Group reads?

[Colette Jones]

Just wondering, Stewart, if you'd be open to us setting up occasional group reads? I want to read more literature in translation and that would incentivise me. Apologies if this has already been brought up and disregarded.

[Stewart]

Yes, it's a worthwhile idea. I didn't see the point in setting one up straight away because you need interested parties first. So, interested parties?

[LizzySiddal]

Surely the first WLF group read is Ammaniti's new one - in preparation for the Q&A? To be scheduled once we've received our copies.

[Mirabell]

yep. I tried to set up one already, on Goethe's Wilhelm Meister novels, but lionel the only fixed member dropped out, so there.

Reading Wilhelm Meister

I have initiated a second one, on Thomas Mann's Royal Highness. Sybarite signed up.

[Stewart]

Originally Posted by LizzySiddal

Surely the first WLF group read is Ammaniti's new one - in preparation for the Q&A? To be scheduled once we've received our copies.

Beyond that, there's so many more months. I can set up a specific 'Book Group' area. How would others think it would be best orchestrated? I've never taken part in a book group in my life.

[Stewart]

I was thinking some more about this over lunch. How about following an A is for Albanian/Austrian/etc, B is for Bulgaria/Bermuda/etc. pattern.

[abecedarian]

Originally Posted by Stewart

I was thinking some more about this over lunch. How about following an A is for Albanian/Austrian/etc, B is for Bulgaria/Bermuda/etc. pattern.

Would we all be reading the same title or just going with the theme country? The latter might be fun.

[Stewart]

Originally Posted by abecedarian

Would we all be reading the same title or just going with the theme country? The latter might be fun.

Well, book group typically means the same title.

[abecedarian]

Originally Posted by Stewart

Well, book group typically means the same title.

I tried that with our local reading group. They all balked at the very idea of having to read the same book. Got downright testy, they did

[Colette Jones]

I prefer all reading the same book, as I believe there is more to discuss then. It doesn't have to be monthly or decided very far in advance. In fact, I think it works best if someone puts out an idea and it is somewhat spur of the moment.

Definitely the Ammaniti first, and in the mean time people could make suggestions for the next book. Like Bernhard Schlink Self's Punishment... or Jose Carlos Somoza The Art of Murder anyone?

[LizzySiddal]

Originally Posted by Colette Jones

in the mean time people could make suggestions for the next book. Like Bernhard Schlink Self's Punishment... or Jose Carlos Somoza The Art of Murder anyone?

Both of which, incidentally, are brilliant!

[LizzySiddal]

Originally Posted by Mirabell

I have initiated a second one, on Thomas Mann's Royal Highness. Sybarite signed up.

I'll sign up too, provided the read is scheduled after the Ammaniti Q&A.

Didn't respond to the Goethe invite .... I still bear the scars from Torquato Tasso ....

[lionel]

Originally Posted by Mirabell

yep. I tried to set up one already, on Goethe's Wilhelm Meister novels, but lionel the only fixed member dropped out, so there.

Yeah, but I think I had a reasonable reason: Goethe didn't seem to translate that well. I tried, but was sweating like hell. Be fair, Mirabell: from what you told me, he doesn't even translate well in his own language.

[Beth]

Sounds good here as well. Alphabetical pattern seems a nice orderly way to choose without too much difficulty.

[Jayaprakash]

Mirabell: I'm ready to take on Royal Highness anytime you'd care to initiate the group read. Three is a sufficient number - I find that forum-wide group reads, while nice, can have mixed results. The discussions become a bit too wide-ranging- every opinion is expressed by someone or the other and there's no room for the nicely fraught subjectivity of a handful of people opining and getting on one another's nerves.

[Colette Jones]

Originally Posted by Jayaprakash

Mirabell: I'm ready to take on Royal Highness anytime you'd care to initiate the group read. Three is a sufficient number - I find that forum-wide group reads, while nice, can have mixed results. The discussions become a bit too wide-ranging- every opinion is expressed by someone or the other and there's no room for the nicely fraught subjectivity of a handful of people opining and getting on one another's nerves.

I agree - a handful gets more "real" discussion going. I looked up Royal Highness and see that it is not available new, which means buying used, which always disappoints me, especially from amazon.

[Mirabell]

Originally Posted by lionel

Yeah, but I think I had a reasonable reason: Goethe didn't seem to translate that well. I tried, but was sweating like hell. Be fair, Mirabell: from what you told me, he doesn't even translate well in his own language.

so 'tis indeed.

[Mirabell]

alternatively, we could do the Joseph cycle, apparently newly translated in the wonderful Everyman's hardcover

Amazon.com: Joseph and His Brothers: The Stories of Jacob, Young Joseph, Joseph in Egypt, Joseph the Provider: Thomas Mann, John E. Woods: Books

“This excellent new translation by John E. Woods is a cause for celebration: first, because Joseph and His Brothers is in fact a great novel that will now be discovered by a new generation of readers; and second, because Woods himself is to be credited with an extraordinary achievement . . . Woods tackles the challenges of Mann’s wide-ranging diction with exuberance . . . Mann has finally found his ideal English translator.” –New Republic,Ruth Franklin

[LizzySiddal]

Originally Posted by Mirabell

alternatively,

No can do ..... I bought the last copy of "Royal Highness" from Amazon last night, which is why Colette must go 2nd hand.

Plus - Joseph is way too loooooooooooooooooong.

[Colette Jones]

A mere 1400+ pages! Yikes. I'm back to Royal Highness now, at 320 pages, and I have discovered, available at my library!

Maybe we should do a bit of selling the choices - why do you suggest Royal Highness, Mirabell? Note how I am ignoring Joseph and His Brothers - but rest assured I have lots of songs from The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat going around in my head...

...
Jacob, Jacob and sons,
Depended on farming to earn their keep.
Jacob, Jacob and sons,
Spend all of his days in the fields with sheep.
...