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1rebeccanyc
The Voting Thread is CLOSED!. Please see ideas for discussion in post #46.
Now that you've made so many excellent suggestions for possible theme reads for 2012, it's time to select four for next year.
As I did last year, I'm using LT's voting feature, which allows you to vote yes, no, or undecided on individual questions. I've made each suggested topic an individual post/vote, because that's the only way LT can do it, and I've noted where some topics are variations of others.
Please vote "yes" if you'd definitely read books with a theme, "no" if you definitely wouldn't, and "undecided" if you're not sure. You can vote yes for as many as you like; you don't have to limit it to four because there are four theme reads. When voting is closed, I will add up all the yeses and nos and see if we have clearcut winners (most yeses, fewest nos). If not, we will have either a runoff or a discussion, or both.
As an added feature this year, I'm taking up wandering_star's idea that people offer suggestions for discussion topics for themes they like. You'll have to post new posts to do this, since you won't be able to add them to the question post, so to make it easy for people to follow, please provide the post number of the suggested theme when you're making discussion topic suggestions. For example, if you voted yes for reading translated novels by Nobel Prize winners, suggested in post 2, and you had ideas for discussion topics, you would reference post #2 in your post offering discussion suggestions.
Voting will close at the end of next weekend, Sunday November 27.
Let the most popular themes win!
Now that you've made so many excellent suggestions for possible theme reads for 2012, it's time to select four for next year.
As I did last year, I'm using LT's voting feature, which allows you to vote yes, no, or undecided on individual questions. I've made each suggested topic an individual post/vote, because that's the only way LT can do it, and I've noted where some topics are variations of others.
Please vote "yes" if you'd definitely read books with a theme, "no" if you definitely wouldn't, and "undecided" if you're not sure. You can vote yes for as many as you like; you don't have to limit it to four because there are four theme reads. When voting is closed, I will add up all the yeses and nos and see if we have clearcut winners (most yeses, fewest nos). If not, we will have either a runoff or a discussion, or both.
As an added feature this year, I'm taking up wandering_star's idea that people offer suggestions for discussion topics for themes they like. You'll have to post new posts to do this, since you won't be able to add them to the question post, so to make it easy for people to follow, please provide the post number of the suggested theme when you're making discussion topic suggestions. For example, if you voted yes for reading translated novels by Nobel Prize winners, suggested in post 2, and you had ideas for discussion topics, you would reference post #2 in your post offering discussion suggestions.
Voting will close at the end of next weekend, Sunday November 27.
Let the most popular themes win!
2rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read translated novels by Nobel Prize winners?
Current tally: Yes 16, No 15, Undecided 9
3rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read translated novels considered classics in their country of origin?
Current tally: Yes 31, No 6, Undecided 3
4rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read translated novels written by women?
Current tally: Yes 23, No 10, Undecided 6
5rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read translated crime/mystery novels?
Current tally: Yes 20, No 14, Undecided 5
6rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books about books in general?
Current tally: Yes 10, No 24, Undecided 7
7rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books about books focusing on how they relate to life in the 21st century?
Current tally: Yes 2, No 34, Undecided 3
8rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books by Chinese authors?
Current tally: Yes 24, No 4, Undecided 11
9rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books by Middle Eastern authors?
Current tally: Yes 31, No 2, Undecided 5
10rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books focusing on language and cultural changes?
Current tally: Yes 15, No 21, Undecided 6
11rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels or memoirs by political prisoners, prisoners of war, and prisoners of conscience?
Current tally: Yes 16, No 15, Undecided 7
12rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books on the theme of From Silk to Semiconductors, Asia's commercial and cultural encounters with the west?
Current tally: Yes 11, No 21, Undecided 7
13rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books on the theme Powder and Smoke, crime and the drug trade transforming Latin America?
Current tally: Yes 13, No 19, Undecided 6
14rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books on the theme From Behind the Veil, books by women from Muslim countries?
