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Fiction_L Archives
best books for a discussion
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FROM: Vicki Novak - LIBRARYX <[removed]@MAIL.MARICOPA.GOV>
REC'D: 4/4/02, 6:54 PM
I will compile a list. Thanks!
Vicki Novak
[removed]@mail.maricopa.gov
Adult Services
North Central Regional Library
Maricopa County Library District
17811 N. 32nd St.
Phoenix, AZ 85032-1201
http://mcld.maricopa.gov
FROM: "Deborah T. Walsh" <[removed]@geneva.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 4/4/02, 7:57 PM
>>>What have been your best discussion books of all time?
The one book I've successfully discussed over and over is Barbara
Kingsolver's Animal dreams - I have analyzed this, because I've used
it with lots of different types of groups and I've marveled at its
universal appeal
This is what I think: 1) Everyone loves Lloyd, 2) some of the
participants "love" the book, but 3) usually some of the participants
take exception with the politics that move the plot and that makes
for a great discussion.
As everyone who leads book discussions knows, when everyone "loves"
the book, it usually makes for a pretty horrid discussion. There
needs to be something that exercises some of the participants, while
generally appealing to most of the participants, while having an
element EVERYONE agrees they love (in this case, Lloyd <vbg>)
Animal dreams has never failed me!
Deborah T. Walsh
Geneva Public Library District
127 James Street
Geneva, IL 60134
[removed]@geneva.lib.il.us
FROM: Julie Roberts <[removed]@rolling-meadows.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 4/4/02, 8:39 PM
-----Original Message-----
From: Deborah T. Walsh [[removed]@geneva.lib.il.us]
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 8:11 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: RE: best books for a discussion
Vicki Novak asked:
>>>What have been your best discussion books of all time?
The one book I've successfully discussed over and over is Barbara
Kingsolver's Animal dreams - I have analyzed this, because I've used
it with lots of different types of groups and I've marveled at its
universal appeal
This is what I think: 1) Everyone loves Lloyd, 2) some of the
participants "love" the book, but 3) usually some of the participants
take exception with the politics that move the plot and that makes
for a great discussion.
As everyone who leads book discussions knows, when everyone "loves"
the book, it usually makes for a pretty horrid discussion. There
needs to be something that exercises some of the participants, while
generally appealing to most of the participants, while having an
element EVERYONE agrees they love (in this case, Lloyd <vbg>)
Animal dreams has never failed me!
Deborah T. Walsh
Geneva Public Library District
127 James Street
Geneva, IL 60134
[removed]@geneva.lib.il.us
FROM: "kshaw" <[removed]@bfree.on.ca>
REC'D: 4/5/02, 8:49 AM
Kathryn Shaw
Brantford Public Library
> I know we've had some questions lately about book
> discussions, and I know there are some great web sites
> that suggest books, but I want to ask Fiction_L: What have
> been your best discussion books of all time? What books
> have produced the best discussions? They can be new ones
> or classics. I am just looking for some ideas to suggest
> for my group.
> I will compile a list. Thanks!
>
> Vicki Novak
> [removed]@mail.maricopa.gov
>
> Adult Services
> North Central Regional Library
> Maricopa County Library District
> 17811 N. 32nd St.
> Phoenix, AZ 85032-1201
>
> http://mcld.maricopa.gov
>
>
> ..........................................................
> ........... Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the
> archives? Everything Fiction_L:
> http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
FROM: Jo-Ann Roy <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 4/5/02, 9:22 AM
