2021 Group Reads Planning Thread

Hi everyone - time to start planning our 2021 group reads. I'll use this first post to organize suggestions. Please feel free to suggest books to read.

By the Month:
January
February - Voss by Patrick White - thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/328807
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Quarterly Reads
Jan-Mar
Apr-Jun The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt
Jul-Sep Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann
Oct-Dec

Year-long Reads:
Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong - thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/328008
A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell - thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/328658
Jerusalem by Alan Moore - continuation of 2020 read - thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/314516
The Complete Stories: Clarice Lispector - thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/327018

Group Read Suggestions:
Poldark series books 5-8
The Man Without Qualities by Robert Musil
The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales
The Arabian Nights
Evelina / Cecilia by Fanny Burney
The Plum in the Golden Vase (the new translation) by Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng
Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en

My children have been pressing me to read Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong, it's a 14th century Chinese classical novel in three volumes.

>1 avatiakh: Thank you for setting this up.

Is anyone interested in reading Patrick White's Voss?

>2 avatiakh: I own a recent German translation, said to be the first that is complete. It is a huge commitment at 1900+ pages, but I would love to try. Company is motivating.

I "led" the discussion for the Poldark books 1-4 in 2020. I found that I can't read just one book per quarter; the time was too long between the books, for me. I am not going to lead that read, scheduled for books 5-8 this year as I've read through book 10 (I think!). I would like to hand this off to somebody who is interested. The interest waned after the first read and there was little discussion. Maybe somebody else can draw more interest.

We had a year-long group read in 2020 for Alan Moore's Jerusalem, but I suspect most of us need it to go into 2021 as well!

>3 pamelad: I am! I got the book last December and haven't gotten around to reading it yet. When were you thinking of reading it?

Wow. It's time for the new group already. Wow. Time moves.

>3 pamelad: I would also consider this. I haven't read anything by Voss as yet.

>4 MissWatson: I'd love having a shared read, probably a year long endeavour.

>5 Tess_W: We did a year long read of all the Poldark books a few years back. I loved it.

>6 Jackie_K: I'll add Jerusalem to the list. I should be finished in a couple of weeks though I'd love to follow the discussion next year.

>3 pamelad: Yes! I have been meaning to read Voss for quite a while now. I have my Penguin Modern Classics all ready to go. I'm flexible on when we read it.

>7 leslie.98:, >9 avatiakh:, >10 NinieB: How about February?

Works for me. Do you think @jaynecm will want to join us?

>11 pamelad: Feb. is good for me.

>12 NinieB: I've sent Jayne a message.

I will certainly join in with the Voss read. I have a copy on my Kindle and February works for me.

I would like to tackle Romance of the Three Kingdoms as well. :)

>12 NinieB: >14 pamelad: Thanks for the heads up! Every time I have had a challenge of reading a one word title, I have planned to read Voss but never got to it. I will in 2021!

>2 avatiakh: I would like to try to read The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. I've wanted to read a classic Chinese novel for a long time.

>16 JayneCM: So glad you'll be joining us, Jayne!

I would be in for The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Next year I intend to read the 12 volumes of A Dance To The Music Of Time by Anthony Powell, one per month.

Would there be any interest in this becoming a Group Year-Long read?

Best Wishes,
David

>19 Boschfan: I hope you get some takers. I've been reading the series this year and am up to the last book. All the books are well worth reading, with those set during the war years being my favourites.

>20 pamelad:
Thankyou! They've been on my radar for some years now - Im looking forward to working my way through them.

Best Wishes,
David

>19 Boschfan: I have already read the first 5 books but I would be interested in joining you for the remaining 7...

>19 Boschfan: I've read this series and really enjoyed them so I hope you get some takers.

>19 Boschfan: I am interested. @pamelad's positive reviews encouraged me to pick up the first six not too long ago, so having a motivation to read along with someone else will be great!

>19 Boschfan: I would be interested! I bought all the books a while ago and just have not committed the reading them. This could be the nudge I need! :)

>22 leslie.98: Due to the other plans i'm formulating at the moment, I would probably have to stick to doing one per month, so, as long as you don't mind waiting until June for anyone else to catch up ...

>24 NinieB:
>25 JayneCM:

Thankyou! I would be happy to 'lead' this, unless anyone else is really keen to.

Best Wishes,
David

>26 Boschfan: One a month is perfect for me!
>25 JayneCM: Yay Jayne!

>26 Boschfan: That is what I figured - I can wait!

>28 leslie.98: That's great. Knowing that I have a deadline to make in June and someone waiting for me there will keep me on track. *_*

Best Wishes,
David

>26 Boschfan: Thanks, David! One a month is great - I am looking forward to finally reading them.

>3 pamelad: I will likely join in on Voss as well. February looks good!

>15 DeltaQueen50:, >31 japaul22: Welcome to the Voss read. My own copy has been sitting on the shelf so long that its print shrank, so I'll have to buy the ebook.

>32 pamelad:
I read 'Voss' many moons ago and recall having enjoyed it very much. So a re-read would be good. I'll do my best to join in.

Best Wishes,
David

>32 pamelad: that has been happening to all my books too, lol

>19 Boschfan: I will read at least volumes 1-4 with you. I have those and if I like it well enough to continue, then I will purchase the others.

>35 Tess_W: Thankyou.

I hope I like it enough to see it through as well!

Best Wishes,
David

>33 Boschfan: Glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you will a second time.