Current tally: Yes 18, No 16, Undecided 5
15rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books on the theme Raise the Red Banner, Marxist revolutions and resistance movements, 1917 to the present?
Current tally: Yes 16, No 23, Undecided 2
16rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books on the theme Life Under Facism, books from Spain, Italy, Germany, and the occupied countries?
Current tally: Yes 22, No 11, Undecided 7
17rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books on the theme The Oldest Profession, prostitution and sexual exploitation in the developing world?
Current tally: Yes 7, No 21, Undecided 8
18rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books that involve unfamiliar customs, either historical or current?
Current tally: Yes 20, No 13, Undecided 7
19rebeccanyc
For this question and the group following, please go the Reading Globally group page to see the definitions of the regional groupings. This suggestion was aimed at reading from regional groups that don't have a lot of reviews or comments posted.
Vote: Would you like to read novels from Middle Africa?
Current tally: Yes 18, No 8, Undecided 8
20rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels from Western Africa?
Current tally: Yes 23, No 7, Undecided 5
21rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels from the Caribbean?
Current tally: Yes 22, No 9, Undecided 4
22rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels from Central America?
Current tally: Yes 20, No 8, Undecided 7
23rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books from Asia I?
Current tally: Yes 21, No 6, Undecided 5
24rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels from Asia II?
Current tally: Yes 26, No 2, Undecided 5
25rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels from Asia IV?
Current tally: Yes 24, No 1, Undecided 6
26rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels from Middle East II?
Current tally: Yes 19, No 6, Undecided 6
27rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels from Oceania?
Current tally: Yes 21, No 5, Undecided 7
28rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels from Europe IV?
Current tally: Yes 26, No 3, Undecided 4
29rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels from Europe V?
Current tally: Yes 23, No 4, Undecided 6
30rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels from Europe VIII?
Current tally: Yes 23, No 3, Undecided 7
31rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels about lost professions, in which the main character has an occupation that no longer exists in modern times or has changed significantly?
Current tally: Yes 18, No 14, Undecided 7
32rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels about closed/selective societies, including such topics as the Forbidden City, cloistered and monastic communities, ideological communes, less understood religious groups and sects, etc?
Current tally: Yes 27, No 3, Undecided 8
33rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels on the general theme of regimes and resistance?
Current tally: Yes 16, No 16, Undecided 5
34rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read books about overland historical journeys?
Current tally: Yes 19, No 12, Undecided 6
35rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels about women in male-dominated societies?
Current tally: Yes 9, No 21, Undecided 5
36rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read novels focusing on minorities -- racial, sexual, religious, etc.?
Current tally: Yes 15, No 12, Undecided 9
37rebeccanyc
Vote: Would you like to read family memoirs and stories that involve wider historical/social changes as well as family stories?
Current tally: Yes 20, No 11, Undecided 7
38rebeccanyc
This message has been deleted by its author.
39avaland
Thanks for doing this, Rebecca, I know it's a lot of work. So hard to answer some, much depends on how the theme is taken on.
44arubabookwoman
Yes, thank you Rebecca!
45rebeccanyc
Thank you all -- I'm happy to do this and eager to see the results!
46rebeccanyc
RESULTS! Now it's time to discuss our options!
I know Sunday isn't over, but I have time now to analyze the votes, and I don't think any additional voting would alter the results at this point.
There were three topics with more than 25 yes votes and fewer than 5 no votes (in all the results posted below, the numbers go yes/no/undecided).