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax
http://taxes.yahoo.com/
FROM: Chris Raap EVS 708-422-8522 <[removed]@SLS.LIB.IL.US>
REC'D: 4/5/02, 9:53 AM
******************************************************************************
Christine Raap * "The universe is crazy,
Evergreen Park Pub. Lib. * anything else would be
9400 S. Troy * redundant."
Evergreen Park, Il. 60805 * Londo, Baylon 5
[removed]@sls.lib.il.us *
[removed]@ibm.net *
******************************************************************************
FROM: Chris Raap EVS 708-422-8522 <[removed]@SLS.LIB.IL.US>
REC'D: 4/5/02, 10:04 AM
******************************************************************************
Christine Raap * "The universe is crazy,
Evergreen Park Pub. Lib. * anything else would be
9400 S. Troy * redundant."
Evergreen Park, Il. 60805 * Londo, Baylon 5
[removed]@sls.lib.il.us *
[removed]@ibm.net *
******************************************************************************
FROM: "Jodi Felde" <[removed]@ncats.net>
REC'D: 4/5/02, 10:47 AM
The first title references so many artists, that we pulled art books and put
together a slide show of artists mentioned. We found some of Potok's
artwork on-line and displayed that as well. Participants really appreciated
this. That combined with the beauty and richness of Potok's book made for
an excellent discussion.
The Things They Carried appealed to a wide variety of people. We were able
to attract more men (always scarce in our discussions!)--we even had a
couple Veterans--and ages of participants ranged from mid-twenties to late
seventies. War is always controversial and we had so many different takes
on the novel--absolutely amazing discussion. Plus it is so wonderfully
written!
Jodi M. Felde
Reference Staff
Fremont Area District Library
Fremont, MI
FROM: "BookBitch" <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 4/5/02, 2:17 PM
Belfer, Lauren - CITY OF LIGHT
Bradbury, Ray - FAHRENHEIT 451
Chevalier, Tracy - GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING
Diamant, Anita - THE RED TENT
Flaubert, Gustave - MADAME BOVARY
Golden, Arthur - MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
Huston, Nancy - THE MARK OF THE ANGEL
Irving, John - A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY
Irving, John - A WIDOW FOR ONE YEAR
Jin, Ha - WAITING
Kerouac, Jack - ON THE ROAD
O'Brien, Tim - GOING AFTER CACCIATO
Smith, Zadie - WHITE TEETH
Stegner, Wallace - ANGLE OF REPOSE
Tsukiyama, Gail - WOMEN OF THE SILK
Weber, Christin Lore- ALTAR MUSIC
Stacy Alesi
Southwest County Regional Library
Palm Beach County Library System
I am the BookBitch
www.bookbitch.com
_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free [removed]@yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
FROM: "Maureen OConnor" <[removed]@bramlib.on.ca>
REC'D: 4/5/02, 3:31 PM
The novel centers around a particular family in Cape Breton, and there was so much in terms of plot, characters, relationships, history etc. that we talked steadily for two hours, without digressing into neighborhood gossip!
Maureen
"Never apologize for your reading tastes." Rosenberg
____________________________________________
Maureen O'Connor
Brampton Public Library
[removed]@bramlib.on.ca
All opinions expressed above are mine alone.
FROM: Nancy Maltby Henkel <[removed]@kcls.org>
REC'D: 4/6/02, 12:21 PM
--Nancy
Nancy Maltby Henkel
Maple Valley Library; Maple Valley, WA
King County Library System "After 3 days without
e-mail: [removed]@kcls.org reading, talk becomes
phone: (425) 432-4620 flavorless."
--Chinese Proverb
FROM: "Hood, Karye" <[removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us>
REC'D: 4/6/02, 5:30 PM
Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult
The Language of Threads by Gail Tsukiyama
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
Karye Hood
Reference Librarian
Rancho Cucamonga Public Library
7368 Archibald Ave.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
Email: [removed]@ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us
Phone: 909-477-2720 x5031
Fax: 909-477-2721
FROM: "Carol Kubala" <[removed]@columbiapl.libct.org>
REC'D: 4/8/02, 10:49 AM
We are lucky to have lively conversation at our book discussions. The following
books seemed to generate lots of feelings for the participants.
