Do you think the GD's Arthurian Themed Read was a success?

I want to hear some input, before I say a word.

I did not see much discussion but I enjoyed being encouraged to read some Arthur stuff. I really like Black Horses for the King and am still enjoying The Winter King. I think I will probably pursue reading more of Bernard Cornwell. So for me, yes, it was a success.

Like maggie, I would have liked to see more discussion, which would have prompted me to add my 2c-worth. However, it got me reading things I wouldn't have otherwise -- which I'll probably continue to do for a while. So if I have to say not quite the greatest thing since sliced bread, it's largely my own stupid fault for not being pro-active at the right time.

Honest feedback?

I think it was a creative idea, but a bad one.

For a book club to discuss things, and to keep the discussion going, we need stuff in common - in particular, a common BOOK.

Imagine doing this in Real Life™ You go to your library some Thursday evening at 8PM to each read out a report on a book that only you read. Then, the next person does that, then the next, and so on.

How much interesting discussion would there be?

I was watching from the sidelines this time, so my experience may not be what those involved experienced. The theme read didn't generate nearly as much discussion of individual works since there was a considerable (IMHO) dilution of effort. However, it seemed to be a good way to come up with a list of works in a theme and doing a rough comparison of those works. So I guess I'd call it a mixed bag: I wouldn't want to completely replace single-book group reads with themed reads, but I'd like to do this again sometime when I can be more involved.

Well, I think we learned something, at least.

It may have been good for many individuals, but wasn't exactly a smashing success for the group.

Definetly an interesting concept - although not one I had time/books to actually partake in. I wouldn't like to see all GD reads take this format, but don't feel it should be abandoned either.

I'd like to see it done a couple times a year because, as it was said by others, it got me a) a reading list and b) something I wouldn't normally read.

However, also as others have said, we didn't get much discussion of the books themselves.

I loved it, because I don't like book clubs.

LOL, flee.
:o)

I read a cool book I might not otherwise have read. But I don't remember any discussions actually happening....more "are people done with their books?" than anything else.

In the end I didn't participate, but I liked the idea - the dreaded "real life" got in the way and I didn't read anything Arthurian at the time... ah well.

I guess it's easier to have a good discussion when we're all on the same page, so to speak?

Still... maybe it's something we can do on an occasional basis, if the demand is there?

I was disappointed there wasn't more discussion but I enjoyed the book I read and getting it off the tbr pile and onto the shelf.

I think some basic discussion questions that people could ponder while reading and post about would be a good idea. This does seem to generate more discussion for the groups that do it that way.

I probably won't participate in the 'single book' reads unless it's a book that is already among my towering tbr.

Well, I think the threads kept getting buried.

Should we one day consider a group-read where each group member gets to choose from a list of, say, half-a-dozen books? I liked the idea of a themed read, and then hit a snag. I was interested enough by several posts to go to the local libraries to look for The Once and Future King -- no sign of it. Not at all. So even if a single-book read comes with the most glowing references, some of us may not be able to participate because the book is, for one or another reason, not available.

Well, I've heard of a themed read, where a group picks one author, and everyone reads something written by her/him. I wonder how that would work...

#17 I didn't mind doing a theme read of Arthur legends since I know the story and so do most others. But picking an author and discussing different works could be spoiler city. I dont' think I'd participate unless I already had read most of their works.

Yeah, I agree with littlegeek.

I read about 20 pages of The Once and Future King that I wouldn't have otherwise, lol.

But, yeah, the fact that people were reading different books took away the motivation.

It all has to be the same book, or it won't work, in my opinion.

Nice idea, intriguing, but it didn't seem to work well for discussions. I haven't finished my simple book yet, so wouldn't know how to discuss. Anyway, maybe tweaked it could work, but I think the single book will be more effective for this diverse group to discuss.

I had planned to chime in with the book I have by Geoffrey Ashe - nonfiction, intriguing bit of scholarly history - that makes a bid to place Arthur 100 years prior to the usual date, and pin the actions in the legend to records and places just after the Roman withdrawal....but the topic got so huge, so fast (and my connection has this tendency to quit at random, penalty of living far out in the country) - and the sheer volume of an overwhelmingly large topic put me off.

Shouldn't have, but there it is. The idea of this topic was really neat - certainly why it mushroomed, then snowballed.

The Ashe title is listed in my library...I found it fascinating.

I think I read The Discovery of King Arthur back in the late 80's or early 90's and thought it was pretty interesting (if this is the same one I remember). I went poking about on my local public library's catalog, and unfortunately they don't have this one. But they do have Mythology of the British Isles and Kings and Queens of Early Britain that look interesting. Two more for my TBR pile...This is not helping me catch up! 8^}

Perhaps we can try it one more time with a modification or two before we scrap it altogether.

I think if there's a more focused theme, it might help.

I fully intended on participating in the Arthurian theme read, but got side tracked and my reading pace slowed to a crawl. If it weren't for audiobooks, my reading list so far this year would be absolutely pitiful However, I do still intend to read my Arthurian book and The Crystal Cave, which was given to me by a new friend when she heard of the themed read.

I still have my book sitting here... just partially read.

I never got around to finish reading MZB's The Mists Of Avalon. As of this moment I am only on page 136 and still have quite a long ways to go until I finish the book. However I thought it was a good experiment and got people thinking and talking about books on King Arthur that they might not have been aware of at the time or to read a book they thought they wouldn't like or be able to get through.

And everyone came up with a lot of different titles of books on King Arthur I hadn't heard of before and will have to look into them some time in the future. I thought it was fun and well worth it and we should do it again some other time.

beatles1964

An after thought, I think I'm more motivated to read and finish the book when the group is all reading it.

#28 - That appears to be the general consensus.

Maybe we should have had a deadline of some sort: "You vill read zis book by zis date ja! SCHULTZ!! Vhere iss ze report?!"

ETA: ... or maybe not. A simple "Spoilers allowed after x date, please comment" would be much better in the GD, wouldn't it!

#30 - Well, that's why we usually have two threads, one for spoilers, one were they are verboten. ;o)

I didn't get a chance to participate in the discussion b/c I have been busy, but I did add a whole stack of books to my tbr list, and was introduced to some authors I had never heard of, so it was successful for me in that sense.