29/3/5 Novels by Middle Eastern authors (suggested by Streamsong)
26/2/5 Asia II, which includes China and nearby countries: Mongolia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Tibet (suggested by Cait)
26/4/7 Closed and selective societies (suggested by Samantha_Kathy and PolarisBeacon)
There was one topic that had more than 25 yes votes but also more than 5 no votes:
28/7/3 Novels in translation considered classics in their own countries (suggested by arubabookwoman)
There was one topic with just 25 yes votes and fewer than 5 no votes:
25/3/4 Europe !V "The Balkans +": Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro (suggested by Cait)
So, where does this leave us? I think the first three are in. How do you all feel about the other two? My main concern about the "classics in their own country" theme is that it is so broad it would be hard for someone who is leading it to make suggestions about books from all over the world. Deborah/arubabookwoman, since you suggested this idea, I'd welcome your thoughts about how it could work. My other concern is that 7 people voted no for i, even though it was the second highest "yes" vote-getter.
One idea that I had is that we could have an overarching "classics in their own country" theme for the whole year, and then have four individual quarterly reads by adding the Europe 4 read to the mix.
I really would like to know what you all think, and also whether the people who suggested these ideas are willing to serve as theme leaders, and whether anyone else would like to help them out. Also, if you have any ideas about which quarter would be best for each theme (either because it would work for you as a leader or because it seems to "fit"), let us know. Based on the falling off of interest as this year, 2011, progressed, we might want to save a really popular theme for the last quarter.
As you think about these questions, please keep in mind this initial post in the Theme Ideas thread which summarized the discussion of how we could improve theme reads in 2012.
I am hoping we can come to a decision about what to read by the beginning of December, as several RG members expressed interest in being able to put possible theme read titles on their holiday wish lists!
Thank you all for your participation. I'm looking forward to our next year of reading.
I know Sunday isn't over, but I have time now to analyze the votes, and I don't think any additional voting would alter the results at this point.
There were three topics with more than 25 yes votes and fewer than 5 no votes (in all the results posted below, the numbers go yes/no/undecided).
29/3/5 Novels by Middle Eastern authors (suggested by Streamsong)
26/2/5 Asia II, which includes China and nearby countries: Mongolia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Tibet (suggested by Cait)
26/4/7 Closed and selective societies (suggested by Samantha_Kathy and PolarisBeacon)
There was one topic that had more than 25 yes votes but also more than 5 no votes:
28/7/3 Novels in translation considered classics in their own countries (suggested by arubabookwoman)
There was one topic with just 25 yes votes and fewer than 5 no votes:
25/3/4 Europe !V "The Balkans +": Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro (suggested by Cait)
So, where does this leave us? I think the first three are in. How do you all feel about the other two? My main concern about the "classics in their own country" theme is that it is so broad it would be hard for someone who is leading it to make suggestions about books from all over the world. Deborah/arubabookwoman, since you suggested this idea, I'd welcome your thoughts about how it could work. My other concern is that 7 people voted no for i, even though it was the second highest "yes" vote-getter.
One idea that I had is that we could have an overarching "classics in their own country" theme for the whole year, and then have four individual quarterly reads by adding the Europe 4 read to the mix.
I really would like to know what you all think, and also whether the people who suggested these ideas are willing to serve as theme leaders, and whether anyone else would like to help them out. Also, if you have any ideas about which quarter would be best for each theme (either because it would work for you as a leader or because it seems to "fit"), let us know. Based on the falling off of interest as this year, 2011, progressed, we might want to save a really popular theme for the last quarter.
As you think about these questions, please keep in mind this initial post in the Theme Ideas thread which summarized the discussion of how we could improve theme reads in 2012.
I am hoping we can come to a decision about what to read by the beginning of December, as several RG members expressed interest in being able to put possible theme read titles on their holiday wish lists!
Thank you all for your participation. I'm looking forward to our next year of reading.
47Samantha_kathy
I'm very happy with the first three themes and I would be happy to lead the discussion on Closed and selective societies as long as it is in the second or third quarter. I do not have the time in the first or last quarter of the year due to RL obligations.
As for the last theme, perhaps combine "Novels in translation considered classics in their own countries" with Europe !V "The Balkans +", by making it Novels in translation considered classics in The Balkans?
EDITED TO ADD: Perhaps PolarisBeacon will be willing to help leading the discussion on Closed and selective societies?