No ordinary time Doris Kearns Goodwin
Girl with a Pearl Earring tracy Chevalier
Time and again Jack Finney
Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 John Barry
The only book that seemed to be a dud was
The Beatles by Hunter Davies
and even this which most of our particpants disliked caused a heated/friendly
exchange.
I'm looking forward to the list you compile as I am also looking for some
suggestions for next year's round of books.
--
Carol Kubala
Adult Services Librarian
Columbia/Saxton B. Little Free
Voice 860-228-0350 Fax 860-228-1569
Vicki Novak - LIBRARYX wrote:
> I know we've had some questions lately about book discussions, and I know
> there are some great web sites that suggest books, but I want to ask
> Fiction_L: What have been your best discussion books of all time? What books
> have produced the best discussions? They can be new ones or classics. I am
> just looking for some ideas to suggest for my group.
>
> I will compile a list. Thanks!
>
> Vicki Novak
> [removed]@mail.maricopa.gov
>
> Adult Services
> North Central Regional Library
> Maricopa County Library District
> 17811 N. 32nd St.
> Phoenix, AZ 85032-1201
>
> http://mcld.maricopa.gov
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
FROM: Spencer Ms Martha <[removed]@usmc-mccs.org>
REC'D: 4/8/02, 11:52 AM
Martha
-----Original Message-----
From: kshaw [[removed]@bfree.on.ca]
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 6:44 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Re: best books for a discussion
One of the most heated discussions we ever had at our book
club was for 'The Horse Whisperer' by Nicholas Evans.
Kathryn Shaw
Brantford Public Library
> I know we've had some questions lately about book
> discussions, and I know there are some great web sites
> that suggest books, but I want to ask Fiction_L: What have
> been your best discussion books of all time? What books
> have produced the best discussions? They can be new ones
> or classics. I am just looking for some ideas to suggest
> for my group.
> I will compile a list. Thanks!
>
> Vicki Novak
> [removed]@mail.maricopa.gov
>
> Adult Services
> North Central Regional Library
> Maricopa County Library District
> 17811 N. 32nd St.
> Phoenix, AZ 85032-1201
>
> http://mcld.maricopa.gov
>
>
> ..........................................................
> ........... Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the
> archives? Everything Fiction_L:
> http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
FROM: Barb Borg-Jenkins <[removed]@pcpls.lib.in.us>
REC'D: 4/8/02, 2:10 PM
Barbara Borg-Jenkins
"The Haven Bookends"
South Haven Public Library
403 W 700 N
Valparaiso, In 46385
219-759-4474
219-759-4454
Spencer Ms Martha wrote:
> Ours was Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Thought the group might
> come to blows.
>
> Martha
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: kshaw [[removed]@bfree.on.ca]
> Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 6:44 AM
> To: Fiction_L
> Subject: Re: best books for a discussion
>
> One of the most heated discussions we ever had at our book
> club was for 'The Horse Whisperer' by Nicholas Evans.
>
> Kathryn Shaw
> Brantford Public Library
>
> > I know we've had some questions lately about book
> > discussions, and I know there are some great web sites
> > that suggest books, but I want to ask Fiction_L: What have
> > been your best discussion books of all time? What books
> > have produced the best discussions? They can be new ones
> > or classics. I am just looking for some ideas to suggest
> > for my group.
> > I will compile a list. Thanks!
> >
> > Vicki Novak
> > [removed]@mail.maricopa.gov
> >
> > Adult Services
> > North Central Regional Library
> > Maricopa County Library District
> > 17811 N. 32nd St.
> > Phoenix, AZ 85032-1201
> >
> > http://mcld.maricopa.gov
> >
> >
> > ..........................................................
> > ........... Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the
> > archives? Everything Fiction_L:
> > http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
FROM: "heather" <[removed]@knox.net>
REC'D: 4/9/02, 1:36 PM
Heather Worthington
Adult Services Coordinator
Readers Advisory
[removed]@knox.net
Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County
201 N. Mulberry Str.
Mt. Vernon, Oh 43050
740-392-2665 ext. 243
Also on programming, we have what is called brown bag chats every Wednesday
from 12 to 1, our attendance was slipping until I changed the time to 12:10
until 12:50. This seemed to help, that way people can take a lunch and be
back in time to work. However, we usually get retired people also.