>19 Boschfan: David, I am up for the challenge. The 12 books in the series ideally fit a year-long challenge.

my year long read is to be The Man Without Qualities by Robert Musil 1774 pages.
My quarterly reads are
April through June: The Children's Book - A.S. Byatt
July through September: Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family - Thomas Mann

I cannot find a copy of Voss that I am willing to buy so will not be able to join in that one. I believe I have the first book of Three Kingdoms. I never started Jerusalem this year but did buy the book. And I've read Dance to the Music of Time and highly endorse that one. I liked it. I listened to it on audible.

>39 Kristelh: I could join you on The Children's Book and would consider Buddenbrooks. The Musil looks daunting.
I finished Jerusalem last week and enjoyed most of it, the more I read about the book the more I admire it and realise it's a book that requires a second read through to fully appreciate.

>39 Kristelh: I read The Man Without Qualities many years ago, so it could be time for a re-read. Like The Magic Mountain, I probably read it too fast the first time, without stopping to think. Just bought the ebook, so am ready to start.

>40 avatiakh:, sounds good!
>41 pamelad:. Great! I do really lousy at these year long read. Start out optimistic but other books get in the way.

Count me in on Romance of the Three Kingdoms and possibly The Man Without Qualities, both of which I started but never finished. I am a big fan of reading tons of books at once. :|

Other door-stoppers I want to suggest are The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales, The Arabian Nights, Evelina / Cecilia, The Plum in the Golden Vase (the new translation), Journey to the West, and The Complete Stories: Clarice Lispector.

Edit: I was supposed to read the 6 Chinese Classic Novels (decided they were six) this year but put it on hold because the libraries shut down. Meh, I'll read the ebooks.

>43 Settings: I also like to read tons of books at once! Especially these days, when my attention span is less than that of a goldfish. I keep picking at different books, hoping something will stick.

>44 rabbitprincess:

Yep, yep. And I finish eventually even if it takes me 10 years (A Tale of Genji lol)

>43 Settings: I would be interested in The complete stories of Clarice Lispector.

Or if anyone would like to try Dante's Inferno (Hollander translation), I'd like to try that.

>46 markon:
Fantastic! I have the audiobook version of The Complete Stories: Clarice Lispector

I keep trying to read The Divine Comedy (finished The Inferno) but get bogged down by the notes, which I'm not willing to skip because I don't understand the poem at without them. Are you interested in the entire trilogy?

>43 Settings:, I have been reading Journey to the West or Monkey this year but did not finish. I do hope to keep reading it this next year.

>47 Settings: I'm purchasing an ebook of the Lispector. Don't know about Dante. I'll have to see if I once get through the Inferno.

Posting some logistical questions for Lispector on your LT wall.

>48 Kristelh:
I hope you're enjoying it.

>49 markon:
One story a week sounds perfect! I believe there's more than 52 but it's no problem to extend into the next year.

>50 Settings: OK, I've posted a Buddy Reads thread here.

Looks like the Lord Peter folks are going to extend into 2021. Anyone interested see: https://www.librarything.com/topic/314134

>52 majkia: Yes, but I think we've determined there are really only a couple left because some are collected stories from books we've already read and some are just not available. This is what we are doing:

January: Busman's Honeymoon
February: In the Teeth of the Evidence
March: Striding Folly

There was discussion about adding the Jill Paton Walsh books featuring Lord Peter for April-July, but I think most people want to steer clear of those.

I'm planning a Louis L'Amour shared read challenge in the 75ers group if anyone is interested: https://www.librarything.com/topic/327122

Bumping this for visibility and because it's a bit closer to January now.

Seems like the Clarice Lispector short read is set in stone. Thread here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/327018

Romance of Three Kingdoms seems like it has multiple takers. Anything else?

>55 Settings: If you look in post #1 there is a list of all books discussed on the thread.
There are two or three carrying over from this year.
I expect that threads for the year long reads will be created closer to the New Year. I'll be posting the Romance of Three Kingdoms thread early next week.

>56 avatiakh:

Very nice!

>19 Boschfan: - I'm interested in joining you in the year long A Dance to the Music of Time group read. I've owned the books for decades, it's about time I've read them.

2021 Audiobooks thread is up. https://www.librarything.com/topic/327741

Romance of the Three Kingdoms thread is finally up - https://www.librarything.com/topic/328008

Jerusalem by Alan Moore continuation - i've linked to the 2020 thread up in post #1.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/314516

I've created a Louis L'Amour shared read challenge in the 75ers group: https://www.librarything.com/topic/328390

>19 Boschfan: I'm interested in reading A Dance to the Music of Time.

Is there a thread for A Dance to the Music of Time?

>64 pamelad: I am hoping so too as I have my books all ready!

>64 pamelad: Not that I've seen, so I say go ahead and create one :)

>64 pamelad: Here it is https://www.librarything.com/topic/328658

I'll send Boschfan a message.

>67 pamelad: No reply from Boschfan, so it looks as though a new leader is needed.

I read the series last year, and recommend it highly. Looking forward to reading what other people think.

Here is the thread for the February Voss read. https://www.librarything.com/topic/328807

See you there!

Only two of us mentioned reading The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt (April-June) so probably not worth creating a thread for it.

>70 avatiakh: I am starting it in April. Am I one of the two?

Yes, you & me. I've had the book on my tbr list since it was newly published. I'll also dust it off for April.