As for the last theme, perhaps combine "Novels in translation considered classics in their own countries" with Europe !V "The Balkans +", by making it Novels in translation considered classics in The Balkans?
EDITED TO ADD: Perhaps PolarisBeacon will be willing to help leading the discussion on Closed and selective societies?
48kidzdoc
I also like the first three themes, and I agree with your proposal of making "The Balkans" a fourth quarterly theme, and "classic novels" a year long theme.
49rebeccanyc
Thanks, Samantha_kathy for volunteering to lead or co-lead the Closed and Selective Societies theme. As I see what others can do, we'll decide on whether it's the second or third quarter.
50EBT1002
I'm new to the whole Theme Reads thing, but I also like the three that landed on top. I also like the idea of "classic novels" being a year-long theme, partially because I'm not sure how consistently I'll be able to participate and that theme seems broadest.
51Cait86
If Europe IV becomes our fourth theme read, I'll volunteer to lead (and do a much better job than last year!). By own family background is Croatian, and I had already decided to delve into Balkan authors this coming year, regardless of theme reads.
I like the idea of "classic novels" being a year-long theme too.
I like the idea of "classic novels" being a year-long theme too.
52streamsong
I appreciate having the Middle East read offered to me, but I am completely unequipped to moderate.
Literature is a weak point for me; if you've been in the group for a while, you've seen that I keep wandering off into non-fiction. In fact, of the 11 books I have tagged "Middle East" all of them are purportedly nonfiction. (A couple of them wandered off into the realm of sensationalist fiction as I've been told).
Anyhow I'll be happy to help, but if the leadership falls to me, I'll be resorting to the tag mashes. ;-)
It sounds like an interesting year. I like the idea of having classics all year--especially as I have the Kristen Lavransdatter trilogy sitting on MT TBR.
Literature is a weak point for me; if you've been in the group for a while, you've seen that I keep wandering off into non-fiction. In fact, of the 11 books I have tagged "Middle East" all of them are purportedly nonfiction. (A couple of them wandered off into the realm of sensationalist fiction as I've been told).
Anyhow I'll be happy to help, but if the leadership falls to me, I'll be resorting to the tag mashes. ;-)
It sounds like an interesting year. I like the idea of having classics all year--especially as I have the Kristen Lavransdatter trilogy sitting on MT TBR.
53rebeccanyc
#51 Thanks, Cait. That's great! It sounds (so far) that people like the idea of a year-long classics theme, so that would mean Europe !V is in. Do you have a preferred quarter for leading it?
#52 Streamsong, I understand. Who would like to lead the Middle Eastern authors read? There were 29 of you who voted "yes" for this theme, so some of you must have some enthusiasm for and knowledge of this region's literature. Now's the time to speak up!
Also, if Cait is leading Europe !V, we will need someone else to lead the China and nearby countries read. Who would like to do this?
Also, we could probably use two people to co-lead a year-long classics read if we end up doing this. Any takers?
#52 Streamsong, I understand. Who would like to lead the Middle Eastern authors read? There were 29 of you who voted "yes" for this theme, so some of you must have some enthusiasm for and knowledge of this region's literature. Now's the time to speak up!
Also, if Cait is leading Europe !V, we will need someone else to lead the China and nearby countries read. Who would like to do this?
Also, we could probably use two people to co-lead a year-long classics read if we end up doing this. Any takers?
54Cait86
>53 rebeccanyc: - Either the first or second quarter would work best for me, I think. Thanks!
55rebeccanyc
OK, let's wait and see what others want to do (for China and the Middle East) and we'll fit you in for the first or the second since we'll do closed and selective societies in the second or third quarter.
56Samantha_kathy
About the year-long classics read, I am not going to be able to co-lead this, but I can help whomever leads it by recommending some great (truly great!) Dutch (and Belgian) classic which have also been translated into English. It's something of a hobby of mine, I guess you could say.
