📚2026 May question: Will anyone be reading My Policeman by Bethan Roberts?

My Policeman was scheduled for a group read this month with leader Greg. But Greg hasn't been in the usual places (LT and GR), so I strongly suspect something major has happened. I've even emailed him with no response.

I'd be willing to read and set up the read along topics if anyone is going to read it and discuss it as they go. The discussion is the part that interests me, without it, I'll wait until (and if) Greg returns.

>1 DebiCates: I wasn't planning to read this and had other books lined up.

>2 AnishaInkspill: Thanks for answering, Anisha. I figure the answer is going to be no one.

>1 DebiCates: As a backup plan, rather than lining up specific books the discussion threads could be something like:

• What are you planning to read in May - August
  
• Short stories read in May - August
  
• Novels read in May - August
  
• Nonfiction read in May - August
  
• Plays & Misc read in May - August

keeping it flexible for anyone to read anything in those months.

>3 DebiCates: hi, our messages crossed, I liked your posts with Cosmicomics.

>4 AnishaInkspill: You could certainly set up something like that if you'd like.

Me, I don't enjoy those kinds of structures much myself. I'm too much of a mood reader, off on whatever ADHD tangent my brain takes me. I can, though, be pinned down to read a single work in a group every other month or so, especially if the discussion group, even a small one, is robust.

Having said that, I'd be willing to be supportive and give it a whirl if you set something like that up.

>6 DebiCates: that's fair enough

thinking out loud here, as you were planning to read this book, maybe these very broad threads can capture what you are reading to, where you share whenever you want to.

The alternative is you could just start a thread / threads with whatever book you are reading, incl this one if Greg can no longer do this.

These are the ones I've lined up for May:

Faust, Part Two
Bartleby the Scrivener - short story
Chess Story - short story
Juneteenth - novel Ralph Ellison was working on
African Myths of Origin - collection of shorts, retold and written before 1700s
I Am Heathcliff: Stories Inspired by Wuthering Heights - collection of shorts, connected to Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights
Ajax by Sophocles - play
Science: A History - nonfiction, making a start on

>7 AnishaInkspill: Hey Anisha, you might enjoy the recurring weekly thread Friday Reads where the LT development team share what they are reading and invite others to do the same. I enjoy it. Sometimes it's just a list of what people are reading, which is mildly interesting, but I especially love when it launches discussions. Yesterday's "Friday Reads" https://www.librarything.com/topic/384088

Perhaps similarly here we could have a topic, "Month Reads" posted once a month on the last day of the month.

My intention for 2026 was to keep up with two personal reading threads. Since giving my notice of retirement and having to spend more hours now explaining what all I do (maintain their server, data and software), I'm more tired in the evenings. Here are the places I set up to share what I'm reading. Both waned dreadfully starting that retirement date announcement.

DebiCates' Year of Reading 2026, that's here on this group, a rather boring monthly log
https://www.librarything.com/topic/376652

DebiCates' 2026 "Old Lady Reads What?" on the "75 group" where I highlight the best of what I've read each month.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/377168

I hope to get back on track in May. If not May, okay then, in July when I am free, free, free.

>8 DebiCates: Oh your threads are amazing, and thanks for pointing out the Friday thread, I never feel I'm on my track with my reading but I keep trying 😂