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Book of the Month?

Is there something you'd like to see on this site? Let the admins know!

What Shall We Do With the Book of the Month?

Poll ended at Tue February 15th, 2011, 4:35 am

Scrap it altogether.
2
13%
Keep it as is.
10
63%
Change to a bimonthly schedule (1 book every 2 months)
3
19%
Have a different member select the book each month; no nominating/voting
1
6%
 
Total votes: 16

User avatar
Margaret
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 2440
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: I can't answer this in 100 characters. Sorry.
Favourite HF book: Checkmate, the final novel in the Lymond series
Preferred HF: Literary novels. Late medieval and Renaissance.
Location: Catskill, New York, USA
Contact:

Post by Margaret » Sat February 12th, 2011, 8:53 pm

I wonder if it would be easier if the book of the month was selected a little earlier than the month before, say two months instead - this would give more time for people to obtain and read the book. Just a thought!
This strikes me as a good idea. I wanted to read Mistress of Nothing, and I put it on hold at the library, but the book didn't come in early enough for me to read it in time for the BOM. There is often a long waiting list at my library for a new book.
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at www.HistoricalNovels.info

User avatar
Divia
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 4435
Joined: August 2008
Location: Always Cloudy, Central New York

Post by Divia » Sat February 12th, 2011, 9:01 pm

[quote=""Misfit""]That said, most of them are long forgotten OOP's that no one else is much interested in reading, so I just follow my own path. If a BOTM selection can fit in my plans, great if not...
[/quote]

And that's what I'm saying. I'm almost to a point now that I've thrown up my hands in even suggesting a book because no one shares my tastes. That's fine, but dont expect me to run out and grab a book taht doesnt excite me so I can participate in BOTM.

[quote=""Margaret""]This strikes me as a good idea. I wanted to read Mistress of Nothing, and I put it on hold at the library, but the book didn't come in early enough for me to read it in time for the BOM. There is often a long waiting list at my library for a new book.[/quote]

Maybe thats another reason it should be bi monthly.
News, views, and reviews on books and graphic novels for young adult.
http://yabookmarks.blogspot.com/

Ash
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 2475
Joined: August 2008
Location: Arizona, USA

Post by Ash » Sun February 13th, 2011, 12:56 am

So we've had a few slow months...we've had some amazing discussions here, more often than not. No, I do not want to drop it. I'd suggest that we limit the number of nominated books, or, have a run off of the top three. Otherwise you get the winning book that might have only had 4 votes but beat out all the others. And those 4 people might decide not to participate.

Instead of having one person select a book each month, I'd suggest that perhaps one person pick a topic for a month. Different topics that others might not have though of, might lead to more interesting nominations, and more of a variety of times and places.

You also could change the BOTM to just bestsellers; at least then you'd have more readers who'd be able to get ahold of the books easily.

User avatar
Margaret
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 2440
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: I can't answer this in 100 characters. Sorry.
Favourite HF book: Checkmate, the final novel in the Lymond series
Preferred HF: Literary novels. Late medieval and Renaissance.
Location: Catskill, New York, USA
Contact:

Post by Margaret » Sun February 13th, 2011, 1:11 am

I'm not nominating at this point, but Divia mentioned wanting to read more novels set in the U.S., and I've just read Alice Hoffman's outstanding latest novel, The Red Garden. Most of Hoffman's novels are contemporary (although they often have a historical angle and/or a sense of generational change and continuity), but this one begins in 1750 and continues into the present. (See review.) It's fairly short, an absorbing read without boring stretches of educational background (some historical novelists get sucked into this), and full of interesting nuances and subtleties that could be discussed. If we chose it as a BOM, I would probably re-read it - it's that good. Not for people who despise magical realism, though.
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at www.HistoricalNovels.info

User avatar
Divia
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 4435
Joined: August 2008
Location: Always Cloudy, Central New York

Post by Divia » Sun February 13th, 2011, 1:15 am

I want to read more HF novels set in the US, but no one else does.

I'll check it out though, for my own TBR pile.
News, views, and reviews on books and graphic novels for young adult.
http://yabookmarks.blogspot.com/

User avatar
Margaret
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 2440
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: I can't answer this in 100 characters. Sorry.
Favourite HF book: Checkmate, the final novel in the Lymond series
Preferred HF: Literary novels. Late medieval and Renaissance.
Location: Catskill, New York, USA
Contact:

Post by Margaret » Sun February 13th, 2011, 2:02 am

I want to read more HF novels set in the US, but no one else does.
I doubt this is true - what about it, everyone? For myself, I'm a little burned out on Civil War/slavery novels, because I've read so many, and a lot of them have very similar story lines. But a lot more has happened in U.S. history!
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at www.HistoricalNovels.info

User avatar
Misfit
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 9581
Joined: August 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Misfit » Sun February 13th, 2011, 2:09 am

[quote=""Margaret""]I doubt this is true - what about it, everyone? For myself, I'm a little burned out on Civil War/slavery novels, because I've read so many, and a lot of them have very similar story lines. But a lot more has happened in U.S. history![/quote]

I love it as well, but there isn't a lot of *new* hf coming out on the topic. There's plenty of old OOP's to be discovered, but those books are of much interest for those participating in BOTM. Books like Mary Sutter are very rare.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

User avatar
Michy
Bibliophile
Posts: 1649
Joined: May 2010
Location: California

Post by Michy » Sun February 13th, 2011, 5:38 am

One of the very best books I read last year was Bloodroot by Amy Greene. I'm not sure if technically it would be considered HF -- it takes place from about 1913 to the present, and is set in Appalachia. Even if the setting doesn't sound appealing, if you're interested in HF in an American setting I recommend it. It was very well-written -- I could hardly put it down.

User avatar
Margaret
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 2440
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: I can't answer this in 100 characters. Sorry.
Favourite HF book: Checkmate, the final novel in the Lymond series
Preferred HF: Literary novels. Late medieval and Renaissance.
Location: Catskill, New York, USA
Contact:

Post by Margaret » Sun February 13th, 2011, 7:24 am

Actually, it looks as though next month's BOM will be The Raven's Bride, which is also set in the U.S. - it's about Edgar Allen Poe's child-bride.
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at www.HistoricalNovels.info

User avatar
Vanessa
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 4378
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: The Farm at the Edge of the World by Sarah Vaughan
Interest in HF: The first historical novel I read was Katherine by Anya Seton and this sparked off my interest in this genre.
Favourite HF book: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell!
Preferred HF: Any
Location: North Yorkshire, UK

Post by Vanessa » Sun February 13th, 2011, 10:52 am

I enjoy reading books set in all sorts of different countries and cultures, so I'm happy to read about anywhere.

I have Mary Sutter on my Kindle. It wasn't published in the UK until January so it was difficult to join in with the discussion! :rolleyes:

Perhaps the topics could be by country or continent?
currently reading: My Books on Goodreads

Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind

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