57rebeccanyc
Great, Samantha_kathy. Once we sort this all out, I was actually thinking of starting a thread in which people could recommend classics from countries they're familiar with, since I wouldn't expect any one or two or even three people to be able to cover the world. It could be an ongoing project as people discover classics and add them to the thread. I would seed it with classics I've read, but I think we could use the breadth of reading found in this group (including yours) to really create a great list.
58Polaris-
Wow - been away from LT a few days and look what happens! (Me and the family are busy with the hell that is moving home... All these books to pack....oy!)
Errm, I'm happy to do what I can to co-lead with Samantha_kathy the Closed/Selective Societies quarter, as yes, I was quite enthusiastic about it - but if there's anyone else who'd like to, or think they're well suited to lead or co-lead the read then that is very fine by me! I lived on kibbutzim in Israel for 7 years which I guess gives me a little bit of an 'in' to the 'selective' side of things... I've never lead any kind of discussion on LT before but I'm willing to give it a go. Any quarter would suit me except the first one.
Which brings me to the Novels by Middle Eastern Authors quarter... I voted yes for that read, and I'd like to do what I can to help with the quarter. I have a pretty healthy grasp of Israeli literature which may be of some help or interest during the read, but I voted yes primarily because I'm really keen to expand my knowledge and understanding for fine writing from Arab countries and elsewhere (Persia/Iran, Ethiopia, Turkey etc.) of which I know next to nothing at the moment... I have several on the TBR pile but am hoping the theme read will help give me the push to dive in. So I don't really feel at all qualified to lead or co-lead but will happily join in the discussion as I'm sure there are many fine books for us all to discover and recommend.
Overall it looks to me like a good selection of theme reads, and I'm indifferent as to whether there's a Europe 4 theme or a specific Classics of the Balkans (etc.) theme and/or a general year long 'classics in their own countries' theme - all options are good in my opinion.
Errm, I'm happy to do what I can to co-lead with Samantha_kathy the Closed/Selective Societies quarter, as yes, I was quite enthusiastic about it - but if there's anyone else who'd like to, or think they're well suited to lead or co-lead the read then that is very fine by me! I lived on kibbutzim in Israel for 7 years which I guess gives me a little bit of an 'in' to the 'selective' side of things... I've never lead any kind of discussion on LT before but I'm willing to give it a go. Any quarter would suit me except the first one.
Which brings me to the Novels by Middle Eastern Authors quarter... I voted yes for that read, and I'd like to do what I can to help with the quarter. I have a pretty healthy grasp of Israeli literature which may be of some help or interest during the read, but I voted yes primarily because I'm really keen to expand my knowledge and understanding for fine writing from Arab countries and elsewhere (Persia/Iran, Ethiopia, Turkey etc.) of which I know next to nothing at the moment... I have several on the TBR pile but am hoping the theme read will help give me the push to dive in. So I don't really feel at all qualified to lead or co-lead but will happily join in the discussion as I'm sure there are many fine books for us all to discover and recommend.
Overall it looks to me like a good selection of theme reads, and I'm indifferent as to whether there's a Europe 4 theme or a specific Classics of the Balkans (etc.) theme and/or a general year long 'classics in their own countries' theme - all options are good in my opinion.
59arubabookwoman
I can lead/co-lead the classics theme.
What I was thinking when I nominated the topic was primarily of books that were written before 1900. It seemed to me that as translated works were becoming more accessible, many were written by contemporary authors. I thought it would be worthwhile to see the various countries through the perspective of books considered classics, rather than through contemporary literature. Examples off the top of my head would be de Queiros in Portugal, Machado de Assis in Brazil, Benito Galdos in Spain.
After reading the discussion above, I can see that there are many books written in the first half of the 20th century that are also classics--Kristin Lavransdatter and how about Independent People by Halldor Laxness.
I'm in the minority here in preferring broad themes, so I had meant for this topic to be as broad as possible.
I like the idea of making it a year-long theme. I'm very excited about the other four topics chosen!
