<p>I’m open to anything! All new books to me! Americanah does sound interesting-so that might be my first choice. But happy with other choices as well!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sigh. Since we have an open relationship, I guess I can’t object, but promise you won’t have too much fun. </p>
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</p>
<p>Me, too :). But I reserve the right to coax NJTM into reading it later if I find it to be wonderful!</p>
<p>I’ll take it off the list for this round.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I feel the same way. Basically, my thoughts are as follows:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>I’ve never read either book and we’ve had success with our duets (see my next post for a recap).</p></li>
<li><p>The timing works. In the past, having a movie tie-in has resulted in an enjoyable epilogue to our discussions (e.g., Cloud Atlas and The Help).</p></li>
<li><p>The books cover two genres that we have never explored: science fiction and young adult fiction. Two birds with one stone!</p></li>
<li><p>The H.G. Wells book provides a reading/discussion option for those who would like to hang around (because we’re awesome ;)), but who don’t want to invest time in an Orson Scott Card book.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>^ That said, I am wholly and perfectly happy to read any of the other choices, although I would be reading The Golem and the Jinni with some trepidation. I have a hard time with fantasy. I think I inherited that from my practical mother. She used to dislike reading us fairy tales or fables that had talking animals as protagonists. “I just don’t get it,” she would say. “Why aren’t they people?” LOL.</p>
<p>Here are the 8 under consideration:</p>
<p>The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker</p>
<p>Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card and The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (duet)</p>
<p>The Curiosity by Stephen P. Kiernan </p>
<p>Blood and Beauty by Sarah Dunant </p>
<p>The Other Child by Charlotte Link</p>
<p>Rules of Civility by Amor Towles </p>
<p>Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline</p>
<p>Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.</p>
<p>Go ahead and rank your favorites!</p>
<p>Here is a list of our previous selections, for the curious or the forgetful:</p>
<p>2009:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/722812-cc-june-summer-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/722812-cc-june-summer-book-club-selection.html</a> (The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society)</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/739173-dreamers-day-july-cc-summer-book-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/739173-dreamers-day-july-cc-summer-book-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/756770-sarah-s-key-august-cc-summer-book-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/756770-sarah-s-key-august-cc-summer-book-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/775489-american-wife-october-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/775489-american-wife-october-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/802971-thirteenth-tale-december-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/802971-thirteenth-tale-december-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p>2010:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/839908-help-february-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/839908-help-february-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/874004-shadow-wind-april-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/874004-shadow-wind-april-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/921062-elegance-hedgehog-june-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/921062-elegance-hedgehog-june-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/950434-let-great-world-spin-august-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/950434-let-great-world-spin-august-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/983235-cutting-stone-october-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/983235-cutting-stone-october-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1017662-moonstone-december-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1017662-moonstone-december-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p>2011:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1051496-major-pettigrew-s-last-stand-february-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1051496-major-pettigrew-s-last-stand-february-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1088114-water-elephants-april-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1088114-water-elephants-april-cc-book-club-selection.html</a> </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1128229-hotel-corner-bitter-sweet-june-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1128229-hotel-corner-bitter-sweet-june-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1164259-secret-garden-forgotten-garden-august-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1164259-secret-garden-forgotten-garden-august-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1196045-state-wonder-october-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1196045-state-wonder-october-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1227061-before-i-go-sleep-december-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1227061-before-i-go-sleep-december-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p>2012:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1258379-11-22-63-february-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1258379-11-22-63-february-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1289690-bridge-san-luis-rey-april-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1289690-bridge-san-luis-rey-april-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1324495-cat-s-table-june-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1324495-cat-s-table-june-cc-book-club-selection.html</a> </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1354603-wide-sargasso-sea-jane-eyre-august-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1354603-wide-sargasso-sea-jane-eyre-august-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1378606-cloud-atlas-october-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1378606-cloud-atlas-october-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1403248-glass-room-december-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1403248-glass-room-december-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p>2013:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1429935-possession-february-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1429935-possession-february-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1461744-orchardist-april-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1461744-orchardist-april-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1491359-things-fall-apart-june-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1491359-things-fall-apart-june-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1516433-stockholm-octavo-august-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1516433-stockholm-octavo-august-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p>I am a bit conflicted. I would love to read The War of the Worlds and discuss the radio broadcast. This would be my first choice. But, I am just not into Ender’s Game; I read it awhile back and just found it too male adolescent-y for me (because I am soooooo mature :)). So, I am rooting for half of this choice!</p>
