March Book Selection

GWC Community Book Club Winning Nominees and Polls
#1

It’s time for another book selection. What will we be reading in March?

A few things to remember:[ul]
[li]You’re voting for the March book of the month. We’ll close the poll at the end of February and announce the winner here and on the blog and podcast Mar. 1.[/li][li]You can vote for more than one book, so please select all those you’d be interested in reading.[/li][li]Campaigning is recommended. We’re a friendly bunch, so don’t be afraid to plug a book (or books) you like a lot.[/li][*]Don’t worry if your favorites aren’t selected this time 'round. We’ll close the winning book’s thread and leave the rest open – so there’s no reason your fave couldn’t win next time 'round.[/ul]And finally, don’t forget this is all for fun. I personally plan on reading some of the ones that don’t win, too.

#2

… time after time… after time … :slight_smile:

#3

I know it’s not sci fi, but I think for Chuck’s edification we need to read The Princess Bride by William Goldman

#4

Corrected, of course. :slight_smile:

#5

Was this also a book? I can’t wait to see the movie!

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

…yes.

I guess 2010 will come up for vote after we have read 2001? I read the series a long time ago and would love to re-read…2001, 2010, 2061.

#6

Close enough. Recommend it for April. I’ll second it.

#7

Well, the ultimate source for this would be this book

#8

I highly, highly recommend old man’s war. Plus there is no better time as it is free now! (Details on the GWC blog!)

#9

Reminder: The Hacker Crackdown is available free online in HTML, e-text, and as an audiobook.

#10

That was one of my favorite movies as a kid. Turns out, Nick Meyer repeated some of the time travel jokes from it when he did Star Trek IV. And I can still remember laughing at the sight of H.G. Wells ordering a Big Mac. LOL.

#11

I hope we don’t have to always limit ourselves to sci-fi. I’d still be interested in seeing “The God Delusion” show back up on the poll, for example.

#12

Hehe, I’m with ya on that one. I almost said “I miss those days, the days of Wrath of Khan and Star Trek IV,” but I wasn’t anyway near old enough/not even born yet - I do feel a very strong connection to the 80s, though… if somebody invented a time machine, I’d be willing to play the guinea pig and try it out

Sounds interesting, the book. The problem, though, is that once you open the book club for non-scifi, everybody’s gonna suggest different things and the spectrum could become too broad for a consensus. Which makes me wonder: was it ever specified that the book club is for fiction only or can one also suggest non-fiction SciFi books? Something like “The Physics of Star Trek”
Because, as much fun as these things are, they’re not really apt for group reading, are they?

Edit: Looks like Watchmen is going to win, that would be cool. Everybody needs to read it before the movie comes out.

#13

I dunno, as I’ve said before, I think this group is strong and civil enough to handle nonfiction, even that might be controversial.

I have read most of “Watchmen” twice, but can never finish it. I don’t know, I am not enraputred by it, I guess. I don’t get into the whole “dark and grim” superhero thing that much, I guess :wink:

When someone says things like “I do feel a very strong connection to the 80s” even though they weren’t born then… sigh. I feel old! :slight_smile:

#14

I see that as of today 1984 has pulled ahead of Watchmen. Since I already voted (for Watchmen) I can only campaign. So I am. Even though I have not participated in the book discussion threads, I have read most of the books we’ve selected. And I even suggested a book, A Hymn Before Dying, by John Ringo (still think it would be a great read-I’ll try to build a case for it for April).

I really think that Watchmen would be a great book club selection, not only because I believe it is the greatest comic book story ever written and the art matches the story beautifully, but because the “B” story (won’t spoil it for those who haven’t read it) and the additional material from each issue (which is collected in the trade paperback) adds to the main story, fleshing out a story that I haven’t seen equalled in my approximately 33 years of reading comics (yes, I’m over 21, by about double and yes, I bought each issue when they were released in 1986-87 while I was in college).

If 1984 or another book wins out for March, that’s fine, because ths group pciks great books, but I really think Watchmen would generate some good discussions.

#15

I wonder if “1984” isn’t a timely selection because of all the emphasis on rhetoric (empty or otherwise) in the current primary season. Orwell’s warnings about “newspeak” may have implications for the U.S. electorate today (though what those implications are no doubt vary based upon one’s political persuasions!). Not campaigning against “Watchmen” – I voted for both books myself this go round – but “1984” would be cool with me, too. One of those “I’ve always meant to read it” entries on the list.

#16

so do I

not only because I believe it is the greatest comic book story ever written

it is! no doubt about that.

the “B” story

what is your B and your A story in Watchmen? the thing with the clock or the superheroes?

If 1984 or another book wins out for March, that’s fine, because ths group pciks great books, but I really think Watchmen would generate some good discussions.

I wouldn’t worry, if 1984 wins this round, Watchmen’s gonna win next month, pretty sure of that.

hm… the newspak wasn’t actually about empty rhetoric, it was about erasing words from the language in order to erase whole concepts from people’s minds so that they couldn’t even think “bad thoughts”

but yeah, I can see where you’re coming from, 1984 will probably always be a timely book.

#17

Granted. But rhetoric is never empty. Rhetoric is carefully constructed language designed to effect change, of some sort or another. In Orwell’s novel, the change intended and achieved by newspeak (he said, not actually having read the novel…! <g>) is to pacify a population, to lull them into docile submission to the authorities. In the current primary season, Sen. Clinton has charged that Sen. Obama is using “empty rhetoric” (again, no such thing) to distract voters from his lack of Washington experience and to generate “all hat, no cattle” (ahem). Sen. Obama has claimed, in response, that his rhetoric is intended to inspire and unite Americans.

Politicians play a dangerous game when they question the power of rhetoric; and, of course, all use it some degree or another. Instead of being labelled as a bad thing, it should be understood as a craft that, like any, can be used for good or for ill. Which was my point about the role of language in Orwell.

Of course, as I admit, I have never actually read 1984… so maybe I’m way off base.

#18

what is your B and your A story in Watchmen? the thing with the clock or the superheroes?

Isn’t the b story the whole pirate story thing that the kid at the news stand is seen reading?

ROLLS-ROYCE (CAR)

#19

oh that. hm, I’d say that’s the C story…

#20

Another favorite of mine!