reviews on the same topic) and would be willing to facilitate such a themed discussion providing it was: 1. a topic I have some reading background in, and 2. it was more limited in some other way* so as to encourage a more intimate discussion. *l have some ideas around the limiting factors but they can be discussed later if there is interest.

I'm not suggesting this as a replacement for the theme reads as is, which many like, and it should not be considered competitive, but offered as an alternative if there are others interested.

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On a more general note, one may have noticed that Reading Globally now has administrators, listed as RGAdmin. This is a 'member' which has been created for several people to use to access the RG group page. Currently, this is rebeccanyc and myself.

The group is approaching its 5 year anniversary. Dates created seem to no longer be on a group's page these days, but it was the first week of December 2006 (and yes, some of us are still here!)

Hi avaland--I like your idea very much.

The theme reads are interesting, but I've been wishing there was more discussion on those threads. It feels like a series of monologues--giving a book report and wondering if anyone is out there......

Dates created seem to no longer be on a group's page these days

Look in the green box on the right that contains the activity level.

After today, I'm going to be away from my computer for several days so I wanted to remind everyone that our fourth quarter theme read on migration and immigration starts October 1. Thanks to whymaggiewhy for hosting this read and to her and others for the interesting suggestions already posted on the thread, and thanks to Cait for hosting this quarter's theme read on the sea. Of course, feel free to continue posting to that thread and to our earlier theme reads.

As noted above, in October, I'll be starting a thread so we can reflect on what worked well in this year's theme reads and how we can make them better for next year -- so start thinking!

I've just started a thread on how we can improve theme reads for 2012. Please come by and offer your thoughts and ideas.

Just a reminder that I'd still love your thoughts and ideas on how we can improve theme reads for 2012. Next week, I'll be starting a thread to get everyone's ideas for what the 2012 theme reads should be, so there are a few days left to help figure out how to organize and structure them for next year.

Now it's time to offer your suggestions for 2012 theme reads! Come on over here to tell us what you'd like to read about and to see the conclusions of the discussion about improving theme reads for next year. Let's have another great year of Reading Globally!

The voting thread for 2012 theme reads is now open. Please come on over and help pick what we'll be reading about next year.

The voting thread is now closed. Please come on over to this post to read the analysis and help figure out what we should read and when.

We now have a schedule for 2012 Theme Reads.

1st Quarter Europe IV: The Balkans + Turkey (led by Cait)
2nd Quarter Closed and Selective Societies (led by Samantha_kathy and PolarisBeacon)
3rd Quarter Middle Eastern writers (led by Darryl/kidzdoc and ?????)
4th Quarter China and Neighboring Countries (led by Steven and wandering_star)

All year "classics in their own countries" read (led by arubabookwoman, with suggestions from all and additional co-leaders welcomed). I will post a suggestions thread soon.

Thanks to one and all for all your suggestions and help. And special thanks to our leaders for 2012!

I'm looking forward to another year of great reading!

Thread for Q1 2012 Theme Read here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/128041

Since there doesn't seem to be a message board for 2012 yet, I just want to thank arubabookwoman for the wonderful job she has done in providing us with lists for the "classics in their own country" theme. I will be able to use those threads for years to come as a reference point for classics. Thank you so much for all your hard work.

Thank YOU Maggiemay! I had a great time finding these books, and I, too, now have a reading list for years into the future!.

The threads for the Classics in Their Own Country are now open. I hope that all members of Reading Globally will consider participating in this year-long read. There are four threads:

Africa and Middle East: http://www.librarything.com/topic/129003

Asia and Oceania: http://www.librarything.com/topic/130503

Latin America and Caribbean: http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=129502

Europe and Turkey: http://www.librarything.com/topic/129208

Wow, and many thanks, Deborah!!!!

I have a question and I'm hoping the answer isn't patently obvious. I wanted to add to Europe I, but when I went to the thread, it hadn't been added to since Nov. 2011. Is there a newer thread, or is it just slow?

Thanks!

>40 labfs39: - I think it's just slow. Post away!

Thanks, Cait!

To make everyone's European reading easier I have made two lists:

A List of Fiction Books by European Setting: http://www.librarything.com/topic/131906

and

A List of Europea Authors by Birth Country: http://www.librarything.com/topic/131909

So no matter if you're reading by setting or by author nationality, you can use these lists to find books. It's a continuous work in progress though, so suggestions and additions are welcome!

I've updated the group page to include links to the threads for the year-long Classics in Their Own Countries threads.

Here's a link to a list of resources for global reading -- you have to scroll down on the page. They list some interesting titles on the Titles tab, too.

What a wonderful link. Beautiful looking books too, and I saw they had four by Norman Manea.

The thread for our second quarterly read, Closed and Selective Societies is now up, thanks to its leaders, Samantha_Kathy and PolarisBeacon. It will "officially" start in April, but you can go over there now and start thinking about what you'd like to read.