<p>Since a number of people seem to have reservations about Ender’s Game, maybe we could do a different sci-fi pairing?</p>
<p>War of the Worlds + something else short. What book?</p>
<p>I am not much of a science fiction reader, but there is one sci-fi book that I have kept compulsively reading over and over, once every few years, and I think I’m almost due to read it again. I don’t know why it fascinates me so much. It is Childhood’s End by Arthur C Clarke.</p>
<p>^ I would be open to that. The War of the Worlds and Childhood’s End seem like a good pair. Both are “invasion literature” and both make this list: [Your</a> Picks: Top 100 Science-Fiction, Fantasy Books : NPR](<a href=“http://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139085843/your-picks-top-100-science-fiction-fantasy-books]Your”>Your Picks: Top 100 Science-Fiction, Fantasy Books : NPR)</p>
<p>Or we could pair The War of the Worlds with The Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney. [Popular</a> Alien Invasion Books](<a href=“Alien Invasion Popular Books”>Alien Invasion Books)</p>
<p>If I were in charge of making people love sci fi I’d tell you to read Lois McMasters Bujold, her first book* Shards of Honor* is really a mash up of romance novel (think Georgette Heyer’s Venetia) and space opera. Her best books are actually about the son of the heroine of Shards of Honor - the whole kit and kaboodle make a really wonderful bildungsroman. However I don’t think it’s a particularly good pairing with War of the Worlds. I’d vote for Ender’s Game because the movies coming out - those who enjoy it (despite it testosterone level) might also want to pick up Ender’s Shadow, where you here about all the events from a slightly different point of view and learn what was really going on behind the scenes. That said, I’d be fine with reading Childhood’s End since I haven’t read it. I haven’t loved anything of Clark’s I have to admit. (2001 and Rendevous with Rama.)</p>
<p>I was interested in reading and discussing Ender’s Game because the movie was coming out. I’m not sure I have the same enthusiasm for a different book. I’ll need to look at the other sci-fi suggestions later. I’ve been busy and haven’t had time to look closely at all the suggestions. I may just need to defer to the greater wisdom of the group.</p>
<p>^I am fine with the original pairing…thousands of people love Ender’s Game and the movie ties in nicely.</p>
<p>I’m not necessarily adding this as another choice to the list, but am curious…Have any/all of you read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak? That movie is being released in November. I read the book years ago – very troubling story. I need to go back to it someday.</p>
<p>^^^ Haven’t read it but it’s been on my radar. My youngest read it as some point. She didn’t really say too much about it, which generally means she neither loved or hated it.</p>
<p>Quick thoughts … busy day ahead.</p>
<p>I think that Ender’s Game would pull in lurkers (waving at you … I used to lurk also), and others, with the movie coming out. In other words … the right book for the right moment. Even those not usually interested in science fiction will pick up the book. I sorta know this for a fact. You know that book discussion I went to last night … the ladies - who don’t read science fiction ever - chose Ender’s Game as their next book because of the movie hype. None had read the book. They also choose The Lavender Garden. You can read both books or either one. I personally like that our two go together. Anyway, if I wasn’t a member of this book club, I’d probably look at War of the Worlds plus another science fiction book and be interested enough but then I like science fiction. If I didn’t, I’d need something to draw me in.</p>
<p>I guess that my preference would be to stick with the original pairing. I don’t think everyone always reads both books in our duets anyway.</p>
<p>I see psychmom has already acquiesced (LOL):</p>
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</p>
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</p>
<p>psychmom: My male adolescent-y son loved Ender’s Game and insisted we all read it. His two sisters loved it too and my husband enjoyed it. I didn’t get around to it for forever. When I did, I really liked it but am the only one in the family that cried at the ending. It touched me in such a different way than it did others in the family. It’s been 10 years or so since I read it and I don’t remember details but I do remember the end.</p>
<p>All that said … I will read whatever you choose.</p>
<p>I have heard that The Book Thief is good. I picked it up at the library once and glanced at it, and for some reason it struck me as too dreary a choice for right then. But it is an esteemed book, so I would read it if it were chosen.</p>
<p>There are probably far more people who would read and enjoy Ender’s Game and join in a discussion than people who would avoid it because of Card’s personal views.</p>
<p>When I read it six or seven years ago at my sons’ urging, I really liked it. So much, in fact, that I read several of the sequels! And I am not at all a science fiction buff! It is certainly not great literature, but there’s just something about it…</p>
<p>Okay, thanks for the quick responses. Since mathmom, BUandBC82, psychmom, ignatius, PATheaterMom and NJTheatreMOM are willing–for better or for worse–to go with the original pairing, let’s stick with that. </p>
<p>NJTM, The Book Thief is very dark, yet the narrator (Death) has both intelligence and wit. It’s not so much dreary as…shattering. Maybe it’s something we could consider for the December choice. The movie is being released mid-November, so it would still work as a tie-in. The books was published 6 years ago, though, so many of our club members might have already read it.</p>
<p>But I digress. Back to our October choice. My gut is to slam the gavel down for The War of the Worlds and Ender’s Game, and see where it leads us. I realize that several of our regulars haven’t chimed in yet, but during our existence as a book club, the most popular “vote” by far is usually something along the lines of PATheaterMom’s comment: “I’m open to anything!” </p>
<p>Shall we take the plunge into the Wells-Card sci-fi duet, come what may?</p>
<p>A of “yes” and now gone for the day.</p>
<p>Thanks, Mary. You do a great job of pulling disparate reading tastes together and making it work.</p>
<p>The duo is okay with me. I hope more people do read Americanah, though, if not for the book club then on their own.</p>
<p>^ I will. And let’s re-visit it next round. Returning to a title several times has been proven to work, e.g. The Stockholm Octavo.</p>
<p>The sci-fi duo sounds great…looking forward to joining you in October!!!</p>
<p>I’m in, and I agree, let’s keep Americanah on the back burner to be read later.</p>
<p>I’m in! Thanks, Mary!</p>
<p>War of the Worlds is free on Kindle - [Amazon.com:</a> The War of the Worlds eBook: H. G. (Herbert George) Wells: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/War-Worlds-ebook/dp/B0084BKZYS/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376429460&sr=1-1&keywords=war+of+the+worlds]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/War-Worlds-ebook/dp/B0084BKZYS/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376429460&sr=1-1&keywords=war+of+the+worlds)</p>