-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]On Behalf Of Spencer Ms Martha
Sent: Monday, April 08, 2002 12:47 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: RE: best books for a discussion
Ours was Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Thought the group might
come to blows.
Martha
-----Original Message-----
From: kshaw [[removed]@bfree.on.ca]
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 6:44 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Re: best books for a discussion
One of the most heated discussions we ever had at our book
club was for 'The Horse Whisperer' by Nicholas Evans.
Kathryn Shaw
Brantford Public Library
> I know we've had some questions lately about book
> discussions, and I know there are some great web sites
> that suggest books, but I want to ask Fiction_L: What have
> been your best discussion books of all time? What books
> have produced the best discussions? They can be new ones
> or classics. I am just looking for some ideas to suggest
> for my group.
> I will compile a list. Thanks!
>
> Vicki Novak
> [removed]@mail.maricopa.gov
>
> Adult Services
> North Central Regional Library
> Maricopa County Library District
> 17811 N. 32nd St.
> Phoenix, AZ 85032-1201
>
> http://mcld.maricopa.gov
>
>
> ..........................................................
> ........... Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the
> archives? Everything Fiction_L:
> http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
FROM: Spencer Ms Martha <[removed]@usmc-mccs.org>
REC'D: 4/9/02, 3:53 PM
Martha Spencer
-----Original Message-----
From: heather [[removed]@knox.net]
Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2002 11:37 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: RE: best books for a discussion
Our library is doing Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood this month, and
I am having a hard time coming up with a great opening question for the
discussion. Could you e-mail me some of your questions please. This would
be greatly appreciated, I am going in for surgery next week and I am afraid
I will not be prepared as I usually am. Thanks in advance!
Heather Worthington
Adult Services Coordinator
Readers Advisory
[removed]@knox.net
Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County
201 N. Mulberry Str.
Mt. Vernon, Oh 43050
740-392-2665 ext. 243
Also on programming, we have what is called brown bag chats every Wednesday
from 12 to 1, our attendance was slipping until I changed the time to 12:10
until 12:50. This seemed to help, that way people can take a lunch and be
back in time to work. However, we usually get retired people also.
-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]On Behalf Of Spencer Ms Martha
Sent: Monday, April 08, 2002 12:47 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: RE: best books for a discussion
Ours was Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Thought the group might
come to blows.
Martha
-----Original Message-----
From: kshaw [[removed]@bfree.on.ca]
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 6:44 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Re: best books for a discussion
One of the most heated discussions we ever had at our book
club was for 'The Horse Whisperer' by Nicholas Evans.
Kathryn Shaw
Brantford Public Library
> I know we've had some questions lately about book
> discussions, and I know there are some great web sites
> that suggest books, but I want to ask Fiction_L: What have
> been your best discussion books of all time? What books
> have produced the best discussions? They can be new ones
> or classics. I am just looking for some ideas to suggest
> for my group.
> I will compile a list. Thanks!
>
> Vicki Novak
> [removed]@mail.maricopa.gov
>
> Adult Services
> North Central Regional Library
> Maricopa County Library District
> 17811 N. 32nd St.
> Phoenix, AZ 85032-1201
>
> http://mcld.maricopa.gov
>
>
> ..........................................................
> ........... Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the
> archives? Everything Fiction_L:
> http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html
FROM: Maria Velazquez <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 4/10/02, 5:50 AM
I'm not Martha, of course, but you might find this
useful. Harper Collins has a reader's guide posted on
their web site. Go to
http://www.harpercollins.com/catalog/guide_xml.asp?isbn=069452008X
Maria Velazquez
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax
http://taxes.yahoo.com/
FROM: Patti Cheney <[removed]@libcoop.net>
REC'D: 4/11/02, 11:19 AM
We just discussed A Place of Execution by Val McDermid in our mystery
group, and we went the full hour! It was wonderful!