What I was thinking when I nominated the topic was primarily of books that were written before 1900. It seemed to me that as translated works were becoming more accessible, many were written by contemporary authors. I thought it would be worthwhile to see the various countries through the perspective of books considered classics, rather than through contemporary literature. Examples off the top of my head would be de Queiros in Portugal, Machado de Assis in Brazil, Benito Galdos in Spain.
After reading the discussion above, I can see that there are many books written in the first half of the 20th century that are also classics--Kristin Lavransdatter and how about Independent People by Halldor Laxness.
I'm in the minority here in preferring broad themes, so I had meant for this topic to be as broad as possible.
I like the idea of making it a year-long theme. I'm very excited about the other four topics chosen!
60rebeccanyc
Thanks, Deborah and PolarisBeacon.
Here's what we have so far.
Closed and Selective Societies. Led by Samantha_kathy and PolarisBeacon. 2nd or 3rd quarter
Europe IV: The Balkans + Turkey. Led by Cait. 1st or 2nd quarter.
Middle Eastern Authors. Need leader: please volunteer! Quarter to be determined based on leader preferences.
Authors from China and Neighboring Countries. Need leader: please volunteer! Quarter to be determined based on leader preferences.
Year-long Classics in Their Own Country theme. Led by arubabookwoman and anyone else who would like to volunteer
Please volunteer as soon as possible. If nobody volunteers for the Middle Eastern authors or Chinese authors by Friday, I will make The Balkans the first quarter read and Closed and Selective Societies the second quarter read so we can know what we're reading for the first half of the year (for those who wanted to plan their holiday wishlists!), but there is room for flexibility if new theme leaders have other needs.
Here's what we have so far.
Closed and Selective Societies. Led by Samantha_kathy and PolarisBeacon. 2nd or 3rd quarter
Europe IV: The Balkans + Turkey. Led by Cait. 1st or 2nd quarter.
Middle Eastern Authors. Need leader: please volunteer! Quarter to be determined based on leader preferences.
Authors from China and Neighboring Countries. Need leader: please volunteer! Quarter to be determined based on leader preferences.
Year-long Classics in Their Own Country theme. Led by arubabookwoman and anyone else who would like to volunteer
Please volunteer as soon as possible. If nobody volunteers for the Middle Eastern authors or Chinese authors by Friday, I will make The Balkans the first quarter read and Closed and Selective Societies the second quarter read so we can know what we're reading for the first half of the year (for those who wanted to plan their holiday wishlists!), but there is room for flexibility if new theme leaders have other needs.
61StevenTX
I have no particular expertise to offer, but I see that I have been the chief contributor to the Asia II thread, and it remains a strong interest of mine, so I will volunteer to lead the Authors from China and Neighboring Countries discussion. If anyone else is interesting in leading it, I will gladly share or step aside. I can do this any quarter of the year.
62wandering_star
Steven, if you would like a thread co-leader I would be happy to do this with you. I too could do any quarter.
63StevenTX
Yes, thank you for helping.
I was just looking at my reading schedule for other groups, and I have some massive tomes to read in the first and second quarters, so even though I am willing to do this at any time, the second half of the year would probably be better.
I was just looking at my reading schedule for other groups, and I have some massive tomes to read in the first and second quarters, so even though I am willing to do this at any time, the second half of the year would probably be better.
64rebeccanyc
Thanks, Steven and wandering_star. I think we need people with enthusiasm for a theme, like you, not necesarily expertise. We'll plan on the third or fourth quarter for China, etc., and I'll just wait until we have a Middle Eastern authors leader to finalize everything. Hint, hint. There were 29 of you who voted yes for this: surely one or more of you would like to lead it!
65rebeccanyc
Come on, everyone! Doesn't anyone who voted yes for Middle Eastern authors want to lead this read???