I also posted a list several months ago for best mysteries for book
discussions--it should be in the archives, or you can email me for it.
I'm looking forward to this compilation, along with others, such as the
gardening fiction, Janet Evanovich readalikes, and family audio books.
Take care!
Patti Cheney
Romeo District Library
Washington, MI
FROM: "Natalya Fishman" <[removed]@webrary.org>
REC'D: 4/15/02, 11:50 AM
Natalya
Natalya Fishman
Fiction_L Manager
Morton Grove (IL) Public Library
> I just joined this list serve and I missed your "best mysteries for book
> discussions". I would love a copy.
> Thank you!
> Kathy Cotner
> Monticello Public Library
> Monticello, IN
>
FROM: Vicki Novak - LIBRARYX <[removed]@MAIL.MARICOPA.GOV>
REC'D: 5/17/02, 6:49 PM
Best Books for a Discussion
Anderson, Laurie Halse - Speak
Atwood, Margaret - The Handmaid's Tale, The Blind Assassin
Barry, John - Rising Tide: the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927
Baxter, Charles - Feast of Love
Belfer, Lauren - City of Light
Bradbury, Ray - Fahrenheit 451
Chevalier, Tracy - The Girl with a Pearl Earring
Cross, Donna Woolfolk - Pope Joan
Diamant, Anita - The Red Tent
Dubus, Andre III - The House of Sand and Fog
Evans, Nicholas - The Horse Whisperer
Finney, Jack - Time and Again
Flaubert, Gustave - Madame Bovary
Goldberg, Myra - Bee Season
Golden, Arthur - Memoirs of a Geisha
Goodwin, Doris Kearns - No Ordinary Time
Grisham, John - A Painted House
Huston, Nancy - The Mark of the Angel
Irving, John - A Prayer for Owen Meany, A Widow for One Year
Jin, Ha - Waiting
Kerouac, Jack - On the Road
Kingsolver, Barbara - Animal Dreams, The Poisonwood Bible, Prodigal Summer
Lee, Harper - To Kill a Mockingbird
Leigh, Julia - The Hunter
Macdonald, Ann-Marie - Fall on Your Knees
Macdonald, Michael Patrick - All Souls
McDermid, Val - A Place of Execution
O'Brien, Tim - The Things They Carried, Going After Cacciato
Picoult, Jodi - Plain Truth
Potok, Chaim - My Name is Asher Lev
Pratt, James Michael - The Lighthouse Keeper
Russell, Mary Doria - The Sparrow
Saramago, Jose - Blindness
Smith, Zadie - White Teeth
Stegner, Wallace - Angle of Repose
Tan, Amy - The Bonesetter's Daughter
Tsukiyama, Gail - Women of the Silk, The Language of Threads
Vreeland, Susan - Girl in Hyacinth Blue
Weber, Christin Lore - Altar Music
Wells, Rebecca - Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Compiled by Vicki Novak from the following sources:
-Suggestions from the members of Fiction_L
-Reading Group Choices Top 12 Book Group Favorites of 2001
(http://www.readinggroupchoices.com )
-North Central Regional Library's best discussion books
Other favorites lists:
A previous list: Best Mysteries for for Book Discussions-
http://www.webrary.org/rs/flbklists/bestmysteries.html
Last Thursday Book Club ranked list
http://www.mike.blackledge.com/LTBC_ordered_ballot.htm
Amazon.com's Book Club Favorites
http://www.amazon.com (click on Books tab, then click on Reading Groups link
along the left side)
Vicki Novak
Adult Services Librarian
[removed]@mail.maricopa.gov
North Central Regional Library
Maricopa County Library District
17811 N. 32nd St.
Phoenix, AZ 85032
http://mcld.maricopa.gov
......................................................................
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