66wandering_star
Steven, if it's OK with you, the third quarter would be better for me for the "China etc." read. I've just realised that I am planning a holiday to New Zealand in Nov/Dec, which might limit my ability to get involved in the thread - admittedly it is a holiday I've been planning for some years and it keeps being postponed, but I really hope it will happen this time!
67rebeccanyc
I'm sorry but China is going to have to be 4th quarter because nobody else can do the 4th quarter at all. Sorry this won't work out for you wandeing_star, and I can help you, Steven, if you'd like help. More, hopefully final, information tomorrow.
68StevenTX
The 4th quarter is fine with me. As I said earlier, the later in the year the better prepared I will be. I don't think I'll need any help per se, but advice and input are always welcome.
I'll do whatever is needed to help, and if you want me to take Middle East instead so wandering star can have China at another time, I'll do that.
I'll do whatever is needed to help, and if you want me to take Middle East instead so wandering star can have China at another time, I'll do that.
69wandering_star
That's no problem, it might just mean I'm a bit quiet for three weeks of the quarter!
70rebeccanyc
Thanks for understanding; it's a bit of a challenge to juggle everyone's preferences. By the way, to make this work, whoever takes on the Middle Eastern authors (hint! hint!) is going to have to do it in either the 2nd or 3rd quarter.
71kidzdoc
I'll volunteer to lead (or co-lead, if anyone else is interested) the Middle Eastern authors challenge. I can't do it in the 1st or 4th quarter, due to my busy work schedule, but either the 3rd (preferably) or 2nd quarter is okay with me.
72rebeccanyc
Thanks, Darryl! Any co-leaders out there????
We now have a schedule.
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!
We now have a schedule.
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!
73Cait86
Is it alright if I start a thread for the first theme? If we are going to attempt to focus on three or so books, I'd like to get input as to what they are.
74rebeccanyc
Absolutely, Cait. I think the idea was that people could read whatever they wanted that fits the theme, but that the leader would propose a few titles that people who wanted to read the same books (to enhance discussion) could read. Going back to what I posted after our earlier discussion of how to improve the theme reads, I wrote: "3. We should encourage theme read leaders to pick 3-5 recommended reads offering differing perspectives on the theme, preferably some of which the leader will read himself or herself. Participants interested in being able to discuss specific books with others could then choose from among these recommended reads, but everyone would be able to read any book that fits the theme."
75Samantha_kathy
I'm very, very excited about the theme reads for the coming year! I've already got three titles picked for the first theme read, one for each month.
I'm also already talking to my co-leader for the second quarter theme read, discussing several area's and I'm already thinking about recommended reads. So yes, very excited!
I'm also already talking to my co-leader for the second quarter theme read, discussing several area's and I'm already thinking about recommended reads. So yes, very excited!
76rebeccanyc
Great, Samantha_kathy, and thanks! I'm going to put information about our new theme reads up on the Reading Globally group page when I get back to my home computer and have the info for logging in as co-administrator.
77avaland
>71 kidzdoc: I think I should be able to help Darryl with the Middle East...two busy people might make one decent leader, eh Darryl? This is a separate theme, correct? Not under the "classics in their own country" theme? (I'm volunteering for the former, not the latter).
Rebeccanyc, thanks for your summaries! The conversation is a bit cluttered, so the summaries are life-savers.
Rebeccanyc, thanks for your summaries! The conversation is a bit cluttered, so the summaries are life-savers.
78kidzdoc
>77 avaland: Hooray! I would be thrilled to have you as a partner, Lois.
79rebeccanyc
That's great, Lois! Thanks so much; I know how busy you are, especially with Belletrista (a great source of ideas for books by women from around the world, for those of you unfamiliar with it). Yes, it is definitely the separate theme, and it is scheduled for the third quarter.
And thanks for the compliment about the summaries. I had to organize my own thoughts, so they're really just the online version of my scribbles to myself.
And thanks for the compliment about the summaries. I had to organize my own thoughts, so they're really just the online version of my scribbles to myself.
